Mobile crane and crane placement device

Abstract

To provide a mobile crane that minimizes reduction in maneuverability of the mobile crane.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a mobile crane, in particular, to a crawler crane, provided with a mobile chassis, and an upper structure rotatably supported on the chassis and having a boom and a ballasting device. The ballasting device is configured to lift or place one or more counterweight elements by a hoist device. According to the present invention, there is provided a placing device that is connected to the chassis and comprises at least one movable placing part movable from a movement position to a placement position and vice versa. In this respect, in the movement position, the length of the chassis is short, and the crane can move on a construction site, whereas in the placement position, the counterweight elements can be placed on the placing part by the ballasting device and the length of the chassis is increased in comparison with the movement position. The present invention further relates to a placing device for such a crane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The invention relates to a mobile crane, in particular a crawler crane, according to the preamble of claim 1 and also to an arrangement for said crane. [Background technology]

[0002] A mobile or traveling crane typically comprises a chassis having a wheeled or crawler chassis, an upper structure rotatably supported on the chassis, a boom rotatably or vertically mounted on the upper structure, and a counterweight device. The counterweight generates a counter torque to the load torque via a lever arm at any position on the upper structure, and rotates together with the upper structure.

[0003] It is known from the prior art to configure a counterweight device as a ballast device that can actively lift and place (lower and place) counterweight elements or counterweight plates placed outside the superstructure. Ballast devices for this purpose generally have one or more ballast cylinders as hoisting devices that extend downwards, engage with the counterweight elements, and can lift them upwards to the superstructure. Such ballast devices are known, for example, from US Pat. No. 5,699,491.

[0004] In mobile cranes, the undercarriage of which has a wheeled chassis, the counterweight element can generally be arranged directly on the undercarriage, from which point it can be lifted to the superstructure by a hoisting device.

[0005] However, crawler cranes do not normally have a mounting area within the ballast of the superstructure, so the counterweight element is generally placed on the ground and must be lifted from there by the ballast. However, construction sites where crawler cranes are deployed often do not have particularly flat surfaces, which can create problems when mounting or lifting the counterweight.

[0006] Preparing and stacking counterweights on the ground for attachment to the crawler crane superstructure also has the general disadvantage that there is no spatial relationship between the location of the counterweight mount on the superstructure and the stacked counterweight elements, and aligning said elements with one another can sometimes be quite complicated.

[0007] Therefore, Patent Document 2 proposes providing a cantilever frame on the chassis of a crawler crane to accommodate a counterweight plate, from which the counterweight plate is lifted by a ballast device at a specific rotational position of the upper structure. However, this solution has the disadvantage that the cantilever frame can only be separated from the chassis in a complicated manner. Therefore, the cantilever frame generally remains attached to the chassis. This lengthens the chassis and reduces maneuverability on construction sites (the turning radius of the chassis increases). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] German Utility Model No. 29621600 [Patent Document 2] German Utility Model No. 202008008595 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Against this background, it is a fundamental object of the present invention to further develop a type of mobile crane which avoids ballast from the ground and at the same time does not impair the maneuverability of the crane. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by a mobile crane having the features of claim 1 and by a laying device having the features of claim 15. Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0011] Thus, on the one hand, there is provided a mobile crane, in particular a crawler crane, comprising a mobile undercarriage and an upper structure rotatably supported on the undercarriage and having a boom and a ballast device, the ballast device being configured to lift or lower and place (deposit) one or more counterweight elements by means of a hoisting device, which may be, for example, one or more hydraulic ballast cylinders.

[0012] According to the present invention, there is provided an installation device connected to a chassis, the installation device comprising at least one movable installation part that can be moved from a transport position to a deployment position and vice versa. In this regard, the transport position is characterized in that the length of the chassis is reduced, in particular minimized, while the deployment position is characterized in that a counterweight element can be deployed (or lifted) on the installation part by means of a ballast device, and the length of the chassis is increased compared to the travel position, in particular maximized to the extent necessary. While the crane is movable on the construction site in the travel position, it is preferred that no counterweight element is supportable on the installation device or installation part in the travel position. The installation position can also be called the installation position.

