Collapsible boom for vehicles
OwnerJames R. Burklandinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight collapsible boom assembly is disclosed. It is particularly suitable for use with a multipurpose vehicle of the type used in emergency rescue operations because it can be stored in a limited space within the vehicle and quickly removed and installed for lifting heavy objects with a winch and cable. Connecting means pivotally attach a pair of upper members to an upright member in an aligned parallel relationship for storage, and guide movement of the members into a spread apart relationship for reacting cable loads when the upper members are installed on the vehicle. The disclosed preferred embodiment utilizes an adjustable length upright member attached to a lower strut secured to the vehicle. A support device, optionally either a shoe or wheel, reacts vertical loads from the upright member and the lower strut.
Claims16
A collapsible boom assembly suitable for storage in a limited space within a vehicle and adapted for quick and easy attachment to the vehicle for raising and lowering heavy objects with a cable and winch assembly, said collapsible boom assembly comprising:
- a pair of upper members, each having at one end thereof means for attachment to said vehicle;
- an upright member;
- a sheave device adapted to guide said cable;
- connecting means pivotally interconnecting at a first juncture each of said pair of upper members, said upright member, and said sheave device;
- said connecting means providing means for aligning each of said members in a substantially parallel relationship for storage in a minimum space, and means for controlling and guiding relative movement of said upright member with respect to said upper members in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said upper members and into a spread apart relationship for reacting loads imposed on said sheave device when said upper members are attached to said vehicle.
A collapsible boom assembly suitable for storage in a limited space within a vehicle and adapted for quick and easy attachment to the vehicle for raising and lowering heavy objects with a cable and winch assembly;
- said collapsible boom assembly comprising:
- a pair of upper members, each having at a first end thereof means for attachment to said vehicle and at the other end thereof a flange containing a slot having a lower portion which extends parallel to said upper member from the slot's middle portion to its end located nearest said first end, and having an upper portion which extends perpendicularly toward said upper member from the slot's middle portion to its opposite end;
- a telescoping upright member having a selectively adjustable length;
- bolt means carried by said upright member for connecting said upper members through their slots on either side of said upright member;
- each of said flanges of said upper members being bent and redirected outwardly away from said upright member along bend lines substantially perpendicular to said lower portion of said slot and passing through said slot near its middle portion;
- a sheave device rotatably journaled on said bolt means;
- a lower strut hingedly attached to the lower end of said upright member and having means for attachment to said vehicle;
- and
- a support device attached to each of said upright member and said lower strut for reacting vertical loads into the terrain beneath said boom assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.