Vehicle for positioning transportable and relocatable heavy equipment

• US 8,051,930 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Loadmaster Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Loadmaster Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Cuddie, Robert R., Barnes, R. Michael, Robey, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOEHLER, ANNE MARIE M
• Application Number:
  US12/329,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 180 81- 86, 180/6.47, 180/14.2, 180/6.48, 280/12.11, 280/763.1, 280/764.1, 280/765.1, 280/105, 280/766.1, 280/761
• US Class Current: 180/8.3
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/028 having wheels and mechanical legs B62D57/024 takes precedence; ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part B60S9/00

Abstract

A vehicle for positioning a transportable and relocatable equipment having at least four walking assemblies attached to a frame, each walking assembly having a walking pad, a roller tread, a lift assembly connected to a central collar, a rotatable motion gear assembly disposed around the lift assembly, a motor for actuating the rotatable motion gear assembly, a pivoting collar disposed around the rod operated by a controlling means with a processor, a push pull traveling system for receiving fluid and extending a specified distance causing movement of the vehicle in a first direction, and enabling the walking assemblies to raise, reorient, lower, and travel in a second direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle for positioning transportable and relocatable equipment comprising:

(i) at least four walking assemblies attached to a frame for supporting transportable and relocatable equipment;

wherein each walking assembly comprises;

(a) a walking pad for walking on surface with a roller load bearing surface;

(b) roller tread for rolling on the roller load bearing surface;

(c) a roller tread housing for containing the roller tread, and wherein the roller tread housing comprises a central collar;

(d) a lift assembly connected to the central collar, wherein the lift assembly comprises;

(1) a rod for engaging the central collar;

(2) a flange slidably disposed around the rod; and

(3) a lifting device removably connected to the flange;

(ii) a rotatable motion gear assembly disposed around the lift assembly;

(iii) a motor for actuating the rotatable motion gear assembly;

(iv) a pivoting collar disposed around the rod for receiving a first fluid from a controlling means and dispensing a working fluid, and wherein the pivoting collar comprises;

(a) a collar stationary segment disposed around the rod; and

(b) a collar rotating segment disposed around the collar stationary segment, and wherein the first fluid flows to the collar stationary segment and then to the collar rotating segment enabling hose-free rotating of the pivoting collar;

(v) a push pull traveling system for receiving the working fluid, wherein the push pull traveling system further comprises a push pull traveling system first side secured to one side of the roller tread housing and a push pull traveling system second side disposed on an opposite side of the roller tread housing;

wherein the push pull traveling system is adapted to extend a specified distance causing movement of the equipment in a first direction;

(vi) controlling means with a processor for receiving a second fluid from a fluid source and flowing out the first fluid to the collar stationary segment and flowing a third fluid to the lift assembly enabling the walking assemblies to raise, reorient, lower, and travel the transportable and relocatable heavy equipment in a second direction using the roller treads; and

(vii) sensor means secured to each flange in communication with the processor for providing orientation feedback from each walking assembly.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rotatable motion gear assembly is a rack and pinion gear assembly or a rotary gear set.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flange comprises a square flange removably attached to a round flange for providing a sealing engagement with the lifting device.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the central collar is formed from a first collar half that connects with a second collar half.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rotatable motion gear assembly is a hydraulic slewing drive.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rotatable motion gear assembly comprises a stationary ring surrounded by a rotating ring, further wherein the rotating ring is actuated by a gear supported on a gear shaft driven by the motor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the push pull traveling system first side comprises a first hydraulic cylinder and the push pull traveling system second side comprises a second hydraulic cylinder, wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders extends between the roller tread housing and the walking pad enabling the roller tread housing to move a stroke distance causing the transportable and relocatable heavy equipment to travel a proportional distance.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein for each walking pad of the plurality of walking pads, each rod can be positioned at a different vertical height.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein for the plurality of walking pads at least two rods can be positioned for synchronous movement.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transportable and relocatable equipment is a drilling rig.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the collar rotating segment enables hose-less pivoting while rotating the hydraulic pivoting collar more than 360 degrees.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a positive locating device disposed around the rod, and wherein the positive locating device is a member of the group consisting of:

a stop, a magnet, a gear set, or combinations thereof.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the push pull traveling system is a member of the group consisting of, a set of hydraulic pistons, a set of rack and pinion system, a set of pneumatic pistons, or a set of linear actuators.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lift assembly is a hydraulic lift assembly.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lifting device is a hydraulic lifting device.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pivoting collar is a hydraulic pivoting collar.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluids are hydraulic fluids, compressed air, a compressed gas, or a compressed vapor mixture.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a transmitting radio frequency identification tag.

20. The vehicle of claim 1, further wherein the processor is in communication with at least one network for remote actuation and control of the vehicle.