[0013] The solution according to the invention allows ballasting from the undercarriage, which makes it easier to position the counterweight element and the ballast device relative to each other and does not require a flat surface. At the same time, the possibility of moving the arrangement device to a space-saving transfer position after ballasting has been performed allows for good maneuverability of the crane in a ballasted state, especially since the undercarriage does not increase significantly in length compared to conventional types.

[0014] In this example, the installation device is considered to be part of the chassis (at least when the installation device is installed on the chassis), so an increase or decrease in the length of the installation device corresponds to an increase or decrease in the length of the chassis.

[0015] It is actually conceivable that the movable arrangement part (hereinafter simply referred to as the arrangement part) can pivot, move or extend, fold, or perform other movements. A combination of several movement modes is also conceivable. However, it is preferable that the arrangement part simply pivots, particularly around a vertically arranged rotation axis, and moves back and forth between the travel position and the arrangement position. It is preferable that the arrangement part folds inward in the travel position and outward in the arrangement position.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, the disposition device is configured to remain on the undercarriage during crane operation and / or crane operation. In principle, the disposition device can be a fixed part of the undercarriage and can be fixedly attached, for example, welded to the frame or central frame part of the undercarriage. However, a detachable connection to the undercarriage or its central frame part is preferred because it allows for more flexibility. Thus, the disposition device can also be completely detached from the crane if necessary, for example, to reduce weight for road transport. In this case, the disposition device may have corresponding connection means for detachable connection to the undercarriage or the frame or central frame part of the undercarriage.

[0017] In yet another possible embodiment, at least one of the mounting portions extends substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the chassis in the travel position, and in particular can be pivoted outward in the mounting position in which the at least one mounting portion extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chassis.

[0018] At least one mounting section preferably has one or more mounting areas on its upper surface, where the counterweight elements can be mounted, thereby defining a defined mounting or contact surface for one or more of the counterweight elements, which can be supported in a stable and reliable manner and can be mounted as desired.

[0019] In yet another possible embodiment, the mounting part is provided to be pivotably supported about a vertical axis of rotation, which is preferably off-center, i.e., displaced laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the chassis, in particular to the side of the mounting device, and in the displaced position the mounting part is preferably located on the mounting device (or that part of the mounting device having the axis of rotation), whereas in the mounted position it protrudes therefrom.

[0020] The mounting may be supported by one or more low-friction bronze bushings.

[0021] In yet another possible embodiment, the pivotal support of at least one of the mounting sections is provided via two separate rotary bearings, one above the other. Here, the pivot axis can be divided into two, with one of the divided rotary axes assigned to each rotary bearing. The rotary bearings preferably have different configurations, i.e., are not identical. It is preferable to provide two rotary bearings per mounting section, although in principle it is also conceivable to provide more than two rotary bearings per mounting section.

[0022] In yet another possible embodiment, the lower rolling bearing is configured to be thicker than the upper rolling bearing, which means that the lower rolling bearing is thicker than the upper rolling bearing, at least in the vertical direction.

[0023] The upper rotation bearing is preferably configured to receive mainly horizontal forces, whereas the lower rotation bearing may alternatively or additionally be configured to receive mainly horizontal and vertical forces, in particular the vertical weight force of a counterweight element disposed in the mounting section.

[0024] In yet another possible embodiment, at least one of the mounting parts is provided with locking means that can be locked in the transport position and in the mounting position, respectively, whereby locking can be provided for either manually, for example by installing a locking bolt, or via an actuator.

[0025] It is likewise conceivable that at least one of the mounting parts is rotated by an actuator, in particular a hydraulic cylinder, and that the locking of the mounting part is effected by fixing or locking the actuator.

[0026] However, the simplest arrangement is when the locking bolt can be manually installed and pushed into the corresponding bolt seat to lock at least one installation.

[0027] Yet another possible embodiment provides that locking means are formed on one of the rotary bearings, in particular on the upper rotary bearing, which may be fixed to the rotary bearing or may be formed integrally with the rotary bearing.

[0028] The locking means preferably has or is a notch, in particular a bolt mounting portion, into which a locking element, in particular a locking bolt, can be pressed into a corresponding movement position or mounting position of the mounting portion.

