Remote fixture lowering device

Claim 2

Apparatus supporting electric fixtures at elevated locations, comprising a tower having stationary bracket means and cable sheaves mounted thereon at an elevated position, a fixture frame adjacent the bracket means for supporting such electric fixtures, a counterweight for the fixture frame, and means suspending the fixture frame and the couNterweight and including cable means over the sheaves and winch means to pay out and retract the cable means to lower and raise the fixture frame and the counterweight, the fixture frame being normally tightly held against the bracket means, and the cable means being payed out from the winch means to first lower the counterweight to be supported independently of the cable means and to then lower the fixture frame.

Claim 3

The fixture supporting apparatus according to claim 1 and a rest for the counterweight and disposed therebeneath, said winch means being disposed between the counterweight and the cable means and being connected to the counterweight to pay out the cable for first lowering the counterweight to be supported upon said rest and then lowering the electric fixture cable.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 2 and a detachable connector between the counterweight and the cable means to replace the winch means when the counterweight is normally suspended by the cable means.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 3 and the cable means including a support cable and a winch cable releasably connected to each other, and the counterweight being suspended in closely spaced relation above said rest to which the counterweight may be lowered.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 3 and a mount detachably connecting the winch to the counterweight.

Claim 7

Apparatus supporting electric fixtures at elevated locations, comprising a tower having transverse arms projecting from the top, cable carrying sheaves on the tower and arms, a fixture frame encompassing the tower and being located below said arms to be normally retained against the arms, a supporting cable over the sheaves and suspending the fixture frame, a counterweight at the bottom of the tower and also suspended on the support cables to normally draw the fixture frame upwardly against the support arms, a detachable connector between the counterweight and the support cable, a winch and winch cable releasably connectible to the support cable, and a detachable mount between the winch and the counterweight to alternate with said connector in carrying the strain between the support cable and the counterweight to permit lowering the counterweight to the base of the tower and subsequently paying out additional cable for lowering the fixture frame.

Claim 8

Apparatus supporting electric fixtures at elevated locations, comprising a tower having transverse arms projecting from the top, cable carrying sheaves on the tower and arms, a fixture frame encompassing the tower and being located below said arms to be normally retained against the arms, a supporting cable over the sheaves and suspending the fixture frame, a counterweight at the bottom of the tower and also suspended on the support cables to normally draw the fixture frame upwardly against the support arms, a detachable connector between the counterweight and the support cable, a winch and winch cable releasably connectible to the support cable, and a detachable mount between the winch and the counterweight to alternate with said connector in carrying the strain between the support cable and the counterweight to permit lowering the counterweight to the base of the tower and subsequently paying out additional cable for lowering the fixture frame.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 6 and said winch having a base plate, and guideways on the counterweight to removably receive the base plate of the winch.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7 and said tower being tubular and confining the cable and counterweight therein, said tubular tower having an access port adjacent the guideways on the counterweight.