Abstract: A suspension and steerage system is disclosed for a wheel supported vehicle. A suspension arm assembly of parallelogram configuration is pivotally attached to one side of the main frame and freely supports a wheel spindle. The piston rod of a hydraulic motor interconnects opposite wheels, and a lever structure is provided which, in response to pivotal oscillation of one wheel, axially activates the piston rod to transfer reactive forces to the opposite side of the main frame, and serves to level the plane of the main frame. The hydraulic motor can further be equallized to lock out further movement of the wheels, thereby stabilizing the vehicle in a static condition.

Abstract: A latching system is disclosed for a telescopic boom, and comprises a ladder structure for positionment longitudinally along a side of a smaller boom section, and a latch plate assembly for a pivotal attachment to a large boom section. Bias means is further provided for applying a biasing force tending to move the latch plate into the ladder detent slot, and counter bias means for applying counter bias force to the latch plate. Linkages are adapted to extend between the latch plate and the tensioned chains which actuate the small boom section outward and inward relative to the large boom section, whereby the tension forces within the chains serve to provide counter biasing forces to the latch plate mechanism.

Abstract: A multi-section telescopic lifting boom which is extended and retracted at least in part by chains having their ends secured to one section, engaging sprockets carried by another section and connected at an intermediate point to a third section. Telescopic elements which are completely separated during boom extension are provided with inclined guide surfaces to insure entry of the smaller element into the surrounding element. Extension and retraction is effected by a linear hydraulic motor connected to a cylinder box which is pivoted to section adjacent the the base section; anti-friction pads are carried at the bottom of the outer end of the cylinder box and engage longitudinally extending tubes on the bottom plate of the next section, the tubes extending higher than the extension and retraction chains, which are positioned between the tubes. The chains are provided in parallel, at least one end of each chain being connected to a yoke which is adjustably secured by a threaded member.

Abstract: A safety circuit for a lifting device extensible boom is presented wherein the boom angle of elevation and boom length are each converted into a parallel coded word. The two coded words, one representing boom angle and the other boom length, are processed in a digital logic network which provides inhibit functions that prevent boom extension or boom lowering when either of the two boom actions will place the boom in a position which will damage the boom or topple the machine. A plurality of switches are associated with the boom to generate and apply the boom length code word to a monitoring circuit, which responds thereto to provide a switch malfunction signal when one of the switches is defective, whereby boom extension or lowering are inhibited.

Abstract: A vehicle having a chassis and a rotatable upper works is provided with a cylindrical electrical connector mounted remote from the axis of rotation of the upper works, to provide adequate ground clearance.

Abstract: A workman's lift platform apparatus has a vertically swingable and extensible boom with a workman's platform at the outer end. A color coding indicating the amount of boom extension is provided on the fly section of the boom, visible to the workman in the platform, and an indicator plate having corresponding color coding is provided adjacent the controls on the platform. The indicator plate in the form of a drum is driven proportionately to the angular movement of the boom by a pair of sheathed, push-pull cables, or by a sheathed torsion cable. In other embodiments, the indicator plate is tilted in proportion to the angular movement of the boom by a sheathed push-pull cable or by a parallel bar linkage. A cursor is provided adjacent the indicator plate, and is part of a gravity-operated pendulum.

Abstract: Controls for an aerial lift platform apparatus which has a steerable mobile chassis, a rotatable upper works, and an extensible boom pivoted on the upper works for luffing movement. The controls are grouped to provide a first group of control members in physical proximity to each other for controlling upper works movement and a second group of control members for controlling movement of the chassis. Each of these control members is mounted for movement substantially to simulate the movement which is controlled. A third group of control members is for controlling the engine, and are in physical proximity to each other. The control members are mounted on a control console having near-horizontal and near-vertical surfaces from which the control members extend, the vehicle control member for drive and steering extending upwardly from the near-horizontal surface.

Abstract: A workman's lift platform apparatus has a vertically swingable and extensible boom with a workman's platform at the outer end. A color coding indicating the amount of boom extension is provided on the fly section of the boom, visible to the workman in the platform, and an indicator plate having corresponding color coding is provided adjacent the controls on the platform. A Bowden cable is connected to the indicator plate and the fly section, to move the indicator plate proportionately to the angle of the boom to the horizontal.

