AU722381B2 - Travelling crane - Google Patents

Description

-2- TRAVELLING CRANE The invention relates to a travelling crane.

Travelling cranes are known in general, for example, from the brochure entitled "Laufkrane der Mannesmann Demag F6rdertechnik AG" (Mannesmann Demag F6rdertechnik AG travelling cranes). There is usually a transverse loadbearing member which can be displaced, by means of runninggear mechanisms, transversely with respect to its longitudinal direction and is supported in a displaceable manner on two longitudinal load-bearing members. A hoist which can be displaced on rails is arranged on the transverse load-bearing member itself. The longitudinal load-bearing members and the transverse load-bearing member may be designed as hollow-profile rails or as rectangularprofile rails, ie. they may be suitable for suspended running-gear mechanisms or overhead running-gear mechanisms. Travelling cranes are usually used in assembly 20 shops and the like, the longitudinal load-bearing members o being fastened on the ceiling.

In housing construction, use is predominantly made of tower cranes with a pivotal boom. Experience has shown that tower cranes can only be operated by experienced individuals, this being due, in particular, to the craneboom pivoting movement, which requires skill and experience in order to advance accurately up to a position for receiving or setting down a load. Furthermore, 30 construction cranes of this type cannot simply be assembled 0o on site; rather, they are transported to the building site, with relatively high outlay, in a usually collapsed state.

Such a tower crane is then erected on site by skilled individuals.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a demountable C(PA overhead travelling crane for constructing a building, said 'ioC 25/05/00 -3crane having: vertically adjustable longitudinal members in a substantially horizontal plane, locatable outside and above the outer contour of said building; substantially vertical supporting means for supporting said longitudinal members; a transverse member displaceable on said longitudinal members in the longitudinal direction of said longitudinal members and provided at each of its ends with running means; and a hoisting mechanism displaceable along said transverse member; wherein said supporting means are securable to the ground next to said building, extendable upwardly and arrangeable in two substantially parallel vertical planes, whereby said supporting means are connectable to one another in each of said planes and above the ground via only said respective longitudinal member, said longitudinal members are synchronously vertically adjustable, and each of said 20 longitudinal members is provided, in the direction of its longitudinal extent, with parallel running surfaces for said running means and, on at least one side, extends in V the longitudinal direction sufficiently far beyond the S" outer contour of said building to pick up a load.

m This load might comprise construction materials, pre-assembled units, tools and the like, to be picked up from a transfer zone.

30 A travelling crane designed in this way can be assembled and dismantled manually very easily and quickly by a small number of individuals. The operation of advancing accurately up to predetermined positions can also be carried out here by inexperienced individuals since the advancement up to the predetermined position takes place in f_*a coordinate system with X-coordinates and Y-coordinates, <his being considerably easier than the operation of H: \Ayme~\Keerp\:peci\Anrt hew7 5 .97.do 25/05/00 advancing up to targets in the course of a pivoting movement. The vertical adjustability of the longitudinal load-bearing members permits adaptation to the respective story height, with the result that, in practice, the loads which are to be transported only swing slightly as a result of small free-swinging lengths.

Preferably, said supporting means are formed by profiled masts.

Preferably, supporting means are anchored on the foundation of the building outside the outer building contour.

Preferably, the crane includes bracing means for anchoring the supporting means and which are fastenable to the ground oriented in the direction of the building contour.

Preferably, for the purpose of anchoring said supporting 20 outer building contour.

Preferably, the running rollers on the two sides of each end of the longitudinal members comprise running rollers and form a running-gear mechanism in each case.

Preferably, the longitudinal members are of hollow design.

.Preferably, the running-gear mechanisms are displaceable within the longitudinal members.

Preferably, at least two running rollers of a running-gear mechanism are spaced apart from one another in the direction of travel.

Preferably, said supporting means are displaceable vertically, with telescopic action, in a guided manner on the ground in a mast socket.

H:\Afly.mer\Kee\&speci\Andirew\3O75.. 7o 25/05/00 Preferably, said crane can be assembled and dismantled manually, the longitudinal members and the supporting means being formed from a plurality of load-bearing elements which are connected to one another at the ends.

Preferably, the crane includes a protective roof which is seated and fastened on the top ends of the masts.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in more detail hereinbelow and is illustrated in the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a cross section of an overhead travelling crane for the purpose of erecting buildings, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the travelling crane of Figure 1.

S: Figure 1 shows, in a schematic illustration, a cross 20 section through a travelling crane 1 which is arranged outside a single-family dwelling 3 which has a number of stories and is to be erected on a foundation 2. The *travelling crane 1 comprises vertical supports 4 in the form of masts 4a which are supported, at the bottom, on the foundation 2. For this purpose, the foundation 2 extends beyond the outer contour of the dwelling 3, which can be seen clearly in Figure 1. The hoist mechanism 5 of the travelling crane is supported such that it can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of a transverse load-bearing 30 member 6, the ends of which are supported on the masts 4a via longitudinal load-bearing members 7 and via brackets 9.

As Figure 1 shows, the transverse load bearing member 6 is arranged such that it can be displaced essentially horizontally, in a horizontal plane, outside and above the outer building contour. In each case one running-gear iU'' r mechanism 8 is fastened at the two ends of the transverse H: \ARymer\Keep\Spreci\Adrl-ew\30875. q7.loc 25/05/00 k) -6-

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a load-bearing member 6, Figure 1 showing the running rollers 8a of said mechanisms, and at least one of these running rollers per running-gear mechanism 8 being driven.