[0029] In yet another possible embodiment, the arrangement device is provided with a first and a second arrangement part, i.e. at least two movable arrangement parts, on which the counterweight element can be arranged in the arrangement position. The arrangement parts are preferably spaced apart from one another and are rotatable, in particular around vertical (i.e. parallel) rotation axes located laterally on oppositely arranged sides of the arrangement device. Preferably, exactly two movable arrangement parts are provided.

[0030] In yet another possible embodiment, the mounting device comprises two parallel frame parts, in particular plate-shaped frame parts or frame plates, to the front side of which the mounting part is connected in a hinged manner.

[0031] The frame plate is preferably connected directly to the chassis, in particular by bolts.

[0032] The term "plate-like frame section" or "frame plate" should be interpreted broadly here and is not limited to an actual (continuous) plate. A flat frame section may instead include cutouts and / or bracing, e.g., a grid or framework element. However, the frame section is preferably a thick metal plate or side wall that receives the rotation axis of the arrangement.

[0033] The frame part in particular transmits the forces acting by the mounted counterweight elements to the structure or central frame part of the undercarriage.

[0034] In yet another possible embodiment, the frame parts have different extents or lengths in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the chassis, and the rotation axes of the arrangements are arranged at different distances from the chassis or central frame part (i.e. also from the rotation axis of the superstructure), thereby making it possible to arrange the arrangements "one behind" in the transfer position, i.e. the inwardly folded arrangements do not lie in a common plane.

[0035] The mounting sections are preferably plate-shaped and are parallel to one another in the transfer position and the mounting position, i.e., the flat sides of the mounting sections face one another. The distance between the parallel mounting sections in the transfer position is in particular smaller than the distance between them in the mounting position.

[0036] The mounting part is therefore rotated outwards by 90° from the transfer position to its mounting position. In principle, however, the maximum rotation angle in the mounting position can be greater or less than 90°, e.g., between 45° and 90° or between 90° and 135°. This may also depend on the size and shape of the counterweight element to be mounted and the width of the chassis. Ultimately, it must be ensured that the counterweight element can be supported in a reliable and stable manner on the mounting part when rotated outwards or in the mounting position.

[0037] In yet another possible embodiment, the arrangement device is provided with at least one centering element configured to cooperate with a corresponding countercentering element on the underside of the counterweight element for precise positioning of the counterweight element arranged on the arrangement device, thereby ensuring that the hoisting device of the ballast unit lifts the counterweight element accurately. Since the counterweight element is accurately positioned by the centering element, complex manual positioning can be omitted.

[0038] The at least one centering element is preferably arranged on the upper side of the installation device and / or formed as an upwardly projecting protrusion. A corresponding recess, into which the protrusion moves during installation, can be provided on the counterweight element as a counter-centering element. The recess can be chamfered or conical near its opening to facilitate the placement or introduction of the centering element.

[0039] In yet another possible embodiment, at least two centering elements are provided, where at least one centering element is fixedly connected to each of the frame parts, i.e., the centering element does not move with the mounting part. Since the position of the centering element requires high precision, it is not suitable to attach it to a movable mounting part.

[0040] Therefore, the separation between the centering element and the mounting part is ideally such that the relative position of the centering element with respect to the rotation axis of the upper structure is always the same. This effect also ensures that the forces generated when aligning the counterweight element are not transmitted via the rotation bearing of the mounting part. Furthermore, the centering element cannot be attached to the mounting part due to its space requirements, and is therefore effectively fixed to the frame part as a welded structure. This avoids stiffness between the mounting parts and reduces the number of loose parts.

[0041] In yet another possible embodiment, the arrangement device has a ballast element and is configured to function as a central ballast. In this respect, any structure can be considered as a ballast element whose main function is to generate a force of a corresponding weight. The central ballast does not move with the superstructure or the load, but rather generally increases the mass of the chassis and acts independently of the position / location of the load.

[0042] Such central ballasts can in principle be provided both at the front and at the rear of the chassis, and either one central ballast (for example the rear one) or both central ballast arrangements can be formed as mounting arrangements.

[0043] The ballast element may be integral with the bearing structure of the arrangement (fixedly connected and formed as one piece) or may be removably connected to the bearing structure of the arrangement by, for example, bolts and / or screws.

[0044] The deployment device can be thought of as the central ballast itself or as part of the central ballast.

