US1819768A - Flag clamp for poles - Google Patents

Description

'F. w. COFFING FLAG-CLAMP on POLES Aug. 18, 1931.

Filed Jan. 9, 1931 INVEN TOR. FRED/76K 14 C'OFF/NG.

ATTOR NEYJ.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES FREDRI'GK w. COFFING, or rnnavsvrttn, INDIANA FLAG cLA P sou rou es Application filed. January 9, 1931. Serial 110,507,563.

This invention relates to a flag clamp for poles.

In many municipalities and some States, it is a. requirement that poles or elongated pipes, and the like, which project rearwardly beyond the end of the vehicle supporting the same,beprovided with a red or warning flag. Heretofore, it has been the practice to tie a red flag to one of such projectingportions. These connections become readily separable and the flags are lost, or, if the flags are nailed to poles, such as telegraph and telephone line poles, and the like, they will not stand very many nailings before the flag staffs are ruined.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a clamp for poles which is adapted to be readily applied to and detached from a pole and which will support a flag staff so thatthe flag may be used over and over, and the same may be quickly and readily attached to and detached from the pole by means of said clamp.

' The chief feature of the invention consists in the formation of the pole clamp for flag staff support which includes but few parts and these uniquely associated together for clamp lock mounting.

Other features of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description hereinafter set forth.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the clamp in unmounted position.

Fig. 2 is an end view of a clamp mounted upon a pole and supporting a flag thereon.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the device mounted on the pole and with the flag omitted.

In the drawings, 9 indicates a pole, or the like, 10 an enlongated base which is herein shown as a casting and includes a reinforcing edge defining wall 11, said wall adjacent one end being elevated as at 12. Intermediate the ends of the elongated base 10 and to one side thereof for handle clearance purposes, is a flag stafi' socket 13. This is tubular and includes a pair of aligned transverse openings 14, so that a pin, nail or other anchorage 15 may be'passed through the openings and through an opening 16 formed in'the staff 17 supporting flag 18. The end having the elevated enlarged ridge 12 is suitably slot- '55 ted as at 19. The opposite end'of the base supports a pair of upwardly extending spaced cars 20, aperturedas at21 to receive a hinge pin 22. Hingedly supported thereby and between said ears is a handle having the portion 23 and said handle has an approximate arc of movement of more than 180 degrees. The handle terminates in a gripping portion 24 and the length of the handle is such that when it is positioned so as to .overlie or overlap the base 10, the handle terminates short of the end of the recess 19 for clearance purposes, set forth hereinafter.

Intermediate the end of the handle and plvotally supported, the handle'is provided with an elongated hinge bearing 25 including a transverse opening 26 therein. A substantially U-shaped clip 27 has its ends turned inwardly as at 28 and seatable in said opening 26 of the' hinge forming bearing 7.5 forming a hingedly mounted loop. The loop 1s movable with the handle and when the handle is positioned so that it lies adjacent or in overlapping relation to the base 10, the loop straddles the ears 20 and by reason ofits over-center position tends to lock the handle adjacent the base through means hereinafter set forth. l a l Connected: tot-he loop is a coil spring 29 whichis not only extensible axially of the coils but also is bendable into curved formation, such as shown in Fig. 3, wherein it is illustrated as conformingto the outline of the supporting pole. A link chain 30 is sesured at one end to the springand its other 0 end is free. l

The base 10 is positioned upon the pole near the end'thereof' and the flag staff may be inserted in the socket 13 previous thereto or subsequently thereto, and in the former instance, the flag staff may be permanently'secured in the socket. The handle is removed from the overlapping position relative to the base and positioned as shown in Flg. 2. 'The' spring and chain are then passed around the pole or log and the chain is pulled taut and then the closest link is passed laterally through the slot 19 and the other link next succeeding and toward the free end is positioned transversely thereof and the side portions bear against the sides of the ridge 12 and lock the chain and the base to the pole in encircling relation. The handle thereupon is tilted upon its pivot clockwise into overlapping relation with the base, which initially takes up all the'slack in the chain and then extends the coil spring and at the same time that it extends the coil spring, it makes the coil spring conform to the outline of the log or pole. WVhen the handle lies in immediate overlapping rela tion to the base, the loop 27 straddles or nestingly receives the ears of the base and thus the spring cannot escape and move along the pole and the handle is locked, by the over-center arrangement and the spring tension, in the pole clamping position.

The invention claimed is c 1. A clamp for poles and the like suitable for article support purpose comprising a base, an article support portion thereon, flexible extensible means permanently connected at one end to end of the base and including a relatively free opposite end adjustably and detachably connected to the opposite end of the base, the base being included in'the pole encircling arrangement, and a lever pivotally supported at one end upon the base and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said flexible extensible means and for permanent connection of said means to said base, said, lever when positioned to overlap the base positioningthe pivotal connection of said means in overlapping relation, to base for imparting tension to said means, said lever when. tilted oppositely from the overlapping relation releasing the tension imparted to said means.

2. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted to receive a flag stafi, a handle pivotally supported by said base, a chain adjustably associated with the base for initially positioning the base on a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, said handle when positioned adj acent the base clampingly securing the base to the pole, said base including a slot for lateral reception of a chain link, and a transverse ridge terminating' adjacent said slot and upon said base and for co-operation with the next succeeding transverse link for chain anchorage upon the base.

3. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted to receive a flag stafl', a handle pivotally supported by said base, a chain adjustably associated with the base for'initi'ally positioning the base on a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, said handle when positioned adj acent the base' clampingly securing the base to the pole, said handle including a swivel bearing spaced from the handle pivotal support, and a loop swiveled therein and interposed between the handle and the yielding connection and arranged for over-center locking of the handle adjacent the base by co-operation with the pivotal support and the yielding connection. I

4. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted to receive a flag staff, a handle pivotally supported by said base, a chain adjustably associated with the base for initially positioning the base on a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, said handle when positioned adj acent the base clampingly securing the base to the pole, said base including a slot for lateral reception of a chain link, a transverse ridge terminating adjacent said slot and upon'said base and for co-operation with the next succeeding transverse link for chain anchorage uponthe base, said handle .in-. cluding a swivel bearing spaced firom the handle pivotal support, and a loopswiveled therein and interposed between the handle and the yielding connection and arranged for over-center locking of the handle adjacent the base'by co-operation with the pivotal support and the yielding connection.

5. A flag clamp for poles including a base, 7

a socket thereon adapted to receive a flag stafi, a handle pivotally supported by said base, an elongated coil spring, a connection between said handle and said coil spring and arranged for locking the handle when positioned adjacent the base through over-center locking and spring tension, and a chain connected at one end to the spring, said base having a co-oper-a-tive connection with any one of the links for initial encircling of a pole and interlockingly securing the chain to the base, said handle when positioned adjacent said base tensioning said spring for tautening said chain and securing said handle in the base over-lapping relation.

(3. A device as defined by claim 5, char acterized by the coil spring being of. considerable length and being laterally deform: able in the. clamping action to conform to the supporting pole outline.

7. A device as defined by claim 5, charac terized by the staff socket being. laterally offset upon the base and arranged for handle clearance. V Y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto alfixed my signature.

FREDRIGK w. 'OOFFING. j

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