A retractable small mast and its operation method

Abstract

The application discloses a small-sized mast which can be laid down, belongs to the technical field of ship masts, and solves the problem of inconvenient height adjustment of the existing mast. The mast comprises a mast body and a mast base, the mast base is fixed on a ship top deck, a rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in the mast base, one end of the mast body is connected with the rotating shaft, a supporting assembly for supporting the mast body in an inclined state is arranged between one side of the mast body and the mast base, and a lock for locking the mast body in an erected state is arranged between the other side of the mast body and the mast base. The small-sized mast can be laid down and its height is reduced, so that the mast can pass through narrow bridges. The application further discloses an operation method of the small-sized mast which can quickly reduce the height of the mast.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ship masts, and more particularly to a retractable small mast and an operating method thereof. Background Art

[0002] A mast is a tall pole on a ship that hangs sails and flags, mounts antennas, and supports observation platforms. It is a long, round wooden pole or metal column, usually erected vertically from the ship's keel or centerboard, and supports the lower boom of the horizontal sail, the boom, or the diagonal boom. In recent years, the flow of cargo and official patrols in inland tributaries have become increasingly frequent. Small and medium-sized ships navigating narrow waterways will face various bridge height restrictions. Because some bridges, due to historical reasons, do not fully consider the passability of current ships, the height of the bridge cannot be changed. Therefore, the only solution to this problem is to start with the design of the ship. The height of existing ship masts is mostly non-adjustable. Although some retractable masts can be adjusted in height, this affects the layout of other components on the mast, such as signal lights.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop and design a retractable small mast and an operating method thereof. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art. One purpose of the present invention is to provide a retractable small mast that can be folded down to lower its height for easy passage through narrow bridges.

[0005] The second purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for operating a retractable small mast to quickly lower the height of the mast.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose one, the present invention provides a retractable small mast, including a mast body and a mast base, the mast base being fixed on the roof deck of the ship, a rotating shaft being rotatably installed in the mast base, one end of the mast body being connected to the rotating shaft, a supporting assembly for supporting the mast body in an inclined state being provided between one side of the mast body and the mast base, and a locking device for locking the mast body in an upright state being provided between the other side of the mast body and the mast base.

[0007] As a further improvement, a lightning rod is provided on the top of the mast body, a radar is provided in the middle of the mast body, and a plurality of mast signal lights distributed along the axial direction of the mast body are also provided on the mast body.

[0008] Furthermore, the support assembly includes an upper support seat and a lower support seat, the upper support seat is fixed on one side of the mast body, and the lower support seat is fixed on one side of the mast base. When the mast body is laid down, the upper support seat is in contact with the lower support seat.

[0009] Furthermore, the locking device includes a knife and a sleeve. The knife is mounted on the top of the mast base on the other side of the mast body, and one end of the knife is hingedly connected to the mast base. The sleeve is fixed on the other side of the mast body. When the mast body is erected, the other end of the knife is inserted into the sleeve. A pin is also movably inserted between the knife and the sleeve.

[0010] Furthermore, a worm gear mechanism is detachably provided on one side of the mast base, an output end of the worm gear mechanism is connected to the rotating shaft, and a power assembly is detachably installed on the input end of the worm gear mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, the power assembly is an operating crank, and a waterproof cover that can cover the input end of the worm gear mechanism is hingedly mounted on the mast base above the operating crank.

[0012] Furthermore, the power assembly includes a controller, a drive motor, a first infrared sensor, a second infrared sensor and a third infrared sensor. The drive motor is detachably mounted on the mast base, and the output end of the drive motor is detachably connected to the input end of the worm gear mechanism. The first infrared sensor is mounted on the support assembly, the second infrared sensor is mounted on the mast base on the side of the lock, and the third infrared sensor is mounted on the mast base on the side of the latch. A down button and an up button are respectively provided on the controller, and the drive motor, the first infrared sensor, the second infrared sensor, the third infrared sensor, the down button and the up button are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0013] In order to achieve the above-mentioned second objective, the present invention provides a method for operating a collapsible small mast, including the collapsible small mast described above, the method comprising the following steps:

