Lift crane with improved movable counterweight

A lift crane comprising:

• a) a carbody;
• b) movable ground engaging members mounted on the carbody allowing the lift crane to move over the ground;
• c) a rotating bed having a front portion and a rear-most fixed portion, the rotating bed being rotatably connected to the carbody about an axis of rotation that provides a plane of rotation perpendicular to the axis, the rotating bed including a counterweight support frame integrally formed with the rotating bed, the counterweight support frame including a rack coupled directly to a lower peripheral surface under the rotating bed, the rack having teeth formed therein, wherein the counterweight support frame is not pinned to the rotating bed;
• d) a boom pivotally mounted on the rotating bed;
• e) a counterweight unit that includes a trolley, the counterweight unit being in a movable relationship with respect to the rotating bed, and,
• f) a counterweight unit movement device configured to move the counterweight unit toward and away from the boom, the counterweight unit movement device including at least one motor driving a first gear connected to the trolley to move the trolley with respect to the rotating bed as the motor turns the first gear.