Patent 1324989 Summary

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A crane comprising:
a base including a pair of spaced apart leg
support members, each of the leg support members including
a socket,
a mast mounted on the base and extending upwardly
from the base, the mast having an upper end,
a boom pivotally connected to the upper end of the
mast,
a lifting ram having opposite ends, one end
pivotally connected to the mast and the other end
pivotally connected to the boom,
a pair of crane legs each having opposite ends,
one end of one of the crane legs being selectively housed
in one of the sockets in telescoping relation and one end
of the other crane leg being selectively housed in the
other of the sockets in telescoping relation, and
means for pivotally connecting one end of one of
the legs to one of the leg support members, and means for
pivotally connecting one end of the other of the legs to
the other of the leg support members, the means for
pivotally connecting providing for pivotal movement of the
legs from a horizontal position to a generally vertical
stored position adjacent the mast.

2. A crane as set forth in claim 1 and further
including means for releasbly connecting the legs to the
mast.

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3. A crane as set forth in claim 1 wherein the
means for pivotally connecting incudes means for
selectively restraining the legs from removal from the
sockets.

4. A crane as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
means for selectively restraining includes latch members
pivotally connected to each of the sockets, and hook
members housed in ends of each of the legs, the latch
members each being movable between a first position
wherein the latch member engages the hook member to
prevent removal of one of the legs from one of the sockets
and a second position wherein the hook member does not
engage the latch member and the one of the legs is
removable from the one of the sockets.



5. A crane as set forth in claim 4 wherein the
leg is supported for pivotal movement from a horizontal
position to the generally vertical stored position by
engagement of the hook member with the latch member.


6. A crane as set forth in claim 1 wherein each
crane leg has a first telescoping portion and a second
telescoping portion.




7. A crane as set forth in claim 6 further
comprising means for releasably preventing telescoping
movement of the first telescoping position with respect to
the second telescoping portion, said means for releasably


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preventing telescoping movement including a first pin
supported by said one of said telescoping portions for
restricted movement between a first position wherein said
first pin engages one of said telescoping portions to
prevent removal of said other of said telescoping portions
from said one of said telescoping portions and a second
position wherein said first pin releases said other of
said telescoping portions for removal from said one of
said telescoping portions and said first pin being fixed
to said one of said telescoping portions for restricted
movement between said first position and said second
position.


8. A crane comprising:
a base including a pair of spaced apart leg
support members, the leg support members each having
forward ends and rearward ends, and a rigid member located
between the leg support members, the rigid member having
one end fixed to one of the leg support members and the
other end fixed to the other leg support member,
a mast mounted on the base and extending upwardly
from the base, the mast having an upper end,
a boom pivotally connecting to the upper end of
the mast,
a lifting ram having opposite ends, one end
pivotally connected to the mast and the other end
pivotally connected to the boom,
a pair of crane legs each having opposite ends,
one of the crane legs being supported by one of the leg


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support members and the other of the crane legs being
supported by the other of the leg support members,
a first pair of wheels supporting the forward ends
of the spaced apart leg support members, and a second pair
of wheels supporting the rearward ends of the leg support
members, the second pair of wheels having one of the
wheels spaced rearwardly of the rearward end of one of the
leg support members and the other of the wheels spaced
rearwardly of the rearward end of the other of the leg
support members, and
a bracket having opposite ends, one end of the
bracket being fixed to a rearward end of one of leg
support members and the other end of the bracket being
fixed to a rearward end of the other of the leg support
members, the second pair of wheels being positioned
beneath the bracket and supporting the bracket.


9. A crane as set forth in claim 8 wherein each
crane leg has a first telescoping portion and a second
telescoping portion.


10. A crane as set forth in claim 9 further
comprising means for releasably preventing telescoping
movement of the first telescoping portion with respect to
the second telescoping portion, said means for releasably
preventing telescoping movement including a first pin
supported by said one of said telescoping portions for
restricted movement between a first position wherein said
first pin engages one of said telescoping portions to




prevent removal of said other of said telescoping portions
from said one of said telescoping portions and a second
position wherein said first pin releases said other of
said telescoping portions for removal from said one of
said telescoping portions and said first pin being fixed
to said one of said telescoping portions for restricted
movement between said first position and said second
position.



