AU2013204577B2 - Post support - Google Patents

Abstract

A post support including an elongate body having a ground engaging end and a post supporting end is disclosed. The body is formed of a moulded resilient material and includes an integrally moulded resilient member extending along the body for providing a biasing force to resist bending of the body. 142 ---- -- ----- 130 100 ,. -132 140 ------ - -iii ii ii iiiii- 110 '-141 ~---120 Figure 1

Description

1 POST SUPPORT PRIORITY DOCUMENTS [0001] The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2012904426 titled "POST SUPPORT" and filed on 10 October 2012. The content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a post support for signage or delineators. In a particular form, the present invention relates to a post support capable of flexing and reverting after a vehicle impact. BACKGROUND [0003] Posts that are capable of flexing and reverting after vehicle impact have a number of advantages over rigid posts in terms of both safety and reduced maintenance requirements. Examples range from planar elongate delineators made from flexible plastic or spring steel suitable as delineators to indicate the boundaries of road, pathways and the like to more heavy duty arrangements suitable for supporting a substantial weight such as a large sign and/or a post of greater length than a standard delineator. [0004] One example of a post support that is directed to these more heavy duty arrangements involves a steel coil spring arranged in an upright configuration that is pre-tensioned by one or more cables extending upwardly through the coil spring and with one end of the cable or cables fixed to the bottom of post support and in turn to the ground by the post anchorage arrangement and with the top end then fixed to a restraining cup that sits on top of the coil spring. By suitably tensioning these cables, an additional reverting force to the coil spring is provided as well as stiffening the coil spring to reduce potential vibration of the post under wind loads and the like. A hollow post arrangement may then be slid over and attached to the upright coil spring arrangement. [0005] Unfortunately, this type of coil spring post support arrangement suffers from a number of disadvantages. The first of these is that the metal coil spring, even when encased in an outer post, can cause significant damage on vehicle impact by virtue of the rigid material properties of the steel coil spring. Another problem is that if the coil spring is damaged then the spring and tensioning cable arrangement can become vulnerable to corrosion leading to the eventual failure of the reversion mechanism. If the spring becomes exposed after a vehicle impact then this can cause pinch injuries and the like to anyone who inadvertently handles the post. Another disadvantage is that the coil spring 2 arrangement is comprised of an assemblage of individual components resulting in increased costs to manufacture and maintain. [0006] It is against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed. [0007] Certain objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. SUMMARY [0008] In one aspect the invention may be said to reside in a post support including an elongate body having a ground engaging end and a post supporting end, the body formed of a moulded resilient material and including an integrally moulded resilient member extending along the body for providing a biasing force to resist bending of the body, wherein the resilient member is a coil spring terminating in a hook member at the post supporting end, and wherein the post supporting end includes an attachment bore hole to receive an attachment bolt for attachment of the post and further wherein the attachment bore hole extends through the hook member of the coil spring. [0009] In one form, the coil spring tapers from a larger diameter at the ground engaging end to a reduced diameter at the post supporting end. [0010] In one form, the post supporting end is formed as a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter. [0011] In one form, the ground engaging end is formed as a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter. [0012] In one form, the ground engaging end further incorporates a metal collar fitted to the reduced diameter portion of the ground engaging end. [0013] [This paragraph is intentionally blank] [0014] [This paragraph is intentionally blank] [0015] In one form, the moulded resilient material is polyurethane rubber. [0016] In a further aspect, the present invention accordingly provides a method of forming a revertible post support including: 3 arranging in a substantially vertical orientation a mould, the mould having an elongate cavity corresponding to the shape of the post support; suspending within the mould cavity a coil spring extending from a post supporting end to a ground engaging end of the post support, the coil spring terminating in a hook member at the post supporting end; filling the mould cavity with a mouldable resilient material to integrally mould the resilient member within the post support; and forming an attachment bore hole to receive an attachment bolt for attachment of a post at the post supporting end, wherein the attachment bore hole extends through the hook member of the coil spring. [0017] [This paragraph is intentionally blank] [0018] In another form, the mouldable resilient material is polyurethane rubber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0019] Illustrative embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: [0020] Figure 1 is a front view of a post support in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; [0021] Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the post support illustrated in Figure 1; and [0022] Figure 3 is a top view of the post support illustrated in Figure 1. [0023] In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0024] Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a post support 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Post support 100 includes an elongate body 110 of a generally cylindrical configuration having a ground engaging end 120 and a post supporting end 130. Body 110 is formed of moulded resilient material which in this illustrative embodiment is polyurethane rubber, although any sufficiently resilient mouldable material could be employed. [0025] Integrally moulded with the body 110 is a resilient member 140 which in this illustrative embodiment is a coil spring that functions to provide a biasing force to resist bending or flexing of body 3A 110. In other embodiments where it is not necessary that body 110 be able to flex omnidirectional or in all directions, resilient member 140 may be adapted for bending unidirectionally only, such as by being formed from a strip of spring steel or the like. [0026] Post supporting end 130 in this illustrative embodiment is formed as a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter providing a seating rim 131. Extending through post supporting end 130 is a bore or aperture 132. In use, post supporting end 130 is inserted into the end of a post (not shown) having at least a hollow end which in turn will seat on seating rim 131 and which will be secured to post support 100 by a bolt or the like extending through the post and bore 132. Ground engaging end 120 in this illustrative embodiment again includes a section of reduced diameter further incorporating a metal collar 121 which 4 in turn will engage with a ground socket (not shown). In alternate attachment arrangements a ground engaging spike or surface mounting plate may depend from the collar 121. [0027] In this illustrative embodiment, the top end 142 of coil spring 140 extends into the post supporting end 130 of body 110 with the bottom end 143 terminating immediately above the ground engaging end 120 of body 110. As the coil spring 140 is held statically within body 110 it will extend and go into tension as body 110 is flexed or bent providing a biasing force disposed to cause body 110 to revert back to an upright position. In this exemplary embodiment attachment bore hole 132 of post supporting end 130 extends through the top hook of coil spring 140 and as such any attachment bolt will extend through this top hook thereby further ensuring that coil spring 140 will extend on bending of body 110. [0028] The post support 100 can be manufactured by supporting the resilient member 140 in a mould and then filling the remainder of the space in the mould with the moulded resilient material. In the case of the illustrative embodiment, the resilient member 140 is suspended vertically from its uppermost end in an elongate, vertically oriented cylindrical mould, and the remainder of the space in the mould is filled with the polyurethane rubber, which then cures. The ground engaging end 120 of the support post is then secured to the metal collar 121. Preferably this last step is a post moulding step potentially involving some machining of the ground engaging end 120, due to the propensity for polyurethane rubber to shrink post moulding. [0029] As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a support post in accordance with the present invention provides a number of significant advantages over the prior art. As the coil member is completely encased within the resilient body the likelihood of any corrosion or deterioration of the coil spring is significantly reduced. The resilient body also results in much less damage to a vehicle on impact. Furthermore, as the support post is a unitary moulded design this greatly simplifies installation and replacement as required. In addition, as the coil spring is safely enclosed within the moulded polyurethane rubber it provides a much reduced hazard then other post support arrangements based on a coil spring. [0030] The illustrative embodiment depicted in Figure 1 is suited for a post typically having a diameter of 40 mn to 110 mm and a length which is typically in the range of 500 mm to 3000 mm, and where the coil spring has a diameter of approximately 40 mm and a length of approximately 150 to 175 mm. In other embodiments, the diameter of coil spring 140 ranges from 40 mm to 110 mm and more particularly in the ranges of 40 mm - 45 mm, 45 mm - 50 mm, 50 mm - 55 mm, 55 mm - 60 mm, 60 mm - 65 mm, 65 mm - 70 mm, 70 mm - 75 mm, 75 mm - 80 mm, 80 mm - 85 mm, 85 mm - 90 mm, 90 mm - 95 mm, 95 mm - 100 mm, 100 mm - 105 mm and 105 mm - 110 mm.

