GB2041326A

GB2041326A - Handling Apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2041326A
Application number: GB7943472A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Potain SA
Current assignee: Manitowoc Crane Group France SAS
Priority date: 1978-12-20
Filing date: 1979-12-18
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: JPS5598089A; IT7928061A0; DE2950884A1; FR2444639A1; IT1127723B

Abstract

A jib 17 retracts and slides into an arm 10 pivoted at 11 to the revolving component 2 of a mobile machine 1. A carrier 14 is pivoted on the end of the arm 10 to which it is connected by jacks 16. The jib 17, connected to the arm 10 by an internal jack, can incline on the arm 10 with the carrier 14 when it is projected from the arm 10 and lodged only in the carrier 14. The jib 17, the carrier 14 and the arm 10 are an integral part of the equipment, hydraulically controlled for inclination and rotation. The equipment is particularly designed for the construction of a building by working as closely as possible to the building by increasing the clearance under the telescopic handling jib 17 adjacent to the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Handling Equipment Principally for Use on a Self-propelled Machine The invention concerns a handling apparatus comprising a swinging mast and a jib, this equipment, which is particularly designed for the construction of buildings or individual houses, being mounted on a self-propelled machine or vehicle of any known type.

Numerous handling machines are already known. In the case of vehicles fitted with straight telescopic jibs, the clearance under the jib adjacent to the vehicle is reduced, which necessitates the vehicle being further from the working area and thevjib being unduly extended.

On the other hand known machines in which the jib is mounted at the upper end of a mast present a relatively large bulk, both in height and length, when folded up for transport.

The present invention has the aim of avoiding these disadvantages and of achieving a handling apparatus which, whilst presenting the advantages of a straight jib, allows clearance from the working area and facilitates the operation of the machine.

According to the invention, a handling apparatus is installed on a self-propelled machine or vehicle of any known type, of which the chassis carries all the devices and components for the control and stabilisation of the vehicle as well as the driving units and control systems for the operation of the handling equipment, which is characterised by a carrier pivoted to the end of an arm, which is pivoted in its turn to a revolving part of the chassis, whilst a jib is encased in the arm and the carrier within which it can slide by the action of a means which ensures its connection to the arm, methods being provided to incline the carrier in relation to the arm when the jib is extended beyond the arm and borne only by the carrier.

According to an additional characteristic, the pivoted arm on the self-propelled machine, the pivoted carrier at the free end of the arm and the handling jib located at least in the carrier are always connected together and inclined in relation to one another by means of hydraulic jacks and pivots.

According to an additional characteristic, the extension of the jib and the inclination of the carrier are controlled by the operation of jacks fitted on the same hydraulic circuit so that the movement of a single lever carries out: first, the extension of the jib, by sliding within the arm and the carrier; then when the jib is borne by the carrier alone, the downward inclination of the carrier and jib assembly in relation to the pivoted arm.

The opposite movement of the control lever carries out the alignment of the whole jib, carrier and arm, then the retraction of the jib.

The execution of these two movements, namely extension and variation of the inclination of the jib may be obtained either automatically or by independent manual controls, the hydraulic circuit being fitted with safety systems against possible false manoeuvres.

According to an additional characteristic, the handling jib is hydraulically telescopic, fitted with means to extend it or retract it by components of different diameters sliding within one another, this telescoping being controlled independently of the movements of extension and inclination of the jib in relation to the arm.

According to a variant, the handling jib is a single telescopic module which may be inclined withing a pivoted arm capable of being turned and raised. This arm constitutes the swinging mast of the handling assembly.

Other characteristics, advantages of construction, of operation and of working of the equipment according to the invention will be better understood in relation to the following description and the attached drawings given by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a self-propelled machine fitted with handling equipment according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the equipment after the extension of a telescopic handling jib.

Figure 3 illustrates the inclination of the carrier and the extended arm.

Figure 4 illustrates the clearance below the equipment of the invention compared with that given by a straight jib.

Figure 5 is a simplified view showing the working area.

Figure 6 shows the working area of an apparatus fitted with a handling jib in a single piece.

