Extensible mast

Application filed December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,725.

To dll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Benjamin F. Seymour, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and 5 State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Masts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to extensible masts 10 for use in warfare and other purposes, its principal object being to provide a mechanism of simple and highly practical construction by means of which an object may be elevated to a considerable height upon 15 a surface upon which the mast is erected.

The carrier may be an observation platform from which the surrounding country is inspected, it may be a turret for the support of guns, or it may be a platform for 20 supporting a searchlight, a signal apparatus or other device or devices used in modern warfare.

In case the carrier is used as an observation platform, a parapet of armor plate 25 protects the observer against the fire of the enemy, and when it is employed for the support of guns, searchlights, signaling apparatus, or other mechanical devices, a mechanism is provided for the operation of the 30 devices upon the platform from a point adjacent the foot of the mast. The mast may be erected upon a solid stationary foundation either on land or on board of warships, or it may be carried upon a motor car or 35 other suitable vehicle for its transportation to different locations in condition for immediate use.

A searchlight or an electric signaling device supported on the carrier may be con40 nected in a circuit which is opened and closed at the base of the mast, and a mechanical signaling apparatus mounted on the mast may be operated from the same point by either electrical or mechanical -45 means.

In short, my invention is adapted for the elevation of any of the many devices used in modern warfare to obtain a wider range for the observation of surrounding terri50 tory, the projection of missiles, and the transmission of signals, and it includes means to mechanically or electrically operate the said devices from a point adjacent the foot of the mast.

When the mast is carried on a vehicle or installed on a vessel, it may be hinged at its lower end for adjustment to a horizontal or inclined position, and while the mast is principally designed for the elevation of a carrier for the purposes mentioned herein- 60 before, it may be effectively employed to provide a collapsible smokestack or mast on war vessels, a periscope on submarine boats or a tower for the support of the antenna used in wireless telegraphy. 65

The uses to which my invention may be applied are too numerous for separate illustration, and I have therefore shown in the drawings only those forms of my invention which at present appear to be of most im- 70 portance.

It. should be understood that the operating mechanisms shown in the drawings and hereinafter to be described, are merely illustrative of what may be accomplished by the 75 use of my invention, and that any mechanical or electrical appliance may be employed for effecting the extension of the mast and for the operation and adjustment of the devices supported at the upper end thereof. . 80

In the drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved mast in its collapsed condition,

Fig. 2, a similar view of the mast in an 85 extended condition,

Fig. 3, a perspective view of a hinged mast lowered to a substantially horizontal position,

Fig. 4, a vertical central section of the 90 lower portion of the mast,

Fig. 5, an underneath view of the mast showing the mechanism for rotating the members of the master section of the same.

Fig. 6, a section taken along the line 6—6, 95 Fig. 5,

Fig. 7, a plan view of a motor-driven vehicle upon which the extensible mast is operatively mounted,

Fig. 8, a longitudinal section along the line 100 15-—15, Fig. 7, drawn to an enlarged scale,

Fig. 9, an elevation of the mast in a collapsed condition showing the application of a searchlight at its upper end,

Fig. 10, a slightly enlarged horizontal 105 section taken along the line 10—10, Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11, a fragmentary elevation of the carrier at the top of the mast, showing the parapet for the protection of observers. 110

1,342,828

Referring more specifically to the drawings, my extensible mast is composed of telescoping sections each comprising a plurality of rotatably connected tubular mem5 bers with the exception of the upper section, the members of which are relatively stationary and may if so desired be made of solid material.

The sections of the mast are cooperatively 10 associated so that a rotary movement imparted to the members of one of them will effect successive upward movements of the others.

The lower or base section 13 of the mast 15 is composed of a plurality of parallel tubular members 2 which are rigidly secured upon a floor 3 upon which the mast is erected.

Rotatably mounted within the members of the base-section of the mast are the mem20 bers 4 of a longitudinally immovable section 14 which in the operation imparts by the rotary motion of its members, successive movements to the longitudinally movable sections of the mast.

The members of the section 14, which hereinafter will be referred to as the master section of the structure, have exterior collars 5 which engage the upper edges of the respective members of the base-section and 30 they are provided at their lower ends below the floor upon which the structure is supported with gear wheels for. their synchronous rotation by connection with a suitable driving mechanism hereinafter to be de35 scribed.

The two lower sections of the mast are braced by truss rods 6 which at their upper ends connect with a head 7 placed in peripheral grooves at the upper ends of the mem40 bers of the master section.

The rods are at their lower extremities, attached to the floor upon which the structure is supported, and they are furthermore secured to a web 8 by which the members of 45 the base section are integrally connected at their upper ends.

The members of the master section have adjacent their upper extremities, inwardly projecting spiral ridges or threads 9 to co50 operate with exterior female threads formed by spiral grooves 10 on the exterior surfaces of the members 12 of the first extensible section 15, which members are rotatably fitted in the respective members of the master 55 section.

The members of the other longitudinally movable sections of the mast, with the exception of the top section 16, are of similar construction.

But one member 15 has been shown in the drawings, but it will be understood that as ‘ many similar members may be provided: as are required to extend the mast to a predetermined height.

The members of.the longitudinal movable sections 15 of the mast are connected for rotation about their axes by a head 17 composed of a plurality of interconnected rings which loosely fit in peripheral grooves adjacent the upper, ends of the same. 70

The members of each extension section of the mast, have adjacent their upper ends, inwardly projecting threads or ridges 18 similar to those of the master section, which cooperate with exterior spiral grooves 19 in 75 the members of the next adjoining extension section, which are rotatably fitted in those of the section immediately below the same.

