FR2492797A1 - DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE HORIZONTAL PLATE OF A PLATFORM, EQUIPMENT OR SIMILAR OBJECT MOUNTED TO THE END OF AN ARTICULATED AND / OR EXPANDABLE MANEUVER ARM - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE HORIZONTAL PLATFORM OF A PERSON-CARRIER PLATFORM ARTICULATED AT THE END OF AN ARM WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ANGULAR MOVEMENTS CORRESPONDING TO THE VARIATIONS IN TILT OF THE ARM AND SUBJECT TO THE ACTION D '' AT LEAST ONE HYDRAULIC ACTUATION CYLINDER. THE DEVICE INCLUDES A PENDULUM ELEMENT HAVING ITS SUPPORT POINT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ON THE PLATFORM OR THE EQUIPMENT, ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS 14 PARALLEL TO THE HINGE AXIS OF THE PLATFORM OR THE EQUIPMENT AT ARM, THE PENDULUM ELEMENT IS INTENDED TO CONTROL A HYDRAULIC DISTRIBUTOR WITH AT LEAST ONE ACTUATION CYLINDER ACTING ON THE PLATFORM OR SIMILAR PART TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN THE HORIZONTALITY OF IT.

Description

Device for controlling the horizontal attitude of a platform, a

  equipment or a similar object mounted at the end of an articulated operating arm and /

or expandable.

  The invention generally relates to a control device adapted to automatically maintain in a preset position a platform, equipment or similar object mounted at the end of an arm of

  extensible articulated maneuver or variable length.

  More specifically, the invention relates to a device for controlling the horizontal attitude of a platform or passenger cage carried by a maneuvering arm

  at one or more joints and of varying length

  for example of the type used in aerial work lifting equipment, irrespective of the position taken in each case by

the maneuvering arm.

  As regards devices for controlling the horizontal attitude of a platform or a similar object mounted on an articulated and telescopic arm and able to move with it, it has already been proposed

  devices of mainly mechanical type

  generally carrying rigid and / or flexible means coordinated to the operating arm to detect any displacement or angular variation and transmit this variation to the platform or similar object to force it to move and to keep relatively

  on the surface of the ground, a pre-established position. These arrangements

  known mechanical devices are, however, relatively complex and expensive and since they involve the use of means that pass and / or may be

  back along the operating arm to the platform

  shape to be controlled, they are also bulky and heavy and affect the structure and stability of

all.

  In order to reduce the complexity as well as the

  and the weight of the assembly, it has also been proposed -2 - devices of various types among which those of an electronic character which, however, do not give the reliability necessary for the safety of the apparatus

  interested parties and persons responsible for their use.

  This is why the object of the invention is to

  install a control device having the function

  said that is simple realization and installation

  which has both a good reliability of function and

  and the benefits of weight and cost

  somewhat reduced in relation to earlier

known.

  Another object of the invention is to propose a

  directly applicable and unique control device

  to the platform to be ordered, so without having

  action on the operating arm that carries the platform

  form and so can be of any type and

of any size.

  For this purpose, the device under consideration comprises

  in association with a platform or cage

  persons or anyway with equipment applied by horizontal articulation at the end of an articulated and / or extensible maneuvering arm, an element

  pendulum having its fulcrum directly or indirectly

  on the platform or the equipment, on an axis

  parallel to the axis of articulation of the platform

  arm-shaped or coinciding with this axis, the pendulum element keeping a constantly vertical position when the platform or equipment is subjected to

  angular displacements on the horizontal axis corresponding to

  to control a hydraulic distributor for supplying pressurized liquid to at least one hydraulic actuating cylinder acting directly or indirectly on the platform to bring it back and

  always maintain a horizontal or parallel position

lie on the surface of the ground.

  An example of practical execution of the device in question will be described below in more detail in connection with the appended drawings, indicative and non-limiting, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective of the device FIG. 2 is an elevation thereof ; Figure 3 is a vertical section thereof along the line III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows schematically the device

  applied to a first type of platform or cage

  persons of a craft for aerial works; FIG. 5 is a hydraulic diagram of the means for orienting the cage according to the assembly according to FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 shows, again in schematic form, the device applied to another type of platform.

  or a person-to-person cage of a machine for aerial work.

  In the drawings, the general reference 1 designates an example of a machine for aerial work and interviews comprising, in a manner known per se, an arm of

  maneuver 2 articulated and / or telescopic or inclined

  variable length and length and carrying at its end

  a platform or cage of persons 3. This last

  nière is articulated to the maneuvering arm 2 by means of a horizontal axis 4 oriented transversely to the arm

  to allow angular or pendulum

  platform and maintain its base in a horizontal or parallel position on the ground

  the inclination and extension of the arm of

noeuvre.

  To maintain the horizontal attitude of the platform

  form 3, it normally undergoes the action of appropriate actuating means which, according to practical embodiments, may be constituted for example by two hydraulic cylinders 5, 6 connected to a cable or chain 7 on which they act alternately and which is returned to a pulley or toothed wheel 8 keyed on the axis 4 of the platform as shown in FIG. 4. In a variant may be provided a single hydraulic jack 9- 9 mounted between the operating arm 2 and platform 3, as shown in the example according to

Figure 6.

  In any case, the pair of cylinders 5, 6 or the single jack 9 are fed to maintain or correct the horizontal attitude of the platform during the movements of the operating arm or in any other

where it is necessary.

