GB2150818A - Aerial brackets - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket for supporting aerials comprises a base portion (11) together with a pair of mast supporting arms (12 and 13). Said arms are each connected at one end to said base portion (11) so as to project therefrom in a parallel spaced relation. Furthermore each of said arms (12 and 13) is formed as a metal pressing from flat strip so as to be of flanged configuration. The base portion comprises a pair of angle sections (18, 20) which are also formed as metal pressings from a flat strip. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Aerial Brackets This invention relates to a bracket for supporting aerials, especially aerials of the kind which includes a mast which in use will extend in a vertical direction, the bracket normally being mounted in use on a vertically extending surface such as a wall or on a vertical support such as a chimney.

It is known to make such an aerial bracket as a fabricated structure which includes inter alia a pair of generally parallel spaced arms which are welded to a base formed from an angle section or a generally T-shaped section which may itself be formed from a pair of angle sections, said arms being each formed with apertures arranged to receive the legs of a U-bolt, the two U-bolts thus provided being used to connect the mast to the arms and thereby support it in a vertical orientation.

Such a welded bracket is however relatively expensive to produce and tends to be ofa somewhat "heavy" and cumbersome construction.

Moreover after welding it is necessary to subject the bracket to a finishing process, usually either an expensive hot dip galvanising process or a painting process which generally gives a poor quality surface finish.

Alternatively, a known aerial bracket which can be used to support a vertical mast and which is adapted to be mounted on a vertical edge of a chimney of generally rectangular shape in cross-section is formed from a single metal plate which is pressed to provide at least one integral tongue which projects outwardly from one side of the plate and at least one integral tongue which projects outwardly from the opposite side of the plate. Such a bracket, whilst being relatively inexpensive to produce, does not provide a strong construction.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of aerial bracket which is inexpensive to produce and yet is strong in construction and reliable in use.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an aerial bracket which comprises a base portion which is adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface or on a supporting structure together with a pair of mast supporting arms which are each connected at one end to said base portion by fastening means extending through the arm and the base portion, said arms projecting from the base portion in a parallel spaced relation and being each formed as a metal pressing from flat strip so as to be of flanged configuration.

Conveniently each of said arms is of generally channel-shaped configuration in cross-section along at least a portion of its length extending inwardly from its free end so as to provide along said portion a pair of opposed flanges.

The aforesaid base portion may comprise a pair of similar angle sections which are also each formed as a metal pressing from flat strip, one flange of one angle section being co-planar with one flange of the other angle section so that the two co-planar flanges can be mounted on a flat vertically extending supporting surface, the other two flanges of the two angle sections extending in two parallel planes spaced slightly apart so as to permit the inner ends of said mast supporting arms to extend between them, the aforesaid fastening means then being used not only to secure said arms to the base portion but also to connect the two angle sections of the base portion together.

Alternatively, said base portion may comprise a pair of angle sections which are also respectively formed as metal pressings from two flat strips of the same width but to a different shape, one flange of one angle section being connected in an overlying relationship to one flange of the other angle section by fastening means which extend through said flanges. In this case however the other two flanges of the two angle sections do not lie in a common plane and accordingly a recess is formed between the two angle sections at the rear of the base portion so that the bracket may be mounted on a chimney or other vertical support in such a way that one vertical edge of the chimney or other vertical support will be located in said recess.The two mast supporting arms of the bracket may in this case be connected to the base portion by fastening means which respectively extend through each of said arms and only one of the angle sections which form the base portion.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure lisa perspective view of one example of an aerial bracket constructed in accordance with the invention and Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative form of aerial bracket in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 the aerial bracket shown therein is intended to be mounted on a vertically extending supporting surface such as a wall which is shown in dotted outline and indicated by reference numeral 10.

The bracket comprises a base portion 11 together with a pair of mast supporting arms 12 and 13. Each of said arms is formed as a metal pressing from flat strip which may for example be strip which is 1 in width, although such dimension is not to be taken in any limiting sense. As will be seen in Figure 1 each of said arms 12 and 13 is formed in the pressing so that it has a relatively deep flange 1 2a or 1 3a which extends along the whole length of the arm together with an opposed shallower flange 12b or 13b which extends only part-way along the length of the arm from the outer end thereof. Thus each arm is of generally channel-shaped configuration for at least a portion of its length extending inwardly from its outer, free end.Each of said deeper flanges 1 2a or 13a is formed in its outer edge with a notch 14 or 15 and the two notches provide bearing surfaces for the vertically extending mast of the aerial which is to be supported, said mast being shown in dotted outline and indicated by reference numeral 16. The exterior of the mast will also engage and be supported by the free edge of each of said shallower flanges 1 2b or 1 3b. Furthermore the web portion of each arm 12 and 13 is formed with a pair of spaced elongated apertures such as is indicated in the case of one of such aperatures in arm 13 by reference 16 and each pair of apertures is adapted to receive the threaded ends of a U-bolt 17 or 18 which will embrace the mast 16 when the latter is connected to the aerial bracket, nuts being applied to said threaded ends of the U-bolt 17 and iSso as thereby to clamp the mast 16 firmly in position against said arms 12 and 13.

