TEMPORARY PROTECTION STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICALLY INSULATED CONDUCTORS, MOUNTABLE ON A BOOM

Abstract

A temporary, electrically insulated conductor protection structure can be mounted on an electrical insulator. The electrical insulator is mounted on the distal end of a crane or truck boom. The conductor protection structure includes a U-shaped frame with an elongated horizontal beam and a pair of short arms extending upward from opposite ends of the beam. Rigid, electrically conductive, elongated rollers are rotatably mounted on each of the short arms and the beam to form an electrically conductive rolling surface that wraps around the inside of the U-shaped frame to rotatably support electrical conductors suspended above it.

Description

TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICALLY INSULATED CONDUCTOR, MOUNTABLE ON A BOOM TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This disclosure relates to a boom-mountable, electrically insulated, temporary conductor protection structure to prevent slack conductors from coming into contact with anything below the conductors while they are strung between support structures, such as personnel, vehicles, the ground, roads, and other electrical circuits, and to enhance the safety of personnel and equipment by electrically insulating the boom-mountable, temporary conductor protection structure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] High-voltage transmission and distribution lines or circuits are typically strung between a series of widely spaced support structures, which may be poles or towers. Other lines that are also strung between support structures include overhead ground wires or static / ground wires and overhead fiber optic cables or optical ground wires (OPGW). In an energized environment, all of these lines are treated as if they are energized during rewinding and guying, and therefore all of these lines are collectively referred to as conductors throughout this disclosure.

[0003] The conductor stringing process requires safeguards to protect personnel, vehicles, highways, railways, roads, existing circuit crossings, telephone wires and other cables, as well as existing infrastructure, from conductor sagging during stringing. Temporary protective structures are often used to provide such protection between support structures in these areas or crossings. Temporary protective structures may take the form of two or three vertical poles with a horizontal member between each pole, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, typically used when stringing transmission conductors on an H-frame or similar support structure.

[0004] Alternatively, temporary protection structures may comprise a single pole with crossarms as illustrated in FIG. IB, generally used when stringing conductors on single-pole support structures, usually in cases of lower voltage distribution or transmission circuits.

[0005] Often, the construction or erection of on-site protective structures is physically difficult or impractical due to the environment. In such cases, a crane or boom truck with a stringing pulley suspended from a winch line or a temporary stand mounted at the end of the boom is employed. The stringing pulley holds the conductor being strung in a position that prevents it from sagging below the pulley. FIG. 1C illustrates an example of pulleys suspended from a winch line on a crane or boom truck, which are also used to protect roads and distribution circuits beneath the stringing area of ​​a transmission line. The disadvantage of such arrangements is that the stringing pulley tends to swing from side to side with the conductor in motion.

[0006] A boom-mounted temporary conductor protection structure may also be used to capture and hold the moving conductor if the conductor tension drops during stringing, preventing the conductor from coming into contact with the ground or existing infrastructure below the conductors being stringed.

[0007] The stringing of a conductor in or near energized lines requires treating the conductor being strung as energized due to the risk of induced voltage and current (induction). Induction in conductors in an energized area can be significant and dangerous, if not fatal. In many cases, the voltage has been measured to exceed 20,000 volts.

[0008] A failure in any of the tensioning and unwinding equipment or a break in the conductor, traction line, or similar component can cause the conductor to lose horizontal tension and sag or fall to the ground. Typical overhead conductor protection structures (OCPS) and conductor protection structures mounted on cranes or boom trucks protect objects and the area below the conductors from the electrical, physical, or mechanical hazards of sagging or fallen conductors. However, conductors can also become energized if they fall or come into contact with overhead or underground electrical circuits below. This, in turn, can energize conductor protection structures or boom-mounted conductor protection structures, exposing personnel and equipment to hazardous voltages and currents.

[0009] When stringing conductors in energized areas or if the conductor being stringed makes contact with an energized circuit beneath it, it can expose personnel and equipment to dangerous voltages and currents. This hazard can be fatal to personnel and damage equipment.

[0010] In the prior art, the Applicant owns U.S. Patent No. 9,038,989, entitled Boom-Mountable Robotic Arm, which teaches a boom-mounted robotic arm for temporarily supporting conductors with a beam adapted to be mounted on the top end of the boom and at least one electrically insulated support post mounted on the beam, wherein each post temporarily supports a conductor. / noQnn / cznz / R / Yi

[0011] It is desirable that structures mounted on cranes or boom trucks be at least somewhat demountable, stowable or removable for transport. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A temporary, electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure is provided, adapted for mounting on the distal end of the boom of a crane or truck. In one embodiment, the temporary, electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure is mounted on the upper end of the boom of a crane or truck. The temporary, electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure includes a rigid U-shaped frame, wherein the U-shape comprises an elongated horizontal beam, generally horizontal when in an operating position, having a pair of short arms, preferably of substantially equal length, extending upward and outward from opposite ends of the horizontal beam.In one embodiment, the length of the beam may be at least twice the length of each of the short arms, so that the frame, when in use, is adapted to have a long lateral extension to catch and support slack or fallen conductors extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the beam's orientation. By way of example, the beam length may be six feet, eight feet, or twelve feet. In one embodiment, the angle between the short arms and the extended beam is at least 90 degrees, and in other embodiments, it may preferably be in the range of approximately 100 to 140 degrees.