Expediently in each case, two running rollers 8a of the running gear mechanism 8 are mounted in a rotatable manner such that they are spaced apart from one another in the direction of travel, that is to say transversely with respect to the longitudinal extent of the transverse loadbearing member 6. This achieves very good guidance accuracy for the transverse load-bearing member 6.

The longitudinal load-bearing members 7, which are supported on the masts 4a, have parallel running surfaces in the direction of their longitudinal extent (see also Figure 2 in this respect).

In the exemplary embodiment, the running surfaces are arranged on the longitudinal load-bearing members 7. Of g course, it is also possible for the longitudinal load- 20 bearing members 7 to be of hollow design, in which case the running-gear mechanisms 8 can be displaced within the hollow longitudinal load-bearing members 7. This has the advantage of low weight of the hollow longitudinal loadbearing members 7 along with high stability at the same time, particularly in the case of relatively small installations and low loads.

As is illustrated schematically in Figure 1, the longitudinal load-bearing members 7 are vertically adjustable synchronously, that is to say uniformly, by means of a drive (not shown). As the height of the building increases, the longitudinal load-bearing members 7 may thus be adapted to the respective height and moved into the corresponding working position (to the desired height).

It has been found that the swinging movement of the loads is sufficiently small if the hoist mechanism moves the load approximately 50 cm above the target position. The H: \ARy.er\Keep\Seci \Ar-ci P\3O13 7 5.97 .doc 25/05/00 -7displaceability of the hoist mechanism 5 in two independent directions (X-direction and Y-direction) simplifies to a considerable extent the operation of advancing up to the desired target position, with the result that even untrained and inexperienced individuals can position a load with sufficient accuracy.

It can be seen, furthermore, from Figure 2 that, on one side, the longitudinal load-bearing members 7 extend beyond the outer building contour to such an extent that building materials, prefabricated units, tools and the like, which are necessary for the purpose of erecting the building, can be accommodated by a handling area provided there. The handling area is configured such that a truck can drive into it, with the result that the necessary materials can be removed directly from the loading area of said truck.

In order to compensate for small differences in height, the masts 4a are guided, on the ground, in a mast socket 10, it 20 being possible for the mast 4a to be displaced vertically with telescopic action. This makes it possible to compensate for small differences in height in the ground.

As Figure 1 shows, the mast sockets 10, and thus the associated mast 4a, are anchored on the foundation via bracing means 11.

It is also possible for the longitudinal load-bearing members 7 and the masts 4a to be formed from a plurality of load-bearing elements which are connected to one another at 30 the respective ends, with the result that the travelling crane 1 is easier to assemble and dismantle manually. With small buildings, of course, it is also possible to dispense with longitudinal load-bearing members 7 and masts 4a which are designed in a number of parts.

It is also possible to provide a protective roof (not shown) which is seated and fastened on the top ends of the H:\ARymei\Keep:l\:tlci \Andlrew\30O75.97 .doc 25/05/00 -8masts (4a) and protects the building contour from rain and sunshine. Tarpaulin coverings on three of four sides can provide lateral protection and, starting at the top of the protective-roof contour, can be braced toward the ground.

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Claims (13)

1. A demountable overhead travelling crane for constructing a building, said crane having: vertically adjustable longitudinal members in a substantially horizontal plane, locatable outside and above the outer contour of said building; substantially vertical supporting means for supporting said longitudinal members; a transverse member displaceable on said longitudinal members in the longitudinal direction of said longitudinal members and provided at each of its ends with running means; and a hoisting mechanism displaceable along said transverse member; wherein said supporting means are securable to the ground next to said building, extendable upwardly and arrangeable in two substantially parallel vertical planes, whereby said supporting means are connectable to one 20 another in each of said planes and above the ground via only said respective longitudinal member, said longitudinal members are synchronously vertically adjustable, and each of said longitudinal members is provided, in the direction of its longitudinal extent, with parallel running surfaces for said running means and, on at least one side, extends in the longitudinal direction sufficiently far beyond the outer contour of said building to pick up a load.

2. A crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting 30 means are formed by profiled masts. SS o.

3. A crane as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein said supporting means are anchored on the foundation of the building outside the outer building contour.

4. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including bracing means for anchoring the supporting means H: \ARymere\Keep\ Srci \Anrd. w\JO75.97. doc 25/05/00 and which are fastenable to the ground oriented in the direction of the building contour.

A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein, for the purpose of anchoring said supporting means, the foundation of the building extends beyond the outer building contour.

6. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the running rollers on the two sides of each end of the longitudinal members comprise running rollers and form a running-gear mechanism in each case.

7. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal members are of hollow design.

8. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the running-gear mechanisms are displaceable within the longitudinal members.

9. A crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two running rollers of a running-gear mechanism are spaced apart from one another in the direction of travel.

10. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting means are displaceable vertically, with telescopic action, in a guided manner on the ground in a mast socket. 30

11. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said crane can be assembled and dismantled manually, the longitudinal members and the supporting means being formed from a plurality of load-bearing elements which are connected to one another at the ends.

12. A crane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, 7, including a protective roof which is seated and fastened on H: \ARy\Keep\recl \Adr~-ew\3O87 .97 .1oo 25/05/00 -11- the top ends of the masts.

13. A demountable overhead travelling crane substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing. Dated this 25th day of May 2000 MANNESMANN AG By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\ARywe\Keep\!'peci\A~de w\3OM75.97 .dio 25/05/00