GB1048718A - Improved support member, staff or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

1,048,718. Utilizing flexible members as Struts. T. NOWORYTA. Aug. 29, 1963, No. 34206/63. Heading F2K. [Also in Division G1] A support member or surveyor's staff comprises a flexible metal strip 19 which may be coiled, the strip being preformed so as to form a channel section when uncoiled, the strip being bent back upon itself to provide two parallel limbs, the channel walls of the two limbs being interleaved. The surveyor's staff described is fitted with a base member 10 having a foot 11. The outer end 18 of the strip is secured by bolts 16, 17 to the upper end of the member 10. The channel section strip 19 is flattened out at the point 20 and bent back upon itself, a handle 42 being provided through which the Strip can slide. The strip tends to reform into a channel section at the point 21 before passing inside a guide member 14 which flattens the strip before it enters the coil 22. The coil is wound on a drum 25 by means of a handle (not shown) and the coil is held in place by a circular housing which is formed as a spring with one free end. To extend the staff the handle 42 is pulled upwards, the strip sliding through it, and the two opposed channel sections of the strip 19 interleaving to form the section shown in Fig. 4. The member 10 is provided with scale markings on its front face, the markings being continued on an inward curve 52 in the strip 19 to prevent wear. The handle 42, guide member 14 and housing 33 are all provided with ribs to prevent wear on the strip 19, which is preferably steelcoated with a plastics material, and a carrying handle 15 is provided for the staff on the member 10.