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EP-4739617-A1 - CRANE WITH A TELESCOPIC EXTENSION SYSTEM

EP4739617A1EP 4739617 A1EP4739617 A1EP 4739617A1EP-4739617-A1

Abstract

Crane (10) for lifting and transporting loads, comprising: an arm (18) adapted for handling loads; a telescopic device (18, 22) comprising at least two mutually sliding segments; an anti-friction device (20) comprising: a supporting portion (14) mounted to an exterior segment of the telescopic device (18, 22); a sliding block (30), movably mounted to the supporting portion (14), adapted to press against an interior segment of the telescopic device (18, 22); adjustment means for adjusting the action of the sliding block (30) against the interior segment.

Inventors

  • TRANCHERO, JACQUES

Assignees

  • Tranchero, Jacques

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240628

Claims (13)

  1. 1. Crane (10) for lifting and transporting loads, comprising : - an arm (18) adapted for handling loads; - a telescopic device (18, 22) comprising at least two mutually sliding segments; - an anti-friction device (20) , comprising: - a supporting portion (14) mounted to an exterior segment of the telescopic device (18, 22) , - a sliding block (30) , movably mounted to the supporting portion (14) , adapted to press against an interior segment of the telescopic device (18, 22) , - adjustment means for adjusting the action of the sliding block (30) against the interior segment.
  2. 2. Crane (10) according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment means are configured to adjust the force applied against the interior segment by the sliding block (30) .
  3. 3. Crane (10) according to claim 2, wherein the antifriction device (20) comprises an elastic means (33) for pushing the sliding block (30) against the interior segment .
  4. 4. Crane (10) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the adjustment means comprise one or more screws (32) .
  5. 5. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the telescopic device (18, 22) is a vertical column (22) , and the anti-friction device (20) is associated with said vertical column (22) .
  6. 6. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior segment is configured to slide within the exterior segment.
  7. 7. Crane (10) according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the screw (32) is coupled to the elastic means (33) , and the elastic means (33) acts upon the sliding block (30) .
  8. 8. Crane (10) according to claim 7, wherein there are a plurality of screws (32) and elastic means (33) , and each screw (32) is coupled to the respective elastic means (33) .
  9. 9. Crane (10) according to claim 5 or 7 or 8, wherein the screw (32) is engaged into a thread integral with the supporting portion (14) .
  10. 10. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjustment means are accessible to a user from outside the telescopic device.
  11. 11. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a telescopic device comprises a plurality of anti-friction devices (20) .
  12. 12. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm (18) is substantially perpendicular to the vertical column (22) , and the vertical column (22) is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis; wherein the arm (18) and the vertical column (22) are telescopic; wherein the crane (10) comprises: three sensors for detecting, respectively, an elongation of the telescopic arm (18) , an elongation of the telescopic vertical column (22) , and an angular position of the vertical column (22) ; a control unit configured for receiving signals from said three sensors and for controlling, as a function of such signals, the elongation of the arm (18) , the elongation of the vertical column (22) , and a rotation of the vertical column (22) about its vertical axis.
  13. 13. Crane (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a telescopic vertical column (22) , to which the arm (18) is mounted; wherein: - a first linear actuator (24) is adapted to extend the vertical column (22) , - the arm (18) is telescopic and comprises sliding segments adapted to be controlled by a second linear actuator (26) , - one or more linear actuators (24, 26) of the crane (10) are linear actuators with simultaneously extending stages . Barzand & Zanardo Milano S.p.A. /LT

Description

TITLE: "Crane with a telescopic extension system DESCRIPTION Technical field The present invention relates to a crane or machine for lifting and handling loads, which is provided with telescopic devices, e.g. a telescopic vertical column or a telescopic arm. Technical background In the manufacturing and craft industry, it is known that loads, even very heavy ones, have to be picked up, moved, and then positioned at considerable heights and distances from the place of pick-up. On a crane, it is known to use telescopic devices or systems, e.g. the vertical column or the horizontal arm that carries the load. Such telescopic devices have a plurality of mutually sliding tubes. When loads are heavy, there is considerable friction between the sliding parts of a telescopic device. The need is therefore felt for equipping cranes with a system which can limit the friction between telescopic parts, while being also compact, reliable and easy to use. Summary of the invention It is one object of the present invention to provide a crane which can overcome this and other drawbacks of the prior art, while at the same time being simple and economical to manufacture. According to the present invention, this and other objects are achieved through a crane having the features set out in the appended independent claim. It is understood that the appended claims are an integral part of the technical teachings provided in the following detailed description of the present invention. In particular, the appended dependent claims define some preferred embodiments of the present invention that include some optional technical features. Brief description of the drawings Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in light of the detailed description that follows, provided merely as a non-limiting example with particular reference to the annexed drawings, wherein : - Figure 1 is a side view of a crane in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; - Figure 2 is a side view of the vertical column and arm of the crane of Fig. 1; - Figures 3a, 3b, 3c are, respectively, a front view, a side view and a top view of a special system for facilitating the mutual sliding of telescopic portions. Detailed description of the invention With reference to the accompanying drawings, numeral 10 designates as a whole a crane for lifting and handling loads, which comprises: - an arm 18 adapted for handling loads; - a telescopic device 18, 22 comprising at least two mutually sliding segments; - an anti-friction device 20. Anti-friction device 20 comprises: - a supporting portion 14 mounted to an exterior segment of telescopic device 18, 22, - a sliding block 30, mounted movable (in particular, slidable) to supporting portion 14, adapted to press against an interior segment of telescopic device 18, 22, - adjustment means for adjusting the action of sliding block 30 against said interior segment. Preferably, the adjustment means are configured for adjusting the force exerted by sliding block 30 against the interior segment. As an alternative, the adjustment means are used to adjust the distance between sliding block 30 and supporting portion 14. It is thus possible to adjust the friction and the play between the two mutually sliding segments with which anti-friction device 20 is associated. In particular, the crane has a base frame 12 adapted to transfer the loads of crane 10 onto a support surface through means of contact with such surface, such as wheels 34, 35. For clarity, the following will describe, without any limitation whatsoever, a crane 10 having a particular structure and a preferred lifting mechanism. With particular reference to the variant illustrated in Fig. 1, crane 10 comprises: - base frame 12; - arm 18, adapted for handling loads, mounted movable relative to base frame 12. Conveniently, arm 18 is telescopic and comprises sliding segments controlled by a second linear actuator 26. A first segment 18a is movably constrained to base frame 12, while the at least one other segment is slidable relative to the first segment 18a. The second linear actuator 26 is adapted to perform the operation of extending/retract ing the segments in order to increase/decrease the overhang of arm 18. Crane 10 has a telescopic vertical column 22, to which arm 18 is mounted. In particular, the top end of said column 22 is constrained, rigidly in the example shown herein, to the first segment 18a. In the example, a first linear actuator 24 extends vertical column 22. In the example, arm 18 is in a substantially horizontal position. Conveniently, one or more linear actuators 24, 26 of crane 10 are hydraulic jacks, e.g. a hydraulic jack with two simultaneous stages. Conveniently, one or more linear actuators 24, 26 of crane 10 are linear actuators with simultaneously extending stages, e.g. a hydraulic jack with simultaneous extending stages. In particular, a linear actuator with simultaneously extending stages is an ac