[0013] Rigid, electrically conductive, elongated rollers are rotatably mounted on each of the short arms and on the horizontal beam to form a continuous or substantially continuous running surface along the entire length of the inner perimeter of the U-shaped frame to rotatably support the conductors supported thereon. The short arms and their rollers are in a foreground plane, and in one embodiment are offset from and adjacent to the beam to overlap the ends of the horizontal beam and its corresponding roller so that the foreground plane is adjacent to and parallel with a background plane containing the horizontal beam and its roller. In another embodiment, the rollers on the short arms are aligned with the roller on the horizontal beam, so that the three rollers and the U-shaped frame lie in a common plane.

[0014] The frame is mounted on the upper end of a substantially vertically arranged electrical insulator or a plurality of electrical insulators. The lower end of the insulators is mounted on the free end of the boom of the crane or truck, for example, on an adjustable base mounted on the free end of the boom by means of a mounting adapter to the boom.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the frame is mounted on a turntable at the midpoint of the lower portion of the beam. In one embodiment, the turntable allows the horizontal beam to be rotated so that it is perpendicular to the conductors being laid. In another embodiment, the turntable also allows the frame to be rotated and folded over the insulators for transport. The turntable is parallel to the frame beam, such that a first plane in which the turntable lies is parallel to a second plane containing the beam.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment, the frame is mounted on an angle bracket or channel bracket, collectively referred to as the mounting bracket, mounted on the turntable. It can be disconnected and removed from the turntable by removing the pins from the angle bracket or channel bracket, or it can be mounted to the turntable using other quick-connect systems so that the frame can be removed. Once removed, the frame can be stored for transport instead of being folded down along the insulators, and the frame can be removed and replaced with a frame of a different length. Removing the frame from the turntable allows the use of frames with beams of different lengths, depending, for example, on the length requirements for side support and the configuration of the circuits being laid.Removing the turntable frame allows you to change the frame and replace it with other accessories, such as a trough mounted on a bracket so that it is directly above and adjacent to the turntable.

[0017] A method is further provided for temporarily protecting a conductor when it is strung between one or more support structures. The method comprises the following steps: a. mount the above-described frame of a boom-mountable, electrically insulated, temporary conductor protection structure on electrical insulators, and place the boom-mountable, electrically insulated, temporary conductor protection structure under a conductor that is to be laid or is being laid; b. Rotate the frame on the turntable as needed so that the frame is perpendicular to the conductor; c. as required, support a slack or dropped conductor on rigid, electrically conductive rollers on the frame as the conductor is laid to electrically isolate the slack or dropped conductor from at least the boom of the crane or truck and the ground or personnel.

[0018] A method is also provided for deploying and refolding the foldable storage embodiment of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure described above between its raised position for use and its storage and transport position on the crane or boom truck. The method includes the following steps: a. with the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure in its raised position of use, store the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure by lowering the boom to lower the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure until it is next to the crane or boom truck; b. pivot the U-shaped frame and the turntable on which the frame is mounted to align the surface of the turntable opposite the frame flush along the insulators; and c. Rotate the frame on its turntable until the frame beam is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insulators.

[0019] It should be understood that other aspects of this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes various embodiments of the disclosure by way of illustration. As will be understood, the disclosure is susceptible to other and different embodiments, and its various details may be modified in several other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and the detailed description should be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] A further detailed description of the disclosure, briefly described above, will be provided with reference to the following drawings of specific embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings represent only typical embodiments of the disclosure and should therefore not be considered limiting in scope. In the drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1A and FIG. IB are elevation views of prior art temporary protection structures;

[0022] FIG. 1C is an elevation view of a stringing pulley suspended from the line of a winch of a crane or boom truck holding the conductor;

[0023] FIG. 2A is, in side elevation view, enlarged from FIG. 3, a first embodiment of a temporary electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure, wherein the conductor protection structure frame can be detached from the turntable for storage;

[0024] FIG. 2B is, in front elevation view, the first realization of the / noQnn / cznz / R / Yi FIG. 2A;

[0025] FIG. 2C is, in a side elevation view, a second embodiment of a temporary protective structure for electrically insulated conductors, mountable on a boom, wherein the protective structure is mounted on the turntable;

[0026] FIG. 2D is, in posterior perspective, the second realization of FIG. 2C;

[0027] FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a stringing arrangement that includes the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 2A;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 2C in a storage and transport position mounted on the boom of a crane or truck;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of FIG. 4;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 2C;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 2C, in storage and transport position;

[0032] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment of a temporary protective structure for electrically insulated conductors, mountable on a boom of FIG. 2A;

[0033] FIG. 9 is a partially exploded perspective view of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8 showing the turntable frame removed;

[0034] FIG. 10 is an enlarged, partially cropped, perspective view from below of the turntable and mounting bracket of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8;

[0035] FIG. HA is a side elevation view of the turntable and mounting bracket of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8;

[0036] FIG. 1 IB is a plan view from above of the turntable and mounting bracket of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8;

[0037] FIG. 11C is an elevation view of the turntable and mounting bracket of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8;

[0038] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 8, the turntable frame having been removed and replaced by a detachable stringing pulley on an adapter support.