[0045] The arrangement device preferably has, as mentioned above, two parallel frame parts, in particular frame plates, to the front sides of which the respective arrangement parts are connected in a hinged manner, and the ballast element is arranged between the frame parts. The frame parts and the ballast element can be fixedly or permanently connected to each other, or can be removably connected to each other, for example by means of bolts and / or screws.

[0046] Alternatively, the mounting device can be directly attached to the central frame of the chassis. In principle, it is conceivable to connect at least one rotatable mounting element directly to the central frame of the chassis in a hinged manner. Preferably, two rotatable mounting elements are provided in sequence, with their rotation axes advantageously offset from one another, as described above. In such an embodiment, it is also possible to fasten only one of the two mounting elements to the frame, in order to facilitate the offset of the rotation axes. However, instead of the frame, the rearwardly offset mounting element can also be rotatably supported on a projection of the central frame element or on a separate element connected to the central frame element.

[0047] At least one of the arrangements may be movable manually or by means of an actuator, in particular a hydraulic cylinder.

[0048] The invention further relates to a mounting device for a crane according to the invention, which obviously offers the same advantages and characteristics as the crane according to the invention, so that a repeat description of this point will be omitted.

[0049] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will emerge from the embodiments described below with reference to the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0050] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a crawler crane known in the prior art. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a side view of the crane of the present invention in a preferred embodiment as a crawler crane. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view of the crane of the present invention in a preferred embodiment as a crawler crane. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the deployment device of the present invention according to a preferred embodiment in a transfer position. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows the deployment device of FIG. 4 in a deployment position. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a vehicle chassis with the inventive installation device in a transport position. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cross section through one of the frame portions of the deployment device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inventive installation device with two counterweight elements in the installed position, taken in section through the counterweight elements. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the crane of FIG. 3 in the area of ​​the installation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] A crawler crane 1 of the type known from DE 10 200 043 171 is shown in Figure 1. The crane 1 comprises an undercarriage 12 with a crawler chassis having two crawler carriers 18. A superstructure 14 is supported on the undercarriage 12 via a rotary connection 7 (see Figure 6) so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation 13. The superstructure 14 comprises a boom 6 (here a telescopic boom) which can be raised and lowered about a horizontal axis, and a ballast device 20.

[0052] The plate-shaped counterweight elements 22, 22' can be lifted and placed on the upper works 14 by the hoisting device 24 in a manner known per se (i.e., to form upper works ballast on the upper works 14) by the ballast device 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the hoisting device 24 is arranged on the ballast device 20 and has one or more hydraulic ballast cylinders 24, the piston rods of which can extend downward. In a manner known per se, the piston rods can move through corresponding recesses in the counterweight plates 22, 22' (with the upper works 14 in position relative to the counterweight elements 22, 22') to lock or engage with the counterweight elements. This can be done, for example, according to US Pat. No. 5,649,523, but can also be done in any other way. The counterweight plates 22, 22' are lifted onto the ballast mounts of the ballast device 20 and thus onto the upper works 14 by retracting the piston rods of the ballast cylinders.

[0053] In this regard, the counterweight plates 22, 22' may be connectable to the ballast device 20 or ballast mounts. Alternatively or additionally, the pressure in the ballast cylinders may be maintained, for example in corresponding hydraulic reservoirs, so that the counterweight plates 22, 22' remain on the superstructure 14.

[0054] In the crane 1 shown in FIG. 1, a cantilever frame 3 is fixed to the chassis 12 (more precisely, to the central frame part 6 of the chassis 12, see FIG. 6) between the crawler carriers 18, on which the counterweight plates 22, 22' can be placed. The cantilever frame 3 has an upper surface with an arrangement area 4 suitable for supporting the counterweight plates 22, 22' and is equipped with one or more centering elements 5 for moving the counterweight plates 22, 22' into a set position relative to the rotation axis 13 of the upper structure 14. However, since the cantilever frame 3 can only be removed from the chassis 12 in a complex manner, it usually remains there. This increases the longitudinal length of the chassis 12, which negatively affects the maneuverability of the crane 1.

