FR2504904A1 - Method of installing radar equipment - uses platform with pivoting support struts to lift it above transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The method is for handling and installing radar equipment on a platform (1) on a non level site after vehicle transport to the site, and with equipment already on the platform. The platform is lifted from the vehicle, which leaves, and is then placed in position. The platform is lifted with struts (5) and which are folded away. These lower initially and then extend to lift the platform above the vehicle to allow it to move away.

Description

 The present invention relates to a method of handling and installing equipment intended to be used after transport and installation at its place of use. Transport could be carried out in particular by means of one or more vehicles. This process is suitable for example for moving a radar and its equipment in place on their own implementation platform, by transport on a truck and then in an aircraft hold.

 The invention also relates to a lifting platform intended for the application of this method.

At present, for the implementation of certain public works machines, such as mechanical shovels, systems of extendable crutches are known which allow
- to slightly raise the chassis of the machine in relation to the
ground,
- then to maintain it in a quasi-horizontal plane during
Works.

These crutches, generally fixed on the chassis and actuated by means of jacks, are likely to be
- folded in transport position,
- then deployed on the ground on the site, in particular from
this transport position.

 However, in these lifting equipment, the crutches are an integral part of the vehicle. It is therefore not possible to release the latter during the use of the equipment on the site.

Thus, to implement a mechanical shovel mounted in superstruture on a vehicle, crutches can be provided laterally for example on the chassis of the latter. When it is stopped, they are lowered to the ground and, thanks to incorporated cylinders, they allow
- lift the vehicle slightly above the ground until
what the wheels no longer carry
- and then stabilize it.

 The mechanical shovel thus implemented on its own vehicle can then be maneuvered.

 However, the crutches are most often oblique to both the ground surface and the chassis.

This results in several drawbacks when lifting the crew - in this case the chassis - above the ground
- when the ground is soft, for example when the crutches
lean on soil, it is plowed by the outside
free crutches when extended
to lift the vehicle; indeed, the crutches are
each firmly held in a fixed orientation by
vehicle chassis during this operation at
during which very important efforts are developed
weight.

- when the ground is hard, for example when the crutches
lean on rocks, the extension of these
subjected to strong pushes the chassis which deforms enough
quickly, especially in its central part which
tends to curve.

 Chassis repairs or replacements burden the cost price of work carried out with such crews fitted with crutches so that the latter are unsuitable for the production of structures which are called to be frequently moved.

 Furthermore, cradles on casters are known for handling containers, for example for moving them horizontally on a storage area. The uprights of these cradles comprise extendable vertical crutches which allow the lifting of the containers and which are mounted at the end of horizontal pivoting arms. The vertical displacement of these cradles is however very small (just that necessary to release the load from the ground) so that the lifting members ensuring the extension of the crutches are simply constituted by jacks maneuvered by hand.

 The main object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks in a manner that is both simple and effective.

 It offers a method of handling and installing equipment, in particular a platform carrying a radar and its equipment, the advantage of which lies in the fact that it solves the difficulties associated with these two types of operations. 'a way which, to be unique, is nonetheless simple and perfectly adapted to their respective requirements.

Said method follows from the known technique which consists
- to transport the material on the vehicle to which it was
previously subject,
- to lift it, after having detached it from the vehicle, by
use of drive components supported on the ground,
- to release it from the vehicle so
. either to leave it in place on its site,
. either load it again on a trans gear
Harbor.

Said method is distinguished by the fact that crutches capable of being raised in the transport position are used as the driving members, then deployed to the ground on the site, said deployment being carried out
- firstly, by lowering the juice stands
that at ground level,
- in a second step, by extension of said crutches
so as to slightly lift the structure from its
transport position.

 Thus, one can quickly release the structure of his vehicle by simply moving it.

 According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the stands are removed from the vehicle at the same time as they are lowered, in particular by a rotational movement carried out respectively around at least one articulation point located on the lower part of one of the sides of the structure.

 Thus, the wheelbase of the structure after lowering the crutches is very substantially greater than that of the vehicle.

 According to another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, in any deployment position of each crutch, the general direction of the latter is maintained parallel to a substantially vertical direction with reference to the structure.

