Low droop multi-part pendant supported boom

Claim 1

In a crane or the like having an extensible boom formed from at least three telescoping boom sections each having a forward and an inner end and including a base section pivoted about a horizontal axis, power means including a single hydraulic ram operatively connected to different boom sections for selectively extending and retracting the boom, a live mast pivoted to the boom forwardly of said axis, pendant supporting sheaves journaled on the upper end of said mast, a pair of fixed length pendants trained around said sheaves, each pendant having first and second boom supporting parts extending forwardly of said mast sheaves with said first boom supporting parts being supportively connected to the forward end of said base section and said second pendant parts being supportively connected to the forward end of another of said boom sections, each pendant having an internal portion disposed within said boom with one end anchored to the forward end of said base section, sheaves journaled on the outer end of said ram and on the inner ends of two of said at least three boom sections with said internal portion of said pendants trained thereover, each fixed length pendant having an anchor mechanism rigidly secured thereto externally of said boom, abutment means secured to said base section which engage an anchor mechanism on said pendants when said pendants are supporting said boom in an upright position, and first power means for moving said mast between a substantially horizontal transport position supported on said base section and an upright boom supporting position and for thereafter pivotally supporting said boom about said horizontal axis, said boom being caused to droop in response to being extended and in response to said internal portion of each pendant being trained over the sheaves within said boom, said first and second boom supporting parts which extend forwardly of the mast sheaves being effective to reduce said boom droop about 50% in comparison to a boom supported by pendants at only one point near the forward end of said boom, and second power means being powered by hydraulic fluid and being connected to said pair of pendants for moving said anchor mechanism away from said abutment mechanism for maintaining said pair of pendants taut when said first power means is lowering said live mast into said transport position, said second power means being less powerful than said first power means and being overpowered by said first power means when said first power means is activated to raise said live mast from said transport position to said boom supporting position.