Nut gap monitoring system
AssigneeNabholz Construction Corporation
InventorsMark Raymond Potter, Stephen Harold Schumacher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lifting column can provide optimized performance with a nut gap system that efficiently and precisely measures a nut gap during lifting operations. The nut gap system can have a rotating core onto which a nut and traveler are positioned. The nut can be separated from the traveler by a nut gap that is monitored by at least one sensor that continuously extends through the nut to access the nut gap.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising a rotating core physically contacting a nut and a traveler, the nut and the traveler each being threaded on the rotating core and separated by a nut gap measured from a top surface of the nut to a bottom surface of the traveler, the top surface of the nut facing the bottom surface of the traveler, the nut gap monitored by a sensor continuously extending through the nut into the nut gap to continuously physically contact the bottom surface of the traveler during movement of the nut and the traveler.
A lifting column comprising a rotating core physically contacting a nut and a traveler, the nut and the traveler each being threaded on the rotating core and separated by a nut gap measured from a top surface of the nut to a bottom surface of the traveler, the top surface facing the bottom surface, the nut gap monitored by a first sensor and a second sensor, each sensor continuously extending through the nut into the nut gap, the second sensor continuously physically contacting the bottom surface of the traveler during movement of the nut and the traveler.
A method comprising:
- positioning a traveler and a nut in physical contact with a rotating core, the nut traveler each being threaded on the rotating core and separated by a nut gap measured from a top surface of the nut to a bottom surface of the traveler, the top surface facing the bottom surface;
- rotating the rotating core to vertically displace the traveler and the nut;
- and
- measuring a nut gap distance with a sensor, the sensor continuously extending through the nut into the nut gap to access the nut gap and continuously physically contact the bottom surface of the traveler during movement of the nut and the traveler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.