Patents Examined by Thomas J. Brahan
  • Patent number: 7172083
    Abstract: A mobile hydraulic hoist unit which is readily maneuverable to a position straddling a load and then conveniently operated to lift and securely transport such load over a variety of terrains and surfaces and to safely and accurately deposit that load at a specific location. The hoist unit comprises a generally ā€œUā€ shaped base frame having spaced side members provided with multi-terrain wheel assemblies, a closed forward end having a hitch member for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, a rearwardly open center section adapted to receive and straddle the load, a power cylinder, a boom operated by the power cylinder for lifting and securely holding the load in a transport position during movement of the hoist unit and for accurately depositing the load at the desired destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Harry F. Raines
  • Patent number: 7165691
    Abstract: In a counterweight attaching and detaching apparatus for a crane, the length of a suspension member is adjusted by an extendable member and links because the distance provided between the peak of a gantry and an upper surface of each of weights when the gantry is suspending the weight at a respective mounting position varies depending on the mounting position. In order to complement the adjustment of the length, different amounts of protrusion of rings from the upper surfaces of the weights are set so that the protrusion amount in the forefront weight is the largest and the protrusion amount in the rearmost weight is the smallest. This reduces the number of types of necessary links used in the suspension member to attach and detach the weights, and the number of operations of connecting and removing the links, and improves operation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7163112
    Abstract: The invention concerns a material transloading equipment unit with an undercarriage and a turntable connected with this undercarriage by means of a track ring, on which an arm that can be pivoted by means of at least one hoisting cylinder is pivot-mounted. According to the invention, on the one hand at least one additional pivot point for the arm is provided on the turntable and/or on the boom foot, and at least one additional pivot point is provided in the arm or in a pivot plate on the arm. This allows a number of possible combinations for the kinematics of the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Lehnen, Bernd Wager
  • Patent number: 7160075
    Abstract: A commercial or residential garaging system having at least a first movable element and a second movable element configured to form a ramp permitting a vehicle to be moved between a first and a second elevation. A drive apparatus configured to simultaneously lower the first movable member while raising the second movable member. A frame assembly is provided to provide the strength and stability required for proper functioning of the movable members and the drive apparatus. One or more bearing assemblies having a plurality of bearing members are utilized in connection with the frame assembly and/or drive apparatus and are adapted to simultaneously lift a second and third movable member. A method for allowing vehicles to be parked so as to efficiently and quickly park vehicles utilizing a garaging system. A tire blocking apparatus is provided to prevent vehicles from advancing inadvertently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: Larry Lane Blackmore
  • Patent number: 7156245
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with the demountable assembly of latticework jib elements comprising upper and lower chords connected to one another by means of triangulation bars. In the region of the upper chords, there is provided an assembly by shackle, tenon and a connecting shaft, with abutment and relative positioning means. In the region of the lower chords, there are provided centering pegs and a locking assembly consisting of two connections spaced apart and having clamping and locking means. This device is used for assembling the jib elements and counterjib elements of tower cranes, in particular those having a jib without a masthead and without a tie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Potain
    Inventor: Michel Lissandre
  • Patent number: 7156246
    Abstract: A retractable rotating ATV mounted lift boom for an ATV rack used to lift various objects. The invention includes a horizontal base plate and angle iron attached to the ATV rack, a horizontal female receiving tube attached onto the horizontal base plate, a horizontal elongated male piece that can be inserted and removed from the horizontal female receiving tube and a rotatable vertical elongated base piece that is perpendicularly attached to the horizontal elongated male piece. There is also a first elongated piece that is pivotally attached to the vertical elongated base piece, a second elongated piece that is pivotally attached to the first elongated piece and a third elongated piece pivotally attached to the second elongated piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Gregory F. Sherrod
  • Patent number: 7153078
