Module with system for measuring load in a riser

Abstract

The invention relates to a module with a system for measuring the load in a lifting tower, which comprises a telescopic movable section (5) capable of vertical displacement. The module comprises a fixed support (1a) and a movable support (1b) joined to each other, forming a hinged quadrilateral device. The fixed support (1a) is configured to be joined to the movable section (5) and the movable support (1b) is configured to be displaced vertically in parallel to the fixed support (1a). The module (1) comprises at least one spring (6) in a vertical alignment inside the fixed support (1a), on which the movable support (1b) rests. The module (1) is configured to limit the relative vertical positioning of the movable support (1b) with respect to the fixed support (1a). The hinged quadrilateral device and the spring (6) limit the relative movement between the fixed support (1a) and the movable support (1b), ensuring that they remain parallel in the vertical alignment.

Description

Purpose of the invention

[0001] This invention relates to modules having a system for measuring the load in lifting towers used in music or any other type of event for mounting lighting and / or sound components. The object of this invention is to improve the functionality and safety of these towers by providing them with a more efficient heavy-duty lifting device due to the incorporation of a system for measuring the load. This system incorporates safety features to prevent initial overloading of the lifting tower before the load is activated and lifted, such that when a predetermined load weight considered dangerous is exceeded, the system for measurement clearly shows or visualizes the load lifting exceeding recommended values.

[0002] Therefore, this is a load verification system for lifting towers used for lighting and sound components, and of course, it does not exclude the loading of other components.

[0003] Therefore, the module with the measurement and verification system of this invention avoids damage to the tower and, more importantly, prevents accidents that may occur due to tower overload. Furthermore, it should be noted that using the module of this invention eliminates the need for complex electronic systems to determine the load weight before lifting, as this is addressed in a simple manner using mechanical systems. It should also be noted that the module of this invention is compatible with other towers already on the market, although it is necessary to create a measurement system model for each type of telescopic section of the tower. Background Technology

[0004] In the prior art, lifting towers used to install lighting and sound systems include several telescopic sections that are moved vertically using the action of a pulling / lifting mechanism.

[0005] Typically, the horizontal support structure for assembling different lighting elements is arranged between two towers. This configuration means that these towers must be able to support heavy loads.

[0006] Different types of structures are known for use in constructing or assembling heavy equipment for social events such as theater performances, cinemas, concerts, and sporting events. In this sense, towers intended to support lighting, cameras, and speakers in various types of events are also known.

[0007] Some structures of this type have a lifting platform or other extendable platform that is actuated using a crank handle connected to a winch or similar device and connected to a lifting pulley mechanism. In some cases, actuation is manual, and in others, there is motorized actuation that does not require manual crank handling and is equipped with a motor connected to a lifting mechanism that is connected to a movable part or section of a lifting tower, such as a winch.

[0008] Therefore, the aforementioned lifting mechanism enables the tower to be lifted by a single person using a crank handle or by motorized means, regardless of the load supported by the platform.

[0009] However, as described above, each tower or platform structure is typically designed to operate below its maximum load level. If this maximum load level is exceeded, the tower or platform structure may malfunction or fail, with tension cables potentially breaking, and ultimately, there is a risk of structural collapse and serious accidents.

[0010] One of the problems associated with overloading these load-bearing structures is that, because the lifting mechanism reduces the torque required to actuate it, it is difficult for the user to perceive any difference in the torque that must be applied to the lifting mechanism to lift the platform, regardless of how the load to be lifted changes.

[0011] Therefore, to ensure that the maximum load level preset for each structure is not exceeded, the operator must weigh each component they assemble on the structure beforehand, or alternatively, know the weight of the components they assemble on the platform. This is a drawback of the aforementioned pulling or lifting of load-bearing structures in the prior art.

[0012] On the other hand, in order to know in advance the weight of the load to be lifted in a conventional lifting tower, there are complex mechanisms known in the prior art based on load sensors or similar mechanisms. These complex mechanisms provide solutions for overload, but usually require power to operate, which greatly affects the effectiveness of the complex mechanism, not to mention the possible failures, because such complex mechanisms are products that withstand very harsh working conditions.

[0013] Traditional front-loading towers are equipped with forks that are typically fixed within a guide integrated with the movable lifting section and secured by mechanical means such as a set of pins, screws, or mechanical retaining elements. This allows the forks to be removed for transport. Alternatively, some of these systems may even have a range of heights at which the system can be fixed to allow for greater adjustment of the equipment to be lifted and supported.

[0014] Similarly, a fork-shaped member typically includes a body that is generally T-shaped, with two symmetrically shaped segments forming the load-bearing surface of the fork-shaped member fixed vertically to the body, or fixed by a movable fixing mechanism, hinge, or the like; wherein the segments may be in a horizontal active position to enable load lifting, or in a vertical inactive position.

[0015] Utility model U 202330698 discloses a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower. The system includes a vertically telescopic structure formed by at least a first section, a movable second section guided within the first section, a spring operating under compression, a control element integral with the movable second section of the tower, and a scale located on the outer surface of the first section of the tower. The second section of the tower rests on the spring such that a first end of the spring is supported on a fixed base integral with the first section of the tower, while a second end of the spring, opposite to the first end, is supported on a plate integral with the movable second section of the tower. During the loading of weight onto the tower, the second movable section of the tower moves downward against the resistance of the spring, wherein the control element moves parallel from an initial position to a final position, both positions controlled by the scale.

[0016] None of the cited documents disclose a separate module for a measurement system used to control the load, which can be assembled and disassembled for installation on the lifting tower. Summary of the Invention

[0017] To achieve the objectives described in the foregoing sections and to avoid the disadvantages mentioned therein, the present invention proposes a module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower, the lifting tower including at least one telescopic movable section capable of vertical displacement, the telescopic movable section being configured to lift the load to a desired height.

[0018] The module of the present invention includes a fixed support and a movable support, both of which are connected to each other by means of at least two connecting rods forming a hinged quadrilateral device; wherein the fixed support is configured to engage with a telescopic movable section of the lifting tower; and wherein the movable support can be moved vertically upward or downward parallel to the fixed support by means of the hinged connection of the two connecting rods.

[0019] The module of the present invention further includes at least one spring, on which a movable support rests; wherein the spring is located in a vertical alignment portion within the internal space of the fixed support.

[0020] With this described arrangement, the modules of the system for measuring loads are configured to limit the relative vertical positioning of the movable support relative to the fixed support both when the movable support supports the load and when the movable support does not support the load.

[0021] A spring is guided around a vertical rod, which is hinged at the upper section to a first transverse axis integral with a fixed support, while the lower end of the vertical rod is supported on a bushing connected around a second transverse axis integral with the fixed support; wherein the first and second transverse axes are arranged in a horizontal alignment portion perpendicular to the vertical rod.

[0022] The movable support rests on the upper end of the spring by means of a pair of parallel extensions integral with the movable support and located on both sides of the vertical rod.

[0023] An upper washer and a lower washer are arranged on the upper end of each spring and on the lower end of each spring opposite to the upper end, both of which are freely guided on a vertical rod; wherein the pair of extensions are supported on the spring by means of the upper washer, while the lower washer is supported on a bushing connected around a second transverse axis.

[0024] The movable support includes a polygonal opening in a horizontal alignment section, in which a fork-shaped member is assembled, the fork-shaped member being configured to support the load to be lifted by the lifting tower.

[0025] Each of the connecting rods is connected to a fixed support by means of a first hinged connector and to a movable support by means of a second hinged connector.

[0026] The following, to aid in a better understanding of this specification and as an integral part thereof, is accompanied by a series of drawings, in which the objects of the invention are depicted in an illustrative and non-limiting manner. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 A perspective view of a module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower, which is the object of the present invention, is shown.

[0028] Figure 2 Another perspective view of the module of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 3 A perspective view of the module of the present invention without movable support members is shown.

[0030] Figure 4 A front view of the module of the present invention in the standby position is shown.

[0031] Figure 5 A front view of the module of the present invention in the active position under load is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] As indicated by the numbering used in the figure, module 1, which has a system for measuring the load in the lifting tower, includes a fixed support 1a and a movable support 1b, both of which are connected to each other by means of at least two connecting rods 3 forming a hinged quadrilateral device; wherein the fixed support 1a is configured to engage with a telescopic movable section 5 of the lifting tower; and wherein the movable support 1b can be moved vertically upward or downward parallel to the fixed support 1a.

[0033] Each of the connecting rods 3 is connected to the fixed support 1a by means of the first hinged connector 7 and to the movable support 1b by means of the second hinged connector 8.

[0034] Both the movable section 5 of the lifting tower and the movable support 1b of module 1 of the present invention can be moved upward and / or downward in the vertical direction.

