Ballast device and mobile crane having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11795040-B2
Application number	US-202117447688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 14, 2020
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a ballast device for fastening to a crane having first and second ballast elements. The first ballast element has first connection means for a releasable fastening to the crane, while both ballast elements are releasably connected to one another via second connection means. According to the disclosure, the first ballast element comprises an assembly device having abutment elements to which an abutment means can be attached to raise the ballast device. The abutment elements are arranged or are positionable such that the abutment means can be selectively attached to the assembly device for raising only the first ballast element above its center of gravity or for commonly raising both ballast elements above their total center of gravity. The disclosure further relates to a mobile crane having at least one such ballast device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ballast device for fastening to a crane comprising a first ballast element and a second ballast element, wherein the first ballast element has first connection means for releasable fastening to the crane and wherein both ballast elements are releasably connectable to one another via second connection means,
wherein
the first ballast element comprises an assembly device having abutment elements to which an abutment means can be attached for raising the ballast device, with the abutment elements being arranged or being positionable such that the abutment means is selectively attachable to the assembly device for raising of only the first ballast element while gripping the first ballast element at a point above a center of gravity of the first ballast element or for common raising of both ballast elements at a further point above a total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements, and
the assembly device is an inseparable element of the first ballast element and is movable relative thereto.

2. The ballast device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the assembly device has first abutment elements for raising only the first ballast element and second abutment elements for the common raising of both ballast elements, with a distance between the first and second abutment elements corresponding to a horizontal distance between the center of gravity of the first ballast element and the total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements.

3. The ballast device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the first abutment elements are arranged above the center of gravity of the first ballast element and the second abutment elements are arranged in an assembly position above the total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements.

4. The ballast device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein a head part is configured as an arm projecting from an elongate part, with the first abutment elements being arranged in a region of the elongate part and the second abutment elements being arranged at an opposite end of the arm.

5. The ballast device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second connection means are means for establishing a suspension connection.

6. The ballast device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first and second ballast elements are configured such that the total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements lies within the second ballast element.

7. The ballast device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the assembly device comprises an elongate part and a head part arranged at an end of the elongate part, with the head part comprising the abutment elements and being rotatable and/or telescopic relative to the first ballast element.

8. The ballast device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first ballast element has a guide channel in which the elongate part of the assembly device is displaceably supported along its longitudinal axis.

9. The ballast device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the assembly device has an abutment that limits an upward displacement of the assembly device relative to the first ballast element in cooperation with a counter-abutment provided at or in the first ballast element.

10. The ballast device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the first ballast element has a second recess whose upper boundary forms the counter-abutment for the abutment of the assembly device, with the abutment and the second recess furthermore respectively have lateral abutments or counter-abutments that cooperate in an azimuthal direction and that limit a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the elongate part to a specific angular range in an uppermost position of the assembly device.

11. The ballast device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the abutment is configured as a pin laterally projecting from the elongate part or as a plate having a polygonal shape, with the second recess being formed at a lower side or in a lower region of the first ballast element.

12. The ballast device according to claim 8 , wherein the elongate part of the assembly device is rotatable about its longitudinal axis.

13. The ballast device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the abutment and counter-abutment are arranged at the end of the elongate part disposed opposite the head part.

14. The ballast device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the assembly device is located at the counter-abutment on the abutment of the abutment and at a lateral counter-abutment in an assembly position.

15. The ballast device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first ballast element has a first recess at an upper side in which the head part can be completely lowered in a parked position.

16. The ballast device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the assembly device has a latching mechanism in which it is releasably latchable in an assembly position.

17. The ballast device according to claim 16 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises a latching element that is supported at the head part and that is pressed into a cutout of the first ballast element by a spring element in the assembly position.

18. The ballast device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the ballast device can be fastened to a superstructure or to a superstructure ballast of a mobile crane.

19. A ballast device for fastening to a crane comprising a first ballast element and a second ballast element, wherein the first ballast element has first connection means for releasable fastening to the crane and wherein both ballast elements are releasably connectable to one another via second connection means,
wherein
the first ballast element comprises an assembly device having abutment elements to which an abutment means can be attached for raising the ballast device, with the abutment elements being arranged or being positionable such that the abutment means is selectively attachable to the assembly device for raising of only the first ballast element at a point above a center of gravity of the first ballast element or for common raising of both ballast elements at a further point above a total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements, and
the assembly device has first abutment elements for raising only the first ballast element and second abutment elements for the common raising of both ballast elements, with a distance between the first and second abutment elements corresponding to a horizontal distance between the center of gravity of the first ballast element and the total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements.

20. A ballast device for fastening to a crane comprising a first ballast element and a second ballast element, wherein the first ballast element has first connection means for releasable fastening to the crane and wherein both ballast elements are releasably connectable to one another via second connection means,
wherein
the first ballast element comprises an assembly device having abutment elements to which an abutment means can be attached for raising the ballast device, with the abutment elements being arranged or being positionable such that the abutment means is selectively attachable to the assembly device for raising of only the first ballast element at a point above a center of gravity of the first ballast element or for common raising of both ballast elements at a further point above a total center of gravity of the mutually connected ballast elements,
the assembly device comprises an elongate part and a head part arr

Assignees

• Liebherr Werk Ehingen

Inventors

• Eberhardt Lars

Classifications

• B66C23/74 Primary

  separate from jib · CPC title

• B66C23/72 Primary

  Counterweights or supports for balancing lifting couples · CPC title

• B66C23/62

  Constructional features or details (of dredgers E02F) · CPC title