U.S. patent application number 11/799532 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-30 for gantry crane for transporting track panels.
This patent application is currently assigned to Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft m.b.H.. Invention is credited to Manfred Brunninger, Josef Theurer.
Application Number | 20070199472 11/799532 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35198048 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070199472 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Theurer; Josef ; et
al. |
August 30, 2007 |
Gantry crane for transporting track panels
Abstract
A gantry crane for transporting track panels comprises a
longitudinal beam extending in a longitudinal direction. The
longitudinal beam includes lifting tools for gripping a track panel
and is supported by chassis frames including in each case two
vertical beams, having vertical adjustment drives, and two
transverse beams connected to the vertical beams. The transverse
beams extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction and have
drives for transverse adjustment. Pairs of crawler tracks are
fastened to the chassis frames for mobility of the longitudinal
beam, each crawler track being connected to one of the vertical
beams. Each chassis frame is designed to be rotatable relative to
the longitudinal beam by means of a vertical axis of rotation which
is disposed centrally between the two crawler tracks and connects
the two transverse beams to the longitudinal beam.
Inventors: |
Theurer; Josef; (Vienna,
AT) ; Brunninger; Manfred; (Altenberg, AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAM COLLARD;COLLARD & ROE, P.C.
1077 NORTHERN BOULEVARD
ROSLYN
NY
11576
US
|
Assignee: |
Franz Plasser
Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft m.b.H.
|
Family ID: |
35198048 |
Appl. No.: |
11/799532 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/EP05/09635 |
Sep 8, 2005 |
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11799532 |
May 2, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
104/7.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01B 29/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
104/007.1 |
International
Class: |
E01B 27/17 20060101
E01B027/17 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 22, 2004 |
AT |
A 1953/2004 |
Claims
1. A gantry crane for transporting track panels, comprising: a) a
longitudinal beam extending in a longitudinal direction and having
lifting tools for gripping a track panel; b) chassis frames
supporting the longitudinal beam, each chassis frame including: 1)
two vertical beams; 2) two transverse beams connected to the
vertical beams and extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction; 3) vertical adjustment drives associated in each case
with the vertical beams; 4) drives for transversely adjusting the
transverse beams; 5) pairs of crawler tracks fastened to the
chassis frame for mobility of the longitudinal beam, each crawler
track being connected to one of the vertical beams; and 6) a
vertical axis of rotation, disposed centrally between the two
crawler tracks and connecting the two transverse beams to the
longitudinal beam, for allowing rotation of the chassis frame
relative to the longitudinal beam.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 of
AUSTRIAN Application No. AT A1953/2004 filed on Nov. 22, 2004.
Applicants also claim priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 of
International Application No. PCT/EP2005/009635 filed on Sep. 8,
2005. This application is a by-pass continuation application of
said International Application No. PCT/EP2005/009635 filed on Sep.
8, 2005. The International application under PCT Article 21(2) was
not published in English. The disclosure of the aforementioned
International application and Austrian application are incorporated
by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the invention
[0003] The invention relates to a gantry crane. More particularly,
the invention relates to a gantry crane for transporting track
panels, comprising a longitudinal beam extending in a longitudinal
direction and having lifting tools for gripping a track panel. The
longitudinal beam is supported by chassis frames. Each chassis
frame includes vertical beams, having vertical adjustment drives,
and transverse beams connected to the vertical beams. The
transverse beams extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction and include drives for transverse adjustment. Pairs of
crawler tracks are fastened to the chassis frames for mobility of
the longitudinal beam, each crawler track being connected to one of
the vertical beams.
[0004] 2. The Prior Art
[0005] EP 0 505 240 A1 shows a gantry crane for transporting track
panels. This gantry crane comprises a gantry frame which is mobile
with the aid of four vertically adjustable crawler tracks. Lifting
tools spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the
frame are arranged on the gantry frame for gripping the track
panel. In addition, vertically adjustable flanged rollers are
provided by means of which the gantry crane is also mobile on a
railroad track.
[0006] DE 2 309 930 A1 shows a gantry crane for laying track
panels, comprising a carrying device for gripping the track panel
to be transported. The gantry crane has vertically and laterally
adjustable crawler tracks as well as vertically adjustable lifting
rams arranged at either side thereof. Several of these gantry
cranes are driven onto the laid-down track panel via flanged
rollers and connected to the track panel by means of corresponding
lifting tools. Subsequently, the track panel is raised by lowering
the lifting rams onto the ballast bed, and the crawler track is
lowered onto the ballast bed by lateral and vertical adjustment
underneath the track panel. After all four lifting rams have at
last been raised, the track panel is moved into the construction
gap with the aid of the crawler tracks.
[0007] A track maintenance machine for exchanging a track panel is
known from DE 33 40 739 A1. This track maintenance machine consists
essentially of an elongated beam which, at the ends thereof, may be
selectively supported on an on-track undercarriage or on a crawler
track.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is the primary object of this invention to improve a
gantry crane of the first-described type so that optimal
maneuverability is assured even under spatially constricted
conditions.
[0009] This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention
with a gantry crane for transporting track panels which comprises a
longitudinal beam extending in a longitudinal direction. The
longitudinal beam includes lifting tools for gripping a track panel
and is supported by chassis frames including in each case two
vertical beams, having vertical adjustment drives, and two
transverse beams connected to the vertical beams. The transverse
beams extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction and have
drives for transverse adjustment. Pairs of crawler tracks are
fastened to the chassis frames for mobility of the longitudinal
beam, each crawler track being connected to one of the vertical
beams. The present invention provides that each chassis frame is
designed to be rotatable relative to the longitudinal beam by means
of a vertical axis of rotation disposed centrally between the two
crawler tracks and connecting the two transverse beams to the
longitudinal beam.
