System for the protection of an aerial device having a pivotable boom

A system for operating an aerial device including a carrier and a boom pivotally associated with said carrier, said boom having means for telescoping and elevating with respect to said carrier, and said system comprising:

• means associated with said aerial device for monitoring location of the boom relative to said carrier during said operating, including means for sensing an azimuth defining the pivotal location of said boom with respect to said carrier, means for sensing the elevation of said boom with respect to said carrier, and means for sensing an extension defining the telescoping of said boom with respect to said carrier;
• means associated with said aerial device for causing the boom to assume a preparatory position in predetermined spatial relationship to a stationary object which is randomly oriented with respect to said carrier;
• means associated with said monitoring means for utilizing the azimuth, elevation and extension sensed by said sensing means in said preparatory position to automatically define a surface in spaced relation to said object to define a region surrounding at least portions of said object and which is penetrable by said during unrestricted operation of the boom;
• and
• means associated with said monitoring means and said region defining means for utilizing the azimuth, elevation and extension sensed by said sensing means during subsequent operation of said boom to automatically provide an alert signal when the boom attempts to come closer than said surface to the object.

A method of operating an aerial device including a carrier and a boom pivotally associated with said carrier, said boom having means for telescoping with respect to said carrier, which method comprises the steps of:

• monitoring location of said boom relative to said carrier during said operating, including sensing an azimuth defining the pivotal location of said boom with respect to said carrier, and sensing an extension defining the telescoping of said boom with respect to said carrier;
• causing the boom to assume a first preparatory position in predetermined spatial relationship to a stationary object which is randomly oriented with respect to said carrier;
• utilizing the azimuth and extension sensed in said preparatory position to automatically define a surface in spaced relation to said object to define a region surrounding at least portions of said object and which is penetrable by said boom during unrestricted operation of the boom;
• and
• utilizing the azimuth and extension sensed during subsequent operation of said boom to automatically provide an alert signal when the boom attempts to come closer than said surface to the object.

A method of operating an aerial device including a carrier and a boom pivotally associated with said carrier, said boom having means for elevating with respect to said carrier, which method comprises the steps of:

• monitoring location of said boom relative to said carrier during said operating, including sensing an azimuth defining the pivotal location of said boom with respect to said carrier, and sensing the elevation of said boom with respect to said carrier;
• causing the boom to assume a first preparatory position in predetermined spatial relationship to a stationary object which is randomly oriented with respect to said carrier;
• utilizing the azimuth and elevation sensed in said preparatory position to automatically define a surface in spaced relation to said object to define a region surrounding at least portions of said object and which is penetrable by said boom during unrestricted operation of the boom;
• and
• utilizing the azimuth and elevation sensed during subsequent operation of said boom to automatically provide an alert signal when the boom attempts to come closer than said surface to the object.

A system for operating an aerial device including a carrier and a boom pivotally associated with said carrier, said carrier including a plurality of stabilizing supports, said boom having means for moving with respect to said carrier, and end portions of said boom including means for suspending an article from said boom, said system comprising:

• means for sensing loading on the boom;
• means for sensing distribution of the loading of the boom on the plurality of stabilizing supports of the carrier;
• and
• means for determining when said distribution approaches a condition in which there is a danger of boom tipping including means for comparing decreases in the loading of the boom on the plurality of stabilizing supports, responsive to changes in azimuth, elevation and extension of the boom, with load charts indicating safe operating limits for said aerial device.

A method for operating an aerial device including a carrier and a boom pivotally associated with said carrier, said carrier including a plurality of stabilizing supports, said boom having means for moving with respect to said carrier, and end portions of said boom including means for suspending an article from said boom, which method comprises the steps of:

• sensing loading on the boom;
• sensing distribution of the loading of the boom on the plurality of stabilizing supports of the carrier;
• determining when said distribution approaches a condition in which there is a danger of boom tipping by comparing decreases in the loading of the boom on the plurality of stabilizing supports, responsive to changes in azimuth, elevation and extension of the boom, with load charts indicating safe operating limits for said aerial device;
• and
• providing an alert signal when the comparison approaches the safe limits of aerial device operation as defined by the load charts.