Mobile crane comprising a ballast receiving device and method for ballasting a mobile crane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850951-B2
Application number	US-201716093419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile crane having at least one ballast receiver that is vertically adjustable via one or more ballast cylinders and having a coupling for connecting the ballast cylinder or cylinders to the energy supply of the crane, wherein the energy supply can be releasably connected to the at least one ballast cylinder via at least one coupling part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile crane having at least one ballast receiver that is vertically adjustable via at least one ballast cylinder and said ballast receiver having a coupling for connecting the at least one ballast cylinder to an energy supply of the crane, wherein
the energy supply is releasably connected to the at least one ballast cylinder via said coupling which comprises
a first coupling part is vertically adjustable via at least one coupling drive to track a movement of at least one complementary second coupling part arranged at the ballast receiver.

2. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein
the at least one ballast receiver comprises a base ballast plate releasably arranged at a crane slewing platform, with the base ballast plate having the at least one ballast cylinder for a vertical adjustment of the base ballast plate for installation at the crane slewing platform; and
with said at least one second complementary coupling part being received by the base ballast plate or being inserted into the base ballast plate.

3. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one coupling drive for the first coupling part is a piston-in-cylinder unit and the first coupling part is received at a bottom cylinder side or at a free piston end.

4. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first coupling part and/or said at least one coupling drive is/are installed at a vehicle frame or an undercarriage, or is/are inserted into or supported in a cut-out of the vehicle frame/undercarriage.

5. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the first coupling part and/or said at least one coupling drive is/are installed, or inserted or supported in a region of a support cylinder installed at the vehicle frame/undercarriage.

6. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the coupling part and the coupling drive is arranged at a superstructure.

7. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first coupling part is supported beside a vertical adjustment movable about a further axis, with travel movement taking place manually or by a suitable drive.

8. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first coupling part is arranged at an undercarriage and comprising an additional first coupling part arranged at a superstructure such that the at least one ballast cylinder is respectively connectable to one of the two first coupling parts or to both said first coupling parts.

9. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the coupling is a quick coupling system.

10. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the quick coupling system is a pneumatic or hydraulic quick coupling system.

11. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one ballast receiver having a base ballast plate and/or a crane chassis has at least one cylinder for tightening ballast plates on latching, with the at least one cylinder being supplied with energy via the coupling.

12. A method of balancing a crane in accordance with claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
lifting the at least one ballast receiver or a base ballast plate onto a vehicle frame of the crane;
establishing the energy supply of the at least one ballast cylinder via the coupling; wherein
the at least one ballast cylinder is actuated and the first coupling part is simultaneously tracked by the at least one coupling drive on a relative movement of the second coupling part arranged at the at least one ballast receiver and/or at the at least one ballast cylinder; or
said energy supply is first established on lifting of the at least one ballast receiver or the base ballast plate onto the vehicle frame; and
said energy supply is then further established on connecting the at least one ballast receiver to a slewing platform, by actuating the at least one ballast cylinder.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein at least one of a retraction of the at least one ballast cylinder, a release of the coupling, and a retraction of the first coupling part is provided in a subsequent method step.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the ballast plate or the at least one ballast receiver is lifted by expanding the at least one ballast cylinder without a relative movement of the second coupling part and a tracking movement of the first coupling part only takes place on the retraction of the at least one ballast cylinder with an already performed installation of the at least one ballast receiver at the slewing platform.

15. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the at least one ballast cylinder is extended and installed at the slewing platform; and on subsequent retraction of the at least one ballast cylinder, the ballast plate or the at least one ballast receiver is raised with a simultaneous tracking of the first coupling part.

16. A control for a crane in accordance with claim 1 that provides an actuation of said at least one coupling drive synchronized with the movement of the at least one ballast cylinder and/or the at least one ballast receiver to have the first coupling part track a movement of the second coupling part.

Assignees

• Liebherr Werk Ehingen

Inventors

• Boos Bernd

Classifications

• B66C13/12 Primary

  Arrangements of means for transmitting pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric power to movable parts of devices · CPC title

• B66C23/72

  Counterweights or supports for balancing lifting couples · CPC title

• B66C23/88

  Safety gear (for cranes in general B66C15/00; for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/54) · CPC title

• B66C15/00

  Safety gear (for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/54) · CPC title

• B66C23/74 Primary

  separate from jib · CPC title