A load cell includes a bearing element configured for a hoist that includes a hook, a suspension with an orifice that receives a shaft of the hook, a nut, and housing. The bearing element, preferably a ring, contacts the suspension, and has an orifice that receives the shaft therethrough with the nut secured to the shaft proximate to the bearing element. Strain gauges are mounted on the ring side wall being equally spaced. A second suspension orifice concentric with the first orifice receives the ring with strain gauges therein. For improved accuracy, a thrust roller bearing and two thrust washers are positioned on sides of the ring, all of which are preferably positioned in a cup member that is received in the second orifice. A clearance fit is provided with respect to each of protruding upper and lower overhanging cylindrical ring lips and the cup to protect the gauges.

A load cell includes a bearing element configured for a hoist that includes a hook, a suspension with an orifice that receives a shaft of the hook, a nut, and housing. The bearing element, preferably a ring, contacts the suspension, and has an orifice that receives the shaft therethrough with the nut secured to the shaft proximate to the bearing element. Strain gauges are mounted on the ring side wall being equally spaced. A second suspension orifice concentric with the first orifice receives the ring with strain gauges therein. For improved accuracy, a thrust roller bearing and two thrust washers are positioned on sides of the ring, all of which are preferably positioned in a cup member that is received in the second orifice. A clearance fit is provided with respect to each of protruding upper and lower overhanging cylindrical ring lips and the cup to protect the gauges.

A lifting hook bias angle monitoring apparatus, a vertical hoisting monitoring apparatus, and a mobile crane. One method is that a lifting hook assembly serially connects connecting plates (b3) provided with hinge connection shafts (b2, b4) at two ends to a movable pulley component (b1) which bears a pulling force and a lifting hook component (b7) which bears a pulling force, and is also provided with a biaxial inclinometer (b9) on a platform surface (b8) of the connecting plates (b3) which is perpendicular to a lifting force line of action of the lifting pulley component, so as to detect a real-time lifting hook bias angle, and accordingly be developed into a mobile crane having a vertical hoisting monitoring function.

One variation for a system for tracking lifting events at a construction site includes: a chassis configured to couple to a crane block of a crane at a construction site. The system further includes a first idler assembly including a first cable idler, a first idler arm, and a first position sensor coupled to the first idler arm. The first idler arm supports the first cable idler on a first side of the chassis and biases the first cable idler inwardly toward a first cable loop coupled to the crane block. Additionally, the system includes a controller configured to, during a lift event: read a first position value from the first position sensor; predict a weight of the load carried by the crane block based on the first position value; and generate a lift event record containing the weight of the load carried by the crane block.

One variation for a system for tracking lifting events at a construction site includes: a chassis configured to couple to a crane block of a crane at a construction site. The system further includes a first idler assembly including a first cable idler, a first idler arm, and a first position sensor coupled to the first idler arm. The first idler arm supports the first cable idler on a first side of the chassis and biases the first cable idler inwardly toward a first cable loop coupled to the crane block. Additionally, the system includes a controller configured to, during a lift event: read a first position value from the first position sensor; predict a weight of the load carried by the crane block based on the first position value; and generate a lift event record containing the weight of the load carried by the crane block.

The monitoring device and crane capable of displaying real-time hook bias angle to prevent oblique hoisting and anti-swaying. Its characteristics are:

a fixed pulley assembly a1 of a crane is hung on a lifting lug b2 of a crane boom b1 via a connector a3 with shackles a5, the other end of the connector a3 is connected to the fixed pulley assembly a1 with an articulated shaft a2, and the articulated shaft a2 is arranged in an orientation perpendicular to a fixed pulley axis; and a platform surface a6 perpendicular to the line of force action of the pulley block is arranged on the connector a3, an angle measuring instrument a7 is installed on the platform surface a6, The hook bias angle and direction accurately detected and displayed in real time provide a basis for the adjustment and control of the hook bias angle and direction during hoisting: It mainly includes turntable rotation centering and boom pitch centering for vertical hoisting.

The monitoring device and crane capable of displaying real-time hook bias angle to prevent oblique hoisting and anti-swaying. Its characteristics are:

a fixed pulley assembly a1 of a crane is hung on a lifting lug b2 of a crane boom b1 via a connector a3 with shackles a5, the other end of the connector a3 is connected to the fixed pulley assembly a1 with an articulated shaft a2, and the articulated shaft a2 is arranged in an orientation perpendicular to a fixed pulley axis; and a platform surface a6 perpendicular to the line of force action of the pulley block is arranged on the connector a3, an angle measuring instrument a7 is installed on the platform surface a6, The hook bias angle and direction accurately detected and displayed in real time provide a basis for the adjustment and control of the hook bias angle and direction during hoisting: It mainly includes turntable rotation centering and boom pitch centering for vertical hoisting.

A lifting system for a metallurgical plant including an object with one or more trunnions and a lifting device with one or more lifting hooks for receiving the trunnions, wherein the lifting system further includes a detection system, the detection system includes a receiver, a sensor, a magnet and a transmitter, and wherein the magnet and the sensor are aligned upon correct alignment of at least one lifting hook and one trunnion such that a signal is submitted to the receiver.

A hoist system includes a hook; a cable connected to the hook; a motor configured to move the hook and the cable; an overload protection device (OLPD) configured to limit loads imparted on one or more of the hook, the cable, and the motor. The hoist system further includes an emergency brake system configured to stop movement of at least the cable, where the emergency brake system is configured to operate in response to a manual control or automatically in response to a controller.

One variation of a method for tracking lift events at a construction site includes: accessing a timeseries of load values output by a weight sensor, coupled to a crane hook, and a first geospatial location of the crane hook during a first time period; deriving a lifting profile at the first geospatial location from the timeseries of load values; deriving a weight of the object from the timeseries of load values; identifying a type of the object carried by the crane hook during the first time period based on the lifting profile; accessing a second geospatial location of the crane hook during unloading of the object from the crane hook; and generating a lift event record defining the type of the object, the weight of the object, a pickup location of the object at the first geospatial location, and a drop-off location of the object at the second geospatial location.