Articulating Mast
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An articulating mast, comprising:
- an open face;
a pair of opposed sides, each side having a front leg and a rear leg;
a back face extending between said rear legs;
a pair of back face vertical supports running parallel to each other;
a plurality of back face horizontal supports, each said horizontal support having a first and second opposed end, each said horizontal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support and each said horizontal support second end pivotally attached to one said rear leg;
a plurality of back face diagonal supports, each said diagonal support having a first and second opposed end, each said diagonal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support adjacent one said horizontal support first end; and
a plurality of connecting devices on said rear legs adjacent said horizontal support second ends, such that each said diagonal support second end may be attached to one said rear leg by connecting said diagonal support second end to one said connecting device, such that said articulating mast may be folded from an open position to a closed position by disconnecting said plurality of connecting devices from said plurality of diagonal support second ends to allow said diagonal support first ends, said horizontal support first ends, and said horizontal support second ends to pivot such that said plurality of back face horizontal supports and said plurality of back face diagonal supports move within a plane defined by said back face to lie relatively closer to said back face vertical supports, such that, when the articulating mast is in said closed position, said rear legs remain within the plane defined by the back face, but are located relatively closer to said back face vertical supports and vertically offset from their location when in said open position and two planes each defined by one of the sides remain perpendicular to the plane defined by the back face at all times.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an articulating mast having sections that may be moved between an open, in-use position and a more compact reduced width configuration for storage and transportation.
24 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An articulating mast, comprising:
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an open face; a pair of opposed sides, each side having a front leg and a rear leg; a back face extending between said rear legs; a pair of back face vertical supports running parallel to each other; a plurality of back face horizontal supports, each said horizontal support having a first and second opposed end, each said horizontal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support and each said horizontal support second end pivotally attached to one said rear leg; a plurality of back face diagonal supports, each said diagonal support having a first and second opposed end, each said diagonal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support adjacent one said horizontal support first end; and a plurality of connecting devices on said rear legs adjacent said horizontal support second ends, such that each said diagonal support second end may be attached to one said rear leg by connecting said diagonal support second end to one said connecting device, such that said articulating mast may be folded from an open position to a closed position by disconnecting said plurality of connecting devices from said plurality of diagonal support second ends to allow said diagonal support first ends, said horizontal support first ends, and said horizontal support second ends to pivot such that said plurality of back face horizontal supports and said plurality of back face diagonal supports move within a plane defined by said back face to lie relatively closer to said back face vertical supports, such that, when the articulating mast is in said closed position, said rear legs remain within the plane defined by the back face, but are located relatively closer to said back face vertical supports and vertically offset from their location when in said open position and two planes each defined by one of the sides remain perpendicular to the plane defined by the back face at all times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of folding an articulating mast having:
- an open face;
a pair of opposed sides, each side a front leg and a rear leg;
a back face extending between said rear legs;
a pair of back face vertical supports running parallel to each other;
a plurality of back face horizontal supports, each said horizontal support having a first and second opposed end, each said horizontal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support and each said horizontal support second end pivotally attached to one said rear leg;
a plurality of back face diagonal supports, each said diagonal support having a first and second opposed end, each said diagonal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support adjacent one said horizontal support first end; and
a plurality of connecting devices on said rear legs adjacent said horizontal support second ends, such that each said diagonal support second end may be attached to one said rear leg by connecting said diagonal support second end to one said connecting device, said method of folding an articulating mast comprising;disconnecting said plurality of connecting devices from said plurality of diagonal support second ends; and pulling the rear legs downward such that the horizontal support first ends, horizontal support second ends, and diagonal support first ends pivot such that the horizontal supports and diagonal supports move within a plane defined by the back face to lie relatively closer to the back face vertical supports, while the rear legs remain within the plane defined by the back face but are located relatively closer to the back face vertical supports and are vertically offset from their prior position and two planes each defined by one of the sides remain perpendicular to the plane defined by the back face at all times. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
- an open face;
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16. A method of unfolding an articulating mast having:
- an open face;
a pair of opposed sides, each side having a front leg and a rear leg;
a back face extending between said rear legs;
a pair of back face vertical supports running parallel to each other;
a plurality of back face horizontal supports, each said horizontal support having a first and second opposed end, each said horizontal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support and each said horizontal support second end pivotally attached to one said rear leg;
a plurality of back face diagonal supports, each said diagonal support having a first and second opposed end, each said diagonal support first end pivotally attached to one said back face vertical support adjacent one said horizontal support first end;
a plurality of pins;
a plurality of transport locks located on said horizontal support second ends; and
a plurality of pin receivers on said rear legs vertically offset from said horizontal support second ends, such that each said diagonal support second end and each transport lock may be attached to one said rear leg by inserting one said pin through said diagonal support second end, said transport lock, and one said pin receiver, said method of unfolding an articulating mast comprising;removing the pins from the diagonal support second ends, transport locks, and pin receivers; and pulling the rear legs upwards such that the horizontal support first ends, horizontal support second ends, and diagonal support first ends pivot such that the horizontal supports and diagonal supports move within a plane defined by the back face to lie relatively further from the back face vertical supports, while the rear legs remain within the plane defined by the back face but are located relatively further from the back face vertical supports and two planes each defined by one of the sides remain perpendicular to the plane defined by the back face at all times, and such that the horizontal supports lie generally perpendicular to the back face vertical supports. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- an open face;
Specification