11. A crane comprising:
a base including a pair of spaced apart generally
elongated tubular sockets, each socket having an open
forward end and a rearward end,
a mast mounted on said base and extending upwardly
from the base, the mast having an upper end,
a boom pivotally connected to the upper end of the
mast, the boom having an outer end adapted to support a
load,
a lifting ram having opposite ends, one end
pivotally connected to the mast, and the other end
pivotally connected to the boom,
a pair of legs each having opposite ends, one end
of one of the legs being removably housed in telescoping
relation in one of the elongated tubular sockets, and one
end of the other of the legs being removably housed in
telescoping relation in the other of the elongated tubular
sockets, and
means providing a pivotal connection between the
legs and the sockets to enable the legs to pivot from a


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horizontal position to a generally vertical position near
the mast, the means for providing a pivotal connection
including means for selectively disconnecting the legs
from the sockets.



12. A crane as set forth in claim 11 wherein said
means for providing a pivotal connection includes brackets
fixed in each of said legs, each of said brackets
including an upstanding end, and latches housed in each of
said tubular sockets, each of said latches including one
end engageable with an upstanding end of a respective one
of the brackets, and each of said latches including an
actuator on the other end, the actuator projecting from
the socket for manual actuation to raise said latch to a
non-interfering position.



13. A crane as set forth in claim 12 wherein said
upstanding ends of the brackets each comprise a hook, the
hook of each of the brackets being engageable with a
respective one of the latches to provide for pivotal
movement of the legs.



14. A crane as set forth in claim 12 wherein said
actuator can be actuated to move said latch out of the
path of said hook to enable removal of the leg from the
socket.




15. A crane as set forth in claim 11 wherein each
of said open forward ends of said sockets include a cut


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out portion adapted to house one of said legs when the
legs are pivoted upwardly to the generally vertical
position.

16. A crane as set forth in claim 11 wherein each
crane leg has a first telescoping portion and a second
telescoping portion.


17. A crane as set forth in claim 16 further
comprising means for releasably preventing telescoping
movement of the first telescoping position with respect to
the second telescoping portion, said means for releasably
preventing telescoping movement including a first pin
supported by said one of said telescoping portions for
restricted movement between a first position wherein said
first pin engages one of said telescoping portions to
prevent removal of said other of said telescoping portions
from said one of said telescoping portions and a second
position wherein said first pin releases said other of
said telescoping portions for removal from said one of
said telescoping portion and said first pin being fixed to
said one of said telescoping portions for restricted
movement between said first position and said second
position.

18. A crane comprising:
a base including a pair of spaced-apart leg
support members, each of the leg support members including


18

Claim 18 cont'd...
a leg support socket, and a mast support member including
a mast socket,
a mast supported by the base and extending
generally upwardly from the base, the mast having an upper
end, and a lower end adapted to be housed in the mast
socket, and the mast being removably supported by the mast
socket, the mast further having therein a bore adapted to
house a pair of pins having grooves and means for
releasably engaging the pins when housed in the bore to
selectively prevent removal of the pins from the bore,
said means for releasably engaging the pins including a
locking pin, the locking pin including a pair of ends
adapted to be housed in the grooves, and a spring for
biasing the ends of the locking pin into engagement with
the grooves,
a boom pivotally connected to the upper end of the
mast,
a lifting ram having opposite ends, one end
pivotally connected to the mast, and the other end
pivotally connected to the boom,
a pair of crane legs each having opposite ends,
one end of one of the crane legs being housed in one of
the leg support sockets in telescoping relation, and one
end of one of the other crane legs housed in the other of
the leg support sockets in telescoping relation, and

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Claim 18 cont'd...

a pair of vertical braces, one of the vertical
braces having a lower end connected by a pin to one of the
leg support sockets and the other of the vertical braces
having a lower end connected by a pin to the other of the
leg support sockets, and means for releasably connecting
the upper ends of the braces to the upper end of the mast,
said means comprising a pair of pins housed in the bore in
the mast, the first pin having therein a groove and being
fixed to the upper end of one of the braces, and the
second pin having therein a groove and being fixed to the
upper end of the other of the braces.

