EP0641889B1 - Socket for a pole - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a base for a pole and in particular for a tubular pole of round section, making it possible to hold said pole on the ground.

The invention applies more particularly to signposts and connection. By signpost is meant, here, a post on which is mounted for example an indicator panel holder or any other medium of indicator means. Furthermore, the term “connecting post” is understood to mean a post on which is mounted a means for attaching connecting elements, of the chain or tube type, intended to make a connection between posts. Such connecting posts are generally used to produce guide paths.

Display and connection poles find application, for example, in large commercial areas.

Document DE-A-3 820 698 describes an example of a base according to the preamble of independent claim 1. Other bases currently used for such posts include a circular plate welded to the post and provided with holes adapted to receive screws for fixing to the ground, a bell-shaped cover having at the top a passage for the post, covering said plate so as to mask said fixing screws.

However once the base fixed to the ground, one can no longer modify the angular position of the pole relative to its axis so as to modify the orientation of an element fixed to it, for example an indicator panel or a chain or tube link.

In addition, the base being integral with the post, the handling of said post is complicated.

Finally, the hub cap adapted to cover said plate can only be installed from the top of the post, the supports of indicator means and / or the means for attaching connecting elements then having to be removed.

The present invention provides a base making it possible in particular to solve the problems which have just been mentioned.

To this end, the invention provides a base for maintain a post comprising, on either side of a joint surface, two complementary parts delimiting between them a housing, and means for clamping said parts one against the other to enclose said post in said housing, characterized in that one of the complementary parts of the base is provided on its lower part with a plate forming an axial support base for the post and sole of said base, and serving as a seat for the other part of said base.

When it is desired to separate the post from the base or modify the orientation of said post, it suffices to act on the clamping means so as to loosen the two parts constituting the base.

Means for fixing the base to the ground can be provided in the plate serving as a seat so that these fixing means are concealed when the two complementary parts of the base are assembled.

Furthermore, it is possible to provide a block, serving to assist the positioning of the post in said housing, formed at the center of the sole coaxially with said post housing, said post being adapted to fit onto said block.

Thus, according to the invention, said base can have a satisfactory external appearance without the need to add an embellishment covering said base.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un socle selon la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en plan suivant la direction II de la figure 1 d'une des parties complémentaires du socle;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la direction III, de la figure 2 avec un arrachement local ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en plan suivant la direction IV de la figure 1 de l'autre partie du socle ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en élévation suivant la direction V de la figure 4, avec un arrachement local ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe du socle assemblé de la figure 1, au niveau des axes des passages transversaux d'assemblage des parties complémentaires ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe axiale d'un socle et d'une pièce de support dudit socle illustrant une variante d'utilisation de la présente invention ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en élévation d'un socle suivant une variante de réalisation de la présente invention;
• la figure 9 est une vue en élévation suivant la direction IX de la figure 8 ;
• la figure 10 est une vue en élévation suivant la direction X de la figure 8.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a base according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a plan view in direction II of Figure 1 of one of the complementary parts of the base;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along direction III, of Figure 2 with a local cutaway;
• Figure 4 is a plan view in direction IV of Figure 1 of the other part of the base;
• Figure 5 is an elevational view in the direction V of Figure 4, with a local cutaway;
• Figure 6 is a sectional view of the assembled base of Figure 1, at the axes of the transverse passages for assembling the complementary parts;
• Figure 7 is an axial sectional view of a base and a support part of said base illustrating an alternative use of the present invention;
• Figure 8 is an elevational view of a base according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 9 is an elevational view in the direction IX of Figure 8;
• FIG. 10 is an elevation view in the direction X of FIG. 8.

Overall, with reference to Figures 1 to 6, two complementary parts 3 and 4 form, when they are assembled one against the other, a base 1 flared towards a sole 5 and provided with a cylindrical housing 6 (see figure 6) adapted to receive a post 2, in practice a round section tube. Said base thus has a general shape of a bell. In practice, the envelope surface of said base 1 is a surface of revolution whose axis AA is that of the cylindrical housing 6 and consequently that of the post 2.

The two complementary parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 are assembled one against the other at a joint surface S extending substantially along an axial plane, said parts 3 and 4 each comprising a body, respectively 7 and 8, flared towards its base and delimited on the one hand by a wall extending along substantially one half of the surface of revolution of the base and, on the other hand, by a wall extending along said joint surface S. Said flared bodies 7 and 8 are each provided, according to their height, with a recess 6A corresponding substantially to one half of the housing 6 (see FIG. 1).

