GB2170050A

GB2170050A - Mounting bracket for an aerial

Info

Publication number: GB2170050A
Application number: GB08500674A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Charles Joseph Greest
Original assignee: STROMBERG GREEST Ltd
Current assignee: STROMBERG GREEST Ltd
Priority date: 1985-01-11
Filing date: 1985-01-11
Publication date: 1986-07-23
Also published as: GB8500674D0; GB2170050B

Abstract

This invention relates to a mounting bracket for an aerial and in accordance with the invention said bracket comprises a one-piece moulding 12 formed of a synthetic resin material, said bracket having a flexible strap portion 13 which is adapted in use to embrace the boom of an aerial. The ends 14 and 15 of said flexible strap portion are integrally connected with tapered leg portions 16 and 17 which in use are adapted to enter, in a side-by-side position, into the open end of an aerial mast or support. Integrally connected to each of said leg portions 16 and 17 is a catch member 18 or 19 which are hingedly connected to said strap portion 13 and each catch member has an inwardly projecting locking member 20 or 21 which is arranged at its free end to extend through an aperture formed in said aerial mast or support and thereafter into an associated aperture or recess formed in the adjacent leg portion 16 or 17 so as to secure said leg portions within the aerial mast or support. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting bracket for an aerial This invention relates to a mounting bracket for an aerial, the latter being for example of the kind which comprises a boom in which is supported an array of dipole elements. It is commonly required to mount such an aerial on a mast or support which in use will extend in a generally vertical direction and the object of the present invention is to provide an improved mounting bracket which is especially adapted to connect the aerial boom to the mast or support.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a mounting bracket for an aerial which comprises a one-piece moulding having a flexible strap portion which is shaped to embrace an aerial boom and which has two adjacent ends from each of which a leg portion projects so that in use and when said strap portion ends engage or lie closely adjacent to each other said two leg portions will lie in an engaged, side by side relationship in which together they will form a spigot adapted to enter into the end of a hollow mast, there being also provided in association with at least one of said leg portions a catch member which is hingedly and integrally connected thereto, said catch member having a projecting locking member which in use can be pushed through an aperture formed in the wall of said mast and thence into a recess formed in the associated leg portion, said locking member and said recess having respectively inter-engageable formations which are adapted to secure the catch member to its associated leg portion and thereby prevent the bracket from being separated from the mast.

Preferably, each of said leg portions has an associated catch member, the two locking members thus provided on the two catch members then being respectively arranged to be pushed through a pair of oppositely disposed apertures formed in the wall of the mast.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is an end view of one example of an aerial mounting bracket in accordance with the invention, the bracket being shown before assembly to an aerial boom or supporting mast, Figure 2 is a similar end view of the bracket seen in Figure 1 but after it has been assembled to the aerial boom and inserted into the upper end of a hollow mast, and Figure 3 is a side view of the assembly seen in Figure 2, Figures 2 and 3 being taken in mutually perpendicular directions.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown therein one example of a mounting bracket which is intended for use in supporting an aerial on an upwardly extending mast or other support. In Fig ures 2 and 3 of the drawings the upper end of the mast (which is of hollow form and of square crosssection) is shown in section and indicated by reference numeral 10 whereas the horizontal extending boom of the aerial is indicated in Figures 2 and 3 by reference numeral 11, the other parts of the aerial not being shown.

The aforesaid mounting bracket is formed as a one-piece moulding of a suitable plastics material and is indicated by reference numeral 12 in Figure 1. Thus said bracket has a flexible strap portion 13 which in use is adapted to embrace the boom 11, the two adjacent ends of said strap portion being indicated by reference numerals 14 and 15.

From each of said ends 14 and 15 extend respectively leg portions 16 and 17 which are each of tapered form at their lower ends and associated with each leg portion is a catch member 18 and 19 which is integrally and hingedly connected at its upper end to the strap portion 13 or a part connected thereto. Furthermore each catch member 18 and 19 has an inwardly projecting locking member 20 or 21 which is formed at its outer end with a hook portion 22 or 23. Each of the leg portions 16 and 17 is formed on its side adjacent to the associated catch member 18 or 19 with an aperture or recess indicated by reference numeral 24 or 25 and the interior of such aperture or recess is formed with a step 26 or 27.

Initially the aforementioned one-piece moulding 12 is formed so that it will assume, when in an unstressed position, a configuration such as is generally shown in Figure 1. In such a position the aerial boom 11 can either be pushed endwise through the opening which is defined by the strap portion 13 or alternatively said strap portion can be opened further so that its two ends 14 and 15 are further separated in order that they can be snapped over the aerial boom 11. In either case the strap portion 13 will embrace the boom 11 and the low leg portions 16 and 17 can be squeezed together so that they engage each other and form a spigot which can then be pushed into the upper end of the mast or support 10 as is shown in Figures 2 and 3.In this situation the catch members 18 and 19 will lie on the exterior of the mast or support 10 and initially said locking members 20 and 21 will also lie on the outside of the mast or support 10. Said catch members 18 and 19 can now however be squeezed inwardly so that the locking members 20 and 21 pass respectively through a pair of aligned apertures 28 and 29 which will have been formed in the wall of said mast or support 10 adjacent to the upper end thereof and continuing inward pressure on the two catch members 18 and 19 will result in the hooked ends 22 and 23 of the locking members 20 and 21 engaging behind the shoulders 26 and 27, thereby securing the catch members 18 and 19 and preventing detachment of the bracket 12 (and the aerial boom 11) from the upper end of said mast or support 10.