132~989

PORTABhE HYDRAULIC CRANE




FIELD OF THE INVENTION



The invention relates to portable
hydraulic cranes of the type used in automotive
maintenance and repair and in other similar
applications.



. ~ACXGROUND OF THE INVENTION



Portable hydraulicàlly operated cranes
are commonly used in automotive repair shops and
service stations, as well as bX individuals in home
auto repair and are provided by rental agencies for
home automotive repair.
When a portable crane is not in use, it
must be stored. Some prior art cranes are designed
such that they can be taken apart to be stored in
more compact space. Other cranes are designed such
that various portions of the cranes can be folded for
storage. An e~ample of a prior art crane including

some components which can be disassembled for storage
is illustrated in the V.S. Zehrung et al. Patent No.
3,521,860, issued July 28, 1970. That
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crane has the disadvantage of requiring a separate cart
for storage or movement of the crane when it is
disassembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVEN~ION

This invention provides an improved portable crane
with legs which can be either readily removed, or
alternatively, pivoted to a folded storage position. The
crane also includes a means for supporting the crane boom
such that it can be either readily removed, or
alternatively, folded to a storage position. The crane
embodying the invention is also provided with wheels which
facilitate m~vement of the crane and can serve as dolly
wheels when the folded crane is tilted back for movement.
No special tools are needed for disassembly of the crane
nor folding of the crane to a folded storage position, and
the locks, pins and the like which hold the crane parts in
assembled position are built in or otherwise retained to
reduce the likelihood of the user substituting inferior or
;~ weaker parts.
Generally speaking, the present invention may be
considered as providing a crane comprising: a base
including a pair of spaced apart leg support members, each
of the leg support members including a socket, a mast
mounted on the base and extending upwardly from the base,
the mast having an upper end, a boom pivotally connected
to the upper end of the mast, a lifting ram having

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~3~ 1324989
: opposite ends, one end pivotally connected to the mast and
the other end pivotally connected to the boom, a pair of
crane legs each having opposite ends, one end of one of
the crane legs being selectively housed in one of the
sockets in ~elescoping relation and one end of the other
crane leg being selectively housed in the other of the
sockets in telescoping relation, and means for pivotally
connecting one end of one of the legs to one of the leg
support members, and means for pivotally connecting one
end of the other of the legs to the other of the leg
support members, the means for pivotally connecting
providing for pivotal movement of the legs from a
horizontal position to a generally vertical stored
position adjacent the mast.




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~~RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a crane
embodying the invention.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the crane
shown in Fig. 1.
'- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the crane
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and with the legs folded up
and the boom folded down for storage.
Fig. 4 is a section view taken through
the top portion of the mast as illustrated by line
4-4 on Fig. 1.
Fig. S is an enlarged detail section
taken on line 5-S in Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail showing
the manner in which the legs can be pivoted upwardly.
Fig. 7 is a cross section plan view of
1::
;the apparatus shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a cross section view taken
along line 8-8 in Fig. 1.
.
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: .
~ DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

.
The portable hydraulic crane embodying
; ~the invention includes a generally trapezoidal frame
or base 10 including two diverging tubes or sockets
12, 14 each being generally square in cross section
and being joined by a U-shaped bracket 16. The
U-shaped bracket 16 has opposite ends welded to the




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rearward ends of the tubes 12 and 14. The tubes 12
and 14 also each include a forward portion, and the
top of each forward portion is cut away so as to
provide an upwardly opening channel. An end portion
of a square tubular leg 18 is housed in telescoping
relation in each socket 12, 14. Square tubular leg
extensions 46 are telescopingly housed in the ends of
each leg 1~ and provide for adjustment of the leg
length. A caster wheel 20 is fixed to the outer or
distal end of the inner telescoping leg 46 to support
the outer end of the leg 46 and to facilitate
movement of the crane.
A square tubular cross member 22
interconnects the two sockets 12 and 19, and each of
the two rear corners ~ormed by bends 17 in bracket 16
carry a downwardly extending support pin 24 to which
the rear caster wheels 26 are connected.
As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when
the telescoping leg 18 is housed in a socket 12 or
14, a bracket 28 fi~ed inside the lower portion of
the end of the leg 18 cooperates with a latch 34
housed in the socket and functions to releaseably
prevent removal of the leg 18 from the sorket unless
the latch 34 is moved to a position permitting
release of the leg 18. The latch member 34 has an
end 36 which can be manually depressed to pivot latch
34 in the cou~ter clockwise direction as shown in
Fig. 5 about pivot 3~ ~o raise a keepee pin 32 fi~ed