 Thus, on the one hand the space determined by the crutches during the deployment operation remains substantially constant and on the other hand, the deformations of the structure are avoided which is then subjected to a set of parallel vertical forces and not more, as in the case of traditional mechanical shovels, to a set of offset oblique forces.

This deployment mode can be implemented
- by breaking down the stand into two parts, one arm re
liftable and a vertical stand itself, the second
articulated at the end of the arm,
- and by appropriately controlling the angu displacement
relative area of these two organs.

 According to another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, after having lowered the crutches and before completing their deployment, the lifting arms are locked to block them in this position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention,
- we can adapt on the crutches a system allowing a
autonomous movement of the structure, in particular of the wheels
lettes,
- then, by raising the arms, we bring back the vertical crutches
against the sides of the structure in order to lower the center of
gravity of the assembly and to facilitate its rolling.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, perfect support is provided on the ground
- a tray with four crutches
- by mounting a pair of crutches on a box fixed to a
end of the plate via a pivot axis
horizontal.

 In a preferred application mode, the other two crutches are placed at the other end of the platform in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis of the mobile box.

This mounting allows, whatever the relief of the ground supporting the platform, to ensure the horizontality of the platform by successive adjustments in two perpendicular planes by modifying the extension
- on the one hand, from one of the two fixed stands
- on the other hand, two crutches mounted on a mobile box.

 The invention relates not only to the structures allowing the implementation of these methods but also to the elementary assemblies whose combination allows this implementation insofar as these assemblies are intended to be used in accordance with the invention.

 The invention will be better understood from the description which follows and which illustrates, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a non-limiting embodiment.

On these drawings
- Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away
partial, of a lifting platform according to the invention with
one of its stands raised and retracted in the
transport, said tray being shown without its load for
that its overall structure is more visible.

- Figures 2 to 10 are schematic views - sometimes
lateral, sometimes rear - of a handling unit and
they illustrate the successive steps to discharge from a
truck, to move alone and to load on an airplane,
a crutch tray carrying a radar and its central equi
pements.

- Figure 11 is an elevational and rear view of a
vehicle loaded with the platform carrying the radar in battery.

- Figure 12 is a perspective view of an installed tray
on its site of use.

 Referring to Figure 1, there is a plate 1. On its front and rear ends are welded two boxes 2 machined so as to allow the appropriate housing of the carrying members 5 described below.

 We see, in the figure, four identical crutches 5 articulated on the boxes 2. Each stand 5 consists of a vertical tubular element 6 of section U articulated on the box 2 by a deformable parallelogram made up of two connecting rods 7 and 8 centered on on the one hand at 9 and 10 on element 6 and, on the other hand, at 11 and 12 on box 2.

 The tearing of the box 2 shows us a double-acting hydraulic cylinder V1 bearing on the connecting rod 8 and on the axis 13 of the box 3.

 Element 6 serves as a housing for a vertical single-acting hydraulic cylinder V10, the chamber of which is coupled by its upper end to the axis 9, the lower end of its rod 14 being provided with a seat plate 15 d '' ground support.

 The element 6 carries at its lower part a lateral shoe 16 open downwards and into which can be engaged a removable vertical axis 17 provided at its lower part with a clevis and wheel R, the lowering (F1) or lifting ( F2) of the stand S is provided by the output or re-entry of the rod I of the jack V1.

 In the position shown in FIG. 1, the assembly is locked by blocking the pressure of the jack V1. Once this locking has been carried out, the jack V10 can be developed inside 6 so as to bring the plate 15 into contact with the ground.

 Referring now to Figures 2 to 10, we can identify the various phases of unloading, moving alone and reloading a tray 1 identical to that shown in Figure 1 but carrying a radar 18 with its equipment center 18a .

 This plate 1 is, of course, at least as wide as the platform 19 of the vehicle 20 which provides the service of its transport, this in order to allow the crutches 5 to be fully raised without being hampered by the latter.

In FIG. 2, this truck 20 carries on its platform 19 the platform 1
- carrying the radar and its central,
- whose crutches 5 are folded and raised.

 This is the transport position.

 In FIG. 3, the vehicle 20 being stopped, the crutches 5 are deployed (arrow F1) by extension of the jacks V1, V2, V3 and V4 which are locked in the low position by blocking-of their power supply circuit.

 The crutches are thus in place above their widely spaced sites for the battery.

The cylinders V10, V20, V30, V40 are then developed inside the tubular elements 6 so that their rods 14
- rest on the ground (Figure 4),
- then slightly raise the tray 1 above the tray
form 19 (figure 5).

 The vehicle 20 is then released (Figure 6) from below the plate 1. The latter is therefore in place on its site but in the raised position.

 The rollers R are put in place (FIG. 7) in the lateral shoes 16 of the tubular elements 6. All of these rollers are thus ready to be placed in turn on the ground.

 The rods 14 of the cylinders V10, V20, V30, V40 are then returned to the crutches 5. The plate is lowered until the rollers R land on the ground (FIG. 8).

 To facilitate rolling of the plate 1, the center of gravity of the assembly is then lowered (FIG. 9) by raising the crutches 5 (arrow Fi).

FIG. 10 shows the plate 1 carrying the radar 18 and its equipment center 18a,
- brought to the loading ramp of an aircraft 21,
- then loaded into the hold 22 of this aircraft.

 We see by all of these figures the various methods of applying this process to its full extent.

 The following figure (Figure 11) relates to the illustration of the force systems which are exerted on the machines used during the operations of installation of the material on its site of use.

 It even constitutes an illustration of the advantages provided by the present invention.

Indeed, each stand 5 is vertical in the lowered position. As a result,
- when the ground is soft, for example when the plates
15 are supported on the ground, it is not
plowed by the latter under the effect of the extension of
V10, V20, V30, V40 cylinder, but it simply supports
seat plates that remain in place during this
surgery
- when the ground is hard, the thrusts "P" created by the exten
The cylinders V10, V20, V30, V40 are parallel. Of
more, as the crutches 5 are moved away from the platform 1, these
pushes "P" have very little effect on stage 1 or the
box beams 2. Thus, there is no need to take into account
side effects in shelf 1 and box girders
2 which therefore do not tend to deform.

 The use of such a lifting platform 1 is after all more economical.

In addition, the lowering of the stands 5 decreases the stroke of the cylinders V10, V20, V30, V40, necessary for the seat plates 15 to bear on the ground. It turns out that we can
- use cylinders V10, V20, V30, V40 with short 14 rods
- or, more advantageously, use a lifting platform 1
whose vertical displacement is greater than that
developed by the crutches of the cradles used for the
container handling.

 As the crutches 5 are located on the lateral edges of the platform 1, it is possible to load a structure by virtue of the latter onto a platform 19 of a truck 20 independently of the height of the latter relative to the ground.

 This latter arrangement also makes it possible to quickly engage the platform 19 of the truck 20 under the platform 1. It also, of course, also allows the structure of the truck 20 to be released as quickly.

 Finally, the lateral spacing "L" between two stands 5 in the lowered position is clearly greater than the width "I" of the truck 20.

 The wheelbase of the plate 1 after lowering the crutches 5 is therefore very substantially greater than that of the truck 20. It follows that the plate 1, after extension of the cylinders Vi, V2, V3, V4, has an excellent seat. We can then implement and use the radar 18 with its 18q equipment center in winds reaching 110 km / h.

 In this way, all the particular provisions in the mode of handling shown make it possible to obtain crutches integral with a crew but it is possible, at will, to abstain from benefiting from such or such particular advantage while reproducing the characteristics of the 'invention. For example, provision can be made to put a stand on the right of the platform 1, a second on the left and a third at the rear so as to obtain a "tripod" without hampering the engagement and disengagement of the truck 20.

 FIG. 12 illustrates the advantage of the pivoting mounting of a box 2 carrying a pair of crutches 5.

 On a support floor that is not perfectly flat, the pivoting of the box 2a around the axis 23 ensures the simultaneous support of the two crutches 5a on the ground without it being necessary to differentiate the extension of the jacks V10 and V11. The adjustment of a stand 5b thus suffices to bring the axis 24 in a horizontal plane. It is then possible, by simultaneous modifications of the extension of the crutches 5a, to bring the axis 25 into a horizontal plane.

It should also be noted that the lifting platform and its crutches form a homogeneous whole, each crutch 5 consisting of a rigid tubular element 6
- containing a jack V,
- comprising at its lower end a side shoe 16
capable of receiving a vertical axis 17 comprising a
roulette R,
- articulated to a deformable parallelogram on two pegs 9
and 10 located on its upper part.

