Claims
- 1. A vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly comprising:
- a frame supporting an elevated mounting platform;
- telescoping tube means supported from the mounting platform to extend vertically therefrom along a reference axis perpendicular to the mounting platform, the telescoping tube means comprises:
- a fixed longitudinal tube section adapted for vertical support from the mounting platform;
- a second longitudinal tube section telescoping relative to the fixed longitudinal tube section;
- wherein each longitudinal tube section includes a U-shaped housing having two spaced apart longitudinal edges and a rigid support plate of thickness greater than the U-shaped housing joined to the spaced apart longitudinal edges to form a tube, the rigid support plate being parallel to the reference axis; and
- guide means joining each of the support plates for facilitating telescopic movement of the second longitudinal tube section parallel to the fixed longitudinal tube section, the guide means consisting of a guide mechanism that makes contact with and guides only the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal tube section relative to the rigid support plate of the fixed longitudinal tube section, whereby the guide means contacting the rigid support plates is the sole guide for the telescoping tube means.
- 2. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 1 wherein the telescoping means further comprises a third longitudinal tube section telescoping relative to the second longitudinal tube section, the third longitudinal tube section also comprising a U-shaped housing having spaced apart longitudinal edges and rigid support plate of thickness greater than the corresponding U-shaped housing; and second guide means joining the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal section with the rigid support plate of the third longitudinal section for facilitating telescopic movement of the third longitudinal tube section parallel to the second longitudinal tube section, the second guide means consisting of a second guide mechanism that makes contact with and guides only the rigid support plate of the third longitudinal tube section relative to the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal tube section.
- 3. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 2 and further comprising drive means for telescopically moving the second longitudinal tube section relative to the fixed longitudinal section and the third longitudinal tube section relative to the second longitudinal tube section, and wherein the drive means further simultaneously moves the third longitudinal tube section telescopically relative to second longitudinal a distance equal to displacement between the second longitudinal section and the fixed longitudinal section, whereby the guide means contacting the rigid support plates is the sole guide for the telescoping tube means.
- 4. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 3 wherein drive means includes drum means mounted to the platform, the drum means including a first drive cable connected to the second longitudinal tube section and a second drive cable connected to the third longitudinal tube section, the drum means winding and unwinding the first and second drive cables to telescopically move the telescoping means.
- 5. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 2 wherein each guide means further concentrates aligning forces to common selected areas of each rigid support plate.
- 6. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 5 wherein each of the guide mechanisms includes wheels for contacting surfaces of one of the rigid support plates.
- 7. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 5 wherein each of the guide mechanisms includes a linear bearing positioned between the rigid support plates of the fixed and the second longitudinal tube sections.
- 8. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 5 wherein each longitudinal tube section comprises means for replaceably attaching the U-shaped housing to the corresponding rigid support plate.
- 9. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 8 wherein the means for replaceably attaching comprises a plurality of bolts spaced apart along each of the spaced apart longitudinal edges.
- 10. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 8 wherein the U-shaped housing of each longitudinal tube section is made of material different than its corresponding support plate.
- 11. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 2 wherein the U-shaped housing of each longitudinal tube section is made of material different than its corresponding support plate.
- 12. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 2 further comprising flexible conduit means connected at a first end to a conduit housing mounted on the outside of the fixed longitudinal tube section and at a second end to the third longitudinal tube section for protecting wires extending from the fixed longitudinal tube section to the third longitudinal tube section.
- 13. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 1 and further comprising stop means mounted to each tube section for limiting movement between the second longitudinal tube section and the fixed longitudinal tube section.
- 14. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 13 wherein the stop means comprises a first stop block mounted to the fixed longitudinal tube section and a second stop block mounted to the second longitudinal tube section, wherein movement of the second longitudinal tube section is stopped upon sufficient contact made between the first and second stop blocks.
- 15. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 14 wherein the first stop block includes a first inclined contact surface and the second block includes a second inclined contact positioned relative to the first inclined contact surface so that relative displacement between the blocks in opposite directions with contact made between the inclined surfaces provides increasing friction therebetween.
- 16. The vertically extensible telescoping tube assembly of claim 1 further comprising coating means mounted on a surface of each rigid support plate between the U-shaped housing of each longitudinal section and the rigid support plate, for passive damping.
- 17. A telescoping tube assembly comprising:
- a frame supporting an elevated mounting platform;
- telescoping tube means supported from the mounting platform to extend therefrom along a reference axis, the telescoping tube means comprises:
- a fixed longitudinal tube section adapted for support from the mounting platform;
- a second longitudinal tube section telescoping relative to the fixed longitudinal tube section;
- wherein each longitudinal rue section includes a U-shaped housing having two spaced apart longitudinal edges and a rigid support plate of thickness greater than the U-shaped housing joined to the spaced apart longitudinal edges to form a tube, the rigid support plate being parallel to the reference axis; and
- guide means joining each of the support plates for facilitating telescopic movement of the second longitudinal tube section parallel to the fixed longitudinal tube section, the guide means consisting of a guide mechanism that makes contact with and guides only the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal tube section relative to the rigid support plate of the fixed longitudinal tube section, whereby the guide means contacting the rigid support plates is the sole guide for the telescoping tube means.
- 18. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 17 wherein the telescoping means further comprises a third longitudinal tube section telescoping relative to the second longitudinal tube section, the third longitudinal tube section also comprising a U-shaped housing having spaced apart longitudinal edges and rigid support plate of thickness greater than the corresponding U-shaped housing; and second guide means joining the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal section with the rigid support plate of the third longitudinal section for facilitating telescopic movement of the third longitudinal tube section parallel to the second longitudinal tube section, the second guide means consisting of a second guide mechanism that makes contact with and guides only the rigid support plate of the third longitudinal tube section relative to the rigid support plate of the second longitudinal tube section.
- 19. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 18 wherein each longitudinal tube section comprises means for replaceably attaching the U-shaped housing to the corresponding rigid support plate.
- 20. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 19 wherein the means for replaceably attaching comprises a plurality of bolts spaced apart along each of the spaced apart longitudinal edges.
- 21. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 18 wherein each guide means further concentrates aligning forces to common selected areas of each rigid support plate.
- 22. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 21 wherein each of the guide mechanisms includes wheels for contacting surfaces of one of the rigid support plates.
- 23. The telescoping tube assembly of claim 21 wherein each of the guide mechanisms includes a linear bearing positioned between the rigid support plates of the fixed and the second longitudinal tube sections.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/100,911, filed Jul. 30, 1993,
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. NA58-37800 awarded by NASA. The Government has certain rights to this invention.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2307756 |
Nov 1976 |
FRX |
2642059 |
Jul 1990 |
FRX |
970441 |
Sep 1964 |
GBX |
2128957 |
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SUX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
100911 |
Jul 1993 |
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