[0055] For this reason, in the crane 10 according to the present invention, the side views of which are shown in Figures 2 and 3, a foldable mounting device 30 is provided instead of the cantilever frame 3 (but in the same position, i.e., between the crawler carriers 18), and the mounting device 30 can be moved to a mounting position (shown in Figures 2 and 3) in which the length of the chassis 12 is increased to support the counterweight plates 22, 22', and to a moving position in which the length of the chassis is decreased to move the crane 10. As a result, the device according to the present invention achieves the effect of Patent Document 2 without reducing the maneuverability of the crane 10.

[0056] Figure 2 shows the crane 10 according to the present invention with the deployment device 30 in the deployed position, with the counterweight plates 22, 22' being lifted by the ballast cylinders 24. In Figure 3, the counterweight plates 22, 22' are, by contrast, shown deployed on the deployment device 30. An enlarged view of the weight plates 22, 22' deployed according to Figure 3 is shown in Figure 9.

[0057] 4 (in the transport position) and 5 (in the deployed position) are perspective views of the inventive installation device 30 according to a preferred embodiment. A plan view of the chassis 12, more precisely its central frame part 6, to which the installation device 30 is fixed, is shown in FIG.

[0058] The arrangement device 30 according to the invention is at the same time configured as a central ballast for the crane 10 in the embodiment shown here and has a corresponding ballast element 36. On its sides, i.e. on the sides of the ballast element 36 facing the crawler carrier 18, the arrangement device 30 has plate-like frame parts 33, 34, which can also be called side walls 33, 34 of the ballast element 36. These side walls 33, 34 are made relatively thick so that they can reliably absorb the forces that occur and transmit them to the central frame part 6 of the chassis 12. The side walls 33, 34 have connection means via which the arrangement device 30 can be releasably connected to the corresponding connection means 8 of the central frame part 6 at the end or front side facing the central frame part 6.

[0059] The ballast elements 36 may be connected to the frame parts 33, 34 either fixedly, i.e. non-releasably, or releasably, for example by screws and / or bolts. The ballast elements 36 may be integral with the support structure of the arrangement device 30.

[0060] The inventive installation device 30 can be easily retrofitted to existing cranes by incorporating a "foldable counterweight installation area" function or assembly with the central ballast. To achieve this, a remodeled central ballast is attached to the central frame section 6 of the crawler crane 10.

[0061] In other embodiments, the mounting sections 31, 32 can be connected directly to the central frame section 6 of the chassis 12 in a hinged manner without the frame sections 33, 34, i.e., it is possible in particular to mount the mounting device 30 on the chassis 12 without the ballast elements 36 and the side walls 33, 34.

[0062] As shown in Figure 6, connection means 8 are similarly provided on the opposite side of the central frame part 6 to allow for optional fixing of a further central ballast or second mounting device 30 (or for fixing a single mounting device 30 on one or the other side of the central frame part 6 as required).

[0063] Alternatively, the mounting device 30 can be provided without the ballast element 36 and the mounting device 30 can be fixedly (ie non-releasably) fastened to the central frame portion.

[0064] At the ends of the side walls 33, 34 of the upper structure 14 remote from the rotation axis 13 (in the embodiment shown, these are the ends opposite the means of connection to the central frame part 6), plate-like arrangements 31, 32, also called folding metal sheets 31, 32, are rotatably supported. For this purpose, each side wall 33, 34 has a rotation axis divided into two halves (upper and lower rotation axis), which are integrated into the metal sheet of each side wall 33, 34. The corresponding supports can be low-friction bronze bushings.

[0065] To keep weight low and to optimally transfer forces to the side walls 33, 34, the mounting portions 31, 32 in this example are generally triangular in shape or have chamfered sides, although other shapes such as rectangular are of course also conceivable.

[0066] In the transfer position, the mounting sections 31, 32 are folded and contact the ballast element 36 (see Figures 4 and 6). For this purpose, the side walls 33, 34 project beyond the ballast element 36 in the longitudinal direction of the chassis so that the mounting sections 31, 32 can be folded inward. In the transfer position, the surfaces of the mounting sections 31, 32 face each other toward the front of the ballast element 36. In this transfer position, the length of the mounting device 30 (and therefore the entire chassis 12) is minimized and is only slightly longer than if the mounting sections 31, 32 were not provided.

[0067] In the installed position (see Figures 5 and 7), the installation sections 31, 32 are folded outward 90° about their rotational axes and aligned parallel to each other, extending along the longitudinal axis of the chassis, which corresponds to the maximum length of the installation device 30 (and chassis 12).

