BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Lifting devices are known. The chassis is generally supported on a tractor base. The boom is arranged at the front of the chassis and is capable of rotating. The chassis is also fitted with an A-frame-like structure, termed an A-frame. A line typically runs between the upper end of the boom and the A-frame structure and is arranged by way of holding ropes, pulley blocks and rope winches. This line is used to hold the boom in place and to rotate the boom by lengthening or shortening the line in a relative manner. The A-frame structure can be solidly attached to the chassis or rotate on it. If the A-frame structure rotates on it, the rotating frame is with the help of lines maintained in a respective position. In all the known units, the distance between the bearings for the boom and those for the A-frame structure or the bearings for the line winches and lifting blocks is equal to the useful chassis length. Accordingly, the chassis must be very massive to cope with the enormous forces that are placed on it. Furthermore, the chassis generally requires two hoisting winches and one draw-in winch. The use of multiple winches makes it more difficult to install auxiliary equipment such as drive motors, pumps, oil tanks etc. on the chassis.

It is, therefore, a feature of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method that offers more favorable load conditions.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method that leads to a lighter and thus less expensive chassis.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method such that provides more favorable space utilization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the foregoing objects, features, and advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein is a crane apparatus and method.

A crane for freely suspending a load above the ground is provided comprising a lower structure and a butt adapter pivotally mounted to the lower structure to enable the butt adapter to pivot freely in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of said lower structure. Also provided is a boom affixed to said butt adapter. A gantry is provided comprising a fixed end and a free end, with the fixed end rigidly affixed to the butt adapter in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the butt adapter and the free end able to freely pivot about its fixed end upon pivotal motion of the butt adapter.

A guide wire has a gantry end and a boom remote therefrom. The gantry end is affixed to the free end of the gantry and the boom end is affixed to the boom.

The guide wire keeps the boom, butt adapter and gantry in a rigidly fixed relationship as the butt adapter pivots. An activating device comprising a forcing end and a pivoting end is provided with the pivoting end mounted to the lower structure and the forcing end affixed to the butt adapter. The actuating device can move the butt adapter.

In another embodiment, a crane for freely suspending a load above the ground is provided having a lower structure adapted for use with an excavator crawler. An upper structure adapted for use with an excavator upper which upper structure is affixed to said lower structure. A receptacle is affixed to the upper structure. A butt adapter is pivotally mounted to the receptacle to enable the butt adapter to pivot freely in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the upper structure. A boom insert is affixed to the butt adapter. A boom is affixed to the boom insert. A gantry has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is rigidly affixed to the butt adapter in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the butt adapter and the free end is able to freely pivot about its fixed end upon pivotal motion of the butt adapter.

A guide wire has a gantry end and a boom end. The gantry end is affixed to the free end of the gantry and the boom end is affixed to the boom. The guide wire keeps the boom, boom insert, butt adapter and gantry in a rigidly fixed relationship as the butt adapter pivots. An activating device has a forcing end and a pivoting end. The pivoting end is pivotally mounted to the upper structure and the forcing end is affixed to the butt adapter, the actuating device is capable of moving the butt adapter.

In yet another embodiment, a crane apparatus is provided for freely suspending a load above the ground. The crane apparatus has a lower structure adapted for use with an excavator comprising a swivel at a position remote from the ground and a continuous belt drive track for mobilizing the crane over the ground. The swivel is capable of being moved from an unlocked state to a locked state. An upper structure is adapted for use with an excavator comprising a support chamber end and a platform. The support chamber end is capable of receiving counterweights to provide structural integrity to the upper structure and the platform comprising a support end and a boom end, and providing a structural base for the lifting device. The upper structure is pivotally mounted on the swivel of the lower structure such that the upper structure is able to rotate freely about its vertical axis while the swivel is in its unlocked state and the upper structure remains fixed in its rotated position while the swivel is in its locked state. A receptacle is affixed to the platform of the upper structure such that the longitudinal axis of the receptacle coincides with the longitudinal axis of the platform of the upper structure. A butt adapter has a receptacle end and a boom insert end. The receptacle end is pivotally mounted to the receptacle to enable the boom insert end of the butt adapter to pivot freely about the mounted receptacle end in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the platform of the upper structure from a first horizontal position, in which the longitudinal axis of the butt adapter lies in a horizontal plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of said upper structure with the boom insert end of said butt adapter pointing away from said support chamber of said upper structure, to a second vertical position in which the longitudinal axis of said butt adapter lies in a vertical plane coincident with the vertical axis of said upper structure. A boom insert having a butt end and a boom end. The butt end is affixed to the boom end of the butt adapter. The boom has a fixed end and a functional end. Thefixed end is rigidly affixed to the boom end of the boom insert. A gantry has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end of the gantry is rigidly affixed to the butt adapter in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the butt adapter and the free end is able to freely pivot about its fixed end upon pivotal motion of the butt adapter. A guide wire has a gantry end and a boom end. The gantry end is affixed to the free end of the gantry and

the boom end is affixed to the functional end of the boom. The guide wire keeps the boom, boom insert, butt adapter and gantry in a rigidly fixed relationship as the butt adapter pivots from its a first horizontal position to a second vertical position. An activating device has a forcing end and a pivoting end. The pivoting end of the activating device is pivotally mounted to the boom end of the platform of the upper structure and the forcing end is affixed to the boom insert end of the butt adapter. The actuating device is capable of moving the butt adapter from its first horizontal position to its second vertical position.

