Topic: Bridge crane: All bridge crane basics you need know
Bridge crane overview
A Bridge crane also known as overhead crane, overhead travelling crane company, or industrial crane is a material handling machine which lifts, lowers, and transport a load horizontally. Typically, an Bridge crane involves a hook-and-line mechanism that moves along a horizontal beam which moves on a runway beam, the supporting structure.
Overhead canes are heavy duty material handling equipment with high lifting capacities for transporting load. Bridge crane travel is directed by an operator, either manually or with a wired pendant station or wireless controls. Typically, Bridge crane is used for the multi-directional movement of materials to help manufacturing, storing, loading or unloading works inside a facility or outside in a yard, or at a railway, or shipping port, and other application environments.
Bridge crane components
Generally, the Bridge crane is consisted of three main parts, the crane bridge, the hoist or trolley, and the runway. The crane bridge is the part which traverses across the runway. The hoist or trolley is the lifting mechanism which traverses across the crane bridge and lifts vertically.
The runway is tied to the building structure. Besides, there are other parts are involved, showing in the following diagram for your reference.
double girder bridge crane components drawing
Double girder Bridge crane componets drawing
Basic bridge crane terminology
Crane capacity: The maximum weight the Bridge crane is required to handle.
Crane span: The horizontal distance between the rails of runway on which the crane travels.
Lift or hook height:The distance from the floor to the crane hook, which determines the height of the runway from the floor and is subjected to the clear inside height of the building.
Bridge, trolley and lift speeds: The rate at which the bridge or trolley runs or at which the hoist lifts. Dual speeds are available.
Crane bridge: The main travelling structure of Bridge crane which is consisted of two end trucks and one or two bridged girders varying with the type of the crane.
End trucks: The bridge crane end trucks is located on both sides of the span. The end trucks house the wheels on which the crane runs.
Bridge girder(s)：Bridge girder is the principal horizontal beam of the crane bridge which is supported by the end trucks. The bridge girder of the crane is meat to support the trolley.
Trolley hoist: The trolley hoist is consisted of hoist and the trolley frame. According to the lifting requirements, one or more hoist can be installed, which can be supplied on the same trolley or on separate trolleys.
Trolley: The trolley takes the hoist across the bay along bridge girder(s) traversing the span.
Hoist: Hoist is mounted to the trolley and is the main lifting equipment together with the crane hook or other lifting attachment.
Bridge crane parts and components assembly 3 D presentation
Bridge crane configuration
Bridge crane mainly have two configurations: Top running Bridge cranes and under running Bridge cranes.
Top running Bridge cranes
The top running Bridge crane or Bridge crane refers to the crane which has the bridge travel on the top of rails mounted on a runway beam supported by either the building columns or columns specifically engineered for the crane. The top running Bridge crane or Bridge crane is the most common crane configuration with the feature that the crane loads are transmitted to the supporting columns or free standing structure and with the advantage of minimum head room and maximum height of lift.