MOBILE TELESCOPIC HYDRAULIC CRANE

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a mobile telescopic hydraulic crane, which may include at least one service opening in a terminal portion of a telescopic section adjacent to at least one hydraulic connector, wherein said at least one service opening is configured to allow access for a hand tool from the outside of the telescopic section to establish or disassemble a hydraulically sealed connection between a flexible hydraulic pipe and associated hydraulic connector within said telescopic arm. The at least one service opening allows for a quick and simple replacement of each hydraulic pipe within the telescopic secondary arm without significantly reducing the carrying capacity and reach of the crane.

Claims

1. A mobile telescopic hydraulic crane, comprising: a carrying platform, which is suitable for mounting the crane on a motor vehicle and is fitted with at least one pair of telescopic suitable legs for supporting the crane on the ground for ensuring a required carrying capacity and stability of said crane; a platform comprising a column with a first terminal portion attached to said platform such that the column can be rotated around a vertical axis wherein a second terminal portion of said column is attached to a first terminal portion of a primary bearing arm of the crane such that it can be pivoted around a horizontal axis, wherein said primary arm is supported on said column and can be pivoted around said horizontal axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder pivotally attached to said column and said primary arm, wherein on the second terminal portion of said primary arm, a telescopic secondary bearing arm is attached with its first terminal portion such that it can be pivoted around the horizontal axis, wherein said secondary bearing arm comprises an attachment point for mounting a grabber or another suitable assembly for manipulating a load, wherein said telescopic secondary bearing arm is supported on the primary arm and can be pivoted around said horizontal axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder connected to the primary arm and to the secondary bearing arm, wherein said secondary bearing arm comprises at least two tubular bearing sections, which are inserted within each other, such that said tubular bearing sections are moveable relative to each other in an axial direction, wherein an external tubular bearing section is connected to the primary arm and to a hydraulic cylinder, and an internal tubular bearing section within the external tubular bearing section comprises an attachment point for mounting a grabber, wherein a terminal portion of the external tubular bearing section of the telescopic secondary arm comprises at least one hydraulic connector, which enables hydraulic medium to flow from an available hydraulic aggregate, wherein a terminal portion of the internal tubular bearing section of the telescopic secondary bearing arm comprises at least one hydraulic connector, which enables the hydraulic medium to flow towards said grabber and/or towards its corresponding hydraulic rotational unit, wherein said hydraulic connectors are connectable with each other by means of a flexible hydraulic tubing, which is connected which each of said hydraulic connectors in a hydraulically sealed and detachable manner, wherein said flexible hydraulic tubing extends along the interior of said telescopic secondary arm between the hydraulic connector on the terminal portion of the external tubular bearing section and the hydraulic connector on the terminal portion of the internal tubular bearing section in the transition area from the external tubular bearing section to the internal tubular bearing section and guided thereby via a guiding reel, wherein at least one service opening is provided in a terminal portion of the secondary bearing arm, the at least one service opening positioned adjacent the at least one hydraulic connector at a suitable distance from the terminal portion of said external tubular bearing section to provide for connecting of said flexible hydraulic tubing with each associated hydraulic connector on the terminal portion of the internal tubular bearing section, wherein said service opening has a suitable shape and dimensions to allow access for a hand tool from the outside of the telescopic arm to establish or disassemble said hydraulically sealed connection between said flexible hydraulic tubing and each corresponding hydraulic connector within said telescopic arm.

2. The crane according to claim 1, wherein said at least one service opening is a cutout with slightly rounded corners and edges.

3. The crane according to claim 2, wherein said at least one service opening is positioned in the area of said at least one hydraulic connector within the external tubular bearing section, and at least approximately in the area of an upper surface of each external tubular bearing section of said secondary arm, facing away from the ground.

4. The crane according to claim 2, further comprising at least two service openings which are spaced apart from each other in a transversal direction of the telescopic secondary bearing arm and are at least approximately equally spaced apart from the first terminal portion of said telescopic secondary bearing arm, wherein said at least two service openings are positioned substantially in an area of said at least one hydraulic connector within the external tubular bearing section, and at the same time at least partially in the area of the upper surface of each external tubular bearing section of the telescopic secondary bearing arm, facing away from the ground.

5. The crane according to claim 4, wherein said at least one service opening is at least partially covered by a removable cover.