  To control the activation of the jack or cylinders, the invention proposes a device illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and which comprises a pendulum element 10 and a hydraulic distributor It controlled by the pendulum element to properly send the fluid under

pressure on the cylinder (s).

  In the embodiment shown, the pendulum element 10 is constituted by a body or mass 12 fixed, in a possibly adjustable position, to a rod 13 whose upper end is articulated, thanks to

  to a suitable axis 14, to a support 15 provided for in the

  of a carcass 16 enclosing the device. In the lower part of the body or mass 12 are mounted rollers 17 guided in a channel-shaped guide 18 - also provided in the carcass 16 to ensure a correct and guided movement of the pendulum element. At the top of the rod 13 is connected an arm or lever 19 of horizontal extension moving angularly in

same time as the stem. -

  To this arm or lever 19 is connected at 20 the actuating member 21 of the hydraulic distributor 11, itself known, which is connected to the pipes 23 for feeding the pair of cylinders 5, 6 in the case of the example of Figure 4 or the single cylinder 9

in the case of Figure 6.

  In practice, the carcass 16 which contains the provision

  is attached to the platform or similar part 3 of

  that the axis 14 of the pendulum element 10 is parallel to

  leash to the axis of the platform or coincides with it.

  In any case, the pendulum element 10, thanks to the gravity of the body or mass 12, tends to keep a constantly vertical disposition while the carcass 16 with the

  hydraulic distributor 11 follows any angular movement

  laire or pendulum of the platform 3 on which it is fixed. It follows that at any angular displacement

  of the platform around axis 4 corresponds to a movement

  between the pendulum element 10 and the distribution

  11. In this way, when the displacement exceeds

  pre-established limit values beyond which the correct horizontality of the platform is no longer

  realized, the pendulum element 10 commands, through

  arm or lever 19, the hydraulic distributor

  11 so that fluid under pressure is distributed

  fired at one or the other of the two cylinders 5, 6 or, in

  the case of Figure 6, with the single jack 9, until

  or to establish the horizontality of the platform

  and the condition of non-intervention of the distributor.

  It is thus obvious that with the mechanical control device mounted on board the platform, it is

  is possible to correct automatically and immediately

  horizontality of the platform without the need for any means

operating arm 2.

  On the other hand, it will be possible to make modifications to the device described above to adapt it to various

  known apparatus and the various requirements of

  without departing from the scope of the invention, based solely on

  on the use of the pendulum element for the

control of the whole.

  Thus, for example, the pendulum element may be articulated directly to the platform or the like, in alignment with the axis 4 thereof or not, so as to eliminate the presence of a carcass 16 like that represented by the drawings. In addition, the pendulum element, and in particular its body or mass 12, can be guided in a different way from this one.

which is described above.

  Finally, for the hydraulic circuit controlled by the distributor 11 for the supply of the intervention cylinder or cylinders on the platform, it can be provided (see Figure 5), in addition to the other components specific to such a circuit, a hydraulic pump 24 actuated by a DC or AC electric motor or by a power take-off 25 actuated by the engine

  of the vehicle on which the equipment can be mounted.

  Or again, the power control of the aforementioned circuit

  may also be derived from another circuit of the

as a whole.

  In addition, to allow emergency maneuvers even in the event of damage to the main circuit, in the circuit may be provided an electropump 26 or a manually operated pump, or, in any case, independent means designed to give the 'together

the necessary security.

-7-

Claims (4)

  1.- Control device of the horizontal plate   of a platform or cage for persons or equipment mounted at the end of an articulated and / or extensible maneuvering arm, the platform or   being applied by articulation on a horizontal axis   tal (4) with the possibility of angular displacements corresponding to variations of inclination of the arm and undergoing the action of at least one hydraulic actuating cylinder (5, 6, 9), characterized by a device   pendulum element (10) having its direct bearing point   indirectly or indirectly on the platform or   on a horizontal axis (14) parallel to the axis of articulation (4) of the platform or equipment on the arm or coinciding with this axis, the pendulum element keeping a constantly vertical position when the platform or the like undergoes angular displacements around the corresponding horizontal axis,   the pendulum element being intended to control a distribution   hydraulic scorer- (11) connected to the hydraulic circuit   than at least one actuating cylinder acting on the   platform or similar part to correct and maintain the horizontality of it.   2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pendulum element (10) is constituted by a body or mass (12) attached to a rod (13) of which   the upper end is articulated on a horizontal axis   tal (14) fixed to a support (15) provided in a carcass (16) intended to be fixed to the platform or the like, the lower part of the body or mass being guided by means of rollers in a guide in channel form (18) also provided in the carcass, the hydraulic distributor (11) being fixed also   in the carcass and connected to the rod of the element dule by means of an arm or lever.   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized   in that the pendulum element (10) is constituted   killed by a body or mass (12) fixed to a rod (13) whose vertex is articulated directly to the platform or the like, on a horizontal axis parallel to   the axis of the platform cu coinciding with it tan-   say that the distributor is attached to the platform or similar part and connected to the rod of the element   pendulum thanks to an arm or lever.   4.- Device according to one of claims 1 to   3, characterized in that in the hydraulic circuit   distributor (11) is inserted a pump actuated by a DC or AC electric motor or by a power take-off of the vehicle carrying the equipment and a pump for maneuvers of   manually or by an electric motor only auxiliary and independent.