Suspended load carrying system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9732535-B2
Application number	US-201514677179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments of load carrying systems comprise a load supporting frame comprising three or more connection points and an associated set of lifts configured which define six separate triangles defining separate planes configured to brace against surge, sway and yaw with respect to a support frame, such as unintended or unwanted surge, sway and yaw, while allowing intended and/or desired surge, sway and yaw.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load carrying system, comprising:
a. a load supporting frame comprising three connection points; and
b. three lifts, each lift of the three lifts configured to be controlled independently of the other lifts of the three lifts with respect to vertical positioning of a connection point of the three connection points associated with a specific lift of the three lifts, the three lifts defining six separate triangles defining separate planes configured to brace against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame, each lift comprising:
i. a controllable winch;
ii. a set of pulleys; and
iii. a cable comprising a first end and a second end operatively attached to the controllable winch, the cable routed over the set of pulleys to a single predetermined connection point of the three connection points, the cable and the load supporting frame defining two separate triangles of the six separate triangles.

2. The load carrying system of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight for each of the three lifts, each counterweight operatively connected to the first end and the second end of a respective cable of the three cables.

3. The load carrying system of claim 2 , wherein each set of pulleys of the three sets of pulleys comprises:
a. a first pulley disposed intermediate a predetermined connection point of the three connection points and a predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights proximate the predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights; and
b. a second pulley disposed intermediate the predetermined connection point of the three connection points and the predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights proximate the predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights.

4. The load carrying system of claim 3 , further comprising
a. a third pulley disposed intermediate the first pulley and the predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights; and
b. a fourth pulley disposed intermediate the second pulley and the predetermined counterweight of the three counterweights.

5. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein the connection point comprises a swivel.

6. The load carrying system of claim 1 , further comprising a winch controller operatively in communication with each of the three controllable winches.

7. The load carrying system of claim 1 , further comprising a load carrier connected to and suspended from the load supporting frame.

8. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein each winch is configured to accept a predetermined length of a corresponding cable about a portion of the winch.

9. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein each first end and second end of each cable is terminated at its associated controllable winch.

10. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein each cable comprises:
a. a first cable section comprising the first end, the first end being terminated at the cable's associated controllable winch, and a third end terminated at the predetermined connection point; and
b. a second cable section comprising the second end terminated at the cable's associated controllable winch and a fourth end terminated at the same predetermined connection point.

11. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable winch comprises a plurality of controllable winches.

12. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable winch further comprises:
a. a selectively controllable motor; and
b. a drum operatively connected to the selectively controllable motor.

13. The load carrying system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a. a lift support configured to support a predetermined lift of the three lifts; and
b. a lift mover operatively connected to the supported lift and configured to allow for controlled movement of the supported lift about the support in a predetermined plane.

14. The load carrying system of claim 13 , wherein:
a. the drum comprises a plurality of drums; and
b. the cable comprises:
i. the first end attached to a first drum of the plurality of drums; and
ii. the second end attached to a second drum of the plurality of drums.

15. The load carrying system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable winch further comprises:
a. a first selectively controllable motor;
b. a second selectively controllable motor;
c. a first drum operatively connected to the first selectively controllable motor; and
d. a second drum operatively connected to the second selectively controllable motor.

16. The load carrying system of claim 15 , wherein the first selectively controllable motor is controllable independently of the second selectively controllable motor.

17. A method of supporting a load supported by a frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame, comprising:
a. providing a load carrying system, comprising:
i. a load supporting frame comprising three connection points; and
ii. three lifts configured to be controlled independently with respect to vertical positioning of one of the three connection points, the three lifts defining six separate triangles defining separate planes configured to brace against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame, each lift comprising:
1. a controllable winch;
2. a set of pulleys; and
3. a substantially continuous cable comprising a first end and a second end operatively attached to the controllable winch, routed over the set of pulleys, and routed to a predetermined connection point of the three connection points, the cable and the load supporting frame defining two separate triangles of the six separate triangles;

b. for each lift of the three lifts,
i. connecting the first end of each cable to an associated controllable winch;
ii. routing each connected cable over an associated set of pulleys;
iii. routing each connected cable to a predetermined connection point of the three connection points; and
iv. connecting the second end of each routed cable to the corresponding a controllable winch; and

c. using the lifts to support the frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame by altering a relative length of a predetermined cable of the three lifts' cables.

18. The method of supporting a load supported by a frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame of claim 17 , wherein each lift is controlled independently of each other lift.

19. The method of supporting a load supported by a frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame of claim 17 , wherein:
a. each controllable winch further comprises:
i. a first selectively controllable motor;
ii. a first drum operatively connected to the first selectively controllable motor;
iii. a second selectively controllable motor; and
iv. a second drum operatively connected to the second selectively controllable motor; and

b. using the lifts to support the frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame by altering a relative length of a cable further comprises controlling each of the first selectively controllable motor and the second selectively controllable motor synchronously.

20. The method of supporting a load supported by a frame while bracing against surge, sway and yaw with respect to the frame of claim 17 , wherein:
a. each controllable winch further comprises:
i. a first selectively controllable motor;
ii. a first drum operatively connected to the first selectively controllable motor;
iii. a second selectively controllable motor; and

Assignees

• Oceaneering Int Inc

Inventors

• Jennings Clifford Allen

Classifications

• A63J5/00

  Auxiliaries for producing special effects on stages, or in circuses or arenas · CPC title

• A63J2005/002

  moving the spectator's body · CPC title

• A63G31/16

  creating illusions of travel · CPC title

• E04H3/30 Primary

  Constructional features of auditoriums · CPC title

• A63J25/00

  Equipment specially adapted for cinemas (cinematographic projection means G03B) · CPC title