Abstract: An aerial lift platform apparatus having tracks. A rotatable upper works is mounted on a chassis, and includes a turntable, a telescopic boom having a workman's platform at its outer end, and an engine driving a hydraulic pump. The chassis has forward and rear drive wheels on each side, and two pairs of intermediate idler wheels. Each pair of idler wheels is supported by a spring biased cranked axle which is journalled in bearings, to effect joint movement of the two wheels of the pair. All wheels have pneumatic tires and a track encompasses the tires on each side.

Abstract: A vehicle has a mobile, self-propelled chassis with a platform extendable upwardly by a motor and scissors linkage. A lever is pivotally connected to the chassis and has pipe grabs on the free end; the lever is raised to deposit a pipe on rails on the platform. A vertical hydraulic motor on the platform has saddles for lifting a pipe from the rail to a higher elevation.

Abstract: An industrial crane has a chassis with a housing mounted on the chassis having a flat, horizontal deck with a central well providing access to a bearing for a rotatable upper works, the bearing being centered on the chassis. The upper works has a portion extending into the well to the bearing. The chassis is supported by four wheels, two of which are on an oscillating axle. The wheels are one size, and extend above the chassis which is between them. The upper works includes a cab, directly over the bearing, a boom support rearwardly of the cab, an engine rearwardly of the boom support, and a lifting boom journalled to the boom support rearwardly of the cab and extending forwardly over the cab. The boom is lifted by a lift cylinder rearwardly of the cab. The boom and the cab, as well as the engine, have their lateral centers in line, along the median plane of the upper works, and the upper works median plane coincides with the chassis median plane when the upper works is forward or rearward.

Abstract: For use with or without multi-axis orientation means, a solar energy collector and transfer apparatus features tandemly arranged solar energy concentrators intervened by energy absorber and transfer units in a generally planar unitized array with back reflectors to energize the side of the apparatus away from the sun. In a practical embodiment, the tandem energy concentrators are parabolically curved reflectors fore and aft of energy absorbing and transfer tubes which are disposed at the exit apertures of the reflectors or field focuses. A simplified fluid transport system is embodied in the apparatus together with efficient and economical supporting structure for the energy concentrators and associated absorber and transfer units.

Abstract: A workman's platform comprising a wheeled base, scissors linkage having plural sets of lever arms and a deck vertically movable by the linkage. All ends of the linkage arms are longitudinally movable on the base and deck. An upper centering link is pivoted at one end to the mid-point of the deck and at the other end to the mid-point of an upper lever arm. A lower centering link is similarly connected to the deck and to a lower lever arm. The adjacent ends of the lever arms are off-set and pin-connected, the lever arms being in spaced,parallel relation when the linkage is retracted. A single vertically movable actuating element is connected to the pivot pin of the lower set of lever arms.

Abstract: A truck mounted crane has a front end including a cab, engine and front steering wheels, with rearwardly extending frame members. A crane is carried rearwardly of the truck cab, and has a rotatable upper works including a crane cab at the front and laterally centered, a boom support rearwardly of the crane cab, and laterally centered, and a boom pivoted on the boom support and extending forwardly over the crane cab. A rear end includes a rear frame made of tubular frame members which receive the front frame members therein.

Abstract: An extensible outrigger construction comprises a tubular housing secured to a vehicle frame, having an outrigger beam telescoped into it. The outrigger beam comprises upper and lower horizontal plates with semicircular cut-outs at their ends to receive the cylinder of the jack; a pair of vertical flange plates have surfaces on a diametral plane of the cut-out. A cap includes upper and lower horizontal plates with semi-circular cut-outs, and vertical flange plates engaging the first mentioned flange plates, the holding cap being secured by bolts through the flange plates. The jack cylinder has an upwardly facing shoulder that engages the bottom surfaces of the lower beam plate and the lower plate of the holding cap. The cylinder of the jack has a chamfer which seats in a corresponding chamfer of the top plates.