GB2218398A

GB2218398A - Crane mounted on rail chassis

Info

Publication number: GB2218398A
Application number: GB8910652A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Charles Whitehead; Richard Fox; Paul H Mitchell; David Ashley Screen
Original assignee: DANZOE ENG Ltd
Current assignee: DANZOE ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1988-05-11
Filing date: 1989-05-09
Publication date: 1989-11-15
Also published as: GB8910653D0; GB8811204D0; GB2218399A; GB8910652D0

Abstract

Apparatus 10 for supporting crane 37 on rail chassis 30 has a central part 11 in which are slidable end parts 12, 13 which can be extended by rams 12f, 12g. Part 13 is for example extended (Fig 2), part 11 is then moved forward over the extended part 13 (Fig 3) and part 12 is then moved forward in part 11 to move the whole apparatus forward in steps eg from one chassis to another. Parts 12, 13 are mounted on retractable legs which raise the apparatus during movement of part 11. The apparatus may carry at its end transverse thereto similar apparatus for moving the apparatus sideways (Fig 4 not shown). In a modification (Fig 20 not shown) a single end part is used. The apparatus may be used in the channel tunnel, eg for handling or inspecting pipes. The outer end of the crane boom carries a sewing device (Figs 18 and 19, not shown) which is the subject of copending application GB 8910653. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SUPPORT APPARATUS This invention relates to support apparatus.

According to an aspect of the invention support apparatus adapted to move forward comprises first and second parts, means for moving the first part forward relative to the second part to extend the apparatus and for moving the second part forward relative to the extended first part. There may be another said apparatus transversely thereto.

According to another aspect of this invention support apparatus comprises first and second elements, means for moving the first element forward relative to the second element, means for raising the first and second elements, and means for moving the second element forward relative to the first element when the elements are raised.

There may be a third element, means for moving the third element forward relative to the first and second elements, said raising means raising the first, second snd third elements, the second element moving relative to the third element.

The first and second elements may be slidably associated elongate members.

The third element may be slidably associated with the first and second elements.

The first and third elements may be slidable in the second element.

The apparatus may have connected thereto a transverse second said apparatus.

There may be a said apparatus transversely mounted at each end of the apparatus.

The moving means may comprise hydraulic rams.

The raising means may comprise hydraulically operated feet.

The apparatus may be associated with a vehicle, for example a chassis of a railway car.

The apparatus may support a material handling device. The device may be movable longitudinally on the apparatus, for example on the second element.

Tile handling device may comprise a crane.

Tie apparatus may comprise first and second elements and third and fourth elements, the second element being movable outwardly relative to the first element in one sense, the fourth element being movable outwardly relative to the third element in the opposite sense.

The apparatus may support manipulating apparatus comprising a support, structure pivoted to the support about a first axis, a member pivoted to the structure about a second axis transverse to and spaced from the first axis, means for pivoting the structure in each of two opposed senses, and means for pivoting the member in each of to opposed senses.

The invention may be performed in various ways and some srecific embodiments with possible modifications will not be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying somewhat schematic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a movable support device; Figs. 2 and 3 show other positions of the device; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side view of a support device; Fig. 6 is a modification of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 shows a further modification; Figs. 8, 8a, 8b show 'walking' positions of the device; Fit,. 9 is a transverse section of part of the device; Fi. 10 shows a further arrangement; Fig. 11 illustrates use of the device in a tunnel; Firms. 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b, 14 show further use of the device in a tunnel;; Figs. 15, 16 are plan views showing manipulation of the device into a side passage; Fig. 17 is a side view of the device; Fig. 18 is a vertical section of a slewing device; Fir. 19 is a transverse section of Fig. 18; and Fig. 20 shows a modification of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 1 shows a sport device 10 comprising an outer hollow bean 11 open at its ends and inner beams 12, 13 are slidable in beam 11 on suitable bearings. Beans 12, 13 at their outer ends carry structure 12a, 13a housing hydraulic double acting piston/cylinders 12b, 13b which can raise and lower support feet 12c, 13c (shown displaced for clarity).

