Patent ID: 7762412

Claim:
A method of setting up a mobile lift crane, the lift crane comprising, when set up, a carbody having moveable ground engaging members; a rotating bed rotatably connected to the carbody such that the rotating bed can swing with respect to the ground engaging members; a boom pivotally mounted on a front portion of the rotating bed, with a hoist line extending therefrom; a mast mounted at its first end on the rotating bed and having a second end opposite the first end; the method comprising: a) transporting the mast to a job site separately from the rotating bed, moving the mast from a position in which it is not connected to the rotating bed to a position where it can be connected to the rotating bed, connecting the mast to the rotating bed and positioning the mast in a first position so that it extends rearwardly over the rotating bed; b) utilizing a linear actuation device also connected to the rotating bed to pivotally rotate the mast from its first position about its connection to the rotating bed, thereby raising the second end of the mast to a second position where the mast is used during crane pick, move and set operations; and c) further connecting the mast in its second position to the rotating bed so as to provide the mast with a fixed angle compared to the plane of rotation of the rotating bed when the angle of the boom compared to the plane of rotation of the rotating bed changes during crane pick, move and set operations, wherein the mast connection to the rotating bed in its second position is made after the second end of the mast is raised to the second position.