Compact Locking Head for Telescopic Crane Booms
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing locking heads for telescoping cylinders in crane booms are bulky and costly due to axial offset of hydraulic actuation planes and decentralized drive, leading to increased length, mass, and manufacturing complexity, with additional space requirements for guide elements and springs.
Innovation Solution
A compact locking head design featuring a housing with translationally displaceable cylinder bolts, a transversely actuable telescopic locking body, and guide elements on the circumference of the locking body that also house helical compression springs, reducing overall length and eliminating bending moments, with integrated unlocking pistons and safety bolts for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the hydraulic actuation plane is offset axially from the cylinder locking plane, then the locking head can accommodate standard components, but the overall length and volume of the locking head increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The guide housing is arranged on the circumference of the telescopic locking body rather than axially, transitioning the guide function to a radial/different dimensional arrangement. This allows the hydraulic actuation and locking functions to coexist without axial offset, reducing the overall axial length while maintaining manufacturability
2Reliability
If the drive is decentralized to the telescopic locking body, then the locking mechanism can function independently, but bending moments are introduced into the telescopic locking body
Solution Approach 1:
The guide housing is integrated directly onto the telescopic locking body, merging the guiding function with the locking body structure. This centralizes the drive and guide functions at the same location, eliminating bending moments while maintaining independent locking functionality
3Force
If the diameter of the piston rod increases, then the telescoping cylinder can provide greater force, but the distance between actuating pistons must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating pistons are arranged radially around the piston rod in different angular positions rather than axially along its length. This allows greater piston rod diameter for increased force while maintaining a compact overall structure with reduced distance between pistons
4Stability of the object's composition
If a circumferential guide for the telescopic locking body is used, then rotation is prevented, but the guide elements require additional space and increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The guide housing is merged with the telescopic locking body structure, with guide elements arranged radially on the circumference. This integrated design prevents rotation while eliminating separate guide components, reducing both space requirements and manufacturing complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a significantly reduced axial length, cost-effective production, and reduced installation space while maintaining operational safety and efficiency by integrating guide elements and springs concentrically, eliminating bending moments and wear, and ensuring reliable locking and unlocking mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The guide elements guide the telescopic locking body over their respective outer surfaces
Implementation Method 2
via which the telescopic bolt bodies can be moved back into their initial position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Locking head for telescopic cylinders of a crane boom comprising several telescopic sections, with a housing (2) and with cylinder bolts (3, 4) that are translationally displaceable within the housing (2) for locking the locking head (1) to a telescopic section and with a telescopic bolt body (5) that is displaceable transversely to the direction of travel of the cylinder bolts (3, 4) and serves to actuate the unlocking of successive telescopic sections. The telescopic bolt body (5) is guided in the housing (2) by several guide elements (17), the guide elements (17) serving as the outer guide of a helical compression spring (18) by which the telescopic bolt body (5) is supported on the housing (2).