Patent Grant
10399832
This application is related to co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/725,831, filed Dec. 21, 2012; and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/133,652, filed Dec. 19, 2013.
Not Applicable.
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Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus, system and method for moving a load, and associated accessories. More specifically, the invention relates to a compact hoist system with potential applicability in a theater, concert hall or stage environment, for raising and lowering curtains, scenery, lights and the like, as well as in a variety of other home and business contexts, and related features including stabilizing pipe shaft bearings, elongate member diverter pulley mechanisms, load balancing termination points, overspeed breaking mechanisms, alternative combination hoist implementations and installation orientations, alternative incorporated attachment mechanisms, and elongate member trim and termination mechanisms, among other inventions.
Description of the Related Art
Conventional lift or hoist systems of a variety of types are known for use in theatrical or other performance environments. A typical system may include a large rectangular casing having therein a winch or other motor, a drive mechanism, a drum around which winds lifting or support cable, along with various controllers, sensors and safety mechanisms. Conventional hoist systems tend to be bulky, with asymmetrical enclosures and external battens, which may lead to a costly loss of space in cramped environments, complicated retrofit projects or, in cases of new construction, expensive custom designs.
The mechanics of a conventional hoist system may be fixed to a framing beam or other secure, elevated structure of the performance location. Elongate cables or other members emerge from the mechanics, potentially re-routed by pulleys and other features prior to descending, and are typically connected to a batten or other structure to which are connected items to be raised or lowered, such as lights, speakers, curtains, etc.
An alternative implementation has the elongate members fixed to the overhead structure, with the other end of the elongate members descending downward toward a hoist, where they are wound around a drum. The drum and mechanics of the hoist move upward and downward as the drum turns, along with the items to be raised and lowered, which commonly are connected to a batten attached to a body of the hoist.
In another alternative implementation, a self-contained, self-climbing hoist system having a motor, and a drum around which winds one or more lengths of cable, rope or other elongate member, is provided for lifting and lowering at least a portion of the system, thereby also lifting attached objects, with respect to a fixed support.
Braking mechanisms are known for use with such hoist systems and others, but often suffer from various drawbacks, including being excessively weighty, complex, and/or expensive. Others may cause a braking effect that is overly abrupt, which may lead to damage to the hoist or an associated load, or damage or failure of the braking mechanism itself. Still others may be applied to a location within a system such that they protect only against certain conditions occurring at certain locations or components within the system, while failing to protect against others.
Conventional hoist systems may also lack a certain versatility in a number of contexts. Efforts are made herein to provide optional additional features and implementations.
The invention relates to a hoist system, method and apparatus. In one embodiment, the invention includes a hoist or lift contained within a compact structure. In a more specific embodiment, the invention seeks to offer a compact and highly adaptable self-climbing hoist system, at least some of the components of which are confined within an enclosure of the same. In a still more specific embodiment, the enclosure may be a tube or batten to which are attached items to be raised and/or lowered. The design of the invention is such that it may be scalable to a wide variety of sizes and applications.
In one aspect, a hoist in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a pipe batten or other object, for raising and lowering items under control of a motor-driven drum having wound around it an elongate member fixed to an elevated support, thereby raising and lowering the hoist upon rotation of the drum, wherein the drum is disposed within the pipe batten or other object. Depending upon a particular application, this arrangement may permit use of a hoist that is lighter, occupies less space and/or requires a motor having less torque, among other features, as compared to other hoist designs.
In another aspect, a batten in accordance with the invention may further act as a structure for supporting desired features, including light and sound fixtures, sources of electrical power, etc.
In another aspect of the invention, mechanisms are provided for fine tuning an operative length of an elongate member, permitting adjustments for leveling or otherwise modifying a hoist system setup, at installation or at other appropriate times.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for applying a stopping force to a moving object, including a system or mechanism for arresting the movement of an elongate member, such as a wire rope or other load-bearing line. Such a braking mechanism may be activated upon detection of an overspeed condition, with potential applicability to hoists and other such machines for lifting or otherwise moving a load. In this aspect, the invention seeks to offer a relatively simple and inexpensive, mechanical implementation of the invention. The mechanism for detecting an overspeed condition may be a centrifugal detection mechanism.
