EP0544572B1 - Antitheft device to hoist or lower a flag or similar - Google Patents

Abstract

Antitheft device for hoisting or lowering a flag or the like (6) along a support structure, in particular a vertical mast (2) by means of a halliard (8) interacting with a drive pulley (18) mounted at the upper part of this mast and one end of which includes a means (33) of linking with the upper corner of the flag. According to the invention, this device is characterised in that the shaft (19) of the drive pulley is controlled in rotation in the direction which gives rise to the winding of the halliard in order to raise the flag or its unwinding in order to lower the latter, by means of a motor reducing gear (21) to which voltage is applied by a source of electrical energy (15), controlled via a control circuit from a receiver (25) which is sensitive to a preferably coded radiation, given off by a transmitter (9) situated remotely. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an anti-theft device for hoisting or automatically bringing a flag on a support structure and in particular, although not exclusively, on a vertical support mast.

Conventional solutions are known for hoisting a flag at the end of a mast, which most generally consist in providing at the top of the latter a pulley in the groove of which passes a halyard, provided at the end with a fixing shackle. or other similar means, on an eyelet fitted in the upper corner of the flag to be hoisted, this halyard which extends along the mast being optionally returned by another pulley mounted at the base of the latter, to be joined to its end opposite the lower corner of the pavilion. Depending on the direction of traction exerted on the halyard suitably tensioned between its two pulleys, it is thus possible to raise or lower the flag along the mast, the halyard thus forming a continuous loop.

However, this well known system, which has remarkable simplicity, has the disadvantage that the halyard is accessible at all times outside the mast and that the flag hoisted on the latter can be brought, or even stolen by a malicious third party , who just need to order the movement of the halyard to lower the roof before separating the eyelets from the latter vis-à-vis the ends of this halyard.

To overcome this drawback, provision has already been made to arrange the halyard and in particular the two strands thereof which move in opposite directions in the groove of the pulley provided at the upper part of the mast, inside a groove or of a housing arranged inside the same mast, the second pulley provided at the base thereof and the parts of the halyard which are wound on the latter being accessible through a hatch provided in the surface of the mast, this hatch being normally closed by a lockable pivoting door and the opening of which can only be controlled by a user provided with the key for opening this hatch.

However, this solution is not yet entirely satisfactory, since the unauthorized unlocking of the hatch does not present generally insurmountable difficulties, so that the halyard can be controlled in the direction which brings the flag, which can then be easily stolen or accidentally changed. Another device for hoisting or bringing up a flag is described in document US-A-3,675,615.

The present invention relates to a device for hoisting or automatically bringing a flag, a flame, a flag, etc. with respect to a support structure, which eliminates these drawbacks, while avoiding that the means which realize the 'raising or lowering the pavilion is directly accessible by a user located on the ground or near it, especially in the immediate vicinity of the base of the mast carrying this pavilion or more generally of the support structure considered.

The invention also relates to a device which allows an easy change of the flag by an authorized user, in particular in the event of replacement of this flag by another, carrying a different emblem or following a deterioration or a degradation of the flag initially hoisted, in particular because of the climate, the wind or any other external cause .

To this end, the device considered, for hoisting or bringing a flag or the like along a support structure, in particular of a vertical mast, by means of a halyard cooperating with a drive pulley mounted to the part upper part of this mast and one end of which comprises a means of connection with the upper corner of the roof, the axis of the drive pulley being controlled in rotation in the direction which causes the halyard to wind up to hoist the roof or its unwinding to bring it, by means of a gearmotor energized by a source of electrical energy, is characterized in that said source is controlled through a control circuit from a receiver sensitive to radiation from preferably coded, from a transmitter located at a distance, the receiver and the gearmotor for controlling the halyard drive pulley being housed in a protective casing, located at the top of the u vertical mast, this box comprising at its part directed towards the ground a bottom provided with an opening sufficient for the passage of the halyard, winding or unwinding on the pulley.

Depending on the case, the radiation supplied by the transmitter can be electromagnetic radiation whose frequency corresponds to that of a radio wave, or even infrared, ultrasonic or other radiation, the energy of which is sufficient to ensure a safe and reliable connection between transmitter and receiver.

