Patent ID: 8827092

Claim:
A mobile lift crane, comprising: a) a carbody having moveable ground engaging members; b) a rotating bed rotatably connected to the carbody such that the rotating bed can swing with respect to the ground engaging members; c) a boom pivotally mounted on a front portion of the rotating bed, with a hoist line extending therefrom; d) a first linear actuation device; and e) a moveable counterweight unit; f) wherein the first linear actuation device is operable to move the counterweight unit toward and away from the front portion of the rotating bed during a pick, move, and set operation by extending and retracting the first linear actuation device; g) wherein the crane is configured such that the counterweight unit is never supported by the ground other than indirectly by the moveable ground engaging members on the carbody throughout all pick, move, and set operations; and h) wherein the counterweight unit is operable to be moved a greater horizontal distance toward and away from the front portion of the rotating bed than a distance of a stroke of the first linear actuation device that causes the counterweight unit to move.