Abstract: A support tub for a dragline excavating machine having an outer peripheral wall and top and bottom walls respectively affixed to an upper edge and a lower edge of the outer wall. The bottom wall rests on the ground during excavating operation of the machine and a circular ring support on which a circular rail is mounted is positioned above the top wall. The machine is rotatably movable on the rail and is thereby supported through the ring support by the tub. The tub includes an inner ring wall concentric with the track circular ring support, a plurality of vertically disposed radial plates each extending radially outward from the inner ring wall to the outer peripheral wall, and a plurality of vertically disposed chordal plates each extending in the direction of a chord of the outer peripheral wall. A plurality of triangular compartments are each formed by the intersection of two of the chordal plates and a radial plate or by the intersection of three chordal plates.

Abstract: A lifting stool for applying lifting force to the support tub of a dragline excavating machine during walking movement of the machine in which the machine is lifted upward by a lifting mechanism comprising part of the machine. The lifting stool includes a ring having a circular vertical wall member affixed to the support tub and defining a laterally closed space. The circular vertical wall member includes upper and lower separated wall sections defining the vertical space. A lifting plate is positioned within the vertical wall member and a lifting pin is connnected between the excavating machine and the lifting plate. The lifting plate extends into the vertical space between the upper and lower wall sections and is affixed to the two wall sections. Thus, during walking movement of the excavation machine the support tub will move upward with the lifting pin and the lifting stool.

Abstract: A reeving apparatus for a crane having an overhead frame, a lifting beam subject to swaying forces, and a winding drum mounted on the frame for raising and lowering the lifting beam. First, second, third and fourth spaced apart rotatable sheaves are mounted on the lifting beam for supporting the lifting beam. The first and second sheaves are spaced apart in directions horizontally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the drum. The third and fourth sheaves are positioned generally below opposite ends of the drum. Alternate ones of the sheaves comprise single sheaves having first and second grooves and the other ones of the sheaves each comprise a pair of sheaves each having single grooves. A plurality of ropes are affixed to the drum and to the overhead frame, and each one of the plurality of ropes is wrapped around one of the sheaves for supporting the lifting beam together with the sheaves.

Abstract: A latch for a crane travelable along a pair of generally parallel rails and having an overhead frame and a plurality of wheels engaging both of the rails for supporting the crane during its travel on the rails. The latch comprises a latch arm mounted on the crane and having a path of movement substantially in the direction of travel of the crane. The latch arm also includes a transversely projecting hook. A latch block is stationarily mounted and has a lip member projecting into the path of movement of the latch arm. The hook on the latch arm moves with the latch arm into engagement with the lip member and the lip member and hook have an engaged position in which the lip member is positioned between the hook and the crane whereby the crane is held from traveling away from the latch block. The latch may also include a compressible bumper mounted on the crane and engaging the latch block compressively in the direction of the crane travel toward the latch block.

Abstract: A brake for the carriage of a storage and retrieval machine having a mast on which the carriage is mounted and on which the carriage moves in vertical directions for carrying objects to and from storage locations adjacent to the mast. A carriage drive including a rope connected to the carriage is provided for raising and lowering the carriage to and from positions adjacent the storage locations. The rope is connected under tension to the carriage and the tension is released when the rope becomes slack. The brake is mounted on the carriage and includes an actuating member and a resilient member movable into engagement with the actuating member in response to release of tension of the rope to move the actuating member along a predetermined path. The brake further includes a brake cam having an actuating section in the path of the movement of the actuating member and a toothed braking section adjacent to and spaced from the mast.

Abstract: The invention involves a hoist for raising and lower loads. The hoist includes a drive motor, gearing, a load brake and a cable-winding drum. The drum has an end with a splined annular member slidably engaging a similar splined annular member of a drum-concentric friction plate. The friction plate directly drives the drum during load raising and directly brakes the drum during load lowering. Because of the direct mechanical coupling between the drum and the friction plate, a failure in the gearing does not impair the ability of the friction plate to brake the load. Further details of the invention are set forth in the specification.

