1
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`United States Patent 9
`Trommen
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`[11] Patent Number:
`
`[45] Date cf Patent:
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`4,903,442
`Feb. 27, 1990
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`[54] MAST FOR MEASURING OR
`ILLUMINATION PURPOSES, ESPECIALLY
`FOR FLIGHT NAVIGATION LIGHTS
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`{75]
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`Inventor: Hartmut Trommen, Postbauer-Heng,
`Fed. Rep. of Germany
`
`[73] Assignee: G, A, Pfleiderer GmbH & Co. KG,
`Neumarkt, Fed. Rep. of Germany
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 248,455
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Sep. 23, 1988
`
`[56]
`
`Pefereces Cited
`U.S. PAT ANT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,456,179 12/1948 Ficeresseseeeeeseeee 362/431
`5/1961 Kubesh...........
`were 362/431
`2,985,261
`
`8/1963 Ashton........
`.. 174/45 R
`3,100,555
`
`w 362/431
`3,222,509 12/1965 Thedford....
`
`1/1968 Guggemos..
`wee 362/431
`3,364,635
`
`3,574,104 4/1971 Medler........
`~ 174/45 R
`
`eseeeeseeestesees 52/116
`3,605,359
`9/1971 Bader oo...
`
`. 362/431
`3,671,738
`6/1972 Beachley .
`
`3,995,701 12/1976 Kelley.........
`.. 52/116
`
`362/431
`4,220,981
`9/1980 Koether ..
`4,228,487 10/1980 Hesse ........sccsccscsscescssescessenes 362/431
`4,769,967
`9/1988 Bourrieres ..........c ese 174/45 R
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Sep. 23, 1987 [DE]
`Fed. Rep. of Germany....... 3731931
`
`[52] US. CM.
`
`[51] Unt, CUS cessssssssssssssssescsee F21J 13/10; E21B 3/02;
`E21B 13/10
`seesessesssssssssssnnsnssnseseesee 52/116; 174/45 R;
`362/431
`[58] Field of Search... 52/116, 117, 118, 119,
`52/123.1, 721, 715; 362/431; 174/45 R
`
`Primary Examiner—John E. Murtagh
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jordan and Hamburg
`
`ABSTRACT
`[87]
`A mast for measuring or illuminating purposes, espe-
`cially for flight navigation lights or for wind measuring
`devices, which is designed as a glass-fiber or carbon-
`fiber reinforced plastic mast.
`
`3 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 1 of 5
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 1 of 5
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`US. Patent—Feb. 27, 1990 Sheet 1 of 2 4,903,442
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 2 of 5
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 2 of 5
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`US. Patent—Feb. 27, 1990 Sheet 2 of 2 4,903,442.
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 3 of 5
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 3 of 5
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`1
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`4,903,442
`
`MAST FOR MEASURING OR ILLUMINATION
`PURPOSES, ESPECIALLY FOR FLIGHT
`NAVIGATION LIGHTS
`
`«
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`Theinvention is directed to a mast for measuring or
`illuminating purposes, especially for flight navigation
`lights or for wind measuring devices.
`Such masts usually consist either of steel or of con-
`crete. This not only makes their manufacture and
`mounting extraordinarily complicated (among other,
`reasons because of their weight), but furthermore also
`entails the difficulty that considerable dangers are in-
`volved in possible collisions, which can never be ex-
`cluded in connection with flight navigation lights. To
`this must be added that a height adjustmentis necessary,
`especially with masts for flight navigation lights, so that
`all the cross-arms, which bear the special lights, are
`truly disposed in one plane. But this creates great diffi-
`culties since, along the long stretches where such a row
`of masts is set up, ground irregularities must also be
`taken into account. Finally, especially with flight navi-
`gation lights, the lifetime of thelight is relatively short
`due to their high power, so that they must be replaced
`very frequently, and this again entails difficult mainte-
`nance problems because ofthe necessity of climbing the
`masts.
`.
`It is therefore an object of the present invention to
`provide.a mast for measuring or illuminating purposes,
`which can be manufactured simply, cheaply, dimen-
`,sionally true in arbitrary dimensions, and which not
`only reduces the risk concomitant with possible colli-
`sions with vehicles, but also offers easier accessibility to
`the lights or equipment fastened to it.
`To achievethis objective, the invention provides that
`the mast is designed as a glass-fiber reinforced plastic
`mast, fabricated by a rotary molding process, and con-
`sisting in particular of polyesterresin.
