FR2969681A1 - STABLE AUTO STABLE MAT FOR TERRACE AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-adjusting stable mast (1) arranged to not require anchoring means with the ground (2) of its installation place, intended in particular to support a radio antenna (3), remarkable in that it comprises a central base (5) arranged to be placed on the ground (2), a shaft (4) fixed substantially vertically to said central base (5), at least two arms (6) capable of being fixed angularly offset in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank (4) at one of their ends to the central base (5) and at least one load ballast (7) adjustable at least partly removable capable of being secured to each arm (6) for stabilizing said self-stable mast (1), each arm (6) being adapted to be secured by their free end to another arm (6) similar to adapt the configuration of said self-stable mast (1) in particular the conditions of the place of installation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a self-stable mast for terrace used, for example as pylons for supporting radio antennas, and a method of installing such an auto-stable mast.

PRIOR ART It is known that the masts, commonly used for this purpose, are conveyed to their place of installation, such as roof terraces for example, and are assembled when they come in several pieces, and finally are fixed and equipped with one or more antennas. For the installation of the mast, a first method is to assemble the mast horizontally, on the ground, then by means of a lifting equipment, such as for example a lifting arm or a crane, to position the mast vertically before the attach to the ground, for example to a concrete base provided with threaded rods. A second method is to fix vertically to the ground a first piece of the mast and then successively put a second piece vertically on the first piece. This operation is repeated until the desired height for the mast is reached. To superimpose the pieces thus, one uses for example a telescopic ladder. In this configuration, it is clear that, on the one hand, it is necessary to fix the mast to the ground of its place of installation to ensure its stability and, secondly, the mast is difficult to repositionable after its installation because in particular of its method of fixing. In general, the fixing of the mast is carried out with fasteners of the chemical or self-expansive type of anchor and very often requires when said mast is installed on a roof terrace a resumption of the sealing of said terrace. VOLX01-EN-1 TEXT REMOVAL RG / CD - 2 - Moreover, as described above, the installation of the mast and the antenna requires, whatever the method of assembly adopted, lifting gear and scaffolding. Indeed, it is necessary to climb the mast to mount and install, replace or adjust in height the antenna which is fixed there. The escalation of the mast by the operator also requires the implementation of heavy structures able to support its weight and to ensure its positioning at the required working height. Failing this, this operation requires the use of a ladder often telescopic generating transverse forces on the fixed mast, which must then be equipped with shrouds punctually or permanently, or reinforced to withstand mechanical stresses.

Finally, most known masts are not flexible and can not easily adapt to different configurations of their place of installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to propose a self-stable mast which is economical, easy and quick to implement, requiring no special tools or heavy handling equipment. and security, and no prior training and intended in particular to realize a pylon to support radio antennas. In addition, this self-stable mast is flexible and does not require intervention on the ground seals of the installation site because it does not require anchoring means fixed in said ground.

According to the invention, it is therefore proposed a self-stable modular mast arranged to not require anchoring means with the ground of its installation site, intended in particular to support a radio antenna, remarkable in that it comprises a central base

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 3 - arranged to be placed on the ground, a shaft fixed substantially vertically to said central base, at least two arms capable of being fixed angularly offset in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis longitudinal of said barrel at one of their ends to the central base and at least one ballast load adjustable at least partly removable adapted to be secured to each arm to stabilize said self stable mast, each arm being adapted to be secured by their free end to another similar arm in order to adapt the configuration of said self stable mast in particular to the conditions of said installation site. According to a preferred embodiment, the shaft is a tubular section of circular section and provided at its lower end. a plate in the general shape of parallelepiped plate extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said barrel. According to an advantageous embodiment, each arm being a tubular section of rectangular section provided at each of its ends with a plate in the general shape of parallelepiped plate extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said arm. Preferably, the ballast load comprises a receptacle fixed to the free end of each arm and containing at least one ballast slab, said receptacle being tray-shaped positioned so that it passes under the associated arm and protrudes both sides of said arm substantially symmetrically, each ballast plate being of generally parallelepipedal shape and comprises a handle for facilitating its handling and adapted to cooperate with a retaining member ensuring the maintenance of said ballast plate in the receptacle. According to an advantageous embodiment, the self-stable mast comprises an offset device arranged to fix