[0068] The mounting sections 31, 32 each have an upper rotation bearing 61 corresponding to the upper rotation shaft and a lower rotation bearing 62 corresponding to the lower rotation shaft. The upper rotation bearing 61 is configured to receive mainly horizontal forces. The lower rotation bearing 62 is provided to receive mainly vertical forces (substantially the force of the weight of the counterweight plates 22, 22' disposed in the mounting sections). For this reason, the lower rotation bearing 62 is thicker / higher than the upper rotation bearing 61. Naturally, the lower rotation bearing 62, together with the upper rotation bearing 61, must also receive the horizontal opposite force from the pair of forces.

[0069] Alternatively or additionally, the upper and lower pivot points may be of different thicknesses to optimally accommodate and absorb different acting forces.

[0070] The mounting portions 31, 32 can be locked in the moving position and the deployed position, respectively. To this end, in the embodiment shown in this example, two recesses or bolt mounting portions 71, 72 functioning as first and second locking means 71, 72 are formed in the upper rotary bearing 61. Furthermore, a locking bolt 74 having a handle is provided on each of the two side walls 33, 34. The locking bolt 74 can be pressed into the first bolt mounting portion 71 in the moving position and into the second bolt mounting portion 72 in the deployed position to lock the corresponding mounting portion 31, 32 in that position. The side walls 33, 34 are thick enough to fully receive the locking bolt 74.

[0071] In the embodiment shown here, the locking bolt 74 is manually pushed into the bolt mounting portions 71, 72. The mounting portions 31, 32 are similarly manually rotated between the transport position and the mounting position. However, the locking and / or rotation can alternatively be performed by corresponding actuators, for example hydraulic cylinders.

[0072] The locked position is shown in Figure 7, a cross section through the left side wall 34, where it can be seen that the locking bolt 74, supported in a vertical hole in the side wall 34, extends through the second bolt mounting portion 72 of the left mounting portion 32, locking the left mounting portion 32 and similarly for the right mounting portion 31. The first bolt mounting portion 71 is inward of the outwardly folded mounting portions 31, 32 in this position.

[0073] In principle, the bolt mountings 71, 72 can also be formed in the lower rotary bearing 62, and the locking bolt 74 can be supported correspondingly in the lower region of the side walls 33, .

[0074] Both mounting parts 31, 32 perform a rotational movement around their respective rotation axes. Consequently, due to the necessary distance from the rotation axis 13 and due to their own necessary lengths, they are not located on a common plane in the movement position. For this reason, one of the rotation axes of mounting parts 31, 32 is at a greater distance from the rotation axis 13 or the ballast element 36 than the other of the rotation axes of mounting part 31 (see FIG. 6). The corresponding mounting part 31 is therefore located in front of the other mounting part 31, as viewed from the rotation axis 13 or the ballast element 36. To achieve this, the side wall 34 (the left side wall in FIG. 6) is longer than the other side wall 33.

[0075] As already mentioned, each side wall 33, 34 also serves as a mounting point for a locking bolt 74. To avoid complex welding structures, the side walls 33, 34 are made particularly thick, so that holes for the receiving points of the locking bolts 74 can be incorporated directly into the metal sheet of the side walls 33, 34, still leaving enough material for a secure connection.

[0076] The entire central ballast 30 has a new configuration compared to known cranes, allowing it to meet the set tasks, including thick side walls 33, 34, thick connecting elements 8 to the chassis 12 or central frame section 6, a different configuration of the side walls 33, 34, hinged mounting sections 31, 32, and locking mechanisms 71, 72, 74.

[0077] Operational issues must also be taken into account here. The counterweight mounting or ballast system 20 has thick ballast cylinders 24. If the upper structure 14 is not in the correct position to move into the cutouts provided for this purpose in the counterweight plates 22, 22', the ballast cylinders 24 press against the counterweight plates 22, 22', increasing the load on all components. The mounting system 30 is suitable for such cases, and all key components are dimensioned accordingly.

