US3524521A

US3524521A - Extendable boom remote control system

Info

Publication number: US3524521A
Application number: US789849A
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven L Boomgaarden; Orlo J Johnson
Original assignee: TEL E LECT Inc
Current assignee: TEL E LECT Inc
Priority date: 1969-01-08
Filing date: 1969-01-08
Publication date: 1970-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1987-08-18

Description

Aug..18, 1970 s. l.. BOOMGAARDEN ETAL 3,524,521

EXTENDABLE BOOM REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM s. L. BOOMGAARDEN ETAL 3,524,152 EXTENDABLE BOM REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM I A Aug. 18, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1969 INVENTORS SE1/.EM L. 5004164451254),

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7 i Iman/5% All@ 18, 1970 l.. BOOMGAARDEN ETAL 11,524,521

EXTENDABLE BOOM REMOTE .CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Jan. e, 1969 y 3 SheeS-Sheet PIES - INVENTORS Sra/5m L. .Boo/146442195, 02.40 c/ dof/#50M United States Patent O 3,524,521 EXTENDABLE BOOM REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Steven L. Boomgaarden, Richfield, and Orlo J. Johnson,

Lakeville, Minn., assignors to Tel-E-Lect, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed Jan. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 789,849 Int. Cl. B66f 11/04 U.S. Cl. 182-46 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A remote control system for an extendable boom assembly in which the control system includes operating handles connected through a cable system to stationary valve controls on the stationary portion of the boom. The cable system is connected over movable control frame parts which change the position of the supporting sheaves to compensate for slack in the cable with boom extension and contraction.

Our invention relates to extenable boom assembly control apparatus and more particularly to an improved control system for extendable booms which compensates for slack in the cable system of the same.

Extendable boom systems employed in aerial towers have the problem of compensating for the control system length with boom extension and contraction. The present systems of this type in use employ complicated control mechanisms and special power actuators to perform this compensation. Further, where such systems employ insulated boom extensions and Work baskets, the problem of insulating the control system for the same requires a complicated structure to permit insulation of the control system from the stationary portion of the controls. In the present invention, a simplified control apparatus is provided which adjustably positions the cable system to compensate for the change in cable length with boom extension and contraction and includes the use o f insulating rods in the cable system to insulate the work platform on the end of an insulated boom for safety of personnel therein. The improved control apparatus employs a carriage mounting on at least part of the pulley system for the control cables which is adjustably positioned in accordance with boom extension Without the requirement of separate actuators and in proportion to the boom extension such that cable length will be automatically compensated for to maintain uniform tension on the same. The location of the control system and the arrangement of parts permits the introduction of insulating sections in the control cable system to insure electric insulation between the control handle and the control actuators on the stationary portion of the boom.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved control apparatus for an extendable boom.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a control system for an extendable boom a simplied arrangement for adjusting for cable extension and contractlon.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a control apparatus of this type a simplified arrangement for maintaining electrical insulation in the control portion of the same.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description, vtogether with the drawings wherein:

ICC

FIGS. 1 and la are a continuous side elevation view of the improved control apparatus for an extendable boom with parts in section;

FIGS. 2 and 2a are a continuous plan view of the control apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the improved control apparatus showing the arrangement of parts.

Our improved remote control apparatus for an extendable boom is shown in the drawings with the boom itself, indicated in phantom in FIGS. l and la, and schematically in FIG. 3. The details of the boom are omitted since they lmay take varying forms, but it will be understood that an extendable boom will normally include a main or outer portion 10 with one or more inner extendable portions or

boom members

11 and 12. Such a boom will normally form a part of the mobile aerial tower or equivalent structure in which the main boom element is mounted on some type of support, such as a rolling support, and is pivoted about one or more axes, normally two axes, through a structure (not shown). A boom assembly of this type will normally include a number of separate actuators for the purpose of extending the boom members or

elements

11 and 12 relative to one another and to the main stationary boom portion to provide a generally elongated structure for a working purpose. In many instances, such a boom configuration will carry a personnel basket (not shown) at the end of the same to provide a mobile aerial platform or tower and, in such instances, the structure of one or more of the boom elements, normally the end or stinger boom member 12, will be made of a di-electric material as well as the personnel carrying basket to electrically insulate the end of the boom from the metallic boom structure, that is the remaining boom members, as well as the supporting structure and wheel support.

