AUXILIARY TIP FOR THE BOOM OF A WORK MACHINE

Abstract

The invention relates to an auxiliary tip for detachable mounting on a boom of a work machine, in particular a mobile crane. The auxiliary tip comprises first connecting elements for establishing a first connection with a first boom part, and second connecting elements for establishing a second connection with the first boom part. In order to be able to connect the auxiliary tip to a second boom part having a system dimension different from the first boom part, the auxiliary tip according to the invention comprises third connecting elements with which a second connection to a second boom part can be established instead of the second connecting elements. While the auxiliary tip is connected to the first boom part via the first and second connecting elements, the auxiliary tip can be releasably connected to a second boom part via the third connecting elements.

Claims

1. Auxiliary tip for detachable mounting on a boom of a work machine, comprising first connecting elements for establishing a first connection with a first boom part and second connecting elements for establishing a second connection with the first boom part, and third connecting elements for producing a second connection instead of the second connecting elements, wherein the auxiliary tip is detachably connectable to a second boom part via the third connecting elements, and wherein the second connecting elements are at a different distance from one another than the third connecting elements.

2. Auxiliary tip according to claim 1, wherein exactly two first connecting elements and/or exactly two second connecting elements and/or exactly two third connecting elements are provided.

3. Auxiliary tip according to claim 1, wherein the first connection and/or the second connection comprises a bolt connection, wherein the second and third connecting elements each comprise a bolt receptacle.

4. Auxiliary tip according to claim 1, wherein the second and third connecting elements are in a common first plane and each comprise bolt receptacles for producing a bolt connection, which are configured in such a way that the imaginary longitudinal axes of the bolt connections which can be produced via the second and third connecting elements are in the first plane, and/or wherein the first connecting elements are arranged on first corner posts and comprise bolt receptacles which are configured in such a way that the imaginary longitudinal axis of the bolt connection which can be produced via the first connecting elements is in a common second plane with the first corner posts.

5. Auxiliary tip according to claim 4, wherein the auxiliary tip is detachably connectable to a second boom part via the first and third connecting elements and/or wherein the auxiliary tip comprises fourth connecting elements and is detachably connectable to a second boom part via the third and fourth connecting elements, wherein the fourth connecting elements are at a different distance from one another than the first connecting elements.

6. Auxiliary tip according to claim 1, further comprising a lattice structure having first corner posts on which the first connecting elements are arranged and second corner posts on which the second connecting elements are arranged, wherein the lattice structure has a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the side and the first and second connecting elements are arranged on the side of the lattice structure opposite the pointed end of the lattice structure.

7. Auxiliary tip according to claim 6, wherein the second corner posts extend in a common first plane and the first corner posts extend outside the first plane, in a second plane intersecting the first plane at an acute angle.

8. Auxiliary tip according to claim 6, wherein the third connecting elements are arranged on a strut connecting the second corner posts to each other and have a smaller distance from each other than the first and/or second connecting elements.

9. Auxiliary tip according to any claim 1, wherein the second connecting elements have a greater distance to the first connecting elements and/or to an axis of rotation of a pulley or pulley block of the auxiliary tip than the third connecting elements.

10. Auxiliary tip according to any claim 1, wherein the first and second connecting elements and/or the first and third connecting elements form the corners of a rectangle or a trapezoid.

11. Auxiliary tip according to any claim 1, wherein the first connecting elements comprise a degree of freedom for establishing a pressure-transmitting connection, wherein the first connecting elements comprise open bolt receptacles, and the establishment of the first connection is effected by pivoting the auxiliary tip relative to a boom part by pivoting about the second connection.

12. Auxiliary tip according to any claim 1, further comprising a pulley or pulley block for a lifting cable of a work machine, wherein the pulley or pulley block is arranged at an end of the auxiliary tip opposite the first and/or second connecting elements.

13. Work machine, comprising a boom and an auxiliary tip which can be detachably mounted on the boom, according to claim 1, wherein the second and third connecting elements are in a common first plane which extends perpendicular to a luffing plane of the boom.