6. The crane according to claim 4, wherein said at least one service opening is completely covered by a removable cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present disclosure will be further explained by means of an embodiment, which is presented in the attached drawings, in which

[0013] FIG. 1 is a mobile hydraulic crane in isometric view;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a terminal area of a telescopic secondary arm of the crane according to FIG. 1, also in isometric view;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a telescopic secondary arm of the crane according to FIG. 1 in its initial position with completely retracted and mutually overlapping tubular bearing sections positioned within each other, also in isometric view;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section of a telescopic secondary arm according to FIG. 3 and of the crane according to FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a telescopic secondary arm of the crane according to FIG. 1, in a completely extended position, namely with bearing sections, which are still inserted within each other but just partially overlapped, also in isometric view;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a telescopic secondary arm according to FIG. 5 of the crane according to FIG. 1, and is shown in a longitudinal cross section in the central vertical plane;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the terminal area of the telescopic secondary arm of the crane according to FIG. 1, which is in an enlarged scale as shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] A mobile telescopic hydraulic crane according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a carrying platform 1, which is suitable for mounting the crane on a motor vehicle and is optionally furnished with at least one pair of telescopic supporting legs 11, which are intended for supporting of the crane on the ground when a carried load is being moved, and consequently for ensuring the carrying capacity and stability of said crane. Although not shown in the drawings, a hydraulic aggregate can be optionally mounted in the area of said platform 1 together with a suitable reservoir and a pump, which then serve for compressing the hydraulic medium for supplying and optionally controlling the hydraulic driving means on said crane.

[0021] A column 2 is attached to said platform 1 with its first terminal portion 23 comprising a bracket such that it can be rotated around the vertical axis, wherein on the remaining free terminal portion 22 of said column 2 a primary bearing arm 3 of the crane is attached such that it can be pivoted around the horizontal axis at its first end portion 31. Said primary arm 3 is supported on said column 2 and can be rotated around said horizontal geometric axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder 21, which is on the one side pivotally attached to said column 2, and is on the other side attached to said primary arm 3. On the free end portion 32 of said primary arm 3, a telescoping supporting secondary bearing arm 4 is attached thereto in the area of its first terminal portion 41 such that it can be pivoted around the horizontal geometric axis, wherein said secondary arm 4 is on its remaining terminal portion 42 furnished with an attachment point 5, which is adapted for mounting a grabber 6 or any other suitable appliance for manipulating a load, wherein said telescopic secondary arm 4 is supported by primary arm 3 and can also be pivoted around said horizontal geometric axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder 34, which is pivotally connected to the primary arm 3 and secondary arm 4 either directly or indirectly via a suitable transmission mechanism.

[0022] Said secondary arm 4 may be telescopic and comprises at least two tubular bearing sections 44, 45, which are inserted within each other, such that said tubular bearing sections 44, 45 are moveable relatively to each other in their axial direction by using a suitable driving means such that the external tubular bearing section 41 can ensure a required connection with the primary arm 3 and attachment to a hydraulic cylinder 34, while the internal tubular bearing section 45 within the external tubular bearing section 41 is on its free terminal portion 452 furnished with said attachment point 5 for mounting a grabber 6 or a similar means of manipulating a load.

[0023] Said telescopic secondary arm 4 is separately presented in FIGS. 2-7. It may generally consist of just two tubular bearing sections 44, 45, which are inserted within each other, but the embodiment according to FIGS. 3-7 comprises three sections such that the present disclosure as such should be interpreted such that the expression “internal” bearing section 45 logically represents the inner bearing section, namely the innermost bearing section.

[0024] On the free terminal portion 442 of the external tubular bearing section 44 of the telescopic secondary arm 4, at least one hydraulic connector 431 may be located, which enables the hydraulic medium to flow from the available hydraulic aggregate, and on the other hand, on the free terminal portion 452 of the internal tubular bearing section 45 of said telescopic secondary arm 4, there is also at least one hydraulic connector 432, which enables the hydraulic medium to flow towards said grabber 6 and/or towards its corresponding hydraulic rotational unit 61. Two corresponding hydraulic connectors 431, 432 on each side are connectable with each other by means of a flexible hydraulic pipe 43, which is detachably connected to each one of said hydraulic connectors 431, 432 in a hydraulically sealed manner, maintaining the ability of being disconnected and reconnected, when required. Said hydraulic pipe 43 may be a reinforced flexible pipe, which is equipped with connectors on both ends, which are connectable to said hydraulic connectors 431, 432, wherein said connection can be established by means of commonly used hand tools, e.g. a wrench for tightening nuts, or the like.

