US4450450A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Antenna tower assembly
Assignee: POLAR RESEARCH Inc A CORP OF MN
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Filing: 1983-03-23
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Granted: 1984-05-22
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Expires: 2003-03-23
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an apparatus for mounting and both separate and selective rotational positioning of a plurality of separate antennas, or search devices, on a single tower of the type having a plurality of vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c) and having bracing (22) between adjacent pairs of the tower legs. The preferred embodiments include an antenna-mounting ring, or search-device mounting ring (142 or 406) that is attached to the tower (12) by a plurality of shaft-mounted support rollers (160, 219, or 306).
Inventors
- 👤 Gary L. Ellingson
- 👤 Wendell E. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:35
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/02; E; E04; E04H; E04H12/00; E04H12/18; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) which comprises a tower (12) having three vertically-disposed tower legs 20a-20c), having bracing (22) intermediate of adjacent pairs of said legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c) of said tower, and having a neutral axis (26) that is disposed intermediate of said faces; first mounting portion means (170+204, or 402) for operative attachment to one of said faces of said tower; second mounting portion means (142, 406, or 472), having a tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower inside said tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs, for being rotationally positioned around said tower, and for mounting a device thereto; one (142 or 402) of said mounting portion means comprises first (152 or 432) and second (154 or 434) circumferential surfaces being circumferentially disposed around a second axis (24) that is substantially parallel to said neutral axis, and circumscribing all of said tower legs; a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, 218, or 310) being disposed radially outward from said second axis, being spaced circumferentially around said second axis, and being operatively attached to said other (170+204, 406, or 472) mounting portion means; a plurality of rollers (160, 186, 219, or 308) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and having roller surface means (162+164, 194+196, or 320) for cooperating with said first circumferential surface; attaching means, comprising said rollers, and comprising both of said circumferential surfaces, for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means by operative engagement of said roller surface means with said first circumferential surface, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned about said second axis, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and rotational positioning means for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means with respect to said first mounting portion means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) which comprises a tower (12) having three vertically-disposed tower legs 20a-20c), having bracing (22) intermediate of adjacent pairs of said legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c) of said tower, and having a neutral axis (26) that is disposed intermediate of said faces; first mounting portion means (170+204, or 402) for operative attachment to one of said faces of said tower; second mounting portion means (142, 406, or 472), having a tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower inside said tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs, for being rotationally positioned around said tower, and for mounting a device thereto; one (142 or 402) of said mounting portion means comprises first (152 or 432) and second (154 or 434) circumferential surfaces being circumferentially disposed around a second axis (24) that is substantially parallel to said neutral axis, and circumscribing all of said tower legs; a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, 218, or 310) being disposed radially outward from said second axis, being spaced circumferentially around said second axis, and being operatively attached to said other (170+204, 406, or 472) mounting portion means; a plurality of rollers (160, 186, 219, or 308) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and having roller surface means (162+164, 194+196, or 320) for cooperating with said first circumferential surface; attaching means, comprising said rollers, and comprising both of said circumferential surfaces, for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means by operative engagement of said roller surface means with said first circumferential surface, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned about said second axis, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and rotational positioning means for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means with respect to said first mounting portion means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (542 or 544) as claimed in claim 1 in which said first mounting portion means comprises ring-shaped mounting portion means (402) having a second tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower disposed inside said second tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs (20a-20c).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (542 or 544) as claimed in claim 1 in which said first mounting portion means comprises ring-shaped mounting portion means (402) having a second tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower disposed inside said second tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs (20a-20c); and said one mounting portion means comprises said first mounting portion means, whereby said first (432) and second (434) circumferential surfaces are disposed on said first mounting portion means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said assembly includes means (246) for resiliently maintaining said roller surface means (162+164, or 192+194) in contact with said first (152) circumferential surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) as claimed in claim 1 in which said one mounting portion means (402) includes a circumferential groove (150 or 430) that circumscribes said tower-receiving opening (548) and that includes upper (152 or 434) and lower (154 or 432) groove surfaces; and said circumferential surfaces comprise said groove surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 1 in which said one mounting portion means (142) includes a circumferential groove (150) having upper (152 or 434) and lower (154 or 432) groove surfaces; said groove surfaces comprise said circumferential surfaces; and said assembly includes said (246) for resiliently maintaining said roller surface means (162+164, or 192+194) in contact with said first groove surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
134 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) as claimed in claim 1 in which said one mounting portion means (142 or 402) includes a ring surface (428) that circumscribes said tower-receiving opening means (548), and a circumferential groove (150 or 430) that extends radially into said one mounting portion means from said ring surface and that includes upper (152 or 434) and lower (154 or 433) groove surfaces; said upper and lower groove surfaces diverge as said groove surfaces approach said ring surface; said circumferential surfaces comprise said groove surfaces; said roller surface means comprises profiled surface means for conforming with said diverging of said groove surfaces; and said attaching means, and said radial guiding thereof, comprises operative engagement of said profiled surface means with one of said groove surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