14. Work machine according to claim 13, wherein the boom comprises a first boom part, a pulley head, which can be connected to the auxiliary tip only via the first and second connecting elements, and/or the boom comprises a second boom part, a removable attachment which can be mounted on the first boom part, which can be connected to the auxiliary tip only via the first and third connecting elements.

15. Working work machine according to claim 14, wherein the auxiliary tip comprises a pulley or pulley block and is connected directly or via one or more intermediate pieces to a pulley head of the boom, wherein a first hook block is guided by means of a first hoisting rope over the pulley head of the boom and a second hook block is guided by means of a second hoisting rope over the pulley or pulley block of the auxiliary tip, wherein the hook blocks can be raised and lowered independently of one another.

Description

[0052] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the examples of embodiments explained below with reference to the figures. The Figures show in:

[0053] FIG. 1: a side view of an example of a mobile crane known from the prior art with an auxiliary tip attached;

[0054] FIG. 2: an enlarged view of the boom head part with auxiliary tip according to FIG. 1;

[0055] FIG. 3a: a prior art example of an adapter for mounting an auxiliary tip in a side view;

[0056] FIG. 3b: the adapter according to FIG. 3a in the assembled state;

[0057] FIGS. 4-6: a preferred embodiment of the auxiliary tip according to the invention in various perspective views;

[0058] FIG. 7: perspective views of the auxiliary tip according to the invention mounted on a pulley head and on a luffing tip; and

[0059] FIG. 8: a side view of the auxiliary tip mounted on a luffing tip as it rolls along the ground.

[0060] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mobile crane 1 according to the prior art with a known auxiliary tip. FIGS. 3a and 3b show prior art examples of an adapter 7, which is mounted between the head piece of a luffing tip 5 and the known auxiliary tip 10 to compensate for system dimension differences. These figures have already been discussed at the outset, so no repetitive description is given here.

[0061] FIGS. 4-8 show a preferred embodiment of the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention. Components with reference characters which have already been used in FIGS. 1-3b and described at the beginning denote the same components and will not be explained again below.

[0062] FIGS. 4 and 5 show perspective views of the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention. The auxiliary tip 10 has a lattice structure 20, which comprises two first corner posts 21 and two second corner posts 22 extending at an (in this case acute) angle thereto, which form the supporting structure of the auxiliary tip 10. The corner posts 21, 22 are interconnected and stiffened by various struts.

[0063] The auxiliary tip 10 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the side, with first and second corner posts 21, 22 forming two of the sides of the triangle and meeting at an end of the auxiliary tip 10 remote from the boom 4 in the assembled condition. At this pointed end of the auxiliary tip 10 is a pulley block 19 having a plurality of pulleys for reeving a hoisting cable with a hook block. By mounting the auxiliary tip 10 on a boom 4, for example a pulley head 8 or the head piece of a luffing tip 5, a second hook block 6b can thus be used in addition to a first hook block 6a regularly used with the boom 4 (see FIG. 1). The shape of the auxiliary tip 10 is not limited to a substantially triangular shape. Other geometries of the lattice structure are also conceivable here.

[0064] In the embodiment shown, the second corner posts 22 form the longest side of the triangular auxiliary tip 10. At this longest side of the auxiliary tip 10, there is another deflection pulley 26 to guide the hoisting rope from the boom 4 to the pulley block 19 of the auxiliary tip 10. This deflection pulley 26 or its support is connected to cross braces extending between the corner posts 21, 22. The deflection pulley 26 can be used, for example, for load weighing.

[0065] The first and second corner posts 21, 22 meet in the region of an axis of rotation 18, about which the deflection pulleys of the pulley block 19 are rotatably mounted. Also rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 18 are two additional rolls or pulleys 28, which are arranged on either side of the pulley block 19 and in particular have a larger diameter than the pulley block 19, so that the pulley block 19, viewed from the side, is located in particular within the circumference of the pulleys 28. This allows the auxiliary tip 10 to roll on the ground (see FIG. 8).