In practice, the joint surface S is, with respect to an axial plane, slightly concave on the side of part 3 of the base 1. More specifically, the lower border of said joint surface S being a straight line segment D1 s extending diametrically (see Figures 2 and 4), the surface of joint S is curved so that the projection of the upper border of said joint surface S on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the base forms two straight segments (D2, D2 ') converging towards said part 3 of the base (see figure 2 and 4), and so that the intersection of said joint surface S with the envelope surface of the post housing forms two parallel straight lines D3, perpendicular to the lower border D1 from which their respective lower ends start, and inclined relative to the vertical on the side of said part 3 of the base (see FIG. 3).

A circular plate forming the sole 5 of the base 1 is formed at the base of the part 3 of said base where it extends radially. One half of said plate extends the flared body 7 from part 3 of the base, while the other half of said plate, located on the other side of the joint surface S, is adapted to serve as a seat for the complementary part 4, when the latter is assembled on the part 3. On the central part of the upper surface of the sole 5 is formed a hollow cylinder 10 coaxial with the housing 6. The diameter of the cylinder 10 is less than the inside diameter of the post 2 so that said cylinder is inside said post when the latter is in the housing 6. Radial ribs 11 formed around said cylinder 10 and widening towards the base of the latter, as best seen on the Figures 1 and 3, guide the post 2 to center it in the housing 6, when the parts 3 and 4 of the base are not yet assembled against each other. It should be noted that the sole 5 acts as an axial support base for the post 2 installed in the housing 6. The cylinder 10 is provided with an axial recess 12 in the form of an oblong hole, opening onto a compartment 20 (see Figure 3) axially passing through the sole 5, said oblong hole being adapted to receive a threaded rod 25 for fixing the base to the ground. The compartment 20 is in practice of cylindrical shape coaxial with the housing 6, its diameter being greater than the length of the oblong hole 12 but less than the diameter of the cylinder 10. The threaded rod 25 can be fixed on the base 1, passing through a position chosen in the oblong hole 12 and preferably through the center of the latter, using a nut 26 acting above a washer 27 bearing on the upper surface of the cylinder 10 and of a nut 28 intervening in the compartment 20 below a washer 29 bearing on the upper surface of said compartment 20. In practice, the chosen position through which the rod 25 passes through the oblong hole 12 will be the center of the latter , so that said rod extends along the axis of the post 2.

The sole 5 is further crossed, in its portion serving as a seat for the part 4 of the base 1, by two oblong holes 30 acting on either side of an axial plane perpendicular to the joint surface S, said holes oblong being adapted to each receive a threaded rod 31 for fixing the base to the ground, a nut 32, acting above a washer 33 bearing on the upper surface of the sole 5, which can be screwed onto said rod 31. Recesses oblongs 35 (see FIG. 4) are formed on the base of part 4 of the base 1 opposite the oblong holes 30 of the sole 5, said oblong recesses being of dimensions adapted to contain the projecting portion of the corresponding rod 31 as well as the 'corresponding nut 32, so that the base of said part 4 can rest on the sole 5.

Rods 25 and 31 and their respective nuts and washers 26, 27, 28, 29 and 32, 33 are shown in Figure 1 and in dashed lines in Figure 3. The rods 25 and 31 can be directly received in a hole corresponding practiced in the soil and in which they are chemically sealed using a resin. Advantageously, however, the rods 25 and 31 will be screwed into a respective dowel chemically fixed in the ground at the corresponding location.

As best seen in Figure 6, two transverse passages 40, parallel, extend in the upper portion of the base 1, on either side of the cylindrical housing 6, said transverse passages 40 passing through the joint surface S. More precisely, the axes along which said axial passages extend respectively lie in a plane perpendicular to an axial plane containing the lower border D1 of the joint surface S. Overall, each of said passages is adapted receiving a screw whose head is supported on part 4 of the base 1 and whose end is engaged with a tapping intervening on part 3 of said base, so as to be able to tighten said complementary parts 3 and 4 one against each other.

As best seen in Figures 3, 5 and 6, each of the passages 40 consists in practice of a cylindrical passage 44 crossing the joint surface S, said passage 44, on the one hand, being provided, in a portion blind located in part 3 of said base, with a clearance 45 forming a nut housing, and, on the other hand, being extended in part 4 of the base 1 by a cylindrical clearance 46 of greater diameter and opening out at outside. In part 3 of the base, the transverse passages 40 extend over a certain distance beyond the housings towards respective blind nut ends. The passage 44 is adapted to be crossed by a screw 41 with a round head 42 adapted to the diameter of the clearance 46, said screw 41 being engaged with a nut 43 housed in the clearance 45.

The screws 41 and the nuts 43 are shown in broken lines in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6. Finishing plugs 47, also shown in broken lines in Figures 5 and 6, can be installed in the clearances 46 behind the heads 42 of screws 41 so as to mask the latter.

It should be noted that when the two parts of the base are assembled one against the other, the portions of the passages 40 being in the part 3 of the base 1 being blind and the finishing plugs masking the entry of said passage 40 of the side of part 4 of said base, the assembly of the clamping device of said parts 3 and 4 one against the other is invisible from the outside. This helps to enhance the appearance outside of the base 1.

Advantageously, and as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 are provided with lightening recesses of axial orientation opening towards the sole face of the base and transverse recesses for the realization of the passages 40 opening laterally on the outside of the base. More specifically, the frame of parts 3 and 4 consists of partitions 60 extending radially and cooperating with a semi-annular partition 63. The radial partitions 60 of parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 are better visible in the figures respectively 2 and 4. Both for part 3 and for part 4, the joint surface S is formed on the facing external faces of two of these radial partitions angularly spaced by 180 °.

In each of the flared bodies 7 and 8 of the parts 3 and 4 respectively of the base 1, said radial partitions 60 radiate from an external semi-annular wall 65 delimiting the housing of the post, while in the sole 5, said radial partitions radiate from an inner annular partition 66 extending axially and delimiting the compartment 20 of said sole. In addition, in each of the flared bodies 7 and 8 of the parts 3 and 4 respectively of the base 1, these radial partitions 60 radiate up to an outer wall 62 forming a flared envelope of said part 3 or 4. The sole 5 is provided with an outer annular wall 67 connecting the end of the radial partitions 60 as well as an upper wall 68 covering the portion of said sole serving as a seat for part 4 of the base 1 as well as the portion of said sole serving as a base d 'axial support of the post 2 around the cylinder 10 (see Figure 3).

As best seen in Figure 2, the oblong holes 30 of the sole 5 are each arranged at the intersection of a radial partition 60 and the semi-annular partition 63, said oblong holes each being delimited by a partition 70 carried on the one hand by the two sections of said radial partition 60 between which it is interposed and on the other hand by the two sections of said semi-annular partition 63 between which it is interposed.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, in part 4 of the base 1, two blocks of material 71 in which the transverse passages 40 are formed intervene in an upper portion of respectively two compartments 73 each delimited by the half-wall outer annular 65, the inner semi-annular partition 63 and two radial partitions 60.

Similarly, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, in part 3 of the base 1, two blocks of material 72 in which the transverse passages 40 are formed intervene in an upper portion of respectively two compartments 74 each delimited by the outer semi-annular wall 65, the inner semi-annular partition 63 and two radial partitions 60. As can be seen better in FIG. 3, each of the blocks 72 delimits in its lower part respectively the one and the other passage portion cylindrical 44 located in part 3 of the base 1. In each of the blocks 72 there is the housing 45 for nut 43, each of said housings 45, of semi-hexagonal shape, being adapted to immobilize in rotation the nut which can s 'introduce it from below, as best seen in Figure 3. The housing 45 of nut 43 opens onto a compartment 50 formed by the lower portion of compartment 74 in which the block of material 72 c intervenes. corresponding. This compartment 50, on the one hand opening to the outside under the sole 5 and on the other hand giving access to the housing 45, allows the installation of the nut 43 inside the part 3 of the base 1.

The fact that the parts 3 and 4 are hollow makes it possible to obtain a relatively light base 1, the partitioning described allowing this weight gain not to be detrimental to the mechanical characteristics of the base.

Advantageously, on the one hand the assembly constituted by the sole 5 and the flared body 7 of the part 3 of the base 1, and on the other hand the flared body 8 of the part 4 of the base 1, each form a single block obtained by molding. According to an alternative embodiment, the cylindrical portions 44 and 46 of the passages 40 will be formed by boring after molding. It should be noted that the structure of the hollow parts 3 and 4 as it has been described is very suitable for obtaining said parts by molding, the compartments formed between the various partitions being opening downwards. The base 1 can be mounted and used as follows.

