Patents Examined by Thomas J. Brahan
  • Patent number: 7618223
    Abstract: A personal transfer device for transferring a boater from a dock to a boat moored in a boat lift adjacent the dock, and back again. A cantilevered support is secured to an upper part of the boat lift frame, the support's free end extending out over the dock at a height that does not interfere with normal use of the dock. A hoist carriage, for example a monorail trolley hoist, is movably secured on the cantilever support, and is connected to a transport chair that can be located over the dock at a convenient height for a handicapped boater to seat and/or secure himself. A controller is accessible to the boater seated in the transport chair to raise himself off the dock to a height sufficient to clear any intervening boat lift structures or frame members, and to then transport himself horizontally along the support through the boat lift structure to the boat, where he then lowers himself onto the boat using the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Handicaptain Brands, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Begley
  • Patent number: 7617943
    Abstract: The invention relates to a crane lattice boom comprising at least two boom sections (3, 5, 7, 9) and at least one guy support (27, 41) for a rope guy arrangement with a guy rope (13), wherein the base (11) of the at least one guy support (27, 41) is designed such that it can be secured between two boom sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Dieter Willim
  • Patent number: 7611022
    Abstract: A crane having an upper block, a lower block, a drum, and two ropes. The upper block includes an equalizer having a yoke to which the ropes are connected. The connections between the ropes and the yoke include load cells that measure the forces carried by each of the ropes. The upper block includes a fail-safe system that prevents failure of the upper block in overload conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: MHE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven K. Waisanen
  • Patent number: 7611023
    Abstract: The present invention provides an overhead travelling carriage with a hoist which suppresses transmission of vibration to an article during conveyance. A chuck mechanism 10 is provided in a hoist 7 to support the top of an article 4. A fall preventing mechanism 14 is provided to prevent the article 4 supported by the chuck mechanism 14 from falling. Movable members 18 are provided which can move in a horizontal direction so as to advance toward and retreat from the housed article 4. Each of the movable members 18 has an L-shaped side cross section that extends so as to cross the direction in which it advances and retreats. A horizontal portion 18a of the movable portion 18 acts as means for preventing the article from falling. Rubber dampers 19 are provided on that surface of a vertical portion 18a of the movable member which is closer to the article 4, so as to constitute members pressed against the article 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Ito
  • Patent number: 7611021
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a crane vehicle having a base plate fastenable to its undercarriage to receive ballast and two hoisting means vertically fastened to the part of the superstructure projecting outwardly in the opposite direction to the boom, said hoisting means having first load receiving points which can be moved into cut-outs of connection rods arranged at the base plate and engage there into matched recesses, wherein in accordance with the invention both hoisting means are extended beyond the first load receiving points and are provided at their extended ends with second load receiving points which engage into corresponding shape-matched recesses of the connection rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Dieter Willim
  • Patent number: 7607546
    Abstract: There is provided a hoist assembly for attachment to a standard vehicle hitch. The assembly may be levelled horizontally and vertically to provide for safe operation of the hoist. The assembly includes a base member, supported by two vertically adjustable legs and a post attached at one end of the base. A boom is attached and coupled to the post with a ram which provides lift capabilities for the hoist. The base member may be rotated to adjust the vertical position of the post. A load indicator is provided to indicate a load exceeding the capacity of the hoist assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Inventor: Allan E. Hopper
  • Patent number: 7604134
    Abstract: A portable knockdown trolley hoist, comprising: an overhead trolley support member having a top portion and bottom portion opposing one another; a trolley having a plurality of upper roller bearings and a plurality of lower roller bearings, opposing first mounting plates, an extension boom, and hoist, the plurality of upper and the plurality of lower roller bearings opposing one another and adjacent the top portion and the bottom portion of the overhead trolley support member, respectively, each having shafts transversely mounted to the opposing first mounting plates, opposing raised mounts, each of which have opposing second mounting plates removably fastened one to other and sandwiching the overhead trolley support member therebetween, the trolley rollably mounted to the overhead trolley support member between the opposing raised mounts; opposing substantially upright legs, each of the opposing raised support members having at least two of the opposing substantially upright legs removably fastened thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Inventor: Frank Paul Lichinchi
  • Patent number: 7604450
