Patent ID: 11881653
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 8:
9. An apparatus for conducting electrical power to a work machine, comprising a conductor rod extending from a base to a tip, the conductor rod comprising:
a central passageway around a longitudinal axis pneumatically connecting the base to the tip;
a pneumatic cylinder extending from the base toward the tip and terminating at a cylinder end, the pneumatic cylinder comprising:
cylinder tubes concentrically positioned around the central passageway and extending from the base to proximate the cylinder end, the cylinder tubes comprising conductive material for conducting the electrical power, and
cylinder cavities between the cylinder tubes;

a piston extending from the tip toward the base and terminating at a piston end, the piston comprising:
piston tubes concentrically positioned around the central passageway and extending from the tip to proximate the piston end, the piston tube comprising conductive material for conducting the electrical power, wherein the cylinder tubes are radially offset from the piston tubes and the piston is slidably mated within the pneumatic cylinder, and
piston cavities between the piston tubes;

a retraction cavity enclosed between an inner surface of the pneumatic cylinder and an outer surface of the piston;
an open-loop directional control valve configured to couple at least one of the cylinder cavities to a first inlet or couple the at least one of the cylinder cavities to atmosphere; and
a channel coupled to the first inlet, to the retraction cavity, and to the central passageway.