The two parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 being placed one against the other, the screws 41 are introduced into the passages 40 and engaged with the nuts 43 previously introduced into the housings 45. It is possible to stick the nuts 42 in their housings 45 so as to be able to assemble the two parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 without having to tilt part 3 to gain access to said housings 45. The rod 25 is installed on the base 1 using the bolts 26 and 28, preferably so as to pass through the center of the oblong hole 12, then said rod is screwed into a chemical anchor previously installed in the ground at a chosen location. It is possible to review the orientation of the base relative to the ground by simply loosening the bolt 26. The two rods 31 are then possibly installed if the nature of the soil considered is such that a fixing with a single rod is insufficient. At this stage, the two parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 are secured by the screws 41 but are not tightened one against the other. The post 2 is then introduced into the housing 6 then, by acting on the head 42 of the screws 41, the two parts 3 and 4 are tightened one against the other so as to enclose the post 2 in the housing 6. As best seen in Figure 6, when the post 2, shown in broken lines, is enclosed in the housing 6 by means of the screws 41, the parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 do not actually come into contact with one with the other at the level of the joint surface S. In fact, the passage 6 constituted by the two recesses 6A placed one against the other is in practice of dimension slightly less than that of the post 2. This clearance left to the level of the joint surface S makes it possible to choose the clamping intensity of the post in the housing 6. It should be noted that if the base is made of a sufficiently elastic material, the dimensions of the passage 6 relative to the dimensions of the post 2 may be such that the two complementary parts 3 and 4 come into good contact at the joint surface S.

Finally, the finishing plugs 47 are introduced into the passages 40.

To modify the orientation of the post 2, it suffices to remove the finishing plugs 47 and to act on the screws 41 so as to loosen the parts 3 and 4 of the base 1.

The rod 25 extending along the axis of the pole 2, the position of the installation hole in the ground of said rod corresponds to the position of the axis of said pole, which greatly simplifies the choice of the position of said hole.

According to a variant use of a base according to the present invention, said base can be simply placed on the ground. Advantageously, in this case, a crown or a rubber disc will be installed under the sole 5.

In Figures 8 to 10 is shown a base 101 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

As for the base 1 described above, two complementary parts 103 and 104 form, when they are assembled on either side of a joint surface S, a base 101 flared towards a sole 105 and provided with a housing cylindrical 106 adapted to receive a post, in practice a tube of round section, said base thus having a general shape of bell. The envelope surface of said base 101 is a surface of revolution coaxial with the post, but having two parallel lateral flats 107, extending on either side of the housing 6 perpendicular to the joint surface S. In this way, and as we best seen in Figure 10, the sole 105 of said base has a rectangular shape rounded at two of its ends. Apart from this difference in shape, the base 101 has a structure similar to the base 1 described above and will therefore not be described in more detail.

A variant use of a base according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 7. According to this variant, the base 1 described above is installed on a support 110 consisting of a part of revolution flaring from a seat 111 forming an axial support base of the base 1 towards a sole 114. The seat 111, in practice a cylindrical recess of diameter adapted to the sole 5 of the base 1, is crossed in its center by an oblong hole 113 extended by a cylindrical compartment 112 opening out under the sole 114. The hole oblong 113 and compartment 112 are adapted to be crossed by the threaded rod 25 for fixing the base 1 in the ground. The rod 25 is engaged, on the one hand, as described above, with the nut 26 bearing on the base 1 via the washer 27, and on the other hand with the nut 28 which, being this time in the compartment 112 of the support 110, is supported by the washer 29 against said support. In this way, the assembly formed by the base 1 and by the support 110 is secured.

Preferably, as explained above, the rod 25 will pass through the centers of the oblong holes of the base 1 and of the support 110 so as to extend along the axis of the post 2. In practice, the cylindrical recess constituting the seat 111 is higher than that of the sole 5, so that a lower portion of the part 4 of the base 1 is located inside said recess. However, the diameter of this seat 111 is slightly greater than that of the sole 5 so as to be able to loosen the two parts 3 and 4 of the base 1 enough to release the post. It is thus possible either to release the post or to modify its orientation without having to separate said base from the support 110.

The rod 25 can either protrude under the sole 114 so as to be installed in the ground as described above, or stop in the compartment 112 of the support 110, when one simply wants to place on the ground the assembly formed by the base 1 and the support 110. In the latter case, the support 110 will advantageously be provided under its sole 114 with a disc or a rubber crown.

The support 110 which has just been described allows, by its large diameter, better stability of the assembly, in particular in the case where a post must be placed on the ground and not fixed. When the assembly constituted by the support 110, the base 1 and the post is assembled but not secured to the ground, the handler can move the posts by rolling the support on the ground, which allows the form of revolution of the latter.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples described and shown, numerous variants of embodiment and use can be envisaged.

In particular, the parts 3 and 4 can be full, in the case for example where it is desired that the base 1 is of greater weight or in the case where it is desired to simplify the molding operation of said parts. In this hypothesis, the assembly constituted by the nuts 43 and by the blind portions of the passages 40 located in the part 3 will be replaced by tapped bores of dimension adapted to the screws 41, said tapped bores being machined after the molding of said part 3. Likewise, the portions of the passages 40 located in part 4 will be machined after molding of part 4, said passage portions remaining as described above.

In addition, a base can be envisaged, the two complementary parts of which are identical, so that said parts can be produced using a single mold. In this case, the sole of said base will consist of two identical half-discs carried respectively by one and the other part of the base. In addition, each of said parts will then carry on either side of the post housing, respectively a through portion of a transverse screwing passage and a tapped blind portion of such a passage. In this way, when these complementary parts are placed one against the other, the through portion of the passage of one will come opposite the blind portion of the passage of the other and vice versa, the tightening can thus be performed.

Claims (14)

1. Base (1; 101) for holding a pole (2) comprising, on both sides of a joint surface (S), two complementary parts (3, 4; 103, 104) delimiting between them a housing (6; 106) and means (41, 43) for clamping the said parts against each other in order to clasp the said pole in the said housing, characterised in that one (3; 103) of the complementary parts (3, 4; 103, 104) of the base (1; 101) is fitted on its lower part with a plate (5; 105) forming an axial supporting seating for the pole (2) and sole plate of the said base, and serving as a bed plate for the other part (4; 104) of the said base.
2. Base according to claim 1 characterised in that the pole (2) and its housing (6; 106) are cylindrical.
3. Base according to claim 1 characterised by a cylinder (10) serving to assist the installation of the pole in the said housing, with the said cylinder being arranged in the centre of the sole plate (5) coaxially to the said housing (6) of the pole and with the outer diameter of the said cylinder (10) being such that the said cylinder is located inside the said pole when the latter is in place in the said housing (6).
4. Base according to claim 3 characterised in that ribs (11) are arranged radially around the said cylinder (10) and become wider towards the base of the latter.
5. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that it is suitable for attachment to the ground by means of a threaded rod (25) extending in line with the axis of the pole (2).
6. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised by holes (30) arranged in the part of the sole plate (5) serving as a bed plate and suitable for each receiving a threaded rod (31) for attaching the base to the ground.
7. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the said base (1) is fitted with transverse passages (40) extending in parallel on both sides of the housing (6; 106) of the pole (2) and crossing the joint surface (s), with each of the said passages being suitable for receiving a screw (41) resting on one (4; 104) of the complimentary parts (3, 4; 103, 104) of the said base and engaging with a female thread (43) arranged in the other part (4; 104) of the said base.
8. Base according to claim 7 characterised in that the portions of the transverse passages (40) located in that (3) of the complementary parts (3, 4; 103, 104) of the said base (1; 101) which comprises the said female threads (43) are closed.
9. Base according to claim 8 characterised in that each of the female threads (43) is comprised of a nut housed with the aid of a release (45) which is triggered near the lower end of the corresponding closed passage. a compartment (50) which terminates on one side below the sole plate (5; 105) and on the other side on the said nut housing release, being arranged in the corresponding part (3; 103) of the said base.
10. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the joint surface (S) is, relative to an axial plane, concave towards one (3; 103) of the complementary parts (3, 4; 103, 104) of the base (1), with the lower boundary of the said joint surface being a straight line (D1) extending diametrically, the projection of the upper boundary of the said joint surface on a radial plane forming two straight lines (D2, D2') converging towards the said part (3; 103) of the base and the intersection of the said joint surface with the housing (6; 106) of the pole (2) forming two parallel straight lines (D3) which are inclined relative to the vertical towards the said part (3; 103) of the base.
11. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the said base, flared towards its lower part forming a sole plate (5; 105), exhibits the general form of a bell which is coaxial to the said pole.
12. Base according to any one of claims 1 - 11 characterised in that the enveloping surface of the said base (101) is a revolving surface whose axis is that of the pole (2) but on which two parallel lateral flats (107) are arranged in such a way that the sole plate (105) of the said base is of more or less rectangular form.
13. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that it is mounted at the top of a support (110) which flares out from a receptacle (111), forming an axial supporting seating for the said base (1; 101), towards a sole plate (114).
14. Base according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that each of the said parts (3, 4; 103, 104) is constructed by moulding with axial orientation-simplifying recesses opening towards the sole plate face of the base and transverse recesses for constructing passages (40) terminating laterally on the body of the base.

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