Crane mat carrier

A carrier system for supporting crane mats, comprising:

• a crane having a chassis with an underside providing a bottom, walls extending upwardly from said bottom, mobile supports for raising and elevating said underside aboveground, said walls including a front wall providing a front end, a back wall providing a back end, and elongated side walls extending between and integrally connecting said ends, each of said walls having a surface, at least one of said surfaces of said crane comprising a mounting surface positioned in proximity to said underside of said crane;
• said mobile supports being selected from the group consisting of outriggers, wheeled supports for moving said crane and combinations thereof, said wheeled supports being selected from the group consisting of wheels, tires, crawler tracks, crawler wheels and combinations thereof;
• crane-stabilizer devices for positioning below, supporting and stabilizing said mobile supports and said crane when said crane is at a construction site, lifting site, or other job site, said stabilizing devices for positioning on the ground or other surface;
• a drawbar fixture comprising a backplate providing a backer plate secured to said mounting surface of said crane, said backplate having an outer backplate surface, a top and a bottom;
• a mounting securing plate having an upper securing plate portion with an upper end extending at a height above said top of said backplate and a lower securing plate portion with a lower end positioned at a height above said bottom of said backplate, and an intermediate securing plate portion extending integrally between and connecting said lower securing plate portion and said upper securing plate portion, said mounting securing plate having a back mounting surface facing toward an adjacent end wall of said crane and a front mounting surface facing outwardly away from said adjacent end wall of said crane, said back mounting surface of said intermediate and lower securing plate portions abutting against and secured to said outer backplate surface of said backplate, said upper securing plate portion being spaced outwardly from said mounting surface and said adjacent end wall of said crane and cooperating with said backplate and said adjacent end wall of said crane to form a suspension-rod receiving slot therebetween;
• a locking plate having an inner locking plate surface facing inwardly, an outer locking plate surface facing away from said mounting securing plate, a locking plate-abutment portion abutting against and secured to said lower plate portion of said mounting securing plate, and a downwardly extending locking plate portion integrally extending downwardly from said locking plate-abutment portion, said locking plate having a lower edge positioned at a level below said lower end of said mounting securing plate and having an upper edge positioned at a height below the upper end of said mounting securing plate and said top of said backplate, said downwardly ending locking plate portion being spaced from said adjacent end wall of said crane and said backing plate to form a locking bar-receiving slot therebetween;
• a load-bearing crane mat carrier comprising substantially coplanar stabilizer device-engaging portions having substantially coplanar stabilizer device-supporting surfaces for transporting, carrying, engaging and supporting said stabilizer devices on said crane, said crane mat carrier being moveable from and secured at different positions to said crane including an upright storage position, an intermediate position at an angle of inclination, and a lower substantially horizontal supporting position, said crane mat carrier comprising a frame assembly providing a loading bearing frame with a load-supporting surface, said frame assembly comprising
• an elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar extending longitudinally outwardly from said crane in said lower horizontal supporting position, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having an inner end positioned below said underside of said crane in said lower horizontal supporting position and said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar having an outer end positioned opposite said inner end, a load distribution stability plate abutting against and secured to the inner end and engaging against the underside of the chassis when the crane mat carrier is in the lower horizontal position, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having longitudinal side portions and a longitudinal load-supporting surface extending between and integrally connecting said longitudinal side portions, said longitudinal load-supporting surface extending a maximum length in a longitudinal direction and having a maximum width in a lateral direction, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having inner peripheral bars-engaging portions and crossbars-engaging portions positioned between said peripheral bars-engaging portions and said outer end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having hanger sleeve-engaging portions at locations between said inner peripheral bars-engaging portions and said inner end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar, and said longitudinal load-supporting bar having latch-engaging portions at locations between said hanger sleeve-engaging portions and said inner end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• crossbars providing lateral load-stabilizing ribs secured to and extending laterally from said crossbars-engaging portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar between said inner and outer ends, said crossbars having opposite lateral ends, said crossbars each having an upper load-supporting surface with a maximum lateral span in the lateral direction substantially shorter than the maximum length of said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar in the longitudinal direction and said crossbar having a maximum span in the longitudinal direction substantially less than the maximum width in the lateral direction of said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• and
• perimeter bars providing a generally diamond-shaped periphery, said perimeter bars comprising diagonal braces having upper edges and including inner diagonal braces extending between and connecting the lateral ends of said crossbars to and converging towards said inner peripheral bars-engaging portions of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar and including outer diagonal braces extending between and connecting the lateral ends of said crossbars to said outer end of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar cooperating with and being positioned in coplanar relationship with said upper load-supporting surfaces of said crossbars and said upper edges of the diagonal braces of said perimeter bars of said diamond-shaped periphery to provide said substantially coplanar stabilizer device-engaging portions with said substantially coplanar stabilizer device-supporting surfaces for holding, carrying and supporting said crane-stabilizer devices;
