Crane improvements
AssigneePaR Systems, Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Jung, Christopher C. Levang, Mary E. Barker, Thomas E. Marrinan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of the present invention relate to crane systems and/or hoists. One aspect includes in combination with a pair of runways in a crane system, a pair of hoist assemblies moveable on the runways, a pair of transfer rails selectively disposable transversely to the runways, the transfer rails including racks for at least a portion of one or both of the hoist assemblies to travel on, a spreader assembly locatable between the hoist assemblies and engaging the runways and/or the hoist assemblies to push the runways or hoist assemblies apart during insertion of the transfer rails between the runways.
Claims31
In combination with a pair of runways in a crane system and a pair of hoist assemblies moveable on the runways and a pair of transfer rails selectively disposable transversely to the runways, the transfer rails including racks for at least a portion of one or both of the hoist assemblies to travel on, a spreader assembly locatable between the hoist assemblies and engaging the runways and/or the hoist assemblies to push the runways or hoist assemblies apart during insertion of the transfer rails between the runways.
The combination of claim land further comprising a position sensor to provide a signal indicative of a position of each end of each transfer rail.
In a crane system having a pair of runways, a pair of hoist assemblies moveable on the runways and a pair of transfer rails selectively disposable transversely to the runways, the transfer rails including racks for at least a portion of one or both of the hoist assemblies to travel on, a method of inserting the transfer rails between the hoist assemblies and engaging the runways and/or the hoist assemblies by pushing the runways or hoist assemblies apart.
A crane system comprising:
- a pair of runways;
- a pair of hoist assemblies moveable on the runways;
- a second pair of rails orthogonal to the pair of runways;
- a pair of transfer rails;
- an actuator assembly for lowering the transfer rails so as to align the transfer rails with ends of the second pair of rails;
- a locking assembly to lock the transfer rails in position aligned with the end of the second pair of rails.
An assembly comprising:
- a device having synchronized gears, each gear being rotatable about an axis;
- a first rack having elements arranged to mate with the gears;
- a second rack having elements arranged to mate with the gears, wherein an end of the first rack is disposed proximate an end of the second rack, and wherein elements proximate the aligned ends are modified from those elements further away from the aligned ends.
A hoist comprising:
- a drum;
- a support shaft;
- a clutch mechanism operable coupled to the drum and the support shaft to allow relative rotational motion between the drum and the support shaft.
A drum for a hoist made from stainless steel and heat treated at approximately 1850° F.
A crane system comprising:
- a fixed runway;
- a rail
- an extendable runway moveable on the rail toward and away from the fixed runway, the extendable runway being shorter than the rail;
- two spaced apart drives for selectively displacing the extendable runway on the rail, each drive configured for displacing the extendable runway along a different portion of the rail;
- an extendable line operably coupled to the extendable runway and the rail or another stationary position, the line extending to a different length for each position of the extendable runway on the rail;
- and
- a position sensor operably coupled to the extendable line to provide a signal indicative of a length of a portion of the line that has been extended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.