Advantageously, the halyard comprises, in the vicinity of its connection means with the upper corner of the flag, a stop adapted to cooperate with the control contact of a relay placed in the control circuit between the receiver and the gearmotor, so that the rotation of the pulley and consequently the movement of the halyard is automatically interrupted when the upper corner of the roof is brought in the immediate vicinity of the upper end of the mast, under the protective housing.

Preferably, the stop carried by the halyard is constituted by a stud, crimped or otherwise immobilized on the halyard, having a partially conical profile so that, following the displacement of the halyard winding on the drive pulley and when moving towards the upper part of the mast of the block, it comes to push the end of the relay contact, by opening the control circuit.

According to another characteristic of the device, the pavilion comprises a rigid rod, engaged in a hem delimited by a seam produced between the upper corner of the pavilion joined to the halyard and the opposite corner, on the side of the pavilion, in order to stiffen it , especially at the end of the race when the roof is placed under the protective housing at the upper end of the mast. Advantageously, the rigid rod extends upwards, beyond the roof, so that its protruding end fits into a guide housed in the housing.

Preferably but not necessarily exclusively, the opposite end of the rigid rod is joined to a ballast member, intended to keep the rod vertical in the vicinity of the mast. In a preferred embodiment, the ballast member is constituted by a collar, sliding on the mast with sufficient clearance, this collar being connected to an eyelet provided at the base of the rod in the corresponding corner of the flag.

According to yet another characteristic, the protective housing includes means for giving the power source carrying out the powering up of the geared motor, operating autonomy. In particular, these means can be constituted by a set of photovoltaic cells, mounted in one of the external faces of the housing, these cells being joined to a storage battery, capable of permanently delivering, day or night, the voltage necessary for the gear motor control.

Finally, the transmitter actuating the receiver remotely mounted in the protective housing, comprises means for the continuous or intermittent control of the gearmotor, constituted in particular by two push buttons, respectively for winding or unwinding the halyard and of which release by the operator instantly stops the rotation of the drive pulley.

• La Figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation du dispositif considéré, permettant d'illustrer dans son ensemble les caractéristiques générales de celui-ci.
• La Figure 2 est une vue en coupe transversale à plus grande échelle de l'extrémité supérieure du dispositif, représentant notamment le boîtier de protection des mécanismes et des moyens de commande permettant de hisser ou amener le pavillon.
• La Figure 3 est une vue schématique illustrant une autre variante de réalisation.

Other characteristics of a device for hoisting or setting up a flag by a remote control assembly, in particular without direct operator intervention on the halyard with which the flag is joined, will become more apparent from the following description of '' exemplary embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of the device considered, to illustrate as a whole the general characteristics of it.
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale of the upper end of the device, in particular showing the protective housing of the mechanisms and control means for hoisting or bringing the flag.
• Figure 3 is a schematic view illustrating another alternative embodiment.

In Figure 1, the reference 1 designates the entire device, comprising in particular a vertical mast 2, the lower end of which is embedded in a support frame on the ground 4, this mast comprising at its upper end a housing for protection 5 for a control mechanism according to the invention and the details of which will be explained below.

In particular, this mechanism is provided to allow, depending on the case, to hoist or bring along the mast 2 a flag 6, one of the upper corners 7 of which is joined to a halyard 8, ensuring the displacement of this flag along the mast , up or down between two extreme positions, where the flag is schematically illustrated in the Figure in dotted lines.

According to the invention, the mechanism mounted in the housing 5 is designed to be controlled remotely from a transmitter housing 9, held in hand by a user 10 located on the ground in the vicinity of the base of the mast, and which transmits towards a receiver 25 (Figure 2), housed in the housing, appropriate radiation, represented in the drawing by the zig-zag arrows 11.

Figure 2 illustrates in more detail a particular embodiment of the device considered and in particular of all the members mounted inside the housing 5, the latter being immobilized at the upper end 12 of the mast 2 by collars of clamping 13 or the like.