[0066] As can be seen particularly well in FIG. 5, the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention comprises several connecting elements 11, 12, 13, by means of which the auxiliary tip 10 can be mounted on various boom parts of an work machine, in the present example on a pulley head 8 of a telescopic boom 4 of a mobile crane 1 as well as on the head piece of a luffing tip 5 (cf. FIG. 7).

[0067] The auxiliary tip 10 comprises two first connecting elements 11 in the form of open bolt receptacles 16, which are arranged at the ends or end faces of the first corner posts 21 facing away from the pulley block 19. The bolt receptacles 16 define a first connecting axis 61, which extends through the centers of the imaginary circles resulting from the shape of the open bolt receptacles 16 (cf. FIG. 5). In the embodiment example shown here, the first connecting axis 61 extends perpendicular to the first corner posts 21. The first connecting elements 11 serve to establish a first connection with a boom part, together with corresponding bolt-shaped connecting means of the boom part. The latter extend along the first connection axis 61 in the connected state.

[0068] The auxiliary tip 10 further comprises two second connecting elements 12 in the form of closed bolt receptacles 14, which are arranged at the ends or end faces of the second corner posts 22 facing away from the pulley block 19. The bolt receptacles 14 define a second connecting axis 62 which extends centrally through the bolt receptacles 14 (cf. FIG. 5). Corresponding bolts are inserted along this connecting axis 62 for establishing a second connection with a boom part.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, the first connecting elements 11 are spaced at a distance b.sub.1 from each other, while the second connecting elements 12 are spaced at a distance b.sub.2 from each other. In the embodiment example shown here, the distances are identical, i.e. b.sub.1=b.sub.2. Thus, the first and second connecting elements 11, 12 form the corners of a rectangle. However, the distances b.sub.1 and b.sub.2 can in principle also be different. The distance between the first and second connecting elements 11, 12 is referred to as h.sub.1

[0070] Via the first and second connecting elements 11, 12, the auxiliary tip 10 can be mounted, for example, on the pulley head 8 of the telescopic boom 4 of a mobile crane 1, as shown in the left figure of FIG. 7. In this case, the system dimension b.sub.1, b.sub.2, h.sub.1 defined by the first and second connecting elements 11, 12 corresponds to the system dimension formed by the corresponding connecting means 81, 82 of the pulley head 8.

[0071] The first and second connecting elements 11, 12 represent fingers of fork-finger connections in the embodiment example shown here. Accordingly, the complementary connecting means 81, 82 of the pulley head 8 form corresponding forks. The first connecting elements 11, together with the first connecting means 81 (these may comprise already inserted bolts), form a first connection between the auxiliary tip 10 and the pulley head 8. A second connection is established by bringing the second connecting elements 12 into overlap with second connecting means 82 of the pulley head 8 and inserting bolts through the corresponding bolt receptacles.

[0072] As can be seen in the right-hand illustration of FIG. 7 using the example of a head piece of a lulling tip 5, it is possible that other crane components have connecting means with a different system dimension which does not correspond to the system dimension of the auxiliary tip 10 defined by the first and second connecting elements 11, 12. For this purpose, the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention additionally comprises third connecting elements 13 which have a different distance from one another or define a different system dimension than the second connecting elements 12. In the embodiment example shown here, two third connecting elements 13 in the form of forks are provided for a fork-finger connection with closed bolt receptacles 15, which have a smaller distance b.sub.3 from one another than the first and second connecting elements have from one another, respectively, i.e. b.sub.3<b.sub.2 and b.sub.3<b.sub.1.

[0073] The third connecting elements 13 project parallel to the second corner posts 22 from a cross strut 24 connecting the second corner posts 22 and are arranged between the two second corner posts 22. The bolt receptacles 15 of the third connecting elements 13 define a third connecting axis 63, which extends centrally through the bolt receptacles 15 (cf. FIG. 5). The distance between the first and third connecting elements 11, 13 is referred to as h.sub.2 and is smaller than the distance h.sub.1 between the first and second connecting elements 11, 12. The system dimension b.sub.1, b.sub.3, h.sub.2 defined by the first and third connecting elements 11, 13 is thus different from the system dimension b.sub.1, b.sub.2, h.sub.1 defined by the first and second connecting elements 11, 12. The former forms a trapezoid with a smaller height than the rectangle formed by the first and second connecting elements 11, 12.