Double acting hydraulic rams 12f, 12g respectively have cylinders 12d, 13d secured to beam 11 and slidable in cylinders 12d, 13d are pistons 12e, 13e respectively secured to beams 12, 13.

In a datwl position shown in full line in Fig. 2 the beams 12, 13 are withdrawn into beam 11 and the beam 11 rests on a support surface 14 with feet 12c, 13c being raised from surface 14. To move the device 10 along the surface 14, piston 13e is extended to a desired extent as shown dotted in Fig. 2 to move beam 13 partly out of beam 11. The pistons of piston/ cylinders 12b, 13b are now extended to lower the feet 12c, lDc to raise the beams 11, 12, 13 from surface 14 and reach the position shown in full line in Fig. 3.

With beam 12 anchored by foot 12c, piston/cylinder 12d, 12e is energized to move beam 11 to the right to the dotted position shown in Fig. 3, piston 13d retracting into cylinder 13e and beam 11 moving along beams 12, 13 during this movement. The piston/cylinders 12b, 13b are therl operated to lower the beam 11 on to the surface 14 and raise the feet 12c, 13c from the surface aiid tEle piston 12d is then retracted into cylinder 13d to return the device to the datum position but moved to the right by the amount of the extension of piston 13d. Further moves to the right can be made, or, in a similar manner, to the left.

Alternatively or additionally the beam 11 can be moved sideways. Thus the beam 11 could have at its ends crossmembers in the form of devices similar to device 10 but a preferred arrangement is shown in Fig. 4 where a crossmember arrangement 20 is shown, with a similar one at the other end only shown in part, In this case there are two hollow cross members 21, 22 fixed to beam 11 and rspectively slidable in them are inner cross members 21e*, 22a under the action of double acting piston/cylinder rams 21b, 22b connected to operate between beams 21, 21a and 22, 22a respectively. Two rams 13b and feet 13c are carried at the laterally outer ends of the beams 21b, 22b.From the datwn position shown in Fig. 4 with feet 12c, 13c raised, rams 22b are energized to extend beams 22a. Feet 12c, 13c are lowered to raise the beam 11 fron surface 14, rams 21b are energized to slide beams 21, 22 sideways together on beams 21a, 22, the feet 12c, 13c are raised to lower beem 11 onto surface 14, alld rams 21b are retracted to withdraw beam 21 into beam 21 to return to the datum condition. By initial operation of ram 21b the device can move sideways step by step in the opposite direction.

One use of device 10 of Fig. 1 and/or Fig. 4 is on a vehicle and in association with material handling or manipulating apparatus. For example the device 10 can be mounted on a chassis of a wheeled rail car and a crane can be mounted on the device 10. An example is shown in Fig. 5 ere chassis 30 with wheels 31 can run on rails 32.

A crane base 33 is mounted for longitudinal movement on beam 11 and the crane includes hydraulic rams 34, 35 (which may be remotely controlled through suitable hydraulic or other connecions) for raising and lowering beam 36 and operating or extending handling equipment 37. Fig. 6 shows the crane supporting a personnel basket 38 and Fig. 7 shows two cranes 39, 40 on beam 11. Figs. 8, 8a, 8b illustrate lonEitudinal movement of device 10 from one car 41 to an adjacent car 42, in several steps as described above.

Fig. 9 shows crane base 33 including rollers 45 running on side rails 46 fiyed to beam 11.

In ig. 10 the base 33 includes rollers 46 which can rl1n on a suitably shaped beam 11. In Fig. 10 the cross members 20 have a single outer beam with two inner beams 21, 22 but they could have the arrangement of Fig. 4 with two outer beams and two inner beams.

As shown in Fig. 11 the arrangement is particularly useful for operations in a tunnel 50 and shows various positions for basket 38 for examining circumferential services 51, 52 such as pipes and fans.

Figs. 12 to 14 illustrate use of the device te position cirotimferentially spaced pipes 53. Figs. 12a, 12b grasping of a pipe length 55 by suitable grab 56 and Figs. 13a, 13b show movement of crane boom 57 to a raised and rctated position 57a for positioning of the pipe length.

Figs. 15, 16 show how the crane bcom can be manouevred to extend into side passages 60 extending from tunnel 50.

