Modular lift assembly
OwnerDonald A. Hoffend, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift assembly having a drum rotatably mounted to a frame and linearly translatable with respect to the frame. A plurality of head blocks are connected to the frame along a helical mounting path, wherein linear translation of the drum during takeoff or take-up maintains a predetermined fleet angle between a take off point from the drum and the head block.
Claims14
A lift assembly for raising and lowering a load in theatrical and stage environments, comprising:
- (a) a frame connected to and supported by spaced overhead beams, the frame defining a footprint;
- (b) a drum rotatably connected to the frame about a horizontal axis of rotation, the drum having a plurality of winding sections for reeling cables connected to the load and the drum being translatable relative to the frame along the axis of rotation;
- (c) a plurality of head blocks connected to the frame, each head block being fixed relative to the frame for turning a cable reeled from a winding section of the drum to a generally horizontal direction;
- and
- (d) at least one loft block connected to the frame defining a portion of a first cable path from the generally horizontal direction to a generally vertical direction within the footprint of the frame.
A lift assembly for raising and lowering a load in theatrical and stage environments, comprising:
- (a) a frame attached to spaced overhead beams, the frame defining a footprint;
- (b) a drum rotatably mounted to the frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis of rotation, the drum having a first winding section;
- (c) a first head block connected to the frame to define a fleet angle of a first cable extending between the first head block and the first winding section;
- (d) a load brake connected to the drum to resist an unwinding rotation of the drum;
- and
- (e) a loft block connected to the frame and being arranged to receive the first cable from the first head block and direct the first cable in a vertical path to provide a drop line within the footprint of the frame.
A lift assembly for lifting a load in theatrical and stage environments, comprising:
- (a) an enclosed housing defining an interior, the housing being attachable to spaced overhead beams and having a drop line aperture;
- (b) a drum disposed within the interior and rotatably connected to the housing for rotation about a horizontal axis;
- (c) a head block located in the housing interior;
- and
- (d) a loft block located in the housing interior and spaced from the head block, the head block and loft block located to define a cable path passing from the drum first to the head block and then about the head block to a horizontal path and then to the loft block and about the loft block to a vertical path extending downwardly from the housing through the drop line aperture.
A lift assembly, comprising:
- (a) a frame having a foot print;
- (b) a drum rotatably mounted to the frame;
- (c) a head block connected to the frame and located to redirect a cable extended from the drum along a generally horizontal path;
- and
- (d) a loft block connected to the frame and spaced from the head block and located to redirect a cable from the generally horizontal path to a generally vertical path to provide a drop line within the footprint of the frame.
A method of lifting a load in theatrical and stage environments comprising:
- (a) connecting a frame to spaced overhead beams, the frame defining a footprint and including a drum rotatable about a horizontal axis, a head block fixed to the frame and a loft block fixed to the frame;
- (b) passing a cable from the drum to the head block and about the head block to a generally horizontal path;
- (c) passing the cable from the head block to loft block and about the loft block to a generally vertical path for connection to a load, the vertical path being in the footprint of the frame;
- and
- (d) translating the drum along the axis of rotation during rotation of the drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.