    Abstract: A portable hoist for attachment to a trailer hitch drawbar includes a mast that comprises a plurality of mast segments assembled end to end in axial alignment at ground level and then rotated on a pivot bar inserted in the hitch drawbar from its horizontal assembly position to its vertical operational position. Similarly, to disassemble the hoist it is lowered from its vertical position to its horizontal position within easy reach of the user standing on the ground. The hoist boom is also installed with the mast horizontal in assembly position with the boom coaxial with the mast. The boom is then rotated to its operational position orthogonal to the mast when the mast is vertical. A friction bearing is installed on the mast so the mast above the friction bearing can rotate about the mast longitudinal axis. A winch is installed on the mast typically between the friction bearing and the boom so the winch rotates with the boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Inventor: Andrew Calvery
  • Patent number: 7604135
    Abstract: A tensioning system for a mobile telescopic crane having a telescopic mast includes at least one tensioning cable for bracing the telescopic mast and at least one tensioning winch mounted on the crane superstructure for tensioning the cable. The tension in the cable creates a pressure bias within the mast. The winch is movable with respect to said superstructure of the crane and movement of the winch relative to the superstructure also imposes tension on the tensioning cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Grove U.S. LLC
    Inventor: Franz Paschke
  • Patent number: 7600646
    Abstract: A conversion kit for converting a pipelayer frame of a first width to a different width is disclosed. The conversion kit has a spacer, removably attachable to a first side of the pipelayer frame, and a first plurality of replacement brackets for removably attaching the first side to a first track frame. The first plurality of replacement brackets have a different length than a first plurality of existing brackets that the first plurality of replacement brackets replace. The kit also has a second plurality of replacement brackets for removably attaching a second side of the pipelayer frame to a second track frame. The second plurality of replacement brackets have a different length than a second plurality of existing brackets that the second plurality of replacement brackets replace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne George Styck, Timothy Edward Camacho
  • Patent number: 7578402
    Abstract: A telescopic crane jib part has a top profiled part and a bottom profiled part joined together at joining points. The top profiled part and the bottom profiled part, on a side of the cross-section defining one-half of the cross section that is symmetrical with respect to the vertical mid-plane, each comprise, starting from the joining point of the profiled parts, at least a less pronounced outwardly curved segment and a more pronounced outwardly curved segment. Mutually adjoining end segments of the top and bottom profile parts meet at the joining points and extend outwards forming an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Manitowoc Crane Group France SAS
    Inventor: Franz Paschke
  • Patent number: 7575120
    Abstract: A hoist that is demountably secured to a frame of an all terrain vehicle, comprising a base that is demountably secured to the frame; an arm-base bracket that is secured to a top surface of said base; a base arm that is pivotably mounted to a front portion of said arm-base bracket; a sliding arm that is slidably received by said base arm, said sliding arm having a sliding arm terminal end; a base arm locking member that locks the sliding arm in place relative to said base arm; a sliding arm pulley rotatably secured to said sliding arm terminal end; a support arm adjustably secured at one end to a rear portion of said arm-base bracket, and at the other end to said base arm; and a crank capable of receiving a cable from said sliding arm pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Inventor: Ronald Beatty
  • Patent number: 7571824
    Abstract: A method of converting off-shore installed pedestal crane from a mechanical to a hydraulic operation includes the steps of determining a load limit capable of being lifted by the hooks of the existing crane, ascertaining structural condition of the existing crane, determining operating performance parameters for and selecting various members of a hydraulic system, defining configuration and position of mounting members to mount each selected hydraulically operated member, removing existing mechanically operated components, rigidly securing the mounting members to the existing winch frame, affixing hydraulically operated members to respective mounting member and interconnecting them therebetween with hoses, and testing and certifying performance of the hydraulically operated system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Solution Crane Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V
    Inventor: Glen Duncan
  • Patent number: 7565982
    Abstract: A boom hoisting device comprising a mast having a pivotable front end portion connected to a front end portion of a boom through a guy line, a mast-side spreader provided at the front end portion of the mast, a frame-side spreader removably mounted to an upper rotating body and with a hoisting rope being stretched between and spread on both mast-side spreader and frame-side spreader, and a hoisting winch adapted to unwind and wind the hoisting rope to raise and lower the mast and the boom, the hoisting winch being mounted to the mast so that the mast and the hoisting winch are together removed from the upper rotating body by separation of a base end portion of the mast from the upper rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kurotsu, Osamu Todo, Kazuyuki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7559429
    Abstract: A single wire rope reeving system for a twin lift cargo container handling crane for hoisting and lowering a pair of containers in side-by-side relation independently or simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: PACECO Corp.
