Cranes

Previous posts showed F-35 obsolete.

   Construction cranes are currently misdesigned.  They are still built as cranes which had wire and hydraulic controls for the operator when electrical controls are currently available and allows for greater freedom in design choices.

   In A, for a tower crane, the operator's cab should be moved to the end of the boom.  It would have a bubble canopy design to allow the operator to see directly down, this would enable the operator to see and position the load, making the crane more efficient.  When the boom is lifted, B, the cab would rotate to compensate and keep the operator vertical.   An enclosed walkway would be built along the boom to allow access to the cab and prevent falls.  The danger to the operator from a crane accident would not be that much more than with a conventional cab.  A conventional cab can still be left on the crane.
   For a crawler crane, C, rails would be added to the side of the boom, D, and an elevator cab would ride on these rails to the top.  The elevator would be lifted by a cable.  The wheels on the rails would have breaks in case of cable failure.  In addition direct brakes could be fitted that would clamp down on the rails in an emergency.
  If a luffing boom is fitted, a boom extending form the top of the main boom, the operator's view would still be improved   It could be possible to have the operator exit the elevator, enter a transfer foyer and then walk out along the luffing boom in an enclosed walkway to a cab at eh end of the luffing boom , but that might be a little much to ask.

   For an extending boom crane, the outer stop plates currently used at the end of each section could be replaced by interior stops, E.   The ends of each section would have to be chamfered to allow wheels of the cab carrier to travel up the length of the boom, F.  The cab carrier would have a frame that extends completely around the boom to ensure the cab does not separate, G.  Again, the cab and carrier would be lifted by a cable from the boom end and the carrier wheels would have brakes to arrest descent in the event of a cable failure.  The wheels would need a suspension that allows them to follow the decreasing width of the boom sections.
   There is an hydraulic cylinder under the boom to lift and position it.  This means that the cab and carrier cannot descend past the point of connection.  Therefore means must be made available for the operator to enter the cab, either a ladder or a hydraulic man lift.
  In all these applications, the operator being able to actually see what he is doing with the load would increase crane efficiency.