Abstract: A portable knockdown trolley hoist, comprising: a trolley support member having opposing ends; a trolley having a plurality of upper roller bearings and a plurality of lower roller bearings, the trolley rollably sandwiching an upper portion and a lower portion of the trolley support member between the plurality of upper roller bearings and the plurality of lower roller bearings, the trolley having a telescoping extension boom fastened thereto and extending therefrom, which has a plurality of extension boom sections and a sheave mounted thereto, the trolley having a hoist having a winch and a hoist cable extending from the winch and about the sheave and having a lifting end; opposing end supports, each having an opposing support member and opposing substantially upright legs removably fastened to the opposing support member; opposing end mounts, each releasably sandwiching an opposing end of the trolley support member and an opposing support member therebetween.

Abstract: An elevator comprises a cable-driven car to which vertical guide rails are allocated. The cables are arranged on both sides of the car, each in a housing and acted upon by a common driving wheel.

Abstract: A crane apparatus is installed on a pier, wharf, bulkhead wharf or other foundation extending into the water for directly transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation to another transportation mode without necessity of ground placement of the containers. The crane apparatus includes a parent crane displaceable along the foundation for unloading containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation and placing the containers on a first platform of the parent crane, and a sibling crane displaceable along the foundation beneath the parent crane independently of displacement of the parent crane for loading containers from the first platform onto over-the-ground vehicles.

Abstract: A hoist for retrieving, lifting and positioning a light load of up to about 1000 lbs, is described. The hoist comprises a boom support column having an attaching lower end and a boom support upper end. The boom support upper end has a boom assembly connector and a transverse support surface. The boom assembly has a connecting support wall and a lower projecting connector for rotational connection with the boom assembly connector for maintaining the boom at an upward angular position. A releasable locking mechanism locks the boom at the upward angular position. A boom actuating brake arrests rotational displacement between the connecting support wall and the transverse support surface when the boom is at a substantially horizontal load retrieving position. A pulley is rotatably secured to an axle secured at a free end of the boom. The pulley is adapted to guide a cable thereon through a cable guide linkage to align and maintain the cable on the pulley.

Abstract: The embodied mobile cranes have a travelling base structure that allows for travel of the crane over a surface. The cranes have a revolving superstructure mounted on the base structure and a boom and a backmast. The boom and backmast are each hinged about an associated pivot axis to horizontal the superstructure. The crane has a main load hoisting manner associated with the boom for hoisting a load. A superstructure ballast is supported on the superstructure. The cranes have a superlift ballast and associated connection manners to connect the superlift ballast to the backmast while the superlift ballast is resting on the surface and/or suspended from the backmast above the surface. The travelling base structure is provided with superlift ballast support to support the superlift ballast on the base structure so that the superlift ballast is movable along with the mobile crane while being supported by the base structure.

Abstract: The inventive control system, as typically embodied, includes sensing mechanisms, a computational processing unit, and an algorithm for processing inputs and generating outputs to control a rotating pedestal crane equipped with a Rider Block Tagline System (RBTS). Typical inventive embodiments uniquely feature a processing algorithm that distributes various control modes that operate not only through the crane's hoisting, luffing, and slewing mechanisms but also through the crane's RBTS; the inventive algorithm thereby effectuates motion compensation and pendulation damping with respect to the crane. This algorithmic allocation of control represents a more efficient crane anti-pendulation methodology than conventional methodologies; in particular, the inventive methodology exerts significantly greater control of the payload while exacting significantly less burden upon the hoisting, luffing, and slewing mechanisms of the crane.

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.

Abstract: A portable jib for movably mounting to a crane girder includes a base frame configured for traveling along a girder and a support member coupled to the base frame, wherein the support member extends substantially upward from the base frame. A boom is coupled to a free end of the support member and the boom extends substantially radially outward from the support member. The base frame, the support member and the boom are assembled and mounted to the girder for use and disassembled and removed from the girder after use.

Abstract: A hoist system can be used to raise articles. The hoist system can include a mounting structure attachable to a billboard structure, a pole member fastenable to a mounting structure and a winch assembly. The winch assembly has at least one component coupled to the pole. The winch assembly is capable of winding a flexible line. The hoist system can be utilized to raise and lower vinyls, other signage equipment or tools to billboard structures. The pole can be a single piece unit having a bend.

Abstract: The present invention provides a safety device against crane overturning which operates in a crawler crane comprising at least four outriggers in a frame, the safety device comprising a load detector 2 that detects a ground reaction to each of the outriggers, and an alarm output section 4 which calculates sums of detected values for ground reactions to every two adjacent outriggers to find a minimum value of the sums. The alarm output section then compares the minimum value obtained with a preset preliminary reference value and a preset limit reference value and outputs a preliminary alarm signal when the minimum value is smaller than the preliminary reference value or outputs a limit alarm signal when the minimum value is smaller than the limit reference value. This prevents safety from being degraded as a result of a change in the working radius of the crane. Further, calculation processes are simplified.