It will thus be seen that in this manner the mast may be composed of any desired 80 number of sections of suitable length within the limits of the diameters of their members, which necessarily decrease progressionally from the base section to the upper section of the structure. §5

The members 20 of the top section 16 of the mast, may if so desired be solid. They have like the members of the other extension sections, exteriorly spiral grooves for cooperation with the spiral ridges of the mem- 90 bers of the adjoining section into which they , extend and they are nonrotatably connected at their upper extremities by a platform 21 which constitutes the fundamental part of the carrier. 95

The rotary members of the master section 14 are provided at their lower ends with gear wheels 22 and 23, the wheel 23 on one of the members meshing with those of the other members for their synchronous rotation. Too

Since by this arrangement the member to which the driving gear 23 is secured rotates in a direction opposite to the movement of the members which carry the driven gears 22, it will be understood, that for the conjunc- 105 tive motion of the members of the extension sections, the. external spiral grooves of the members corresponding with the driving member of the section 14 must be wound in a direction opposite to that in which the no grooves of the members corresponding, with the driven members of the mast-section extend.

. The driving member of the master section is furthermore provided with a beveled gear 115 wheel 24 which meshes with a corresponding wheel 25 on a shaft 26 which is rotatably supported in bearings 27 below the floor 3.

The shaft has at one of its ends a hand crank 28, but it may if so required be con- 120 nected with suitable mechanism for its mechanical rotation.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that when by rotation of the shaft a rotary movement is imparted to the members 125 of the master section, the members of the .extension sections collapsed within the members of the master section will, with the exception.of those of the upper section, rotate in conjunction with the last-mentioned 130

1,342,828 members, since no resistance is presented to their rotary motion.

The members of the top or carrier section 16 of the mast, however, are held against 5 rotation by the platform 21 which connects them at their upper ends and they are in consequence compelled to move upwardly by reason of the movement of the rotating spiral ridges 18 of the members of the next 10 adjoining section in their exterior spiral grooves.

When the upper section of the mast has been projected from the. adjoining lower section until the ridges 18 on the members 15· of the latter have reached the ends of the respective spiral grooves in the corresponding members of the carrier section, the members .of the said lower section are thereby held against rotation, with the result that 20 this section will in its turn move longitudinally out of the section in which it telescopes.

In this manner the different extension sections comprised in the mast will be succes25 sively projected until the section adjoining the master section has reached the limit of its upward motion.

When the mast is used on vehicles or under circumstances requiring it to be lowered 30 to a horizontal or slanting position when not in use, the floor of its base section is hinged upon a suitable foundation plate 33 as at 34 in Fig. 3.

The driving shaft 26 is in this construc35 tion supported in bearings below the foundation plate which has an opening 35 to admit the gearing at the lower ends of the members of the master section, and a catch 36 of suitable construction may be provided 40 to secure the mast in its upright position upon the foundation plate.

A mast mounted to be lowered to a horizontal or inclined position in. the above described manner is particularly adapted for 45 use on a motor car 37 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in which case the driving shaft may be mechanically operated by connection with the transmission gearing 38 of the vehicle.

To move the mast mechanically about the hinge which connects its floor-plate with the foundation plate 33 on the vehicle, the said floor plate is in the construction shown in the drawings provided with a segmental 55 gear 39 which through the intermediary of a rotary gear wheel 40 is operatively connected with a driving wheel 41 loosely mounted on the shaft 26.

A clutch 42 slidingly mounted on the 60 shaft and connected therewith by means of a feather for conjunctive rotation, is provided to secure or break the rotative continuity between the driving gear wheel 41 and the shaft.

While the sections of the mast herein above described are composed of three members, it will be readily understood that any desired plurality of members may be used in the construction of the sections in accordance with the height of the mast, the weight 70 to be elevated by extension thereof, and other circumstances and conditions.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 masts have been shown the sections of which are composed of five members one of which is centrally 75 disposed with relation to the others.

The mast shown in Fig. 11 has upon its platform a parapet 106 of armor plate which protects an observer against the fire of the enemy while he inspects the sur- 80 rounding country by looking across the edge of the parapet, or through peek holes in the plate of which it is composed.

The mast shown in Fig. 8 has around the machine gun carried upon its platform, a 85 protective shield 107, and the mast illustrated in Fig. 9 carries a search-light 108 which by mechanism similar to that hereinbefore described, can be rotated to point a light in different directions. 90

When the operation of the device or devices on the carrier of the mast require the presence of a person or persons in close proximity thereto, or when the mast is used as an observation tower, as in the construe- 95 tion shown in Fig. 11, the base-section of the same is provided with a series of pegs 109 upon which a person may climb to reach the carrier before the mast is extended.

It will be seen from the above description 100 that by the use of the extensible mast, a platform and any object or objects supported thereon, may be raised to any desired elevation above the base-section, it being obvious that when rotation of the master sec- 105 tion is discontinued, the different extensionsections are automatically locked against relative longitudinal displacement, irrespective of the extent to which they are projected. 110

The above description explains but few of the uses for which my invention is adapted.

Its use in trenches and in wooded countries, or upon war vessels and submarine boats is of obvious value, while its practica- 115 bility as a temporary tower for the support of the antenna used in wireless telegraphy will be readily appreciated.