[0014] S1. Mast lowering:

[0015] S1.1: Pull out the pin between the switch and the ferrule;

[0016] S1.2: Lift the switch;

[0017] S1.3: Install the operating crank at the input end of the worm gear mechanism and rotate the operating crank to slowly lower the mast body through the worm gear mechanism until the upper support seat contacts and fits with the lower support seat, completing the mast lowering operation;

[0018] S2. Mast erection:

[0019] S2.1: Install the operating crank at the input end of the worm gear mechanism and rotate the operating crank to slowly raise the mast body through the worm gear mechanism until the sleeve rotates to the knife position;

[0020] S2.2: pull the latch, put it into the sleeve;

[0021] S2.3: insert the pin between the latch and the sleeve, complete the mast raising operation.

[0022] Another collapsible small mast operation method is also provided, including the above-mentioned collapsible small mast, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] S1, mast folding:

[0024] S1.1: pull out the pin between the latch and the sleeve;

[0025] S1.2: lift the latch;

[0026] S1.3: install the operation crank on the input end of the worm gear mechanism, and rotate the operation crank, drive the mast body to slowly fold through the worm gear mechanism, until the upper support seat and the lower support seat contact and fit, complete the mast folding operation;

[0027] S2, mast raising:

[0028] S2.1: install the operation crank on the input end of the worm gear mechanism, and rotate the operation crank, drive the mast body to slowly raise through the worm gear mechanism, until the sleeve is rotated to the position of the latch;

[0029] S2.2: pull the latch, put it into the sleeve;

[0030] S2.3: insert the pin between the latch and the sleeve, complete the mast raising operation.

[0031] Another collapsible small mast operation method is also provided, including the above-mentioned collapsible small mast, the method comprising the following steps:

[0032] S1, mast folding:

[0033] S1.1: pull out the pin between the latch and the sleeve;

[0034] S1.2: lift the latch, after the latch leaves the third infrared sensor, the controller releases the lock on the folding button;

[0035] S1.3: press the folding button, the controller controls the driving motor to start forward rotation, drives the mast body to slowly fold through the worm gear mechanism, until the upper support seat and the lower support seat contact and fit, at this time the first infrared sensor detects that the mast body is folded to the position, the controller locks the folding button, releases the lock on the raising button, and controls the driving motor to close, complete the mast folding operation;

[0036] S2, mast raising:

[0037] S2.1: press the erect button, the controller controls the driving motor to start reverse rotation, drives the mast body to slowly erect through the worm gear mechanism, until the sleeve rotates to the position of the shutter, at this time the second infrared sensor detects that the mast body is erected to the position, the controller locks the erect button, releases the lock of the lay-down button, and controls the driving motor to close;

[0038] S2.2: pull the shutter and put it into the sleeve, at this time the third infrared sensor detects that the shutter is put into the position, and the controller locks the lay-down button;

[0039] S2.3: insert the latch between the shutter and the sleeve, and complete the mast erecting operation.

[0040] Advantages

[0041] Compared with the prior art, the application has the advantages that:

[0042] The foldable small mast has the mast body in a rotating installation structure, can put down the mast to reduce the height of the mast, facilitate passing through narrow bridges, and adopt the support assembly to support the mast body to make the mast body in an inclined state after being put down, improve the stability of the mast body after being put down, and facilitate subsequent lifting of the mast body; and the mast body is locked by the lock after being erected, so that the mast can be normally used, and the foldable mast can realize rapid reduction of the height of the mast. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 It is a front view structural schematic diagram of the embodiment 1 of the application;

[0044] Figure 2 It is a side view structural schematic diagram of the embodiment 1 of the application;

[0045] Figure 3 It is Figure 2 the enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at A;

[0046] Figure 4 It is a front view structural schematic diagram of the mast after being put down in the embodiment 1 of the application;

[0047] Figure 5 It is a front view structural schematic diagram of the embodiment 2 of the application;

[0048] Figure 6 It is a side view structural schematic diagram of the embodiment 2 of the application;

[0049] Figure 7 It is Figure 6 the enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at B;

[0050] Figure 8 It is a front view structural schematic diagram of the mast after being put down in the embodiment 2 of the application;

[0051] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure at C in the middle;

[0052] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of Example 3 of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the side structure of embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure at D in the middle;

[0055] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the mast after it is laid down in Example 3 of the present invention.