[0025] As evident from FIGS. 3-6, said flexible hydraulic pipe 43 extends within said telescopic secondary arm 4, namely from the first hydraulic connector 431 on the free terminal portion 441 of the external tubular bearing section 44 towards the second hydraulic connector 432 within the free terminal portion 452 within the internal tubular bearing section 45. In the transition area between the external tubular bearing section 44 and the internal tubular bearing section 45, the flexible hydraulic pipe 43 may be relatively sharply bent and also guided by means of a guiding reel 455. In the crane according to the present disclosure, at least one service opening 48, 48′ is contemplated in the area of said telescopically conceived secondary arm 4. It is arranged on the free terminal portion 42 of said telescopic arm 4 and in particular at a suitable distance apart from the free terminal portion 442 of said external tubular bearing section 44, namely in the area of at least one hydraulic connector 431 for connecting of said hydraulic pipe 43, which is on the other side connectable with the hydraulic connector 432 on the free terminal portion 452 of the inner tubular bearing section 45.

[0026] Each service opening 48 is available in such shape and size that it allows each required hand tool to pass therethrough from the outside of the telescopic arm 4 for the purpose of accessing the interior of each telescopic arm 4 in order to either establish or disassemble said hydraulically sealed connection between each flexible hydraulic pipe 43 and each corresponding hydraulic connector 431 within the telescopic arm 4. The shape and dimensions of each service opening 48, 48′ are substantially determined in such way that a user is enabled to place a wrench on the nut of the hydraulic connector 431, so that the nut can be rotated at least approximately 30°, which is generally sufficient for gradually tensioning or releasing of the nut. According to the present disclosure it is contemplated that the size and the shape of each service opening 48, 48′ is such, that it enables such operation, without reducing the carrying capacity of the external carrying section 44 of each telescopic arm 4 even when telescopic arm is fully extended, or in other terms, that also the maximum effective reach of the crane at a pre-determined carrying capacity of said crane can be maintained.

[0027] In the view of ensuring the required bending strength and by taking into account dynamic stresses within the telescopic arm 4, said at least one service opening 48 is preferably available as a cutout with slightly rounded corners and edges. The at least one service opening 48, 48′ may be located in the area of said at least one hydraulic connector 431 within the external tubular bearing section 44, but in addition to that also at least approximately in the area of the upper surface 440 of the external tubular bearing section 44 of said telescopically conceived secondary arm 4, which may face away from the ground to provide accessibility for repairs even during extension of the crane during use.

[0028] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 3-6, namely in the case of a crane with a grabber 6 and a rotational unit 61, several hydraulic connectors 431 are available on the telescopic arm 4, such that two service openings 48, 48′ are spaced apart from each other in a transversal direction of the telescopic arm 4 and are at least approximately equally spaced from the first terminal portion 41 of said telescopic arm 4. In this case, said service openings 48, 48′ are located substantially in the area of said at least one hydraulic connector 431 within the external tubular bearing section 44, but at the same time also at least partially in the area of the upper surface 440 of each external tubular bearing section 44 of the telescopically conceived secondary arm 4, which may face away from the ground to provide accessibility for repairs even during extension of the crane during use.

[0029] As shown on FIG. 1, each service opening 48, 48′ can be during use of the crane optionally at least partially or completely coverable with a removable cover 49.

[0030] The presence of service openings 48, 48′ may enable a simple and quick replacement of a damaged hydraulic pipe 43 within the telescopic arm 4, which can be done in a few minutes and on the spot, because it can be carried out without removing and/or disassembling of said telescopic arm 4.

[0031] The cover 49 may be removed from service opening 48, 48′, upon which by using of a suitable hand tool each connection between the damaged pipe 43 and corresponding hydraulic connectors 432, 432 can be disassembled, which is then followed by provisionally connecting of each replacement hydraulic pipe 43 with the faulty hydraulic pipe 43, upon which the faulty hydraulic pipe 43 is extended from the interior of the telescopic arm 4, wherein during such removal of the faulty hydraulic pipe 43 the replacement hydraulic pipe 43 is simultaneously introduced towards the interior of the telescopic arm 4. Upon removal of the faulty hydraulic pipe 43, the replacement hydraulic pipe is thus already located in its correct position and is ready to be integrated into a hydraulic circuit, for which it only needs to be disconnected from the faulty pipe and upon that connected with the hydraulic connectors 431, 432. After such reestablishment of the hydraulic circuit and replacement of the hydraulic pipe 43, and possibly air release, the crane is ready to be used again.