[0010] As a result of this structurally relatively simple
configuration, mobility of the gantry crane is significantly
improved, so that the picked-up track panel may be transported
without problems also transversely or even obliquely to the
longitudinal direction of the track. In this context, it is of
particular advantage that the stability of the frame is not
compromised in any way. The chassis frame is maneuverable very
simply by means of variable actuation of the motive drives.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Other benefits and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be
understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an
illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the
invention.
[0012] In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote
similar elements throughout the several views:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a gantry crane;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section according to section line II in
FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of the gantry crane.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 3 show a
gantry crane 1 which comprises a central longitudinal beam 5. Said
beam extends in a longitudinal direction 2 and is connected by
means of two chassis frames 24 to crawler tracks 4. Each chassis
frame 24 is formed by two vertical beams 20 and two transverse
beams 6, the latter extending perpendicularly or at an angle to the
longitudinal direction 2. Each chassis frame 24 is designed to be
rotatable relative to the longitudinal beam 5 by means of a
vertical axis of rotation 25 which is arranged centrally between
the two crawler tracks 4 and connects the two transverse beams 6 to
the longitudinal beam 5.
[0017] As can be seen in FIG. 3, a maximum angle of rotation
.alpha..+-.15.degree. of the chassis frame 24 with respect to the
longitudinal direction 2 of the longitudinal beam 5 is possible.
The axis of rotation 25 extends perpendicularly with regard to the
longitudinal direction of the two transverse beams 6.
[0018] Power sources 7 are fastened to the longitudinal beam 5,
consisting essentially of an internal combustion engine and a
hydraulic pump. In addition, guide members 8, spaced from one
another in the longitudinal direction of the frame, are vertically
adjustably mounted on the longitudinal beam 5 and connected in each
case to drives 9 for vertical adjustment. The lower end of each
guide member 8 is connected to a horizontally extending beam 10
which, in turn, is connected to two lifting tools 11 spaced from
one another in the longitudinal direction of the beam. Each beam 10
is supported on said guide member 8 for rotation about a vertical
axis 12. The lifting tools 11 are designed in the known manner in
the shape of clamps or hooks for form-fittingly gripping a rail
head or a rail base of a track panel 13 to be transported.
[0019] Each of the four crawler tracks 4 consists of two
undercarriage units 14, 15 which are spaced from one another in the
longitudinal direction of the frame, or rather in the longitudinal
direction 2 of the longitudinal beam 5. Both undercarriage units
14, 15 are connected to one another in each case by means of a
chassis beam 17 mounted on the vertical beam 20 for pivoting about
a horizontal axis 16 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction of the frame. Each undercarriage unit 14, 15 is in turn
mounted on the chassis beam 17 for pivoting about a horizontal
undercarriage axis 18 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction of the frame. Associated with each undercarriage unit 14
or 15, designed as crawler tracks 4, is a separate motive drive
19.
[0020] The two horizontal undercarriage axes 18 of the two
undercarriage units 14, 15 are arranged spaced from one another at
a distance of about 2.5 to about 3.5 meters, preferably 3 meters.
As visible particularly in FIG. 2, two drives 9 are fastened to the
longitudinal beam 5 for vertical adjustment of each guide member 8,
respectively. Vertical adjustment drives 3 are arranged inside the
two-part vertical beams 20, the latter being telescopically
extendable in the vertical direction.
[0021] As can be seen in the left-hand half of FIG. 2, the lower
ends of two of the vertical beams 20 at a time, adjustable in the
vertical direction and associated in each case with a crawler track
4, are connected to one another by means of a connecting beam 21.
The said chassis beam 17 is fastened to the connecting beam 21 for
pivoting about the horizontal axis 16. The respective upper halves
of the two two-part vertical beams 20 are connected to a guide tube
22 which is displaceably mounted within the transverse beam 6. With
the aid of a transverse adjustment drive 23, the guide tube 22,
together with the vertical beams 20 and the associated
undercarriage units 14 and 15, is adjustable in the longitudinal
direction of the transverse beam 6.
[0022] In working operations for removing a track panel 13, the
gantry crane 1 is moved forward with the aid of the crawler tracks
4 on the region of the ballast bed or the earth formation laterally
adjoining the laid track, until the construction gap is reached.
Subsequently, the longitudinal beam 5 together with the transverse
beams 6 is lowered by means of corresponding actuation of the
vertical adjustment drives 3. The drives 9 are then actuated until
the lifting tools 11 come to lie immediately above the rails of the
track panel 13 to be gripped. After the said lifting tools 11 have
been form-fittingly engaged with the associated rail, the track
panel 13 is lifted by actuation of the vertical adjustment drives 3
and the drives 9 (see FIG. 1).
[0023] By actuation of the motive drives 19, the raised track panel
13 can now be transported away. During this, better adaptation to
an uneven riding surface is ensured due to the special design and
mounting of the crawler tracks 4, in which the individual
undercarriage units 14, 15 are pivotable about both the
undercarriage horizontal axis 18 and the horizontal axis 16. The
expression "horizontal" refers to that situation in which the
gantry crane 1 is resting on a horizontal plane.
[0024] Accordingly, while an embodiment of the present invention
has been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and
modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *