Remote operation auxiliary hoist control and precision load positioner

• US 20020043510A1
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Del Mar Avionics
• Original Assignee: Del Mar Avionics
• Inventors: Crawford, James E., Bachman, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,474,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 212/283
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/34 Crane hooks
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/40 Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 294/905 Wireless remote control device

Abstract

An electromechanical, remotely operated Auxiliary Hoist Control and Precision Load Positioner system and device is disclosed utilizing a Radio Frequency Hand Controller transceiver Unit distal to a Radio Frequency Hoist Controller Transceiver Unit for raising and lowering a large, heavy, bulky, fragile, or expensive piece of equipment by very gradual means to avoid hang ups that might otherwise destroy or seriously damage the equipment.

Claims

1. In an existing hoist control and tension measuring device comprising a first cylinder, a piston contained within the first cylinder, a second cylinder of greater diameter than the first cylinder positioned about the first cylinder to form an annulus therebetween, an upper head closing the upper ends of the first and second cylinders and having an atmospheric vent extending therethrough to the first cylinder and a pressure sealed inlet extending therethrough to the annulus, an eye attached to the upper head, a lower head closing the lower ends of the first and second cylinders and having first and second parallel cylindrical bores extending laterally therethrough perpendicular to the cylinders, with passages connecting each bore with the first cylinder and each bore with an annulus, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending through the lower head to connect with a lower eye, a solid brass separator ring mounted in the annulus so as to divide the annulus into two portions, a hydraulic fluid contained in the cylinder between the piston and the lower head, a hydraulic fluid contained in the annulus between the separator ring and the lower head, a compressible fluid contained in the annulus between the separator ring and the upper head, each down valve assembly, positioned in the first lower head bore, said assembly having an inlet positioned to allow passage of hydraulic fluid from the cylinder into the valve and an outlet positioned to allow passage of hydraulic fluid from the valve into the annulus through the passages connecting the first bore to the cylinder and the annulus, and a valve including as a first integral unit a valve seat having an orifice and an extended tubular aligning section positioned between the orifice and the first bore inlet and as a second integral unit a valve piston consisting of a frusto-conical piston head positioned in said orifice and opening onto a shoulder of a substantially rectangular valve body contained within the tubular aligning section, the rectangular valve body terminating in a cylindrical stem located adjacent the first bore inlet, a helper spring compressively held against said cylindrical stem so as to urge the shoulder against said cylindrical stem so as to urge the shoulder against the inlet side of the orifice to form a seal when the hydraulic pressure in the annulus does not exceed the hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and wherein the improvement comprises a Radio Frequency, remotely activated electromechanical valve actuating means, in which the down valve actuating means is operated a great distance from the valve and is selectively operable to displace the piston head longitudinally in the direction of the down valve inlet to permit passage of hydraulic fluid through the annular volume thereby formed between the orifice and the piston head, an up pump assembly in the second bore and comprising an inlet allowing passage of hydraulic fluid from the annulus to a first ball check valve through the passage connecting the second bore to the annulus and an outlet allowing passage of hydraulic fluid from a second ball check valve into the cylinder through the passage connecting the second bore to the cylinder, in which the two ball check valves are spring loaded to urge the balls toward the inlet so as to close the valves and form a hydraulic fluid storage space between the valves, and a Radio Frequency, remotely activated electromechanical pump actuator means for selectively moving the first ball check valve toward the second bore to compress the hydraulic fluid stored between the two balls, whereby the second ball check valve opens and a portion of the compressed hydraulic fluid flows into the cylinder, said actuator means thereupon being operable to return under the first ball check valve to its original position, whereby the first ball check valve opens and hydraulic fluid is extracted from the annulus into the hydraulic fluid storage space between the two valves, a first pressure gauge operable to indicate the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder, and a second pressure gauge operable to indicate the pressure of the compressible fluid in the annulus.

2. In an auxiliary hoist control comprising a first cylinder, a piston contained within the first cylinder, a second cylinder of greater diameter than the first cylinder positioned about the first cylinder to form an annulus therebetween, an upper head closing the upper ends of the first and second cylinders and having an atmospheric vent extending therethrough to the first cylinder and a pressure sealed inlet extending therethrough to the annulus, first attaching means connected to the upper head, a lower head closing the lower ends of the first and second cylinders and having first and second parallel cylindrical bores extending laterally therethrough perpendicular to the cylinders, at least one fluid passage connecting each bore with the first cylinder and each bore with the annulus, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending through the lower head, second attaching means connected to the piston rod remote from the piston, an integral metallic separator ring mounted in the annulus so as to divide the annulus into a hydraulic fluid portion between the separator ring and the lower head and a compressible fluid portion between the separator ring and the upper head, a down valve assembly positioned in the first lower head bore, said assembly having an inlet positioned to allow passage of hydraulic fluid from the cylinder into the valve and an outlet positioned to allow passage of hydraulic fluid from the valve into the annulus through the passages connecting the first bore to the cylinder and the annulus, and a valve including as a first integral unit a valve seat having an orifice and an extended tubular aligning section positioned between the orifice and the first bore inlet and as a second integral unit a valve piston consisting of a frusto-conical piston head positioned in said orifice and opening onto a shoulder of a substantially rectangular valve body contained within the tubular aligning section, the rectangular valve body terminating in a cylindrical stem located adjacent the first bore inlet, a helper spring compressively held against said cylindrical stem so as to urge the shoulder against the inlet side of the orifice to form a seal when the hydraulic pressure in the annulus does not exceed the hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and wherein the improvement comprises a remotely controlled RF electromechanical valve actuating means, in which the down valve actuating means is remotely activated and is selectively operable to displace the piston head longitudinally in the direction of the down valve inlet to permit passage of hydraulic fluid through the annular volume thereby formed between the orifice and the piston head and an up pump assembly in the second bore and comprising an inlet allowing passage of hydraulic fluid from the annulus to a first ball check valve though the passage connecting the second bore to the annulus and an outlet allowing passage of hydraulic fluid from a second ball check valve into the cylinder through the passage connecting the second bore to the cylinder, in which the two ball check valves are spring loaded to urge the balls toward the inlet so as to close the valves and form a hydraulic fluid storage space between the valves, and pump actuator means for selectively moving the first ball check valve toward the second bore to compress the hydraulic fluid stored between the two balls, whereby the second ball check valve opens and a portion of the compressed hydraulic fluid flows into the cylinder, said actuator means thereupon being operable to return under the first ball check valve to its original position, whereby the first ball check valve opens and hydraulic fluid is extracted from the annulus into the hydraulic fluid is extracted from the annulus into the hydraulic fluid storage space between the two valves.