[0056] Among them: 1-mast body, 2-mast base, 3-ship roof deck, 4-rotating shaft, 5-lightning rod, 6-radar, 7-mast signal light, 8-upper support seat, 9-lower support seat, 10-switch, 11-ferrule, 12-latch, 13-worm gear mechanism, 14-operating crank, 15-waterproof cover, 16-drive motor, 17-first infrared sensor, 18-second infrared sensor, 19-third infrared sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the specific embodiments in the accompanying drawings.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] See Figure 1-4 The present invention is a specific embodiment of a retractable small mast, comprising a mast body 1 and a mast base 2. A lightning rod 5 is provided at the top of the mast body 1, a radar 6 is provided in the middle of the mast body 1, and a plurality of mast signal lights 7 are provided on the mast body 1 along its axial direction, forming a ship mast. The mast base 2 is fixed to the ship's roof deck 3. A rotating shaft 4 is rotatably mounted within the mast base 2. Both ends of the rotating shaft 4 are connected to the mast base 2 via bearings. One end of the mast body 1 is connected to the rotating shaft 4, allowing the mast body 1 to swing relative to the mast base 2, allowing the mast body 1 to be tilted or raised. A support assembly is provided between one side of the mast body 1 and the mast base 2 for supporting the mast body 1 in an inclined state. This support assembly allows the mast body 1 to be tilted at an angle of approximately 13° with the horizontal plane after being tilted, facilitating subsequent lifting of the mast body 1 and preventing other components of the mast body 1 from colliding with the ship's roof deck 3, effectively protecting the mast. A locker is provided between the other side of the mast body 1 and the mast base 2 for locking the mast body 1 in an upright state.

[0060] The collapsible small mast of the present application is provided with a mast body 1 which is rotatably installed, so that the mast can be laid down to reduce its height for passing through narrow bridges. Meanwhile, the mast body 1 is supported by a supporting assembly, so that it can be laid down in an inclined state to improve its stability after being laid down and facilitate subsequent lifting of the mast body. After being erected, the mast body 1 is locked by a lock to ensure normal use. The collapsible mast can realize quick reduction of the height of the mast.

[0061] Preferably, the supporting assembly comprises an upper supporting seat 8 and a lower supporting seat 9, wherein the upper supporting seat 8 is fixed to one side of the mast body 1, and the lower supporting seat 9 is fixed to one side of the mast base 2. When the mast body 1 is laid down, the upper supporting seat 8 contacts the lower supporting seat 9, and the included angle between the top surface of the lower supporting seat 9 and the horizontal plane is about 13°, so that the mast body 1 is in an inclined state after being laid down. The mast is supported by the cooperation of the upper supporting seat 8 and the lower supporting seat 9, so that the stability of the mast after being laid down can be improved, and the inclined state of the mast can be limited. Further, a buffer rubber pad can be arranged on the bottom surface of the upper supporting seat 8 or the top surface of the lower supporting seat 9, which can play a buffering role when the mast is laid down.

[0062] Preferably, the lock comprises a shutter 10 and a sleeve 11. The shutter 10 is arranged on the top of the mast base 2 on the other side of the mast body 1, and one end of the shutter 10 is hingedly connected to the mast base 2. The sleeve 11 is fixed to the other side of the mast body 1, and the sleeve 11 is a baffle with an open top. When the mast body 1 is erected, the other end of the shutter 10 is inserted into the sleeve 11. In order to improve the locking stability, a U-shaped seat is further arranged on the mast base 2 away from the hinged connection between the shutter 10 and the mast base 2. When the shutter 10 is inserted into the sleeve 11, it is also inserted into the U-shaped seat, so that double locking and limiting are realized. A bolt 12 is movably inserted between the shutter 10 and the sleeve 11 to prevent the shutter 10 from being automatically lifted. Further, a handle is arranged on the top of the shutter 10 to facilitate lifting of the shutter 10.

[0063] A collapsible small mast operation method, which comprises the following steps:

[0064] S1, laying down the mast:

[0065] S1.1: pulling out the bolt 12 between the shutter 10 and the sleeve 11;

[0066] S1.2: holding the mast body 1 with hands while lifting the shutter 10;

[0067] S1.3: slowly laying down the mast body 1 until the upper supporting seat 8 contacts and fits the lower supporting seat 9, and completing the mast laying down operation;

[0068] S2, erecting the mast:

[0069] S2.1: Slowly lift the mast body 1 by hand until the sleeve 11 rotates to the position of the knife 10;

[0070] S2.2: Pull the knife 10 and place it into the ferrule 11;

[0071] S2.3: Insert the pin 12 between the knife 10 and the sleeve 11 to complete the mast erection operation.

[0072] Example 2

[0073] See Figure 5-9 , is another specific embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is basically the same as embodiment 1, and the difference is that: a worm gear mechanism 13 is detachably provided on one side of the mast base 2. The detachable worm gear mechanism 13 is convenient for disassembly and maintenance. The worm gear mechanism 13 is a worm gear transmission structure in the prior art and will not be described in detail here. The output end of the worm gear mechanism 13 is connected to the rotating shaft 4, and the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13 is detachably installed with a power component. The detachable installation method of the power component is convenient for replacing different power components for use, and is more convenient to use. In this embodiment, the worm gear mechanism 13 is used to drive the rotating shaft 4, which is convenient for using the power source to drive the rotating shaft 4 to rotate, and then drive the mast body 1 to fall down or stand up, which is more convenient and labor-saving to operate. At the same time, the worm gear mechanism 13 has a self-locking function to avoid the mast body 1 from automatically swinging and causing safety problems.

[0074] Preferably, the power component is an operating crank 14, the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13 is a polygonal shaft or a polygonal groove, one end of the operating crank 14 is provided with a polygonal slot or a polygonal plug shaft that is compatible with the polygonal shaft or polygonal groove, and a waterproof cover 15 that can cover the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13 is hingedly installed on the mast base 2 above the operating crank 14 to prevent rainwater from entering the worm gear mechanism 13.

[0075] A method for operating a collapsible small mast, the method comprising the following steps:

[0076] S1. Mast lowering:

[0077] S1.1: Remove the pin 12 between the switch 10 and the ferrule 11;

[0078] S1.2: Lift the switch 10;

[0079] S1.3: Install the operating crank 14 at the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13 and rotate the operating crank 14 to slowly lower the mast body 1 through the worm gear mechanism 13 until the upper support seat 8 and the lower support seat 9 are in contact and fit together, completing the mast lowering operation;

[0080] S2. Mast erection:

[0081] S2.1: Install the operating crank 14 at the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13 and rotate the operating crank 14 to slowly raise the mast body 1 through the worm gear mechanism 13 until the sleeve 11 rotates to the position of the knife 10;

[0082] S2.2: Pull the knife 10 and place it into the ferrule 11;

[0083] S2.3: Insert the pin 12 between the knife 10 and the sleeve 11 to complete the mast erection operation.

[0084] Example 3

[0085] See Figure 10-13 , is another specific embodiment of the present invention, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that: the power assembly includes a controller, a drive motor 16, a first infrared sensor 17, a second infrared sensor 18 and a third infrared sensor 19, wherein the drive motor 16 is detachably mounted on the mast base 2, and the output end of the drive motor 16 is detachably connected to the input end of the worm gear mechanism 13, the first infrared sensor 17 is mounted on the support assembly, specifically, the first infrared sensor 17 is mounted on the lower support seat 9, and the probe end of the first infrared sensor 17 The surface is flush with the top surface of the lower support seat 9, and is used to detect whether the mast body 1 is laid down in place. The second infrared sensor 18 is installed on the mast base 2 on the side of the lock device, and is used to detect whether the mast body 1 is erected in place. The third infrared sensor 19 is installed on the mast base 2 on the side of the pin 12, and is used to detect whether the bottom of the knife 10 is in place. A laying down button and an erection button are respectively provided on the controller. The drive motor 16, the first infrared sensor 17, the second infrared sensor 18, the third infrared sensor 19, the laying down button and the erection button are all electrically connected to the controller to realize automatic control.

