Extendible vehicle light mount

Claim 2

An extendible vehicle light connectible to a vehicle comprising: a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position; first and second links pivotally connected to a support and to the boom, respectively; first means for pivotally connecting said links to each other; means for operating said links to drive the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm; a light mounted on the light supporting arm; second means for pivotally connecting the light supporting arm and the boom whereby the light supporting arm and the boom can pivot relative to each other; and a drive element drivingly connected to one of said links and said light supporting arm whereby operation of said links causes said drive element to pivot the light supporting arm about its pivotal axis whereby the light can be put in the desired attitude in the extended position of the boom.

Claim 3

An extendible vehicle light as defined in claim 3 wherein said operating means includes a ball screw actuator drivingly connected to at least one of said links and a motor for driving said ball screw actuator.

Claim 4

An extendible vehicle light as defined in claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a nut coupled to said means for pivotally connecting said links, a screw received by said nut and cooperating therewith, and means for providing relative rotation between the nut and the screw.

Claim 5

An extendible vehicle light as defined in claim 3 wherein said second means for pivotally connecting includes at least one pin, said extendible vehicle light including a bracket for coupling the nut to the pin.

Claim 6

An extendible vehicle light as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second links are lower and upper links, respectively, the drive element being coupled to the upper link and the light supporting arm.

Claim 7

An extendible vehicle light as defined in claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a ball screw actuator drivingly connected to at least one of said links and a motor for driving said ball screw actuator, said boom including an elongated channel, said first and second links being lower and upper links, respectively, said drive element being coupled to the upper link and the light supporting arm in a position to maintain the light supporting arm substantially horizontally as the boom is moved from said retracted position to said extended position.

Claim 8

An extendible support structure connectible to a vehicle comprising: means defining a support attachable to the vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the support for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position; boom operating means pivotally connectible to the support and drivingly coupled to the boom for operating said boom; means for driving said boom operating means to thereby drive the boom between said positions thereof; a supporting arm adapted to support an object; means for pivotally connecting the supporting arm and the boom at a location remote from said first pivotal axis whereby the supporting arm and the boom can pivot relative to each other; and means coupled to said supporting arm for controlling the relative pivotal movement between the supporting arm and the boom, said means including an elongated drive element coupled to said supporting arm and extending generally toward said first pivotal axis.

Claim 9

An extendible support structure connectible to a vehicle comprising: means defining a support attachable to the vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the support for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position; boom operating means pivotally connectible to the support and drivingly coupled to the boom for operating said boom; means for driving said boom operating means to thereby drive the boom between said positions thereof; a supporting arm adapted to support an object; means for pivotally connecting the supporting arm and the boom at a location remote from said first pivotal axis whereby the supporting arm and the boom can pivot relative to each other; and means coupled to said supporting arm for controlling the relative pivotal movement between the supporting arm and the boom, said means including an elongated drive element coupled to said supporting arm and extending generally toward said first pivotal axis.

Claim 10

An extendible support structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said driving means includes a ball screw actuator drivingly coupled to said boom operating means and a motor for driving the ball screw actuator.

Claim 11

An extendible vehicle light mount mountable on a vehicle comprising: a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in the extended position; drive means for moving the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for mounting said light supporting arm on said boom for pivotal movement about a second pivotal axis whereby the boom and the light supporting arm can undergo relative pivotal movement; means for relatively pivoting said light support arm and said boom about said second axis as said boom is being pivoted about said first axis between said positions thereof so as to cause the light and the arm to project generally horizontally from the boom as the boom is moved from said retracted position to said extended position; and said boom being in the form of a single rigid arm and said light supporting arm being shorter than said boom and supported in cantilever fashion by said boom.

Claim 12

An extendible vehicle light mount mountable on a vehicle comprising: a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in the extended position; drive means for moving the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for mounting said light supporting arm on said boom for pivotal movement about a second pivotal axis whereby the boom and the light supporting arm can undergo relative pivotal movement; means for relatively pivoting said light support arm and said boom about said second axis as said boom is being pivoted about said first axis between said positions thereof so as to cause the light and the arm to project generally horizontally from the boom as the boom is moved from said retracted position to said extended position; and said boom being in the form of a single rigid arm and said light supporting arm being shorter than said boom and supported in cantilever fashion by said boom.