Abstract: A telescopic boom arm operable between a retracted position and an extended position includes an elongate first boom section, an elongate second boom section, and a flexible hydraulic line.

Abstract: An improved boom-mounted jib unit (10) is provided having an increased range of motion and work envelope, which allows a user to lift heavier loads an otherwise work with less jib interference, as compared with prior jib units. The jib unit (10) includes a base (12) and a mounting component (28) permitting the unit (10) to be detachable secured to the upper end of a primary boom (22). The unit (10) also has a boom arm (14) made up of upper and lower arms (16, 18). The arm (14) is articulated by a dual piston and cylinder assembly (20) having first and second piston and cylinder assemblies (84, 86) coupled between the base (12) and arm (14).

Abstract: In an embodiment, a crane including a hoisting (i.e., load-lifting) mechanism is provided with a variable-speed load-dependent control system and method for operating functions of the crane. An exemplary control system includes an actuator subsystem for performing at least one function of the crane, a sensor for detecting the magnitude of the load lifted by the hoisting mechanism and a controller that communicates with the sensor, wherein, relative to a load signal from the sensor, the controller transmits a speed signal to vary an operating speed of at least one actuator of the actuator subsystem.

Abstract: An upper bearing assembly for a pedestal crane comprises a partially dome-shaped kingpost head operably engaged by a bearing having a concave bearing face shaped to conform to a segment of said kingpost head, the bearing enclosed within a bearing retainer, the bearing retainer attached to the crane upper works.

Abstract: An inventory storage and retrieval system and method are provided for a shipping or storage facility. In an embodiment, the system includes: (a) a mobile computer and radio on a load-handing vehicle; (b) sensors on the vehicle to determine the ground location and orientation of the vehicle; (c) encoders that determine the position of a lifting mechanism relative to a chassis of the vehicle; and (d) a base computer and radio that communicates with the vehicle. The system maintains an inventory database of items and their respective storage locations in three dimensions as a result of the loading activity of the vehicle. The data can be used to guide the vehicle for ground movement generally to a storage location, appropriately orient the vehicle, and then to move the lifting mechanism of the vehicle to deposit or retrieve the item at a particular storage location.

Abstract: A traveling crane according to the present invention includes a hook hoisting guide sheave for guiding a hook hoisting rope from the top of a boom toward the end of a jib, and the hook hoisting guide sheave is arranged on the top of the boom in a state that the guide sheave can guide the hook hoisting rope along the upper surface of the boom by folding the rope toward an upper spreader placed at a position adjacent to a boom anchor during assembling/disassembling of the crane. Thereby, the upper spreader can be moved between the boom anchor and a far end of the boom without providing a guide sheave dedicated for moving the upper spreader. Pairs of support legs are downward provided on both sides and in front and in rear of the upper spreader and a roller is provided for each support leg, so that interference between the upper spreader during movement and obstacles on the boom upper surface can be prevented even in a horizontal movement system excellent in operating efficiency.

Abstract: A crane comprising a boom formed as an elongate tubular structure and a line assembly to extend a line from a least one end of the boom. The line assembly may include a first bank of sheaves, a second bank of sheaves, a line reeved around the first and second banks of sheaves, and an extension mechanism controlling the distance between the first and second banks of sheaves. The second bank of sheaves and at least a portion of the extension mechanism being enclosed within boom.

Abstract: A safety system for preventing crane operator injury. Two ergonomic tracks are attached on either side of the working crane. A fall transmitter is used whenever a crane operator is not on the floor. The fall transmitter has speed and travel distance governors that limit the speed and travel of certain aspects of the crane. In a further embodiment, a second fall transmitter is utilized by the second crane operator to assure that both operators are aware of and agree to any crane movement prior to commencing such movement.

Abstract: A crane including a telescoping boom has a base boom member and an inner member slidably mounted in the base boom member with a first end projecting from the base boom member. The inner member includes first and second connector elements. A boom extension has a first end including first and second attachment elements. The boom extension also includes first and second spaced bracket assemblies and is shiftable between use and storage positions. A first support associated with the base boom member includes a holder for pivotably retaining the first bracket assembly and a second support has a rail projecting from the base section. A slider is slidably supported by the rail, and an actuator connected between the slider and the boom shifts the slider between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base boom member. A method of deploying a boom extension is also disclosed.

Abstract: A biased support for booms that can pivot about a pin, for pivoting travel tracks for vehicles that run on rails, such as trolley travel tracks on booms. The booms are mounted to pivot via pins, the lock on the boom and slide plates on the upper and lower bearing points of the lock. At least one of the two slide plates in the upper bearing point is mounted elastically, so that when the boom is pivoted into the operating position, the entire lock is biased vertically and the pin is relieved of stress.