Collapsible personnel basket for a crane

A method of setting up and connecting a personnel basket to a crane, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing a spine assembly of the personnel basket onto a support surface, wherein the spine assembly is in a collapsed storage position;
• using the crane to adjust the spine assembly from the storage position to an extended deployment position;
• attaching a rail assembly of the personnel basket to the spine assembly;
• and
• coupling the spine assembly to a boom tip of the crane.

A locking mechanism comprising:

• a first segment including a transverse passageway through a wall thereof;
• a second segment slidably received by the first segment for longitudinal adjustment relative to the first segment, the second segment having a shaped feature;
• a cylindrical sleeve arranged in the passageway of the first segment, the sleeve including a helical groove;
• a cylindrical plunger received in the sleeve for movement in an inward direction toward the second segment and an outward direction away from the second segment, the plunger having a radially protruding pin engaging the helical groove in the sleeve such that rotation of the plunger in a first rotational direction is accompanied by movement of the plunger in the inward direction and rotation of the plunger in a second rotational direction is accompanied by movement of the plunger in the outward direction, the plunger further having an inner end portion configured to mate with the shaped feature of the second segment;
• a spring biasing the plunger in the inward direction;
• a knob connected to the plunger for enabling a user to rotate the plunger in the first and second rotational directions, the knob and plunger being rotatable in the first rotational direction to a locked position wherein
• (i) the inner end portion of the plunger and the shaped feature of the second segment mate with one another to restrict longitudinal adjustment of the second segment relative to the first segment,
• (ii) the inner end portion of the plunger and the shaped feature of the second segment are configured to resist rotation of the plunger in the second rotational direction when the first segment is in longitudinal compression with the second segment, and
• (iii) the inner end portion of the plunger and the shaped feature of the second segment are configured to allow rotation of the plunger in the second rotational direction when the first segment is in longitudinal tension with the second segment.

A coupling apparatus comprising:

• an adapter configured to be fastened to a crane boom tip, the adapter including an upper pair of side flanges and a crossbar extending transversely between the upper pair of side flanges, and the adapter including a lower pair of side flanges;
• a connection member including a pair of sidewalls each having an open mouth region sized to receive the crossbar, a latch mounted between the pair of sidewalls for pivotal motion about a transverse pivot axis relative to the pair of sidewalls, and a spring arranged to bias the latch toward a closed position relative to the mouth regions of the pair of sidewalls;
• wherein the latch is configured to pivot about the pivot axis toward an open position to allow the crossbar to be inserted into the pair of mouth regions, and the latch is biased by the spring to return to the closed position when the crossbar is received by the pair of mouth regions;
• wherein the latch has a transverse retainer bar spaced from the pivot axis;
• wherein when the crossbar is received by the pair of mouth regions and the latch is in the closed position, the retainer bar is arranged to engage the lower pair of side flanges of the adapter to prevent rotation of the connection member relative to the adapter in a downward rotational direction about the crossbar and to prevent pivotal motion of the latch about the pivot axis toward the open position.

A storage apparatus comprising:

• a container defining an internal compartment and an access opening for allowing access to the internal compartment;
• a primary cover movably mounted on the container, the primary cover being movable relative to the container between a closed position wherein the primary cover closes a first portion of the access opening and an open position wherein the primary cover does not close the first portion of the access opening;
• a secondary cover movably mounted on the container, the secondary cover being movable relative to the container between a closed position wherein the secondary cover closes a second portion of the access opening and an open position wherein the secondary cover does not close the second portion of the access opening;
• and
• a transmission mechanically connecting the primary cover to the secondary cover, wherein motion of the primary cover from its closed position to its open position moves the secondary cover from its closed position to its open position, and wherein motion of the primary cover from its open position to its closed position moves the secondary cover from its open position to its closed position.