Abstract: A drive for a traveling bridge crane including a bridge having a width spanning two parallel spaced apart rails and opposite ends located at one of the rails. A first pair of wheels comprising first and second wheels are respectively mounted at the opposite ends of the bridge and each of the first and second wheels engage a different one of the rails. A second pair of wheels comprising third and fourth wheels are also mounted at the opposite ends of the bridge and each engage a different one of the rails. The crane travels along the rails on the first and second pair of wheels in a position generally parallel to the rails. The crane is subject to unbalanced wheel rotating forces causing the crane to frequently attempt to skew. First and second drive mechanisms are respectively connected to the first and second wheels of the first pair of wheels for rotating the first and second wheels independently of each other. A third drive mechanism is connected to both of the third and fourth wheels.

Abstract: A shuttle control for a storage and retrieval machine has a supervisory control mounted on the base of the storage and retrieval machine and a shuttle control mounted on the carriage of the storage and retrieval machine. The supervisory control receives shuttle operating commands and information signals and provides operating instruction signals for the shuttle to the shuttle control. The shuttle control receives the operating instruction signals from the supervisory control, produces operating information signals to the supervisory control, and controls the operation of a shuttle motor drive. A circuit having sliding contactors moving with the carriage on vertical slide bars mounted on the mast transmits operating instruction signals and information signals between the supervisory control and the shuttle control at a maximum transmission rate limited by the problems of transmitting the signals through the sliding contactors.

Abstract: A skew correction apparatus for a crane traveling on generally parallel spaced apart rails and having a drive wheel on each rail rotatably driven at the same speed. The drive wheels each have center cylindrical portions riding on a rail head and inside and outside flanges facing the sides of the rail head and having a larger diameter than the diameter of the center portion. The clearance distance between the inside flange of each drive wheel and the rail side it faces is smaller than the clearance distance between the outside flange and the rail side the outside flange faces. Thus, if the drive wheels and thereby the crane become skewed, only the inside drive wheel flanges will engage the rail sides. The lagging wheel of the skewed wheels will rotate against the rail side on the larger flange diameter of the wheel and tend to ride up on the rail side.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for connecting a rotatable hub to a drive shaft is disclosed in which the rotatable hub has an axial opening and a radial through opening between an outer surface of the hub and the axial opening of the hub. A rotatable shaft having an axial slot is positioned in the axial opening of the hub with the slot facing the radial through opening of the hub. One or more pins are inserted through the through opening in the hub into the slot in the shaft to insure rotation of the shaft and the hub together. The radial through opening may be covered at the outer surface of the hub to hold the pin in the through opening and in the slot.

Abstract: A reeving apparatus for a crane hoist is disclosed as having an overhead frame, a lifting beam positioned below the frame and carrying a plurality of rotatable lifting beam sheaves, and load carrying means suspended from the lifting beam. A plurality of ropes are also provided for supporting the lifting beam and load carrying means with each one of the plurality of ropes being wrapped around at least one of the plurality of lifting beam sheaves. A pair of rotatable drums are mounted on the overhead frame with the first drum being connected to the plurality of ropes for raising and lowering the lifting beam and the second drum also being connected to the plurality of ropes for raising and lowering the lifting beam. Although both drums are connected to the plurality of ropes, they are operable independently of each other to raise and lower the lifting beam in the event of inoperability of either drum.

Abstract: A mast connecting structure is disclosed in which the mast includes a lower end having upper plate connected to the lower end of a mast, and lower plate spaced from the upper plate and connected to a base on which the mast is to be mounted. Tensioned connecting device connect the upper plate and lower plate means together to thereby mount the mast on the base. The connecting may comprise bolts having threaded ends and nuts threaded on the bolts. The bolts have an elongated length sufficient to span the thickness of the upper and lower plate means through which the volts pass plus the distance of the space between the upper and lower plate. The long bolt length increases the volume of the bolt body which results in an increased stress distribution and thereby an increased ability to withstand stress due to impact loading of the connecting structure.

Abstract: A base for a storage and retrieval machine is disclosed in which the frame of the base comprises a pair of spaced apart frame members having a length generally parallel to the rail upon which the base travels and extending a portion of the length of the base. The frame members are positioned straddling the rail with the rail projecting upward into the space between the frame members. A mast is mounted on the base and supports a vertically movable carriage means for carrying objects to and from overhead locations. The pair of frame members may comprise a pair of L-shaped members each having a downwardly projecting upper wall spaced apart from the upper wall of the other L-shaped member and a lower wall projecting away from the lower wall of the other L-shaped member in a direction laterally of the length of the base. The base includes first and second trucks located at opposite ends of the pair of L-shaped members.

