US20030051942A1

US20030051942A1 - Mobile elevating hut

Info

Publication number: US20030051942A1
Application number: US09/957,010
Authority: US
Inventors: Charlie Atkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-20
Filing date: 2001-09-20
Publication date: 2003-03-20

Abstract

The mobile, elevating hut has a trailer, a platform, legs connecting the platform to the trailer, and a lifter which can move the platform between a lowered and a raised position where the legs support the platform.

Description

The mobile

elevating hut product

10 comprises a trailer, a platform, legs connecting the trailer to the platform, and a lifter to move the platform to a raised position. These elements are configured so that the product can be operated by a person without a power source.

In the raised position, the platform can provide an elevated lookout perch. The product can be used for various purposes, such as to spot wildlife for photography or hunting, as a secure shelter, and as a work platform.

The product provides progress over prior art shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 228,647 by KING; 261,874 by RICH; 445,487 by ARNOLD; 2,600,807 by RIESER; 3,406,784 by JONES; 3,882,964 by SCHELLENBERG; 4,442,919 by FULCHER; 5,295,555 by STRANGE; and 5,564,523 by HOWARD.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the product in an intermediate position. [0004]
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a lowered position. [0005]
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a raised position[0006]
The trailer has a [0007] frame 31. The trailer can have a hitch 32 at one end for connecting to a tow vehicle. Mobility of the trailer can be provided by wheels 33 and by various other means such as runners, skis, tracks, and combinations of these and other means.
The trailer can have various leveling components, such as [0008] screw jacks 34 and hydraulic jacks, for leveling the trailer on uneven terrain. The leveling components can be collapsible, retractable, and removable for stowing during transport.
The platform can include an enclosed [0009] hut 21 and an external walkway 27. The platform can have various configurations such as a simple flat surface and an enclosed hut with a floor, walls, windows, and doors.
The platform can have a ladder for accessing the platform. In FIG. 1, the platform has a two-piece ladder. The [0010] upper ladder section 22 is fixed to the platform. The lower ladder section 25 is fixed to and rotates with a front leg 11A. As the platform approaches the raised position, the ladder sections converge to form a continuous ladder assembly for accessing the platform.
The product has legs pivotally connected to the trailer and the platform. In FIG. 1, the product has a first [0011] front leg 11A pivotally connected to a first platform point 24A and a first trailer point 37A, a second front leg 11B pivotally connected to a second platform point (not visible) and a second trailer point 37B, a first rear leg 11C pivotally connected to a third platform point 24C and a third trailer point 37C, and a second rear leg 11D pivotally connected to a fourth platform point 24D and a fourth trailer point (not visible). The platform points and the trailer points can be on elements connected to the platform and to the trailer.
The product can have various numbers of legs, such as two, three, four, and more legs. Other leg configurations can be used, such as legs placed centrally between the sides of the trailer, legs placed centrally between the front and rear sides of the platform, legs placed asymmetrically, and other configurations. [0012]
The product has a lifter, in use acting between the trailer and the platform and lifting the platform between positions, such as the lowered and the raised positions. In FIG. 1, the lifter is a winch comprising a [0013] drum 51, a cable 53, and a handle 56. Various lifters, such as winches, worm gears, hydraulic and electric motors, hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, and other devices can be utilized if they meet the operational requirements of the product.
The lifter can be connected between various elements of the product such as the legs, the trailer, and the platform. Different lifters can require dissimilar mounting positions in order to lift the platform. For instance, a worm gear that provides torque to lift the platform can require a different mounting position than a winch that provides a force, via a cable, to lift the platform. [0014]
In FIG. 1, the winch is mounted between the [0015] mounting plates 52. A cable 53 is wrapped around the winch drum 51 and both cable ends extend over the upper cable rod 54. One end of the cable attaches directly to the anchor point 23 on the platform. The other end extends around the lower cable rod 55 and then attaches to the anchor point.
When the winch drum is rotated, the cable wraps around the drum at one end and simultaneously unwraps from the drum at the other end. This arrangement enables the winch, via the cable, to lift the platform in either direction. [0016]
The trailer can have an upright. The upright in use is upstanding from the trailer. The upright can provide a mounting position for the lifter and a connection point for locking the platform in place. [0017]
In FIG. 1, there are two uprights, placed on either side and to the rear of the trailer. The uprights have a [0018] perpendicular member 35 and a diagonal member 36. The uprights shown in FIG. 1 provide a mounting position for the winch mounting plates 52. The uprights hold the upper cable rod 54. They provide a locking hole 72 for locking a rear leg 11C in place when the platform is in the raised position.
The upright can be foldable, collapsible, and removable to facilitate stowing during transport. The trailer can have more than one upright. The upright can be located in various positions on the trailer, such as the front, the rear, centered, and asymmetric positions. Uprights can have various configurations, such as A-frame and single member uprights. [0019]
The product can have a lock, used for restraining the platform and legs in a position. In FIG. 3, the lock comprises a [0020] pin 73, inserted into a hole 71 through a rear leg, and a hole 72 through an upright diagonal member. The holes are shown in FIG. 1. When the platform is in the raised position, the holes align and the pin is inserted through the holes to restrain the platform in position.
The lock can be used to lock the platform and legs in any position such as the raised position and the lowered position. The lock can be comprised of integral features of the platform, legs, and trailer. The lock can be comprised of standard parts such as bolts, padlocks, and hasps, specially designed parts, and combinations thereof. [0021]
In FIG. 2, the platform is in the lowered position. The lowered position can be a stable position for towing due to the lowered center of gravity. The platform can be locked to the trailer in the lowered position to facilitate towing. [0022]
In FIG. 1, the platform is shown in an intermediate position between the lowered and raised positions. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the legs, trailer, and the platform. In an intermediate position, the platform position is inherently unstable and requires the force of the lifter, in this case the winch, acting against the force of gravity to hold the platform in this position. [0023]
In FIG. 3, the platform is shown in the raised position. With the trailer leveled for example by the screw jacks [0024] 34 the gravity vector 62, shown passing through the platform center of gravity 61, is balanced by upward forces through the legs.
In the raised position, the legs substantially support the weight of the platform. Each downward-directed weight force of the platform, transmitted to the legs through each connection point on the platform, is balanced by an equal, upward-directed reaction force transmitted from the legs through each connection point on the trailer. The force on the lifter caused by the platform is substantially zero. [0025]
Since all the forces are balanced, the raised position is an equilibrium position and the platform has no tendency to move from the raised position. Minimal restraining forces are required to hold the platform in position when the platform moves slightly away from this equilibrium position. The lifter with, and without, a lock can provide the restraining force. [0026]
The [0027] first platform point 24A, the first trailer point 37A, the third platform point 24C, and the third trailer point 37C are the four vertices of a closed figure. The closed figure can be a parallelogram. Alternatively the closed figure can be a trapezoid with two parallel sides. Alternatively the closed figure can have no parallel sides.
When the closed figure is not a parallelogram the legs and pivot points can be configured so that the platform center of gravity must be raised before the platform can be moved to the lowered position. In this case the raised position is in a stable (properly meta-stable) position, and the forces from the lifter and any lock needed to maintain the raised position are lower than in the parallelogram case. A product that has a stable equilibrium position when raised is resistant to forces caused by shifting wind loads and the movements of people and objects on the platform. [0028]
A configuration of legs and pivot points which minimizes forces needed to maintain the raised position is an essential feature of the product. Otherwise a more robust lifter, lock, or other components would be required to maintain the raised position and then this product would be hard to operate by a person alone without a power source. [0029]

