AU2014100609A4 - Pole Hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hinge for a light pole includes engaging means operating between an upper and a lower portion. The engaging means allows the two portions to be fixed in relative angular orientation at a number of predetermined positions. Fig. 1

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention title: "POLE HINGE" Applicant: SWIVELPOLE PATENT PTY LTD Associated provisional applications: The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 "POLE HINGE" Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a hinge for a pole, such as a light pole. Background to the Invention [0002] It is frequently desirable to provide a means for lowering the top of a light pole to permit access to a light source atop the pole. Where the pole is a high one, or in a position where access is difficult, the Swivelpole@ is recognised as the best way of providing such means. [0003] There are occasions, however, where the light source is not particularly high or heavy, and the access is not difficult. In these situations the Swivelpole@ is sometimes considered to be too elaborate a means. [0004] The present invention seeks to provide a means by which relatively small, lightweight light sources can be readily lowered for the purposes of maintenance. [0005] It will be appreciated that hinged light poles are known in the art. Previous hinged light poles have a variety of problems associated with their use, including a propensity to stretch interior electrical cables during light pole lowering operations, a propensity for a latch holding the light pole in a straight orientation to become loose and for the light source to fall unexpectedly, and a difficulty in supporting a lowered light pole during maintenance. The present invention has been developed in response to these identified problems. Summary of the Invention [0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge for a light pole, the hinge including a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a latch; the first supporting member being arranged to engage with a first portion of a light pole; 3 the second supporting member being arranged to engage with a second portion of a light pole; the first supporting member and the second supporting member being hinged relative to each other; the latch being pivotally connected to the first supporting member; the latch including engaging means, and the second supporting member including an engaging portion, wherein the engaging means of the latch can engage with the engaging portion of the second supporting member in a plurality of positions, each position corresponding to a different relative angular position of the first supporting member relative to the second supporting member, engagement of the engaging means with the engaging portion acting to restrict relative movement of the first supporting member relative to the second supporting member. [0007] The hinged connection of the first supporting member and the second supporting member acts along a hinge axis. It is preferred that this hinged axis is close to tangential to the light pole, in use. [0008] The latch may include a locking means moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, whereby when the locking means is in the locked position the engaging means of the latch is restricted from disengagement with the engaging portion of the second supporting member. The locking means may be a bolt passing between the latch and the first supporting member. [0009] It is preferred that the first supporting member is arranged to engage with a top portion of the light pole, and the second supporting member arranged to engage with a bottom portion of the light pole. Brief Description of the Drawings [0010] It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments are possible, and consequently the particularity of the following discussion is not 4 to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings: [0011] Figure 1 is a perspective of a light pole hinge in accordance with the present invention; [0012] Figure 2 is a side view of an upper body portion of the light pole hinge of Figure 1; [0013] Figure 3 is a side view of a lower body portion of the light pole hinge of Figure 1; [0014] Figure 4 is a partially cut-away view of the light pole hinge of Figure 1; and [0015] Figures 5(a) to 5(c) shown the light pole hinge of Figure 1 in three different positions. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [0016] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a light pole hinge 10 attached to a light pole 12. The light pole hinge 10 has a first supporting member, being an upper body portion 14, a second supporting member being a lower body portion 16, and a latch 18. [0017] The light pole 12 is generally cylindrical, and vertically aligned. It has an upper portion 20 and a lower portion 22, which are separated at a cut 24. In the first position, as shown in Figure 1, the upper portion 20 and the lower portion 22 lie along a common vertical axis. [0018] The upper body portion 14 of the light pole hinge includes an outer bearing face 26 from which two U-bolts 28 extend. The U-bolts 28 are arranged to locate about the upper portion 20 of the light pole 12, and to be tightened such that the upper portion 20 is clamped against the outer bearing face 26 and the U-bolts 28. In this way, the upper body portion 14 can be fixed in relation to the upper portion 20 of the light pole 12.

5 [0019] In a similar fashion, the lower body portion 16 of the light pole hinge 10 is fixed in relation to the lower portion 22 of the light pole 12 by means of an outer bearing face 30 and two U-bolts 32. [0020] The upper body portion 14 is generally in the shape of a channel, with a web 34 and two flanges 36. The web 34 is generally rectangular, with an outer face of the web 34 being the outer bearing face 26. [0021] The flanges 36 are generally trapezoidal in shape, each having a top corner 38 adjacent an upper edge of the web 34; an outer corner 40 spaced from the web 34 and located lower than the top corner 38; an inner corner 42 spaced from the web 34 and located below the outer corner 40, and a bottom corner 44 near a lower edge of the web 34. The arrangement is such that the flanges 36 extend below the web 34, so there is a gap between the bottom corner 44 and the lower edge of the web 34. The upper body portion 14 is bolted to the upper portion 20 of the light pole 12 such that the bottom corner 44 of the flanges 36 locates adjacent the cut 24. [0022] The lower body portion 16 is generally in the shape of a channel, with a web 46 and two flanges 48. The web 46 is generally rectangular, with an outer face of the web 46 being the outer bearing face 30. The web 46 of the lower body portion 16 is slightly wider than the web 34 of the upper body portion 14, such that the upper body portion 14 can be located within the lower body portion 16. [0023] The flanges 48 are generally quadrilateral in shape, having an inner edge 50 corresponding to the web 34, an upper edge 52 generally perpendicular to the inner edge 50, a lower edge 54 generally perpendicular to the inner edge 50, the lower edge 54 being about half the length of the upper edge 52, and a tapered outer edge 56. The flanges 48 each include three cutouts 58 each extending inwards of the outer edge 56.

