Patent ID: 6062403
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: B66C

Abstract:
A crane and lift apparatus includinga pair of laterally disposed portal frames including forward and rearward corner columns for supporting a work load,at least one wheel secured to each of said columns for movement of said apparatus,at least one upper frame beam for connecting one each of said forward and said rearward corner columns,upper transverse girders for connecting respective forward corner columns and respective rearward corner columns of said pair of portal frames,a spreader deployed from said upper transverse girders for at least lateral movement of said work load therealong,power drive and control means for selectively moving said crane and lift apparatus along ground level,a single cabin deployed for movement throughout a substantial vertical range between one of said forward columns and a tandemly associated rearward column, said cabin having a cabin floor,at least one vertically movable horizontal cabin support mechanism connected to said single cabin and extending between one of said forward corner columns and its associated rearward corner column for raising and lowering said single cabin from ground level to the top of the apparatus,chain hoist means secured to said chain support mechanism for selective raising and lowering thereof,said chain hoist means including a chain connected at one of its ends to an outer end of said cabin support mechanism and at its other end to a lower portion of said outer end of said cabin support mechanism said chain being trained over both a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket, said sprockets and said chain being disposed adjacent opposite ends of said one of said columns associated with said cabin support mechanism,said chain hoist means also including cable means and guide track means adjacent said other column associated with said cabin support mechanism for electrically controlling operation of said chain for said raising and lowering of said cabin support mechanism,a connector assembly extending between an inside lower portion of one of said pair of forward columns and an inside portion of its associated rearward column,said connector assembly comprising a first element extending downwardly from and secured to said inside portion of said forward column and having a lower end portion positioned beneath said cabin floor when said cabin is in its lowermost position within said range of movement,said connector assembly comprising a second element extending downwardly from and secured to said inside portion of said rearward column and having a lower end portion positioned beneath said cabin floor when said cabin is in its lowermost position within said range of movement, andsaid connector assembly comprising a tie bar having a first end removably joined to said lower end portion of said first element and a second end removably joined to said lower end portion of said second element,whereby said cabin lies above said tie bar and beneath said upper frame beam when said cabin is within its range of movement and whereby an operator positioned in said single cabin has available substantially unlimited sight lines of observation to control the raising and lowering of said work load between ground level and the top of the apparatus.