An electric power supply management method is configured to electrically power electrical equipment of a crane, via a conversion circuit, from a primary power supply source capable of providing a primary power and from a rechargeable secondary power supply source capable of providing a secondary power. The electric power supply management method includes monitoring of a requested general power which corresponds to a power demanded by all the electrical equipment, and a monitoring of a charge level of the rechargeable secondary power supply source.

The shoe derailment device for use in derailing a conductor shoe assembly of a bridge crane from a conductor rail assembly generally has a wedge head provided at a longitudinal end of a body made of an electrically insulating material, the shoe derailment device being securable to the conductor rail assembly in a derailment position in which the shoe derailment device is positioned outside an operating zone of the bridge crane, with the wedge head facing the operating zone in a manner that if the conductor shoe assembly is moved outside the operating zone, into the area occupied by the shoe derailment device, the conductor shoe assembly is derailed from the conductor rail assembly as the conductor shoe assembly engages the wedge head and is maintained in a derailed state by the electrically insulating material when the conductor shoe assembly is engaged with the body.

The shoe derailment device for use in derailing a conductor shoe assembly of a bridge crane from a conductor rail assembly generally has a wedge head provided at a longitudinal end of a body made of an electrically insulating material, the shoe derailment device being securable to the conductor rail assembly in a derailment position in which the shoe derailment device is positioned outside an operating zone of the bridge crane, with the wedge head facing the operating zone in a manner that if the conductor shoe assembly is moved outside the operating zone, into the area occupied by the shoe derailment device, the conductor shoe assembly is derailed from the conductor rail assembly as the conductor shoe assembly engages the wedge head and is maintained in a derailed state by the electrically insulating material when the conductor shoe assembly is engaged with the body.

A crane (2), more particularly a mobile fast-erecting crane, having at least one supply connection to which a supply line (16), more particularly a power cable, can be connected, wherein the supply line can be wound on a cable drum (15), which can be mounted on a drum mount (10) on the crane, with the cable drum being mounted to rotate on a drum support frame (18), which has running gear (18) for moving the cable drum over the ground and which has releasable mounting means, shaped to match the drum mount of the crane, for separably mounting the drum support frame on the drum mount of the crane. The invention further relates to a cable drum unit for winding a supply line (16) of a crane (2).

A crane (2), more particularly a mobile fast-erecting crane, having at least one supply connection to which a supply line (16), more particularly a power cable, can be connected, wherein the supply line can be wound on a cable drum (15), which can be mounted on a drum mount (10) on the crane, with the cable drum being mounted to rotate on a drum support frame (18), which has running gear (18) for moving the cable drum over the ground and which has releasable mounting means, shaped to match the drum mount of the crane, for separably mounting the drum support frame on the drum mount of the crane. The invention further relates to a cable drum unit for winding a supply line (16) of a crane (2).

An automatic method of power management for supplying power to a crane includes a main power source comprising a generating set having an optimum power range in which it delivers a main power and a rechargeable secondary power source configured to deliver a secondary power, has a charge level, and may be recharged by the main power source. The automatic method implements, depending on the power required for the operation of the crane and the charge level, one or more power management modes for which the crane receives power coming from the single main power source or from the two power sources, and such that the generating set operates for each of them in the optimum power range.

A connecting arrangement by which an electric load, which can be displaced in at least one direction of travel in relation to a feeder device, is supplied, by a cable, with electrical energy and/or data. The feeder device has at least one connection member for connecting to a corresponding connecting element of a cable carried by the electric load. An energy-supply system supplies the electric load. A simplified automatic connection of the cable to the feeder device by a connecting arrangement has a manipulator for connecting the connecting element to the connection member. A related energy-supply system has such a connecting arrangement and a related method has the following steps: a) positioning the connecting element in relation to the feeder device, b) using a manipulator to grip the connecting element and/or the cable, and c) using the manipulator to connect the connecting element to the connection member.

A connecting arrangement by which an electric load, which can be displaced in at least one direction of travel in relation to a feeder device, is supplied, by a cable, with electrical energy and/or data. The feeder device has at least one connection member for connecting to a corresponding connecting element of a cable carried by the electric load. An energy-supply system supplies the electric load. A simplified automatic connection of the cable to the feeder device by a connecting arrangement has a manipulator for connecting the connecting element to the connection member. A related energy-supply system has such a connecting arrangement and a related method has the following steps: a) positioning the connecting element in relation to the feeder device, b) using a manipulator to grip the connecting element and/or the cable, and c) using the manipulator to connect the connecting element to the connection member.

An overhead travelling crane having a horizontally extending crane girder, which can be displaced in a railbound manner along a craneway, and having a crane trolley, which can be displaced along the crane girder and carries a lifting gear for raising and lowering a load. The lifting gear has a suspension structure formed as a cable or chain and the overhead travelling crane has electric drives for movements of the overhead travelling crane. The overhead travelling crane has an energy store connected to the drives to supply the drives with energy.

A cable guide apparatus has an oscillating link rotatable about an axis and a cable guide for the line cable. The line cable is fed from and into a reservoir based on the distance between the reservoir and the feed device and is guided by the cable guide. A simplified automatic connection of a line cable to a feed device is achieved and provides protective guidance and storage of the line cable by a cable guide apparatus in which the oscillating link can be moved linearly relative to the oscillation axis. A power supply system includes this cable guide apparatus. The related method comprises: a) retracting a connecting element, which is arranged on the line cable, into the cable guide apparatus and before, at the same time or afterwards b) moving the oscillating link from an extended to a retracted position relative to the oscillation axis in a linear manner.