Electric service crane for idle equipment

• US 9,566,869 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snyder Equipment Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Benson G. Samuel, Ronald Woods
• Inventors: Benson, G. Samuel, Woods, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/695,960
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/00 Other constructional features or details
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/12 Arrangements of means for transmitting pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric power to movable parts of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/01 Frameworks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric service crane has a vertical swivel, a horizontal swivel, a bracket, a service cabinet, a boom and a boom retraction device mounted on a mounting pedestal. The vertical swivel permits the horizontal swivel, bracket, service cabinet, boom and boom retraction device to rotate about the pedestal within an arc to provide electrical service to idle equipment.

Claims

1. An electric service crane comprising a boom, a multiple axis mechanism, a service cabinet, a control panel, a boom retraction device, a release mechanism, a base, a pedestal, a mounting bracket, an electric service source, an electric supply cable, an electric service cable, an electric connector and a cable storage hook, said base supporting said pedestal in a vertical attitude, said pedestal rigidly affixed to said base, said multiple axis mechanism rotatably mounted on said pedestal, said multiple axis mechanism further comprises an elbow, said boom rotatably mounted on one end of said multiple axis mechanism and movable about a horizontal axis from a stored position to a deployed position, said service cabinet mounted on the mounting bracket, said mounting bracket affixed to an opposite end of said elbow, said boom having said boom retraction device affixed to a lower end of said boom and has one end of said electric service cable hanging freely from a free end of said boom, said one end of said electric service cable terminated with an electric service connector, said electric supply cable disposed through said boom through said elbow and into said service cabinet, said electric supply cable affixed to said electric service source and to said service cabinet, said electric service crane providing auxiliary power to idle motive equipment.

2. An electric service crane comprising a base, a pedestal, a mounting bracket, a boom and an electric service source, said base supporting said pedestal in a vertical attitude, said pedestal provided with one end of a first rotary coupler fixed to an upper end of said pedestal, said mounting bracket rotatably mounted to an opposed end of said first rotary coupler, said mounting bracket carrying a service cabinet, a control panel, a second rotary coupler, a boom retraction mount and a cable storage hook, said service cabinet affixed to a vertical wall of said mounting bracket, said control panel affixed to a face of said service cabinet, said second rotary coupler affixed to a vertical support of said mounting bracket, said boom retraction mount extending from a bottom surface of said mounting bracket, a boom retraction device having one end affixed to said boom retraction mount and a second end affixed to a radius arm, a second end of said radius arm affixed to said boom, said cable storage hook extending horizontally from a front edge of said mounting bracket, said boom rotatably affixed to said second rotary coupler, an electric service cable threaded through said boom extending from both ends wherein a first end of said electric service cable is electrically connected to said service cabinet and a second end of said electric service cable carrying an electric connector thereon, said boom retraction device provided with a release mechanism affixed thereto, said release mechanism returning said boom to an upright storage position upon actuation of said release mechanism.

3. An electric service crane as in claim 2 wherein said vertical support is a second vertical wall of said mounting bracket wherein said second rotary coupler is directly affixed thereto.

4. An electric service crane as in claim 2 wherein said vertical support is an elbow, said elbow having one end affixed to said first rotary coupler and said mounting bracket and a second end of said elbow affixed to said second rotary coupler.

5. An electric service crane comprising a mounting pedestal, a vertically disposed rotary coupler, a horizontally disposed rotary coupler, a bracket, a service cabinet, an electric service boom and a boom retraction device, said bracket affixed to a top end of said vertically disposed rotary coupler, a bottom end of said vertically disposed rotary coupler mounted to said mounting pedestal, said electric service boom rotatably mounted to one end of said horizontally disposed rotary coupler, an opposed end of said horizontally disposed rotary coupler mounted to said bracket, said bracket carrying said control cabinet wherein said boom retraction device has one end of said boom retraction device affixed to a boom retraction mount depending from said bracket and an opposite end of said boom retraction device affixed to said electric service boom.

6. The electric service crane as in claim 5 wherein said bracket is provided with an arcuate stop.

7. The electric service crane as in claim 6 wherein said mounting pedestal is provided with a fixed stop.

8. The electric service crane as in claim 7 wherein said arcuate stop cooperating with said fixed stop to limit movement of said electric service boom to 340 degrees.

9. The electric service crane as in claim 8 wherein said electric service boom further comprises a hollow pipe, said hollow pipe having an electric service cable threaded therethrough.

10. The electric service crane as in claim 9 wherein said boom retraction device further comprises a hydraulic cylinder.

11. The electric service crane as in claim 10 wherein said boom retraction device is provided with a release mechanism.

12. The electric service crane as in claim 11 wherein said release mechanism is an electronic solenoid valve disposed within a release line connected to upper and lower ports of said hydraulic cylinder.

13. The electric service crane as in claim 12 wherein said electric solenoid valve is actuated upon disconnection of said electric service cable from a locomotive.

14. The electric service crane as in claim 12 wherein said electronic solenoid valve of said release mechanism is provided with a manually operable knob.

15. The electric service crane as in claim 12 wherein said release mechanism permits flow of fluid from above an internal piston within said hydraulic cylinder to below said internal piston.

16. The electric service crane as in claim 5 wherein said electric service cable is electrically connected to said service cabinet.

17. The electric service crane as in claim 16 wherein said electric service cable is provided with a service port compliant connector.

18. The electric service crane as in claim 17 wherein said service cabinet is electrically connected to an electric service source.

19. The electric service crane as in claim 18 wherein said service cabinet further comprises a control panel.

20. The electric service crane as in claim 19 wherein said control panel is provided with a proof circuit.