VOLX0I-GB-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 4 - in height and support a radio antenna while allowing access to the highest attachment of the self-stable mast without the use of special equipment. Said offset device preferably comprises at least two clamps, a support and two fastening elements, the clamps for sliding and securing said support along the shaft of the self-stable mast. Preferably, the support is advantageously a generally U-shaped section sheet whose core is provided with at least one series of lights extending one after the other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. said barrel. According to an alternative embodiment, the self-stable mast comprises a folding device arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna. Said folding device comprises at least one support hinged to the barrel between a "use" position where said support extends substantially parallel to said barrel and a "mounting" position where said support extends substantially perpendicular to said barrel. Advantageously, the self-stable mast includes reinforcing members to increase its mechanical strength. Each reinforcing member is an inclined bar fixed at one of its ends to one of the arms and at the other end along the barrel. In addition, the invention also relates to a method of mounting an auto stable mast as described above, remarkable in that it comprises at least the following steps: - establishment of the central base on the ground the installation location of the said self-stable mast; - Fixing at least one arm on the central base; - assembly of a receptacle at the free end

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVES RG / CD-5 from said at least one arm; - Installation of at least one ballast plate in said receptacle; maintaining said ballast slab in the receptacle by means of at least one retaining member; - Setting up and fixing the drum on the central base. Preferably, the step of placing and fixing the shaft on the central base is followed by a step of fixing on said shaft of an offset device or a folding device arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna. Similarly, the step of placing and fixing the barrel on the central base may be followed by a step of fixing between said arms and barrel of reinforcing members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description of a variant embodiment of a kit frame according to the invention with reference to the appended figures in which: FIG. perspective view of a self-stable mast according to the invention according to the X configuration with a radio antenna; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the self-stable mast of Figure 1 in the T-configuration; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of the self-stable mast of Figure 1 according to the V configuration; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the self-stabilizing mast of FIG. 1 according to the Y configuration; - Figure 5 is a partial side view of a self-stable mast of Figure 1 with an offset device; FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the support of the offset device of FIG. 5.

VOLX01-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 6 Best way of carrying out the technical invention In the following description, an auto stable mast 1 according to the invention is described arranged especially for being installed on the ground 2 of a roof terrace generally horizontal and preferably support radio antennas 3. Thus with reference to Figure 1, said self-stable mast 1 comprises a shaft 4, a central base 5 arranged to be placed on the floor 2 and adapted to receive the end base of said barrel 4 and maintain it in a substantially vertical position relative to said ground 2, at least one arm 6 adapted to be fixed, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel 4, at one of its ends on the central base 5 and at least one load ballast 7 adjustable at least partially removable adapted to be secured to each arm 6, preferably at the free end, to stabilize said self stable mast 1. The drum 4 is advantageously a pro tubular spool of circular section and provided at its lower end with a plate 41 in the general shape of parallelepiped plate extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said barrel 4. For obvious reasons of lightness and low cost, the barrel 4 and the plate 41 are made of light metal alloy of aluminum type for example. The plate 41 is then secured by welding at the lower end of said barrel 4. For obvious reasons of mechanical strength of the connection between the barrel 4 and the plate 41, the barrel 4 further comprises gussets 42 reinforcements preferably in aluminum alloy light alloy and fixed by welding. The barrel 4 may also be made of several elements butted together. Similarly, the barrel 4 can be made of several nested elements slidable into each other so as to

VOLXOI-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVES RG / CD - 7 - obtain an extensible self-supporting mast. The central base 5 is arranged to rest on the floor 2 with a substantially flat bottom face and has an upper surface 51 substantially flat and parallel to said lower face and adapted to receive the lower end of the barrel 4 and allow the attachment of said barrel 4 through its plate 41. The upper face 51 thus comprises, for example unrepresented threads adapted to cooperate with screws or threaded rods not shown to ensure the joining of said shank 4 on the central base 5. The latter has to preferably a horizontal section in the general shape of four-armed cross and has at the end of each of its branches a receiving surface 52 substantially flat and perpendicular to said lower face. For obvious reasons of lightness and low cost, the central base 5 is made of light metal alloy of aluminum type for example. However, it is clear that the central base 5 may have a horizontal section of any shape such as a square, a rectangle, a triangle or a circle provided with flats for example without departing from the scope of the present invention. The arm 6 is advantageously a tubular section of rectangular section and provided at each of its ends with a plate 61 in the general shape of a parallelepiped plate extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said arm 6. Said plates 61 make it easy to fix each arm 6 by each of these ends. For obvious reasons of lightness and low cost, the arm 6 and its plates 61 are made of light metal alloy of aluminum type for example. The plates 61 are then secured by welding preferably closed at the ends of said arm 6.