[0074] This allows the auxiliary tip 10 to be mounted on another boom part, for example the luffing tip 5 shown in FIG. 7, whose connecting means 51, 52 have a different system dimension than the connecting means 81, 82 of the pulley head 8. For this purpose, a first connection with first connecting means 51 of the luffing tip 5 is still made using the first connecting elements 11. For the second connection with corresponding second connecting means 52 of the luffing tip 5, not the second connecting elements 12 but the third connecting elements 13 of the auxiliary tip 10 are now used (cf. right figure of FIG. 7).

[0075] The use of an adapter can thus be dispensed with. Depending on the boom part and system dimension, different connecting elements 11, 12, 13 of the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention can be used for assembly. Of course, further connecting elements can be provided so that more than two different system dimensions are covered by the auxiliary tip 10 according to the invention.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 6, the second corner posts 22 and the second and third connecting elements 12, 13 (or the connecting axes 62, 63 defined by them) are located in a common first plane 30. This plane 30 can also be referred to as the first force flow plane 30 since the essential forces flow over the second corner posts 22 without major deflections both when they are connected via the second connecting elements 12 and via the third connecting elements 13. The force flow always occurs in the common plane 30.

[0077] In the case of a connection via the third connecting elements 13, the forces are transmitted via the cross strut 24 and further via the second corner posts 22 to the deflection pulleys 19. The third connecting elements 13 are arranged close to the second corner posts 22 in order to keep the lever arm designated by the reference sign 40 in FIG. 6 as small as possible. This results in a more or less direct force flow with low leverage.

[0078] If necessary, it may be necessary to make the cross strut 24 reinforced, i.e. it may, for example, have a larger diameter and/or wall thickness than the first and/or second corner posts 21, 22.

[0079] As a result of the fact that no further corner posts or additional supporting steel structure is required, the additional connecting elements 13 result in only a minimally higher dead weight of the auxiliary tip 10. In the embodiment example shown here, the third connecting elements 13 are also integrated into the component in a space-saving manner (i.e., arranged between the second corner posts 22) in such a way that, in addition to a good force flow, the transport dimensions of the auxiliary tip 10 do not increase significantly.

[0080] The first corner posts 21 and the first connecting elements 11 (or the first connecting axis 61 defined by them) form a second common force flow plane (not shown), since the forces transmitted through the first connecting elements 11 are essentially conducted along the first corner posts 21.

[0081] In particular, the forces conducted through the second corner posts 22 are predominantly tensile forces, while predominantly compressive forces are conducted through the first corner posts 21, since the first corner posts 21 are generally located below the second corner posts 22 in the assembled state during regular crane operation with a second hook block 6b, and the dead weight of the auxiliary tip 10 and any attached load press the first connecting elements 11 against the boom 4.

[0082] The axis of rotation 18 of the roller pack 19 is located in both the first force flow plane 30 and the second force flow plane, i.e. both planes intersect in the axis of rotation 18 (at an acute angle in the embodiment example shown here).

[0083] As already described, the first connecting elements 11 in the embodiment example shown here are configured as finger elements with open bolt receptacles 16. This has the advantage that the auxiliary tip 10 cannot be overloaded during the assembly process. If the auxiliary tip 10, as shown in a lateral view in FIG. 8, touches the ground in the assembled state because the boom (in the case shown, the auxiliary tip 10 is mounted on a luffing tip 5) is appropriately luffed up or down (e.g. for assembly or disassembly), the auxiliary tip 10 can pivot away around the second connection so that the connecting elements 11 move away from the corresponding connecting means 51 of the luffing tip 5. As a result, the auxiliary tip 10 is not loaded. Pulleys 28 are provided for unrolling the auxiliary tip 10 in the present embodiment.

[0084] If, on the other hand, the auxiliary tip 10 did not have open forks, then it would be pressed to the ground by the dead weight of the luffing tip 5 when the guy rods were unloaded. This dead weight could generate a greater load than the force acting during operation, thereby overloading the auxiliary tip 10.