In one implementation, the invention comprises an overspeed brake assembly for implementation with a system having a traveling elongate member, such as a wire rope, that may under certain conditions travel at a rate greater than desired for any of a variety of possible reasons. The greater than desired rate under applicable circumstances is herein termed an overspeed condition. The brake assembly may therefore include a means for detecting a rate of travel of an elongate member, and means to determine whether that rate meets or exceeds a defined overspeed condition, where that condition may be defined precisely or on an estimated basis. The brake assembly may further include a means to, in response to such a detection and/or determination, slow or arrest completely, at variable degrees of deceleration, the movement of that elongate member.
In a hoist environment, it may be desirable to provide a mechanism to protect against failure of any hoist component, including failure of a motor and/or gear box, the stripping of a drum key, a breakdown of the drum itself, etc. A mechanism placed within the motor housing may not protect against failure related to the drum, for example.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a mechanism for use with an elongate member such as a cable or wire rope, for enabling adjustment or trimming of the operative length of the member. Mechanisms are provided for fine tuning or trimming an operative length of an elongate member, permitting adjustments for leveling or otherwise modifying a hoist system setup, at installation or at other appropriate times. The design of the inventions is such that they may be applicable to a wide variety of applications.
In another aspect of the invention, stabilizing pipe shaft bearings are provided to stabilize a drum and associated shafts and related features, during rotation during use of the hoist
In another aspect of the invention, an elongate member diverter pulley mechanism is provided for increased versatility, permitting a hoist to be adapted to environments where overhead elongate member attachments points are limited in their locations, such that elongate members may maintain a substantially vertical orientation between the hoist and overhead support.
In another aspect of the invention, load balancing termination points are provide for increased safety, and to substantially equalize loads experienced by paired or multiple elongate members.
In another aspect of the invention, alternative combination hoist implementations, including hoists incorporated into truss arrangements, for applicability in additional environments where additional support members or plural battens may be desirable.
In another aspect of the invention, alternative installation orientations are proposed, such as an inverted compact hoist in accordance with the invention, potentially offering still further versatility of the inventions disclosed herein.
In another aspect of the invention, alternative incorporated attachment mechanisms are disclosed, which may be implemented during a manufacturing process, including by extrusion. Such mechanisms may facilitate attachment of a broader variety of implements during use in certain environments.
Other inventive aspects will be apparent from an analysis of the disclosure herein.
In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the figures, which illustrate specific, exemplary embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that varied or additional embodiments having different structures or methods of operation might be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For example, although the inventions herein are described primarily with reference to a hoist environment, numerous other implementations are contemplated.
In one implementation, the invention comprises a self-contained, self-climbing hoist system, having a motor, and a drum around which winds one or more lengths of cable, rope or other elongate member, for lifting and lowering at least a portion of the system, thereby also lifting attached objects, with respect to a fixed support. Depending upon an intended application, the motor and drum may be partially or fully contained within a batten or other enclosure. A batten often takes the form of a pipe or tube batten, though other forms are contemplated. For example, the use of a length of material having a square or other polygonal, elliptical, or any other cross-section might be beneficial, depending upon a particular application. Articles to be raised and lowered may be attached to the pipe directly, or indirectly, such as through a laddered arrangement of one or more additional pipes or other support mechanism, depending upon a particular application.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by
The batten 102 as illustrated houses a motor and drum. Powered by the motor, the drum rotates about an axis that may be substantially shared by the batten 102, spooling or winding an elongate member 104 around the drum. As explained in greater detail herein, the drum may, during rotation, further move in a direction parallel to its center axis and at a predetermined distance/rate with respect to the rotation, such that as the elongate member 104 encircles the drum, successive lengths thereof lay in direct contact with the drum, rather than the elongate member piling 104 atop itself.