[0035] The movable support 1b moves downward against the resistance of two springs 6, which operate under compression and are located in an identical vertical alignment portion; wherein each of the springs 6 is guided around a vertical rod 10, which is hinged in its upper section to a first transverse axis 2 integral with the fixed support 1a, and the lower end of the vertical rod 10 is supported on a bushing connected around a second transverse axis 4 integral with the fixed support 1a; wherein the first transverse axis 2 and the second transverse axis 4 are arranged in a horizontal alignment portion perpendicular to the vertical rod 10.

[0036] On the other hand, the movable support 1b includes two pairs of parallel extensions 12 resting on the upper end of the spring 6 below the first transverse axis 2; wherein the extensions 12 are arranged on both sides of the vertical rod 10.

[0037] In the embodiment shown in the figure, an upper washer 9 and a lower washer 11 are arranged on the upper end of each spring 6 and on the lower end of each spring 6 opposite to the upper end. The upper washer 9 and the lower washer 11 are freely guided on the vertical rod 10, such that in this case, each pair of extensions 12 is supported on the spring 6 by means of the upper washer 9, while the lower washer 11 is supported on a bushing connected around the second transverse axis 4. Therefore, the two opposite ends of each spring 6 are in contact with the upper washer 9 and the lower washer 11.

[0038] The movable support 1b includes a horizontal polygonal opening 13 in which a fork 14 can be assembled, the fork 14 being configured to directly support the load lifted by the telescopic tower to be used.

[0039] The tower may include a single telescopic movable section 5 or several telescopic movable sections connected by a mechanical device, enabling the tower to be lifted upwards to the desired height. Therefore, the movable sections can be connected one after another, and so on, allowing for considerable vertical lifting to be performed by cascading several of these movable sections.

[0040] Module 1, which has a system for measurement, includes a fixed support 1a and a movable support 1b, which are connected by a connecting rod 3. The connecting rod 3 restricts distance and relative movement like a hinged parallelogram, so that the two supports 1a and 1b are always in parallel relative positions in the vertical alignment section.

[0041] As mentioned above, a fork 14 is assembled on the movable support 1b, the fork 14 being configured to support the weight of the load to be lifted; wherein, in the active position, the fork 14 is arranged in a horizontal plane, and in the non-active position, the fork can be arranged in a vertical plane.

[0042] Therefore, the weight of the load is supported by the movable support 1b, which is responsible for transferring the stress to the rest of the tower structure.

[0043] The movable support 1b is supported on two springs 6 located within the internal space of the fixed support 1a, such that when a load is placed on the fork 14, the fork 14 transfers the weight of the load to the springs 6. In this way, the load compresses the springs 6, which have an elastic proportionality constant, and the change in length of the springs 6 is proportional to the load placed on the fork 14.

[0044] To reduce any torsional deviation in load transfer caused by displacement of the movable support 1b in directions other than the vertical direction, the vertical downward displacement is measured starting from the maximum interval of the movable support 1b relative to the fixed support 1a, i.e., by taking the position of the connecting rods 3 at approximately a 90-degree angle with respect to the movable support 1b of the connecting fork 14 as a reference.

[0045] Therefore, when the parallel connecting rod 3 is arranged in a horizontal alignment portion that forms 90 degrees with both the fixed support 1a and the movable support 1b, an initial reference of 0° is obtained, such that the working area designed for controlling the measurement of the displacement of the movable support under load will surround the aforementioned initial reference of 0°.

[0046] With this described arrangement, in the first standby position of the movable support 1b ( Figure 4In the process, the support member will have a slight upward displacement held by the spring 6, and when the connecting rod 3 is in a horizontal alignment portion forming 90° with respect to the fixed support member 1a and the movable support member 1b, it has a second intermediate position with an initial reference of 0°, while the loading position ( Figure 5 This involves the movable support 1b moving downwards against the resistance of the spring 6.

[0047] On the other hand, to ensure that stress is generated only along the springs 6, a guiding system as described above is envisioned in the fixed support 1a that houses each spring 6. As mentioned, this guiding system is formed by a vertical rod 10 to prevent the spring 6 from buckling, and the opposing wall 15 of the fixed support 1a encloses the spring 6, thereby minimizing displacement in directions other than the longitudinal direction. An extension 12 formed by a piece welded to the movable support 1b is envisioned to transmit stress symmetrically and directly to the spring 6. The extension 12 is supported on the upper end of the spring 6 by means of an upper washer 9.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the profiles used to form the fixed support 1a and the movable support 1b are hollow tubular profiles with a square cross section, such that all the necessary fixing holes are machined on the fixed support 1a so that different parts forming part of the guidance system or other mechanical elements can be fixed by means of mechanical elements such as nuts and bolts or pins.

[0049] The specific design of module 1 for measuring load prevents measurement distortion due to friction with the guide in module 1, such that since the connecting rod 3, the fixed support 1a and the movable support 1b do not have contact surfaces, there is no possibility of jamming, or the possibility that the specific positioning of the load may change the frictional characteristics of the different components and potentially affect the measurement.

[0050] Furthermore, by using two different support members 1a and 1b, only the loading fork 14 can be replaced, and this is also true even in the assembly of module 1 of the present invention, without having to make additional changes to the lifting tower, thereby simplifying its structure and enabling this improvement to be applied to towers that have already been built.

[0051] The system used for measurement is equipped with a visual scale (not shown in the figure) that reflects the load state relative to the system's limits to the user of the forward-supporting tower in a simple and intuitive way. In this way, by means of the displacement of the movable support 1b overcoming the resistance of the spring 6, it is possible to quantify whether the load is within acceptable limits.

[0052] In embodiments of the present invention, a load percentage scale may be included to reflect whether the load is in a low load zone (<50%), a medium load zone (50% to 80%), near the maximum load zone (80% to 100%), or in an overload zone (>100%); such that the system for measurement can be represented in different ways, for example, a low load zone including a green zone, a medium load zone including a yellow zone, a near maximum load zone including an orange zone, and an overload zone including a red zone.

[0053] The arrangement described in the preceding paragraphs may also include a scale indicating the approximate weight being loaded onto the module of the invention, so as to simply know whether the load is safe.

Claims

1. A module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower, the lifting tower comprising at least one telescopic movable section (5) capable of vertical displacement, the telescopic movable section (5) configured to lift the load to a desired height, characterized in that: - The module includes a fixed support (1a) and a movable support (1b), both of which are connected to each other by means of at least two connecting rods (3) forming a hinged quadrilateral device; wherein the fixed support (1a) is configured to engage with the telescopic movable section (5) of the lifting tower; and wherein the movable support (1b) is configured to move vertically upward or downward parallel to the fixed support (1a); - The module further includes at least one spring (6), on which the movable support (1b) rests; wherein the spring (6) is located in a vertical alignment portion within the internal space of the fixed support (1a); The module (1) is configured to restrict the relative vertical positioning of the movable support (1b) relative to the fixed support (1a) both when the movable support (1b) supports the load and when the movable support (1b) does not support the load. Furthermore, the hinged quadrilateral device, combined with the spring (6), is configured to limit distance and relative movement, such that the fixed support (1a) and the movable support (1b) are always located in parallel relative positions in the vertical alignment portion.

2. The module of claim 1 having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower, wherein, The spring (6) is guided around the vertical rod (10), which is hinged at the upper section to a first transverse shaft (2) integral with the fixed support (1a), and the lower end of the vertical rod (10) is supported on a bushing connected around a second transverse shaft (4) integral with the fixed support (1a); wherein the first transverse shaft (2) and the second transverse shaft (4) are arranged in a horizontal alignment portion perpendicular to the vertical rod (10).

3. A module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The movable support (1b) includes at least a pair of parallel extensions (12) resting on the upper end of the spring (6).

4. The module of the system for measuring loads in a lifting tower according to claims 2 and 3, wherein, An upper washer (9) and a lower washer (11) are arranged on the upper end of each spring (6) and on the lower end of each spring (6) opposite to the upper end, both of which are freely guided on the vertical rod (10); wherein a pair of the extensions (12) are supported on the spring (6) by means of the upper washer (9), while the lower washer (11) is supported on the bushing connected around the second transverse axis (4).

5. A module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The movable support (1b) includes a polygonal opening (13) in a horizontal alignment portion, in which a fork (14) is assembled, the fork (14) being configured to support a load to be lifted by the lifting tower.

6. A module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Each of the connecting rods (3) is connected to the fixed support (1a) by means of a first hinged connector (7) and to the movable support (1b) by means of a second hinged connector (8).

7. A module having a system for measuring loads in a lifting tower according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The module includes two springs (6) aligned in one identical vertical alignment section.

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