6 [0024] The lower body portion 16 is bolted to the lower portion 22 of the light pole 12 such that the upper edge 52 of the flanges 48 locates slightly higher than the cut 24. [0025] The upper body portion 14 and the lower body portion 16 are hinged to each other by means of a hinge bolt 60. The upper body portion 14 has first hinge bolt apertures 62 passing through the bottom corner 44 of its flanges 36. The lower body portion 16 has second hinge bolt apertures 64 passing through the corner between its inner edge 50 and its upper edge 52. The arrangement is such that a lower edge of the upper body portion 14 can be located within an upper part of the lower body portion 16, such that the respective hinge bolt apertures 62, 64 can be aligned. The hinge bolt 60 can be passed through the hinge bolt apertures 62, 64, connecting the upper body portion 14 to the lower body portion 16. [0026] The hinge bolt 60 is located adjacent the cut 24 of the light pole 12. Indeed, it is located so as to be virtually tangential to the light pole 12. [0027] The latch 18 is generally in the shape of a channel, with a web 66 and two flanges 68. The web 66 is generally square. The web 66 of the latch 18 is slightly narrower than the web 34 of the upper body portion 14, such that the latch 18 can located within the upper body portion 14. In use, the latch 18 is oriented such that the flanges 68 extend from the web 66 towards the light pole 12. [0028] The flanges 68 of the latch 18 are generally rectangular. The flanges 68 each have a pivot bolt aperture 70 located near an upper edge. A pin 72 projects outwardly from each flange 68 near a lower edge of the flange 68. [0029] The upper body portion 14 includes pivot bolt apertures 74 located near the outer corner 40 of each of its flanges 36. A pivot bolt 76 is arranged to pass through the pivot bolt apertures 70, 74 of the latch 18 and upper body portion 14, pivotally connecting the latch to the upper body portion 14.

7 [0030] The arrangement is such that when the hinge 10 is in the first position, as shown in Figure 1, the pins 72 of the latch 18 locate within the uppermost cutouts 58 of the lower body portion 16. The pins 72 act as an engaging means, with the cutouts 58 representing an engaging portion of the lower body portion 16. With the pins 72 located within the uppermost cutout 58, the latch 18 acts to prevent the upper body portion 14 from rotating relative to the lower body portion 16 about the hinge bolt 60. [0031] When it is desired to lower the upper portion 20 of the light pole 12, the latch 18 must be pivoted about the pivot bolt 76 relative to the upper body portion 14, such that the pins 72 are displaced from the uppermost cutouts 58. The upper portion 20 can then be lowered into a second position, as shown in Figure 5(b), or a third position, as shown in Figure 5(c). In the second position, the upper portion 20 of the light pole 12 is oriented at about 450 relative to the lower portion 22, and the pins 72 are located within a second pair of cutouts 58. In the third position, the upper portion 20 is oriented at 900 relative to the lower portion 22, and the pins 72 are located within a lowermost pair of cutouts 58. [0032] It will be appreciated that the cutouts 58 are located in the necessary positions to correspond to these desired angular orientations. [0033] The latch 18 may include a locking means in the form of a bolt 80 located centrally of the web 66, and receivable within a fixed nut 82 which is connected (for instance, by welding) to an appropriate position within the upper body portion 14. When the hinge is in the first position, the bolt 80 aligns with the nut 82. Screwing of the bolt 80 into the nut 82 thus prevents inadvertent movement of the latch 18. [0034] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. A hinge for a light pole, the hinge including a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a latch; the first supporting member being arranged to engage with a first portion of a light pole; the second supporting member being arranged to engage with a second portion of a light pole; the first supporting member and the second supporting member being hinged relative to each other; the latch being pivotally connected to the first supporting member; the latch including engaging means, and the second supporting member including an engaging portion, wherein the engaging means of the latch can engage with the engaging portion of the second supporting member in a plurality of positions, each position corresponding to a different relative angular position of the first supporting member relative to the second supporting member, engagement of the engaging means with the engaging portion acting to restrict relative movement of the first supporting member relative to the second supporting member.

2. A hinge for a light pole as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinged connection of the first supporting member and the second supporting member acts along a hinge axis which is close to tangential to the light pole.

3. A hinge for a light pole as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the latch includes a locking means moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, whereby when the locking means is in the locked position the engaging means of the latch is restricted from disengagement with the engaging portion of the second supporting member.

4. A hinge for a light pole as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking means is a bolt passing between the latch and the first supporting member.

5. A hinge for a light pole as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first supporting member is arranged to engage with a top portion of the light 9 pole, and the second supporting member is arranged to engage with a bottom portion of the light pole. SWIVELPOLE PATENT PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys ARMOUR IP P2124AU00