v In the present invention, control apparatus for such a boom assembly is provided which will locate manually operating handles or levers, indicated generally at 30, in the vicinity of the end of the boom stinger or adjacent the boom stinger or inner boom element 12 adjacent the personnel carrying basket attached thereto, which control handles will operate mechanically the controllers located on the main boom element 10 adjacent the base of the same, the controllers being indicated generally at 35. These controllers, which are shown herein as hydraulic valves, would be coupled to and control hydraulic actuators (not shown) positioned on the main boom assembly and its supporting structure (not shown) for the purpose of moving the entire boom assembly about the two axes of movement and for extending and retracting the boom elements or boom assembly. This controller or valve assembly incorporates three separate valves, indicated at 38, 39 and 40, which are mounted in a single valve housing and include a plurality of outlet ports 41, 42, and 43, with appropriate inlet ports, indicated at 45, for the purpose of providing bi-directional control to the hydraulic actuators associated with the boom assembly and aerial connections extend between the inlet and outlet ports 41-45, hydraulic source lines and associated hydraulic actuators (not shown) for the boom assembly for the hydraulic control circuit.

The frame member 55 of the control apparatus is basically an elongated structure upon which the Valve assembly 35 is mounted through suitable means such as bolts, indicated at 60. Also positioned on the frame member 55 is an elongated channel member 65 which is supported thereon through suitable brackets 66, the channel member being generally rectangular in cross section and tubular with a slot, such as is indicated in FIG. 2 at 618, extending along the extent of the same. The tubular track structure 65 supports a carriage member 70 which is also generally rectangular in cross section and elongated in form. The carriage member mounts a bracket 72 with an upwardly extending flange 73 upon which is positioned a pair of roller members 76 with the upwardly extending flange portion 73 extending through the slot 68 in the carriage member and with the rollers 76 positioned within the tubular mounting bracket for guiding the rollers along the extent of the same. The carriage member is generally rectangular in cross section and is spaced from the surface of the plate-like frame 55 through its mounting on the tubular guide or frame 65 so as to be guided along the extent of the mounting frame 55 through support of the flange 72 with the rollers 76 thereon. The ange 72 is located near one extremity of the carriage member 70 to hang or suspend the carriage member at this extremity on the frame 55. The opposite extremity of the carriage member is supported by an upwardly extending flange '80 with a roller 82 thereon which bears against the undersurface of the carriage member and near the lower extremity of the mounting plate beneath the end of the tubular carriage 70. It will be noted in the dra-wings that the carriage member 70 extends beyond the extent of the same' and in turn mounts a tubular member 90 which is slidably positioned in the carriage member 70 and adapted to move relative thereto. The inner tubular member 90 is made of an insulating or di-electric material while the carriage member 70 is of a metallic material.

The carriage member 70 is adapted to move relative to the frame member 55 ou its roller supports through connection with the tubular member 90 and a cable system, to be hereinafter described, associated therewith. Thus, as will be seen in FIGS. l and 2, and schematically in FIG. 3, the mounting frame 55 includes a plate 100 with a cable 102 attached at its extremities to the same, the cable being directed over a roller member or pulley 5 mounted on a ange 106 on one end of the carriage member 70 and a second pulley or sheave 107 mounted on a ange 10'8 and positioned near the other end of the carriage member 70. The cable 102 is looped across each of the pulleys such that the upper portion of the loop extends outside of the carriage member 70 while the underside is directed into the interior of the carriage member through suitable slots 111 therein and at the midpoint opposite the connection with the tlange 100 is connected to the end of the tubular member 90 through a suitable connecting bracket 110. Thus, as the tubular member 90 moves within the carriage member 70, the cable will move over the

rollers

107, 105 and cause the carriage member 70 to be moved with the tubular member relative to the mounting frame 55 and on its supporting track 65 and roller member '82. The tubular member 90 will be withdrawn from the carriage member as the tubular member is withdrawn since the cable 102, as it rolls over the sheaves or

pulleys

105, 107, will pull the carriage member along with the same with the tubular member 90 moving out of the contines of the carriage member a distance slightly less than one-half the length of the cable 102 as the carriage member 70 moves relative to the mounting plate 55 the same distance. The purpose of this mounting is to maintain tension in the mechanical cable system, to be hereinafter defined, extending between the operation handles 30 and the linkages associated with the valve stems or actuators of the valve assembly 35 for operation ofthe same.