Inside the housing 5 is thus disposed, on a support platform 14, an accumulation battery 15, advantageously connected to photovoltaic cells 16, mounted in one of the outer faces 17 of the housing, the latter being fixed to the mast 2 with a suitable orientation relative to the axis of the latter so that the cells 16 are preferably directed south, towards the sun. These provisions make it possible in particular to supply the battery 15 with sufficient energy to ensure its charge during the day, and allow operation at all times, the battery discharging if necessary at night if it is used.

In the housing 5 is also mounted a drive pulley 18, in the groove of which the halyard 8 is wound up or unwound, allowing the flag 6 to be hoisted or brought up. This pulley comprises an axis of rotation 19 engaged with a reduction gear 10, itself driven by the output shaft (not shown) of a motor 21, the power supply of which is ensured from the battery 15. The power supply terminals of the motor 21 are arranged in an electrical circuit printed on a wafer 22, immobilized by lugs 23, against one of the sides 24 of the housing 5 inside of it, this circuit being itself connected to a receiver assembly 25, provided with an antenna 26, capable of picking up the radiation 11 emitted by the emitter 9. The box 5 is open at its lower part 5a or comprises a bottom 5a provided at least with a sufficient opening 5b to allow the passage of the halyard 8 during its movements of raising or lowering of the pa villon 6. In a particularly advantageous manner, the signal transmitted is coded so as to avoid an uncontrolled and in particular unauthorized start-up of the motor 21, this signal coming from the transmitter 9 which is set on the same frequency as the receiver.

The transmitter unit 9 in turn comprises, optionally an antenna 27, an on-off switch 28 for switching on or off its internal circuits and two push buttons, respectively 29 and 30, these being arranged so that, depending on whether one or the other is actuated, the signal transmitted by the transmitter, received by the receiver 25 controls the motor 21 and by then the pulley 18 in the direction that winds or unrolls the halyard 8, to raise or lower the roof 6.

The equipment of the device is completed by means of a rigid rod 31 housed in a hem 32 of the flag and which keeps the edge of the latter substantially parallel to the mast 2, whatever the position of the flag along the latter. . In its upper corner, the pavilion includes an eyelet 33 to allow connection with the halyard 8 and at its lower corner, at the end of the rod 31, a similar eyelet 34, making it possible to join the pavilion a collar 35, properly ballasting the rod in its movement along the mast. Preferably, this collar is produced in the form of a chain 36, mounted in a plastic envelope 37, such an embodiment having however only an optional character but being able to be replaced by any other having an equivalent effect.

Advantageously, the rod 31 has an protruding part, directed upwards from the eyelet 33, constituted in particular by a rod 38, preferably forming directly part of the rod and at the end of which is provided a means of attachment 39 with the end of the halyard, such as a shackle, a hook or an equivalent system. Alternatively, the end of the halyard can be directly joined to the eyelet 33. When the roof is in the high position, the strip 38 engages in particular in a guide 38a mounted inside the housing 5 and in which slides the halyard 8, so as to immobilize the rod and the rod 31 of which it is integral.

On the rod 38 is also mounted a stud 40 forming a stop member, comprising a conical part 41 capable of acting on a roller 42 mounted at the end of a rocking arm 43 or actuation contact of a relay 44, this arm being returned by a spring 45, so that it permanently closes the circuit of the motor 21 except when the rocking arm 43 is actuated by the stud 40, the opening of the resulting circuit making the motor inactive in the direction of the halyard winding, the roof then being in the maximum high position.

There is thus produced a control device for hoisting or bringing up a flag allowing maximum security, only being able to operate the flag the user having the control transmitter, the upper end of the mast being generally inaccessible directly. Advantageously, the control signal from the transmitter is a radio signal, of appropriate frequency, on which the frequency of the receiver is calibrated; alternatively, the radiation from the transmitter could be infrared or ultrasonic radiation.

As already pointed out, the control signal from the transmitter is preferably a coded signal that the receiver, calibrated on the same frequency, decodes before actuating the motor driving the halyard pulley, the emission of the signal not occurring only after the user has entered the transmitter and receiver the authorized code.