313 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) which comprises a tower (12) having three vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c), having bracing (22) intermediate of adjacent pairs of said legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c) of said tower, and having a neutral axis (26) that is disposed intermediate of said faces; first mounting portion means (170+204) for attachment to one of said faces of said tower; second mounting portion means (142), having a tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower inside said first tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs, for being rotationally positioned around said tower, and for mounting a device thereto; one (142) of said mounting portion means comprises first (152) and second (154) circumferential surfaces being circumferentially disposed around a second axis (24) that is substantially parallel to said neutral axis, and circumscribing all of said tower legs; a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being spaced radially outward from said second axis, being spaced circumferentially around said second axis, and being operatively attached to said other (170+204) mounting portion means; a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and providing first (162 or 192) roller surfaces and second (164 or 194) roller surfaces; attaching means, comprising said rollers, and comprising both of said circumferential surfaces, for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means by operative engagement of said first roller surfaces with said first circumferential surface, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned about said second axis, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means by close proximity of said second circumferential surface to said second roller surfaces, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and rotational positioning means for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means with respect to said first mounting portion means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
313 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) which comprises a tower (12) having three vertically-disposed tower legs (20a-20c), having bracing (22) intermediate of adjacent pairs of said legs that defines a plurality of faces (534a-534c) of said tower, and having a neutral axis (26) that is disposed intermediate of said faces; first mounting portion means (170+204) for attachment to one of said faces of said tower; second mounting portion means (142), having a tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower inside said first tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs, for being rotationally positioned around said tower, and for mounting a device thereto; one (142) of said mounting portion means comprises first (152) and second (154) circumferential surfaces being circumferentially disposed around a second axis (24) that is substantially parallel to said neutral axis, and circumscribing all of said tower legs; a plurality of roller shafts (182, 188, or 218) being spaced radially outward from said second axis, being spaced circumferentially around said second axis, and being operatively attached to said other (170+204) mounting portion means; a plurality of rollers (160, 186, or 219) being operatively attached to said roller shafts, and providing first (162 or 192) roller surfaces and second (164 or 194) roller surfaces; attaching means, comprising said rollers, and comprising both of said circumferential surfaces, for supportingly attaching said second mounting portion means to said first mounting portion means by operative engagement of said first roller surfaces with said first circumferential surface, for permitting said second mounting portion means to be rotationally positioned about said second axis, for vertically restraining said second mounting portion means by close proximity of said second circumferential surface to said second roller surfaces, and for radially guiding said second mounting portion means; and rotational positioning means for rotationally positioning said second mounting portion means with respect to said first mounting portion means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A tower and rotationally positionable means assembly (542 or 544) as claimed in claim 8 in which said first mounting portion means comprises ring-shaped mounting portion means (402) having a second tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower disposed inside said second tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs (20a-20c).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (542 or 544) as claimed in claim 8 in which said first mounting portion means comprises ring-shaped mounting portion means (402) having a second tower-receiving opening (548), and having said tower disposed inside said second tower-receiving opening, for circumscribing all of said tower legs (10a-20c); and said one mounting portion means comprises said first mounting portion means, whereby said first (432) and second (434) circumferential surfaces are disposed on said first mounting portion means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 8 in which said assembly includes means (246) for resiliently maintaining said first roller surfaces (162 or 192d) in contact with said first circumferential surface (152 or 432), and for maintaining said second roller surfaces (164 or 194) in contact with said second circumferential surface (154 or 434).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) as claimed in claim 8 in which said one mounting portion means (402) includes a circumferential groove (150 or 430) that circumscribes said tower-receiving opening (548) and that includes upper (152 or 434) and lower (154 or 432) groove surfaces; and said circumferential surfaces comprise said groove surfaces.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538) as claimed in claim 8 in which said one mounting portion means (142) includes a circumferential groove (150) having upper (152) and lower (154) groove surfaces; said groove surfaces comprise said circumferential surfaces; and said assembly includes means (246) for resiliently maintaining said first roller surfaces (162 or 192) in contact with said first (152) circumferential surfaces, and for resiliently maintaining said second roller surfaces (164 or 194) in contact with said second (154) circumferential surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
136 words
A tower and rotationally positionable mount assembly (538, 542, or 544) as claimed in claim 8 in which said one mounting portion means (142 or 402) includes a ring surface (428) that circumscribes said tower-receiving opening means (548), and a circumferential groove (195 or 430) that extends radially into said one mounting portion means from said ring surface and that includes upper (153 or 434) and lower groove surfaces; one of said groove surfaces diverges from the other of said groove surfaces as said groove surfaces approach said ring surface; said circumferential surfaces comprise said groove surfaces; one of said roller surfaces is profiled to conform to said diverging of said one groove surface; and said attaching means, and said radial guiding thereof, comprises operative engagement of said profiled roller surface with said one groove surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-05-22 | 1987-11-21 | 1988-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-05-22 | 1991-11-21 | 1992-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-05-22 | 1995-11-21 | 1996-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |