Compact Hoist System
OwnerDonald Aloysius Hoffend, JR., Donald Aloysius Hoffend, IIIinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hoist system having a drum primarily self-contained within a batten, for raising and lowering lighting, sound equipment, curtains and the like in a performance environment. The hoist system may be adapted with safety mechanisms including an overload sensor and/or a slack line detector. The system may be provided in the form of a point hoist. The compact system is highly scalable to a variety of spaces and applications, including school and public theaters and concert halls, as well as some homes, private business, etc.
Claims20
A hoist system, comprising:
- a drum, adapted to have connected thereto, a first end of an elongate member;
- a motor coupled to the drum for imparting a rotational motion upon the drum;
- and
- a batten encasing the drum and having an opening therein for permitting the elongate member to emerge therefrom, the elongate member having a second end adapted to be fixed to an elevated support structure for supporting the hoist system.
A point hoist system for raising and lowering an article, comprising:
- a mount for moveably mounting the system to a support structure;
- a drum, coupled to the mount, adapted for winding upon the drum upon rotation of the drum about an axis of rotation, an elongate member having the article coupled thereto;
- a motor coupled to the drum for driving the rotation of the drum, the drum further moving in a first direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation upon rotation of the drum in a first direction, the drum moving in a second direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation upon rotation of the drum in a second direction;
- an elongate enclosure coupled to the mount substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and at least partially enclosing the drum, the enclosure enclosing the drum to an increasing extent as the drum moves in the first direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.
A safety mechanism for use in a hoist system, the hoist system comprising:
- a frame for attaching thereto an item to be hoisted;
- a rotatable drum;
- a motor coupled to the drum;
- and
- an elongate member coupled to the drum, wherein upon rotation of the drum under power of the motor, the elongate member winds around the drum, causing the frame to rise;
- the safety mechanism comprising:
- a moveable arm capable of a range of motion including a first position and a second position, the moveable arm being biased toward the first position by mechanical tension;
- and
- a slider connected to the moveable arm and adapted to receive the elongate member, such that a tension in the elongate member under a normal load biases the moveable arm toward the second position;
- wherein when the tension in the elongate member under a normal load is relieved, the moveable arm moves toward the first position, actuating a shutdown mechanism of the hoist system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.