Claims
- 1. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) which comprises a tower (12) having three vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c), having bracing (22) intermediate of adjacent pairs of said tower legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c) of said tower, and having a neutral axis (26) that is disposed intermediate of said faces;
- first mounting portion means (170+204) for operative attachment to one of said faces of said tower;
- second mounting portion means (142), having a tower-receiving opening (548), and being disposed circumferentially around all of said tower legs, for mounting a device (256 or 266) thereto;
- attaching means for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned with respect to said first mounting portion means, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and
- rotational positioning means, comprising a drive motor (214) that is operatively attached to one (170+204) of said mounting portion means, and comprising a friction drive element (186 or 219) that is operatively connected to said drive motor, for providing a friction drive connection between said drive motor and said other (142) mounting portion means, and for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means.
- 2. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said attaching means comprises a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means, a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and operative engagement of said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion means.
- 3. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said rotational positioning means includes a shaft (188 or 218) that is operatively connected to said drive motor (214);
- said rotational positioning means further includes a roller (186 or 219) that is operatively attached to said shaft;
- said friction drive element comprises said roller; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor comprises said operative connection of said shaft to said drive motor and said operative attachment of said roller to said shaft.
- 4. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said attaching means comprises a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means, a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and operative engagement of said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion means;
- said friction drive element comprises one (186 or 219) of said rollers; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor (214) comprises operative connection of said drive motor to one (188 or 218) of said roller shafts, and said operative attachment of one of said rollers to said one roller shaft.
- 5. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said other (142) mounting portion means comprises first (152) and second (154) circumferential surfaces;
- said assembly includes a plurality of roller shafts that are disposed radially outward from a second axis (24) that is disposed substantially parallel to said neutral axis (26), that are disposed circumferentially around said second axis, and that are operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means;
- said assembly further includes a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) that are operatively attached to said shafts, and that provide roller surface means for cooperating with said first and second circumferential surfaces;
- said attaching means, comprises said first and second circumferential surfaces and also comprises said roller surface means, said supportive attaching of said second mounting portion means (142) to said first mounting portion means comprises operative engagement of said roller surface means with said first (152) circumferential surface, and said vertical restraining of said second mounting portion means comprises close proximity of said second circumferential surface to said roller surface means;
- said friction drive element comprises one (186 or 219) of said rollers; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor (214) comprises operative connection of said drive motor to one (188 or 218) of said roller shafts, and said operative attachment of said one roller to said one roller shaft.
- 6. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 5 in which said other (142) mounting portion means includes a ring surface (148) and a circumferential groove (150) that extends radially into said other mounting portion means from said ring surface and that includes first (152) and second (154) groove surfaces; and
- said first and second circumferential surfaces comprise said first and second groove surfaces.
- 7. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 6 in which one of said groove surfaces (152 or 154) diverge from the other (154 or 152) of said groove surfaces as said groove surfaces approach said ring surface (148);
- said roller surface means (162 or 192) comprises a profiled surface (164, 166, 194, or 196); and
- said radial guiding comprises said one diverging groove surface and said profiled surface.
- 8. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 5 in which said roller surface means comprises first (164 or 194) roller surfaces and second (166 or 196) roller surfaces;
- said operative engagement of said roller surface means with said first (152) circumferential surface comprises operative engagement of said first roller surfaces (164 or 194) with said first circumferential surface; and
- said close proximity of said second circumferential surface (154) to said roller surface means comprises close proximity of said second circumferential surface to said second roller surfaces (166 or 196).
- 9. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 8 in which said close proximity of said second circumferential surface (154) to said second roller surfaces (166 or 196) comprises contact of said second circumferential surface with said second roller surfaces (166 or 196).
- 10. A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said second mounting portion (142) includes a first (512a) segment having first (514a) and second (514b) ends, and having a first opening (530a) that is disposed intermediate of said first and second ends and that opens outwardly between said first and second ends;
- said secong mounting portion further includes a second (512b) segment having third (514a) and fourth (514b) ends, and a second (530b) opening that is disposed intermediate of said third and fourth ends and that opens outwardly between said third and fourth ends; and
- said tower-receiving opening (548) comprises said first and second openings.
- 11. A rotationally positionable mount (504) for mounting a device (256 or 266) to a tower (12) of the type having three vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c), having bracing intermediate of adjacent pairs of said tower legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c), and having a neutral axis (26) intermediate of said faces, which mount comprises first mounting portion means (170+204) for operative attachment to one of said faces of said tower;
- second mounting portion means (142), having a tower-receiving opening (548), for receiving all of said tower legs in said tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs, and for mounting said device thereto;
- attaching means for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned with respect to said first mounting portion means, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and
- rotational positioning means, comprising a drive motor (214) that is operatively attached to one (170+204) of said mounting portion means, and comprising a friction drive element (186 or 219) that is operatively connected to said drive motor, for providing a friction drive connection between said drive motor and said other (142) mounting portion means, and for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means.