[0039] FIG. 13 is, in elevation view, an enlarged, partially cropped view of a part of the embodiment of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 14A.

[0040] FIG. 14 is, in perspective view, partially cropped, an end portion of one end of the U-shaped frame and rollers of another embodiment of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure in which the electrically conductive rollers are mounted in line at both ends of the U-shaped frame.

[0041] FIG. 14A is, in elevation view, the realization of FIG. 14

[0042] FIG. 14B is, in plan view, the realization of FIG. 14.

[0043] FIG. 15 is, in perspective view, a further embodiment having a non-hydraulically adjustable, angle-adjustable adapter for mounting the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure and insulators at the boom end of a crane or truck.

[0044] FIG. 15A is, in elevation view, the realization of FIG. 15.

[0045] FIG. 16 is, in perspective view, the base of the adapter of the FIG. 15.

[0046] FIG.17 is, in perspective view, the adapter for insulators of FIG. 15.

[0047] FIG. 17A is, in elevation view, the base of the adapter coupled to the insulator adapter to keep the insulators vertical when the boom of the crane or truck is at an angle of 20 degrees.

[0048] FIG. 17B is, in elevation view, the base of the adapter coupled to the insulator adapter to keep the insulators vertical when the boom of the crane or truck is at a 45-degree angle.

[0049] FIG. 17C is, in elevation view, the base of the adapter coupled to the insulator adapter to keep the insulators vertical when the boom of the crane or truck is at an angle of 80 degrees.

[0050] FIG. 17D is, in side elevation view, the base of the adapter oriented with the orientation locking openings in the highest position. / noQnn / cznz / R / Yi

[0051] FIG. 17E is, in side elevation view, the base of the adapter oriented with the orientation locking openings in the lowest position.

[0052] The drawings are not necessarily to scale and, in some cases, the proportions may have been exaggerated to more clearly represent certain features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] The description below and the realizations described herein are provided by way of illustration of particular realizations of the principles in various aspects of this disclosure. These examples are provided to explain, and not to limit, these principles and the disclosure in its various aspects.

[0054] Prior art conductor protection structures are illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, in which the suspended conductors are captured and supported on elevated, horizontal, rigid elements. FIG. 1C illustrates prior art stringing pulleys suspended from the line by a winch while being raised and supported by the boom of a crane or truck.

[0055] This disclosure refers by way of example to improved embodiments of conductor protection structures and, in particular, to temporary electrically insulated conductor protection structures mountable on a boom for catching and supporting slack or fallen conductors during stringing operations. The structure is referred to herein as a conductor protection structure or conductor protection. As seen in FIGS. 2A-2D and FIG.3. The electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure can be mounted on the boom of a crane or truck so that, with the conductor protection structure raised at the end of the boom and in its operating position and orientation as best described below, the conductor protection structure provides support to one or more slack conductors as they are strung over and between support structures such as poles or towers. The electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure also provides support to a fallen conductor, for example, one that fails or loses tension and falls between its support structures.

[0056] As best seen in FIGS. 2A-2D, the boom-mountable, electrically insulated, temporary conductor protection structure includes a substantially U-shaped rigid frame, wherein the U-shaped frame comprises an elongated horizontal beam having vertical members at its ends. The horizontal beam, when in its operating position, is substantially horizontal and aligned with or perpendicular to the conductor under which the conductor protection structure is placed. The pair of vertical members at the ends of the horizontal beam are preferably of substantially equal lengths and preferably inclined upward and outward relative to the ends of the horizontal beam. The vertical members may be short arms as illustrated.The vertical members are collectively referred to here, without being intended as a limitation, as short arms extending upward and outward from the ends of the horizontal beam. Advantageously, the pair of short arms lie in a common plane, preferably vertical, containing only the short arms or containing both the short arms and the horizontal beam. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2A to 12, only the short arms are contained in the common plane. In that embodiment, the common plane containing the pair of short arms is adjacent to a vertical plane containing the horizontal beam. In the embodiment of Figure 13, the pair of short arms and the horizontal beam lie in the same plane.

[0057] The length of the horizontal beam may be at least twice as long, and advantageously longer, than the length of each of the short arms so that, collectively, the frame, when in use, is adapted to have a long lateral span to catch and support the longitudinally extending, slack conductors. By way of example, and without limitation, the horizontal beam may be six, eight, or twelve feet long.

