This invention relates to a robot climbing system for climbing tall structures such as poles and particularly tapering structures.

The use of such climbing systems has come about due to traditional wooden poles being supplanted with concrete and steel poles and by poles of greater height.

The steel and concrete poles cannot be climbed by a worker wearing traditional spikes. Furthermore the increased height requires greater investment in hydraulicly raised platforms. Finally there is always risk of injury where workmen are required tc climb poles.

There is therefore a need for a portable remote controlled robot pole climbing systems to provide a platfom for mounting sand blasting, spray painting, cleaning, drilling, recording, surveying equipment or the like. Prior attempts tc provide pole climbing devices have not been directed to remote controlled devices suitable for use on tapered concrete or steel posts.

It is also important to provide a remote control device which is self centering so that equipment and particularly spray painting guns can be maintained at a constant distance from the pole.

In order to overcome the foregoing difficulties it is the general object of this invention to provide an improved device capable of being controlled from the ground.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a light weight portable pole climbing robot capable of carrying equipment such as sprayers and sandblasters which require pneumatic hoses.

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A further object of the invention is the provision of pole engaging wheels or track means to improve the frictional engagement between the device and the pole.

A still further object is the provision of fail safe means to prevent downward movement of the device in the event of power failure.

A still further object is the provision of self-centering means to maintain a constant distance between an equipment carrying platform and the pole.

Accordingly the present invention provides a remote controlled apparatus for climbing poles, the apparatus comprising carriage including a two piece ring capable of opening to encircle the pole, at least three opposed pole engaging drive means, or. the ring, and means for moving each track drive means into engagement with the pole.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment cf the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view cf the portable remote controlled pole climbing apparatus of this invention.

Figures 1A and IB are side elevational views of pivot and latch means provided on the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the pole climbing apparatus on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of an alternative pcle climbing apparatus.

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Figure 4 is a side view of the pole engaging wheels of Figure 3, and;

Figure 4A is an alternative drive means for the wheel assemblies of Figure 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawing a remote controlled apparatus for climbing poles shown generally at 10 in Figure 1 includes a frame or carriage 12 having upper and lower rings 14 and 16 respectively. The rings 14 and 16 are substantially identical and are capable of opening to encircle a pole 20. The rings 14 and 16 have pivots at 22 and couplings at 26 to facilitate opening to encircle the pole 20.

At least three motor driven tracked devices 24 are mounted on the carriage to move the carriage 12 axially with respect to the pole 20. Each of the tracked devices includes a fractional horsepower reversible DC motor 30. A resilient track or belt 3*+ entrains a pair of rollers 32 mounted on a U shaped channel member 33 and each of the rollers 32 has a sprocket 36. The track is driven by a chain 37 which entrains the sprockets 36 and a drive sprocket 38 on the shaft of the DC motor 30. One of the rollers 32 is moveable as by means of screw 35 to facilitate tensioning cf the track 34.

In order to compensate for the variation in diameter of the pole 20 each of the tracked devices 24 i» secured to pistons 40 of pneumatic piston cylinder assemblies 42 and 46 which are in turn secured to the carriage 12 in a manner to be described below.

The rings 14 and 16 are spaced apart and held in superimposed relationship by upright plates 50 and tubular spacers 51 bolted therebetween. The rings 14 and 16 are substantially identical and therefore onlv one need to be described in detail.

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As shown more clearly in Fig. 1A and IB each of the rings 14 and 16 comprise two segments 52 and 54 which are held together by a pivot pin 56. The free ends of the segments 52 and 54 are releasable held in place by a lock pin 58 extending through aligned apertures in latch plates 60 and the segment 54 of both of the rings 14 and 16. When the pin 58 is in place a sensor (not shown) allows operation of the apparatus 10.

The tracked devices 24 are substantially identical as well as being easily removable and inter-changeable. Therefore only one will be described in detail. It will be appreciated that it is desirable to provide a guide or ram to resist lateral forces which could effect the pistons 40 of the piston cylinder assemblies 42 and 46. The pair of assemblies 42 and 46 are housed in telescoping inner and outer tubular members 70 and 72 respectively are preferably of rectangular cross section. The tubular members 70 and 72 are pivotally mounted between the upright plates 50 by an axle 74 extending through the plates and the outer tubular members 72 so that limited travel of the inner tubular member 70 is possible. It should be noted that pivotally mounting the track assemblies 24 compensates for tapered poles as well as the irregularities in the surface of any pole.

The piston cylinder assemblies 42 are preferably pneumatically operated and provided with one way valves or other fail safe provisions, one end of each of the cylinders 42 being attached to the outer tubular member 72 in a conventional manner as be clevis pin 76. The other ends of the pistons 42 are secured to the tracked device 24 by similar clevis pins 78.

The piston cylinder assemblies 42 are interconnected by air lines 80 and couplings 82 are provided to connect the assemblies 42 to a suitable source of compressed air through pneumatic hoses (not shown) .

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

In order to maintain the desired centering of the carriage 12 with respect to the pole 20, each assembly 24 includes a pair of rack gears 86 adapted to mesh with pinion gears 88 provided on the axles 74. The axles 74 are interconnected by a flexible drive cable 90 (see Fig. 1) so that movement of the tracked drive assemblies 24 toward the pole will be co-ordinated. The cable 90 preferably has a rotable inner flexible member in a stationary sheath. This provides an additional safety factor in that if one of the track assemblies 24 should fail the mechanical linkage 90 maintains the assembly in position on the pole 20. Alternatively, the piston cylinder assemblies 42 and 46 may be eliminated and the pinion gears are then driven by an electric motor through suitable linkage.

Alternatively as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. ■ _* the tracked devices 24 are replaced by assemblies 124 having wheels 134 preferably driven by a gear train 136 including gears on the axles which engage a drive gear 138 on the shaft of an electric motor 130. The chain and sprocket drive system described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 can be used to drive the wheels 134 as shown in Figure 4A.

The wheels 134 are mounted on three or more axles 135 eacn having four wheels 134 mounted thereon. It will be noted that one of the assemblies 124 can be provided with a pneumatic piston cylinder system 42 and that the other two assemblies 124 are moved by the electric motors 140 which drive linear actuators 142 known as ball screw actuators. A coupling 146 on the actuator 142 engages an inner one of the telescoping members 170 to move the wheel assemblies 124 into engagement with the pole 20. The linear actuators 142 have coil spring shock mounts 150 at their other ends.

The DC electric motors 130 and 140 are preferrably provided with a portable power supply such as batteries and are capable of being remotely controlled as by RF signals from a suitable transmitter.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

The operation assuming all electrical and pneumatic connections have been made properly, the carriage 10 is positioned at the base of the pole 20 with the ring segments encircling the pole and coupled together. The necessary equipment is installed on the carriage and the electrical and pneumatic drive means is activated.

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