In all cases, the transmitter is provided in such a way that the control buttons which it comprises can maneuver the halyard, either continuously or by successive pulses, by allowing at any time to stop the movement of the flag in a one way or the other. The stud carried by the halyard stops in all cases the winding movement of the latter on its pulley at the end of the flag's upper stroke. If necessary, a similar arrangement can be provided at the end of the lower stroke, when the roof is completely brought up.

Finally, the device constitutes a completely autonomous assembly, thanks to the battery and the solar cells which it comprises.

Of course, it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments more specifically described and represented above; on the contrary, it embraces all variants thereof as defined in the present claims. In particular, it is obvious that the device can be adapted on any support structure for the roof and not necessarily on a vertical mast. Figure 3 thus schematically illustrates a variant in which the housing 5 is mounted on the wall of a facade of a building 46 or the like, by allowing an identical manner to hoist or bring a flag 6, by a completely autonomous control and exercised at a distance.

Claims (11)

1. Anti-theft device for hoisting or lowering a flag or the like (6) along a support structure, in particular a vertical flagpole (2), by means of a halyard (8) cooperating with a drive pulley (18) mounted to the upper part of said flagpole, of which one end has means of linking (33) with the upper corner of the flag, the axis (19) of the drive pulley being controlled in rotation in a direction to wind the halyard to hoist the flag or unwind it to lower the latter by means of a geared motor (21) under voltage from a source of electric energy (15), characterised in that said energy source is controlled by a control circuit from a receiver (25) sensitive to radiation, preferably coded, which is emitted from a transmitter (9) disposed at a distance, the receiver (25) and the control geared motor (21) of the drive pulley (18) of the halyard (8) being accommodated in a protective casing (5), disposed at the top of the vertical flagpole (2), said casing comprising a base (5a) facing the ground (5a) furnished with an opening (5b) sufficient for the passage of the halyard winding or unwinding onto the pulley (18).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmitter (9) and the receiver (25) are locked at the same frequency.
3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the radiation supplied by the transmitter (9) is electromagnetic radiation the frequency of which corresponds to that of a radioelectric wave or even infrared ultrasound or other radiation.
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, in the vicinity of its means of linking (33) with the upper corner of the flag (6), the halyard (8) comprises a stop (40) adapted to cooperate with the control contact (43) of a relay (44) placed in the control circuit between the receiver and the geared motor such that the rotation of the pulley (18) and, therefore, the movement of the halyard is automatically interrupted when the upper corner of the flag is conveyed to the immediate proximity of the upper end of the flagpole (2) beneath the protection casing (5).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the stop (40) borne by the halyard (8) comprises a pin fixed or otherwise immobilised onto the halyard having partly conical profile (41) such that following the displacement of the halyard winding onto the drive pulley (18) and the movement of the pin towards the upper section of the flagpole the pin pushes the end (42) of the relay (44) contact (43) opening the control circuit.
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the flag (6) comprises a rigid pole (31) enclosed in a hem (32) delimited by a stitched seam between the upper corner of the flag joined to the halyard (8) and the opposite corner on the side of the flag, to make the latter conveniently rigid, notably at the end of the ascent when the flag is disposed beneath the protection casing (5) at the upper end of the flagpole (2).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the rigid pole (31) projects upwards beyond the flag such that its projecting end (38) fits into a guide (38a) accommodated in the casing (5).
8. Device according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the lower end of the rigid pole (31) is linked to a weighted element (35) designed to maintain the pole in a vertical position adjacent to the flagpole (2).
9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the weighted element (35) comprises a chain (36) sliding on the flagpole with sufficient play the chain being linked to an eyelet (34) provided at the base of the pole (31) in the corresponding corner of the flag.
10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the protection casing (5) comprises means (16) to confer autonomy of function to the energy source (15) providing voltage to the geared motor, notably a movement of photovoltaic cells (16) mounted in one of the external surfaces (17) of the casing said cells being linked to an accumulating battery.
11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the transmitter (9) operating at a distance the receiver (25) mounted in the protective casing (5) comprises means (29, 30) for the continuous control or intermission of the geared motor (21).

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