Load monitoring and control system with selective boom-up lockout
AssigneeManitowoc Crane Companies, LLC
InventorJohn R. Rudy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for controlling a crane which comprises a boom that may be raised or lowered by angular adjustment of the boom about a base portion of the crane. The method prevents operation of the crane in an undesired condition by continuously monitoring operation of the crane, including monitoring at least the position of the boom with respect to the base of the crane. If the crane approaches a limit of its operating range or any operational parameter, its operation will be controlled so as to selectively prohibit or permit a boom raising operation of the crane, depending on the cause of the condition, rather than uniformly prohibit such an operation.
Claims16
A method for controlling a crane to prevent operation of the crane in an undesired condition, said crane comprising a boom that may be raised or lowered by angular adjustment of the boom about a base portion of the crane, the method comprising
- monitoring parameters of operation of the crane, including monitoring at least the position of the boom with respect to a base portion of the crane;
- selectively permitting an operator to execute a boom raising operation of the crane when the crane is in an undesired condition when the undesired condition was caused by a predetermined operation of the crane immediately prior to said condition;
- and
- blocking an operator from executing a boom raising operation of the crane when the crane is in the undesired condition when the undesired condition was not caused by a predetermined operation of the crane immediately prior to said condition.
A method for controlling a crane to prevent operation of the crane in an undesired condition, said crane comprising a boom that may be raised or lowered by angular adjustment of the boom about a base portion of the crane, the method comprising
- monitoring parameters of operation of the crane, including monitoring at least the position of the boom with respect to a base portion of the crane;
- determining that the crane is in an undesired condition as a result of the boom being in a position such that the load on the boom is at too great a radius from the base of the crane;
- and
- selectively permitting an operator to execute a boom raising operation if the undesired condition was caused by the boom being lowered immediately prior to said condition to thereby cause said condition;
- and
- blocking an operator from executing a boom raising operation of the crane when the undesired condition was not caused by the boom being lowered immediately prior to said condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.