[0086] A method for operating a collapsible small mast, the method comprising the following steps:

[0087] S1. Mast lowering:

[0088] S1.1: Remove the pin 12 between the switch 10 and the ferrule 11;

[0089] S1.2: Lift the blade 10. After the blade 10 leaves the third infrared sensor 19, the controller unlocks the lay-down button.

[0090] S1.3: Press the down button, and the controller controls the drive motor 16 to start forward rotation, driving the mast body 1 to slowly down through the worm gear mechanism 13 until the upper support base 8 and the lower support base 9 are in contact and in contact. At this time, the first infrared sensor 17 detects that the mast body 1 is lowered into place, and the controller locks the down button, unlocks the upright button, and controls the drive motor 16 to shut down, completing the mast down operation.

[0091] S2. Mast erection:

[0092] S2.1: Press the raise button, and the controller controls the drive motor 16 to start reverse rotation. The worm gear mechanism 13 drives the mast body 1 to slowly raise the mast body 1 until the sleeve 11 rotates to the position of the knife 10. At this time, the second infrared sensor 18 detects that the mast body 1 is raised. The controller locks the raise button, unlocks the lower button, and controls the drive motor 16 to turn off.

[0093] S2.2: Pull the knife 10 and place it into the ferrule 11. The third infrared sensor 19 detects that the knife 10 is in place, and the controller locks the down button.

[0094] S2.3: Insert the pin 12 between the knife 10 and the sleeve 11 to complete the mast erection operation.

[0095] In this embodiment, automatic control is adopted to control the lowering and raising of the mast body 1, which can greatly reduce labor intensity. At the same time, the lowering button and the raising button can be locked separately according to the position status of the mast body 1, which is convenient for operation and can avoid damage to structural components such as the mast body 1, support assembly, and knife 10 due to misoperation, thereby effectively extending the service life of the entire mast.

[0096] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the structure of the present invention. These will not affect the effect of the implementation of the present invention and the practicality of the patent.

Claims

1. A retractable small mast, characterized in that: The invention comprises a mast body (1) and a mast base (2), wherein the mast base (2) is fixed on a roof deck (3) of a ship, a rotating shaft (4) is rotatably installed in the mast base (2), one end of the mast body (1) is connected to the rotating shaft (4), a support assembly for supporting the mast body (1) in an inclined state is provided between one side of the mast body (1) and the mast base (2), a locking device for locking the mast body (1) in an upright state is provided between the other side of the mast body (1) and the mast base (2), a lightning rod (5) is provided on the top of the mast body (1), a radar (6) is provided in the middle of the mast body (1), and a plurality of mast signal detectors distributed along its axial direction are also provided on the mast body (1). The lamp (7) is provided with a support assembly comprising an upper support seat (8) and a lower support seat (9), wherein the upper support seat (8) is fixed on one side of the mast body (1), and the lower support seat (9) is fixed on one side of the mast base (2). When the mast body (1) is laid down, the upper support seat (8) contacts the lower support seat (9). The locking device comprises a knife (10) and a sleeve (11). The knife (10) is mounted on the top of the mast base (2) on the other side of the mast body (1), and one end of the knife (10) is hingedly connected to the mast base (2). The sleeve (11) is fixed on the other side of the mast body (1). When the mast body (1) is erected, the other end of the knife (10) is inserted into the sleeve. (11), a pin (12) is movably connected between the knife switch (10) and the sleeve (11), a worm gear mechanism (13) is detachably provided on one side of the mast base (2), the output end of the worm gear mechanism (13) is connected to the rotating shaft (4), and the input end of the worm gear mechanism (13) is detachably installed with a power assembly, the power assembly is an operating crank (14), and a waterproof cover (15) that can cover the input end of the worm gear mechanism (13) is hingedly installed on the mast base (2) above the operating crank (14), and the power assembly includes a controller, a drive motor (16), a first infrared sensor (17), a second infrared sensor (18) and a third infrared sensor (19 ), the driving motor (16) is detachably mounted on the mast base (2), and the output end of the driving motor (16) is detachably connected to the input end of the worm gear mechanism (13), the first infrared sensor (17) is mounted on the support assembly, the second infrared sensor (18) is mounted on the mast base (2) on the side of the lock, and the third infrared sensor (19) is mounted on the mast base (2) on the side of the latch (12), and the controller is respectively provided with a down button and an up button, and the driving motor (16), the first infrared sensor (17), the second infrared sensor (18), the third infrared sensor (19), the down button and the up button are all electrically connected to the controller.