    Inventor: Kinya Ichimura
  • Patent number: 7556161
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting machinery of two reel differential type for two 40 feet container shore crane, comprising: a motor, a reductor and its high speed brake, reels and reel brakes; wherein at least one motor is provided; a planetary differential reductor is used as the reductor connected to the motor output end, the planetary differential reductor has a high speed input shaft, a low speed output shaft and a differential project shaft; the high speed input shaft connects to the motor output shaft, at least one high speed brake is provided on the high speed input shaft; two four project rope reels connect to two low speed output shaft; at least one reel brake is provided on each reel; and the lifting machinery comprises a differential shaft brake consisting of at least two differential shaft brakes provided on two differential project shaft; the revolution of the two differential project shaft of the planetary differential reductor is controlled by the two differential shaft brakes so that power o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianguo Shan, Baohua Zhang
  • Patent number: 7552829
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes a hoist drum with a number of different diameter sections upon which the different ends of a lifting cable simultaneously spool on and off of as a function of counterclockwise and clockwise cable spooling. This combination reduces the amount of shaft torque required to raise or lower a load while increasing the number of hoist drum rotations required to raise or lower that load. These two features are incorporated into the operation of a main crane cable length adjusting device since they offer precise and rapid adjustment capabilities to be made with smaller sized electric motors and clutches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Dianren Zhang
  • Patent number: 7552828
    Abstract: The invention relates to a supporting bracket (38) of a supporting construction for mobile machine tools, especially for concrete pumps. The supporting bracket (38) is multi-telescopic and comprises a carriage (38) which is pivotably arranged on the chassis (10), and a telescopic part consisting of a plurality of telescopic segments (40?, 40?, 40??) which are guided inside each other, engage in the carriage, and are mobile in relation thereto. The aim of the invention is to provide a narrow support using simple means. To this end, the carriage (38) and at least some of the telescopic segments (40?, 40??) have coupling points (50?, 50?, 50??) on which the segments can be coupled in pairs in such a way as to produce a fixed connection when the segments are retracted in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Putzmeister Concrete Pumps GmbH
    Inventor: Dietmar Fügel
  • Patent number: 7549545
    Abstract: A multi-animal hoisting system preferably includes a first hoisting section adapted to be coupled to a rear section of the existing all-terrain vehicle for loading and unloading a first animal from the all-terrain vehicle respectively. The system may further include a second hoisting section adapted to be coupled to a front section of the existing all-terrain vehicle for suspending a second animal at a desired height above a ground surface. The first and second hoisting sections may be independently and simultaneously operable such that the first and second animals are contemporaneously maintained at substantially stable positions respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Inventor: Eddy Ashmore
  • Patent number: 7549546
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wind safety device for at least two outdoor cranes (2a, 2b), able to move by traveling gears (6) on a jointly shared crane track (1), especially track-mounted full gantry cranes, with holding devices engaging at or in the region of the crane track (1) to prevent the cranes (2a, 2b) from lifting up and being pulled away when certain wind speeds are exceeded, and it being possible to join together at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) in the region of the traveling gears (6). In order to achieve greater safety against the lifting up and pulling away of cranes (2a, 2b) taken out of operation due to high wind speeds prevailing, it is proposed that impact elements (10a, 10b) be arranged above the coupling on the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b), lying against each other when the at least two neighboring cranes (2a, 2b) are coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Gottwald Port Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Marie-Jeanne Chargé-Kröll, legal representative, Hermann Franzen, Jannis Moutsokapas, Joachim Kröll