Claim 13

An extendible vehicle light mount comprising: a vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position, said boom extending from the first pivotal axis toward the rear of the vehicle when the boom is in said retracted position; drive means for pivoting the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for pivotally connecting the light supporting arm and the boom whereby the light supporting arm and the boom can pivot about a second pivotal axis relative to each other, said light supporting arm projecting from said second axis thereof toward the front of the vehicle; means for causing relative pivotal movement about said second axis between said light supporting arm and said boom to maintain said light supporting arm in the desired attitutde as said boom is pivoted about said first pivotal axis; and said drive means including a linkage for pivoting said boom, said linkage being located rearwardly of said first axis.

Claim 14

An extendible vehicle light mount comprising: a vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position, said boom extending from the first pivotal axis toward the rear of the vehicle when the boom is in said retracted position; drive means for pivoting the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for pivotally connecting the light supporting arm and the boom whereby the light supporting arm and the boom can pivot about a second pivotal axis relative to each other, said light supporting arm projecting from said second axis thereof toward the front of the vehicle; means for causing relative pivotal movement about said second axis between said light supporting arm and said boom to maintain said light supporting arm in the desired attitutde as said boom is pivoted about said first pivotal axis; and said drive means including a linkage for pivoting said boom, said linkage being located rearwardly of said first axis.

Claim 15

An extendible vehicle light mount as defined in claim 10 wherein said axes are generally parallel to each other and generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Claim 16

An extendiblE vehicle light mount comprising: a vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position, said boom extending from the first pivotal axis toward the rear of the vehicle when the boom is in said retracted position; drive means for pivoting the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for pivotally connecting the light supporting arm and the boom whereby the light supporting arm and the boom can pivot about a second pivotal axis relative to each other, said light supporting arm projecting from said second axis thereof toward the front of the vehicle; means for causing relative pivotal movement about said second axis between said light supporting arm and said boom to maintain said light supporting arm in the desired attitude as said boom is pivoted about said first pivotal axis; and said boom including a channel opening downwardly in said retracted position of the boom.

Claim 17

An extendiblE vehicle light mount comprising: a vehicle; a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in said extended position, said boom extending from the first pivotal axis toward the rear of the vehicle when the boom is in said retracted position; drive means for pivoting the boom between said positions thereof; a light supporting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for pivotally connecting the light supporting arm and the boom whereby the light supporting arm and the boom can pivot about a second pivotal axis relative to each other, said light supporting arm projecting from said second axis thereof toward the front of the vehicle; means for causing relative pivotal movement about said second axis between said light supporting arm and said boom to maintain said light supporting arm in the desired attitude as said boom is pivoted about said first pivotal axis; and said boom including a channel opening downwardly in said retracted position of the boom.

Claim 18

An extendible vehicle light mount mountable on a vehicle comprising: a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in the extended position; drive means for moving the boom between said positions thereof; a light suppoting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for mounting said light supporting arm on said boom for pivotal movement about a second pivotal axis whereby the boom and the light supporting arm can undergo relative pivotal movement; means for relatively pivoting said light support arm and said boom about said second axis as said boom is being pivoted about said first axis between said positions thereof so as to cause the light and the arm to project generally horizontally from the boom as the boom is moved from said retracted position to said extended position; and said last mentioned means including an elongated drive element coupled to said light supporting arm adjacent one end of the drive element and means for mounting said drive element adjacent the other end thereof for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle when the light mount is mounted on the vehicle

Claim 19

An extendible vehicle light mount mountable on a vehicle comprising: a boom; means for mounting the boom on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis between an extended position in which the boom projects upwardly from the first pivotal axis and a retracted position in which the boom is lower than in the extended position; drive means for moving the boom between said positions thereof; a light suppoting arm adapted to have a light mounted thereon; means for mounting said light supporting arm on said boom for pivotal movement about a second pivotal axis whereby the boom and the light supporting arm can undergo relative pivotal movement; means for relatively pivoting said light support arm and said boom about said second axis as said boom is being pivoted about said first axis between said positions thereof so as to cause the light and the arm to project generally horizontally from the boom as the boom is moved from said retracted position to said extended position; and said last mentioned means including an elongated drive element coupled to said light supporting arm adjacent one end of the drive element and means for mounting said drive element adjacent the other end thereof for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle when the light mount is mounted on the vehicle

Claim 20

An extendible support structure as defined in claim 13 including means defining a support attachable to the vehicle, a light mounted on the light supporting arm, and said drive means including boom operating means pivotally connectible to the support and drivingly coupled to the boom for operating said boom and motor means for pivoting said boom operating means to thereby drive the boom between said positions thereof.