1. A reaching aid apparatus comprising:
a main frame;
a first handle including L-shape brackets attached to a first end of the main frame;
a first lever disposed between the brackets and pivotally attached thereto, the first lever having a first end defining a second handle, the first end of the first lever being located on a first side of the main frame;
a second lever pivotally attached to the main frame and extending out from a second side of the main frame opposite said first side of the main frame;
a linking member located on the second side of the main frame and pivotally attached at a second end of the first lever and pivotally attached to the second lever; and
a biasing member connected to the main frame and the first lever;
the second lever and a second end of the main frame providing contact surfaces of the apparatus for grabbing, lifting and holding objects held there between.
2. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 including brackets attached to opposite sides of the first end of the main frame.
3. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the linking member includes a non-linear configuration.
4. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first lever includes an attachment member for receiving the biasing member in releasable attachment thereto.
5. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second lever and the second end of the main frame include grabbing elements attached thereto.
6. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 5 wherein the grabbing elements include serrations.
7. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the biasing member is a coiled spring.
8. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second handle includes an outer gripping surface.
9. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first lever includes a length about thirty percent the length of the reaching aid apparatus.
10. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 1 further including a third handle attached to the main frame.
11. A reaching aid apparatus comprising:
a main frame;
a first handle including L-shape brackets attached to a first end of the main frame;
a first lever disposed between the brackets and pivotally attached thereto, the first lever having a first end terminating on a first side of the main frame and a second end terminating on an opposite second side of the main frame, the first end of the first lever defining a second handle;
a second lever pivotally attached to the main frame and extending out from the second side of the main frame;
a linking member having a first end pivotally attached at the second end of the first lever and a second end pivotally attached to the second lever; and
a biasing member connected to the main frame and the first lever;
the second end of the main frame defining a first contact surface and the second lever defining a second contact surface pivotal from an open position apart from the main frame to a closed position near the main frame, the first and second contact surfaces being operationally configured to grab objects there between.
12. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first lever includes a length about forty-two percent the length of the linking member.
13. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 11 wherein the distance between the second end of the main frame and a distal end of the second lever in said open position is about thirty percent the length of the reaching aid apparatus.
14. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second end of the main frame and the second lever are operationally configured to receive one or more interchangeable attachment members in attachment thereto.
15. The reaching aid apparatus of claim 11 wherein the reaching aid apparatus is operationally configured to grab, lift and hold one or more objects totaling a weight about ten times the weight of the reaching aid apparatus.
16. A reaching aid system comprising:
an apparatus having grabbing elements for securing one or more objects there between, the apparatus including (1) a main frame having a first end and a second end, the second end providing a first grabbing element; (2) a first handle including L-shape brackets attached to a first end of the main frame, the first handle extending out from the main frame on a first side of the main frame; (3) a first lever disposed between the brackets of the first handle and pivotally attached to the brackets; (4) a second lever pivotally attached to the main frame and extending out from a second side of the main frame opposite said first side, the second lever providing a second grabbing element; (5) a linking member on said second side of the main frame, the linking member being pivotally attached to the first lever and pivotally attached to the second lever; and (6) a biasing member connected to the main frame and the first lever; and
one or more interchangeable attachment members securable to the main frame and the second lever, the attachment members providing first and second grabbing elements for securing one or more objects there between.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the second end of the main frame and the second lever are operationally configured to receive the one or more interchangeable attachment members in slip-on attachment.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multiple fixture lighting system for an activity area such: as an athletic field comprising:
at least one lighting fixture array disposed proximate the area to direct light onto the area;
said array comprising a plurality of fixtures containing high-intensity, electronically ballasted lamps and being mounted on a support;
said array further comprising a plurality of multi-level intensity controls for array wherein each intensity control is connected to at least one individual fixture and is capable of providing multiple operating intensity levels in relatively small intensity increments;
said array further comprising a plurality of light level sensors equal in number to the number of fixtures in the array wherein each sensor is associated with an individual fixture and capable of producing a signal related to the light intensity being produced at any given time by the lamp in said fixture;
a command center located proximate the area for selectively activating all of the fixtures in the array at selected nominal intensity levels within an available range of relatively large intensity increments; and
a logic system associated with the array and connected to receive individual fixture intensity signals from said sensors and operative to adjust individual intensity controls in relatively small intensity increments between said nominal incremental levels as necessary to achieve substantially uniform light outputs from all of the fixtures in the array.
2. A system as defined in claim 1 further including a radio link between the command center and the logic system for selecting the nominal intensity level.
3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said radio link is bi-directional and carries information identifying each fixture in the array.
4. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said logic means is capable of conveying a signal to said command center identifying an individual fixture which is producing no light output.
5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said nominal intensity levels include a first relatively low intensity nominal level associated, with one type of activity, a second relatively higher intensity level associated with another type of activity and a third relatively higher level associated with still another type of activity.
6. A system as defined in claim 1 further including a remote command center and a radio link between said remote command center and said command center located, proximate the area.
7. A lighting system for an athletic field, comprising:
a plurality of lighting fixture clusters-arranged around the field to direct light onto the field;
each of said, clusters comprising a plurality of fixtures containing high-intensity ballasted are lamps mounted on a support, each fixture having an associated electronically variable ballast;
each of said clusters further comprising a plurality of multi-level intensity controls equal in number to the number of fixtures in the cluster wherein each intensity control is connected to an individual fixture for providing a relatively large number of closely spaced incremental lighting levels;
each of said clusters further comprising a plurality of light level sensors equal in number to the number of fixtures in the cluster wherein each sensor is associated with an individual fixture for producing a signal related to the light intensity output by the lamps in the fixture;
a local command center located proximate the athletic field for selectively activating all of the fixtures in all of the clusters at each of several available nominal intensity levels spaced from one another by multiples of said relatively small intensity increments; and
a plurality of logic systems, each of said systems being associated with an individual cluster and being responsive to inputs from said command center for selecting a nominal intensity level and further responsive to individual fixture signals from said sensors for adjusting individual fixture intensity controls by way of said electronic ballasts in said relatively small increments as necessary to achieve substantial uniformity in the light output from all of the fixtures in the clusters.
8. A system as defined in claim 7 further including a radio link between the local command center and each of said logic systems.