As can be seen in Fig. 11, during operation of the crane stabilizing legs 70 can be lowered either manually or hydraulically to engage support surface 71; also shown in Fig. 17.

Fig. 15 shcws the two cars 30. The device can be moved sideways, as described above, from one car to an adjacent car.

The device may find application in constructing or servicing in the projected Channel tunnel.

If necessary temporary support elements may be placed on sloe b; side cars to support feet 12c, 13c during side ways movement of the device from one car to the other.

Controls for the device may be mounted in a unit 80 Fig. 5 at one end of the device or remote control, possibly from bosket 38, could be provided. Load hold check valves are provided as appropriate in the hydraulic circuit and hydraulic motors may drive crane rollers 46 with the drive transmitted direct to the roller shafts.

The crane boom 57 can be raised and lowered and extended, and the crane boom can be rotated about a vertical axis in relation to the crane base. The outer end of the boom may carry a slewing device 100 as shown in Figs. 18 and 19. The device 100 includes a mount 101 which is secured to the boom (or other support in other arrangements) and pivotally connected to mount 101 on axes 102, 103 are the pistons 104, 105 of double acting rams 106, 107 having cylinders 104a, 105a pivoted at 106a, 107a to housing 109 which is pivoted on a shaft 110 in mount 101 parallel to axes 102, 103.Cylinders lO$* are for example vertically spaced. Another mount 111 is pivoted on shaft 112 in housing 109 at right angles to shaft 110 and mount 111 can be rotated on shaft 112 by double acting piston/cylinder rams 113, 114 having cylinders 115, 116 laterally spaced and pivoted to housing 109 and pistons 117, 118 pivoted to mount 111 on pins 119, 120 on opposite sides of shaft 112.

Thus selective extension of ram 106 and/or ram 107 will rotate housing 109 about shaft 110 and selective extension of ram 113 and/or ram 114 will rotate mount 111 on shaft 112, and these movements can be combined.

Preferably mount 111 supports a plate or similar structure 130 and a further plate 131 or other structure is connected to structure 130 for rotation relative thereto but axis 132. The rotation may for example be through hydraulically operated track and pinion or a rotary motor.

This slewing device may be mounted on other cranes or similar structure.

In a modification shown in Fig. 20 there is a single inner beam 140 and a single ram 141 is used to move the beam 140 forwards out of beam 11 and then to move beam 11 along beam 140 by alternately pressurising opposite sides of the ram piston viith feet 12c, 13c being lowered during movement of beam 11 as appropriate.

In Fig. 7 clamps 150 can be used to hold the beam 11 to the chassis 30.

Claims

1. Support apparatus adapted to move forward comprising first and second parts, means for moving the first part forward relative to the second part to extend the apparatus and for moving the second part forward relative to the extended first part.

2. Support apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, including another said apparatus transversely thereof.

3. Support apparatus comprising first and second elements, means for moving the first element forward relative to the second element, means for raising the first and second elements, and means for moving the second element forward relative to the first element when the elements are raised.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, comprising a third element, means for moving the third element forward relative to the first and second elements, said raising means raising the first, second and third elements, the second element moving relative to the third element.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the first and second elements are slidably associated elongate members.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, in which the third element is slidably associated with the first and second elements .

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, in which the first and third elements are slidable in the second element.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 7 having connected thereto a transverse said apparatus.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, including a said apparatus transversely mounted at each end thereof.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 9, in which the raising means comprises hydraulically operable feet.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the moving means comprise at least one hydraulic ram.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim associated with a vehicle.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, in which the vehicle is a chassis of a railway car.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim having associated therewith a material handling device movable therealong.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, comprising first and second elements and third and fourth elements, the second element being movable outwardly relative to the first element in one sense, the fourth element being movable outwardly relative to the third element in the O r n f) n Z fl r

16. Support apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shout in Figs. 1 to 19, or Fig. 20, of the accompanying drawings.

17. Support apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, having mounted thereon manipulating apparatus comprising a support, structure pivoted to the support about a first axis, 8 member pivoted to the structure about a second axis transverse to and spaced from the first axis, means for pivoting the structure in each of two opposed senses, and means for pivoting the member in each of two opposed senses.