Mobile crane systems and methods
OwnerPaul Markelz, William Kenneth Quastinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for a mobile crane are provided. In particular, systems and methods are provided for a mobile crane that is designed to enable easy transportation on a railcar to and from a job site. The mobile crane facilitates quick changing between a transport configuration and a work configuration to enable increased productivity. The mobile crane is configured to be modular and thereby be configured to include various lifting and object manipulating features, as required by a specific application.
Claims19
A rail support structure for supporting rails, the rail support structure comprising:
- a main beam having a positioning aperture formed therethrough, the positioning aperture arranged along a centerline of the main beam;
- a first clamp pivotally coupled to a first end of the main beam, the first clamp rotatable relative to the main beam about a pivot between an unlocked position and a locked position;
- and
- a second clamp pivotally coupled to a second end of the main beam opposite the first end, the second clamp being rotatable relative to the main beam about a second pivot between an unlocked position and a locked position,
- wherein the first clamp rotates to the locked position by rotating about the pivot in a first direction and the second clamp rotates to the locked position by rotating about the second pivot in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and
- wherein a main rail finger is formed at a distal end of the main beam, the main rail finger extending arcuately downward from the main beam to engage a rail inside surface.
A crane apparatus comprising:
- a first truss assembly comprising a first main truss having a longitudinal axis, the first main truss being coupled to a first end assembly at a first end of the first main truss;
- and
- a second truss assembly comprising a second main truss spaced apart from and extending approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis, the second main truss being coupled to the first end assembly at a first end of the second main truss, the first main truss and the second main truss spaced apart from one another to define an interior space,
- wherein the first end assembly includes a lateral extension assembly coupled to the first main truss and the second main truss, the lateral extension assembly configured to move the first truss assembly and the second truss assembly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein a thrust bracket is removably coupled to the first main truss and the lateral extension assembly.
A crane apparatus comprising:
- a first truss assembly comprising a first main truss having a longitudinal axis, the first main truss being coupled to a support beam of a lateral support assembly;
- a second truss assembly comprising a second main truss spaced apart from and extending approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis, the second main truss being coupled to a second support beam of the lateral support assembly, the first main truss and the second main truss spaced apart from one another to define an interior space;
- and
- a thrust block removably coupled to the lateral support assembly and engaging the first main truss and the lateral support assembly to restrict lateral movement of the support beam perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.