The drum may further be adapted with grooves or ridges for receiving the successive lengths of the elongate member 104, such that an outer diameter of the combination of the drum and wound elongate member is 1) greater than an outer diameter of the drum itself by an amount less than a diameter of the elongate member, or 2) not increased at all by the elongate member 104, in a case that the elongate member 104 fits entirely within the grooves. In an application where elongate members 104 fit fully within grooves of the drum, a batten 102 may be chosen such that, as elongate members 104 encircle the drum, the batten 102 prevents the elongate members 104 from leaving the grooves, even in the event that tension on the elongate members 104 is not be fully maintained. In either case, this feature may enable a more compact design, e.g., the use of a tube of a relatively smaller diameter, depending upon a particular application.
An elongate member may be connected to a drum and adapted to wind thereabout in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, a drum is adapted to receive two elongate members 104 (or two lengths of a continuous elongate member 104 as further discussed herein) at an end. Thus, the grooves may be formed as a double-lead helical groove, i.e., double-start drums may be used. Three (triple)- or further multiple-lead arrangements are contemplated as well, depending upon a particular application. A multi-lead arrangement may increase strength and reliability over a single lead, provide redundancy as a safety measure, decrease noise and/or component wear, etc. For example, instead of an arrangement having two 3/32″ leads, a single ⅛″ lead, three 1/16″ leads, etc., might be substituted, depending on needs. Although the wire ropes may be in close proximity, they do not cross over each other as they wind onto the drum. This may extend the life of a wire rope on average, avoiding the additional physical stresses that may occur through the piling of the rope, crossing over, etc.
As further described herein, a batten and drum may cooperate in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, a drum is entirely encompassed by a batten having the same shape as the drum, with the batten having an internal diameter (and circumference) only slightly larger that an external diameter (and circumference) of the drum. In certain applications, the difference may be on the order of a few thousandths of an inch, for example. The design parameters of the drum and batten may alternatively be such that the two surfaces are intended to remain in slight contact during operation, where the surface of the drum may be interrupted by grooves for receiving a wire rope. A depth of grooves in the drum may likewise be on the order of a few thousandths of an inch deeper than a diameter of the wire ropes.
In such an embodiment and others, materials for the batten and drum may be chosen accordingly. For example, a drum may be formed from a glass-filled nylon or other low-friction material with respect to a steel batten, among a number of other contemplated materials pairs. Alternative embodiments incorporate a spacer, bearing or other means for facilitating rotation of a drum within a batten, while maintaining some separation between the two. Such an arrangement may be useful in particular in hoists of greater length.
Other factors contributing to a chosen tube diameter might include the nature of the cable or other elongate member. Winding a cable upon a small-diameter drum might degrade the cable over time, due to physical stresses within the strands or other material of which it is formed, imparted when the cable is over-flexed upon being wound. The use of a larger diameter drum might lessen these stresses, depending upon the relative diameters involved, the nature of the elongate member, etc.
In many applications, it is desirable to attach a hoist to a fixed, elevated structure. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of
The elongate member 104 may be fabric rope, wire rope or cable, among others. In one embodiment, four approximately 0.28 ( 3/32″) inch wire ropes are used, though countless variations are contemplated, depending upon a variety of factors. In another embodiment, approximately 0.28 ( 3/32″) inch wire ropes are attached at a separation of 1.125 (1⅛) inch and wound at a ¼ inch pitch (i.e., 4 grooves per rope per inch, i.e., 8 grooves per inch for a dual-rope, double-start drum). Single-rope hoists are contemplated as well, as for lighter-duty applications. Larger diameter or more numerous ropes, with the same or larger diameter drums, may be used for heavier duty applications.
As illustrated by
In operation, these components may share a center axis, or various components may be offset as desired, with certain components potentially disposed outside of the tube, depending upon constraints including space, lift capacity required, etc. For example, it might be desirable due to space constraints that the motor be disposed in an offset position, parallel to and coupled to the drum 220 using gears or other suitable means, such that a length of the tube and/or overall apparatus might be lessened.
