Telescoping mast having variable height locking and a chain erection mechanism with a cable management system
AssigneeDRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.
InventorsMichael Phelan, Michael Miller, Tom Ellington
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A telescoping mast for supporting and raising a load may be telescopically extended by a zipper-action chain extension system further comprising a system for the management of one or more cables, such as power or communication cables traversing the length of the mast, and is capable of being locked into a rigid formation along a range of telescopic lengths.
Claims19
A mast erection system comprising at least two chain assemblies, said chain assemblies able to cooperatively interact to form a generally rigid column having an internal, generally columnar space, said space able to house a cable assembly.
A mast erection system comprising:
- at least two chain assemblies, said chain assemblies able to cooperatively interact to form a generally rigid column;
- a cable assembly connected to at least one of said chain assemblies;
- and
- a mechanism for moving portions of said chain assemblies into cooperative alignment.
A telescoping locking mast assembly comprising:
- a mast comprising at least two nested mast segments capable of telescopic extension to a locked position;
- and
- a mast erection system capable of extending said mast into said locked position, said mast erection system comprising:
- at least two chain assemblies, said chain assemblies able to cooperatively interact to form a generally rigid column;
- a cable assembly connected to at least one of said chain assemblies;
- and
- a mechanism for moving portions of said chain assemblies into cooperative alignment.
A telescoping locking mast comprising:
- at least two adjacent nested mast segments comprising an inner segment and an outer segment, said adjacent nested mast segments being capable of telescopic extension relative to one another;
- a first locking element;
- and
- a first actuator;
- wherein each of said first locking element and said first actuator are located between said adjacent nested mast segments, and are capable of variable positioning relative to at least one of said mast segments;
- and
- wherein said mast segments can be locked in a variety of positions of extension by the interaction of said two adjacent nested mast segments through said first locking element when said first locking element is engaged by said first actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.