• said elongated main longitudinal load-support bar having an outer portion extending across said diamond-shaped periphery in a longitudinal direction and having an inner portion extending inwardly in a longitudinal direction away from said diamond-shaped periphery;
• a hanger assembly for hanging and supporting said crane mat carrier on said backing plate, said mounting securing plate and said adjacent end wall of said crane;
• said hanger assembly comprising an inverted generally U-shaped hanger providing an inverted generally U-shaped suspension rod, said hanger having hanger-legs extending downwardly when said crane mat carrier is in said lower generally horizontal supporting position and having an transverse suspension hanger bar extending laterally between and integrally connecting said legs and positioned in said suspension-rod receiving slot, said legs having externally threaded lower leg portions, said hanger assembly having tubular hanger sleeves secured to said hanger sleeve-engaging portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar and positioned generally upwardly when said crane mat carrier is in said generally horizontal supporting position, said hanger sleeves having upper sleeve portions and lower sleeve portions, said tubular hanger sleeves defining leg-openings for receiving said lower leg portions, and said hanger assembly having internally threaded hanger adjustment nuts for engaging and securing said lower legs portions against said upper and lower sleeve portions;
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• a latch mechanism for securing locking and supporting said crane mat carrier against a bottom portion of said back plate, said mounting securing plate and said adjacent end wall of said crane when said crane mat carrier is in said upright storage position, said latch mechanism comprising spring-loaded latches providing locking arms pivotally connected to said latch-engaging portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar and having an transverse locking latching bar extending laterally between and integrally connecting said latches and positioned in said locking bar-receiving slot to securely lock said crane mat carrier when said crane mat carrier is in said upright storage position, and said latch mechanism including springs operatively associated with said locking arms for normally urging and biasing said latching bar against the underside of said chassis of said crane when said crane mat carrier is in said intermediate position at an angle of inclination, said latches being pivotable to longitudinal positions adjacent and against said longitudinal side portions of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar when said crane mat carrier is in said lower supporting position, and at least one abutment stop pin extending laterally from said longitudinal load-supporting bar adjacent said latches for limiting and controlling pivotal movement of said locking arms.

A carrier system for supporting crane mats, comprising:

• a crane having a chassis with an underside providing a bottom, walls extending upwardly from said bottom, crane supports for raising and elevating said underside aboveground, said walls including a front wall providing a front end, a back wall providing a back end, and elongated side walls extending between and integrally connecting said ends, each of said walls having a surface, at least one of said surfaces of said ends of said crane comprising a mounting surface positioned in proximity to said underside of said crane;
• said crane supports being selected from the group consisting of outriggers, wheeled supports for moving said crane- and combinations thereof, said wheeled supports being selected from the group consisting of wheels, tires, crawler tracks, crawler wheels and combinations thereof;
• crane-stabilizer devices for positioning below, supporting and stabilizing said crane supports and said crane when said crane is at a construction site, said stabilizing devices for positioning on the ground or other surface;
• a drawbar fixture comprising a backplate providing a backer plate secured to said mounting surface of said crane, said backplate having an outer backplate surface, a backplate top and a backplate bottom;
• a mounting securing plate having an upper securing plate portion with an upper end extending at a height above said top of said backplate and a lower securing plate portion with a lower end positioned at a height above said bottom of said backplate, and an intermediate securing plate portion extending integrally between and connecting said lower securing plate portion and said upper securing plate portion, said mounting securing plate having a back mounting surface facing toward an adjacent end wall of said crane and a front mounting surface facing outwardly away from said adjacent end wall of said crane, said back mounting surface of said intermediate and lower securing plate portions abutting against and secured to said outer backplate surface of said backplate, said upper securing plate portion being spaced outwardly from said mounting surface and said adjacent end wall of said crane and cooperating with said backplate and said adjacent end wall of said crane to form a suspension-rod receiving slot therebetween;
• a locking plate having an inner locking plate surface facing inwardly, an outer locking plate surface facing away from said mounting securing plate, a locking plate-abutment portion abutting against and secured to said lower plate portion of said mounting securing plate, and a downwardly extending locking plate portion integrally extending downwardly from said locking plate-abutment portion, said locking plate having a lower edge positioned at a level below said lower end of said mounting securing plate and having an upper edge positioned at a height below the upper end of said mounting securing plate and said top of said backplate, said downwardly ending locking plate portion being spaced from said adjacent end wall of said crane and said backing plate to form a locking bar-receiving slot therebetween;