As will be seen in FIGS. la and 2a and schematically in FIG. 3, the tubular member mounts a hollow connecting sleeve which is secured to the end of the tubular member and is made of a metallic or rigid material. This structure in turn mounts a hand linkage support comprised of a plurality of

handles

121, 122 and 123 pivotally mounted in the handle frame 120 and carrying transversely extending linkage tie members 125 at the end of the same. In addition, the hollow support frame mounts a plurality of stacked pulleys or sheaves, indicated generally at and 133, over which the cable extends. The ends of the cable tie link 125 mount the ends of the plurality of cables, indicated generally at 140, which extends over the

pulleys

130, 133 and connect to cable rods located in the tubular member 90. The rods 150' are made of a di-electric material and serve as a splice or section of the cable within the insulating section of the control apparatus to provide insulation in the manual control linkage between the handles and the valves. The opposite ends of the rods 150 connect to extensions of the

cables

152, 153 which extend through the carriage member 70 and over pairs of pulleys 162, 16'3 mounted on suitable support frame member 164 in the end of the carriage member with the cables being fed back along the extent of the frame and over similar stacked

guide pulleys

172, 173 on the lower portion of the support frame 55 with the cables extending back along the extent of the support frame to a inal set of pulley member 175 mounted on a suitable bracket 176 and located on the opposite end of the mounting frame for the control apparatus. Adjacent the final sets of pulleys 175, the cable system connects to a lever assembly 180 formed of pivoted lever members 172, 183- and 184 which are mounted on the support frame through suitable supporting brackets, indicated generally at 190. rIhe free ends of these levers connect to

operating levers

192, 193 and 194 for the

valves

38, 39 and 40, respectively, and are connected to the valve stems 50 of the same to move the valve stems longitudinally and in a reciprocating manner to operate the valve in a controlling function.

As will be seen in the plan view, an individual cable is connected between each of the respective handles and one of the linkage systems and each set of pulleys in stacked relationship contains a separate pulley member or sheave for each cable connecting the handle with the respective valve. The cable extremities secured to the cable linkage members 125 on the handles extend over pairs of

pulleys

162, 163 on the carriage member and on the end of the mounting frame 52, as at 172, 173, to separate and guide the sides of the cable loop extending between the handle and the final pulley set 175 with the linkage members being connected intermediate the extent of the cable system. Thus, the individual handles 121, 122 and 123 with their respective cable systems, which are normally made of a metallic material, each include the insulating rods 150 within the tubular portion or member 90 of the control assembly mounting the handle frame 120 so that the handles are electrically insulated from the valve assembly and insulation is maintained between the eX- tremities of the control apparatus.

In the mounting of the control assembly on the boom elements, the mounting plate 55, as previously described, 1s attached to the main Iboom element or outer boom member 10. The inner boom element or the stinger port1on of the expandable boom, which is normally made of a di-electric material such as -tiber glass, has attached thereto the control handle portion of the control assembly which includes the di-electric tube 90 which is similarly made of -ber glass together with the handle mounting frame 120 secured thereto. Thus, as is shown in FIG. 1b, the boom element 12 will normally include a mounting bracket 200 to which is selectively attached by means of a pin a connecting Iliange 201 on the handle mounting frame 120. Similarly, the intermediate or second boom element 11, where it is used, will include thereon a roller support member, such as is indicated at 210, which is adapted to receive and support the tubular member 90 as it is extended. For transportation purposes to keep the cables on their respective pulleys, the tubular member will normally include a separate catch or latch flange 215 through which a pin is adapted to be inserted, such as is indicated at 216, to engage a flange 218 connected to the carriage member 70. This will prevent the tubular member from sliding out of the contines of the carriage member during transportation and will insure that the cable system for the individual cables connected to the handles 121 123 will be kept in position on their respective pulley members or guides during transportation. Such a pin is removed when the apparatus is ready for usage and the structure, that is the inner boom member 90, is extended and engaged with the stinger or inner Iboom element 12 by means of the latch members 200, 201.to be fxedly connected thereto for operation with the boom elements. The personnel carrying -basket (not shown) will normally be positioned adjacent this location so that an operator may operate the handles to move the valve `members and control the associated motors of the boom assembly in the operation, that is the movement and extension. and retraction of the boom. s

In operation, each of the handles of the control assembly may be independently operated to selectively operate one of the valves of the valve assembly 35 on the control frame through the cable system interconnecting the two. As the boom is extended or retracted, the cable will be kept taut to insure proper valve operation by fmovement of the carriage 70 and inner tubular members 90. As the tubular member moves, its connection with the cable 102 will cause the carriage member 70 to move or lbe pulled along through cooperation with the

rollers

105, 107 at the ends of the same. The carriage member and tubular members will move with the boom extension or retraction to maintain the cables taut and operative such that they are actually moved only through operation of the control handles. The inserted insulating rods 150, forming a part of the cables within the tubular member, insures that di-electric insulation is maintained between the control handle section 30 and valve assembly 35 of the control apparatus to be consistent with and complete the electrical insulation of the control basket from the ground or remaining portion of the supporting boom structure and the boom itself. This improved control apparatus requires no separate motors, and movement of the carriage system is controlled fby |boom movement which will displace the supporting rollers, that is one of the supporting rollers or sheaves for the connecting cables between the handles and the valves so that proper length of cable will be maintained at all times to insure that no slack will appear therein.

