Abstract:
The invention relates to a machine, particularly a construction machine, with a hoisting mechanism for hoisting the machine with the aid of a hoisting apparatus, whereby the hoisting mechanism comprises a flexible bearing element, one end of which is fastened in the region of the horizontal center of gravity of the machine, and the other end of which comprises a suspension capability for connecting to the hoisting apparatus.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to German Patent Application Serial No. 202004004706.3, filed Mar. 25, 2004 titled, MACHINE WITH LIFTING DEVICE, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a machine, particularly a construction machine, that can be hoisted with the aid of a hoisting mechanism for loading and unloading purposes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Construction equipment in particular is poorly suited to traveling long distances on its own to and from the place where it is used. For this reason it is usually loaded onto transport vehicles and moved to the site. In order to unload the equipment from the transport vehicle, it can be hoisted from the transport vehicle and placed on the ground by means of a hoisting device such as a crane. 
   This requires a suitable connection between the construction machine and the hoist. Care must be taken that the machine does not tip or swing when being hoisted in order to avoid damaging the machine during the hoisting or lowering processes or damaging the transport vehicle during the loading or unloading processes. 
   Furthermore, a mechanism at the machine that serves to produce the connection between the hoisting apparatus and the machine should not cause a disturbance during the normal operation of the machine, for instance by rattling, and should be invisible if possible. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to make available a machine that can be easily connected to a hoist, whereby the mechanism disturbs the user of the machine as little as possible. 
   This object is achieved by a hoisting mechanism according to claim  1 . 
   Advantageous developments of the invention are provided in the subclaims. 
   According to the invention, a machine is provided with a hoisting mechanism for hoisting the machine by means of a hoisting apparatus. The hoisting mechanism comprises a flexible bearing element that is fastened at one end in the region of the horizontal center of gravity of the machine and on the other end comprises a suspension element for connection to the hoisting apparatus. 
   The advantage of utilizing a flexible bearing element as the hoist is that the flexible bearing element can easily be moved into different positions depending on use or nonuse. Further benefit is gained when the hoisting mechanism is not rigidly fixed to the machine, which can lead to difficulties if the horizontal center of gravity shifts. Furthermore, expensive steel constructions for the connection to the hoisting mechanism are avoided by the provision of the flexible bearing. 
   According to a further embodiment, it may be provided that the flexible bearing element is displaceably guided by an elongated guide element that is disposed above the horizontal center of gravity substantially vertically. 
   The guide element can comprise an outwardly curved portion at least at one end in order to reduce abrasion of the flexible bearing element that is led through the guide element. 
   According to a preferred embodiment, it may be provided that an inner cross-section of the guide element is so adapted to a cross-sectional shape of the flexible bearing element, that the flexible bearing element does not rotate in the guide element. That way, the machine is prevented from rotating when suspended at the hoist. 
   The flexible bearing element can be movable into a neutral position in which the guide element is shifted in the direction of the center of gravity until the suspension element is located close to a top end of the guide element. In a working position in which the flexible bearing element is drawn upward, it extends from the center of gravity through the guide element substantially in a stretched condition. 
   The benefit therein is that in the neutral position the bearing element is located substantially in an intermediate space between the center of gravity and the guide element, and as a result it does not disturb the user of the machine. 
   The suspension element can be constructed as a bracket, grommet, or hook, whereby the bracket is held at the flexible bearing element, the retaining mechanism being located near the top end of the guide element so that it can hold the suspension mechanism in the neutral position. 
   In a further embodiment of the invention, it may be provided that the retainer is constructed in such a way that in the neutral position it holds the suspension mechanism within it in a downwardly pivoted condition. This serves to fix the suspension mechanism and to prevent vibrations so as to prevent damage to the surrounding components. 
   The retainer can be covered by means of a cover, so that the suspension element can be covered when it is held in the retainer in neutral position and can be removed from the retainer in order to switch into working position. 
   The hoisting mechanism can further comprise a retaining fixture attached at the horizontal center of gravity of the machine, whereby the flexible bearing element comprises a loop at one end, and the retaining fixture comprises two eyes through which a bolt can be inserted so that the bolt runs through the loop. That way, a secure connection between the hoisting apparatus and the flexible bearing element is guaranteed, whereby the connection can be broken by removing the bolt, so that the flexible bearing element can be easily replaced, for instance if it is old and/or brittle. 
   The flexible bearing element can advantageously take the form of a band. Furthermore, it can be corrosion-resistant, comprising a plastic or composite fiber material. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred exemplifying embodiments of the invention will now be described in connection with schematic drawings. Shown are: 
       FIG. 1 : a general view of a machine with a hoisting mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2 : an enlarged view of part of the machine with the hoisting mechanism in neutral position; 
       FIG. 3 : a view of the suspension element that is fixed in a retainer; 
       FIG. 4 : an enlarged view of the machine with the hoisting mechanism in working position; 
       FIG. 5 : an enlarged view of the machine with the hoisting mechanism, specifically the guide element of the hoisting mechanism; 
       FIG. 6 : a view of the machine with the hoisting mechanism in neutral position; and 
       FIG. 7 : a view of a cover of the hoisting mechanism for covering the suspension element and the retaining fixture. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  represents a construction machine  1 , particularly a compression machine, comprising a hoisting mechanism  2  that is disposed substantially at the position of a horizontal center of gravity of the machine  1 . The hoisting mechanism serves for hoisting the machine  1  with the aid of a crane or other hoisting apparatus in order to load the machine onto a transport vehicle or unload it therefrom. To that end the hoisting mechanism  2  is connected to the hoisting apparatus (not represented) and can be hoisted by it. 
