GB2255275A

GB2255275A - Equipment support pole

Info

Publication number: GB2255275A
Application number: GB9108924A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ramon Vincent Baker; Edward Collier Thomson
Original assignee: Postfield & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Postfield & Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-04-25
Filing date: 1991-04-25
Publication date: 1992-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-25
Also published as: GB2255275B; GB9108924D0

Abstract

A support pole for monitors and like heavy equipment comprises a series of telescopic pole lengths 12, 14, 16 lockable together in an extended condition and retractable to allow the equipment to be brought close to ground level. The lowermost pole length 16 is provided with a base plate 20 to be secured to a foundation. A removable jack 40 may be secured in the base plate to lift and lower the uppermost pole lengths 12, 14 between their extended and retracted positions. <IMAGE>

Description

Equipment Support Pole This invention relates to support poles for monitors and like heavy equipment; especially although not exclusively for banks of monitors on train station platforms.

In such applications there may be as many as six monitors supported on a single pole and the structure is consequently massive. The monitors have to be accessible for maintenance and, in the crowded conditions of a station platform any means of accessing the monitors has to use the minimum platform area whilst remaining safe; this rules out any movable gantry or tower arrangement to lift a maintenance technician up to the level of the monitors. The preferred arrangement is one where the monitors can be lowered to near platform level.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a monitor or like equipment support pole that permits the equipment to be lowered to near ground level.

According to the present invention, a monitor or like equipment support pole comprises: a series of telescopic pole lengths, each longitudinally nestable one within the other; means to lock and unlock the top of one length with the bottom of an adjacent inner length; means to mount the outermost pole length to the ground; and, a removable, longitudinally extensible, jack engageable with the top of any pole length whereby pole lengths can be successively longitudinally extended from within one another by the jack and locked together. Clearly, the reverse process enables monitors or other equipment mounted on the top of the support pole to be lowered to the ground by collapsing the pole lengths one within the other. The removable jack has two main advantages, one is economic, as one jack can service many support poles, and the other is for safety.If a jack is not present it is less likely that vandals could lower and damage the equipment.

In a preferred embodiment, the pole lengths are of square section, the locking/unlocking means are Allen screws screwed into the bottom portions of each inner pole length and engaging through slots in the upper portion of the surrounding pole length; lugs being provided near the top of each inner pole length for the jack to engage. These lugs may be of U-shape arranged to conceal the screw heads in the final extended position of the pole, as a measure against vandalism.

The pole may be provided with a foundation engaging base plate part-way along the outermost pole length, whereby the pole may be partially retracted into a cavity formed in the foundation, thus enabling the monitors to be brought even closer to ground level.

Other features of the invention are referred to in the following description of a preferred embodiment, made with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows the support pole extended; Fig. 2 shows the pole lowered, with a monitor support frame omitted; Fig. 3 is a sketch showing the jack in position and slightly extended; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pole base plate and foundation; Figs. 5a and 5b are front and side views respectively of the lowest pole length, the base plate being shown broken away and one lug being omitted in figure 5b; and Fig. 6 is a front view of a middle pole length.

As shown in figure 1, the support pole 10 comprises upper, middle and lower square-section tubular pole lengths 12, 14, 16 nesting one within the other. The top of the bottom length 16 is locked to the bottom of the middle length 14 whose top is in turn locked to the bottom of the upper length 12 by releasable locking means described below. The pole is fixed to a foundation 24 by a base plate 20 and gussets 22. At its upper end the pole 10 carries a mounting plate 36 (fig. 3) for a support bracket 18. Up to six monitors may be accommodated in the bracket 18.

Near its upper end, the upper pole length 12 has a single pair of lifting lugs 26 fixed e.g. by welding. The middle and lower lengths 14, 16 are similarly each provided with two pairs of lugs 26. These lugs form part of pole locking and extension means as described below, but also serve as stops which prevent the inner pole lengths from nesting completely within the surrounding lengths when the pole 10 is lowered, as shown in figure 2. It is desirable to minimise the number of protruding fittings attached to the pole in order to make it difficult to climb.

