The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of

Martin M Mikulas, Jr

Marvin D Rhodes

Harold G Bush

Richard E Wallsom

Ian O MacConochie

Li-Farn Yang

Robert F Crawford

Charles F Bryan, Jr

J Kermit Jensen

J Wayne Simonton

Rebecca L Kinkead

Jack E Pennington

The invention is a counter-balanced, multiple cable construction crane. The apparatus for hoisting payloads comprises a crane having a lifting segment and a counter-balanced segment. The lifting segment comprises an end effector and three cables. One end of each cable attaches to a different winding device located on the lifting segment, and the other end of each cable attaches to a different point on the end effector, such that the three cables have a theoretical point of convergence, this point corresponding with a center of mass of the payload. Three controls command rotation of the winding device to a predetermined position. Accordingly, the crane provides precise and autonomous positioning of the payload without human guidance. Two controls position the counter-balancing segment to offset the overturning moment which arises during the lifting of heavy payloads.

Counter-balanced, multiple cable construction crane

A mechanical end joint system for connecting structural column elements and eliminating the possibility of free movement between joint halves during loading or vibration has a node joint body having a cylindrical engaging end, and a column end body having a cylindrical engaging end. Each of the cylindrical engaging ends has an integral semicircular tongue and an integral semicircular groove. The node joint body has a conical aperture at the center of its cylindrical engaging end. The column end joint body has an internal latch mechanism housed therein, with the internal latch mechanism having a latch bolt element slidably disposed along the longitudinal axis of the column end joint body at the cylindrical engaging end. The internal latch mechanism also has a spring mechanism disposed along the longitudinal axis of the column end joint body, as well as a compressible preload mechanism and plunger means housed therein. Locking of the mechanical end joint system and adding a preload across the semiconductor tongue and semicircular groove faces is accomplished by compressing the preload mechanism, thereby exerting and equal and opposite force on the latch bolt element and plunger means, and causing the node joint body and the column end joint body to be pressed tightly against each other, effecting a preloaded compressive fit between the two joint halves. As well, a secondary locking means prevents inadvertent disassembly.

Mechanical end joint system for connecting structural column elements

A space spider crane 15 is provided for the movement, placement, and/or assembly of various components on or in the vicinity of a space structure 120. Space spider crane 15 is comprised of a small central body 16 to which manipulators 24 and legs 25 are attached. The legs 25 are equipped with constant pressure gripping end effectors 29 to safely grip space structure 120. Walking by legs 25 or repairing and placing by the manipulators 24 may be controlled either by computer software 140 or a remotely situated human operator 135, who maintains visual contact with the space spider crane via television cameras 22 located at strategic positions on space spider crane 15. One possible walking program consists of a parallel motion walking program that results in small central body 16 alternatively leaning forward and backward relative to end effectors 29.

Space spider crane

A mobile remote manipulator system 10 is disclosed for assembly, repair and logistics transport on, around and about a space station square bay truss structure. The vehicle is supported by a square track arrangement supported by guide pins integral with the space station truss structure 12 and located at each truss node 40. Propulsion is provided by a central push-pull drive mechanism 20 that extends out from the vehicle one full structural bay over the truss and locks drive rods 38 into the guide pins 30. The draw bar is now retracted and the mobile remote manipulator system is pulled onto the next adjacent structural bay. Thus, translation of the vehicle is 'inchworm' style. The drive bar can be locked onto two (2) guide pins while the extendable draw bar is within the vehicle and then push the vehicle away one bay providing bi-directional push-pull drive. The track switches 28 allow the vehicle to travel in two (2) orthogonal directions over the truss structure which coupled with the bi-directional drive, allow movement in four (4) directions on one plane. The top layer of this tri-layered vehicle is a logistics platform 16. This platform is capable of 360 degrees of rotation and will have two (2) astronaut foot restraint platforms 18 and a space crane 14 integral.

Mobile remote manipulator vehicle system

A deployable geodesic truss structure can be deployed from a stowed state to an erected state. The truss structure includes a series of bays, each bay having sets of battens connected by longitudinal cross members which give the bay its axial and torsional stiffness. The cross members are hinged at their mid point by a joint so that the cross members are foldable for deployment or collapsing. The bays are deployed and stabilized by actuator means connected between the mid point joints of the cross members. Hinged longerons may be provided to also connect the sets of battens and to collapse for stowing with the rest of the truss structure.

Deployable geodesic truss structure

The disclosure relates to a deployable M-braced truss structure that is efficiently packaged into a compact stowed position and expandable to an operative position at the use site. The M-braced configuration effectively separates tension-compression and shear in the structure and permits efficient structural design. Both diagonals and longerons telescope from an M-braced base unit. They are deployed either pneumatically, mechanically by springs or cables, or by powered reciprocating mechanisms. Upon full deployment, the diagonals and longerons lock into place with a simple latch mechanism.

Deployable M-braced truss structure

A collapsible-expandable truss structure 16 including first and second spaced surface truss layers (18, 20) having an attached core layer 22 is disclosed. The surface truss layers are composed of a plurality of linear struts 40 arranged in multiple triangular configurations with each linear strut being hinged at its center 41 and hingedly connected at each end thereof to a nodular joint 25. A passive spring 64 serves as the expansion force to move the folded struts from a stowed collapsed position to a deployed operative final truss configuration. Damper 62 controls the rate of spring 64 expansion for synchronized deployment of truss 16 as the folded configuration is released for deployment by restraint belts 72a and 73a synchronously extending under the control of motor (71) driven spools 72 and 73.

Synchronously deployable truss structure

The invention relates to a tetrahedral beam that can be compactly stowed, sequentially deployed, and widely manipulated to provide a structurally sound yet highly maneuverable truss structure. The present beam is comprised of a plurality of repeating units comprised of tandem tetrahedra sharing common sides. Tetrahedra are comprised of fixed length battens 12 joined by joint 14 into equilateral triangles called batten frames. Apexes of adjacent triangles are interconnected by longerons 16 having mid-point folding hinges 20. Joints 14 are comprised of gussets 24,34 pivotably connected by links 25. Joints 14 permit two independent degrees of rotational freedom between joined adjacent batten frames, and provide a stable structure throughout all stages of beam deployment, from packaged configuration to complete deployment. The longerons and joints can be actuated in any sequence, independently of one another. The present beam is well suited to remote actuation. Longerons 16 may be provided with powered mid-point hinges 20a enabling beam erection and packaging under remote control. Providing one or more longerons 16 with powered telescoping segments 16a permits the shape of the beam central axis to be remotely manipulated so that the beam may function as a remote manipulate arm.

Sequentially deployable maneuverable tetrahedral beam

This invention relates to a lattice type structural panel utilizing the unidirectional character of filamentary epoxy impregnated composites to produce stiff lightweight structural panels for use in constructing large area panels for space satellites and the like.

Growing community of inventors

Poquoson, VA, United States of America

Martin M Mikulas, Jr