Transportable Mast Guy Control for Single-Person Erection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transportable mast systems require multiple people to stabilize during erection and retraction, are prone to oscillations, and are vulnerable to sand or dirt, especially in military applications where efficiency and safety are critical.
Innovation Solution
A mast assembly with a portable guy control assembly that uses guy control wires routed from the mast to ground positions at a distance from the base, allowing a single person to maintain tension by moving towards or away from the base, reducing the need for multiple personnel and minimizing interference from sand or dirt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple people hold the ropes during erection or retraction, then the mast can be stabilized, but it requires more personnel and is difficult to keep the mast stabilized without causing oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rope winder as an intermediary device that automatically winds the guy ropes to stabilize the mast during erection and retraction. This mechanical intermediary replaces the need for multiple personnel to manually hold the ropes, eliminating human error and mast oscillations while requiring only minimal personnel to operate the mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If rope winders and rope reels are used to tighten the ropes, then the ropes can be automated, but the system is slow to handle and easily gets blocked by sand or dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic rope winder and rope reels from the system and replaces them with a simplified guy rope arrangement that uses natural tensioning through the geometry of the mast and ground anchors. This eliminates the moving parts that are susceptible to sand and dirt blockage, significantly improving reliability in harsh environments while maintaining ease of operation.
3Area of stationary object
If the guy control wires are routed towards the legs of the base, then the structure is compact, but the person standing near the base for lifting the mast is obstructed by the guy control wires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent routes the guy control wires in a different spatial dimension by directing them upward along the mast surface rather than horizontally toward the base legs. This dimensional change in wire routing eliminates obstruction to personnel working at the base while maintaining structural compactness, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing space efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables faster and safer mast setup and retraction with reduced personnel requirements, improved stability, and increased efficiency under various weather conditions, particularly beneficial for military applications.
Implementation Method 1
keeping the guy control wires under tension by a single person
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 2E~2F
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for keeping a mast upright during erection or retraction thereof, the mast being part of a mast assembly additionally comprising a base and a guy control assembly, which guy control assembly allows to keep guy control wires under tension by a single person. The invention relates also to a mast assembly (47) comprising the mast (2), the base (1) and a guy control assembly (28) for keeping the mast upright during erection or retraction of the mast.