In one embodiment in accordance with the invention, as illustrated by
An operation of an implementation of a hoist system in accordance with the invention is described herein in the context of a dual-motor embodiment, with the associated concepts applicable as well to a single-motor embodiment, in accordance with the skill in the art. In another embodiment, a single motor, which might need to be of increased power in certain applications, is disposed at one end of a pipe or other enclosure, to drive one (1) or more drums about an acme screw fixed at the second end. For example, in a large venue application, e.g., an airplane hangar or terminal, a hoist of 300 or more feet might be needed, in which case it may be desirable to chain 15, 30 or more drums together. The invention is in that sense and others scalable and adaptable to a wide variety of potential implementations.
As described herein, the hoist system 300 might be designed such that, upon operation of the motors 310a and 310b, an approximately horizontal (assuming a normal operating position) translation of the drums 320a and 320b occurs.
In one embodiment, casings of the motors 310a and 310b and a nut collar 330 are fixed with respect to the tube, while rotors of the motors 310a and 310b, the drums 320a and 320b, an acme screw 340 and a spline shaft 350 are fixed with respect to each other, and turn within the tube. In addition to rotating within the tube, the drums 320a and 320b might be adapted for lateral (generally horizontal, assuming a normal operating position) movement along the spline shaft 350 by virtue of a pair (in a dual motor environment) of sliding couplers, herein spline couplers 355a and 355b, rotationally coupling each of the drums 320a and 320b to the spline shaft 350, i.e. transferring the driving force thereto, while allowing the drums 320a and 320b to respectively slide along the spline shaft 350 upon rotation, as described herein.
For example, an assembly of the two drums 320a and 320b and an acme screw 340 connecting them might be disposed in relation to the nut collar 330 such that upon rotation the two drums 320a and 320b move in unison along spline shaft 350, either toward one motor 310a or the other motor 310b, depending upon a direction of rotation. For example, the fixed-position nut collar 330 might be threaded to mate with threads of the acme screw 340, thereby imparting a generally horizontal force upon rotation of the acme screw 340 with respect to the respectively fixed nut collar 330. The resulting horizontal translation allows elongate members entering a fixed cutout in the tube to wrap around the drums 320a and 320b as the drums 320a and 320b rotate. Alternative arrangements leading to a similar result are possible as well.
In an alternative embodiment, the drums 320a and 320b move inward toward each other or outward away from each other, depending upon a direction of rotation of the motors 310a and 310b. Multiple nut collars 330 might be used or, as another example, one shaft might be threaded internally within another, etc., thus pulling the shafts inward. A relative direction of rotation of drums 320a and 320b is variable as well. For example, whether under control of a single or multiple motors 310a and 310b, the drums 320a and 320b might rotate in the same or opposite directions, either consistent with the directions of rotation of the motors 310a and 310b or, as in a single-motor embodiment, through the use of differentials to switch a direction of rotation inline. In one embodiment, depending upon an angle of exit of an elongate member from a batten, multiple such exits at the same angle along an outer periphery (e.g., circumference) of a batten (as might be the case when using drums that rotate in unison) might naturally lead to a torque being imparted on the batten. Utilizing drums rotating in opposite directions, with corresponding rope exits being on opposite sides (for example, at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, or 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, about a cross-sectional periphery of a batten) of the batten, might beneficially lessen or eliminate (by counteraction) a collective torque on the batten.
As noted herein, an embodiment of a hoist 400 is contemplated in which a driving source, such as a motor 410, is disposed outside of a pipe 402, as illustrated by
A pipe batten 502, the position of which may be seen in
It may further be seen in connection with
An enlarged view of the cooperation between a drum shaft 725, an acme nut 730 and an acme screw 740 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is provided by
As noted herein, a drum and batten may be chosen such that the interior surface of the batten and the exterior surface of the drum are intended to remain in slight contact during operation, or may be separated. In either scenario, but in particular in an embodiment in the latter category, a spacing device may be placed along the length of a drive shaft of the drum, to maintain a proper position thereof with respect to the batten.