[0058] Rigid, electrically conductive, elongated rollers are rotatably mounted on each of the short arms and on the horizontal beam to form a continuous electrically conductive running surface along the inner perimeter of the U-shaped frame. These rollers rotatably support the slack or dropped conductors. Thus, when the conductors supported on the rollers move longitudinally with respect to the U-shaped frame, the rollers rotate to maintain contact with the conductor(s) without the conductors slipping longitudinally on the rollers. The rollers are advantageously tubular, electrically conductive, and can be metallic, for example, aluminum, or externally clad in aluminum.

[0059] The U-shaped frame is mounted on the upper end of an electrical insulator, usually arranged vertically, or a plurality of electrical insulators, such as the pair of insulators in the illustration. The lower end of the insulators is mounted on the free end of the boom of the crane or truck, for example, on a base, as illustrated, mounted on the free end of the boom of the crane or truck by means of a boom mounting adapter. The base may be pivotally mounted on the boom mounting adapter and have a selectively actuated drive, such as the hydraulic cylinder in the illustration, which cooperates between the base and the boom mounting adapter to selectively adjust the angle of the vertical insulators with respect to the vertical or the boom.Alternatively, the insulators can be mounted on an insulator adapter attached to an adapter base and adjusted by aligning the holes to hold the insulators upright and inserting the locking pin as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 15A.

[0060] An example of the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure of FIG. 2A in use is shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, a road running under the conductor or conductors under which the conductor protection structure is placed is protected from contact with the conductors if they become slack or fall.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure 2 can be mounted on the boom of a crane or truck 4 of a crane or truck with a boom 6 to, in one embodiment, fold down next to the insulators for storage during the truck's journey. In a preferred embodiment of a system incorporating an electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure 2, the conductor protection structure 2 is mounted on the base 8, which is in turn mounted on the boom of the crane or truck 4. Examples of a suitable base 8 can be seen in the Applicant's U.S. Patent No. 6,837,671, incorporated herein by reference, although other forms of the base or similar structures would work, as one skilled in the art will know.The base 8 may include an elongated platform 8a having a leveling mechanism 10, such as the hydraulic cylinder actuator illustrated, pivotally mounted on the upper end of a boom-mount adapter, to selectively orient the platform 8a horizontally in order to position the pair of isolators 24 vertically to better withstand heavy compression loads. Other leveling mechanisms 10 may include, but are not limited to, a scissor-type articulated mechanism as seen in the Applicant's U.S. Patent No. 8,226,069, also incorporated herein by reference, or an adjustable non-hydraulic adapter as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 15A.

[0062] In the embodiments of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D, the U-shaped support frame 14 includes an elongated horizontal beam 16 and a pair of short arms 18, extending upward and outward, mounted at each end of the beam 16 and offset with respect to it along its length, to catch and hold the conductors 100 if they fall or as they are lowered, for example, while being strung. The length of the short arms 18 and their included angle (angle A, as illustrated) with respect to the beam 16 can vary depending on the nature of the stringing operation. The short arms 18 can extend laterally outward from the ends of the beam 16, or they can be oriented vertically.

[0063] Although various lengths of beam 16 may be used, the Applicant has found it advantageous for the beam to be long enough to ensure that the conductor being strung is supported in the event of excessive sagging or deslapping of the conductor when the conductor protection structure 2 is positioned below the conductor being strung. For example, and without limitation, the length of beam 16 may be from four to fourteen feet, and in some cases preferably six, eight, or twelve feet long.

[0064] As illustrated, in a non-limiting embodiment, the short arms 18 may be approximately 36 inches or less in length. The short arms 18 may be rigidly or removably fixed to the ends of the beam 16 to extend, for example, vertically upward, or, for example, to extend approximately from zero to 30 degrees away from the vertical, oriented outward from each other to extend the lateral reach of the conductor support. The role of the short arms 18 is to guide and retain the conductors 100 as shown in FIG. 3 within the U-shaped frame 14. Therefore, the short arms 18 may be longer or shorter than those depicted, and inclined at greater or lesser angles without affecting their use in assisting in the capture of the conductors 100 and retaining them within the frame 14.

[0065] In an alternative embodiment, the two included angles A between the pair of short arms 18 and the elongated beam 16 are each selectively adjustable at the intersections or elbows 28 between the short arms 18 and the beam 16 by means of, for example, pivot, hinge, bolt, or pin connections (not shown) or other swivel connections having a locking mechanism to maintain the desired angular orientation between the short arms 18 and the beam 16. In addition, optionally, the length of the short arms 18 can be adjusted by providing telescopic short arms 18 (not shown) or modular short arms 18 (not shown) that can be connected together longitudinally to achieve the desired length.

[0066] The elongated beam 16 and each of the short arms 18 rotatably support the corresponding elongated rollers 20a and 20b respectively along their lengths. The three rollers—roller 20a along the beam 16 and rollers 20b along the short arms 18—extend adjacent to and parallel with the beam 16 and the two short arms 18 respectively, to form a continuous or substantially continuous electrically conductive rolling surface around the inner perimeter of the U-shaped frame 14. The inner perimeter extends along and has a length illustrated by way of example in FIG. 9. The ends of rollers 20a and 20b can be mounted on bearings as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 2A so that the rollers roll around their axes of rotation with the movement of the conductor 100 being pulled over the rollers while the conductor 100 is laid between the support structures 102.Rollers 20a and 20b reduce damage and wear to the conductor as the conductor 100 travels over the U-shaped frame 14.

[0067] Rollers 20a and 20b are electrically conductive, in contrast to rollers found in the prior art having surfaces of rubber or metal-impregnated rubber material, as the Applicant has discovered that such prior art rollers tend to heat up and may burn or melt due to the charging current when supporting an energized conductor. The rollers according to the present description are rigid and made of electrically conductive material, such as metals including aluminum or steel, or of conductive composite materials, such as Kevlar™, having metallic threads woven or otherwise embedded therein. The electrically conductive rollers 20a and 20b serve to conduct the charging current flowing to the U-shaped frame 14.The Applicant has found that this significantly reduces or eliminates the buzzing and burning that the Applicant has observed tends to occur when using dielectric rollers.

[0068] In embodiments where the angle of the short arms 18 is adjustable with respect to the elongated beam 16, the rollers 20b of each short arm 18, because they are mounted on their respective short arms 18, move simultaneously with the angular adjustment of their respective short arms 18 to selectively adjust the included angle A.

[0069] In embodiments where the length of the short arms 18 is adjustable by means of a telescopic or modular design (not shown), then the rollers 20b associated with each short arm 18 are also advantageously telescopic or part of each modular short arm 18.

[0070] Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the lower ends of the rollers 20b can be offset with respect to and overlap with the ends of roller 20a to avoid gaps between the roller ends at the intersections 28. These arrangements ensure that the conductor 100 is always supported by rollers 20a and 20b and prevent it from falling between the ends of rollers 20a and 20b, which could damage the conductor and / or the frame.

[0071] The elongated beam 16 of the U-shaped support frame 14 may preferably be mounted on or above a swivel joint 22 that rotates to allow the opening of the U-shaped frame 14, which extends between the short arms 18 along the beam 16, to be oriented perpendicular to the conductors in order to directly face, receive, and support the conductors 100 when the conductor protection structure 2 is required and put in place for use. The U-shaped frame 14 may be selectively rotated on the swivel joint to be perpendicular to the conductor 100, to provide the best protection in the event of a conductor becoming detached or falling, and to allow the crane or boom truck to be parked in a convenient location and position relative to the conductor 100, provided the boom can be positioned below the conductor.

[0072] In a foldable embodiment for storage as shown in FIG. 4, the swivel connection 22 optionally also rotates to position the conductor protection structure 2 in a more compact orientation for storage and transport when the boom 4 is lowered.

[0073] With reference to FIG. 10, in one embodiment, the swivel connection 22 comprises upper and lower swivel plates 22a and 22b interposing a bushing 22c. The bushing may be made of Nylatron, which the Applicant believes to be a commercially available material made of Nylon™ filled with molybdenum disulfide, where Nylon™ refers to a family of synthetic polymers, based on aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides. Other materials or roller bearings may also be used for the bushing, as one skilled in the art will know.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment, the conductor protection structure 2 has at least one, and preferably at least two, station-type electrical insulators 24 mounted vertically between the U-shaped frame 14 and the platform 8a on the base 8. The base 8 is mounted on the free or distal end of the boom 4 of a crane or truck, for example, by means of a boom mounting adapter. More precisely, the insulators 24 are mounted at their lower ends on the platform 8a or the insulator base 36 and at their upper ends on the swivel 22. The swivel 22 is mounted below the beam 16, centered between the short arms 18. The swivel 22 may be fixedly or removably mounted below the beam 16. The insulators 24 electrically isolate the electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure 2 of a crane or truck.Since rollers 20a and 20b are electrically conductive, insulators 24 provide the only electrical isolation between the conductor protection structure 2 and the boom of a crane or truck 4. In the energized stringing environment, insulators 24 serve to eliminate the formation of a second ground point in the event of a failure of the pulling or unwinding equipment and the drop of the conductors, or if the conductors 100 otherwise become too low. This, in turn, eliminates the risk of creating a circulating current.

[0075] The use of electrical insulators between the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure 2 and the boom of a crane or truck 4 electrically isolates the crane or truck from the conductor. The U-shaped frame 14 is thus electrically isolated from the crane or truck 6, which is critical when stringing conductors 100 under energized conditions and inhibits the dangerous risk of electrical current passing through the crane or truck 4. This provides greater safety for personnel, the public, and equipment.

[0076] With reference to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D, and FIG. 4 to FIG. 7, in one embodiment, the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure 2 can, as mentioned above, be advantageously folded against the insulators 24 for storage and transport. A pivot connection 26 can therefore be provided between the insulators 24 and the swivel connection 22 to allow the U-shaped frame 14 and the swivel connection 22 to pivot about a longitudinal axis of the insulators 24 from a position of use as illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D and FIG. 6 to a storage and transport position as illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 7.In this way, the swivel connection 22 and the U-shaped frame 14 can be pivoted so that the swivel connection 22 is relatively flush and substantially parallel along a longitudinal axis of the insulators 24. The swivel connection 22 can also be rotated to rotate the frame 14 so that the beam 16 is also parallel to a longitudinal axis of the insulators 24.

[0077] In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, and FIG. 8 to FIG. 11A-11C, the U-shaped frame 14 is removably mounted on the swivel connection 22 by means of a channel-shaped mounting bracket 30. As seen in FIG. 9, the elongated beam 16 can be removably fixed to the mounting bracket 30, for example, by means of the illustrated pins, so that the U-shaped frame 14 can be detached from the rest of the conductor protection structure 2 for transport, storage, or to replace the U-shaped frame 14 with another U-shaped frame 14 of different dimensions, as required depending on the conductor laying conditions.

[0078] In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the beam 16 may have one or more holes 16a therein through which one or more bolts, rods, support pins or other elongated elements 30a of the mounting bracket 30 may pass to freely mount the U-shaped frame 14 on the mounting bracket 30 and thus on the swivel connection 22.

[0079] In another embodiment, the short arms 18 can be rotated about their hinge or pin connections (not shown) at the elbows 28 so that the short arms 18 lie flush along the beam 16 for storage and transport.

[0080] In another embodiment, observable in FIG. 12, the elongated beam 16 can be detached from the mounting bracket 30 and replaced with an adapter 32 that supports a stringing pulley 34 if necessary to maintain the conductor 100 in a fixed position and height, as is sometimes required in stringing situations in confined spaces. Another advantage of using a stringing pulley 34 on an adapter 32 to position the stringing pulley 34 close to and adjacent to, and near and below, the cantilever arm 32a, suspending the stringing pulley approximately centered over the swivel connection 22, is to reduce the sway of the stringing pulley compared, for example, with when the stringing pulley is suspended by a winch line on the boom of a crane or truck, as seen in FIG. 1C. The adapter 32 is mounted to the mounting bracket 30 by the tight fit of the base member 32b.

[0081] The use of the mounting bracket 30 also provides ease in removing a first U-shaped frame 14 from a conductor protection structure from the mounting bracket 30 to replace it with a second U-shaped frame of a conductor protection structure that has a beam 16 of a different length. In this way, the length of the beams 16 can be changed to suit different stringing situations.

[0082] Returning now to the embodiment of FIG. 4 to FIG. 7; in order to change the electrically insulated, boom-mountable temporary conductor protection structure 2 from a position in use to a storage position for transport, the boom 4 is first lowered to lower the conductor protection structure 2 onto the crane or boom truck 6. The swivel connection 22 and the U-shaped frame 14 are rotated about the pivot connection 26 to align the swivel connection 22 parallel to the longitudinal axes of the insulators 24, and the swivel connection 22 is rotated until the beam 16 is parallel to the longitudinal axes of the insulators 24. Optionally, in embodiments that accommodate it, the short arms 18 are rotated about their hinge connections at the elbows 28 until the short arms 18 are flush along the beam 16.The reverse order of these steps is taken to erect the conductor protection structure 2 from its storage position to its use position.

[0083] In the case of the implementation of FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, for transport or storage, the U-shaped frame 14 is detached from the swivel connection 22 by removing one or more support pins 30a to release the beam 16 from the mounting bracket 30. This allows the U-shaped frame 14 to be stored, for example, in the crane or boom truck 6.

[0084] The conductor protection structure 2 can be positioned and operated to capture and support slack or fallen conductors 100 during stringing operations and provides ease of storage for transport by crane or boom truck 6.

[0085] In an alternative embodiment, not being limiting, and as illustrated in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the lower ends of the rollers 20b and the ends of the roller 20a may be close and adjacent, having for example a small gap 28a between their adjacent ends at the elbows 28. In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the rollers 20b and the short arms 18 are coplanar with the roller 20a and the beam 16, so that they effectively and uniformly extend the roller surfaces of the inner perimeter around, and in line, to protect the conductor within the inner perimeter of the U-shaped frame 14.

[0086] FIG. 15 illustrates a further embodiment of an adjustable adapter for supporting insulators and temporary protective structures in accordance with this disclosure. Instead of using the illustrated base 8a pivotally mounted on adapter 8 and angularly adjustable by hydraulic cylinder 10 as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 2D, an angularly adjustable, manually lockable, selective, and releasable adapter, / noQnn / cznz / R / Yi, is provided for mounting insulators and temporary protective structures for electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductors in accordance with this disclosure at the boom end of a crane or truck.The U-shaped frame 14 is mounted on insulators 24, which are mounted on the insulator adapter 36, which is mounted on the adapter base 38, which is mounted on the crane boom mounting adapter 40 (by means of pins 44), which is mounted on the end of the crane boom or truck (not shown in FIG. 15).

