System for self-adjusting height and direction of a movable power cable
First Claim
1. A cable connector for connecting an electrical power cable for a mobile electrically powered machine to a fixed location electrical power supply source, wherein the machine is moveable during its operation to and from and around the fixed location power supply, comprising:
- an elongated electrical power transmission cable having a remote end adapted to be connected to a mobile machine and an electrical supply end for connection to a fixed location electrical power supply source and having an elongated central portion between said ends;
a rotatable reel about which the supply end portion is wound, with said reel being provided with a motor arranged to apply a wind-up force upon the reel for winding the supply end portion around the reel and for providing a force upon the central portion of the cable for generally keeping said central portion substantially taut and straight during movements of said machine;
said reel being mounted upon a rotatable support which is freely rotatable about a generally vertically arranged axis for thereby directly aligning the cable central portion between the reel and the machine in response to the movement and location of the machine relative to the reel;
a turret housing enclosing the reel and carried by the rotatable support for rotating about the vertical axis with the reel;
said turret housing having a vertically elongated slot through which the cable passes as it extends between the reel and the machine with the cable being freely moveable upwardly and downwardly within the slot;
whereby the cable central portion is maintained generally taut and extended directly between the reel and machine, but will vary in height above ground upon which the support is mounted, during movements of the machine towards and away from the reel and around the reel so that the cable is arranged at a vertical height above the ground during movement of the machine.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a system for automatically self-adjusting the height, length and direction of an electrical power cable connecting a movable machine, such as a crane, to a fixed electrical power supply. One end of the cable is wrapped around a reel which is arranged within a housing that is freely rotatable about a vertical axis. That end is connected to an electrical power source. The opposite end of the cable is connected to a machine which is moveable towards and away from, and around, the reel. A motor rotates the reel for winding up, and applying a tension upon, the cable so that the center portion of the cable, which extends between the reel and machine, is held relatively taut and generally horizontal. The central portion of the cable extends through a vertical slot in the housing so that its height, length and direction of extension towards the machine are automatically adjusted in response to the position of the moveable machine relative to the reel.
5 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A cable connector for connecting an electrical power cable for a mobile electrically powered machine to a fixed location electrical power supply source, wherein the machine is moveable during its operation to and from and around the fixed location power supply, comprising:
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an elongated electrical power transmission cable having a remote end adapted to be connected to a mobile machine and an electrical supply end for connection to a fixed location electrical power supply source and having an elongated central portion between said ends; a rotatable reel about which the supply end portion is wound, with said reel being provided with a motor arranged to apply a wind-up force upon the reel for winding the supply end portion around the reel and for providing a force upon the central portion of the cable for generally keeping said central portion substantially taut and straight during movements of said machine; said reel being mounted upon a rotatable support which is freely rotatable about a generally vertically arranged axis for thereby directly aligning the cable central portion between the reel and the machine in response to the movement and location of the machine relative to the reel; a turret housing enclosing the reel and carried by the rotatable support for rotating about the vertical axis with the reel; said turret housing having a vertically elongated slot through which the cable passes as it extends between the reel and the machine with the cable being freely moveable upwardly and downwardly within the slot; whereby the cable central portion is maintained generally taut and extended directly between the reel and machine, but will vary in height above ground upon which the support is mounted, during movements of the machine towards and away from the reel and around the reel so that the cable is arranged at a vertical height above the ground during movement of the machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system for self-adjusting the height and direction of a power cable connecting a mobile machine to a fixed electrical power source, comprising:
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an elongated power cable having a free-end portion adapted to be connected to a mobile machine, such as a mobile crane; a reel around which the opposite end portion of the cable is wrapped, and said cable having an elongated central portion extending between the free end portion and the reel; said reel being mounted upon a substantially freely rotatable support having a vertical axis of rotation; a housing surrounding said reel and being mounted upon said rotatable support for rotating with the reel about said vertical axis; a vertically elongated slot formed in the housing and said cable extending through the slot for freely moving up and down relative to the housing during end-wise movement of the cable in response to movement of the machine; a motor connected to the reel for applying a wind-up force upon the reel for winding the cable upon the reel and simultaneously applying end-wise tension upon the cable in the wind-up direction; an electrical connection member connecting the cable portion on the reel to a fixed electrical power supply source; whereby the cable central portion is stretched under tension by the reel wind-up force for holding it substantially horizontally and above ground, upon which the support is positioned, and extending directly towards the machine in a radial direction between the reel and the machine during movements and changing locations of the machine around the location of the power source and at varying distances from the power source. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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Specification