Granted Patent B2

US 7,007,764 · App. 10/313,266 · Granted Mar 7, 2006

Abstract

Claims (25)

1. A crawler vehicle having a lower works comprising a carbody and a pair of crawler assemblies, said crawler assemblies each being removably connected to said carbody by a plurality of spaced apart carbody to crawler connections disposed along an axis of the crawler assembly, each of said carbody to crawler connections comprising:

a carbody connection weldment affixed to an arm portion of said carbody, said carbody connection weldment including a horizontally disposed top flange member and a vertical flange member, said vertical flange member being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly; and

a crawler connection weldment affixed to a crawler frame of said crawler assembly, said crawler connection weldment including a horizontally disposed top flange member and a vertical flange member, said vertical flange member being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly,

wherein the top flange member of said carbody connection weldment and the top flange member of said crawler connection weldment are configured to abut against each other when said crawler is assembled to said carbody,

wherein one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment comprises a pair of vertical flanges disposed along a pair of spaced apart parallel planes that intersect the axis of the crawler assembly, and the vertical flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment is disposed between the pair of vertical flanges when said crawler is assembled to said carbody,

wherein one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a keyway, and the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a key, said key being configured to engage said keyway so as to prevent misalignment between said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment, and

further wherein said key and said keyway are disposed in the top flange members of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment.

2. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a second keyway, and the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a second key, said second key and said second keyway being disposed adjacent a bottom portion of said carbody to crawler connection.

3. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein a bottom flange member is connected between the pair of vertical flange members of the one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment, said bottom flange member being configured to engage the vertical flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment.

4. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein a horizontal pin is disposed through each of the vertical flange members.

5. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of horizontal pins are disposed through each of the vertical flange members, at least one of said pins being removable so as to permit said crawler connection weldment to be disconnected from said carbody connection weldment.

6. The crawler vehicle according to claim 5 wherein said removable pin is actuated by a hydraulic mechanism affixed to one of the carbody and the pair of crawler assemblies.

7. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein a pin extends between the pair of vertical flange members of the one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment, and the vertical flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment comprises a hook that is configured to engage to pin.

8. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said key comprises a rectangular male engagement member extending horizontally from an end of one of said top flange members, and wherein said keyway comprises a rectangular female engagement member formed in an end of the other of said top flange members.

9. The crawler vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said crawler vehicle is a crane having an upper works rotatably mounted on said lower works, and further wherein a boom is pivotally mounted on the upper works.

10. A crawler crane having an upper works rotatably mounted on a lower works and a boom pivotally mounted on the upper works, said lower works comprising a carbody and a pair of crawler assemblies, each of said crawler assemblies being removably connected to said carbody by a plurality of carbody to crawler connections disposed at spaced apart locations along an axis of the crawler assembly, each of said carbody to crawler connections comprising:

a carbody connection member affixed to an arm portion of said carbody, said carbody connection member comprising a horizontal top flange, a horizontal bottom flange, and a pair of spaced apart vertical flanges connected between said top and bottom flanges, each of said pair of vertical flanges being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly; and

a crawler connection member affixed to a crawler frame of said crawler assembly, said crawler connection member comprising a horizontal top flange and a vertical flange, said vertical flange being disposed along a plane that intersects the axis of the crawler assembly,

wherein the vertical flange of said crawler connection member is disposed in between the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member,

wherein at least one pin is disposed through the vertical flange of said crawler connection member and the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member, said pin being configured so as to transfer forces between said crawler assemblies and said carbody, and

wherein the top flange of one of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a keyway, and the top flange of the other of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment includes a key, said key being configured to mate with said keyway so as to prevent misalignment between the top flanges of said carbody connection weldment and said crawler connection weldment.

11. The crawler crane according to claim 10 wherein said at least one pin comprises a fixed pin and a removable pin, further wherein said fixed pin extends between an upper portion of the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member, and an upper portion of the vertical flange of said crawler connection member comprises a hook portion that is configured to engage said fixed pin, and further wherein said removable pin extends through a lower portion of the vertical flange of said crawler connection member and a lower portion of each of the pair of vertical flanges of said carbody connection member.

12. The crawler crane according to claim 11 wherein said removable pin is actuated by a hydraulic mechanism affixed to one of the carbody and the pair of crawler assemblies.

13. The crawler crane according to claim 10 wherein said carbody connection member comprises a rectangular female engagement member formed in an end of the of the bottom flange that is configured to mate with the vertical flange of said crawler connection weldment so as to prevent misalignment between the bottom flange of said carbody connection member and the lower portion of said crawler connection member.

14. The crawler crane according to claim 10 wherein said key comprises a rectangular male engagement member extending horizontally from an end of one of said top flange members, and wherein said keyway comprises a rectangular female engagement member formed in an end of the other of said top flange members.

Assignments (13)