[0087] In particular, the insulators 24 are mounted on the base plate 36a of the insulator adapter 36. The base plate 36a is mounted on a pair of parallel, spaced, generally identical pivot plates 36b mounted orthogonally beneath the base plate 36a, as best seen in FIG. 17. Bolt holes 36c are provided in the base plate 36a for mounting insulators 24. Pivot openings 36d are positioned identically in both pivot plates 36b to support a pivot pin 42a inserted through them. The adapter base 38 has corresponding pivot openings 38c in the side plates 38a, also to accommodate a pivot pin 42a inserted through them. The side plates 38a are parallel and are held rigidly apart from each other by perpendicular plates 38b.The pivot pin 42a provides a pivot point for attaching the insulator adapter 36 to the adapter base 38 and a hinge that restricts the insulators 24 and the U-shaped frame 14 from pivoting about axis C. Axis C is parallel to and below plate 36a and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the crane or truck boom (not shown in FIG. 15) so that the rotation of the insulators 24 and the U-shaped frame 14 about axis C is in a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the crane or truck boom.

[0088] The angular orientation of plate 36a with respect to the base of adapter 38 is selectively and releaseably locked in the desired orientation by pivoting the insulator adapter 36 around the pivot pin 42a to align a pair of orientation locking openings 36e in the pivot plates 36b on the insulator adapter 36 with a pair of orientation locking openings 38d in the side plates 38a on the base of adapter 38, and inserting a locking pin 42b through the aligned openings 36e and 38d. To reorient the insulator adapter 36 relative to the adapter base 38, the locking pin 42b is removed, then the insulator adapter 36 is pivoted around the pivot pin 42a until the desired reoriented locking openings 36e are aligned with the reoriented locking openings 38d, and the locking pin 42b is then reinserted through the locking openings.Thus, in the examples illustrated in FIG. 17A to FIG. 17C, which are not limiting, the insulator adapter 36 is shown pivoted with respect to the base of the adapter 38 to form crane or truck boom angles of 20 degrees, 45 degrees and 80 degrees respectively measured from the horizontal. 7nQQnn / C7n7 / e / Yi

[0089] The range of angular orientations for a crane or truck boom from a low boom angle of 20 degrees to a high boom angle of 80 degrees in increments of 5 degrees is achieved by orienting the locking openings 36e with the locking openings 38d, and then fixing that orientation by inserting the locking pin 42b. It can be extended by rotating the base of adapter 38 so that, to extend the range of crane or truck boom angles while keeping the vertical isolators, and as seen in FIG. 17D, the base of the adapter is oriented with the locking openings 38d in the highest position, and so that, to extend the range downwards to decrease the crane or truck boom angle to its limits, and as seen in FIG. 17E, the base of adapter 38 is oriented with the locking openings 38d in the lowest position.

[0090] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use of the present disclosure. Various modifications to those embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be given its full scope in accordance with the claims, in which reference to a singular element, such as by the use of the article "a," is not intended to mean one and only one unless specifically stated, but one or more.All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or will subsequently become known to those skilled in the art are intended to be covered by the elements of the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made public, regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly mentioned in the claims.

Claims

1. A temporary, electrically insulated, boom-mountable conductor protection structure, mountable on the distal end of the boom of a crane or truck-mounted crane, wherein at least one electrical insulator is mounted on the distal end of the boom of a crane or truck, wherein the conductor protection structure comprises: a) a rigid U-shaped frame adapted to be mounted on the at least one electrical insulator at its upper end, wherein the support frame includes an elongated horizontal beam having a pair of short arms extending out of collinearity with the beam and from opposite ends of the beam, the pair of short arms extending upwards and the beam extending horizontally when the protection structure is in the operational orientation for catching energized, slack, or fallen conductors, and wherein,where in the operational orientation the pair of short arms and the beam define the upper inner perimeter extending along and over an upper surface the length of the beam and along the corresponding surfaces of the pair of short arms; and, b) electrically conductive elongated rollers rotatably mounted, adjacent and parallel to each of the short arms of the pair of short arms and the beam to form an electrically conductive rolling surface formed around the inner perimeter to thereby support the energized, slack, or dropped conductors, wherein the rollers have corresponding axes of rotation that are also adjacent and parallel to each of the short arms and the beam.

2. The protective structure for conductors of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive rollers have outer surfaces and wherein at least the outer surfaces of the electrically conductive rollers are electrically conductive.

3. The protective structure for conductors of claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive rollers are selected from the group consisting of aluminum rollers, steel rollers, and electrically conductive composite rollers.

4. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped frame is adapted to selectively rotate into the operating orientation about a vertical rotation axis to be perpendicular to the energized conductors.