   The provision of the hoisting mechanism  2  at the substantially horizontal center of gravity of the construction machine  1  serves for preventing the machine from tipping when hoisted. 
     FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the hoisting mechanism  2  in a neutral position. The hoisting mechanism  2  comprises a flexible bearing element  4  in the form of a flexible band with a rectangular cross-section. Other cross-sections are possible for the band or other bearing element  4 . The flexible band  4  is led through a guide element  5  in the form of a channel which is fastened to a column with a control console  6  of the machine. The channel is formed by a sheet-metal tube in this case. A climbing bracket  15  is also provided at the column. 
   At a bottom end the flexible band  4  is provided with a loop  7  which is held at a retaining fixture  8 . The retaining fixture  8  comprises two retainer elements that are fixed to the machine, through which a bolt  9  can be inserted such that the bolt extends through the loop. This guarantees a secure but detachable connection between the flexible band  4  and the machine  1 . 
   The guide element  5  is attached substantially vertically over the retaining fixture, so that in the suspended condition the flexible band  4  extends from the retaining fixture  8  through the guide element  5  substantially in a straight line. 
     FIG. 3  represents a top end of the flexible band  4  in a neutral position. The top end of the flexible band  4  is provided with a bracket  10  that is connected to an additional loop  11  of the flexible band  4 . A grommet, hook or other suspension element can be provided instead of the bracket  10 , provided it is suitable for producing a connection to the hoisting apparatus. 
   In the neutral position the flexible band  4  is pushed down through the guide element  5 , so that in the non-stretched condition the flexible band  4  can be located in an intermediate space  12  of the machine between a bottom end of the guide element  5  and the retaining fixture  8 . In the neutral state the bracket  10  is folded down into a direction parallel to the flexible band  4  and inserted into a retainer  13  so that the bracket  10  is held securely against vibrations and will not fall out. 
   The retainer  13  is constructed as a retaining clamp with two turned ends that, when in the fixed condition, hold the bracket  10  against lateral displacement. When the bracket  10  is in the folded condition, its lower end makes contact with an upper end of the guide element  5 , so that the bracket  10  cannot fall downward and out of the retaining clamp  13 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the guide element  5  comprises turned sections  14  at both ends in order to prevent the band  4  from getting caught at the guide element  5  or being abraded at the guide element when the flexible band  4  is pushed through the guide element  5 . 
   The guide element  5  is constructed so that its inner cross-section is substantially adapted to the cross-section of the flexible band  4 . Because the flexible band  4  has a rectangular cross-section, the cross-section of the guide element  5  is expediently also rectangular, which enables the flexible band  4  to be drawn freely through the guide element  5  while preventing twisting of the band  4  in the guide element  5 . 
     FIG. 4  represents the hoisting mechanism in a neutral position. The flexible band  4  is drawn through the guide element  5  and extends through the guide element  5  substantially linearly from the retaining fixture  8  (not represented in  FIG. 4 ) to the suspension element formed by the bracket  10 . 
   In order to change to working position, the suspension bracket is lifted out of the retainer, and the flexible band  4  is extracted in the upward direction until it is completely removed from the intermediate space  12  and extends in a substantially stretched condition between the retaining fixture  8  and the guide element  5 . 
   The guide element  5  serves to prevent the suspended construction machine from tipping or swaying when hoisted. The length of the flexible band  4  is chosen so that when the machine  1  is hoisted it is not damaged by the hoist, particularly so that the control console  6  and climbing bracket  15  are not damaged. 
     FIG. 5  represents the stretched condition of the flexible band  4  between the retaining fixture  8  and the guide element  5  again in the working position. 
     FIG. 6  represents the flexible band  4  in a neutral position in which the bracket  10  is held in the retainer clamp  13 . A pivoting cover  16  that is disposed near the retaining clamp  13  is shown in an open condition. 
   In  FIG. 7  the cover  16  has been pivoted so that it completely covers the retaining clamp  13 , the bracket  10 , and the top end of the flexible band  4  and extends substantially to the top end of the guide element  5 . This guarantees that the hoisting mechanism  2  is protected from dirt and moisture during operation of the machine, so that the lifetime of the hoisting mechanism  2  is extended. 
   The utilization of a flexible band  4  as part of a hoisting mechanism  2  serves for preventing vibrations of the machine  1 , rattling of the flexible band  4  against components of the machine  1 , which generates disruptive noise. [sic] 
   Through the utilization of a corrosion-resistant band consisting of a plastic or composite fiber material, the same reliability can be guaranteed by means of this type of hoisting mechanism as by fixedly mounted hoisting mechanisms without a flexible band.