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US 4,360,304 AGranted
Extendable crane trolley and method
AssigneeAMCA International Corporation
InventorsBruce L. Brewer, Brooks E. Weingart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A horizontally extendable trolley 22 comprising a trolley frame 51 and wheels 52 for supporting trolley frame 51, and a horizontally elongated trailer frame 54 slidably mounted on frame 51, said trailer frame 54 having a first end extending beyond an end of frame 51, and auxiliary wheels 56 for supporting said first end. Trolley 22 includes: means for horizontally extending trailer frame 54 outwardly from the trolley frame 51 and retracting trailer frame 54 inwardly toward trolley frame 51; hoisting means mounted on trolley frame 51; auxiliary hoisting means mounted on trailer frame 54; and means for driving wheels 52. Crane 10 for use with trolley 22 and methods for the use of cranes employing trolley 22 in steel making operations are disclosed.
Claims40
A horizontally extendable trolley suitable for transporting hot metal ladles and the like when operating in a retracted mode and elongated scrap boxes and the like when operating in an extended mode comprising
- frame means and wheel means for supporting said frame means, hoisting means mounted on said frame means, means for driving said wheel means for supporting said frame means, and
- a horizontally elongated trailer frame slidably mounted on said frame means, said trailer frame having a first end extending beyond an end of said frame means, auxiliary wheel means for supporting said first end, auxiliary hoisting means mounted on said trailer frame, means for horizontally extending said trailer frame outwardly from said frame means and retracting said trailer frame inwardly toward said frame means, said trailer frame being supported by movable means adapted for travel on first track means mounted on said frame means, and said wheel means for supporting said frame means and said auxiliary wheel means being adapted for travel along a second track means.
A crane for transporting and pouring hot metal ladles, elongated scrap boxes and the like comprising
- a horizontally elongated bridge,
- means for supporting said bridge,
- a horizontally extendable trolley mounted on said bridge and adapted for horizontal travel along said bridge, said trolley including frame means, wheel means for supporting said frame means, hoisting means mounted on said frame means, means for driving said wheel means for supporting said frame means, and a horizontally elongated trailer frame slidably mounted on said frame means, said trailer frame having a first end extending beyond an end of said frame means, auxiliary wheel means for supporting said first end, auxiliary hoisting means mounted on said trailer frame, means for horizontally extending said trailer frame outwardly from said frame means and retracting said trailer frame inwardly toward said frame means, said trailer frame being supported by movable means that is adapted for travel on a first track means mounted on said frame means, and said wheel means for supporting said frame means and said auxiliary wheel means being adapted for travel along a second track means mounted on said bridge.
In a steel making facility a crane for charging hot metal and scrap comprising
- a horizontally elongated bridge,
- means for supporting said bridge, and
- a horizontally extendable trolley mounted on said bridge and adapted for travel along said bridge, said trolley including a substantially rectangular trolley frame, wheel means for supporting said trolley frame, means for driving said wheel means, a horizontally elongated trailer frame, slidably mounted on said trolley frame, said trailer frame having a first end extending beyond an end of said trolley frame and wheel means for supporting said first end, means for horizontally extending said trailer frame outwardly from said trolley frame and retracting said trailer frame inwardly toward said trolley frame, hoisting means mounted on said trolley frame, auxiliary hoisting means mounted on said trailer frame,
- a first plurality of ropefalls depending from said hoisting means
- a second plurality of ropefalls depending from said auxiliary hoisting means,
- a ladle lifting beam suspended by said first plurality of ropefalls,
- said ladle lifting beam including a horizontally elongated member and a pair of parallel spaced ladle hooks depending from said elongated member, and
- an auxiliary hook suspended by said second plurality of ropefalls.
5 more elements
A method for charging a furnace with hot metal and solid scrap comprising
- (a) providing a charging crane that includes a horizontally elongated bridge, means for suporting said bridge, means for horizontally moving said bridge, a horizontally extendable trolley mounted on said bridge and adapted for travel along said bridge, said trolley including a substantially rectangular trolley frame, wheel means for supporting said trolley frame, means for driving said wheel means, a horizontally elongated trailer frame slidably mounted on said trolley frame, said trailer frame having a first end extending beyond an end of said trolley frame and wheel means for supporting said first end, means for horizontally extending said trailer frame outwardly from said trolley frame and retracting said trailer frame inwardly toward said trolley frame, hoisting means mounted on said trolley frame, auxiliary hoisting means mounted on said trailer frame, a first plurality of ropefalls depending from said hoisting means, a second plurality of ropefalls depending from said auxiliary hoisting means, a ladle lifting beam suspended by said first plurality of ropefalls, said ladle lifting beam including a horizontally elongated member and a pair of parallel spaced ladle hooks depending from said elongated member, and an auxiliary hook suspended by said second plurality of ropefalls;
- (b) positioning a scrap box containing solid scrap metal within the area serviced by said crane;
- (c) extending said trailer frame outwardly from said trolley frame to permit said trolley to operate in its extended mode;
- (d) moving said bridge and said trolley to position said trolley over said scrap box;
- (e) lowering said ladle hooks and said auxiliary hook to attach said hooks to the trunnions of said scrap box;
- (f) hoisting said scrap box, the long dimension of said scrap box being disposed substantially horizontally to avoid premature dumping of the contents of said scrap box;
- (g) transporting said scrap box to a pouring point over the furnace to be serviced;
- (h) raising said auxiliary hook to tilt said scrap box to cause the contents of said scrap box to empty into said furnace;
- (i) transporting said scrap box away from said furnace and depositing said scrap box at a desired point within the area serviced by said crane;
- (j) retracting said trailer frame inwardly toward said trolley frame to permit said trolley to operate in its retracted mode;
- (k) positioning a hot metal transfer ladle within the area serviced by said crane;
- (l) moving said bridge and said trolley to position said trolley over said ladle;
- (m) lowering said ladle hooks and said auxiliary hook to attach said hooks to the trunnions of said ladle;
- (n) hoisting said ladle in an upright position to avoid premature dumping of the contents of said ladle;
- (o) transporting said ladle to a pouring point over the furnace to be serviced;
- (p) raising said auxiliary hook to tilt said ladle to cause the contents of said ladle to empty into said furnace;
- and
- (q) transporting said ladle away from said furnace and depositing said ladle at a desired point within the area serviced by said crane.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.