5. The conductor protection structure of claim 4, further comprising a selectively rotatable connection, mounted under the U-shaped frame, for rotatably mounting the U-shaped frame to the upper end of at least one insulator, whereby the U-shaped frame is selectively rotated about the vertical axis of rotation.

6. The conductor protection structure of claim 5, wherein the U-shaped frame and swivel connection can further pivot about a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first axis of rotation to pivot the U-shaped frame and swivel connection from a position in use to a storage position for transport in which the beam can be positioned to be parallel to one of the at least one insulator.

7. The conductor protection structure of claim 6, further comprising a pivot connector located between the swivel connection and the upper end of the at least one insulator for pivoting the U-shaped frame about the second axis of rotation with respect to the at least one insulator.

8. The conductor protection structure of claim 5, further comprising a mounting bracket mounted on the swivel connection, and wherein the beam can be removably mounted on the swivel connection by means of the mounting bracket.

9. The conductor protection structure of claim 5, further comprising at least one electrical insulator, wherein the at least one electrical insulator is mounted on the bottom of the swivel connection.

10. The conductor protection structure of claim 9, wherein the at least one electrical insulator is at least a pair of elongated electrical insulators adapted to be mounted on the distal end of the boom and to extend between and be mounted on the distal end of the boom of a crane or truck and the lower part of the swivel connection.

11. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the beam has a beam length, and wherein each of the short arms of the short arm pair has a short arm length, and wherein the short arm length is no greater than half the beam length.

12. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein each pair of short arms forms an included angle with the beam, and wherein each pair of short arms is mounted on the beam so that the included angle is at least 90 degrees.

13. The conductor protection structure of claim 12, wherein each of the pair of short arms is rotatably mounted on the beam and selectively adjustable to selectively adjust the included angle.

14. The conductor protection structure of claim 11, wherein the length of each of the short arms is adjustable by means of a length adjustment means selected from the group consisting of telescopic short arms, modular short arms, wherein the modular short arms include longitudinally connectable short arm sections.

15. The protective structure for drivers of claim 13, wherein the short arms are rotatably mounted on the beam by means of a pivot connection between the short arms and the beam.

16. The protective structure for conductors of claim 15, wherein the pivot connection includes a release lock for locking the short arms at a desired included angle.

17. The driver protection structure of claim 6, wherein, in the storage position for transport, each of the short arms can rotate around a corresponding pair of pivot connections on the beam, so that the short arms can rotate to be parallel to the beam.

18. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the beam has a first length and each of the short arms has a second length, and wherein the first length is at least twice as long as the second length.

19. The protective structure for drivers of claim 1, wherein the beam has a first length and each of the short arms has a second length, and wherein the first length is at least three times longer than the second length.

20. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the beam has a first length and each of the short arms has a second length, and wherein the first length is at least four times longer than the second length.

21. A method for temporarily capturing and supporting an energized conductor using the conductor protection structure of claim 1 when mounted on at least one electrical insulator, the method comprising the steps of: a) placing the temporary conductor protection structure of claim 1 below, and perpendicular to, the location of the energized conductor being laid; and, b) upon the energized conductor becoming detached or falling while the conductor is being laid, capturing and supporting the energized conductor on the electrically conductive rollers.

22. A method for deploying the conductor protection structure of claim 1, from a position in use to a storage or transport position, said method comprising the steps of: a) lowering the boom of the crane or truck to lower the conductor protection structure from a first height close to the conductors to a second height close to the crane or truck with boom; b) pivoting the U-shaped frame and a swivel connection to align a surface of the swivel connection with a longitudinal axis of the insulator; and c) rotating the swivel plate until the beam is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insulator.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of: a) rotating the short arms until the short arms are parallel to the beam.

24. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the beam and its corresponding roller are in a foreground, and wherein the short arms and their corresponding rollers are in a background, and wherein the foreground and background planes are parallel and adjacent.

25. The conductor protection structure of claim 24, wherein the roller mounted on the beam has a first roller length and wherein each of the rollers mounted on the short arms has a second roller length, and wherein each of the short arms is coupled to the beam so that the rollers mounted on the short arms overlap to be along the roller on the beam, thereby forming the electrically conductive rolling surface.

26. The protective structure for conductors of claim 25, wherein the sum of the lengths of the first and second rollers is greater than the length of the electrically conductive rolling surface.

27. The protective structure for conductors of claim 1, wherein the beam and its corresponding roller, and the short arms and their corresponding rollers, are all in a common plane.

28. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive rollers are adapted to conduct the charging current in order to make the charging current flow to the U-shaped frame.

29. The protective structure for conductors of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive rolling surface is a continuous electrically conductive rolling surface.

30. The conductor protection structure of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive running surface is a non-continuous electrically conductive running surface having gaps in the running surface at the ends of the beam-mounted roller, between the ends of the beam-mounted roller and the corresponding ends of the short-arm mounted rollers, wherein the conductor has a conductor diameter and the gaps are smaller than the conductor diameter.

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