`Such a plastic mast is considerably lighter than the
`previously used steel or concrete masts. In the proposed
`plastic product, the glass-fiber reinforcement can also
`fulfill all stability requirements which are imposed on
`illuminations according to the FAA Specification AC
`150/5345-45. On the other hand, such a glass-fiber rein-
`forced plastic mast has the advantage that it can break
`in case of a collision. The masts rupture at impact speeds
`of 50 km/h. Such masts, therefore, create substantially
`less risk for colliding aircraft or generally also for other
`vehicles, when these masts are used as illumination
`masts or for measuring purposes. Safety is also in-
`creased still more by virtue of the fact that no sparks
`can arise in case of a crash, so that there is no danger of
`explosion.
`The inventive plastic mast is considerably more eco-
`nomical than a steel or concrete mast, which again
`results in a more economical foundation layout, more
`economical transort, as well as faster mounting. Fur-
`thermore, such a mast does not require maintenance,
`since it is not subject to corrosion and also requires no
`paint.
`there is another advantage in connection
`Finally,
`with flight navigation lights, which should not be un-
`derestimated, namely that such a glass-fiber reinforced
`plastic mast cannot interfere with approach radar sys-
`tems.
`Thelight structure of the inventive mast finally has
`still another quite decisive advantage. Namely, it offers
`the possibility of mounting the mast so that it can easily
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`tilt on its foundation. Consequently, when equipmentis
`changed, in particular navigation lights are replaced,
`the mast can simply betilted and subsequently erected
`again.
`.
`Forthis purpose,it is especially advantageous forthe...
`mast to have a base plate, which is hinged laterally sta_
`foundation plate, which can be arrested on the opposite.
`side at the foundationplate, and in particular which can
`be screwed on by meansof occludable screws.
`This base can preferably be connected to the plastic
`mast by means of a welded-on metal pipe that is lami-
`nated into the mast. On the otherside, a possible cross-
`arm of the mast should be connectedsimilarly, prefera-
`bly by a T-piece that is laminated into the upper end of
`the mast.
`To tilt and again erect such a pivotable mast that is
`hinged at the foundation plate by meansofa base plate,
`one can use, for example, a cable winch with a rela-
`tively low cable deflection mast that can easily be set up
`on the ground. The cable winchis easily held station-
`ary, for example by means of a ground anchoror by
`binding itfast to a heavy vehicle. However, the process
`of tilting over a cable deflection mast is used tolift the
`mast which atfirst lies flat on the ground, since this
`requires a pull, which is slanted upwards and which can
`be achieved only by such a cable deflection mast.
`The inventive plastic masts can be tilted and erected
`again still more simply and especially without requiring
`a cable winch andof such a cable deflection mast, in the
`following fashion. The base plate and the foundation
`plate have connecting elements for an adjusting spindle
`on the side opposite to the hinge. By means of an ex-
`tremely simple design of the plates, any mast can easily
`be tilted by one operator by means of an adjusting spin-
`dle, and can also be erected again without assistance.
`For this purpose, the foundation plate has spaced tabs
`with holes for a connecting pin, which is used to hold
`the end of the threaded spindle, while hook tabs for
`laterally gripping the aforesaid tabs are fastened at the
`base plate, to suspend the spindle adjusting mechanism.
`Thus, one installer can easily maintain the lights or
`measuring units or the like that are disposed on the
`masts. At this point, it should also be pointed out that
`maintenance, moreover, is also already simplified be-
`cause the inventive masts greatly attenuate vibrations
`and thus preserve the lights. The special mast system
`makes it possible to fabricate masts in any length, with
`millimeter precision, from 2 meters to 10 meters above
`ground, so that groundirregularities and ground swells
`can be compensated very easily. Longer masts are pref-
`erably not fabricated integrally, but are assembled from
`two sections by means of a connecting pipe that has
`been laminated into the mast.
`Other advantages, features, and details of the inven-
`tion are found in the following description of some
`embodiments, as well as in terms of the accompanying
`drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 showsa tiltable flight navigation-light mast
`constructed pursuant to the invention.
`FIG. 2 shows a magnified section along the line
`TI—I] in FIG. 1.
`FIG. 3 again shows a magnified perspective view of
`the lower portion of the mast with a suspended adjust-
`ing spindle for tilting and again erecting.
`FIG. 4 shows a view corresponding to FIG.3, when
`the mastis in its tilted position. :
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 4 of 5
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 4 of 5
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`

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`4,903,442
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`4
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`FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the erecting and
`26. When the spindle is run out, the mast1is tilted about
`the hinge 8,as is shown in FIG.4, until finally the mast
`lowering of an inventive mast with the help of a cable
`winch and a cable deflection mast.
`lies completely horizontal on the ground. However. for
`maintenance purposes one will preferably not even
`strive for this completely horizontal deposition on ite
`ground,but will let the mast stay in a slanted position.