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to the opposite end of the lever 34, and such that a
hooked end 30 of b~acket 28 can pass under keeper pin
32 when telescoping leg 18 is pulled out of the
socket. When the leg 18 has been pushed into the
socket 12 or 14, and when the latch member is in the
position shown in Fig. 5, an upwardly extending end
40 of bracket 28 wili be engaged by the keeper pin 32
and limit movement of the leg out of the socket. The
leq 18 can be removed from the socket by depressing
tab 36 to raise keeper pin 32 to a position in which
it does not interfere with the hook 30. Then the end
of the leg 18 can be withdrawn from the socket. I~
tab 36 is released after the turned-up end 40 moves
beneath the keeper pin 32, the hook 30 will engage
the keeper pin 32 as shown in Fig. 6 and prevent
removal of the leg 18 from the socket.
When the leg 18 is moved out of the
socket to the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the
hook 30 engages the keeper pin 32, the leg 18 can
then be pivoted up and back to the position shown in
the phantom. The top portion of the outward end of
each socket 12 and 14 is cut away to permit such
pivotal movement of leg 18, and in this position each
leg 18 is in an upstanding position between the
spaced side walls of the outer end o~ the sleeve. As
the leg 18 moves to this position, a hole 41 in the
top surface of the inner end of each leg 18 will
house a pin 42 welded to the top o~ the socket 12 or


132~8~
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14, and the pin 42 will restrain the leg 18 against
lateral movement and keep it in position adjacent the
mast.
The tubular cross member 22 has an
upper surface supporting an upwardly extending socket
50 secured thereto and adapted to house the lower end
of a mast 52. The mast 52 extends generally
vertically upwardly from socket 50 but at a rearward
angle such that the upper end of the mast is
approximately over the rear of the trapezoidal base.
The mast 52 is supported against lateral movement by
braces or straps 54 having lower ends secured to
rearward ends of the sockets 12 and 14 and upper ends
engaging the upper end of the mast 52. A pin 56
projects from the lower end of each brace 54 and is
adapted to be received in a tube 55 welded to the
bottom of a rearward portion of each socket 12 and
14. The upper end of the mast 52 includes a cross
tube 57 (Pig. 4) having open opposite ends adapted to
receive lock pins 58 welded on the upper ends o~ the
braces 54. Each lock pin 58 can be pushed into the
cross tube 57 ~uch that conical end 59 of the lock
pin will engage and push aside the end of a spring
loaded release pin 60. The release pin 60 extends
through the plate 62 at the top of the mast 52. The
release pin 60 comprises an inver~ed, V-shaped bar
ha~ing a bite portion 54 and legs slideably housed in
bores provided in an end plate 62 of the mast, and


` 132498~
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the ends of the leg portions of pin 60 projecting
through holes in the tube 57. The lower portion of
each leg of the "U" includes a cross pin 66, and a
spring 68 is compressed between the cross pin and the
end plate 62.
The conical ends 59 of the brace pins
58 push the release pin 60 upwardly until the ends of
the legs of the release pin 60 can drop into the
grooves 70 in the shanks of each pin 58 to lock the
brace 54 in place.
As indicated above, the legs can be
extended, that is, the telescoping leg 46 telescopes
inside the leg 18 (which is received in socket 14).
The leg 18 has a stiffening truss 72 fixed on the
bottom of the leg. The top of the leg 18 is provided
with a pin 74 which is spring loaded downwardly into
engagement with one of the holes 75 in the top
surface of the inner leg 46 to provide convenient
indexed locations for pinning the inner leg.
The crane embodying the invention
further includes a boom 76 comprising an inner square
tube 78 and an outer square tube 80. One end of the
boom assembly is pivotably connected to the upper end
of the mast 52 by a pivot pin 82. The upper end of
the mast supports a pair of forwardly projecting
spaced apart brackets 85, the ~orward ends of the
brackets 85 supporting a pin 82. A hook 87 is fixed
to the bottom portion of the end of the boom and


