Carbody to crawler connection
AssigneeManitowoc Crane Companies, LLC
InventorsHarley Smith, Joel Zick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crawler vehicle having a lower works comprising a carbody and a pair of crawler assemblies. Each of the crawler assemblies are removably connected to the carbody by a plurality of carbody to crawler connections. The carbody to crawler connection each comprise at least one keyway for aligning the connection components of the crawler assembly with the connection components of the carbody, and for preventing these connection components from becoming misaligned in response to eccentric forces or deflections generated between the carbody and each of the crawler assemblies.
Claims14
A crawler vehicle having a lower works comprising a carbody and a pair of crawler assemblies, said crawler assemblies each being removably connected to said carbody by a plurality of spaced apart carbody to crawler connections disposed along an axis of the crawler assembly, each of said carbody to crawler connections comprising:
- a carbody connection weldment affixed to an arm portion of said carbody, said carbody connection weldment including a horizontally disposed top flange member and a vertical flange member, said vertical flange member being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly;
- and
- a crawler connection weldment affixed to a crawler frame of said crawler assembly, said crawler connection weldment including a horizontally disposed top flange member and a vertical flange member, said vertical flange member being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly,
- wherein the top flange member of said carbody connection weldment and the top flange member of said crawler connection weldment are configured to abut against each other when said crawler is assembled to said carbody,
- wherein one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment comprises a pair of vertical flanges disposed along a pair of spaced apart parallel planes that intersect the axis of the crawler assembly, and the vertical flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment is disposed between the pair of vertical flanges when said crawler is assembled to said carbody,
- wherein one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a keyway, and the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a key, said key being configured to engage said keyway so as to prevent misalignment between said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment, and
- further wherein said key and said keyway are disposed in the top flange members of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment.
A crawler crane having an upper works rotatably mounted on a lower works and a boom pivotally mounted on the upper works, said lower works comprising a carbody and a pair of crawler assemblies, each of said crawler assemblies being removably connected to said carbody by a plurality of carbody to crawler connections disposed at spaced apart locations along an axis of the crawler assembly, each of said carbody to crawler connections comprising:
- a carbody connection member affixed to an arm portion of said carbody, said carbody connection member comprising a horizontal top flange, a horizontal bottom flange, and a pair of spaced apart vertical flanges connected between said top and bottom flanges, each of said pair of vertical flanges being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly;
- and
- a crawler connection member affixed to a crawler frame of said crawler assembly, said crawler connection member comprising a horizontal top flange and a vertical flange, said vertical flange being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly,
- wherein the vertical flange of said crawler connection member is disposed in between the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member,
- wherein at least one pin is disposed through the vertical flange of said crawler connection member and the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member, said pin being configured so as to transfer forces between said crawler assemblies and said carbody, and
- wherein the top flange of one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a keyway, and the top flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a key, said key being configured to mate with said keyway so as to prevent misalignment between the top flanges of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.