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US 4,907,768 AGranted
Telescoping crane
OwnerAlain O. F. Masseron, Jean-Pierre M. Lavalouinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crane having a plurality of telescoping beams for supporting and positioning a camera or the like. The crane includes a counterweight structure which balances the crane about its fulcrum point. As the beams of the crane telescope outward, the movement of the counterweight structure is controlled so as to move in the opposite direction relative to the fulcrum point to substantially maintain a balanced crane.
Claims41
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a counterweight structure connected along the outside of the main boom and telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam and said second beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support.
3 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure connected along the outside of the main boom and telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support.
4 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end or said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support;
- said interconnecting means comprising:
- a main flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two main rollers on opposite ends of said main boom, said main linkage having a main top connecting element and a main bottom connecting element thereon positioned between said main rollers;
- a first flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two first rollers on opposite ends of said first beam, said first linkage having a first top connecting element and a first bottom connecting element positioned between said first rollers;
- and
- a second flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two second rollers on opposite ends of said second beam, said second linkage having a second top connecting element and a second bottom connecting element positioned between said second rollers;
- and
- a tensioning means for each flexible linkage wherein the beams are remotely interconnected through the tensioning of said flexible linkage,
- wherein said counterweight structure is detachably connected to said main linkage at said main top connecting element;
- wherein said first beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said main linkage at said main bottom connecting element and at its front end to said second linkage at said second top connecting element;
- wherein said second beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said first linkage at said first bottom connecting element;
- wherein said third beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said second linkage at said second bottom connecting element.
15 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support;
- said interconnecting means comprising:
- a main flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two main rollers on opposite ends of said main boom, said main linkage having a main top connecting element and a main bottom connecting element thereon positioned between said main rollers;
- a first flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two first rollers on opposite ends of said first beam, said first linkage having a first top connecting element and a first bottom connecting element positioned between said first rollers;
- and
- a second flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two second rollers on opposite ends of said second beam, said second linkage having a second top connecting element and a second bottom connecting element positioned between said second rollers;
- and
- a tensioning means for each flexible linkage, said tensioning means comprising:
- an eccentric operably connected to one of said two rollers such that as said eccentric is rotated, the distance between the two rollers is varied;
- and a handle connected to and for rotating said eccentric;
- wherein said counterweight structure is detachably connected to said main linkage at said main top connecting element;
- wherein said first beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said main linkage at said main bottom connecting element and at its front end to said second linkage at said second top connecting element;
- wherein said second beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said first linkage at said first bottom connecting element;
- wherein said third beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said second linkage at said second bottom connecting element;
- wherein the tensioning means actuates the bottom connecting element to connect to the rear end of the beam.
18 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure extendable from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support;
- said interconnecting means comprising:
- a main flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two main rollers on opposite ends of said main boom, said main linkage having a main top connecting element and a main bottom connecting element thereon positioned between said main rollers;
- a first flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two first rollers on opposite ends of said first beam, said first linkage having a first top connecting element and a first bottom connecting element positioned between said first rollers;
- and
- a second flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two second rollers on opposite ends of said second beam, said second linkage having a second top connecting element and a second bottom connecting element positioned between said second rollers;
- and
- a tensioning means for each flexible linkage, said tensioning means comprising:
- an eccentric operably connected to one of said two rollers such that as said eccentric is rotated, the distance between the two rollers is varied;
- and a handle connected to and for rotating said eccentric;
- wherein said interconnecting means further comprises:
- a cam attached to said handle such that as said handle is pulled downward, said cam actuates a mating element into the top connecting element;
- wherein said counterweight structure is detachably connected to said main linkage at said main top connecting element;
- wherein said first beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said main linkage at said main bottom connecting element and at its front end to said second linkage at said second top connecting element;
- wherein said second beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said first linkage at said first bottom connecting element;
- wherein said third beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said second linkage at said second bottom connecting element.