In the embodiment illustrated, the bearing shaft 764 couples two sections of drum shaft 766 to which it is attached by pins 767 or other suitable attachment means. At least one drum 768 is attached to at least one section of the drum shaft 766. The bearing 762 may be held in place on the bearing shaft 764 by retaining rings, etc. (not shown).
One invention as described herein is a self-climbing pipe.
Herein, various hoist systems have been illustrated by way of example as primarily having elongate members exiting a batten or related structure and extending substantially vertically, such as to fixed overhead locations. It should be noted, however, that a hoist system in accordance with the invention is further versatile in this aspect.
In the embodiment of
As noted herein, an overspeed braking mechanism may be provided for use with a hoist mechanism in accordance with the invention (see, for example,
An exemplary embodiment is illustrated by
Within the carriage assembly 1010 are illustrated an overspeed detection portion or mechanism 1020 and a braking portion or mechanism 1050. The overspeed detection mechanism 1020 may be any of a variety of means for determining a rate of travel of the elongate member 1005, and whether it exceeds a predetermined maximum. Possibilities range from higher technology electronic detection mechanisms to generally simpler, less expensive approaches. Detection of an overspeed condition may likewise be communicated to other portions of the system in a variety of ways, electrically/electronically, mechanically, etc.
In the illustrated embodiment, the overspeed detection mechanism 1020 is illustrated as a mechanical arrangement. The overspeed detection mechanism 1020 may include a linkage such as a roller (not shown) having a shaft 1022 that rotates in unison with the lateral movement of the elongate members 1005. This may be by way of direct contact between the roller and one or more elongate members 1005, or indirectly through an arrangement of shafts, pulleys, gears, etc., in contact with the elongate members 1005, as applicable in a particular environment.
Connected to the shaft 1022 is a means for detecting rotational speed. In an exemplary embodiment, this mechanism may comprise a centrifugal mechanism 1030, shown in greater detail in
The mechanism 1030 may be biased toward the resting position, as by a spring or tension arm (not shown). Design parameters of the centrifugal mechanism 1030, e.g., radial distance from a center of the shaft 1022 to the dogs 1036, mass of the dogs 1036, ratio of rotational speed of the shaft 1022 to a lateral movement of the elongate members 1005, tension in the pivot points or other connections, etc., may be varied to determine a rate of travel of the elongate members 1005 that will result in an expansion of the centrifugal mechanism 1030.
Upon sufficient expansion, one or more dogs 1036 will contact a brake linkage 1040, causing the brake linkage 1040 to pivot counterclockwise (in the perspective of the view illustrated by
In order to lessen an impact on the system that might result from halting a movement of the elongate members 1005, one or more damping mechanisms might be provided. Referring again to
The centrifugal mechanism 1130 operates, analogously to the brake assembly 1000 shown in
As disclosed herein, conventional brakes have been applied at various points in applicable systems. For example, hoist brakes may be applied to a motor or drive shaft, gear box, drum, etc. However, any system failure within the motor, gear box or drum, respectively, might not prevent a lifted load from falling. An overspeed brake disclosed herein might optionally be applied along an elongate member, such that any failure on an opposite side of the load from the brake, e.g., in the motor, gear box, drum, etc., would be protected against. Depending upon a particular application, the invention may be implemented such that only a failure of all elongate members on a load side of the brake would permit a load to fall.
As described herein, a hoist in accordance with the invention may be used alone, or in combination with similar or different hoists in various arrangements. This may include independently operating hoists in various orientations, including end-to-end alignment, parallel and coordinated stacking arrangements.
In addition to incorporation into other devices, a hoist alone, in accordance with the invention, may be utilized in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, shown in
In varied applications, a hoist of the invention may take a variety of shapes, with cross sections ranging from cylindrical (internally and/or externally) to elliptical to polygonal, etc., or otherwise as an application warrants. In one embodiment, it may further be desirable to attach various adaptations to a body of a hoist in accordance with the invention. For example, a pipe of the invention may be fitted with connection points for attachment of theater accessories. Such connections may be made to a body of a hoist, or a pipe may be fitted with one or more accessories for facilitating attachment of additional items. There are available various implements, including a variety of channels and rails under the Unistrut® name (from Atkore International, Inc.), for example, which may be attached to a hoist, such as by bolts. In an alternative embodiment, a channel is formed at an initial manufacturing stage, for example as part of an extrusion process, among other possibilities.
