Patents Examined by Thomas J. Brahan
  • Patent number: 7219810
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mobile crane with a long main boom. According to the invention, the main boom is in two parts linked at a swivel point in such manner that the boom can bend when raised and can be positioned in extended or quasi-extended final erection position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Dieter Willim
  • Patent number: 7216774
    Abstract: The present invention provides a crane where a spreader retainer is disposed on a rear surface of an extreme end of the lowest boom portion used both for a tower boom and a normal boom, a distance between an upper spreader, which constitutes a boom raising/lowering apparatus, and a lower spreader at the maximum boom raise angle and the length of the lowest boom portion are set such that the upper spreader can be lowered to the position of the spreader retainer if the boom raising/lowering apparatus lays the boom on the ground, and a boom raising/lowering rope is then loosened for disassembly of either the tower or normal boom. Consequently, the upper spreader can be lowered to the position of the spreader retainer on the lowest boom portion when the boom is disassembled either for the tower crane or normal crane specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiko Mizuta, Osamu Toudou, Keisuke Fukumoto, Eiji Miya, Yasuhiko Murayama
  • Patent number: 7213715
    Abstract: A hoisting apparatus (10) for use at a manhole (1), comprising a supporting mast and a jib crane (14) connected at an angle to an upper end portion (16) of the supporting mast (12). The jib crane (14) has a front member (18) pointing upwardly and extending on one side of the supporting mast (12) and a rear member (20) having a rear end section (22) extending on another side of the supporting mast (12). A linking rod (24) is connecting the rear member of the jib crane (14) to the supporting mast (12). The apparatus further comprises a winch mechanism (30) mounted onto the jib crane (14) and having a cable (32) cooperating with the front member (18) of the jib crane (14) for hoisting an object from the manhole (1). In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprise a security fence (40) for surrounding at least partially the manhole (1) and preventing accidental entry therein, the supporting mast (12) being part of the fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventor: Jacques Boily
  • Patent number: 7213717
    Abstract: The within invention concerns a telescopic boom of a crane with a pivot section, telescopic sections that can telescope out of the pivot section, and a guying that has at least one guy stand housed to pivot on one of the sections, and at least one guy cable supported by the guy stand, as well as erection mechanisms for raising the support stand out of folded transportation position into raised operating position. According to the invention, the telescopic boom is characterized by the fact that the erection mechanism consists of a tension rod that connects the guy stand with an internal telescopic section that can telescope outward opposite the section on which the guy stand is housed to pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Dieter Willim
  • Patent number: 7213714
    Abstract: The present invention involves a carriage of the type commonly used in skyline logging operations. The invention facilitates moving logs along a suspended skyline by means of a hoisting system built into the carriage comprised of a radio controlled electronics system, an internal combustion power plant, proportional controlled hydraulically driven skidline sheave, a skidline clamp and skyline clamp. A novel method of pump control keeps the internal combustion engine operating within its power band. The volume output of the pump is controlled by engine RPM to adjust the pump's load on the engine. Combined operation of the various controls on the carriage, in conjunction with the controlled operations of the yarder winch at the end of the skyline result in a system well suited for efficient logging operation. The choker/setter (ground crew) and the yarder are able to remotely control the carriage operation as a team.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventor: Scotty Baker
  • Patent number: 7213716
    Abstract: The within invention concerns a crane with a superstructure that rotates on a vertical axle, a boom coupled to the superstructure in such manner as to luff on a horizontal axle, luffing equipment for luffing the boom, and an operating ballast that counteracts the moment of the boom. According to the invention, the crane is characterized by an auxiliary erection frame that can be attached to the superstructure and/or the operating ballast in such manner as to project backward and can be connected with an auxiliary erection ballast for the erection of the boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Dieter Willim, Uwe Frommelt
  • Patent number: 7210589
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for suspending and transporting articles, and is provided with a wobble prevention member that is capable of moving between a support position where it abuts against a lateral surface of an article and a release position, and in the support position keeps the article from wobbling in at least one direction. The wobble prevention member has a roller capable of rotation about a vertical shaft, and by the roller abutting against the article when the wobble prevention member is in the support position, wobbling of the article is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Iizuka
  • Patent number: 7210590
    Abstract: A transportation cart primarily for transporting deceased animals through the alleyways of a barn has a swivelling mast and boom mounted on the front section of a frame driven by powered wheels with a slide panel attached to the mast below the boom over which the object can slide as it is pulled by actuating a winch to be carried. A coupling is provided between the front frame section and a rear frame section with castor wheels for providing side to side movement of the rear frame section relative to the front frame section transverse to a longitudinal center line to provide ballast when the lifting is to one side and to provide manoeuvrability. The boom has an inner end mounted on the mast for pivotal movement about a transverse axis such that an outer end of the boom can be raised and lowered and the slide panel is movable from its inclined slide position below the boom to a raised stored position attached to an underside of the boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Conception Ro-Main Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Labrecque, Ghyslain Labrecque, Germain Labrecque
  • Patent number: 7204379
    Abstract: A crane has at least one telescopic crane arm with at least two sliding arms that are moveable against each other. At least one gliding element, which is housed in a frame in a detached and unfastened manner, is arranged between the sliding arms. The gliding element has a separate spring element projecting from the gliding surface of the gliding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Palfinger, AG
    Inventor: Eckhard Wimmer
  • Patent number: 7204378