• a load-bearing crane mat carrier having substantially coplanar stabilizer device-engaging portions with substantially coplanar stabilizer device-supporting surfaces for transporting, holding, carrying, engaging and supporting said stabilizer devices on said crane, said crane mat carrier being moveable and secured at different position including an upright storage position, an intermediate position at an angle of inclination, and to a generally horizontal supporting position, said crane mat carrier comprising a frame assembly providing a loading bearing frame with a load-supporting surface, said frame assembly comprising
• an elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar extending longitudinally outwardly and cantilevered from said crane in said lower horizontal supporting position, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having an inner end positioned below said underside of said crane in said lower horizontal supporting position and having an outer end positioned opposite said inner end, a load distribution stability plate abutting against and secured to said inner end, said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar having longitudinal side portions and a longitudinal load-supporting surface extending between and integrally connecting said longitudinal side portions, said longitudinal load-supporting surface extending a maximum length in a longitudinal direction and having a maximum width in a lateral direction and engaged against the underside of the chassis of the crane when the crane mat carrier is in the lower horizontal position, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having inner peripheral bars-engaging portions and crossbars-engaging portions positioned between said peripheral bars-engaging portions and said outer end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar, said longitudinal load-supporting bar having hanger sleeve-engaging portions at locations between said inner peripheral bars-engaging portions and said inner end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar, and said longitudinal load-supporting bar having said longitudinal load-supporting bar having latch-engaging portions at locations between said hanger sleeve-engaging portions and said inner end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• crossbars providing lateral load-stabilizing ribs secured to and extending laterally from said crossbars-engaging portions of said longitudinal side portions of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar between said inner and outer ends, said crossbars having opposite lateral ends, said crossbars each having an upper load-supporting surface with a maximum lateral span in the lateral direction substantially shorter than the maximum length of said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar in the longitudinal direction and said crossbar having a maximum span in the longitudinal direction substantially less than the maximum width in the lateral direction of said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• and
• perimeter bars providing a generally diamond-shaped periphery, said perimeter bars comprising diagonal braces including inner diagonal braces extending between and connecting the lateral ends of said crossbars to and converging towards said inner peripheral bars-engaging portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar and including outer diagonal braces extending between and connecting the lateral ends of said crossbars to said outer end of said longitudinal load-supporting bar;
• said longitudinal load-supporting surface of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar being positioned in coplanar alignment with the upper load-supporting surfaces of said crossbars and the upper edges of said diagonal braces of said perimeter bars to provide said coplanar substantially coplanar stabilizer device-engaging portions providing said substantially coplanar stabilizer device-supporting surfaces for holding, carrying and supporting said crane-stabilizer devices;
• said elongated main longitudinal load-support bar having an outer portion extending across said diamond-shaped periphery in a longitudinal direction and having an inner portion extending inwardly in a longitudinal direction away from said diamond-shared periphery;
• a hanger assembly for hanging and supporting said crane mat carrier on said backing plate, said mounting securing plate and said adjacent end wall of said crane;
• said hanger assembly comprising an inverted generally U-shaped hanger providing an inverted generally U-shaped suspension rod, said hanger having hanger-legs extending downwardly when said crane mat carrier is in said lower generally horizontal supporting position and having an transverse suspension hanger bar extending laterally between and integrally connecting said legs and positioned in said suspension-rod receiving slot, said legs having externally threaded lower leg portions, said hanger assembly having tubular hanger sleeves secured to said hanger sleeve-engaging portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar and positioned generally upwardly when said crane mat carrier is in said generally horizontal supporting position, said hanger sleeves having upper sleeve portions and lower sleeve portions, said tubular hanger sleeves defining leg-openings for receiving said lower leg portions, and said hanger assembly having internally threaded hanger adjustment nuts for engaging and securing said lower legs portions against said upper and lower sleeve portions;
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• a safety latch mechanism for securing locking and supporting said crane mat carrier against a bottom portion of said back plate, said mounting securing plate and said adjacent end wall of said crane when said crane mat carrier is in said upright storage position, said safety latch mechanism comprising spring-loaded latches providing locking arms pivotally connected to said latch-engaging portions of said longitudinal side portions of said elongated main longitudinal load-supporting bar and having an transverse locking latching bar extending laterally between and integrally connecting said latches and positioned in said locking bar-receiving slot to securely lock said crane mat carrier when said crane mat carrier is in said upright storage position, and said latch mechanism including springs operatively connected to said locking arms for normally urging and biasing said latching bar against the underside of said chassis when said crane mat carrier is in said intermediate position at an angle of inclination, said latches being pivotable to longitudinal positions adjacent and against said side portions of said longitudinal load-supporting bar when said crane mat carrier is in said lower generally horizontal supporting position, and at least one abutment stop pin extending laterally from said longitudinal load-supporting bar adjacent said latches for limiting and controlling upward pivotal movement of said latches.