of non-electric driving means

The present invention refers to a transmission mechanism with a handle for controlling of non-electric driving means, e.g. on cranes. When such invention is applied on a crane, pursuant to the International Patent Classification it belongs to transporting and lifting appliances, namely to construction details of cranes, i.e. to handles which are suitable for controlling non-electric driving means on cranes, which means into the class B 66 C 13/20.

In this the invention is based on a problem, how to create a transmission mechanism with a handle suitable for controlling non-electric, e.g. hydraulic, driving means on cranes, e.g. mobile cranes, wherein such transmission mechanism together with each belonging handle should be located within the commanding area and should enable on the one hand a precise and simultaneous transmission of forces and strokes from the control handle to each control member of each disposable control unit for controlling of a non-electric driving means, although the last is located outside of said commanding area, and on the other hand, despite to maintaining completely unchanged forces each required strokes of the handle, which are required for displacing said handle, should be essentially reduced and despite to arbitrary increasing each distance between said handle and each corresponding actuating member still maintained within the ergonomically acceptable values, which then enable to each operator to control each machine, e.g. a crane, properly and comfortably. A transmission mechanism for controlling of non-electric driving means on cranes is disclosed in CN 203079563 U. In fact, this is a group of handles intended for manipulating with non-electric driving means on cranes, namely of hydraulic control valves suitable for controlling of hydraulic circuits, in which in addition to a reservoir for storage of each hydraulic media at least one pump is integrated, which serves for compression and transporting said hydraulic media through via control valves towards each particular hydraulic driving means, namely hydraulic cylinders in this particular case. Each handle is pivotally embedded within a suitable casing and is mechanically connected with a control member of each belonging control unit of a driving means. Each of said control valves is integrated into hydraulic circuit by means of hydraulic conduits. In more complex hydraulic circuits a plurality of control valves needs to be controlled. However, since each handle is pivotal just around a single axis, just one control valve can be controlled by means of such handle. Of that reason in said case there is a plurality, e.g. five or six handles, which are arranged in a sequence adjacent to each other, and there is also a plurality of hydraulic conduits, which is also unavoidable present adjacent to said control valves. Said conduits occupy a mass of volume, and heat is transferred from conduits to each surrounding, and at the same time there is also always a risk of leakage in the area of each conduit of each hydraulic circuit as well as in the area of corresponding connectors. In practice it is therefore always preferred that control valves are arranged outside of the cabin or at least in such place that the operator is not exposed to previously mentioned influences. In the discussed case transposition of control valves is possible only by means of extension of handles. However, extension of handle leads to increasing of force required for shifting of a control member, and also to increasing of preciseness by shifting said control member. In fact, said consequences are pretty useless, since the force as required for shifting the control member is usually not problematic anyway, and also said shifting means simply changing a position of the control member from one to another terminal position, so that preciseness of controlling e.g. in each intermediate positions is not problematic at all. On the other hand, each extending of the handle leads to proportional extension of strokes of the handle, which may due to limited space within a cabin quickly lead to serious problems. The operator within said cabin is usually suffering on lack of space anyway, and is seating by performing his activities. Too long strokes of handles, unless admissible by each available dimensions of the cabin at all, are from the point of view of the operator connected with much more problems, since such strokes then require permanently changing of the operators position and lead to additional energy consumption and reduction of concentration due to reduction of observation angles and working in uncomfortable positions.

A further mechanism with a control handle is disclosed in CN 10583626 A. Also in such case the handle is pivotally embedded within appropriate casing and is mechanically connected with at least two hydraulic cylinders, each of them extending along the one of possible directions of moving said handle and transversally with respect to a direction of extension of the handle as such. If the handle is in its neutral position situated vertically, said cylinder or. cylinders is/are placed in a horizontal plane. In such case each of said cylinders is via appropriate hydraulic conduit connected with a control unit of a non-electric driving means. Consequently, each hydraulic conduits of the main hydraulic circuit can be arranged outside of the commanding cabin and therefore at an appropriate distance apart from the control handle, however, the hydraulic conduits, by which the hydraulic cylinders adjacent to the handle are connected with the control unit, must still be arranged closely to the handle. On the other hand, the previously mentioned arrangement of hydraulic cylinders adjacent to the handle also requires a lot of space, so that each potential possibility of mounting said cylinders into interior of a cabin of e.g. a mobile truck crane appears to be impossible.

One of known and commonly used mechanisms with a handle is shown in Fig. 1.

The present invention refers to a transmission mechanism with a handle for controlling of non-electric driving means, e.g. on cranes, in particular of hydraulic electric driving means on mobile cranes, Such mechanism comprises a casing, which is attachable to each disposable control unit suitable for controlling of each particular non-electric driving means, e.g. on a crane, and in which said handle is mounted, which is pivotable around at least one geometric axis from its first terminal position into its second terminal position. Said handle is pivotally connected with at least one pair of control members of a control unit, which is suitable for controlling of each disposable non-electric driving means.