5 [0031] Similarly, a post support in accordance with the present invention may be adapted for post lengths from 500 mm - 3000 mm and more particularly in the ranges of 500 mm - 750 mm, 750 mm 1000 mm, 1000 mm - 1250 mm, 1250 mm - 1500 mm, 1750 mm - 2000 mm, 2000 mm - 2250 mm, 2250 mm - 2500 mm, 2500 mm - 2750 mm and 2750 mm - 3000 mm. [0032] Different types of spring, particularly either of a tension/extension spring or a compression spring may be used depending on the expected load regime. Moreover, the spring may be a machined spring, this being a spring manufactured by machining bar stock or sheet with a lathe and/or milling operation. Although the coil spring body 141 in this illustrative embodiment is of a substantially constant diameter, in other embodiments the spring body 141 may vary in radius as it extends through the body 110 of the post support 100. In one such example, the spring body 141 will taper from a larger diameter at the bottom end 142 to a reduced diameter at the top end 142. [0033] As described above, a post support in accordance with the present invention may further include a secured steel collar that slides into a steel ground collar which when secured with a Gibb key driven into the support is extremely secure and will not twist under strong winds or impacts. [0034] Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. [0035] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. [0036] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims (9)

1. A post support including an elongate body having a ground engaging end and a post supporting end, the body formed of a moulded resilient material and including an integrally moulded resilient member extending along the body for providing a biasing force to resist bending of the body, wherein the resilient member is a coil spring terminating in a hook member at the post supporting end, and wherein the post supporting end includes an attachment bore hole to receive an attachment bolt for attachment of the post and further wherein the attachment bore hole extends through the hook member of the coil spring.

2. The post support of claim 1, wherein the coil spring tapers from a larger diameter at the ground engaging end to a reduced diameter at the post supporting end.

3. The post support of claim 1 or 2, wherein the post supporting end is formed as a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter.

4. The post support of either of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein ground engaging end is formed as a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter.

5. The post support of claim 4, wherein the ground engaging end further incorporates a metal collar fitted to the reduced diameter portion of the ground engaging end.

6. The post support as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the moulded resilient material is polyurethane rubber.

7. A method of forming a revertible post support including: arranging in a substantially vertical orientation a mould, the mould having an elongate cavity corresponding to the shape of the post support; suspending within the mould cavity a coil spring extending from a post supporting end to a ground engaging end of the post support, the coil spring terminating in a hook member at the post supporting end; filling the mould cavity with a mouldable resilient material to integrally mould the resilient member within the post support: and forming an attachment bore hole to receive an attachment bolt for attachment of a post at the post supporting end, wherein the attachment bore hole extends through the hook member of the coil spring.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mouldable resilient material is polyurethane rubber. 7

9. A post support substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying representations.