In another aspect of the invention, a trim mechanism is provided for adjusting an operative length of an elongate member, such as a wire rope. With reference to
The engaged position represents a condition in which the jaws 1425 are pushed toward each other by interior sloped walls of the body 1402 of the mechanism 1400, upon a lateral force being applied to the jaws 1425 in the direction of the force of the spring 1430, i.e. along the length of the channel 1415 toward the entry point 1410. One skilled in the art will appreciate that upon movement of an elongate member 1405 toward the exit point 1420, friction between the elongate member 1405 and the jaws 1425 will likewise bias the jaws 1425 toward the exit point 1420 and against the force of the spring 1430, allowing the jaws 1425 to separate, allowing freer movement of the elongate member 1405.
Upon reversal of a direction of travel of the elongate member 1405 through the channel 1415, friction between the elongate member 1405 and the jaws 1425 will, with further assistance by the spring 1430, bias the jaws 1425 toward each other, increasing friction upon the elongate member 1405 and, after a short distance, ultimately arrest further movement of the elongate member 1405 toward the entry point 1410. In this manner, fine adjustments may be made to an operative length of an elongate member 1405 by pulling an opposite, loose end of the elongate member 1405 through the channel 1415 toward the exit point 1420 (right to left in
Upon release of the cam 1435 by the shoulder bolt 1440, the jaws 1425 may again operate to clamp down upon the elongate member 1405 under operation of the spring 1430 and, as applicable, movement of the elongate member 1405 in a direction from the exit point 1420 toward the entry point 1410.
Potential applications for a trim mechanism as that illustrated by
Referring specifically to
Varied inventions are disclosed herein through numerous non-limiting embodiments. To further summarize to some extent, additional embodiments are provided. In one aspect, a diverter system is provided that may comprise (i.e., may include the following and/or additional features) a bracket supporting a pair of sheaves, one of which may be stepped, for diverting one or more elongate members from a substantially vertical exit from a hoist batten, substantially along a length of the batten, about a second one or more sheaves, directing the one or more elongate members substantially vertically to an overhead connection point.
In another embodiment, a load balancing trim mechanism may comprise means for connecting the same to an overhead connection point, a pair of termination points supported by a rocking bracket to which are attached a pair of independent elongate members, thereby substantially balancing a load experienced by each of the pair of elongate members.
In another embodiment, a trim mechanism is provided for use inside a pipe for trimming a wire rope without shortening the operative length thereof. The trim mechanism may comprise a pair of opposing jaws that permit the movement of a wire rope in a first direction but prevent its movement in a second direction, due to a translation of the axial force of the wire rope to increase a force applied to the wire rope by the opposing jaws. This translation may be effected specially shaped keys that cooperate with cogs formed in the surface of the jaws. The means for permitting and precluding as desired, motion of an elongate member, depending upon its direction, may be applied as well to an overspeed brake, as described herein.
In another aspect, a method of terminating a wire rope is providing, comprising feeding the wire rope through a first hole in a drum, out a second hole in the drum, applying a clamping device at the end of the rope that permits passage of the end through the second hole but not the first hole, thereby terminating the rope within the drum while providing an efficient and manageable mechanism for accomplishing the same.
In another aspect, a means for stabilizing a length of drum shaft is provided, comprising a bearing adapted to be connected at either end of a drum supported by the drive shaft, the bearing attaching to the drum shaft and being fitted with a housing that cooperates with an inner surface of a pipe containing the drum and drum shaft, the housing translating but not rotating with respect to the pipe during operation.
