Limited tracking repositionable az/el turret type antenna

Claim 2

A limited tracking turret type antenna comprising: a pedestal having a pintle and a pair of slide plates fixedly supported on the upper surface thereof, the longitudinal axis of said pintle being disposed substantially perpendicular to said upper surface and said slide plates being substantially equidistant from said pintle and spaced apart circumferentially thereof; a turret comprising two slide blocks respectively slidably supported on said slide plates and a bearing portion supported on and pivotally engaged with said pintle; a reflector mounted on said turret; and positioning means including an axially extensible member connected between said pedestal and said turret and adapted to pivot said turret in opposite direction about said pintle and on said slide plates.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said positioning means comprises power drive means adapted to selectively extend and retract said extensible member relative to said support member.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said positioning means comprises a support member fixedly supported on said pedestal, a bearing connected to said support member by a universal joint arrangement, an extensible member carried by said bearing and pivotally connected at one end to said turret, and drive means connected to said bearing and adapted to selectively extend and retract said extensible member relative to the bearing.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said reflector is pivotally mounted on said turret for rotation about an elevation axis disposed substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said pintle.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 4 including an elevation wheel fixedly secured to the back of said reflector with its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said elevation axis, a plurality of attachment elements fixedly mounted on the periphery of said elevation wheel and spaced apart thereabout, locking means fixedly secured to said turret adjacent the path of movement of the attachment elements upon rotative movement of the reflector and wheel about the elevation axis, and adapted for engagement with any one of said attachment elements when moved by rotative movement of the wheel adjacent thereto to thereby anchor said reflector in a selected angular position relative to said turret, an extensible member pivotally mounted on said turret for rotation about an axis disposed substantilaly parallel to said elevation axis and having one end adapted for engagement with selected ones of said attachment elements, with the wheel anchored by said locking means in selected angular position, and drive means carried by said turret and adapted for extending and retracting said extensible member relative to its point of attachment to said turret upon release of the wheel by said locking means to thereby control tracking movement of the wheel and reflector in elevation.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said locking means comprises an apertured lug fixedly secured to said turret each attachment element having also an aperture therein located to Register with a lug adjacent thereto, and a pin insertable in the aperture in said lug and in the aperture of one of the clevises mounted on said elevation wheel when in register therewith.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 5 including a walkway housing joined to the back of said reflector and formed with a hemicylindrical wall the axis of which is coincident with said elevation axis, and projecting laterally from at least one side of said elevation wheel.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said housing comprises an end wall disposed perpendicular to said elevation axis and having a circular hole therein, a disk the periphery of which is rotatably engaged with said side wall around said circular hole and the central portion of which has a door opening therein, a door hinged to said disk adjacent said door opening therein and adapted to close the latter when in a closed position.

Claim 10

A turret type antenna comprising: a pedestal having a pintle and a pair of slide plates fixedly supported on the planar upper surface thereof, the longitudinal axis of said pintle being disposed substantially perpendicular to said upper surface and said slide plates being substantially equidistant from said pintle and spaced apart circumferentially thereof; a turret comprising a triangular base frame, a bearing rotatably mounted on the upper end of said pintle and fixedly secured to said base frame adjacent one apex thereof, means for maintaining said bearing in fixed longitudinal position on said pintle to support the apex portion of the turret to which the bearing is secured, a pair of slide blocks respectively mounted to said base frame adjacent the other two apices thereof and slidably supported one on each said slide plate, each of said slide blocks having a layer of bearing material bonded to the lower surface thereof, a pair of support structures fixedly mounted on said base frame and projecting upwardly therefrom, a apir of reflector bearing structures respectively fixedly mounted in spaced, coaxial relation on said support structures, and a shaft journaled in said reflector bearing structures and extending therebetween; positioning means comprising a support member fixedly supported on said pedestal, an extensible member carried by said support member and connected at one end to said turrent, and drive means adapted to extend and retract said extensible member relative to said support member; a reflector fixedly secured to said shaft; an elevation wheel fixedly secured to the back of said reflector with its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said elevation axis, and having a plurality of clevises fixedly mounted on, and spaced about the periphery thereof; locking measn fixedly secured to said turret in the path of movement of the clevises upon rotation of the wheel and adapted for engagement with different ones of said clevises to thereby maintain said relfector in different angular positions relative to said turret; and an extensible member pivotally mounted on said turret for rotation about an axis disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and having one end adapted for engagement with different ones of said clevises, and drive means carried by said turret and adapted for extending and retracting said extensible member relative to its point of attachment to said turret for elevation tracking movement of the antenna and to move different ones of said clevises into register with said locking means.

Claim 11

A turret type antenna comprising: a pedestal having a pintle and a pair of slide plates fixedly supported on the planar upper surface thereof, the longitudinal axis of said pintle being disposed substantially perpendicular to said upper surface and said slide plates being substantially equidistant from said pintle and spaced apart circumferentially thereof; a turret comprising a triangular base frame, a bearing rotatably mounted on the upper end of said pintle and fixedly secured to said base frame adjacent one apex thereof, means for maintaining said bearing in fixed longitudinal position on said pintle to support the apex portion of the turret to which the bearing is secured, a pair of slide blocks respectively mounted to said base frame adjacent the other two apices thereof and slidably supported one on each said slide plate, each of said slide blocks having a layer of bearing material bonded to the lower surface thereof, a pair of support structures fixedly mounted on said base frame and projecting upwardly therefrom, a apir of reflector bearing structures respectively fixedly mounted in spaced, coaxial relation on said support structures, and a shaft journaled in said reflector bearing structures and extending therebetween; positioning means comprising a support member fixedly supported on said pedestal, an extensible member carried by said support member and connected at one end to said turrent, and drive means adapted to extend and retract said extensible member relative to said support member; a reflector fixedly secured to said shaft; an elevation wheel fixedly secured to the back of said reflector with its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said elevation axis, and having a plurality of clevises fixedly mounted on, and spaced about the periphery thereof; locking measn fixedly secured to said turret in the path of movement of the clevises upon rotation of the wheel and adapted for engagement with different ones of said clevises to thereby maintain said relfector in different angular positions relative to said turret; and an extensible member pivotally mounted on said turret for rotation about an axis disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and having one end adapted for engagement with different ones of said clevises, and drive means carried by said turret and adapted for extending and retracting said extensible member relative to its point of attachment to said turret for elevation tracking movement of the antenna and to move different ones of said clevises into register with said locking means.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 9 including a housing joined to the back of said reflector and comprising a hemicylindrical wall concentric with said shaft and projecting laterally from at least one side of said elevation wheel, an end wall disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and having a circular hole therein, a disk the periphery of which is rotatably engaged with said side wall around said circular hole, and the central portion of which has a door opening therein, a door hinged to said disk adjacent said hole therein and adapted to close the latter when in a closed position, and means for locking said disk in different angular positions relative to said disk to position the door opening upright with the antenna in any selected angle of elevation.

Claim 13

The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said pintle is tubular and has at least one electric conduit extending therethrough.