[0078] The mounting sections 31, 32 have mounting areas 40, 41 on their upper surface that contact or support the lowest counterweight plate 22'. This provides a defined contact surface for the counterweight. Each mounting section 31, 32 has a rear mounting area 40 in the area of ​​the rotation axis and a front mounting area 41 at the opposite end (in plan view). The rear mounting area 40 of the mounting section 32 whose rotation axis is located further away from the rotation axis 13 of the upper structure (to the left in Figure 5) is shorter than the rear mounting area 40 of the other mounting section to compensate for the misalignment of the rotation axis. However, this is not essential. Furthermore, it is naturally conceivable to provide more than one mounting area per mounting section and / or to have different positions. The spacing between the mounting sections 31, 32 of the mounting areas 40, 41 is selected to ensure reliable contact of the counterweight plates 22, 22' before installation on the superstructure 14.

[0079] To accurately position the counterweight plates 22, 22', or to accurately determine the alignment and location of the counterweight plates relative to the rotation axis 13 of the upper works 14, and thus to ensure smooth engagement of the ballast cylinders 24 with the corresponding notches in the counterweight plates 22, 22', two centering elements 50 are provided.

[0080] The centering elements 50 are attached to the side walls 33, 34, in fact, outwardly in the area of ​​the locking bolts 74 (see FIGS. 4-5). The centering elements 50 themselves require a high degree of precision in their position relative to the rotation axis 13 of the superstructure 14. For this reason, attachment to the rotatable mounting parts 31, 32 would be undesirable. Therefore, the centering elements 50 are separated from the mounting parts 31, 32 and are instead fixedly connected or welded to the side walls 33, 34. This solution also has the advantage that forces occurring during the alignment of the counterweight plates 22, 22' are not transmitted via the rotation bearings 61, 62. Furthermore, the centering elements 50 may not be attached directly to the mounting parts 31, 32 due to their space requirements.

[0081] The centering elements 50 are located on the upper surfaces of fastening pieces 52 welded laterally to the side walls 33, 34 and protrude upward. In the embodiment shown, the centering elements 50 are substantially cylindrical and have a lead-in chamfer (i.e., a chamfered upper end to allow easier screwing), although other shapes are also contemplated. The lowest counterweight plate 22' has a complementary recess or counterbore 26 in a corresponding location on its underside, into which the centering elements 50 move when the counterweight plate 22' is lowered and installed (see cross-section in Figure 8).

[0082] When the crane operator stacks the counterweight plates 22, 22' on the chassis 12 using his machine's boom 16, he lowers the first counterweight plate 22' to its approximate position. At this time, the recesses 26 of the counterweight plate 22' contact the centering elements 50, aligning the counterweight plate 22' in its assembly position. The counterweight plate 22' is then lowered further to rest on the mounting areas 40, 41. The remaining counterweight plates 22 are stacked in the same manner. The lowest counterweight plate 22' may also be provided with connecting means known in the prior art for connection to the upper works 14 (see FIG. 9). These remaining counterweight plates 22 may in particular be provided with recesses through which the connecting elements of the lowest counterweight plate 22' protrude when stacked, serving to secure the ballast stack 22, 22' to the upper works 14.

[0083] The further counterweight plates 22' may be identically formed or may be differently formed.

[0084] Instead of continuous side walls 33, 34 or metal side plates, other configurations, for example a grid or checkerboard frame structure, may be used. This may alternatively or additionally apply to the arrangements 31, 32. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Crawler crane (conventional technology) 3 Cantilever Frame 4 Installation area 5 Centering Elements 6 Central frame section 7 Rotating joint 8 Connection Methods 10 Mobile crane (crawler crane) 12 chassis 13 Rotation axis 14 Superstructure 16. Boom 18 Crawler chassis 20 Ballast equipment 22 Counterweight element 22' lowest counterweight element 24 Hoist device (ballast cylinder) 26 Centering counter element (recess) 30 Installation device 31 First installation section 32 Second installation section 33 First frame portion (side wall) 34 Second frame part (side wall) 36 Ballast elements 40 Rear installation area 41 Front installation area 50 Centering Elements 52 Fastening piece 61 Upper rotating bearing 62 Lower rotating bearing 71 First locking means (bolt mounting portion) 72 Second locking means (bolt mounting portion) 74 Locking element (lock bolt)

Claims

1. A mobile crane (10), in particular a crawler crane, comprising a mobile chassis (12) and an upper structure (14) rotatably supported thereon and having a boom (16) and a ballast device (20), the ballast device (20) being adapted to lift or place one or more counterweight elements (22, 22') by means of a hoisting device (24), A crane (10) characterized by an arrangement device (30) connected to the chassis (12) and having at least one movable arrangement section (31, 32), the arrangement section (31, 32) being movable from a moving position where the length of the chassis (12) is reduced to an arrangement position where the length of the chassis (12) is increased and a counterweight element (22, 22') can be arranged on the arrangement section (31, 32) by a ballast device (20), and vice versa.