19 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure extendable from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support;
- said interconnecting means comprising:
- a main flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two main rollers on opposite ends of said main boom, said main linkage having a main top connecting element and a main bottom connecting element thereon positioned between said main rollers;
- first flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two first rollers on opposite ends of said first beam, said first linkage having a first top connecting element and a first bottom connecting element positioned between said first rollers;
- and
- a second flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two second rollers on opposite ends of said second beam, said second linkage having a second top connecting element and a second bottom connecting element positioned between said second rollers;
- a tensioning means for each flexible linkage, said tensioning means comprising:
- an eccentric operably connected to one of said two rollers such that as said eccentric is rotated, the distance between the two rollers is varied;
- and a handle connected to and for rotating said eccentric;
- and
- means for preventing assembly of beams unless said flexible linkages have been properly tensioned;
- wherein said counterweight structure is detachably connected to said main linkage at said main top connecting element;
- wherein said first beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said main linkage at said main bottom connecting element and at its front end to said second linkage at said second top connecting element;
- wherein said second beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said first linkage at said first bottom connecting element,
- wherein said third beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said second linkage at said second bottom connecting element.
18 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a support;
- a main boom mounted on said support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- one or more intermediate beams telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a last beam telescopically extendable from the last intermediate beam;
- a counterweight structure connected along the outside of said main boom and telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- and
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said intermediate beams, said last beam, and said counterweight structure such that as one beam extends in one direction, another beam or the counterweight structure extends in an opposite direction to compensate for any change in moment about the support thereby substantially maintaining balance about said support.
4 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a support;
- a main boom mounted on said support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a plurality of beams, #1 through #n, fitting and sliding within said main boom and within each other, said beams telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a counterweight structure connected along the outside of said main boom and telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- and
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said plurality of beams, and said counterweight structure such that as said plurality of beams extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in an opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said support.
3 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a plurality of beams extending out from the front end of said main boom;
- a counterweight structure connected along the outside of said main boom and telescopically extending out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom and said beams for extending and retracting said beams, said interconnecting means comprising a flexible linkage;
- and
- a drive mechanism comprising a drum operably connected to said flexible linkage and a motor positioned within said drum and operably connected thereto for rotating said drum.
3 more elements
A crane comprising:
- a fulcrum support;
- a main boom mounted on said fulcrum support, said main boom having a front end and a rear end;
- a first beam telescopically extendable from the front end of said main boom;
- a second beam telescopically extendable from said first beam;
- a third beam telescopically extendable from said second beam;
- a counterweight structure telescopically extendable out from the rear end of said main boom;
- an interconnecting means between said main boom, said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said counterweight structure controlling the relative movements thereof such that as said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam extend in one direction, said counterweight structure extends in the opposite direction thereby substantially maintaining balance about said fulcrum support;
- said interconnecting means comprising:
- a main flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two main rollers on opposite ends of said main boom, said main linkage having a main top connecting element and a main bottom connecting element thereon positioned between said main rollers;
- a first flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two first rollers on opposite ends of said first beam, said first linkage having a first top connecting element and a first bottom connecting element positioned between said first rollers;
- and
- a second flexible closed loop linkage mounted between two second rollers on opposite ends of said second beam, said second linkage having a second top connecting element and a second bottom connecting element positioned between said second rollers;
- and
- a tensioning means for each flexible linkage, wherein the beams are interconnected through the tensioning of said flexible linkage, wherein (a) actuation of the tensioning means of the main flexible linkage actuates the main top connecting element to detachably connect to the front end of said counterweight structure, (b) actuation of the tensioning means of the first flexible linkage actuates the first top connecting element to detachably connect to the front end of main boom, and (c) actuation of the tensioning means of the second flexible linkage actuates the second top connecting element to detachably connect to the front end of said first beam,
- wherein said counterweight structure is detachably connected to said main linkage at said main top connecting element;
- wherein said first beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said main linkage at said main bottom connecting element and at its front end to said second linkage at said second top connecting element;
- wherein said second beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said first linkage at said first bottom connecting element;
- wherein said third beam is detachably connected at its rear end to said second linkage at said second bottom connecting element.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.