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-9- ~`32~8~

engages the pin 82. The boom 76 is further supported
by a hydraulic ram 84 pivotally connected at its
lower end by a support 86 to the mast 52 and having
an upper end releaseably supporting a bracket 88 o~
the boom. The ram 84 can be extended to elevate the
free end of the boom 76 and to li~t a load connected
to the boom via the chain and the hook 90. The inner
tube portion 78 of the telescoping boom is housed in
the boom portion 80 and is extendable in the same
manner as the legs 46 are,-extendible. A spring
loaded lock pin assembly 92 on the end of boom
portion 80 provides means for locking the inner
telescoping boom portion 78 in a selected telescoping
position.
As illustrated in Fig. 3, the crane can
be folded for temporary storage with the boom 76
lowered into a position substantially parallel with
the mast, and with the legs folded upwardly to
positions on opposite sides of the mast 52 and
generally parallel to the mast. When the crane is
folded, the upper end of tha ram 84 is disconnected
from the boom 7~ and is positioned against the mast
52. Then the boom 76 is lowered over the ram R4 such
that it is parallel to the mast 52. ~he next step is
to pivot the legs 18 up to their upwardly extending
inactive position. To do this, the tab 36 of latch
34 is depressed to raise the keeper pin 32 to a
position out of the way and to permit the leg




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assembly 18 to be pulled outwardly with respect to
the socket 12 or 14 a little, at which time the tab
36 is then released and the keeper pin 32 goes back
in place to be engaged by the hook 30 as the leg 18
is pulled out farther. The leg 18 is then free to
pivot upwardly (using the keeper pin 32 as a pivot)
to the upwardly extending slightly rearwardly tilted
position. Due to the non-parallel nature of the
sides of the trapezoidal frame, the folded legs
converge towards the center so as to lie on either
f ~ qO
side of the mast. At this point, chains ~L~Fig. 3)
having hooks or clips at their ends can be hooked to
the rings 77 of pins 74 to keep the legs 18 from
falling forward accidentally.
At this point, the crane is a very
compact structure and it can be stored in that manner
or it can be wheeled around very easily on the four
caster wheels. The crane can also tilt rearwardly
onto the small wheels 26 so the folded up crane can
be handled as if it were on a dolly. It will be
noted that there are no bolts used. Everything is
attached to the assembly and some parts are spring
loaded into position. There is virtually no risk of
substitution of weak for strong parts, etc.
Additionally the crane embodying the
invention can be easily disassembled without tools.
This is of substantial advantage if the portable
crane is to be transported. ~he crane can be easily

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-11- 13~ 89

disassembled so that it can be loaded into a vehicle
and then easily reassembled without use of tools. In
disassembly of the crane, the boom assembly 76 can be
removed by lifting upwardly on the boom 76 so that
the ram 84 can be pivoted rearwardly to a position
against the mast. The boom 76 can then be pivoted
downwardly to a generally vertical position and then
lifted upwardly such that hook 87 is lifted away from
pivot pin 82. The legs 18 can be removed from
sockets 12 and 14 by lifting the keeper 32 out of the
way by depressing tab 36. The mast assembly can be
disassembled by pulling the U-shaped pin 60 upwardly
and disconnecting the pins 58 at the upper end of the
mast. The pins 56 at the lower ends of brackets 54
are then removed. The mast S2 can then be pulled
upwardly out of the socket 50.
All the parts are rugged and simple and
the entire device can be easily assembled. All parts
are designed to be easily transported in a vehicle so
the renter of the equipment can easily get the
portable crane to the garage for use.
~ arious features of the invention are
set forth in the following claims.