The self-propelled vehicle shown in the drawings comprises a chassis 1 surmounted by a revolving part 2 on which is pivoted a handling or lifting apparatus 3.

The chassis 1 carries in the known way: a driving and control position 4; coachwork 5 covering the tanks, batteries, control components and drive transmission to the wheels 6 of the vehicle; stabilisers 7 for example hydraulic, set to bear on the ground when the vehicle is stationary on a site and is working as a handling machine; the mechanical links for the movement of the.

vehicle (engine, gearbox, steering).

The revolving part 2 may be rotated by a driving assembly, most frequently carried by the chassis, this assembly, for example hydraulic, being able to carry out continuous, interrupted or part rotation, by means of a directional crown gear 8 with a vertical axis 9.

The handling equipment 3 comprises a pedestal on which is pivoted an arm 10. Some hydraulic jacks 13 are pivoted at one end of the pedestal and at the other to the arm 10 of which they control the inclination in a vertical plane by rotation of the arm about its pivot 11. The pedestal is constituted by the revolving component 2 and it is fitted with a counterweight 12 revolving with the handling components which comprise: a carrier 14, pivoted at 1 5 to the free end of the arm 10, to which it is in addition connected by jacks 1 6 which control its inclination in relation to the axis of the arm in a vertical plane; a handling jib 1 7 lodged in the carrier 14 and in the arm 10 (Figure 1); at its interior end, the jib 1 7 is fitted with a hydraulic jack 18 of which the opposite end is pivoted at 11. This jack constitutes a connecting component between the arm and the jib, whilst its action causes the sliding and the telescoping (extension or retraction) of the jib in relation to the arm, these two components remaining connected, as are the arm 10 and the carrier 14.

The arm has for example a box section constituted by metal sheets. The jib 1 7 in Figures 1 to 5 is a hydraulically telescopic jib of known type, comprising for example several components sliding into one another. It carries at the tip of the end component means 19 of raising and handling loads. The means 1 9 is operated by a lifting cable 20 (Figure 2) or any other known device.

In order to simplify the description, the handling equipment 3 has been shown and described only in a single vertical plane. It is evident that, through the directional crown gear 8, the equipment covers a zone of practically 360 , by rotation about the vertical axis 9.

The device so constructed is completed by at least one hydraulic circuit (not shown) to carry out the telescoping of the jacks 13, 1 6 and 1 8. On this hydraulic circuit safety systems of any known type are provided in order to prevent any false manoeuvre which could harm the jacks, or the pivoted components.

The setting up and operation of the equipment comprise the standard operations of immobilising and stabilising the chassis 1 on the ground, which is often irregular on a building site.

In the "folded" position of Figure 1, the components of the equipment are in the following positions: the arm 10 is lowered to the horizontal, the jacks 13 being contracted; the carrier 14 is in the raised position so as to be in alignment with the arm; the inclination jacks 1 6 are extended; the jib 1 7 is retracted in the carrier and the aligned arm; the jack connecting it to the arm 10 is contracted, as are all the jacks (not shown) which carry out the telescoping of the components of the telescopic jib.

In addition, in the hydraulic circuit the control of the jacks 13 for the raising of the arm or swinging mast 10 is fitted independently. But the devices for controlling the jacks 1 6 and 18 may be mounted in series, these jacks then being operated by the movement of a single control lever.

The operation of the equipment is as follows, from the folded position of Figure 1: In a first phase, the operation of the control lever causes the sliding of the jib 1 7 in the arm 10 and the carrier 14 which are in line. The jib 1 7 emerges under the effects of the extension of the telescoping jack 18, of which the dimensions and the travel are designed so that at full extension the inner end of the jib is disengaged from the arm 10 to which it remains connected by the jack 18, the jib being then lodged only in the carrier 14.

This first movement can likewise control the extension of the sliding components constituting the hydraulically telescopic jib. The pulley block then comes into position 1 9b of Figure 5 (the arm 10 not being raised) or else into position 1 9d (the tilting arm 10 being raised to the desired inclination, for example to 600 to the horizontal).