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 8 - The self-stable mast 1 according to the invention thus comprises four arms 6 secured substantially parallel to the ground 2 respectively to each of the receiving faces 52 of the central base 5 through of one of their plates 61. Each receiving face 52 thus comprises for example unrepresented tappings able to cooperate with screws or threaded rods not shown to ensure the joining of said plates 61 of the arms 6 on the central base 5.

Each arm 6 comprises at its free end a ballast load 7 partly removable. Said weighting load 7 comprises a receptacle 71 in the form of a tray, fixed to said arm 6 and containing at least one ballast plate 72. Said receptacle 71 is fixed by any means such as screws or bolts for example for easy assembly / disassembly and fast. In addition, for reasons of stability and mechanical balance, each receptacle 71 is positioned so that it passes under the associated arm 6 and protrudes from both sides of said arm 6 substantially symmetrically. Similarly, each receptacle 71 advantageously receives the same number of ballast slabs 72 on either side of the associated arm 6. Each ballast block 72 is advantageously of generally parallelepipedal shape and has a handle 73 on its upper face to facilitate its handling and adapted to cooperate with a retaining member 74 ensuring the maintenance of said ballast block 72 in the receptacle 71 Said retaining member 74 is preferably a bar, passing simultaneously in the handle 73 of each of the ballast slabs 72, the ends of which are fixed to the receptacle 71 by unrepresented locking members of the padlock type for example. These avoid the inadvertent withdrawal of the retainer 74 and the ballast plates 72 thus ensuring the

VOLX01-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 9 - stability of the self-stable mast 1 and prohibiting the flight of said ballast slabs 72. It is understandable that by adding or removing ballast slabs 72, it is easy to adjust the weight of the ballast load 7 as a function of the conditions of the place of installation of the self-stable mast 1. With reference to FIG. 1, the self-stable mast 1 has an X configuration and preferably comprises four arms 6 attached to the mast. central base 5 and extending so that each arm 6 forms an angle a substantially 90 ° with the arm 6 adjacent to form the branches of the X. It is understood that said angle a between two arms 6 adjacent may not be constant and have a value other than 90 ° without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Moreover, one of the main characteristics of the self-stable mast 1 according to the invention is its modularity. Thus, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is possible to transform the configuration of said self-stable mast 1 and to obtain a configuration in T or V, respectively.

With reference to FIG. 2, in order to obtain said T-shaped configuration, one of the arms 6 of the central base 5 must be detached and secured in the extension of the arm 6 located opposite each other by contacting their plate 61 and providing the connection between said arms 6 by any means such as screws or bolts for example allowing easy assembly and disassembly and fast two arms 6. With reference to Figure 3, to obtain said V configuration, it It is necessary to start from the T-configuration described above and to separate from the central base 5 one of the arms 6 adjacent to the assembly of the two arms 6 assembled and to secure it in the extension of the arm 6 located opposite it. contacting their plate 61 and ensuring the connection between said arms 6

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 10 - by any means such as screws or bolts, for example, allowing quick and easy assembly / disassembly. It will be understood that these three configurations X, T and V obtained with a central base 5 for the attachment of four arms 6 extending so that each arm 6 forms an angle of substantially 90 ° with the arm 6 adjacent are preferred configurations. Indeed, the self stable mast 1 can then be installed respectively in the middle, along a border and in an angle of a roof terrace. However, with reference to FIG. 4, the self-stable mast 1 may comprise a central base 5 allowing the attachment of three arms 6 extending so that each arm 6 forms an angle α substantially of 120 ° with the adjacent arm 6, without departing from the scope of the present invention. With such a central base 5 and three arms 6, the self-stable mast 1 has a Y configuration. Whatever the configuration of the self-stable mast 1 retained, it is clearly understood that it is still possible to modulate said configuration by separating or securing a or several other arms 6 in the extension of the arms 6 already in place on said self-stable mast 1 in order respectively to decrease or increase the resistance of said self-stable mast 1 to adapt it notably to the conditions of its place of installation. Furthermore, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, in the context of a self-stable mast 1 used to support a radio antenna 3, said self-stable mast 1 is provided with an offset device 8 arranged to fix said antenna in height. radio 3 while allowing access to the highest attachment of said self stable mast 1 without using special equipment such as parrot ladders, anchor points and fixing and expensive security devices to access said high fixation . This

