Patent ID: 8844738
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: B66C

Abstract:
1. A pivot shaft mountable folding crane apparatus comprising: A boom with a proximal end and a distal end, A stanchion with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the stanchion being hinge-coupled to the distal end of the boom about a first substantially horizontal axis, A pivoting hinge with a proximal end and a distal end, the pivoting hinge proximal end being hinge-attached to the distal end of the stanchion about a second substantially horizontal axis, such that the boom and stanchion can be folded into a non-operating state, and unfolded into an operating state with respect to the pivoting hinge; A pivot shaft, with a distal end and a proximal end, rotatably attached to the pivoting hinge about a substantially vertical axis; wherein the distal end of the pivot shaft is mountable to a mounting base; A boom lock, with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the boom lock being hinge-attached near the distal end of the boom about a third substantially horizontal axis, and the distal end of the boom lock comprising a boom lock contact surface; The pivoting hinge comprising a pivoting hinge contact surface at a top portion of the pivoting hinge, the pivoting hinge tapering downwards from the pivoting hinge distal end to the pivoting hinge proximal end such that the pivoting hinge contact surface is higher at the pivoting hinge distal end than the pivoting hinge proximal end; The pivoting hinge further comprising a substantially vertical pivot opening through said pivoting hinge, the substantially vertical pivot opening configured for rotational operation and attachment to the pivot shaft; The stanchion comprising a stanchion contact surface at the distal end of the stanchion such that the stanchion contact surface engages against the pivoting hinge contact surface as the stanchion is unfolded into the operating state; The stanchion further comprising a stanchion locking surface at the proximal end of the stanchion adapted to come into engagement with the boom lock contact surface as said crane apparatus is unfolded into the operating state, such that as the boom rotates into the operating state the boom lock rotates in an opposite sense with respect to boom rotation, the boom lock contact surface swinging into engagement with the stanchion locking surface which holds the boom in the operating state; Wherein in the non-operating state the boom lock contact surface does not directly contact the stanchion locking surface; and in the operating state the boom lock contact surface directly contacts the stanchion locking surface such that a load suspended from the boom holds the boom in a locked position relative to the stanchion.