Abstract: A bridge crane for straightening a rail of a pair of rails along which the crane travels. First and second wheels of the crane are positioned at spaced apart locations along the length of the rail. A radially extending inside flange on the first wheel is positioned facing an inward facing side of the rail at a clearance distance such that the inside flange bears against at least a portion of a plurality of lateral deviations of the rail extending toward the other rail of the pair of rails during travel of the crane along the rails. A radially extending inside flange on the second wheel is provided at a position facing an outward facing side of the rail at a clearance distance such that the inside flange of the second wheel bears against at least a portion of the plurality of lateral deviations of the rail extending away from the other rail of the pair of rails during travel of the crane along the rails.

Abstract: A mast structure for a storage and retrieval machine is disclosed which includes first and second vertical members having lengths affixed to each other. The second vertical member includes a plate extending along the length of the second vertical member and spaced from the first vertical member in the direction of the path of travel of a base of the storage and retrieval machine. The first and second vertical members respectively have cross-section areas perpendicular to their lengths which are substantially equal to each other. The first and second vertical members together have a physical center and a centroidal axis both extending along the length of the members which may be adjacent to each other and preferably coincide with each other so that the two members together have a maximum section modulus in the direction of the path of movement of the base.

Abstract: A control system for a storage and retrieval machine is disclosed in which a supervisory control is responsive to operating commands from a remote source to provide operating instructions for the control of the base, carriage and shuttle of the storage and retrieval machine. Separate controls for the base, the carriage and the shuttle respectively contain base, carriage and shuttle operating parameters. The base, carriage and shuttle controls are responsive to operating instructions from the supervisory control to respectively control movement of the base, carriage and shuttle in accord with the associated base, carriage and shuttle operating instructions and parameters. A base drive, carriage drive and a shuttle drive are also provided and each include a drive control which produces drive control instructions.

Abstract: A motor control method is disclosed in which a drive motor is connected to an adjustable frequency power supply in which the frequency of the power supplied to the motor can be selectively varied. While the motor is running at a constant speed as determined by the frequency of the power supplied to the motor, the value of the current being supplied to the motor by the power supply is sensed and an actual current signal representative of said actual current value is produced. A reference current signal which is representative of a selected maximum current value and thereby a maximum load at which the motor speed may be increased is also provided. The actual current signal is compared with the reference current signal and if the former is less than or equal to the latter, an output signal is provided. In response to the output signal resulting from the comparison, the value of the actual frequency of the power supplied to the motor is increased to a preselected value so that the motor speed also increases.

Abstract: A rail securement clip is disclosed as having a base having an opening therethrough for receiving an anchor projecting from a foundation, a nose extending laterally of the base from the upper portion of the base and overlying the foot of the rail, and a pair of spaced apart fingers affixed to the nose and to an upper portion of the base. The through opening in the base has an orifice positioned in the space between the fingers. The base and fingers form a recess into which the anchor projects. Securement means may be fastened to the anchor and positioned within the recess to hold the apparatus against the rail and thereby secure the rail to the foundation. The nose may include a rubber pad means engaging the foot of the rail to provide an energy absorbing securement of the rail.

Abstract: A crane leg connection is disclosed in which a crane has a frame length greater than its width, and has supporting legs including facing leg members connected to the frame and extending from the frame downward and away from each other and away from the frame in a direction transverse to the length of the frame. A support beam is mounted on the frame, and at least one of the leg members is connected to the support beam. A support arm connects the support beam and the frame together and carries the vertical load on the frame and transfers that load through the support beam to the leg. The support arm is connected to the support beam and frame such that the leg and frame are movable relative the each other transversely to the length of the frame. Another arm is affixed to at least one of the leg members and extends toward the frame, and an arm affixed to the frame extends toward the arm affixed to the leg member.

Abstract: A shuttle guide for a shuttle of a storage and retrieval machine having a mast and a carriage on which the shuttle is mounted. The shuttle includes first and second plates movable relative to each other in directions transverse to the mast for carrying and depositing in or retrieving a load from a storage space. The shuttle guide comprises a first guide member having a downward facing straight guide surface extending in the transverse directions of movement of the plates and a second guide member having an upward facing inclined guide surface. The inclined guide surface is inclined upwardly relative to one of the transverse directions. A first guide roller is positioned in engagement with the straight guide surface and a second guide roller is positioned such that it is engageable with the inclined guide surface and guides one of the moveable plates in an upwardly inclined direction toward a storage space.