Patented Portable Gantry Crane Design Principles
If you’re looking for a crane system that can help your business work faster, smarter and safer, we can help. Trusted by organizations worldwide since 1954, Wallace Cranes has more gantry cranes still in use than any other manufacturer — and our patented design principles are the driving force behind all of our industry-leading portable gantry cranes.
Keep reading to see why we have a reputation for designing and manufacturing crane systems that are durable, high-quality and easy to assemble / disassemble. If you have questions about our gantry cranes or any of our other crane solutions or you’d like to speak with our experts to determine which system is best-suited for your unique application, contact us today! We’re happy to help in any way we can, and we look forward to showing you the true benefits of our patented portable gantry crane design principles!
Self-Centering Beam Support
A Wallace gantry crane is the embodiment of design elegance. The self-centering beam support design provides several advantages over more rigid beam suspension methods in mobile cranes. Our Tri-Adjustable, Hippolift and made-to-order 15-ton models all use this proprietary design.
Pinned-Joint Construction
First and foremost, the “pinned at both ends” design minimizes stresses borne by the support member. From classical stress analysis theory, loads are transmitted along the leg structure. Torsional or off-angle loads are reduced because of the four-bar link design, as shown below. This linkage is the heart of the Wallace patented self-aligning beam.
Pinned joints make assembly easier so you never have to try to bend metal to achieve the necessary fit. In fact, parts rotate such that pin insertion can be done with a 16-ounce hammer. The main legs are attached to the crane with a pinned joint going into the I-beam bracket at the top of the leg and a pinned joint on the lower leg going into the caster frame. What’s more, our assembly instructions run only two pages, further demonstrating the simplicity and elegance of the design.
No Welds in Tension
There are no welds in tension. Instead, the caster frame bracket welded to the leg is in pure compression, and the internal weld is shielded from most impacts, again yielding a more reliable design. This rendered image shows how the caster frame pin at the base of the leg transmits the load across a single line.
Concise Fit
The attachment of the leg to the beam support bracket is accomplished with one pin for each leg. Each support pin only carries 1/4 of the total crane load. According to the design for assembly techniques, this method provides a more concise, surer fit. Not only do the movable brackets and the single hole ease assembly and reassembly, but the design also allows for some misalignment which lets pins go in easily and speeds up initial and subsequent reassembly. What’s more, the easy insertion of the load-bearing pins further reduces the likelihood of assembly-induced pre-stresses that can reduce crane life and reliability.
Increased Flexibility
The casters and frame flex so that the four wheels are always in contact with the floor, thus allowing the crane to handle uneven floors. The frame flex also ensures that the load is equally distributed among all the casters. Even if the load is entirely on one end of the crane, the load is evenly distributed between those two legs.
Durable, High-Quality, Easy-To-Use Cranes
By reducing unnecessary stresses, our patented portable gantry crane design allows us to create durable, portable, adjustable and long-lasting crane solutions. Since having developed the original tri-adjustable patent in 1954, we have become the sought-after crane manufacturer for many of the world’s best-known brands including Coca-Cola, NASA, Goodyear, General Electric, Exxon Mobile, Lockheed Martin and the United States Postal Service, to name a few. Contact us today to speak with our team about the perfect crane system for your unique application!
Ready to work safer and smarter? Contact us today for help deciding which Wallace Crane is best-suited for your facility or your unique application. Our team of lifting experts is standing by to recommend the right crane for your needs. We look forward to hearing from you!