AU772623B2

AU772623B2 - Adjustable base

Info

Publication number: AU772623B2
Application number: AU55947/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ekkehard Koehn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-19
Filing date: 1999-10-19
Publication date: 2004-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-19
Also published as: AU5594799A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: EKKEHARD KOEHN EKKEHARD KOEHN

AHEARNS

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 1149 Brisbane Queensland 4001 "ADJUSTABLE BASE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: ADJUSTABLE BASE This invention relates to an adjustable base.

The invention has particular application to an adjustable base for large umbrella-type shade assemblies, particularly those described in my International Patent Application No.

PCT/AU94/00782. Reference may be made to that application for a clearer understanding of the present invention.

Umbrella-type shade assemblies are typically utilised for 0 shading barbeque areas, swimming pools and general entertainment areas and in many cases a user of such shade assembly will wish to move it to another location within an entertainment area. For example, a user may wish to move the shade assembly from one side of a swimming pool to the other. Prior to the present invention 15 a number of bases would be provided in an entertainment area, the bases generally consisting of a piece of steel pipe concreted into the ground and standing above the ground by a distance of 200 mm to 300 mm and being suitably sized to receive thereover the stand pipe of an umbrella-type shade assembly. Thus the location of the shade assembly could be changed by simply removing the stand pipe from one base and transferring it to another base. However, the upstanding bases are a danger to pedestrians as well as being aesthetically displeasing.

The present invention is aimed at providing a base for a shade assembly which can be securely fixed in the ground and can be raised to receive the stand pipe of a shade assembly and lowered to be flush or almost flush with the ground surface so that it does not obstruct pedestrians.

-3- With the foregoing in view the invention in one aspect resides broadly in an adjustable base assembly for a shade assembly including: an outer tubular member having a first end cap secured to one end, said end cap having an aperture therein and said outer tubular member being adapted for concreting into the ground in a vertical attitude; an inner tubular member slidably mounted within said outer tubular member and having anti-rotation means thereon adapted to engage with said outer tubular member for preventing rotation of said inner tubular member relative to said outer tubular member, and a second end cap with a threaded aperture in alignment with said first aperture; a screw shaft extending through said first aperture and terminating in retaining means for preventing movement of said screw shaft towards the other end of said outer tubular member and being freely rotatable in said first aperture, said screw shaft being threadedly engaged with said threaded aperture and having at its other end a shaft head adapted to receive a spanner for rotating said screw shaft; the parts being so made and arranged that rotation of said screw shaft in one direction will cause sliding movement of said inner tubular member in one direction in said outer tubular member and rotation of said screw shaft in the other direction will cause sliding movement of said inner tubular member in the other direction.

Preferably said retaining means is housed in a cover to prevent the ingress of dirt and water to said outer tube or inner tube via said first aperture so that the screw thread of said screw shaft and said second end cap will not become thereby damaged. Preferably said outer tube includes means for the selective application of a closure such as a cover cap when said inner tube is in the inner-most position and removal or opening to allow the inner tube to be exposed upon rotation of the screw shaft beyond the other end of the outer tube.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: 1 is a plan view of the base assembly of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation along line 1-1; and Fig. 3 is a more detailed sectional elevation along line 1- 1.

The base assembly 10 illustrated in the drawings includes an outer tube 11 constructed of rectangular hollow section steel (RHS) having a first end plate 12 welded to one end and a steel lip flange 13 welded to the other end to form a seat for a cover plate 14 which may be selectively secured to the lip by the four screws 16.

An inner tube constructed of round steel pipe 17 is slidably mounted in the outer tube, being slightly shorter than the outer tube and having a second end cap 18 of rectangular form welded to one end. A ring 19 is welded to the inner tube intermediate its ends and has an outer shape matching that of the end cap 18.

It will be seen that the end cap and ring are slightly in dimension smaller than the outer tube so that the inner tube is slidable within the outer tube and rotation relative thereto is prevented.

A screw shaft 21 is mounted in the inner tube coaxial therewith and is threadedly engaged in a threaded aperture 22 provided in the second end cap 18, the shaft extending through an aperture 23 coaxial with aperture 22 provided in the first end cap and being freely rotatable therein. The screw shaft terminates externally of the end cap in a hexagonal nut 24 which is welded to the screw shaft and acts as a retainer for preventing the screw shaft from being removed from the outer tube. At its other end the screw shaft has a second hexagonal nut 26 welded thereto and adapted to receive a long tube spanner or the like from the open upper end 28 of the inner tube respectively.

The retaining nut 24 is encapsulated by a third end cap 29 which is welded to the outer face of the first end cap 12 and is arranged to prevent the ingress of moisture, dirt and the like into the outer tube via the aperture 23. The cap 29 has an outwardly extending flange 31 which provides a lip for retaining the outer tube in a concrete base.

In use the base assembly is placed in a hole in the ground with the outer tube vertical and the cover cap 14 flush with the surface of the ground. Concrete is then poured in to the hole to secure the base assembly therein. Once the concrete has set the assembly may be used as the base stand for an umbrella-type shade assembly as described in my International Patent Application No.

PCT/AU94/00782.

-6- To raise the inner tube to receive the umbrella-type shade assembly, the cover cap 14 is first removed and a tube spanner or the like is then fitted to the hexagonal nut 26 and the screw shaft 21 rotated. Upon rotation of the screw shaft in one direction the inner tube 17 rises above ground surface. It will be seen that the optimum position of the inner tube for use with the umbrella is when the ring 19 is just below the lip 13. In fact the lip 13 prevents the inner tube being raised too far. The stand pipe of the shade assembly can be fitted over the inner tube and secured thereto in known manner. If the umbrella is to be shifted to another base assembly in a different location it is removed from the inner tube and then the tube is lowered by rotating the screw shaft in the opposite direction. Once lowered sufficiently, the cover 14 is replaced to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture from above ground.

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of this a..

invention, all other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as claimed in the following claims.

Claims

1. An adjustable base assembly for a shade assembly including: an outer tubular member having a first end cap secured to one end, said end cap having an aperture therein and said outer tubular member being adapted for concreting into the ground in a vertical attitude; an inner tubular member slidably mounted within said outer tubular member and having anti-rotation means thereon adapted to 10 engage with said outer tubular member for preventing rotation of said inner tubular member relative to said outer tubular member, and a second end cap with a threaded aperture in alignment with said first aperture; a screw shaft extending through said first aperture and terminating in retaining means for preventing movement of said screw shaft towards the other end of said outer tubular member and being freely rotatable in said first aperture, said screw shaft being threadedly engaged with said threaded aperture and S having at its other end a shaft head adapted to receive a spanner for rotating said screw shaft; the parts being so made and arranged that rotation of said screw shaft in one direction will cause sliding movement of said inner tubular member in one direction in said outer tubular member and rotation of said screw shaft in the other direction will cause sliding movement of said inner tubular member in the other direction. -8-

2. An adjustable base assembly for a shade assembly as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 1 9 t h Day of October, 1999 EKKEHARD KOEHN By his Patent Attorneys AHEARNS e