    Abstract: Through a loading and unloading station for load carriers of vehicle bodies, vehicles or the like, it is possible to unload vehicle bodies from a railway car in a continuous cycle and supply them to a production facility, wherein in one cycle simultaneously the load carriers receiving the vehicle bodies are returned to an empty railway car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, UTC Uebach Technologie Consulting GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Beerhalter, Lothar Boettcher, Guenther Wolf, Guenther Wittenmayer, Claus-Peter Krause, Eckard Uebach, Ernst Hopf, Walter Kramer
  • Patent number: 7150366
    Abstract: A sway dampener is provided for reducing sway motion of a gantry crane spreader that is suspended from hanger chains. The sway dampener is configured to resist motion of the hanger chain relative to the spreader, thereby retarding sway. The dampener includes first and second portions that are movable relative to each other in a resistive fashion, for example a piston-cylinder structure. The first portion is mounted to the spreader and the second portion is mounted to the hanger chain at an attachment point located a vertical distance above a point at which the hanger chain is pivotally mounted to the spreader so that horizontal sway motion of the attachment point relative to the spreader displaces the first and second portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Mi-Jack Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brian Zakula, Sr., Eric Brian Van Gorp, Myron Glickman
  • Patent number: 7147117
    Abstract: A crane tower device includes a basket that supports a tower crane and sits within a bay formed by the vertical columns of a building under construction. The basket and the tower crane are supported by support stubs that are attached to the vertical columns. Because the lateral and vertical load is principally distributed vertically to the vertical columns rather than horizontally, no reinforcement of the horizontal beams, floors or any other portion of the building structure are needed, which results in substantial cost savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Federated Equipment Co. LLC
    Inventors: Larry Davis, Larry Howard, Michael Schiavoni
  • Patent number: 7137518
    Abstract: A telescopic crane, includes a substructure, a superstructure rotatably mounted onto the substructure, a counterweight and a telescoping boom structure which includes a main boom slewable about a luffing plane. The main boom has a boom base and at least one telescope section received in the boom base and displaceable between retracted and extended positions. At least one guy support is mounted to the boom structure and connected to a guy rope which extends substantially longitudinally in the direction of the boom structure. The guy support is oriented with respect to the luffing plane at an inclination which is so selected that a lateral load acting on the boom structure is partially or entirely received by the guying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Terex-Demag GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Irsch, Conrad Frank, Jens Fery, Walter Zimmer, Walter Stowasser, Oliver Fries, Roland Kuhn, Markus Marx
  • Patent number: 7134828
    Abstract: An apparatus for retrieving golf balls and the like includes a number of retrieving sections, each having a frame for one or more receptacle baskets and a retrieving roller with a number of retrieving disks. The frames are connected to a connection rail in side-by-side relationship. The connection rail is readily flexible over its entire length in the vertical plane and is rigid or substantially inflexible in the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Range Servant AB
    Inventor: Jordan Knez
  • Patent number: 7134563
    Abstract: The invention relates to a crane that comprises an electronic control for actuating drives for at least one lifting gear and for crane movements, which can be operated by an operator via manual input devices. Said manual input devices can be adjusted as regards their sensitivity (definition). In order to adapt the system behavior of the crane to the needs of different operators and different lifting requirements in an optimum manner, the electronic control is provided with at least two adjustments, selectable by the operator, that set for the manual input devices respective different sensitivities defined for the crane operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Terex-Demag GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Klaus Meissner, Mathias Meyer
  • Patent number: 7134562
    Abstract: A trailer-mounted crane apparatus includes a trailer supported from a ground surface on at least two wheels. A hydraulically operated crane arm is mounted to the trailer and is extendable outwardly. A crane hydraulic power unit is mounted to the trailer and supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid to the crane arm. A vibrational sheet piling driver can be supported by the crane arm. A vibrational hydraulic power unit for supplying power to the driver is mounted on the trailer. A control panel for the crane hydraulic power unit and the vibrational driver hydraulic power unit, and an associated operator's seat, are also mounted on the trailer. The crane apparatus includes wide tires for reducing the surface pressure under the apparatus. This allows the apparatus to be transported across and used on delicate surfaces such as golf course greens and other groomed surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Inventor: Darryl S. Burkett