 But each stand 5 can form a module, the two "internal" ends 7b and 8b of the deformable parallelogram of which can be made, on two other pegs, removable to a crew which must be stabilized, for its operation, in a quasi-horizontal plane. This type of crew can be a gun or missile launcher.

 The invention having now been properly explained and its interest justified in a detailed example, the plaintiff reserves exclusivity for the entire duration of the patent without limitation other than those of the terms of the claims twi-after.

Claims (14)

1. Process for handling and installing equipment, in particular  of a radar and its equipment, set up on a platform  and intended to be implemented  - on an unsurfaced site,  - after transport on a vehicle to the site,  said process consisting in  - transport the equipment previously installed on a platform  form of use,  - lift said platform above the trans vehicle  wearing after having dissociated it,  - clear the vehicle, the platform remaining in place,  said method being characterized in that said pla is raised  trains you using crutches, fixed in particular to the platform,  likely to be folded down during transport of the platform,  then deployed to the ground at the site where the equipment is used,  - firstly, by lowering the juice stands  that at ground level,  - in a second step, by extension of the crutches so  to raise the platform slightly above the vehicle.  (tion by displacement of said vehicle.  (installed on the user platform  (wearing the structure made of maté  (quickly from said trans vehicle  (what allows us to identify 2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that one discards  vehicle stands, especially at the same time as they are  lowers, in particular by at least one rotational movement  performed around a point of articulation located on the lower part  of one of the sides of the structure.  (that of the vehicle.  (is very substantially greater than  (level after lowering the crutches  (thanks to which the wheelbase of the pla 3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that  that, whatever the deployment of each crutch,  holds the general direction of this last parallel to a di  substantially vertical section.  (parallels during its lifting.  (is subjected to forces appreciably  (constant and, on the other hand, the structure  (deployed position remains substantially  (determined by the crutches in  (thanks to which on the one hand the clutter 4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that  - the stand being broken down into two parts, an arm and  a vertical stand itself, the second articulated  the end of the arm,  - the angular displacement is appropriately controlled  relative of these two organs. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that  after lowering the crutches to the ground and before putting them down  deploy, they are locked to block them in the lowered position. 6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that  than  - a system is implemented on the crutches allowing a  autonomous movement of the structure, in particular of the wheels  lettes  - then we retract the vertical crutches along the sides of  the structure in order to lower the center of gravity of the whole  ble and facilitate its rolling. 7. Lifting platform for implementing the method according to one  claims 1 to 6 and comprising  - deployable crutches,  - lifting means provided on these crutches,  said device being characterized in that it comprises means  allowing  - lower the crutches to ground level,  - deploy the said crutches until slightly lifting the  structure in relation to its transport position. 8. lifting platform according to claim 7, characterized in that  the means enabling the crutches to be lowered to the level of the  ground, away from the vehicle, are constituted by a parallel  deformable logram, integral with the structure, fixed in particular  on the lower part of one of the sides of said structure. 9. lifting platform according to one of claims 7 and 8, character  laughed at in that it includes means for locking the  foldable crutches in the lowered position. 10. Lifting platform according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized  in that the lifting means comprise, for each stand,  a jack  - housed inside said stand,  - operated for example by means of a command  hydraulic. 11. lifting platform according to one of claims 7 to 10, character  laughed at in that it has at least three crutches to ensure its  stability. 12. lifting platform according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized  in that it includes  - a box fixed to said tray via a pin  horizontal rotation,  - a pair of crutches supporting said box on the part and  on the other of said axis of rotation. 13. lifting platform according to claim 12 characterized in that  - said box is fixed to one of the longitudinal ends of the  tray,  - two crutches are rigidly fixed  . at the other end of the tray,  . in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the  swivel box  (thanks to which, it is possible simul  (temporarily  (- adjust the horizontality of the platform  (-and ensure the support of four crutches  (them on the floor.  14. Crutch allowing application of the process in accordance with  claims 1 to 6, using a lifting platform according to  claims 7 to 11,  said stand being characterized in that  - its upper part is articulated to a parallelogram  deformable,  - its lower part includes a housing capable of  receive a fork fitted with a caster,  - a cylinder is housed vertically inside.