Articulated aerial device

Claim 2

An articulated aerial device comprising a base; a first beam and a second beam pivotally connected to one another for relative swinging movement; means pivotally mounting said first beam on said base for swinging movement relative thereto; a linkage mechanism pivotally interconnecting said base, said first beam, and said second beam; and power means pivotally coupled with both said base and said linkage mechanism whereby to swing said first beam with respect to said base and simultaneously swing said second beam with respect to said first beam.

Claim 3

An aerial device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage mechanism includes a lower link pivotally connected to said base, an upper link pivotally connected to said second beam, and a middle link pivotally connected to said first and second links.

Claim 4

An aerial device according to claim 2 wherein said middle link is additionally pivotally connected to said power means.

Claim 5

An aerial device according to claim 3 wherein said middle link is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said upper and lower links; said power means and said first beam being pivotally connected to said middle link at points between said opposite ends.

Claim 6

An aerial device according to claim 1 wherein said power means is a single hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected at one of its ends to said base and pivotally connected at the other of its ends to said linkage mechanism.

Claim 7

An aerial device according to claim 5 wherein a third beam is pivotally connected to said second beam; a second linkage mechanism pivotally interconnecting said second and third beams; a second hydraulic cylinder connected to both said second beam and said second linkage mechanism whereby to swing said second and third beams with respect to one another.

Claim 8

An aerial device according to claim 6 wherein a workman''s basket is pivotally mounted on said third beam; a leveling mechanism being provided to hold said workman''s basket in the same rotational position with respect to the horizontal; said leveling mechanism including a plurality of loops interconnecting sprockets on said basket, on the pivotal axis between said second and third beams, on each of the adjoining ends of said first and second beams, and on the pivotal axis of said first beam with respect to said base; all said sprockets except said last-mentioned one being free to rotate independently of said beams; said last-mentioned sprocket being fixed to said base.

Claim 9

An aerial device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage mechanism has a Z-shaped configuration formed from a lower link connected to said base, an upper link connected to said second beam, and a middle link interconnecting said upper and lower links.

Claim 10

An aerial device according to claim 8 wherein said power means is pivotally coupled with said middle link at a first pivot point located intermediate the pivotal connection of said middle link to said upper link and the pivotal connection of said middle link to said lower link.

Claim 11

An aerial device according to claim 9 wherein said middle link is pivotally connected to said lower beam at a point intermediate said first pivot point and the pivotal connection of said middle link to said lower link.

Claim 12

An aerial device according to claim 8 wherein said power means is a hydraulic cylinder extendible from a retracted position to an extended position; said first and second beams moving approximately 170* with respect to one another in response to movement of said cylinder between its retracted and extended positions; said lower beam simultaneously swinging approximately 70* with respect to the horizontal in response to said movement of said cylinder.

Claim 13

An articulated aerial device comprising a vehicle; a base mounted on said vehicle; a lower beam having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said lower beam being pivotally connected to said base; a middle beam having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said middle beam being pivotally connected to said upper end of said lower beam; an upper beam pivotally connected to said upper end of said middle beam; an upper linkage pivotally interconnecting said upper and middle beams; an upper power means carried by said middle beam and pivotally connected to said upper linkage for swinging said upper and middle beams from a folded position wherein they are in side-by-side relation to an unfolded position wherein they are end to end and form an angle of at least 180* with respect to one another; and means for swinging said lower beam with respect to said base and said middle beam with respect to said lower beam; said lower and middle beams being movable to a folded position wherein they are folded over on one another; whereupon said lower beam and part of said middle beam provide a counterbalance with said base as a fulcrum when said upper and middle beams are in their unfolded position and said lower and middle beams are in their folded position.