`wheretheinstaller can have accessto the lights that are
`fastened at the cross-arm and thus can easily replace
`them, without an additional risk of damage being caused
`on the other side through contact with the ground.
`I claim:
`1. A mast for illuminating or measuring purposes such
`as for supporting flight navigation lights or wind mea-
`suring devices, comprising a mast made of glass-fiber or
`carbon-fiber reinforced plastic material, said mast being
`disposed on a mast-support foundation, said mast fur-
`ther comprising tilt means operable to tilt said mast
`relative to said foundation, said mast further comprising
`an elongated upright section having a longitudinal end,
`said tilt means comprising a base plate secured to said
`longitudinal end, a foundation plate secured to said
`mast-support foundation, hinge means pivotably mount-
`ing said base plate on said foundation plate, operable
`means operably disposed between said base plate and
`said foundation plate for effecting pivotable movement
`of said base plate on said foundation plate, said operable
`means comprising a threaded adjusting spindle means
`pivotably mounted on said foundation plate, an adjust-
`ing support means threadedly mounted onsaid spindle
`means, and connectable means connecting said adjust-
`ing support means to said base plate, said elongated
`upright section of said mast being made ofa plastic
`material and said base plate being made of metal, a
`support pipe welded into said base plate, said plastic
`elongated upright section of said pipe being mounted on
`said support pipe, and threaded means for threadedly
`securing said base plate to said foundation plate when
`said mast is in an upright position with its longitudinal
`axis generally perpendicular to said foundation plate.
`2. A mast according to claim 1, wherein said spindle
`means comprises ari elongated threaded member having
`a longitudinal end,
`tab members on said foundation
`plate, and pin means pivotably connecting said longitu-
`dina! end of said threaded memberto said tab members,
`said base plate having a cutout portion, said tab mem-
`bers extending through said cutout portion.
`3. A mast according to claim.1, wherein said connect-
`able means comprises pin elements, said base plate hav-
`ing hook tabs which receive said pin elements to
`thereby connect said connectable means to said base
`plate.
`*
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`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
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`The mast 1 is fabricated as a glass-fiber reinforced
`plastic mast, preferably made of polyester, in a special
`rotational molding process. In the embodiment shown,
`the mast is composed of two superposed sections, which
`are connected together by a pipe piece 2, which has
`been laminated into the mast sections. In corresponding
`fashion, the upper cros-arm 3—which, for the flight
`navigation light mast that is shown here, bears the
`lamps 4—is also held at the tip of the mast 1 by means
`of a T-piece 5 laminated in—to the mast. By means of a
`laminated-in steel pipe 6, a base plate 7, made of metal,
`preferably also of steel, is fastened to the underside of
`the mast, the base plate 7 and the steel pipe 6 being
`welded together. The base plate 7 is pivotably hinged at
`“a foundation plate 9 by means of a hinge8. In the verti-
`cal operating position, the base plate 7 is fastened to-
`gether with the foundation plate 9 by means of screws,
`which go through recesses 10 of the base plate and
`which can be screwed into the threaded borings 11 of
`the foundation plate. The screws can be designed at
`least partly as occludable screwsso that they can not be
`loosenedtoo easily by unauthorized persons.
`The mast can be tilted and can be erected again by
`means of a cable winch 12, which is schematically indi-
`cated in FIG.5. Its cable 13 is deflected over a simple
`cable deflection mast 14, which is erected on the
`ground; in this way, an upward pulling force can be
`achieved even if the mast lies completely flat. Besides
`this, the mast can be tilted and erected again preferably
`by means of an adjusting spindle 15. Such a spindle is
`shown in FIGS.3 and 4 in various operating positions.
`Two spaced tabs 16 are integrally attached to the
`foundation plate 9 in order to attach this adjusting spin-
`die 15. These two spaced tabs 16 accommodate a pin 17
`received by a split-pin to hold the correspondingly
`drilled end 18 of the spindle 19. These tabs penetrate a
`recess 20 of the base plate 7, which on its part has two
`hook tabs 21 which are disposed laterally of the afore-
`mentioned tabs 16. A support section 23 of the spindle
`adjusting mechanism 24, which is equipped with appro-
`priate pins 22, can simply be hooked into these hook
`tabs 21. By slanting the hook slots upwardly at an ap-
`propriate angle, the spindle is automatically arrested
`during its excursion, thus preventing the pins from fall-
`ing out of the slots in the hook tabs 21. By means of the
`crank 25, the spindle 19 can be driven downwardly. A
`covering protective housing for the spindle is shown at
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 5 of 5
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1025 - Page 5 of 5
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