The jack 1 8 having arrived at the end of its travel, the action on the control lever (not shown) may be continued; then the hydraulic circuit controls the contraction of the jacks 1 6 pivoted between the base of the carrier and a fixed point on the arm. This movement controls the downward inclination of the carrier 14 and of the jib 1 7 in relation to the arm 10; the lifting block 1 9 then comes into the position 1 9C of Figure 3.

At full contraction of the jacks 1 6, the jib and the tilting carrier form, for example, a right angle, or any obtuse angle, with the arm 10 (or swinging mast) which can be inclined in any direction between the horizontal (Figure 1) and the vertical (Figure 5).

It will be seen that the two successive operations: emergence of the jib 1 7 (and, if required, the extension), downward inclination of the emerged jib and of the carrier pivoted at 15 to the outward end of the arm 10, may be carried out automatically by the operationof4heme hydraulic circuit and a single control.

It is obvious that the scope of the invention would not be exceeded ifthe extension of the telescopic arm 1 7 was carried out by an independent control. Similarly, the inclination of the arm 10, pivoted at 3 is carried out by the extension of the jacks 13 which may: either be controlled independently from the jib operating device in any known way; or be carried out automatically by a sequence integrated into the automatic sequence for projecting and inclining the jib; in this case, the arm 10 is raised either before the emergence of the jib (the case in Figure 2), or else before the downward inclination of the emerged jib (position 1 9d, Figure 5, of the lifting block).

The other operations and movements of the handling equipment are carried out in a way similar to those of cranes and jibs of known type: the operation of raising the block (or similar device) 19, for example by a winch with a cable 20 guided by pulleys; directional operation by means of the crown gear 8 carrying the revolving component 2 of the equipment; the balancing operation by a counterweight 12 fixed to the revolving component and always opposed to the handling device in relation to the axis of rotation 9; stabilisation operation, allowing the equipment to work and to be swung in any direction, the counterweight 1 2 passing, for example, above the driving end and controlling position 4 (Figure 4).

The opposite action of the control lever (or of a similar device of any known type) automatically causes the opposite sequence for the movements of the jib 17: extension of the jacks 1 6 and pivoting of the carrier towards alignment with the arm: the jib and the arm are aligned; contraction of the jack 1 8 to retract the jib 1 7 into the pivoted arm 10.

Figure 5 shows the area of movement of the telescopic jib 1 7 in a vertical plane. The rotation of the equipment about the axis 9 creates a "usable" volume for the block 19, the machine and its chassis remaining motionless.

The practical advantage furnished by construction according to the invention may be understood: the jib, the carrier and the arm remain constantly fixed to one another; in particular the jib is an integral part of the equipment and it rernains connected to the pivoted arm by the jack 1 8 and by its lodgement at least in the tilting carrier fixed to the arm; the pivoting of the carrier (and of the jib) to the top of the arm allows the foot of the jib to be raised during work, as shown in Figure 4, which increases the volume available under the equipment; the lodging of the jib in the pivoted arm allows the bulk of the machine to be reduced appreciably in the rest and transport position, which is not possible with the machine with a mast and superposed jib of a known technique, nor with the cranes with pivoted arms and jibs mounted on lorries.

Another advantage of lodging the jib in the arm lies in the appreciable reduction in the variations of inclination of the different constituent parts.

Thus the arm may be inclined continuously from the horizontal to about 600, or, at maximum, 900 (vertical). The jib may likewise be inclined in relation to the arm to an extent not exceeding 900. These inclinations, in conjunction with the telescoping of the jib into the arm and the telescoping of the jib components, allow all the working area shown in Figure 5 to be covered. In known machines it is necessary on the other hand to provide a pivoting of the jib through at least 1800 for a "usable" inclination of 900 maximum.

Finally, the equipment according to the invention retains all the advantages of a telescopic straight jib which have its connection to the chassis raised, by pivoting the arm 10, to a height sufficient to facilitate the use of the machine. This result is mainly shown in Figure 4, in which: the drawing in dotted lines shows a straight hydraulically telescopic jib: the block 1 9 can be moved only in the area situated below the broken line 21; 'the equipment according to the invention allows the coverage of all the volume delimited, at its upper end, by the full line 22 (defining, for example, the shape of a house).