In another aspect, the invention includes a variety of combination truss systems, comprising a hoist in accordance with the invention in combination with a mechanical truss, which may comprise a number of lengths of a durable material coupled by shorter length of support structure. The hoist may be substituted for a length of material in a standard truss arrangement, or may be fitted in an added support structure, such as a pipe. Multiple hoists may be adapted for use in a single combination structure.
In another aspect, the invention provides an extruded hoist enclosure that combines a hoist enclosure with any of a variety of additional structure, including brackets, rails and other implements that may facilitate connection of additional objects to be hoisted during use.
While the description herein may refer to specific reference numbers in the figures, the description is likewise applicable to analogous elements having different numbers. For example, descriptions of features of a drum 220 may likewise apply to others such as drums 320a and 320b, etc.; descriptions of features of a latch 1052 may likewise apply to a lever 1140, etc.; and components such as a drum 220 may be used with any other features, although they might only be disclosed herein with respect to another embodiment.
As noted above, battens are only one embodiment of an enclosure in accordance with the invention. The concepts of the invention may have applicability to other structures/enclosures, etc. as well, and numerous additional applications are further contemplated. For example, the inventions have been described primarily with respect to an enclosure that takes the form of a tubular structure, e.g., a circular, elliptical or otherwise rounded structure. As will be clear to one skilled in the art from the disclosure, however, other shapes, including square, rectangular and other polygonal and other shapes as well, depending upon a desired application. Nor is the invention limited to any particular material or structural framework. The concepts, methods and apparatus disclosed may be used in countless other applications not expressly mentioned herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
The inventions have been described for connection to an overhead support for lifting objects vertically, primarily in performance-type environments. Other implementations are contemplated, however, such as for pulling up an incline, and dragging/towing an object across a horizontal surface, among others, as well as in a variety of other venues and outdoors. An embodiment is also contemplated in which a vertical orientation of a hoist in accordance with the invention is substantially reversed, such that batten is mounted in an elevated position with elongate members extending outwardly therefrom, for attachment to an object to be lifted or moved.
A means for causing translation of a drum due to rotational motion is described herein by way of example as a rod having acme threading, but variations are contemplated. A variety of threading techniques are known, and the threads need not be trapezoidal in cross section and/or formed at any particular angle or pitch. Nor must a threaded rod be used at all where other drive means are available.
The inventions have been described in the context of a system whose primary mechanics (motors, drums, drive features, etc.) may be enclosed within a batten or other support enclosure. The system, however, might further include external features as described, including elongate members, mechanism for attachment to an elevated support, pulleys, sheave assembly, etc. In addition, various primary features might be disposed externally, depending upon a nature of the enclosure used and the application environment. Many features as well have been described as sharing a center axis, but a departure from this is likewise contemplated, as described herein. Furthermore, while the invention has often been described generally in the context of a smaller, more compact system, the concepts herein are applicable and scalable to much larger-scale operations as well.
As described herein, positional references and terms of orientation, such as overhead, elevated, above, below, horizontal, vertical, etc., herein assume a certain orientation of the described apparatus, are not intended to dictate precise angles or positions, and may be reversed or otherwise varied, depending upon the relative locations and orientations of the items involved. Furthermore, references to a clock dial have been used herein, i.e., positions such as 3:00, 9:00, 12:00, etc., where, when viewing a cross section of an enclosure in its operative orientation, vertically below an overhead support (in an embodiment where an overhead support is applicable), 12:00 indicates a direction directly vertical upward to the overhead support, 3:00 and 9:00 indicate directions to the right and left, respectively, at 90 degree angles to a vertical direction, in a plane perpendicular to a length of the enclosure. One skilled in the art will recognize that these references are approximate and that, given the effectively limited number of potential options in a 360 degree circle, all possible orientations are expressly contemplated depending upon a particular application, absent highly unexpected results owing to a highly specific orientation.
In describing the inventions, various articles may be described as coupling or being coupled, connecting or being connected, attached, etc., to one another. This phraseology is not intended to exclude potential intermediate parts, i.e., coupling and connecting may be direct or indirect, unless otherwise limited.
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