[0085] For locking the first connection during crane operation (i.e., outside the assembly and disassembly process), a corresponding locking device can optionally be provided to releasably lock the first connecting elements 11 of the auxiliary tip 10 to the first connecting elements 51, 81 of the corresponding boom part 5, 8.

[0086] The core idea of the present invention is to provide several connecting elements 11, 12, 13 with different system dimensions on one and the same auxiliary tip 10, i.e. to integrate several system dimensions in the auxiliary tip 10 so that it can be mounted on different boom parts 5, 8 with different system dimensions without adapters or additional measures. As already mentioned, two or more system dimensions can be realized by the connecting elements 11, 12, 13.

[0087] The precise shape and arrangement of the individual connecting elements is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the figures. For example, it is conceivable that the first connecting elements 11 comprise closed bolt receptacles. Likewise, it is possible that the first and/or second connecting elements 11, 12 are configured not as finger elements but as fork elements each having two adjacent metal sheets with bolt receptacles. The third connecting elements 13 can alternatively be configured as finger elements.

[0088] It is also conceivable in principle that some or all of the connecting elements 11, 12, 13 are oriented differently than shown in the figures. For example, the first and/or second and/or third connecting elements 11, 12, 13 could be rotated by 90 (or any other angle) and the corresponding bolt receptacles could therefore not face each other. Also, the second and/or third connecting elements 12, 13 could be configured as hook elements via which the auxiliary tip 10 is first hooked into corresponding connecting means of a boom part and then pivoted towards the boom part around the second connection thus established until the first connection is established. In this case, the first connecting elements 11 are preferably equipped with closed bolt receptacles in order to ensure safe storage of the auxiliary tip 10 here.

[0089] Likewise, it is conceivable that the third connecting elements 13 are located outside the second corner posts 22 and therefore have a greater distance b.sub.3 from one another than the second connecting elements 12. Alternatively or additionally, the third connecting elements 13 could be located outside the force flow plane 30 defined by the second corner posts 22, for example above the first force flow plane 30 or between the first and second force flow planes.

[0090] Optionally, an automatic bolt insertion or extraction device can be provided in the area of the bolt receptacles 15 of the third connecting elements 13, as shown by way of example in FIG. 6. This bolt extraction device is not shown in the other figures and does not necessarily have to be provided. A manual bolt insertion or extraction device is of course also conceivable.

[0091] Instead of open bolt receptacles 16, the first connecting elements 11 could also have reverse bolt elements that cooperate with corresponding open bolt receptacles of the boom part and form the first connection.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0092] 1 mobile crane [0093] 2 undercarriage [0094] 3 upper carriage [0095] 4 boom (telescopic boom) [0096] 5 luffing tip [0097] 6a first hook block [0098] 6b second hook block [0099] 7 adapter [0100] 8 pulley head [0101] 9a first connecting means [0102] 9b second connecting means [0103] 10 auxiliary tip (prior art) [0104] 10 auxiliary tip [0105] 11 first connecting element [0106] 12 second connecting element [0107] 13 third connecting element [0108] 14 bolt receptacle [0109] 15 bolt receptacle [0110] 16 open bolt receptacle [0111] 18 axis of rotation [0112] 19 pulley block [0113] 20 lattice structure [0114] 21 first corner post [0115] 22 second corner post [0116] 24 strut [0117] 26 deflection pulley [0118] 28 pulley [0119] 30 first plane [0120] 40 lever arm [0121] 51 first connecting means (luffing tip) [0122] 52 second connecting means (luffing tip) [0123] 61 first connecting axis [0124] 62 second connecting axis [0125] 63 third connecting axis [0126] 81 first connecting means (pulley head) [0127] 82 second connecting means (pulley head) [0128] b.sub.1 distance between the first connecting elements [0129] b.sub.2 distance between the second connecting elements [0130] b.sub.3 distance between the third connecting elements [0131] h.sub.1 distance between first and second connecting elements [0132] h.sub.2 distance between first and third connecting elements