Claim 14

An articulated aerial device comprising a vehicle; a base mounted on said vehicle; a lower beam having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said lower beam being pivotally connected to said base; a middle beam having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said middle beam being pivotally connected to said upper end of said lower beam; an upper beam pivotally connected to said upper end of said middle beam; an upper linkage pivotally interconnecting said upper and middle beams; an upper power means carried by said middle beam and pivotally connected to said upper linkage for swinging said upper and middle beams from a folded position wherein they are in side-by-side relation to an unfolded position wherein they are end to end and form an angle of at least 180* with respect to one another; and means for swinging said lower beam with respect to said base and said middle beam with respect to said lower beam; said lower and middle beams being movable to a folded position wherein they are folded over on one another; whereupon said lower beam and part of said middle beam provide a counterbalance with said base as a fulcrum when said upper and middle beams are in their unfolded position and said lower and middle beams are in their folded position.

Claim 15

An articulated aerial device according to claim 12 wherein said lower beam is substantially shorter than said upper beam.

Claim 16

An articulated aerial device according to claim 12 wherein said means for swinging said lower beam includes a Z-shaped linkage interconnecting said base, said lower beam, and said middle beam; said Z-shaped linkage having a center of gravity which is intermediate the opposite ends of said lower beam.

Claim 17

An articulated aerial device according to claim 14 wherein said means for swinging said lower beam also includes a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said base and said Z-shaped linkage; the center of gravity of said hydraulic cylinder being intermediate said opposite ends of said lower beam.

Claim 18

An articulated aerial device according to claim 12 wherein said base is rotatable with respect to said vehicle about a vertical axis.

Claim 19

An articulated aerial device according to claim 12 wherein said means for moving said lower beam is a Z-shaped linkage formed from a lower link, a middle link, and an upper link; said lower beam being formed from two spaced apart and parallel lower beam members; said middle link extending between said lower beam members.

Claim 20

An articulated aerial device according to claim 17 wherein said middle link is formed from two spaced apart and parallel middle link members; a hydraulic cylinder being connected at one of its ends to said base and at the other of its ends to a shaft spanning the distance between said middle link members.

Claim 21

An articulated aerial device according to claim 17 wherein the longitudinal centerlines of said lower beam, said upper beam, said upper link, said middle link, and said lower link all lie in the same plane.

Claim 22

An articulated aerial device comprising a base, a beam assembly having at least two beams swingably connected to one another, one of said two beams being pivotally mounted to said base, a power mechanism operatively connecting said beam assembly and said base for swingably moving said two beams with respect to one another and with respect to said base from a first position wherein both beams are substantially horizontally oriented to a second position wherein both beams are substantially vertically oriented.

Claim 23

An articulated aerial device comprising a base, a beam assembly having at least two beams swingably connected to one another, one of said two beams being pivotally mounted to said base, a power mechanism operatively connecting said beam assembly and said base for swingably moving said two beams with respect to one another and with respect to said base from a first position wherein both beams are substantially horizontally oriented to a second position wherein both beams are substantially vertically oriented.

Claim 24

An aerial device according to claim 22 wherein a third beam is pivotally connected to the other of said two beams; a second power mechanism operatively connecting said other and said third beams for swingably moving them with respect to one another.

Claim 25

An aerial device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage mechanism includes a lower link pivotally connected to said base and an upper link pivotally connected to said second beam, said upper and lower links having a common connection.

Claim 26

An aerial device according to claim 1 wherein a third beam is pivotally connected to said second beam, said second beam including secondary power means provided thereon for moving said third beam with respect to said second beam.

Claim 27

An aerial device according to claim 23 wherein at least one workman''s basket is pivotally mounted on one of said beams, said device further including leveling means for holding said workman''s basket in a predetermined position.

Claim 28

An aerial device as claimed in claim 24 wherein said leveling mechanism includes a nonrotatable sprocket fixed to said base and freely rotatable sprockets arranged to rotate independently of movement of said beams, said rotatable sprockets being mounted at the junction between the workman''s basket and the third beam, and at the remaining ends of said beams, said leveling mechanism further including a plurality of loops interconnecting pairs of sprockets such that the rotational position of the sprocket mounted to said basket is the same as the rotational position of said fixed sprocket.