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- Note the off-axis split on this Dream design. This allows an
OTA to sit safely in the rings (left side of drawing above) even
while the rings are in their open position and a German equatorial
mount is positioning the OTA horizontally, to one side of the
mount. This position of the mount allows the OTA to be lower
and more easily accessible. Rings split in a conventional way,
in the middle, will allow the OTA to fall out at this same mount
position. This design feature makes mounting the OTA inside the
rings safer and easier to handle than a conventional even split
ring arrangement. |
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- Opposite the hinge bar side are two thin, narrow plates which
will have three quick release handles on the bottom side. The
handles have not been drawn in yet because the customer's emphasis
was the OTA, not the rings. All three can be used for the tightest
grip on the OTA, or just the two outer handles can be used. These
also make attachment quick and easy. No bolts, nuts or washers
to fumble with or fall on the ground. No equipment is required
to tighten them down either. The handles, when locked down, fold
up into the 4" wide cavity below the thin plate. |
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- 4" diameter hole at the center of the base plate allows
for power and data cabling to pass through, if the mount has
this capability. |
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- Side panels with vertically oriented oval cutouts give the
rings added strength and rigidity yet the large diameter ovals
allow air to pass through. This prevents a thermal jacket effect
that would occur if the rings had solid walls without openings.
This also reduces weight, slightly. |
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- Custom bolt pattern on both the bottom and top mounting plates.
Top mounting plate is for an add-on guidescope. |
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- The entire part shown above is completely composites, carbon
fiber in this example. The only metal used would be in the quick
release mechanisms, which are very light themselves. |
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- Additional declination plate ribbing for even further rigidity,
as well as oval venting holes to allow air to pass through. See
the next page for an image showing these four ribs. |
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- Extreme light weight, very low CTE with very high strength
and rigidity. The CTE of these rings matches the CTE of the OTA
in this example. |