- 12. A rotationally positionable mount (504) as claimed in claim 11 in which said attaching means comprises a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means, a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and operative engagement of said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion means.
- 13. A rotationally positionable mount (504) as claimed in claim 11 in which said rotational positioning means includes a shaft (188 or 218) that is operatively connected to said drive motor (214);
- said rotational positioning means further includes a roller (186 or 219) that is operatively attached to said shaft;
- said friction drive element comprises said roller; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor comprises said operative connection of said shaft to said drive motor and said operative attachment of said roller to said shaft.
- 14. A rotationally positionable mount (504) as claimed in claim 11 in which said attaching means comprises a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means, a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and operative engagement of said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion means;
- said friction drive element comprises one (186 or 219) of said rollers; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor (214) comprises operative connection of said drive motor to one (188 or 218) of said roller shafts, and said operative attachment of one of said rollers to said one roller shaft.
- 15. A rotationally positionable mount (504) as claimed in claim 11 in which said other (142) mounting portion means comprises first (152) and second (154) circumferential surfaces;
- said mount includes a plurality of roller shafts that are disposed radially outward from a second axis (24) that is disposed substantially parallel to said neutral axis (26), that are disposed circumferentially around said second axis, and that are operatively attached to said one (170+204) mounting portion means;
- said mount further includes a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) that are operatively attached to said shafts, and that each include roller surface means for cooperating with said first and second circumferential surfaces;
- said attaching means, comprises said first and second circumferential surfaces and said roller surface means, said supportive attaching of said second mounting portion means (142) to said first mounting portion means comprises operative engagement of said roller surface means with said first (152) circumferential surface, and said vertical restraining of said second mounting portion means comprises close proximity of said second circumferential surface to said roller surface means;
- said friction drive element comprises one (186 or 219) of said rollers; and
- said operative connection of said friction drive element to said drive motor (214) comprises operative connection of said drive motor to one (188 or 218) of said roller shafts, and said operative attachment of said one roller to said one roller shaft.
- 16. A rotationally positionable mount (504) as claimed in claim 11 in which said second mounting portion (142) includes a first (512a) segment having first (514a) and second (514b) ends, and having a first opening (530a) that is disposed intermediate of said first and second ends and that opens outwardly between said first and second ends;
- said second mounting portion further includes a second (512b) segment having third (514a) and fourth (514b) ends, and a second (530b) opening that is disposed intermediate of said third and fourth ends and that opens outwardly between said third and fourth ends; and
- said tower-receiving opening (548) comprises said first and second openings.
- 17. A method for rotatably mounting a device (256 or 266) to a vertically-disposed tower (12) of the type having three vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c), and for rotationally positioning said device, which method comprises:
- (a) attaching a first mounting portion (170+204) to said tower;
- (b) providing a ring-shaped second mounting portion (142) that includes a tower receiving opening (548);
- (c) placing said second mounting portion circumferentially around said tower;
- (d) supportingly and rotatably attaching said second mounting portion to said first mounting portion;
- (e) operatively attaching a drive motor (214) to one (204) of said mounting portions;
- (f) operatively connecting a friction drive element (186 or 219) to said drive motor (214); and
- (g) providing a friction drive connection between said friction drive element and the other (142) of said mounting portions.
- 18. A method as claimed in claim 17 in which said supportingly and rotatably attaching step comprises:
- (a) operatively attaching a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) to said one (170+204) mounting portion;
- (b) operatively attaching a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) to said roller shafts; and
- (c) supportingly and rotatably engaging said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion.
- 19. A method as claimed in claim 17 in which said supportingly and rotatably attaching step comprises operatively attaching a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) to said one (170+204) mounting portion, operatively attaching a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) to said roller shafts, and engaging said rollers with said other (142) mounting portion; and
- said friction drive element comprises one (186 or 219) of said rollers.
- 20. A method as claimed in claim 17 in which said placing step comprises:
- (a) moving a first segment (512a) transversely toward said tower (12) and into an arcuate relationship to said tower;
- (b) moving a second segment (512b) transversely toward said tower, into an arcuate relationship to said tower, and into a tower-encircling relationship with said tower; and
- (c) connecting said first and second segments into said ring-shaped second mounting portion (142).
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 06/273,313, filed June 10, 1981.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
272313 |
Jun 1981 |
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