In yet still another embodiment, an improved method of disengaging a boom from a crane is provided. The crane has a gantry, butt adapter, and boom insert. The boom is held in a fixed relationship by a guide wire. The crane has a stabilizing device affixed between the butt adapter and the boom insert. The method comprises the steps of releasing the tension in the guide wire, releasing opposite sets of pins connecting the boom insert to the boom such upon the application of a requisite force, the boom is able to pivot about the remaining connected pins between the boom insert and the boom, applying a requisite force by extending the hydraulic cylinder of the stabilizing device such that the boom is able to pivot about the remaining connected pins between the boom insert and the boom, breaking apart the connection between the boom and boom insert, and releasing the remaining pins between the boom and boom insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional crane device.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an end view illustrating the relationship between the lower structure, the swivel, and the upper structure used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lower structure, continuous belt drive and swivel of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper structure mounted on the lower structure shown in FIG. 4. A portion of the upper structure is cut away to reveal the components of the receptacle.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the boom shown in FIG. 2 with an intermediate member added.

FIG. 7 is a detailed elevational view showing the relationship between the butt adapter, the receptacle, the boom end of the platform and the actuating device of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The illustration shows the range of motion of the butt adapter and actuating device.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating the scope of coverage of the boom of the preferred embodiment of the crane apparatus of the present invention. The crane is shown moving from Position A to a Position B.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view showning the relationship between the gantry, the boom and the butt adapter of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a detailed elevational view showing the relationship of the butt adapter and boom shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a detailed elevational view showing the interaction between the butt adapter, the actuating device, the stabilizing device, the boom insert and the boom as the boom is being disassembled.

FIG. 12 is an illustration showing the gantry being used to remove support weights from the support chamber. The illustration shows the relationship between the support platform and support chamber of the upper structure and the gantry attached to the butt adapter as the support weight is lifted.

FIG. 13 shows the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2 with the winch located on the gantry rather than the butt adapter.

The above general description and the following detailed description are merely illustrative of the generic invention, and additional modes, advantages, and particulars of this invention will be readily suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention as described in the accompanying drawings.

Referring first to FIGS. 2 and 4, the lower structure of the preferred embodiment of the crane (referred to generally as 100) of the present invention is shown. The lower structure 200 of the crane is that of an excavator crawler. The lower structure provides support for the crane 100 and enables the crane 100 to both rotate and move laterally. Rotation of the crane is enabled by the swivel 230 affixed to the upper portion of the lower structure 200. The upper structure 300 is attached to the lower structure 200 by engagement with the swivel 230. Thus, the upper structure 300 is rotatably engaged with the lower structure 200. Lateral movement of the crane 100 is provided by the continuous belt drive track 210 powered by the belt spool 230.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the upper structure 300 of the crane 100 is shown. The support platform 320 of the upper structure 300 consists of a support end 322 and a boom end 324. The support end 322 provides support for the support chamber 310. The support chamber 310 houses the counterweights 326 used to provide stability to the crane when lifting. The boom end 324 of the support platform 320 houses the receptacle 340 and the actuator securing device 330. As shown in FIG. 5 in perspective view, the receptacle 340 is comprised of a left and right side wall (340a and 340b, respectively) which form a channel 350 in the receptacle. Additionally, there are securing devices 360 along the walls 340a and 340b of the receptacle 340 for attachment to the crane boom. The actuator securing device 330 is provided to attach the actuating device 1000 to the support platform 320.

Referring to FIG. 2, the butt adapter 400 is shown affixed to the crane 100 of the preferred embodiment. The butt adapter 400 is affixed at its receptacle end 410 to the receptacle 340. The butt adapter 400 is secured to the receptacle 410 by use of the securing devices 360 on the receptacle 340 and the receptacle securing devices 430 on the butt adapter 400. The connection between the butt adapter 400 and the receptacle 340 is such as to allow the butt adapter 400 to pivot about the receptacle 340 in a plane parallel to the channel 350 in the receptacle 340. Affixed to the receptacle end 410 of the butt adapter 400 are gantry securing devices 460 which enable the gantry 800 to be affixed to the butt adapter 400. The opposite end of the butt adapter 400, the boom insert end 420, houses boom securing devices 450 which enable the butt adapter 400 to attach to the boom insert 500. Also, the boom insert end 420 of the butt adapter 400 houses an actuator securing device 440 to enable the actuation device 1000 to attach to the butt adapter 400.