Said handle, which is inside of said casing 3 arranged pivotally around at least one geometric axis and extends at least approximately perpendicularly with respect to said pivoting axis , is in accordance with the present invention within said casing furnished with at least one pair of arms, which are simultaneously pivotable around said axis and protrude apart from each other and perpendicularly with respect to said axis. Moreover, said handle is by means of each belonging pair of control members, which are suitable for controlling of each disposable non-electric driving means, connected by means of a pair of sufficiently buckling resistant transmission rods, which extend parallel with each other and are in a direction of said axis of pivoting said handle spaced apart from each other and are by pivoting said handle movable in opposite directions. Each of said rods is on its first end portion pivotally connected with each belonging control member of said control unit and on its second end portion pivotally with each belonging arm of the handle.

The invention further provides that each of said transmission rods is with a sufficient clearance inserted within a guide, which is available within said casing.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention, said handle is mounted within said casing in such manner, that it is pivotable around a single axis. In such case said handle is furnished with a pair of arms, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis and also with respect to a direction of extension of the handle itself, and which are each per se pivotally connected with each belonging end portion of a corresponding transmission rod, which is in the area of its residual end portion pivotally connected with each particular control member of the control unit.

A further embodiment of the invention is also possible, in which said handle is functioning as a control stick (i.e. like a joystick). In such case said handle is mounted within said casing in such manner that is pivotable around two geometric axles, which extend perpendicularly with respect to each other and also substantially perpendicularly with respect to each direction of extension of said handle. Consequently, said handle is on the one hand due to pivoting thereof around the first geometric axis furnished with a pair of arms, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis and also perpendicularly with respect to a direction of extension of said handle, and is on the other hand due to pivoting thereof around said second geometric axis furnished with a further pair of arms, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis and also perpendicularly with respect to a direction of extension of said handle. In this, said handle is in the area of said firstly mentioned pair of arms pivotally connected with a pair of transmission rods, which extend parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other in a direction transversally with respect to said axis of pivoting said handle and are on the other hand by pivoting said handle each per se displaceable in opposite directions and are each per se pivotally connected with corresponding control members of the control unit. Besides said handle is in the area of the lastly mentioned arms pivotally connected with a pair of transmission rods, which extend parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other in a direction transversally with respect to said axis of pivoting said handle and are the other hand by pivoting said handle each per se displaceable in opposite directions and are each per se pivotally connected with two further belonging control members of the control unit.

The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of an embodiment, which is presented in the attached drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a front view of a state of the art transmission mechanism 1 with a handle 2 for controlling of non-electric driving means on cranes;

Fig. 2 is a front view of transmission mechanism 1 with a handle 2 for controlling of non-electric driving means on cranes according to the invention; and Fig. 3 is a transmission mechanism with a handle according to fig 2, presented in cross-section along its central plane and in isometric view.

The present invention refers to an improved transmission mechanism 1 with a handle 2 for controlling of non-electric driving means, e.g. on a crane. Such mechanism comprises a casing 3, which is suitable for attachment to each disposable control unit 4, which is suitable for controlling of each particular nonelectric driving means, e.g. on a crane.

As evident in Fig. 1, such mechanism 1 is generally adapted for controlling of a non-electric driving means, which is performed by means of a control unit 4, which comprises at least two control members 41, 42. Controlling is performed by means of a controlling handle 2, which is pivotally at an angle a in one or another direction around at least one geometric axis X-X or/and Y-Y (Fig. 3) embedded within said casing 3. In the present state of the art solution, said handle is located at the distance L apart from said casing 3, and the length of its movement between both terminal positions thereof is marked as Bj.

Namely, the purpose of the invention is either to shorten said length _\ of the movement by unchanged distance L apart from the casing 3 to a smaller value B ₂ (Fig. 2), or to maintain said length B ₂ of the movement unchanged despite to arbitrary extending said distance L apart from the casing e.g. due to arrangement of the control unit 4 at the utmost distance apart from the handle 2, which may be desired e.g. for ergonomic reasons. In addition to that, on cranes is usually desired that the handle 2 is situated inside of the crane cabin, while the control unit 4 together with each belonging installations should be arranged in a suitable place outside of said cabin, where each operator cannot be disturbed anyhow due to the presence of said installations.

A handle 2 is mounted within said casing 3, and is pivotable around at least one geometric axis X-X; Y-Y from its first terminal position into its second terminal position and which is pivotally connected with at least one pair of control members 41, 42 of a control unit 4, which is suitable for controlling of each disposable nonelectric driving means.

In the shown embodiment, said control unit 4 is a hydraulic control valve, which is suitable for controlling of a hydraulic cylinder as a non-electric driving unit for a crane, in this particular case a mobile hydraulic crane, which can be mounted on a chassis of a truck. Said control unit 4, i.e. said control valve, is furnished with two control members 41, 42, which are in this particular case intended for alternatively releasing or blocking of flowing each disposable hydraulic media through corresponding hydraulic conduits, so that for example the first hydraulic conduit is used for supplying each hydraulic media into a hydraulic cylinder on the one side of the piston, while the hydraulic media on the other side of said piston is drained from said cylinder through the other conduit. Of course, there are numerous other possible applications of such concept.