Claims

Claimed is:

1. A mobile elevating hut comprising:

a trailer;

a platform;

a front leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the front leg being pivotally connected to a first platform point, the front leg being pivotally connected to a first trailer point;

a rear leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the rear leg being pivotally connected to a second platform point, the rear leg being pivotally connected to a second trailer point;

the first platform point, the first trailer point, the second platform point, and the second trailer point being at four vertices of a closed figure; and

a lifter, the lifter in use acting between the platform and the trailer, the lifter being adapted to lift the platform to a raised position where the force on the lifter caused by the platform is substantially zero.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the closed figure is a parallelogram.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the closed figure is not a parallelogram.

4. The product of claim 1 further comprising a lock, the lock in use acting between the trailer and the platform to restrain the platform.

5. The product of claim 1 wherein the lifter comprises a winch.

6. A mobile elevating hut comprising:

a trailer;

a platform;

a front leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the front leg being pivotally connected to a first platform point, the front leg being pivotally connected to a first trailer point on the trailer;

the first platform point, the first trailer point, the second platform point, and the second trailer point being at four vertices of a closed figure which is not a parallelogram; and

a lifter, the lifter in use acting between the platform and the trailer, the lifter being adapted to lift the platform to a raised position where the force on the lifter caused by the platform is substantially zero, the lifter being adapted to move the platform from the raised position toward the lifter and away from the lifter.

7. A mobile elevating hut comprising:

a trailer;

the trailer having an upright, the upright in use being upstanding from the trailer;

a platform;

a first front leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the first front leg being pivotally connected to a first platform point, the first front leg being pivotally connected to a first trailer point;

a second front leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the second front leg being pivotally connected to a second platform point, the second front leg being pivotally connected to a second trailer point;

a first rear leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the first rear leg being pivotally connected to a third platform point, the first rear leg being pivotally connected to a third trailer point;

a second rear leg connecting the platform to the trailer, the second rear leg being pivotally connected to a fourth platform point, the second rear leg being pivotally connected to a fourth trailer point;

a winch, the winch in use acting between the platform and the trailer, the winch in use being adapted to lift the platform to a raised position where the force on the winch caused by the platform is substantially zero, the winch being adapted to move the platform from the raised position toward the winch and away from the winch; and

a lock, the lock in use acting between the trailer and the platform to restrain the platform.