Telescoping mast with integral payload

Abstract

In an integrated telescoping mast-payload assembly, the payload forms the top telescoping section.

Having described the invention in such terms as to enable those skilled in the art to make and use it and having identified the presently known and preferred best modes thereof, I claim:  
     
       1. In a telescoping mast assembly, including: 
       a plurality of nesting, telescoping mast sections, including a top section and at least one lower section, each of said sections having upper and lower ends, and  
       means for extending and retracting each of said sections relative to the next-lower section,  
       the improvement comprising: 
       a payload, located only in said top section,  
       said top section, including said payload, being dimensioned to be received and nest within the next-lower section,  
       at least a portion of said payload being received within said next-lower section when said top section is fully retracted,  
       such that said next-lower section provides protection for said payload when said top section is fully retracted,  
       said payload being a member of the group consisting of radio antennas, lights, instrumentation and telemetry packages for robotic vehicles, television cameras, antenna rotators, preamplifiers, radiation sensors and electronic and electro-mechanical instrument packages.  
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1  mounted on a vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , in which said payload is an antenna for electromagnetic energy. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , in which said lower section is radiopaque. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1  which further includes: 
       (a) a transmission line cable for transmitting a signal to or from said payload; and  
       (b) a sub-assembly for stowing and dispensing said cable when said mast assembly is retracted and extended.  
     
     
       6. A telescoping mast- payload assembly for reducing the retracted height of a mast - payload assembly and for providing protection of a payload when said mast - payload assembly is fully retracted, said mast - payload assembly comprising:    
       ( a )  a telescoping mast component extending and retracting along the mast's longitudinal axis defining a mast axis, said telescoping mast component comprising:    
       
         a telescoping mast, adapted to telescope upwardly along said mast axis to an extended position and to telescope downwardly along said mast axis to a retracted position, said telescoping mast comprising:  
       
       
         a fixed bottom section being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving a next higher mast section;  
       
       
         a plurality of extending and retracting intermediate mast sections, each section having upper and lower ends and being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving the next higher mast section; and  
       
       
         an extending and retracting payload section defining the top section of said telescoping mast, said payload section shaped and dimensioned to be telescopically received within the hollow region of the uppermost section of said intermediate sections;  
       
       
         said intermediate support sections and said payload section being constructed to telescopically retract along said mast axis within the hollow region of the next lower mast section and to telescopically extend along said mast axis above the next lower mast section, said plurality of intermediate support sections supporting said payload section when said mast is extended to said extended position and receiving and protecting said payload section when said top section is fully retracted; and  
       
       ( b )  a payload component of said assembly forming at least a portion of said payload section and being located only in said payload section, said payload component being shaped and dimensioned to extend along said mast axis to be supported above the next - lower support section when said mast - payload assembly is extended to said extended position and to retract along said mast axis and to be at least partially received and protected within said intermediate support sections when said mast is fully retracted.    
     
     
       7. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 6    wherein the payload is a member of the group consisting of radio antennas, lights, television cameras, antenna rotators, preamplifiers, radiation sensors, instrumentation and telemetry packages for robotic vehicles, and electronic and electro - mechanical instrument packages.    
     
     
       8. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 6    wherein the payload is a radio antenna.    
     
     
       9. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 8    being mounted on a vehicle.    
     
     
       10. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 6    being mounted on a vehicle.    
     
     
       11. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 6   , further including motor drive means for extending and retracting said payload section and said intermediate support sections relative to said bottom section.    
     
     
       12. A telescoping mast- payload assembly for reducing the retracted height of a mast - payload assembly and for providing protection of a payload when said mast - payload assembly is fully retracted, said mast - payload assembly comprising:    
       ( a )  a telescoping mast component extending and retracting along the mast's longitudinal axis defining a mast axis, said telescoping mast component comprising:    
       
         a telescoping mast, adapted to telescope upwardly along said mast axis to an extended position and to telescope downwardly along said mast axis to a retracted position, said telescoping mast comprising:  
       
       
         a fixed bottom section being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving a next higher mast section;  
       
       
         a plurality of extending and retracting intermediate mast sections, each section having upper and lower ends and being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving the next higher mast section; and  
       
       
         an extending and retracting payload section defining the top section of said telescoping mast, said payload section shaped and dimensioned to be telescopically received within the hollow region of the uppermost section of said intermediate sections;  
       
       
         said intermediate support sections and said payload section being constructed to telescopically retract along said mast axis within the hollow region of the next lower mast section and to telescopically extend along said mast axis above the next lower mast section, said plurality of intermediate support sections supporting said payload section when said mast is extended to said extended position and receiving and protecting said payload section when said mast is fully retracted;  
       
       ( b )  a payload component of said assembly forming at least a portion of said payload section and being located only in said payload section, said payload section being shaped and dimensioned to extend along said mast axis to be supported above the next - lower support section, when said mast - payload assembly is extended to said extended position and to retract along said mast axis and to be at least partially received and protected within said intermediate support sections when said mast is fully retracted; and    
       ( c )  motor drive means for extending and retracting said payload section and said intermediate support sections relative to said bottom section.    
     
     
       13. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 12    wherein the payload is a member of the group consisting of radio antennas, lights, television cameras, antenna rotators, preamplifiers, radiation sensors, instrumentation and telemetry packages for robotic vehicles, and electronic and electro - mechanical instrument packages.    
     
     
       14. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 13    being mounted on a vehicle.    
     
     
       15. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 13    wherein the payload is a radio antenna.    
     
     
       16. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 15    being mounted on a vehicle.    
     
     
       17. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 12    further comprising:    
       
         a transmission line cable for transmitting a signal to or from said payload; and  
       
       
         a subassembly for stowing and dispensing said cable when said mast assembly is retracted and extended.  
       
     
     
       18. A vehicular mounted telescoping mast- payload assembly for reducing the retracted height of a mast - payload assembly and for providing protection of a payload when said mast - payload assembly is fully retracted, said mast - payload assembly comprising:    
       ( a )  a telescoping mast component extending and retracting along the mast's longitudinal axis defining a mast axis, said telescoping mast component comprising:    
       
         a telescoping mast, adapted to telescope upwardly along said mast axis to an extended position and to telescope downwardly along said mast axis to retracted position, said mast comprising:  
       
       
         a fixed bottom section being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving a next higher mast section;  
       
       
         an extending and retracting intermediate mast section, said section having an upper and lower end and being shaped and dimensioned to include a hollow region for telescopically receiving a next higher mast section; and  
       
       
         an extending and retracting payload section defining the top section of said telescoping mast, said payload section shaped and dimensioned to be telescopically received within the hollow region of the uppermost section;  
       
       
         said intermediate support sections and said payload section being constructed to telescopically retract along said mast axis within the hollow region of the next lower mast section and to telescopically extend along said mast axis above the next lower mast section, said intermediate support section supporting said payload section when said mast is extended to said extended position and receiving and protecting said payload section when said mast is fully retracted;  
       
       ( b )  a payload component of said assembly forming at least a portion of said payload section and being located only in said payload section, said payload component being shaped and dimensioned to extend along said mast axis to be supported above the next - lower support section when said mast - payload assembly is extended to said extended position and to retract along said mast axis and to be at least partially received and protected within said intermediate support section when said mast is fully retracted; and    
       ( c )  attachment means for attaching said bottom section to a vehicle.    
     
     
       19. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 18    wherein the payload is a member of the group consisting of radio antennas, lights, television cameras, antenna rotators, preamplifiers, radiation sensors, instrumentation and telemetry packages for robotic vehicles, and electronic and electro - mechanical instrument packages.    
     
     
       20. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 19    further comprising:    
       
         a transmission line cable for transmitting a signal to or from said payload; and  
       
       
         a subassembly for stowing and dispensing said cable when said mast assembled is retracted and extended.  
       
     
     
       21. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 18    wherein the payload is a radio antennae.    
     
     
       22. The telescoping mast- payload assembly of    claim 18   , further including motor drive means for extending and retracting said payload section and said intermediate support section relative to said bottom section.