Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Method And Apparatus For Maintaining Articulating
Hydraulic Booms Operating Iri Freezing Temperatures
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and associated
apparatus for maintaining articulating hydraulic booms
operating in freezing temperatures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hydraulic booms use a controlled flow of hydraulic fluid
to affect movement under load. In freezing temperatures, the
hydraulic fluid becomes increasingly viscose. Should the
hydraulic fluid become too viscose, undue stress is placed upon
seals leading to seal failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is a method for maintaining hydraulic
booms operating in freezing temperatures.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a method for maintaining an articulated hydraulic boom
operating in freezing temperatures. One step involves
positioning a flexible sleeve of thermal insulating material
having an interior cavity around the articulated hydraulic
boom. The sleeve is sufficiently flexible that the articulated
boom can operate with the sleeve in place. One step involves
heating the interior cavity of the sleeve. One step involves
constricting the opposed ends of the sleeve to tightly engage
the articulated hydraulic boom so that the sleeve is maintained
in position and heat is prevented from o_=scaping from the
interior cavity.
According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided an apparatus for maintaining an articulated
hydraulic boom operating in freezing temperatures which
includes a flexible sleeve of thermal insulating material
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having an interior surface defining an interior cavity, opposed
ends, and a longitudinal opening providing access to the
interior cavity, such that an articulated hydraulic boom can
be positioned within the interior cavity of the sleeve. Means
is provided for closing the longitudinal opening. Means is
provided for heating the interior cavity of the sleeve. Means
is provided for constricting the opposed ends of the flexible
sleeve, thereby maintaining the sleeve iri position on the
articulated boom and preventing heat from escaping from the
interior cavity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose
of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit
the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or
embodiments shown, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of apparatus for
maintaining articulating hydraulic booms operating in freezing
temperatures positioned on an articulating hydraulic boom in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated
in FIGURE 1, showing an outer surface.
FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus
illustrated in FIGURE 1, showing an intericr surface.
FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of apparatus illustrated
in FIGURE 1, in the process of being secured to an articulating
boom.
FIGURE 5 is a detailed section view of the material out
of which the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 is made.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, an apparatus for maintaining an
articulated hydraulic boom operating in freezing temperatures
generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be
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described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 5.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
Referring to FIGURE 1, apparatus 10 includes a flexible
sleeve 12 of thermal insulating material. Referring to FIGURE
4, sleeve has an interior surface 14 defining an interior
cavity 16, opposed ends 18, and a longitudinal opening 20
providing access to interior cavity 16. An articulated
hydraulic boom 22 can be positioned within interior cavity 16
of sleeve 12. Fasteners 24 are positioned at spaced intervals
along sleeve 12 on opposed sides 26 of longitudinal opening 20,
whereby longitudinal opening 20 can be selectively closed as
illustrated in FIGURE 1. Referring to FIGURE 3, in the
illustrated embodiment, snaps are used as fasteners 24, but
other types of fasteners such as buckles or zippers could also
be used. Referring to FIGURE 3, an electric heating element 28
is imbedded in interior surface 14 of sleeve 12, whereby
interior cavity 16 of sleeve 12 illustrated in FIGURE 4, is
heated. Referring to FIGURE 1, a battery or generator 30 is
provided for supplying power= to heat electric heating element
28 illustrated in FIGURE 3. Referring t:o FIGURE 2, draw
strings 32 are positioned at opposed ends 18 of flexible sleeve
12. Referring got FIGURE 4, draw strings 32 are drawn to
constrict opposed ends 18 of flexible sleeve 12, thereby
maintaining sleeve 12 in position on articulated boom 22 and
preventing heat from escaping from interior cavity 16.
Referring to FIGURE 1, sleeve 12, preferably, has sufficiently
flexible to enable articulated boom 22 to operate with sleeve
12 in place.
Referring to FIGURE 5, in the illustrated embodiment,
flexible sleeve 12 includes a first protective polyurethane
layer 34 which forms an outer surface 36 of flexible sleeve 12,
and a second protective polyurethane layer 38 which forms
interior surface 14 of flexible sleeve 12. A heat resistant
liner 40 underlies first protective polyurethane layer 34. A
first layer of insulating material 42 and a second layer of
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insulating material 44 are disposed between heat resistant
liner 40 and second protective polyurethane layer 34.
Electrical heating eletnent 28 is positioned between first layer
of insulating material 42 and second layer of insulating
material 44. It will be appreciated that other materials could
also be used.
Operation:
Referring to FIGURE 1, there is provided a method for
maintaining an articulated hydraulic boom 22 operating in
freezing temperatures, which includes positioning flexible
sleeve 12 as described above, around articulated hydraulic boom
22 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. Referring to FIGURE 3, interior
cavity 16 of sleeve 12 is heated by heating element 28.
Referring to FIGURE 4, opposed ends 18 of sleeve 12 are
constricted to tightly engage articulated hydraulic boom 22 so
that sleeve 12 is maintained in position and heat is prevented
from escaping from interior cavity 16.
Sleeve 12 is maintained in position overnight to keep
hydraulic boom 22 heated. When hydraulic boom 22 is to be
used, there are two approaches that can be taken. One approach
is to remove sleeve 12 after a warm up period and prior to
hydraulic boom 22 performing any work. Another approach is to
maintain sleeve 12 in position during cold weather operation.
If sleeve 12 is to be maintained in position during cold
weather operation, it must be sufficiently flexible that
hydraulic boom 22 can operate with sleeve :L2 in place. More
particularly, with such use sleeve 12 must not limit movement
of hydraulic boom 22.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word
are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not
excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article
"a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the
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element is present, unless the context clearly requires that
there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
5 modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.
