Abstract: In a mast crane wherein a tension member controls the position of a carriage along an upright guide rail, the tension member is connected with a load transmitting element against which an abutment on the carriage bears down under carriage weight. A brake shoe carrier that has a link connection with the carriage carries two brake shoes, and by swinging about said link connection it clampwise engages them against opposite carriage-guiding surfaces on the rail. A linkage connecting the load transmitting element with the brake shoe carrier causes brake-engaging swinging of the carrier when the load transmitting element drops away from the abutment upon failure of the tension member. A spring biases the brake shoe carrier for such swinging, but its force is normally overcome by weight of the carriage. The link connection of the brake shoe carrier with the carriage is arranged for brake self-energizing once the brake shoes engage the rail.

Abstract: A warehouse crane with individual storage areas for containing tote pans, each tote pan having handles on its opposite end walls. A pair of reversibly driven, counter-rotating endless chains is mounted on the carriage for movement about a generally horizontal, orbital path, each of the chains also having a radially inner pin and and outer pin for movement with their respective chain in orbital paths. The inner pin is pushingly engageable with the handles to push the pans into the storage areas. The outer pin is releasably engageable with the handle of the pans to pull the pans from the storage areas.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system for the hoist drum of a lifting crane to achieve good control over loads being held or lowered by the load line wrapped on the hoist drum comprises a brake band for exerting a braking force on the hoist drum. The system further comprises a brake cylinder for operating the brake band; a brake valve for controlling the supply of fluid from a fluid source to the brake cylinder; a brake pedal for operating the brake valve and movable between a brake release position and a brake applied position; a valve toggle linkage connected between the foot pedal and the brake valve piston to cause the brake valve to supply fluid to the brake cylinder at a predetermined pressure when the pedal is depressed to a first brake applied position and for applying fluid at a greater pressure when said pedal is moved to a second brake applied position which offers a mechanical advantage; and a hydraulic simulator for adjusting the position to which the foot pedal can be depressed.

Abstract: A spooling drum for spooling multiple layers of wire rope or cable and having a structure preventing localized wear or crushing of the wire rope, the spooling drum including a cylindrical core and a stepped flange at each end of the core. The stepped flanges include one or more steps which support a riser having a tapered end which functions to receive the end wind of the wire rope as the drum rotates and to lift the rope to the next higher level of wind to thereby facilitate formation of a subsequent layer of wound wire rope. The risers supported by the steps of the flanges function to prevent wear of the cable caused by potential pinching of the cable against the flanges, and the steps facilitate the use of risers for any number of layers and avoid interference by the risers with orderly layered winding or spooling operations.