In order to address the difficulty of quickly and safely installing power lines on transmission towers, a transmission tower line attachment device (150) is provided for facilitating installation of a line (180) on a hanging sheave (100). The line attachment device (150) comprises a first guide arm (152) and an upper frame (154) spaced from the first guide arm (152). The upper frame (154) defines a throat (156) between the first guide arm (152) and the upper frame (154). A resilient first gate (158) is arranged at an outer end of the upper frame (154) between the upper frame (154) and the first guide arm (152) and is adapted to open inwardly into the throat (156) in response to an external force and to close when the external force is removed. The line attachment device (150) is adapted to be mounted on the hanging sheave (100) at an inner end of the upper frame (154) and first guide arm (20).
H02G 1/04 - Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing, or dismantling electric cables or lines for overhead lines or cables for mounting or stretching
A cable winch (100) for deploying and retracting a cable (50) during the installation of powerline cables on transmission towers. The cable winch (100) includes a base frame (102), a spool (110), a drive system (120), a sensor system (200), and a control system (300). The spool (110) is mounted for rotation on the base frame (102) and the cable (50) is releasably securable to the spool (110). The drive system (120) is able to drive rotation of the spool (110) to either pay out or wind in the cable (50) along a cable path. The cable path passes through the sensor system (200), which has a first sensor (244) able to detect and output tension data in relation to the tension in the cable (50) passing through the sensor system (200). The control system (300) is adapted to receive the tension data output by the sensor system (200) and modulate the speed and torque of the drive system (120) in order to maintain a predetermined tension in the cable (50).
B66D 1/50 - Control devices automatic for maintaining predetermined rope, cable, or chain tension, e.g. in ropes or cables for towing craft, in chains for anchorsWarping or mooring winch-cable tension control
H02G 1/04 - Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing, or dismantling electric cables or lines for overhead lines or cables for mounting or stretching
B66D 1/24 - Power transmissions between power sources and drums or barrels for varying speed, or reversing direction of rotation, of drums or barrels
A method for installing a line on a series of transmission towers is provided. A mobile winch (100) is provided with a first and second line sections (200, 202). The UAS (300) and mobile winch (100) are operated to deliver and install the first line section (200) to a first plurality of transmission towers (700) until the UAS reaches a second staging point. The mobile winch (100) and UAS (300) are moved to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of the transmission towers (702). The UAS (300) and mobile winch (100) are operated to deliver and install the second line section (202) to a further plurality of transmission towers (702) until the UAS reaches the second staging point. Finally, the first line section (200) is connected to the second line section (202).
There is provided a non-live wire mounted sensor module in the form of an earth wire mounted sensor module including a housing including a mounting means adapted to mount the module to an earth power line wire. The sensor module includes a processing unit in the form of a microprocessor and a physical sensor unit both supported by the housing. The sensor module includes a power supply coupled to the microprocessor and the physical sensor unit for supplying power to the microprocessor and physical sensor unit. The microprocessor is housed within the housing and also coupled to a communications unit also housed within the housing for facilitating external communication of output of the physical sensor unit.
B64U 101/30 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for imaging, photography or videography
B64U 101/35 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for science, e.g. meteorology
B64U 101/64 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting passengersUAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting goods other than weapons for parcel delivery or retrieval
B64U 60/30 - Undercarriages detachable from the body
G01D 21/02 - Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
G01J 5/00 - Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
G01W 1/02 - Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed
5.
LINE ATTACHMENT DEVICES AND METHODS FOR USE THEREOF
In order to address the difficulty of quickly and safely installing power lines on transmission towers, a transmission tower line attachment device (150) is provided for facilitating installation of a line (180) on a hanging sheave (100). The line attachment device (150) comprises a first guide arm (152) and an upper frame (154) spaced from the first guide arm (152). The upper frame (154) defines a throat (156) between the first guide arm (152) and the upper frame (154). A resilient first gate (158) is arranged at an outer end of the upper frame (154) between the upper frame (154) and the first guide arm (152) and is adapted to open inwardly into the throat (156) in response to an external force and to close when the external force is removed. The line attachment device (150) is adapted to be mounted on the hanging sheave (100) at an inner end of the upper frame (154) and first guide arm (20).
H02G 1/02 - Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing, or dismantling electric cables or lines for overhead lines or cables
H02G 7/20 - Spatial arrangements or dispositions of lines or cables on poles, posts or towers
B64C 39/02 - Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
A cable winch (100) for deploying and retracting a cable (50) during the installation of powerline cables on transmission towers. The cable winch (100) includes a base frame (102), a spool (110), a drive system (120), a sensor system (200), and a control system (300). The spool (110) is mounted for rotation on the base frame (102) and the cable (50) is releasably securable to the spool (110). The drive system (120) is able to drive rotation of the spool (110) to either pay out or wind in the cable (50) along a cable path. The cable path passes through the sensor system (200), which has a first sensor (244) able to detect and output tension data in relation to the tension in the cable (50) passing through the sensor system (200). The control system (300) is adapted to receive the tension data output by the sensor system (200) and modulate the speed and torque of the drive system (120) in order to maintain a predetermined tension in the cable (50).
H02G 1/02 - Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing, or dismantling electric cables or lines for overhead lines or cables
B66D 1/14 - Power transmissions between power sources and drums or barrels
H02P 27/08 - Arrangements or methods for the control of AC motors characterised by the kind of supply voltage using variable-frequency supply voltage, e.g. inverter or converter supply voltage using DC to AC converters or inverters with pulse width modulation
B66D 1/38 - Guiding, or otherwise ensuring winding in an orderly manner, of ropes, cables, or chains by means of guides movable relative to drum or barrel
B66D 1/50 - Control devices automatic for maintaining predetermined rope, cable, or chain tension, e.g. in ropes or cables for towing craft, in chains for anchorsWarping or mooring winch-cable tension control
A method for installing a line on a series of transmission towers is provided. A mobile winch (100) is provided with a first and second line sections (200, 202). The UAS (300) and mobile winch (100) are operated to deliver and install the first line section (200) to a first plurality of transmission towers (700) until the UAS reaches a second staging point. The mobile winch (100) and UAS (300) are moved to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of the transmission towers (702). The UAS (300) and mobile winch (100) are operated to deliver and install the second line section (202) to a further plurality of transmission towers (702) until the UAS reaches the second staging point. Finally, the first line section (200) is connected to the second line section (202).
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