  • Patent number: 7134825
    Abstract: A device (10) for handling substrates (11) inside and outside a clean room (15) is provided with a locking transfer device (17), by which means a substrate cassette (12) that is accommodated in a box (13) in clean-room conditions can be removed from or placed in said box (13); and with a first handling device (51), by which means the substrates (11) can be placed in or removed from the cassette (12). According to the invention, a storage area (20) for a plurality of cassette boxes (13) is positioned on or above the clean room (15) and the locking transfer device (17) is provided between the storage area (20) and the clean room (15), so that various work and production steps can be combined in such a way as to save space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmutz, Joseph Gentischer
  • Patent number: 7131548
    Abstract: A folding pinnacle bending device for a mobile crane (20) comprises a joint area (9) which is bent in order to adjust the angle of the folding pinnacle (10) and which comprises a joint (8) in its upper or tensile load area, wherein the joint area (9) comprises a mechanically fixable telescoping means (7) in its lower or pressure load area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Grove U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Jan Hinrichs, Dieter Stuhrwoldt
  • Patent number: 7128226
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting device for loads, especially to a suspension lift for vehicles or vehicle parts. Said lifting device comprises load receiving means (14) with at least one longitudinal beam (17) mounted on the load receiving means (14) and substantially aligned in the lifting and lowering direction (S). The device further comprises at least one guide element (15) mounted on the base frame (5) for laterally guiding the longitudinal beam and thus the load receiving element (14) and a lifting gear (19) for performing the lifting and lowering movement of the load receiving means (14). The aim of the invention is to provide a lifting device that facilitates an ample lifting/lowering movement of the load while considerably reducing the overall height of the lifting device. To this end, the longitudinal beam (17) is subdivided in at least two sections (17a, 17b, 17c) in the manner of a link chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventor: Roland Assmann
  • Patent number: 7121384
    Abstract: A two- or multi-stage mast-hydraulic cylinder construction (4, 5) for a truck mast, and method for manufacturing the intergrated structer (4, 5), are discloused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Rocla Oyj
    Inventor: Janne Polvilampi
  • Patent number: 7111744
    Abstract: A crane mount assembly having a mounting base and tower, the base having a pair of longitudinal members in parallel spaced alignment with transverse members positioned therebetween, and a top and bottom plate secured between the longitudinal members and the transverse members to create a torsion cell. The tower includes a base plate with a plurality of side panels that extend vertically from the base plate, and a mounting plate that is secured to the top of the side panels to create a hollow chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Astroria Industries of Iowa, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack D. Brannan, Robert J. Wolf
  • Patent number: 7101141
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a system for handling microelectronic dies is provided. Two vertical supports are secured to the frame of the die handler. A wafer support, to support a semiconductor wafer, is mounted between the vertical supports such that the wafer can rotate about its central axis. An ejector arm track is mounted between the vertical supports below the wafer. An ejector arm is mounted to the track for rotation about the central axis of the wafer, and an ejector head is mounted to the ejector arm for translational movement along the ejector arm. A pick arm track is mounted between the vertical supports above the wafer. A pick arm is mounted to the track for rotation about the central axis of the wafer, and a pick head is mounted to the pick arm for translational movement along the pick arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick F. Rezaei
  • Patent number: 7093729
    Abstract: The device combines ballast blocks (3) that can be stacked onto a base frame of the crane, and a gripper (2) for handling these blocks, the gripper being designed to be connected, during use, to a handling means. This device comprises means of nonpermanent connection, by hooking, between the gripper (2) and a ballast block (3) and means (34, 37, 38) for centering the stacked ballast blocks (3) relative to one another. The aforementioned connection means are constituted by two opposed gripping hooks (15, 16) mounted pivotably at the ends of a lifting beam (4) of the gripper (2) and interacting with transverse pins (35) of a block (3). The rear part of each hook (15, 16) is attached to a sling (27, 28), and a lock (21, 22) is assigned to it. The invention applies in particular to the ballasting of tower cranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Potain
    Inventors: Philippe Monteil, Yves Millet