VOLX01-EN-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 11 - access is required to carry out the installation, maintenance, replacement and azimuth adjustment of said radio antenna 3. The offset device 8 comprises at least two clamps 81, a support 82 and two fastening elements 83. The clamps 81 allow to slide and fix said support 82 along the barrel 4 of the self stable mast 1. The support 82 is preferably a sheet of generally U-shaped section whose core 821 is provided with at least one series of lights 822 extending following each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said barrel 4. Preferably, said support 82 has two sets of lights 822 parallel to each other. Said lights 822 are able to cooperate with the fastening elements 83 to fix the radio antenna 3 on the support 82 preferably close to each of the ends of said radio antenna 3. The skilled person will have no difficulty in adapting the dimensions and the number of the lights 822 to allow the fixation of the majority of known standard radio antennas 3. The fixing elements 83 are advantageously in the general Z-shape of which one of the end wings is fixed on the support 82 and the other end wing is fixed on the radio antenna 3 so as to ensure the fixation of the latter on said support 82. The fixation of the fastening elements 83 is carried out by any appropriate means such as screws or bolts, for example, allowing easy, fast and secure assembly / disassembly.

In addition, the support 82 is partly offset from the free end of the barrel 4 so that the highest fastening of the radio antenna 3 is beyond said free end of the barrel 4. Thus for access to said highest of the fixtures of the radio antenna 3 without

VOLX01-EN-1 TEXT REMOVAL RG / CD - 12 - use a ladder, simply loosen the clamps 81 and slide the support assembly 82, fasteners 83 and the radio antenna 3 towards the base 5. This configuration is particularly interesting that the barrel 4 has a length such that the highest clamping flanges 81 is positioned so that intervention on the clamping clamp 81 does not require the use of a ladder in accordance with the standards in force.

Similarly for the introduction of the radio antenna 3 on the self-stable mast 1, the said radio antenna 3 is fixed to the ground on the support 82, in particular by means of the fastening elements 83, and then the whole of the radio antenna 3 is fixed and fixed. thus obtained on the shank 4, in particular by means of the clamping flanges 81, without being too tight to allow them to slide. Finally, the radio antenna assembly 3 and offset device 8 is positioned by sliding it along the shaft 4 towards the free end of said shaft 4 and then fixing it in position by definitively tightening the clamping flanges 81 around said shaft 4. For obvious reasons of lightness and low cost, the offset device 8 is made of light metal alloy of aluminum type for example. It is understood that the offset device 8 previously described is particularly simple to manufacture and implement. However, it may be replaced by any other means providing the same effects without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, to fix in height and support a radio antenna 3, said self stable mast 1 may be provided with a folding device (not shown) comprising at least one support articulated to the barrel 4 between a position "use" where said support s extends substantially parallel to said barrel 4 and a "mounting" position where said support extends substantially

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 13 - perpendicularly to said drum 4. The radio antenna 3 is then fixed on the support when it is in the "mounting" position, then the radio antenna 3 - antenna assembly is raised. to the "use" position of said support.

The skilled person will have no difficulty in dimensioning in particular the constituent elements of the self-stable mast 1 and the offset device 8 depending in particular on the type of radio antenna 3 and the conditions of the place of installation such as for example the wind, snow and altitude. Similarly, the skilled person will have no difficulty in sizing the components of the self-stable mast 1 and the offset device 8 so that they can be handled by hand and easily pass through a hatch access to roof terraces. In addition, if the self-stable mast 1 comprises a drum 4 high, said self-stable mast 1 may then be provided with reinforcing members (not shown) without departing from the scope of the present invention. These reinforcement members make it possible to increase the mechanical strength of the self-stable mast 1 in order, in particular, to resist the fall of an operator mounted on a ladder and connected to said self-stable mast by an anti-fall system. Each reinforcing member is advantageously an inclined bar attached at one of its ends to one of the arms 6 and at the other end along the barrel 4. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, the present invention also object the method of mounting a self stable mast 1 comprising at least a plurality of steps namely: - establishment of the central base 5 on the floor 2 of the installation location of said self stable mast 1; - Attaching at least one arm 6 on the central base 5;

VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 14 - - assembly of a receptacle 71 at the free end of said at least one arm 6; placing at least one ballast slab 72 in said receptacle 71; holding said ballast block 72 in place in the receptacle 71 via at least one retaining member 74; - Installation and fixing of the barrel 4 on the central base 5.

It is understood that these steps may not be performed in assembly of the indicated order. For example, the receptacle stage 71 at the free end of said at least one arm 6 can be made before the step of attaching at least one arm 6 to the central base 5.

The step of placing and fixing the barrel 4 on the central base 5 may be followed by a step of fixing on said barrel 4 of an offset device 8 or a folding device arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna 3.