What is claimed is:

1. Control apparatus for extendable boom assembly having a main boom member with at least one telescopic inner boom member and with a work platform at the end of the outer most inner boom member including motive means operative to retract and extend inner boom members relative to the main boom member comprising, a base frame adapted to be attached to 'the main boom member, control means adapted to be connected to and control the operation of the motive means of the extendable boom assembly to cause retraction and extension of the inner boom members, said control means being mounted on the base frame, a carriage member slidably mounted on the base frame, a hollow tubular member slidably mounted in the carriage member and having an outer extremity projecting therefrom, said tubular member being adapted to be connected to the outer most end of the inner boom member adjacent the work platform, control handle means mounted at the end of the tubular member and adapted to be located adjacent the work platform to be operated from the work basket, a control cable system connecting respectively the control handle with the control means on the base frame Afor operation of the same, said cable system being guided by sheaves on the carriage member and on the base frame, and an additional cable system having a pair of guiding sheaves positioned at the ends of the carriage member with the cable system being connected to the base frame and the tubular member at, opposite lpoints thereon to cause the carriage member to slide with movement of the tubular member to compensate for slack in the control cable system with relative movement of the boom members.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 in which the control means on the base frame include a plurality of controllers some of which are adapted to control articulation of the boom assembly and in which the control handle means includes a plurality of control handles each with a separate cable system guided over separate sheaves on the carriage member and the base frame to operate respectively the plurality @f control members.

3. The control apparatus of claim 1 and including track means positioned on the base frame and roller means mounted on the carriage member for slidably mounting the carriage member on the base frame.

4. The control apparatus of claim 3 in which the control cable system connecting the control handle with the control means on lthe base frame extends through the tubular member and the carriage member.

5. The control apparatus of claim 4 in which the tubular member is made of an insulating material and including insulating rod means positioned in the control cable system within the tubular member to insulate the control handle from the control means.

6. The control apparatus of claim 4 and including additional guide roller means positioned relative to the carriage member opposite the track and roller guiding the same to guide the underside of the roller with said additional guide means` being positioned on the base frame.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1 in which the additional cable system connected to the carriage member includes roller means positioned on either end of the carriage member and a slot in the carriage member through which a portion of the additional cable system extends with the cable system being connected to the tubular member within the carriage member and to the base frame outside of the carriage member.

8. Control apparatus for extendable boom assembly having a main boom member with at least one telescopic inner boom member and with a work platform at the end of the outer most inner boom member including motive means operative to retract and extend inner boom members relative to the main boom member comprising, a base frame adapted to be attached to the main boom member, control means adapted to be connected to and control the operation of the motive means of the extendable boom assembly to cause retraction and extension of the inner boom members, said control means being mounted on the base frame, a carriage member slidably mounted on the base frame, a hollow tubular member slidably mounted in the carriage member and having an outer extremity projecting therefrom, said tubular member being adapted to be connected to the outer most end of the inner boom member adjacent a work platform, control handle means mounted at the end of the tubular member adjacent the work platform to be operated from the work platform, a control cable system connecting respectively the control handle with the control means on the base frame for operation of the same, said cable system being guided by sheaves on the carriage member and on the base frame, and compensating means for the control cable system to compensate for the change in distance between the control handle and the control member with extension andA contraction of the boom assem- 7 bly including additional cable means coupling the tubular member with the carriage member to cause the carriage member to slide on the base frame and change the position of the sheaves thereon relative to the base frame with movement of the tubular member.

9. The control apparatus of claim 6 and including a further roller guide means adapted to be positioned on an inner boom member to engage the tubular member support the same.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/ 1967 Verrell et al. 182-2 U.S. Cl. X.R.

uNrllm H'IA'rlcs IA'llcN'r nwlmc (IER'IIFICA'IE 0l" CORRECTION Patent; No. 3:524:521 DatefLAugust 18. 1970 nventor(s)oom zaarden, Steven L. z and Johnson. Orlo J.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Page 7, Line 8, after "tubular member", insert the following and.

NOV. 17,1970

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