Dooes anyone know what this crane does?

[aczlan]

It looks like it used to belong to Portland General Electric, and was probably sold off to a local utility company. My guess would be a temporary tower so repairs can be made on the real one without live wires on it. Hopefully Mace will swing by with a definitive answer.

Thats what it looks like to me, what looked like small winch appears to be a hose reel (and a cable reel) so that they can control the 4 hydraulic extending arms at the top of the tower.
They probably extend them, then attach the wires to the 4 extendable arms with an insulator.

Aaron Z

 

[MossRoad]

Man i'd like to see it functioning. :laughing:

 

[aczlan]

Man i'd like to see it functioning. :laughing:

You and me both...

Aaron Z

 

[MossRoad]

google PG&E and the trucks look like Pacific to me.

 

[/pine]

I looked at some images of temporary power pole cranes and they didn't look anything like this...

I think possibly each of the (4) mechanical tangs are docks for different tools...i.e., auger, lifting cable block, thumb/claw pole grasper etc. etc...

The pic below is obviously different from the pics in the OP...but it does seem to have a multi-functioning head...???

 

[Code54]

This is sort of close:
http://aemstatic-ww2.azureedge.net/...article/headerimage.img.jpg/1363362187988.jpg

 

[teg]

The sign on the side:

Caution - Unlawful to operate this equipment within 10 feet of high voltage lines of 50,000 volts or less.

Does that mean it's fine if it's 50,001 volts?

Sign above that reads:

Uniform hand signals for mobile-type cranes and derricks.

 

[aczlan]

I looked at some images of temporary power pole cranes and they didn't look anything like this...

I think possibly each of the (4) mechanical tangs are docks for different tools...i.e., auger, lifting cable block, thumb/claw pole grasper etc. etc...

The pic below is obviously different from the pics in the OP...but it does seem to have a multi-functioning head...???

View attachment 529898

The problem is that the tilt cylinders aren't big enough to raise much more than the mast itself. I don't see a place for an extra cylinder at the top to tilt any other attachments so I'm pretty sure the only thing it can do is pull together or push apart and being as it is hard to push wire, it's probably meant to pull on a wire
Perhaps it is intended to use a junction where several wires come together before they're energized? The way everything is build it looks like it is made to go up unloaded the locked in place with a pin and then be slid back and forth to get to the exact location and have the four arms the top come in and out to get to whatever the exact tension they need is.
I don't see a winch anywhere on it, and as I said before the tilt cylinders aren't big enough to lift much of anything besides the mast itself, so it is probably not intended to lift things unless it's lifting them when they are attached to the four arms.

Aaron Z

 

[2458n]

The picture of a pole truck is just that. you have a auger for digging the hole and the clamp tongs to pick and place the pole. Sometimes there will be a fiberglass basket attached to the clamp to raise a man in the basket. Most jobs have separate bucket trucks just for 1 or 2 men.

 

[bcp]

Launcher





Bruce

 

[Egon]

The picture of a pole truck is just that. you have a auger for digging the hole and the clamp tongs to pick and place the pole. Sometimes there will be a fiberglass basket attached to the clamp to raise a man in the basket. Most jobs have separate bucket trucks just for 1 or 2 men.

I'll agree with that statement.

 

[tomfifield]

I may have to chase down the guy selling it to ask him what is does.

 

[RobS]

Not much to add but very interested in this post. Curious that it seems to have X-Y translation at the base which implies precision movements. Maybe used for setting big metal power line supports?

 

[MossRoad]

Whatever it is, it appears to only be able to operate in the straight up vertical position. Those lift cylinders are not large enough to support much of a load other than the weight of the boom itself.

 

[MossRoad]

It looks like there's a large pin hole to lock it in the vertical position.

 

[Snobdds]

I've seen something similar at a ski resort setting towers for ski lifts.

 

[tomfifield]

I've seen something similar at a ski resort setting towers for ski lifts.

I think that may be what it is for.