The step of placing and fixing the barrel 4 on the central base 5 may be followed by a step of fixing between said arms 6 and 4 of reinforcing members.

Possibility of industrial application It is well understood that the self-stable mast 1 according to the invention is particularly adapted to be used to support a radio antenna 3. However, this self-stable mast 1 may also be adapted and used for specific applications such as for example the support of several radio antennas 3, the establishment of false chimneys or false shrubs or the fixing of a radome. Finally, it goes without saying that the example of a car mast

VOLX01-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD - 15 - stable 1 according to the invention which has just been described is only a particular illustration, in no way limiting of the invention. VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXT REMOVES RG / CD

Claims (9)

CLAIMS1 - Self-stable mast (1) modular arranged to not require anchoring means with the ground (2) of its installation location, intended in particular to support a radio antenna (3), characterized in that it comprises a central base (5) arranged to be placed on the ground (2), a shaft (4) fixed substantially vertically to said central base (5), at least two arms (6) capable of being fixed angularly offset in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank (4) at one of their ends to the central base (5) and at least one load ballast (7) adjustable at least partly removable adapted to be secured to each arm ( 6) for stabilizing said self-stable mast (1), each arm (6) being adapted to be secured by their free end to another arm (6) similar in order to adapt the configuration of said self-stable mast (1) in particular to the conditions said place of installation. 2 - self-stable mast (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shaft (4) is a tubular section of circular section and provided at its lower end with a plate (41) in the general shape of parallelepiped plate s' extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said shank (4). 3 - self-stable mast (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the arm (6) is a tubular section of rectangular section and provided at each of its ends with a plate (61) in general shape of parallelepiped plate extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said arm (6). VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXT REMOVAL RG / CD- 17 - 4 - self-stable mast (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ballast load (7) comprises a receptacle (71) fixed to the free end of each arm (6) and containing at least one ballast plate (72). 5 - self-stable mast (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the receptacle (71) is tray-shaped positioned so that it passes under the arm (6) associated and exceeds both sides of said arm (6) substantially symmetrically. 6 - self-stable mast (1) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that each ballast plate (72) is generally parallelepiped shape and comprises a handle (73) to facilitate its handling and suitable for cooperating a retainer (74) ensuring the maintenance of said ballast slab (72) in the receptacle (71). 7 - self-stable mast (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the retaining member (74) is a rod passing simultaneously in the handle (73) of each of the ballast slabs (72) whose ends are fixed to the receptacle (71) by locking members. 8 - self-stable mast (1) any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an offset device (8) arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna (3) while allowing access to the highest attachment of said self-stable mast (1) without using special equipment. 9 - Self stable mast (1) according to claim VOLX0I-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD-18 - characterized in that the offset device (8) comprises at least two clamps (81), a support (82). ) and two fastening elements (83), the clamps (81) for sliding and securing said support (82) along the shaft (4) of the self stable mast (1). - Self stable mast (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the support (82) is preferably a generally U-shaped section sheet whose core (821) 10 is provided with at least one series of lights (822) extending one after the other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said barrel (4). 11 - self-stable mast (1) any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a folding device arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna (3). 12 - self-stable mast (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the folding device comprises at least one support articulated to the shaft (4) between a "use" position where said support extends substantially parallel to said shaft (4) and a "mounting" position where said support extends substantially perpendicularly to said barrel (4). 13 - self-stable mast (1) any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises reinforcing members for increasing its mechanical strength. 14 - self-stable mast (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that each reinforcing member is an inclined bar fixed at one of its ends to one of the VOLXOI-FR-1 TEXTE REMOVAL RG / CD-19 arm (6) and at the other end along the shaft (4). 15 - A method of mounting an auto stable mast (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps: - establishment of the central base (5) on the ground (2) of the installation location of said self-stable mast (1); - Fixing at least one arm (6) on the central base (5); - assembling a receptacle (71) at the free end of said at least one arm (6); placing at least one ballast slab (72) in said receptacle (71); maintaining said ballast slab (72) in the receptacle (71) by means of at least one retaining member (74); - Establishment and fixing of the barrel (4) on the central base (5). 16 - Mounting method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the step of setting up and fixing the barrel (4) on the central base (5) is followed by a step of fixing on said barrel (4) an offset device (8) or a folding device arranged to fix in height and support a radio antenna (3). 17 - Mounting method according to any one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the step of placing and fixing the shaft (4) on the central base (5) is followed by a fixing step between said arms (6) and barrel (4) of reinforcing members. VOLX01-FR-1 TEXT REMOVES RG / CD