By the transmission mechanism 1 according to the invention (Figs. 2 and 3), said handle 2, which is inside of said casing 3 arranged pivotally around at least one geometric axis X-X, Y-Y and extends at least approximately perpendicularly with respect to said pivoting axis X-X, Y-Y, is within said casing 3 furnished with at least one pair of arms 21, 22, which are simultaneously pivotable around said axis X-X, Y-Y and protrude apart from each other and perpendicularly with respect to said axis X-X, Y-Y. Said handle 2 is connected with each belonging pair of said control members 41 , 42, which are suitable for controlling of each disposable nonelectric driving means, by means of a pair of sufficiently buckling resistant transmission rods 51, 52, which extend parallel with each other and are in a direction of said axis X-X, Y-Y of pivoting said handle 2 spaced apart from each other and are by pivoting said handle 2 movable in opposite directions. Each of said transmission rods is on its first end portion 5 Γ, 52' pivotally connected with each belonging control member 41, 42 of said control unit 4 and on its second end portion 51 ", 52" pivotally with each belonging arm 21, 22 of the handle 2.

Said pivotal connection of each transmission rod 51, 52 is in this particular case realized by means of bolts, which are in a manner as known to any person skilled in the art mounted to extend on the one hand through each transmission rod 51, 52 and on the other hand also through each belonging arm 21, 22 of the handle 2, or a corresponding control member 41, 42 of each disposable control unit 4.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention each of said transmission rods 51, 52 is with a sufficient clearance inserted within a guide 31, 32, which is available within said casing 3. Said guiding of the transmission rods 51, 52 by moving in a longitudinal direction thereof is normally advisable; however it not compulsory.

In order to transfer all forces and displacements from the handle 2 to each control member 41, 42 on the control unit it is usually sufficient, if each disposable transmission rod 51, 52 is capable to take-over the force, which is necessary for shifting each control member 41, 42, and is sufficiently stable and resistant with respect to bending and buckling, so that any excessive bending deformations of the transmission rod 51, 52, which could lead to problems by manipulating with the control unit 4 by means of the handle 2, are completely excluded.

The most simplified embodiment of the transmission mechanism 1 according to the invention provides that the handle 2 is mounted within said casing 3 in such manner, that it is pivotable around just one axis Y-Y and is furnished with a pair of arms 21, 22, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis Y-Y and also with respect to a direction of extension of the handle 2 itself, and which are each per se pivotally connected with each belonging end portion 51 ", 52" of a corresponding transmission rod 51, 52. Each of said transmission rods 51, 52 is on its residual end portion 5 , 52' pivotally connected with each particular control member 41, 42 of the control unit 4.

The invention also provides for application of a handle 2, which is pivotable around two geometric axles X-X and Y-Y, wherein such handle 2 then operates as a control stick (i.e. a joystick) and within the frame of pre-determined and limited strokes, regardless to each distance of each control unit 4 apart from the handle 2.

In such case, said handle 2 is mounted within said casing 3 in such manner that is pivotable around two geometric axles X-X; Y-Y, which extend perpendicularly both with respect to each other and also substantially with respect to each direction of extension of said handle 2, wherein said handle 2 is on the one hand due to pivoting thereof around the first geometric axis Y-Y furnished with a pair of arms 21, 22, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis Y-Y and also perpendicularly with respect to a direction of extension of said handle 2, and is on the other hand due to pivoting thereof around the second geometric axis X-X furnished with a further pair of arms, which protrude apart from each other and extend perpendicularly with respect to said axis Y-Y and also perpendicularly with respect to a direction of extension of said handle 2. Moreover, said handle 2 is in the area of the firstly mentioned arms 21, 22 pivotally connected with a pair of transmission rods 51, 52, which extend parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other in a direction transversally with respect to said axis Y-Y of pivoting said handle 2 and are the other hand by pivoting said handle 2 each per se displaceable in opposite directions and are each per se pivotally connected with corresponding control members 41, 42 of the control unit 4. Still further, Said handle 2 is in the area of the lastly mentioned arms pivotally connected with a pair of transmission rods, which extend parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other in a direction transversally with respect to said axis X-X of pivoting said handle 2 and are the other hand by pivoting said handle 2 each per se displaceable in opposite directions and are each per se pivotally connected with two further belonging control members of the control unit 4.

It is therefore clear to any person skilled in the art, that by pivoting said handle 2 around at least one of said axles X-X and/or Y-Y appropriate movement of at least one pair of said parallel transmission rods 51, 52 in opposite directions is achieved, and, since said rods are connected with actuating members 41 , 42 of a control unit, also controlling of a non-electric driving means is enabled, e.g. on a crane.