For the traditional jib 23 to cover the same operating area it is necessary either to move the machine away from the house (which is not always possible) or to raise the jib almost to the vertical. In both cases the length of the telescopic jib must be increased, the carriage of the load increases and the capacity of the machine is smaller than with the equipment according to the invention.

The scope of the invention would not be exceeded by bringing detailed modifications to the structure of the handling equipment or to its sequence of operation.

Thus the arm (or swinging mast) may have a lattice structure. The jib, telescopic into the arm and carrier, may, in a simplified version, be made in a single module component 24. The extreme positions of the arm and the jib 24 ensure a movement illustrated in Figure 6 by the sections 25 and, if needed, 26 if the aligned components are raised to the vertical. These examples are not of course limiting.

In addition, all the movements of the handling equipment may be carried out from the same hydraulic circuit. But their control may be manual, the sequence projection of the jib, then inclination in relation to the arm being no longer automatic.

The hydraulic circuit is, as has been indicated previously, fitted with safety devices designed to prevent false manoeuvres such as the contraction of the jacks 1 6 before the projection jack 1 8 is fully extended.

In manual control, the following sequence of operations may be envisaged: projection of the jib out of the arm 10; raising of the arm by extension of the jacks 13; swinging of the arm and jib assembly; downward inclination of the carrier and jib assembly; extension of the jib (if this is telescopic); the operation of the lifting or handling pulley block by the action of a winch (not shown) carrying the cable 20, and by rotation of the revolving component 2 and of the counterweight 12.

This sequence is given only as an example and is not limiting. In addition, it could be pre-set, for example for the construction of houses of a given type, principally for estates.

Claims

1. Handling equipment fitted on a selfpropelled machine or vehicle of any known type, of which the chassis carries all the devices and components for the control and stabilisation of the vehicle, as well as the driving units and control systems for the operation of the handling equipment, characterised in that the end of an arm, which is pivoted at its other end on a revolving component of the chassis, is fitted with a carrier pivoted and connected to the arm, whilst a jib is slidably enclosed in the arm and the carrier, means being provided to incline the carrier in relation to the arm when the jib is projected out of this arm and lodged only in the carrier.

2. Handling equipment according to Claim 1, in which the jib is slidable by means which connect the jib to the arm.

3. Handling equipment according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the arm, the carrier pivoted on the arm, and the handling jib, lodged at least in the carrier, are always connected to one another and inclined in relation to one another by means of hydraulic jacks and free pivots.

4. Handling equipment according to Claim 3, in which the jacks controlling the projection of the jib and the inclination of the carrier and jib are fitted on the same hydraulic circuit so that the operation of a single control successively carries out: first, the projection of the jib out of the arm by sliding and extending inside the arm and the carrier; then, when the jib is lodged only in the carrier, whilst remaining attached to the arm through its projection jack, the downward inclination of the carrier and jack assembly in relation to the pivoted arm.

5. Handling equipment according to Claim 4, in which the opposite movement of the said single control carries out first the alignment of the whole jib, carrier and arm, then the retraction of the jib into the arm, the hydraulic jacks of the equipment being double-acting.

6. Handling equipment according to Claim 3, in which the movements are controlled independently of one another manually, and by a single hydraulic circuit or by several connected hydraulic circuits, fitted with safety devices against possible false manoeuvres.

7. Handling equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the jib is hydraulically telescopic, composed of several components of different diameters and fitted with devices to slide one into another.

8. Handling equipment according to Claim 7, in which the extension) or the retraction) of the telescopic jib is controlled independently from the movements of projection and of inclination of the jib in relation to the arm, as well as from the inclination, by hydraulic jacks, of the arm to the horizontal, the whole of these movements being able to be carried out from the same hydraulic control point carried by the machine.

9. Handling equipment according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 in which the handling jib is constituted by a module structure retractable into the arm to which it is connected by at least one jack, whilst its free end carries a device for handling or lifting loads.

10. Handling equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the arm is constituted either by a box section made from sheet metal, or a lattice fitted with an internal slideway for the external surface of the retractable jib.

11. Handling equipment constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.