1. A mounting bracket for an aerial which comprises a one-piece moulding having a flexible strap portion which is shaped to embrace an aerial boom and which has two adjacent ends from each

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Mounting bracket for an aerial This invention relates to a mounting bracket for an aerial, the latter being for example of the kind which comprises a boom in which is supported an array of dipole elements. It is commonly required to mount such an aerial on a mast or support which in use will extend in a generally vertical direction and the object of the present invention is to provide an improved mounting bracket which is especially adapted to connect the aerial boom to the mast or support. In accordance with the invention there is provided a mounting bracket for an aerial which comprises a one-piece moulding having a flexible strap portion which is shaped to embrace an aerial boom and which has two adjacent ends from each of which a leg portion projects so that in use and when said strap portion ends engage or lie closely adjacent to each other said two leg portions will lie in an engaged, side by side relationship in which together they will form a spigot adapted to enter into the end of a hollow mast, there being also provided in association with at least one of said leg portions a catch member which is hingedly and integrally connected thereto, said catch member having a projecting locking member which in use can be pushed through an aperture formed in the wall of said mast and thence into a recess formed in the associated leg portion, said locking member and said recess having respectively inter-engageable formations which are adapted to secure the catch member to its associated leg portion and thereby prevent the bracket from being separated from the mast. Preferably, each of said leg portions has an associated catch member, the two locking members thus provided on the two catch members then being respectively arranged to be pushed through a pair of oppositely disposed apertures formed in the wall of the mast. The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is an end view of one example of an aerial mounting bracket in accordance with the invention, the bracket being shown before assembly to an aerial boom or supporting mast, Figure 2 is a similar end view of the bracket seen in Figure 1 but after it has been assembled to the aerial boom and inserted into the upper end of a hollow mast, and Figure 3 is a side view of the assembly seen in Figure 2, Figures 2 and 3 being taken in mutually perpendicular directions. Referring now to the drawings there is shown therein one example of a mounting bracket which is intended for use in supporting an aerial on an upwardly extending mast or other support. In Fig ures 2 and 3 of the drawings the upper end of the mast (which is of hollow form and of square crosssection) is shown in section and indicated by reference numeral 10 whereas the horizontal extending boom of the aerial is indicated in Figures 2 and 3 by reference numeral 11, the other parts of the aerial not being shown. The aforesaid mounting bracket is formed as a one-piece moulding of a suitable plastics material and is indicated by reference numeral 12 in Figure 1. Thus said bracket has a flexible strap portion 13 which in use is adapted to embrace the boom 11, the two adjacent ends of said strap portion being indicated by reference numerals 14 and 15. From each of said ends 14 and 15 extend respectively leg portions 16 and 17 which are each of tapered form at their lower ends and associated with each leg portion is a catch member 18 and 19 which is integrally and hingedly connected at its upper end to the strap portion 13 or a part connected thereto. Furthermore each catch member 18 and 19 has an inwardly projecting locking member 20 or 21 which is formed at its outer end with a hook portion 22 or 23. Each of the leg portions 16 and 17 is formed on its side adjacent to the associated catch member 18 or 19 with an aperture or recess indicated by reference numeral 24 or 25 and the interior of such aperture or recess is formed with a step 26 or 27. Initially the aforementioned one-piece moulding 12 is formed so that it will assume, when in an unstressed position, a configuration such as is generally shown in Figure 1. In such a position the aerial boom 11 can either be pushed endwise through the opening which is defined by the strap portion 13 or alternatively said strap portion can be opened further so that its two ends 14 and 15 are further separated in order that they can be snapped over the aerial boom 11. In either case the strap portion 13 will embrace the boom 11 and the low leg portions 16 and 17 can be squeezed together so that they engage each other and form a spigot which can then be pushed into the upper end of the mast or support 10 as is shown in Figures 2 and 3.In this situation the catch members 18 and 19 will lie on the exterior of the mast or support 10 and initially said locking members 20 and 21 will also lie on the outside of the mast or support 10. Said catch members 18 and 19 can now however be squeezed inwardly so that the locking members 20 and 21 pass respectively through a pair of aligned apertures 28 and 29 which will have been formed in the wall of said mast or support 10 adjacent to the upper end thereof and continuing inward pressure on the two catch members 18 and 19 will result in the hooked ends 22 and 23 of the locking members 20 and 21 engaging behind the shoulders 26 and 27, thereby securing the catch members 18 and 19 and preventing detachment of the bracket 12 (and the aerial boom 11) from the upper end of said mast or support 10. CLAIMS

1. A mounting bracket for an aerial which comprises a one-piece moulding having a flexible strap portion which is shaped to embrace an aerial boom and which has two adjacent ends from each of which a leg portion projects so that in use and when said strap portion ends engage or lie closely adjacent to each other said two leg portions will lie in an engaged, side by side relationship in which together they will form a spigot adapted to enter into the end of a hollow mast, there being also provided in association with at least one of said leg portions a catch member which is hingedly and integrally connected at one end to said strap portion or a part connected thereto, said catch member having a projecting locking member which in use can be pushed through an aperture formed in the wall of said mast and thence into a recess formed in the associated leg portion, said locking member and said recess having respectively interengageable formations which are adapted to secure the catch member to its associated leg portion and thereby prevent the bracket from being separated from the mast.

2. A mounting bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each of said leg portions has an associated catch member, the two locking members thus provided on the two catch members being respectively arranged to be pushed through a pair of oppositely disposed apertures formed in the wall of the mast.

3. A mounting bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the free end of the or each locking member being of hooked configuration.

4. A mounting bracket for an aerial substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.