Abstract:
A mount suitable for use in mounting a motion picture lamp to a rail of a boom lift includes a clamp having a slider body with a first rail contacting member and a throughhole for receiving a post. A second body is pivotally coupled to the slider body and has a second rail contacting member. The second body is pivoted relative to the slider body to secure the rail of a boom lift between the first and second rail contacting members. The disclosed design allows for simultaneously clamping of the rail and securing of the clamp to the post of a motion picture lamp.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/933,951, filed Jun. 8, 2007 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of mounting devices used to mount equipment to support structures. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of mounts useful for mounting lights to lifts for use during motion picture filming. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In the motion picture industry there are supports used to mount motion picture lights in aerial lifts such as telescoping boom lifts and scissor lifts.  FIG. 1  shows such a light  1  mounted on such a support in a telescoping boom lift. These supports are referred to as “Condor Mounts”. In 1989 this inventor designed a single-vertical-post condor mount that became known as a “candlestick” style condor mount  2  ( FIG. 1 ). For the past eighteen years this Candlestick Condor Mount has been commonly used in the industry, and it has, with some minor shortcomings, worked very well. Recent changes in the construction of some telescoping boom lifts have necessitated changes in the design of the Candlestick Condor Mount. 
         [0004]    The traditional Candlestick Condor Mount, as shown in  FIG. 2 , consists of a vertical post  7  that is approximately four feet tall and made from steel tubing. It has a “junior receiver”  8  at the top end, which will accept a 1⅛ inch diameter “junior pin”. A junior pin  3  ( FIG. 1 ) is the supporting pin on most large motion picture lights and some motion picture grip equipment. The junior receiver  8  includes a securing knob which locks the junior pin  3  into the receiver, and keeps the light from rotating. There are two “sliding clamps” ( FIG. 3 ) on the post  7  that are used to attach the post  7  to the two horizontal railings  4  ( FIG. 1 ) around the platform of a scissor lift or the basket  5  ( FIG. 1 ) of a telescoping boom lift. There is an upper sliding clamp  9  ( FIG. 2 ) and a lower sliding clamp  10 . On the bottom of the post  7  there is a ½ inch diameter by one inch long steel pin  11  that keys the foot of the post  7  into the steel mesh floor  6  ( FIG. 1 ) of the basket  5  on the telescoping boom lift. 
         [0005]    Each of the sliding clamps ( FIG. 3 ) consists of:
       A slider body  14  which can be moved up and down the post  7  to align it with the railing  4  as shown in  FIG. 1 .   A four inch long steel angle  15 , welded on perpendicular to the slider body  14 , that can be hooked over the railing  4 .   A T-bolt support  16  which has one end welded to the slider body  14 . The other end protrudes beyond the railing  4  and is drilled and tapped to receive the threaded T-bolt  17 .   A T-bolt  17  that threads through the T-bolt support  16  and can be tightened against the railing  4 , clamping the railing  4  against the slider body  14  and the steel angle  15  as shown in  FIG. 1 .       
 
         [0010]    In recent years some of the manufacturers of telescoping boom lifts have begun putting steel mesh side walls on the baskets of their lifts. The steel mesh is welded onto the outside surface of the lower railing, and extends down to the basket floor. This steel mesh keeps the lower sliding clamp from fitting onto the lower railing. The steel mesh prevents the T-bolt and T-bolt support from passing under the railing and achieving the required position for attachment to the railing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art candlestick condor mount supporting a motion picture light in the basket of a telescoping boom lift; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prior art candlestick condor mount and safety cable; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a more detailed perspective view of the prior art sliding clamp and post shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a candlestick condor mount according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is a more detailed perspective view of the sliding clamp and post shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5B  is similar to  FIG. 5A , but shows a portion of the slider body and pivoting jaw cut away to permit viewing of the pressure plate, bolt and compression spring. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are a side elevation view and a rear elevation view, respectively, of the slider body shown in  FIG. 4 , including the hinge tube and steel angle. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    An improved candlestick condor mount  19  ( FIG. 4 ) employs a new design for the sliding clamps  20 . The mount  19  is suitable for use in mounting a motion picture lamp to a rail  4  of a boom lift in a manner similar to that shown for the prior art mount  2  in  FIG. 1 . However, the clamp  20  has been improved to simplify its overall use and to facilitate its use on boom lifts on which the rails are surrounded by mesh side walls. 
         [0019]    The sliding clamp  20 , as shown in  FIG. 5A , includes a slider body  29  having a rail contacting member  30 . Slider body  29  may be similar to the slider body of a traditional candlestick condor mount. The rail contacting member  30  may take a number of forms but is preferably an angled plate such as the four inch steel angle used on the prior art clamp described in connection with  FIGS. 1-3 . Clamp  20  differs from the prior art clamp in that, in place of the T-bolt  17  and T-bolt support  16 , the clamp  20  employs a pivoting jaw  31 . This jaw  31  hinges up to clamp the railing  4  against the slider body  29  and the steel angle  30 . The pivoting jaw  31  does not extend beyond the railing  4 , so the steel mesh side wall does not interfere with the operation of the jaw  31 . 
         [0020]    The pivoting jaw  31  hinges on the hinge tube  37  ( FIGS. 6A and 6B ) which is welded to the slider body  29 . A clevis pin  32  passes through a hole in each side of the jaw  31  and through the hinge tube  37 . Pressure is applied to the railing by means of a lock knob  33  coupled to a bolt  33   a  which passes through a threaded hole  34  near the top end of the jaw  31 . In the illustrated embodiment, the threaded bolt  34  is the bore of a nut  34   a  fixed to the jaw in a position co-extensive with a first aperture through the jaw  31  and a second aperture  29   a  through the slider body  29  ( FIG. 6B ). Bolt  33   a  passes through each of these apertures. When the lock knob  33  is tightened, the top end of the jaw  31  travels on the threads of the bolt  33   a  away from the slider body  29  as indicated by arrow A 1  in  FIG. 5A . As a result, the jaw  31  pivots on the hinge tube  37  (arrow A 2 ), causing a second rail contacting member, which may take the form of the jaw face  35  to pivot upwardly (arrow A 3 ) and contact the rail  4 . Further tightening of the lock knob  33  clamps the railing  4  between the jaw face  35 , the slider body  29  and the steel angle  30 . Thus the lower sliding clamp  20  can be clamped to the lower railing, even with the steel mesh side wall. 
         [0021]    Other improvements of this new candlestick condor mount over previous embodiments will next be described. 
         [0022]    A first such improvement is a feature that gives the mount  19  safety benefits over prior art mounts. On previous candlestick condor mounts, when the lock knob  18  ( FIG. 3 ) on a sliding clamp  9 , 10  is loose, the sliding clamp  9 ,  10  can “free fall” down the post  7  and impact the hand of the user. The new embodiment of the sliding clamp, as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , has a spring loaded pressure plate  36  between the slider body  29  and the post  27 . Referring to the cut-away view of  FIG. 5B , there is a compression spring  39  between the pressure plate  36  and the inside of the slider body  29  that pushes the pressure plate  36  against the post  27 . Thus the pressure plate  36  creates resistance to the movement of the sliding clamp  20  along the post  27 , and prevents free fall. Compression spring  39  sits in a recess  39   a  in the slider body  29  ( FIG. 6B ). 
         [0023]    A second such improvement makes attaching the mount  19  faster and easier than it was with previous mounts. The bolt  33   a  of lock knob  33  on the new sliding clamp ( FIG. 5 ) passes through a hole in the slider body  29  and presses against the back of the pressure plate  36 , forcing it against the post  27 . Tightening the lock knob  33  locks the sliding clamp  20  in position on the post  27 , and tightens the sliding clamp  20  onto the railing  4  at the same time. The one knob  33  does the job of both the T-bolt  17  and the lock knob  18  on the traditional candlestick condor mount. Locking of the clamp against the post and clamping of the rails may occur simultaneously or sequentially depending on the dimensions selected for the components of the clamp. In other words, in one embodiment the components may be proportioned such that turning the knob  33  first locks the longitudinal position of the clamp on the post, and then continued rotation of the knob  33  secures the rail between the rail contacting members  30 ,  35 . In other embodiment, turning the knob  33  will simultaneously lock the longitudinal position of the clamp and secure the rail between the rail contacting members  30 ,  35 . A third such improvement ensures that an important piece of safety equipment will be where it needs to be each time the mount is used. The safety cable  12  ( FIG. 2 ) and connecting shackle  13  supplied with previous candlestick condor mounts were not attached to the mount. The safety cable  12  and shackle  13  are often misplaced or lost while stored between usages. On this new embodiment of the candlestick condor mount the safety cable  21  ( FIG. 4 ) is secured to the post  27  by a metal ring  22 . The quick link  23 , which is used to connect the two ends of the cable, has no detachable parts and is attached to the cable by a nylon tie. 
       Operation 
       [0024]    The mount  19  ( FIG. 4 ) is positioned vertically just inside the railing of the aerial lift, with the junior receiver  25  on the top and the pin  26  on the bottom as is done with prior art mounts (see e.g. mount  2  of  FIG. 1 ). The upper sliding clamp  20  is applied to the upper railing, and the bottom sliding clamp  20  is applied to the lower railing. In each case this is accomplished by hooking the steel angle  30  over the respective railing. If the floor of the aerial lift is steel mesh, as in  FIG. 1 , the pin  26  on the bottom of the post  27  is allowed to drop into one of the open spaces in the steel mesh. Then the lock knob  33  on each of the sliding clamps  20  is tightened until the jaw face  35  clamps the railing tightly against the slider body  29  and the steel angle  30 . At the same time the lock knob  33  presses the pressure plate  36  against the post  27 , locking the sliding clamp  20  in place on the post  27 . Then a motion picture light  1  ( FIG. 1 ) is lifted up and the light&#39;s junior pin  3  is inserted into the junior receiver  25 . The securing knob  28  is tightened, locking the junior pin  3  in the junior receiver  25 , thereby securing the motion picture light  1  to the candlestick condor mount, which is in turn clamped to the railings of the aerial lift. The safety cable  21  is passed under the top railing and then over the bail of the light (the semi circular support that connects the junior pin  3  to the sides of the motion picture light  1 ). The two ends of the safety cable  21  are joined by the quick link  23 . This cable serves as a safety net should the light somehow break free of the mount. 
         [0025]    It should be recognized that a number of variations of the above-identified embodiment will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments and methods of the present invention shown and described herein. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims and their equivalents. 
       REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  motion picture light 
           2  traditional candlestick condor mount 
           3  junior pin 
           4  railing 
           5  basket of telescoping boom lift 
           6  steel mesh floor of basket 
           7  traditional candlestick post 
         8 traditional candlestick junior receiver 
           9  traditional candlestick upper sliding clamp 
           10  traditional candlestick lower sliding clamp 
           11  traditional candlestick pin 
           12  traditional candlestick safety cable 
           13  traditional candlestick connecting shackle 
           14  traditional sliding clamp slider body 
           15  traditional sliding clamp steel angle 
           16  traditional sliding clamp T-bolt support 
           17  traditional sliding clamp T-bolt 
           18  traditional sliding clamp lock knob 
           19  condor mount 
           20  sliding clamp 
           21  safety cable 
           22  safety cable retaining ring 
           23  safety cable quick link 
           24  safety cable quick link nylon tie 
           25  junior receiver 
           26  pin 
           27  post 
           28  securing knob 
           29  slider body 
           30  rail contacting member/angle 
           31  pivoting jaw 
           32  clevis pin 
           33  new sliding clamp lock knob 
           33  a bolt 
           34  threaded hole 
           34  a nut 
           35  rail contacting member/jaw face 
           36  pressure plate 
           37  hinge tube 
           39  compression spring