As mentioned above, the boom insert 500 is attached to the butt adapter 400 by securing the butt adapter securing devices 530 located on the butt end 510 of the boom insert 500 to the boom securing devices 450 attached to the butt adapter 400. The connection allows for the boom insert 500 to rotate along a plane perpendicular to its parallel axis. The opposite end of the boom insert 500 is the boom end 520. The boom end 520 of the boom insert 500 has exterior and interior boom securing devices (540a and 540b, respectively).

Affixed to the boom insert 500 is the actual boom 600. The boom 600 is affixed at its fixed end 610 to the boom insert 500 by securing the exterior and interior boom securing devices (630a and 630b, respectively) to the exterior and interior boom securing devices 540a and 540b on the boom insert 500.

Opposite the fixed end 610, the functional end 620 of the boom 600 houses the guide wire securing device 640.

In the event that additional lift is required, intermediate boom members can be added. As shown in FIG. 6, the intermediate boom members 700 are affixed at their insert end 710 to the boom insert 500 and are affixed at their boom end 720 to the boom 600. The intermediate members are

secured to the boom insert and the boom by interior and exterior securing devices shown on FIG. 6 as numerals 730a, 730b, 740a, and 740b.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the relationship of the gantry 800 to the butt adapter 400 is shown. The gantry 800 is affixed at its fixed end 820 to the butt adapter 400. The butt adapter securing device 840 is secured to the gantry securing device 460 located on the butt adapter 460. The connection between the gantry 800 and the butt adapter 400 is a rigid connection. The free end 810 of the gantry 800 houses a guide wire securing device 830. The gantry end 910 of the guide wire 900 is affixed to the guide wire securing device 830 and the boom end 920 of the guide wire 900 is affixed to the guide wire securing device 640 of the boom 600. The guide wire 900 acts to keep the gantry 800, the butt adapter 400, the boom insert 500 and the boom 600 in a rigidly fixed relationship. Thus, all of the components rotate about the receptacle 340 in a fixed relationship by virtue of the gantry 800 and the guide wire 900. In addition to providing stability, an additional feature of the gantry 800 is shown in FIG. 12. The gantry 800, as shown in FIG. 12 can be used to lift the counterweights 326 from the support chamber 310 by affixing a hook to the free end 830 of the gantry 800.

Referring back to FIG. 2, to ensure that the boom 600 is unable to fall back towards the gantry 800, a stabilizing device 1100 is provided. The stabilizing device 1100 is affixed at its butt adapter end 1110 to the butt adapter 400 and at its boom insert end 1120 to the boom insert 500. The stabilizing device 1100 provides resistance to movement of the boom insert 500 relative to the butt adapter 400. Thus, the stabilizing device 1100 ensure that the rigid relationship between the gantry 800, butt adapter 400, and boom 600 is maintained. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the stabilizing device 1100 also helps to disassemble the boom 600 from the boom insert 500.

Once the guide wire 900 is removed and the boom 600 is moved to a horizontal position in which the boom 600 is actually resting on the ground, the securing devices at 540b and 630b are disabled. In the event that the boom insert 500 and the boom 600 are unable to break free, the stabilizing device 1100 provides a force to break the connection apart.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the actuating device 1000 is connected between the butt adapter 400 and the support platform 320 of the upper structure 300. The actuating device 1000 is pivotally connected by the butt adapter securing devices 1030 at its forcing end 1010 to the actuator securing devices 440 of the butt adapter. Likewise, the actuating device 1000 is pivotally connected by the platform securing devices 1040 to the securing devices 300 of the platform 320. The actuating device 1000 enables the boom 600 of the crane to lift. Extension of the forcing end 1010 of the actuating device 1000 forces the butt adapter 400 to rotate upwards. In turn, the boom 600 is also forced to move upwards.

In order to perform the necessary operation, the crane 100 is provided with a winch 1200 or a series of winches (not shown). The winch 1200 is shown affixed to the butt adapter 400 in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2. Shown in FIG. 13, the winch 1200 is shown affixed to the gantry 800.

The winch 1200 is comprised of a winch pulley 1220 and a functional end 1230 of the winch 1200. The functional end 1230 is interchangeable depending on the operation being performed.

The foregoing description is illustrative and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and variations in the size, shape, materials and other details will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that all such variations and modifications which fall within the scope or spirit of the appended claims be embraced thereby. Additional advantages and modification will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, and the illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, the departures may be made from the details without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed general inventive concept.