2. The crane (10) of claim 1, The crane (10) is configured such that the deployment device (30) remains on the chassis (12) during operation of the crane and / or during travel of the crane (10).

3. A crane (10) according to claim 1 or 2, The crane (10) has mounting sections (31, 32) that extend substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the chassis in a travel position and are rotatable outward to a mounting position in which the mounting sections (31, 32) extend, in particular, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chassis, and the mounting sections (31, 32) preferably have one or more mounting areas (40, 41) on their upper surfaces in which counterweight elements (22, 22') can be mounted.

4. The crane (10) of claim 1, The crane (10) is supported so that the mounting parts (31, 32) are rotatably about a vertical axis of rotation, the axis of rotation being preferably laterally off-center relative to the longitudinal axis of the chassis, particularly in the mounting device (30).

5. A crane (10) according to claim 4, A crane (10) in which the rotatable support of the mounting parts (31, 32) is provided via two separate rotary bearings (61, 62) preferably of different configurations, one above the other.

6. A crane (10) according to claim 5, A crane (10) in which the lower rotation bearing (62) is thicker than the upper rotation bearing (61), and the upper rotation bearing (61) is preferably configured to withstand mainly horizontal forces, and / or the lower rotation bearing (62) is configured to withstand horizontal and vertical forces, in particular the force of the weight of counterweight elements (22, 22') arranged on the arrangement parts (31, 32).

7. A crane (10) according to claim 5 or 6, The crane (10) has locking means (71, 72) for locking the placement parts (31, 32) at the moving position and the placement position, respectively.

8. A crane (10) according to claim 7, The locking means (71, 72) comprises or is a notch formed in one of the rotary bearings (61, 62), in particular the upper rotary bearing (61), into which a locking element (74), in particular a locking bolt, can be pushed, preferably at a corresponding position of the arrangement (31, 32) of the crane (10).

9. The crane (10) of claim 1, The crane (10) has a first placement part (31) and a second placement part (32) that can place the counterweight element (22, 22') at a placement position, and the placement parts (31, 32) are preferably spaced apart from each other and are rotatable around vertical rotation axes that are arranged opposite each other in the transverse direction of the placement device (30).

10. A crane (10) according to claim 9, The crane (10) has two parallel frame parts (33, 34), particularly frame plates, to the front sides of which the mounting parts (31, 32) are connected in a hinged manner, and the frame parts (33, 34) are preferably directly connected to the chassis (12), particularly fastened with bolts.

11. A crane (10) according to claim 10, The frame portions (33, 34) have different lengths in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the chassis, the rotation axes of the placement portions (31, 32) are at different distances from the chassis (12), and the placement portions (31, 32) are preferably plate-shaped and are aligned parallel to each other in the travel position and the placement position, respectively.

12. A crane (10) according to claim 10 or 11, The placement device (30) comprises at least one centering element (50) configured to mate with a corresponding countercentering element on the underside of the counterweight element (22') for fine positioning of the counterweight element (22') to be placed on the placement device (30), the at least one centering element (50) being preferably arranged on the upper surface of the placement device (30) and / or configured as an upwardly projecting protrusion.

13. A crane (10) according to claim 12, A crane (10) provided with at least two centering elements (50), at least one centering element (50) being fixedly connected to each of said frame sections (33, 34).

14. The crane (10) of claim 1, The crane (10) has a ballast element (36) that functions as a central ballast, and the arranging device (30) preferably has two parallel frame parts (33, 34), in particular frame plates, to the front of which the arranging parts (31, 32) are connected in a hinged manner, and the ballast element (36) is arranged between the frame parts (33, 34).

15. 2. The arrangement (30) for a crane (10) according to claim 1.

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