    Abstract: A goods transshipment apparatus having a mobile substructure with a superstructure mounted so as to be rotatable relative to said substructure and having a driver's cab and engine compartment and a jib or jib system jointed to the superstructure wherein the superstructure is adjustable between a lower position (resting position I) on the substructure and an upper position (operating position II) at a spacing from the substructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Fuchs-Bagger GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hans Schaeff
  • Patent number: 7201551
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7195126
    Abstract: In a self-traveling working machine such as a crane, a working attachment such as a boom is arranged to transversely extend below an operator's cabin in such a manner that part of the cabin overlaps the attachment, it being arranged that during crane operation, the cabin is moved widthwise outside the working machine to avoid interference with the boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuya Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7192236
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shelf stacking machine for stocking and removing paper reels, especially in the printing industry. The shelf stacking machine can be driven in a lane with storage places at both sides. Said storage places receive paper reels which are stacked one on top of the other or behind each other in the direction of the lane. The shelf stacking machine is provided with a receptacle for a paper reel. Said receptacle is formed by a fork which can be height-adjustably pivoted around a horizontal axle. The fork is provided with measuring devices which detect the load of the received paper reel. The measuring devices supply the detected measured data via a control device to an actuator which is coupled to the fork movement-wise and which height-adjustably pivots the fork into the horizontal position according to the measured data. The actuator holds the fork in said horizontal position during paper reel transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Westfalia-WST-Systemtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ulrich Upmeyer
  • Patent number: 7185774
    Abstract: An intelligent assist method and apparatus are disclosed. The intelligent assist method includes imparting a manual force to a suspended object, determining an angle at which the suspended object is manually forced, generating motorized power to move the object in accordance with the angle at which the suspended object is forced, and inputting a signal to continue the motorized power and enable the object to continue moving on accordance with the angle at which the suspended object is manually forced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: The Stanley Works
    Inventors: J. Edward Colgate, Paul F. Decker, Stephen H. Klostermeyer, Alexander Makhlin, David Meer, Julio Santos-Munne, Michael A. Peshkin, Michael Robie
  • Patent number: 7182318
    Abstract: A hoisting assembly that is adapted to be mounted to the frame of a vehicle where a hoisting device extends an attachment member such as a hook to connect to an engagement location of the differential where the hoisting assembly is positioned substantially vertically above the differential and when the hoisting assembly supports a differential the load is transferred to the frame of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Inventor: Brandon Crabtree
  • Patent number: 7182212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a floating lifting device, using two movable lifting structures (13, 14) which can be alternatively engaged with broaden support members (5, 6, 7) of a cable (4). The cable (4) is stored substantially without tension in the vessel (1), for instance on a drum or in a hawse-hole (10) in a looped configuration. Large loads (9) can be lowered and raised from the seabed at large water depths such as at 3000 m. Preferably, the cable is formed by neutral buoyancy material, such as synthetic cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: IHC Gusto Engineering B.V.
    Inventors: Christiaan Frumau, Wilhelmus Coenradus Johannes Joephus Woldring, Johan Albert Commandeur
  • Patent number: 7178682
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a traveling crane consisting of a superstructure that can be turned about an upright axis and carries a crane jib with hoisting means, a truck with a tracklaying gear that carries the superstructure and a supporting device with several outriggers that can be raised and lowered, wherein the superstructure as well as the truck can be turned relative to the supporting device about an upright axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Dieter Willim
  • Patent number: 7175000
    Abstract: A lifting truck with a telescoping mast and a balancing cylinder is disclosed. The stages of the mast are each constructed with three vertical beams. A mechanism for extending the mast are contained in or near the side beams. The balancing cylinder exerts an upward force to counter the dead weight of the telescoping stages and other parts of the truck that are lifted. The balancing cylinder is connected to the lower portion of the first stage and the upper portion of the second stage. The beams making up the stages of the mast can be tubular or U-shaped to allow space for the balancing cylinder and/or hydraulic lines or control leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: BT Industries
    Inventors: Per Gyllenhammar, Mikael Jakauby
  • Patent number: 7172082
    Abstract: A mobile crane includes an under carriage, a superstructure that is rotatably mounted on the superstructure, and a main boom, which is composed of a base body and several telescopic lengths up to a predetermined maximum number, which slide into one another and can be extended from the base body. The main boom is mounted on the superstructure so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis and its inclination can be adjusted by means of a hydraulic tilting cylinder that is hinged on the superstructure and the base body. A maximum permissible weight is predefined for the main boom, as a result of a restriction on the permissible axle load of the mobile crane during road haulage. The crane is also provided with a lifting capacity increasing device, which significantly increases the lifting capacity of the main boom when the telescopic lengths are extended, in relation to the state without the lifting capacity increasing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Terex-Demag GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Irsch, Alexander Knecht, Jens Fery
  • Patent number: 7172383
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer transfer equipment transfers a plurality of semiconductor wafers, held in grooves of carriers in an erected state, to a boat using first and second wafer elevators equipped with a comb-teeth portion and a wafer grip and transfer unit. The first and second wafer elevators correspond to the carriers and the boat and are equipped with a position correction mechanism which corrects positions of comb-teeth openings of comb-teeth members provided on the comb-teeth portion, corresponding to semiconductor wafers housed in the grooves of the carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koji Fujii, Tomoaki Takeuchi