Overhead beam trolley crane

[justhavingfun]

I am getting ready to buy the material for my overhead beam crane in my new shop I just built. I had the trusses engineered to take a 1 ton point load, plus crane material weight anywhere in the footprint. Shop is 32x40. I will have three 40' beams running longwise, one near each side wall and one down the center. The beam ends will be supported by the building columns, and then supported every 8 feet by each truss. I am planning 8" tall beams since the span is only 8 feet (I could probably go to 6", but I need the drop anyway to get under my garage doors). I will then have a ~30 foot beam underslung from the three fixed beams which will ride on trolleys. I am planning a 10" tall beam to cover the 15 foot span. I'm not worried about lateral deflection due to the long beams being secured every 8 feet and being secured at the ends on the top and bottom of the beam flanges inside the walls. On the 30 foot beam I will weld in angled braces to help with lateral deflection. I initially planned for conventional I-beams, but I can get H-beams slightly cheaper. I see that most trolley/trucks have angled wheels for the I-beam tapered flanges. Will I run into problems with the H-beam? I'm also open to using a composite (nylon?) caster so I'm thinking the H-beam may actually be better.

Any thoughts or input?

 

[BillK]

It seems to me that a bridge crane of that size is going to be very hard to move around without motorized end rollers ? Especially if you get off to one side with the load ? I know there are many around in industrial settings but not sure if I would want to have to pull it around. Not sure exactly what you will be doing in the building but I wonder if something smaller would actually be better ?

I have been looking at some similar cranes myself. My shop is 30 x 60 and its hard to imagine pulling the crane over that entire area by hand.

 

[justhavingfun]

It seems to me that a bridge crane of that size is going to be very hard to move around without motorized end rollers ? Especially if you get off to one side with the load ? I know there are many around in industrial settings but not sure if I would want to have to pull it around. Not sure exactly what you will be doing in the building but I wonder if something smaller would actually be better ?

I have been looking at some similar cranes myself. My shop is 30 x 60 and its hard to imagine pulling the crane over that entire area by hand.

I agree that it may be hard to move when loaded. I plan to eventually make it motorized, but for now it will do. Even if I cant make it longways while loaded, I can still benefit from being able to use the lift point anywhere in the barn.

 

[cannuck]

I have built a few overhead cranes using DC winches for draw works. The ones I built with Delrin wheels (in residential neighbourhood to remain quiet when moving at night) can be a real ***** to move down the runways when the bridge is unloaded and off center. I have a 650 Kg with 20 foot bridge at my storage shelter on farm and it uses proper crane wheels (about $90 each) running inside 6" I beam runways. The trucks are about 30" long, with de-rail safety lugs the run inside (needed until final adjustments done). Underslung trolley on same wheels (I put winch on one side, battery on the other and make a 2 part block that keeps load line centered under bridge). My 11 YO grandson can lift a half tonne load and move it easily by hand anywhere on the floor. It can be moved loaded or empty along the runways with trolley right at end of bridge. Pretty sure I could build 30 foot bridge with 4 foot trucks that would work as well. BTW: one real secret of success is to keep runways parallel within a 1/16 of an inch.

 

[archtimb]

I agree that it may be hard to move when loaded. I plan to eventually make it motorized, but for now it will do. Even if I cant make it longways while loaded, I can still benefit from being able to use the lift point anywhere in the barn.

30 x 60 was my old shop, with a manual push/pull bridge. Contrary to the above, it was easier to move with a load on it. The downward weight made it possible to move the bridge without pulling the chain at an angle.

 

[kbs2244]

an endless chain on the trolley shaft at one end would be a stop gap until powered
(the shaft gives wheels at both ends power)

you will be forever happy you did this
they make moving stuff so easy

 

[justhavingfun]

Thanks for the input everyone. Does anyone have an opinion on I or H beam?

 

[cannuck]

My little cranes all I beam and wheels to match. No reason you can't go H beam but make sure to buy wheels to suit. I prefer the load to come closer to the shear web, thus why the I beams, but my 5 ton and 3 ton cranes are indeed H beam (in case of the big pair, fabricated with very healthy cap stips - much heavier than a standard H beam would have).

 

[My Old Tools]

Mine is a simple traveling hoist, not a bridge. Still one of the best things I had done as the shop was designed. Remember that you lose a good bit of lift room with the traveler, hoist, etc. Anything tall is a challenge to get into the loft even though there is room for it once its up there.