Abstract:
A overhead boom apparatus for a fiberglass lamination process includes articulated inner and outer boom members having curved conduits at the ends providing guided paths therethrough for the routing of the supply lines from supply sources to an applicator.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/522,408 filed on Sep. 27, 2004, in the name of Jimmy D. Ashley and entitled “Fiberglass Lamination Boom Assembly”. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to apparatus for applying fiberglass lamination and, in particular, to a boom assembly for protectively routing supply lines for fiberglass lamination.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Typical fiberglass lamination processes include mobile gun carts for locating supplies adjacent a work station. After the application is undertaken, the cart must be moved to differing locations requiring stopping application and exposing the supply lines to damage and wear. Greater flexibility has been provided by prior overhead boom assemblies that include an inner pivoting arm that pivots a half revolution relative to a mounting wall and a outer arm pivoted to the inner arm that pivots almost a complete revolution. In such assemblies, the supply lines from the resin and catalyst sources were routed along the bottom of the inner boom arms and mechanically tied at spaced locations. The supply line was axially routed through the interior of the cylindrical outer boom arm. In operation, the supply line was subject to damage resulting in line breakage and resultant chemical spills in the work area. Further, the line routing from the inner boom arm to the axial inlet on the outer boom arm was found prone to kinking and twisting, also increasing line wear rate requiring replacement. Moreover, the lines exited the outer end axially with the lines downwardly depending to the applicator. In effecting boom movement about the work station, the force on the line against the opening caused the line to kink or collapse, interrupting resin flow and leading also to rupture and/or premature wear.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention provides an overhead boom assembly for routing of the supply lines to applicator in protected guide paths along the articulated boom arms that eliminates line kinking allowing the operator to transit a wide sectored area to access the molds as necessary without process interruption. The inner arm includes curved entry conduits that permits connection with the supply lines without bending. The line is routed from the entry conduit along the inner arm to a curved exit conduit that provides a gradual transition path to the outer boom arm. The outer boom arm includes a curved entry conduit that provides at transition curvature for the line allowing full articulation without line collapse. The line is routed internally through the outer boom arm to a downwardly curved elbow leading to the applicator and supporting the line against collapse during applicator movement about the work area. To facilitate insertion through the inner boom arm an enlarged opening is provided whereby the line can be accessed for feeding through the exit conduit. The line may be directly routed through the outer boom arm.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lamination boom assembly providing a guided path for supply lines that avoid kinking and line wear.  
         [0006]     Another object of the invention is to provide a fiberglass lamination boom assembly wherein the supply lines are routed through protective internal paths and stress free exterior paths to limit line damage and process interruption.  
         [0007]     A further object of the invention is to provide a fiberglass lamination boom assembly that facilitates convenient internal routing and replacement of supply lines. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a fiberglass lamination boom assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  in an enlarged fragmented side elevation view of Details A, B and C of the boom assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross sectional view of the base assembly of the boom support assembly;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross sectional view of the routing conduit for the fluid lines of the boom support assembly;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged side elevational view of the knuckle assembly between the inner boom and the outer boom; and  
         [0014]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are schematic plan views of the boom assembly illustrating range of movement. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a fiberglass boom assembly  10  mounted at an elevated position on a vertical support wall  12  for the routing of resin from bulk resin sources  14  in lines  16 , and fiberglass strands  18  from a source  20 , to a conventional chopped fiberglass applicator  22 . Air is routed in air line  24  from pressure source  26  to a fluid actuator  27  for varying the inclination of the outer boom as described in greater detail below. Additional lines may be provided for other fluids, such as catalysts. The boom assembly  10  includes an internal routing path  28  for preventing damage to the lines during operation. The routing path  28  has an inlet at the proximate inner end and an outlet at the distal outer end of the boom assembly. A plurality of axially spaced annular porcelain guides  29  are provided on the exterior of the inner boom and the outer boom for feeding the glass strand  18  to the applicator  20 .  
         [0016]     The boom assembly  10  comprises a base assembly  30  affixed to the wall  12 , an inner boom  32  pivotally connected at shaft  34  to the base assembly  30  for rotation about a vertical axis  36 , and an outer boom  38  pivotally connected at knuckle assembly  40  to the outer end of the inner boom assembly  32  for rotation about a vertical axis  48  and a horizontal axis  50 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , the inner boom assembly  32  rotates 180° about the axis  36  from wall to wall. The outer boom assembly  38  rotates substantially 360° about the axis  48  whereby selective articulation will locate the inner end and thus the fiberglass applicator anywhere within the arc of the  FIG. 6 .  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the base assembly  30  includes vertically spaced base plates  50 ,  52  suitably affixed to the wall  12 . The upper plate  50  includes a vertically aperture for receiving the shaft  34 . The lower end of the shaft  34  is journaled at a bearing assembly  54  fixed to the top surface of the lower plate  50 . The upper portion of the shaft  34  is journaled at a bearing assembly  56  fixed to the top surface of the upper plate  52 .  
         [0018]     The inner boom  32  includes an elongated cylindrical tubular inner arm  60 . The inner end of the inner arm  60  includes a telescopically inserted reinforcing sleeve  62 . The inner arm  60  is attached to the shaft  34  at a support plate  64 . The inner vertical end of the support plate  64  is welded to the center portion shaft  34  between the bearing assemblies  50 ,  52 . The support plate  64  includes a semicircular center section  66  for receiving the inner end of the arm  60  and attaching thereto by suitable fastening, preferably welding. A diagonal reinforcing bar  67  is connected to the upper end of the shaft  34  at connector  68  and to the knuckle assembly  40  for supporting the cantilevered weight of the boom assembly.  
         [0019]     The outer boom  38  includes a center tubular section  70  having a 90° tubular elbow  72  at an outer end and a 45° tubular elbow  74  at an inner end. The elbows  72 ,  74  terminate with conduit chase nipples  76 . A truss  78  is attached at the top of section  70  for providing reinforcing to the cantilevered outer boom  38 .  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the knuckle assembly  40  pivotally interconnects the inner boom  32  and the outer boom  38  for rotation about the axis  48 . The knuckle assembly  40  includes a cylindrical support sleeve  80  vertically attached to the outer end of the inner boom  32  and rotatably supporting a pivot shaft  82  at the upper end at bearing assembly  84 . The lower end of the pivot shaft  82  projects downwardly below the sleeve  80  and is pivotally connected at pin connection  85  to the inner end of a pivot arm  86  connected at the side of the outer boom  38  and providing vertical inclination of the outer boom  38  about the horizontal axis. For effecting inclination of the outer boom  38 , the actuator  27  is connected at the upper end of the shaft  82  and has an output piston connected to a chain  88 . The chain  88  is connected at an outer end to a bracket  90  at the outer end of the outer boom  38 .  
         [0021]     The foregoing assembly provides for 180° pivoting of the inner boom  32  about vertical axis  36  coupled with cojoint 360° pivoting of the outer boom  38  about axis  48  for discrete omnibus location of the applicator within the swept area. Moreover, the actuator  27  allows selective downward pivoting of the outer boom assembly  38  about the horizontal axis  85 . During such movement, the lines remain overhead and with the above-described routing path remain free from twisting, kinking or other potentially damaging conditions.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the routing path  27  provides a gradual stress free path for the lines from their respective sources and includes an interior entry section  90  through the inner boom assembly  32 , an exit section  94  through the outer boom assembly  38  and a transition section  92  therebetween. The entry section  90  includes an inlet elbow  96  and an outlet elbow  98  in the inner boom arm  60 . The exit section  94  includes the inlet elbow  74  and the outlet elbow  72  on the outer boom arm  70 . The elbows terminate with chase nipples  99  and lie in a vertical plane. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the elbows  96 ,  98  are inserted through apertures the inner boom. The elbows  96 ,  98  are tubular and have straight inner ends  100 , a curved center section  101 , and a downwardly and outwardly extending straight outer end  102 . The inner ends  100  are inserted through apertures in the base of the inner boom arm  60 , extend axially therethrough and are attached by suitable means such as welding. The inner elbow  96  is located adjacent the base assembly  30  and directed toward the resin source, which may be kept in bulk supply compactly along the wall  12 . The outer elbow  98  is located slightly inward from the outer end of the arm  60  to provide a curved registering arcuate path with the elbow  72 . The elbows are curved, preferably about 45° providing stress free support for the lines in assembly. An enlarged access opening  104  is formed in the arm  60  slightly in advance of the outlet elbow  98 . At the inner boom, the resin lines  16  and the air line  24  are guided from the sources through the inlet elbow  96 , along the arm cavity to the access opening  104 . At the opening, the ends of the line are manually grasped and inserted through the outlet elbow  98  thereby facilitating installation, repair and maintenance of the lines. In assembly, the elbows provide gradual curvatures for the lines, avoiding kinking, twisting and other damage during relative movement of the boom assemblies. From the outlet elbow  98 , the air line  24  is routed with gradual curvature upwardly to the actuator  27 . The resin line  16  is routed in the transition section  92  in a gradually curved path sufficient to avoid twisting and kinking of the line through the range of articulation at the knuckle assembly  40 . In the exit section  94 , the line is gradually curved through the inlet elbow  74 , through the continuous passage in the outer boom  70 , and outwardly and downwardly through outlet elbow  72  for connection to the applicator  22 .  
         [0023]     It will thus be appreciated that the supply lines traverse protected internal guide paths with curvature protecting against damage during operation and with exterior guide paths avoid undue stress during boom articulation.  
         [0024]     Having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will now be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures and description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention, which is defined solely in accordance with the following claim.