The aforementioned base portion 11 comprises a pair of similar angle sections 19 and 20 which are also formed as metal pressingsfrom a flat strip which may in this case (and which is again not to be taken in any limiting sense) be zit wide. Said angle sections are arranged so that one flange 19a of the section 19 is co-planar with flange 20a of the section 20, each of such flanges being formed with apertures such as apertures 21 whereby the base portion can be secured to the aforesaid wall 10.The aforesaid web portions of the arms 12 and 13 extend at their inner ends between the other flanges 19b and 20b of the angle sections 19 and 20 so that said flanges will be spaced apartfrom each other by a small distance and the four pieces of the bracket represented by the two arms 12 and 13 and the two angle sections 19 and 20 are connected together by fastening means which extend through said flanges 19b and 20b and through the web portions of the arms 12 and 13. Said fastening means are indicated by reference numeral 22 and are conveniently in the form of rivets although they might also be in the form of bolts to which nuts would be applied.The complete bracket is thus very simply formed from four metal pressings made from two flat strips of different widths, said four pieces being readily assembled and secured together by the four rivets or bolts as above described. Such a construction is therefore not only relatively inexpensive to manufacture but it is also strong and robust in use and pleasing in appearance.

In an alternative arrangement shown in Figure 2 the bracket shown therein is provided with similar mast supporting arms 12 and 13 as before and the mast 16 is connected to said arms by means of the U-bolts 17 and 18 in a manner similar to that described with reference to the bracket shown in Figure 1. In this case however the base portion 9 comprises a pair of angle sections 23 and 24 which, although being formed as metal pressings from the same width of flat strip are so formed as to be of different shape. Thus the angle section 24 is formed to have a pair of flanges 24a and 24b which are of equal width whereas in the case of angle section 23 the flange 23a is wider than the flange 23b. Each arm 12 and 13 is secured to the angle section 24 by means of rivets (or bolts) 25 which extend through the web portion of the associated arm 12 or 13 and said flange 24a.The length of the flange 23a is such that the flange extends between and abuts against the adjacent edges of the webs of the arms 12 and 13 and said flange 23a is secured to the flange 24a by means of a single rivet or bolt 26. It will also be seen from Figure 2 that the flange 23a extends inwardly beyond the flange 24b so that the flanges 23b and 24b are not in this instance co-planar. Thus a recess will be formed at the rear of said base portion 9 between the projecting part of the exterior of the flange 23a and the exterior surface of the flange 24b and accordingiy the base portion can then be applied to and located on one vertical edge 26 of a vertically extending support such as a chimney shown in dotted outline and indicated by reference numeral 27.The bracket is held in position on the chimney 27 or other support by means of a steel wire rope 28 which extends around the chimney and which is formed at each of its ends with a loop, said loops engaging the hooked ends of J-bolts 29 and 30 which respectively extend through the flanges 23b on the one hand and the overlying flanges 23a and 24a on the other hand, said J-bolts being secured and tightened in position by means of nuts 31 and 32. Thus said nuts 31 and 32 will be tightened to tension the steel wire rope 28 and thereby hold the bracket securely in place.

As is the case however with the bracket shown in Figure 1, the bracket which is shown in Figure 2 is formed from four simple pressings which are connected together by fastening means such as rivets or bolts and the complete bracket is of relatively inexpensive yet robust construction.

Since rivetting or bolting is used rather than welding in the construction described above, pregalvanised steel stock can be utilized and a surface finishing operation is not needed as the galvanised finish of the stock is not damaged as it would be by welding. Moreover, since the arm structure is common to both brackets the family of brackets which comprises the construction of Figure 1 and the construction of Figure 2 can be provided from only three metal stock widths.

Claims (6)

1. An aerial bracket which comprises a base portion which is adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface or on a supporting structure together with a pair of mast supporting arms which are each connected at one end to said base portion by fastening means extending through the arm and the base portion, said arms projecting from the base portion in a parallel spaced relation and being each formed as a metal pressing from flat strip so as to be of flanged configuration.

2. An aerial bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each of said arms is of generally channel-shaped configuration in cross-section along at least a portion of its length extending inwardly from its free end so as to provide along said portion a pair of opposed flanges.

3. An aerial bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the aforesaid base portion comprises a pair of similar angle sections which are also each formed as a metal pressing from flat strip, one flange of one angle section being co-planar with one flange of the other angle section so that the two coplanarflanges can be mounted on a flat vertically extending supporting surface, the other two flanges of the two angle sections extending in two parallel planes spaced slightly apart so as to permit the inner ends of said mast supporting arms to extend between them, the aforesaid fastening means then being used not only to secure said arms to the base portion but also to connect the two angle sections of the base portion together.

4. An aerial bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the aforesaid base portion comprises a pair of angle sections which are respectively formed as metal pressings from two flat strips of different widths, one flange of one angle section being connected in an overlying relationship to one flange of the other angle section by fastening means which extend through said flanges.

5. An aerial bracket as claimed in Claim 4wherein the other two flanges of the base portion angle sections do not lie in a common plane, thereby providing a recess between said two angle sections at the rear of the base portion so that the bracket may be mounted on a chimney or other vertical support in such a way that one vertical edge of the chimney or other vertical support will be located in said recess.

6. An aerial bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing.