Equipment deployment method and apparatus

1. A method for deploying assemblies of equipment, comprising the steps of:

providing an assembly of equipment comprising remotely-operable means for securing the assembly to an upright pole when the assembly is located at an elevated position;

providing a remotely-operable, motorised carriage detachably mounted to the pole;

attaching the motorised carriage to the pole;

remotely operating the motorised carriage for raising the assembly to said elevated position;

operating the securing means of the assembly for securing the assembly to the pole at said elevated position;

operating the motorised carriage to move away from the assembly and for descending the pole, so that the assembly remains secured to the pole at said elevated position; and,

detaching the motorised carriage from the pole.

2. An apparatus for deploying assemblies of equipment, comprising:

a first part provided as an assembly of equipment comprising remotely-operable means for securing the assembly to an upright pole when the assembly is located at an elevated position on the pole; and,

a second part provided as a remotely-operable, motorised carriage detachably mounted to the pole, wherein the motorised carriage is operable for raising the assembly to, and lowering the assembly from, said elevated position with the motorised carriage being movable away from the assembly when the assembly is located at the elevated position and is secured to the pole using the remotely operable means, for allowing the carriage to descend and be detached from the pole.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the motorised carriage comprises a traction unit for mounting substantially on one side of the pole, the traction unit being held in contact with the pole by at least one pair of opposed arms, the two arms of the or each pair being pivotally mounted to, and extending forwards from the traction unit on either side of the pole, the distal ends of the two arms being biassed towards one-another and towards the traction unit to urge respective rollers, provided at each of those ends, into contact with the pole.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the traction unit is held in contact with the pole by an upper pair and a lower pair of opposed arms.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the motorised carriage is arranged such that, when fitted to a cylindrical pole of a given radius, the two rollers of the or each pair of arms extend substantially radially from the surface of the pole.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the traction unit comprises at least one pair of pole-engaging wheels having coplanar axes of rotation, at least one of the wheels being a drive wheel.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the two wheels of the or each pair are arranged to rotate in adjacent, parallel planes to engage the pole on either side of its central longitudinal axis.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the opposed peripheral edges of the two wheels are bevelled to present respective tangential drive surfaces to a cylindrical pole.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the two wheels of the or each pair are arranged to rotate in respective planes extending substantially radially from the surface of a cylindrical pole of a given radius.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the traction unit comprises at least an upper and a lower pale-engaging wheel, at least one of the wheels being a drive wheel.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the traction unit comprises an upper pair and a lower pair of pole engaging wheels.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the distal end of each arm is biassed into contact with the pole by a respective tensioning device, which is pivotally connected between the traction unit and the arm.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the assembly comprises a skate for mounting substantially on one side of the pole, the skate being held in contact with the pole by at least one pair of opposed arms, the two arms of the or each pair being pivotally mounted to, and extending forwards from the skate on either side of the pole, the distal ends of the two arms being biassed towards one-another and towards the skate to urge respective rollers, provided at each of those ends, into contact with the pole.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the skate Is held in contact with the pole by an upper pair and a lower pair of opposed arms.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the assembly is arranged such that, when fitted to a cylindrical pole of a given radius, the two rollers of the or each pair of arms extend substantially radially from the surface of the pole.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the skate comprises at least one pair of free-rolling, pole-engaging wheels having coplanar axes of rotation.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the two wheels of each pair are arranged to rotate in adjacent, parallel planes to engage the pole on either side of its central longitudinal axis.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the opposed peripheral edges of the two wheels are bevelled to present respective tangential surfaces to a cylindrical pole.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the two wheels of the or each pair are arranged to rotate in respective planes extending substantially radially from the surface of a cylindrical pole of a given radius.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the skate comprises at least an upper and a lower pole-engaging wheel.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the skate comprises an upper pair and a lower pair of pole engaging wheels.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the distal end of each arm is biassed into contact with the pole by a respective tensioning device, which is pivotally connected between the skate and the arm.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the skate is weighted to counter-balance the weight of equipment supported on the opposite side of the pole.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said securing means comprise a clamping member arranged to be driven against the opposite side of the pole to the skate.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said securing means comprise at least one pole engaging device, the, or each, pole engaging device being operated by an electrical actuator.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the, or each, electrical actuator is powered by a battery carried by the skate.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26 , wherein said battery provides a counter-balance weight for equipment supported on the opposite side of the pole.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25 , wherein said electrical actuator is supplied with power via an electrical connection, formed between the carriage and the platform when the two parts are in contact with one another.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the, or each, actuator comprises a linear actuator.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 , wherein said linear actuator comprises a solenoid for displacing a respective clamping member away from the pole surface.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 , wherein said linear actuator comprises a screw for driving a respective clamping member towards, or away from, the surface of the pole.

32. An assembly of equipment to be raised and lowered by a motorised carriage, the assembly comprising remotely-operable means for securing the assembly to an upright pole at an elevated position independently of the motorised carriage, for allowing the assembly to remain in situ at said elevated position as the motorised carriage is lowered and moved away from the assembly.

33. An assembly as claimed in claim 32 , comprising a skate for mounting substantially on one side of the pole, the skate being held in contact with the pole by at least one pair or opposed arms, the two arms of the or each pair being pivotally mounted to, and extending forwards from the skate on either side of the pole, the distal ends of the two arms being biassed towards one-another and towards the skate to urge respective rollers, provided at each of those ends, into contact with the pole.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the skate is held in contact with the pole by an upper pair and a lower pair or opposed arms.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the assembly is arranged such that, when fitted to a cylindrical pole of a given radius, the two rollers of the or each pair of arms extend substantially radially from the surface of the pole.

36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the skate comprises at least one pair of free-rolling, pole-engaging wheels having coplanar axes of rotation.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 36 , wherein the two wheels of each pair are arranged to rotate in adjacent, parallel planes to engage the pole on either side of its central longitudinal axis.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37 , wherein the opposed peripheral edges of the two wheels are bevelled to present respective tangential surfaces to a cylindrical pole.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 36 , wherein the two wheels of the or each pair are arranged to rotate in respective planes extending substantially radially from the surface of a cylindrical pole of a given radius.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the skate comprises at least an upper and a lower pole-engaging wheel.

41. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the skate comprises an upper pair and a lower pair of pole engaging wheels.

42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the distal end of each arm is biassed into contact with the pole by a respective tensioning device, which is pivotally connected between the skate and the arm.

43. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the skate is weighted to counter-balance the weight of equipment supported on the opposite side of the pole.

44. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 , wherein said securing means comprise a clamping member arranged to be driven against the opposite side of the pole to the skate.

45. An apparatus as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said securing means comprise at least one pole engaging device, the or each pole engaging device being operated by an electrical actuator.

46. An apparatus as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the or each electrical actuator is powered by a battery carried by the skate.

47. An apparatus as claimed in claim 46 , wherein said battery provides a counter-balance weight for equipment supported on the opposite side of the pole.

48. An apparatus as claimed in claim 45 , wherein said electrical actuator is supplied with power via an electrical connection, formed between the carriage and the platform when the two parts are in contact with one another.

49. An apparatus as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the or each actuator comprises a linear actuator.

50. An apparatus as claimed in claim 49 , wherein said linear actuator comprises a solenoid arranged to displace a respective clamping member (normally biassed into contact with the surface of the pole) away from the pole surface.

51. An apparatus as claimed in claim 49 , wherein said linear actuator comprises a screw arranged to drive a respective clamping member towards or away from the surface of the pole.

52. An apparatus for deploying an assembly of equipment, the apparatus comprising a motorised carriage having a traction unit for mounting substantially on one side of an upright pole, the traction unit being held in contact with the pole by at least one pair of opposed arms, the two arms of the or each pair being pivotally mounted to, and extending forwards from the traction unit on either side of the pole, the distal ends of the two arms being biassed towards one-another and towards the traction unit to urge respective rollers, provided at each of those ends, into contact with the pole, said apparatus being operable for moving up and down the pole independently of the assembly of equipment.

53. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the traction unit is held in contact with the pole by an upper pair and a lower pair of opposed arms.

54. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the motorised carriage is arranged such that, when fitted to a cylindrical pole of a given radius, the two rollers of the or each pair of arms extend substantially radially from the surface of the pole.

55. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the traction unit comprises at least one pair of pole-engaging wheels having coplanar axes or rotation, at least one of the wheels being a drive wheel.

56. An apparatus as claimed in claim 55 , wherein the two wheels of the, or each, pair rotate in adjacent, parallel planes for engaging the pole on either side of its central longitudinal axis.

57. An apparatus as claimed in claim 56 , wherein the opposed peripheral edges of the two wheels are bevelled for presenting respective tangential drive surfaces to a cylindrical pole.

58. An apparatus as claimed in claim 55 , wherein the two wheels of the, or each, pair rotate in respective planes extending substantially radially from the surface of a cylindrical pole of a given radius.

59. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the traction unit comprises at least an upper and a lower pole-engaging wheel, at least one of the wheels being a drive wheel.

60. An apparatus as claimed in claim 59 , wherein the traction unit comprises an upper pair and a lower pair of pole engaging wheels.

61. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the distal end of each arm is biassed into contact with the pole by a respective tensioning device, which is pivotally connected between the traction unit and the arm.