Device for raising and lowering a lighting mast

An arrangement for the raising and lowering of a mast, which comprises:

• an upper mast portion and a base, which upper mast portion is rotatable about a horizontal pivot axis, located in the base of the mast, which arrangement comprises:
• (i) a docking latch for restraining the upper mast portion against rotation;
• (ii) mounting brackets for attaching lift rams for driving the docking latch between a first engaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is restrained against rotation and a second disengaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is free to rotate and
• (iii) a lock selectable via an intermediate unlocked configuration, in which a cam plate thereof is disengaged with a figure of eight shaped aperture, between a first locked configuration wherein the docking latch is engaged and said cam plate is engaged in an upper part of said figure of eight shaped aperture, and a second unlocked configuration wherein the docking latch is disengaged and said cam plate is engaged in an lower part of said figure of eight shaped aperture,
• (iv) characterized in that one or more sensors for sensing the vertical alignment of the upper mast portion and/or the configuration of the lock, and/or the configuration of the docking latch and/or the proximity of the upper mast portion to the ground is also provided;
• and
• the lock is controllable remotely to allow automatic operation of the raising and lowering sequence.