Remote-controlled vertical ascending and descending workstation

摘要

An apparatus designed for climbing poles, trees and other such columnar objects. The apparatus is a remote-controlled work station that provides a scaffold for mounting semi-robotic articulated arms and video cameras. The articulated arm has a quick-release coupler on an end thereof that is able to repeatedly and releasably couple attachments thereto, such as saws, blades, and other pruning objects. The device includes an expandable frame that may be opened and closed to fit around the vertical structure to be climbed. The frame has horizontal and vertical supports, drive system compression supports, and wheels. A drive system is mounted to each of the drive system compression supports. The drive system includes motorized tracked-climbers that are maintained in contact with the vertical structure to be climbed via adjustable independent suspension. The suspension uses adjustable spring shocks and drive system slide rails to connect the frame to the drive system.

主权项

1. A vertical climbing workstation apparatus comprising:
an adjustable frame having a plurality of adjustable rails and a plurality of corner sections, each corner section of the plurality of corner sections respectively comprising vertical support beams, horizontal support beams, and at least two adjustable rails of the plurality of adjustable rails respectively connected between neighboring corner sections of the plurality of corner sections, and each of the at least two adjustable rails respectively configured to expand and contract to adjust dimensions of the adjustable frame; a powered drive system functionally coupled to the frame, the powered drive system having a plurality of tracked-climbers configured to engage and climb a columnar object therebetween; and a suspension system functionally coupled between the powered drive system and the adjustable frame, the suspension system comprising at least two linear actuators coupled to each respective tracked-climber of said plurality of tracked-climbers, wherein a first linear actuator of the at least two linear actuators is coupled to an upper portion of each said respective tracked-climber and a second linear actuator of the at least two linear actuators is coupled to a bottom portion of each said respective tracked-climber, wherein the first and second linear actuators are configured to operate independently from each other to adjust a positional relationship between each said respective tracked-climber and the adjustable frame to independently exert force between the powered drive system and the adjustable frame to maintain engagement between each said respective tracked climber and the columnar object, wherein the first and second linear actuators are further configured to independently react to the varying contours and irregularities on the columnar object to keep each respective track of the plurality of tracked-climbers in contact with the columnar object as the vertical workstation apparatus ascends or descends the columnar object, wherein when the powered drive system is operated, the workstation apparatus moves along and with respect to the columnar object.