2. A method for operating a retractable small mast, characterized in that: The method comprising the collapsible small mast according to claim 1 comprises the following steps: S1. Mast lowering: S1.1: Remove the pin (12) between the switch (10) and the ferrule (11); S1.2: Hold the mast body (1) with your hands and lift the gate knife (10) at the same time; S1.3: Slowly lower the mast body (1) until the upper support seat (8) and the lower support seat (9) are in contact and fit together, completing the mast lowering operation; S2. Mast erection: S2.1: Slowly lift the mast body (1) by hand until the sleeve (11) rotates to the position of the knife (10); S2.2: Pull the knife (10) and place it into the ferrule (11); S2.3: Insert the pin (12) between the knife (10) and the sleeve (11) to complete the mast erection operation.

3. A method for operating a collapsible small mast, characterized in that: The method comprising the collapsible small mast according to claim 1 comprises the following steps: S1. Mast lowering: S1.1: Remove the pin (12) between the switch (10) and the ferrule (11); S1.2: Lift the knife (10); S1.3: Install the operating crank (14) at the input end of the worm gear mechanism (13), and rotate the operating crank (14) to drive the mast body (1) to slowly fall down through the worm gear mechanism (13) until the upper support seat (8) and the lower support seat (9) are in contact and fit, thus completing the mast falling operation; S2. Mast erection: S2.1: Install the operating crank (14) at the input end of the worm gear mechanism (13), and rotate the operating crank (14) to drive the mast body (1) to slowly stand up through the worm gear mechanism (13) until the sleeve (11) rotates to the position of the knife (10); S2.2: Pull the knife (10) and place it into the ferrule (11); S2.3: Insert the pin (12) between the knife (10) and the sleeve (11) to complete the mast erection operation.

4. A method for operating a collapsible small mast, characterized in that: The method comprising the collapsible small mast according to claim 1 comprises the following steps: S1. Mast lowering: S1.1: Remove the pin (12) between the switch (10) and the ferrule (11); S1.2: The knife (10) is lifted. After the knife (10) leaves the third infrared sensor (19), the controller unlocks the lay-down button; S1.3: Press the down button, the controller controls the drive motor (16) to start forward rotation, and drives the mast body (1) to slowly down through the worm gear mechanism (13) until the upper support seat (8) and the lower support seat (9) are in contact and fit. At this time, the first infrared sensor (17) detects that the mast body (1) is down in place, the controller locks the down button, unlocks the upright button, and controls the drive motor (16) to turn off, completing the mast down operation; S2. Mast erection: S2.1: Press the erection button, the controller controls the drive motor (16) to start reverse rotation, and drives the mast body (1) to slowly erect through the worm gear mechanism (13) until the clamping sleeve (11) rotates to the position of the knife (10). At this time, the second infrared sensor (18) detects that the mast body (1) is erected in place, the controller locks the erection button, unlocks the lay-down button, and controls the drive motor (16) to turn off; S2.2: Pull the knife (10) and place it into the card sleeve (11). At this time, the third infrared sensor (19) detects that the knife (10) is in place, and the controller locks the down button; S2.3: Insert the pin (12) between the knife (10) and the sleeve (11) to complete the mast erection operation.

Images