Figure 2 also shows in more detail the pole foundation 24, in which a cavity 30 is formed. This cavity receives an end of the lowest pole length 16, which extends beneath the base plate 20. The base plate 20 is itself preferably situated below ground level, for example below the level of a railway platform 32. The space between the platform 32 and the pole section 16 is then bridged by removable cover plates 34. The monitors may thus be lowered very close to the platform 32.

As shown in figure 3, the base plate 42 is provided with a hole 48 through which one end of a hand-operated hydraulic jack 40 may be passed into the cavity 30. The jack carries a collar 42 by which it is supported on the base plate 20. The ram of the jack is fitted with a reversible yoke 43 (fig. 3) having arms 43a adapted to engage the lifting lugs 26 on the uppermost pole length 12. Thus the uppermost length 12 can be raised relative to the middle length 14.

The yoke 43 can be reversed so that a second more widely spaced pair of arms 43b engage the lowermost lugs 26 on the middle pole length 14 for raising it relative to the lowermost pole length 16. The lower and middle pole lengths are provided with guide rollers 46 opposite the jack, for supporting the adjacent inner pole lengths against sideways thrust.

Figures 5a and Sb show part of the means for locking adjacent pole lengths together in the extended condition and in particular illustrate the lowermost pole length 16. As shown in figure 3, the lugs 26 are U-shaped. The limbs of the U's straddle the lower ends of longitudinal slots 50, fig. 5b, formed in the lowermost pole length 16. For clarity, the lug has been omitted from the uppermost slot 50 as shown in fig.

5b. A similar arrangement of lugs 26 and slots 50 is also provided on the middle length 14.

The middle length 14 is illustrated in figure 6. As shown, its lower end is provided with one or more bearing pads 52, 53. The length has threaded holes 54 for the reception of two pairs of opposed Allen screws (not shown). Raising the middle pole length 14 relative to the lower length 16 will bring the holes 54 into alignment with the accessible portions of the slots 50 extending from beneath the lugs 26. In this position, the screws can be driven into the holes 54 so as to extend through the slots 50. Lowering the jack 40 slightly will result in the shanks of the bolts coming to rest against the lower ends of the slots 50. In this position the bolt heads are concealed within the lugs 26, where they cannot be accessed by vandals. The lugs 16 are provided with holes 27 (fig. 5b) through which an Allen key may be inserted to tighten the bolts in their final position. The weight of the monitors ensures that the screws, even if loosened, cannot be moved to an accessible position for removal without the aid of the jack.

The lower end of the uppermost length 12 is similarly provided with bearing pads 52, holes 54 and Allen screws, for cooperation with slots 50 and lugs 26 provided on the upper end of the middle length 14.

Various modifications will be apparent. For example, the middle and lower lengths could be provided with greater or fewer slots and lugs; the cooperating lengths'being provided with corresponding numbers of screws. Moreover, separate lifting lugs may be provided for engagement by the yoke 43 of the jack 40, rather than having the yoke 43 engage the lugs 26. In this case the yoke need not be reversible. There may of course be fewer than or greater than three pole lengths, as necessary.

Claims

1. A monitor or like equipment support pole comprising a series of telescopic pole lengths, each longitudinally nestable one within the other; means to lock and unlock the top of one length with the bottom of an adjacent inner length; means to mount the outermost pole length to the ground; and a removable, longitudinally extensible, jack engageable with the top of any pole length whereby pole lengths can be successively longitudinally extended from within one another by the jack and locked together.

2. A support pole as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pole lengths are of square section, the locking/unlocking means are Allen screws screwed into the bottom portions of each inner pole length and engaging through slots in the upper portion of the surrounding pole length; lugs engageable in use by the jack being provided near the top of each inner pole length.

3. A support pole as claimed in claim 2 comprising U-shaped lugs arranged to conceal the screw heads in the final extended position of the pole.

4. A support pole as claimed in any of claims 1 - 3 comprising a foundation engaging base plate part-way along the outermost pole length, whereby the pole may be partially retracted into a cavity provided in the foundation.

5. A monitor support pole substantially as described with reference to or as shown by the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

6. A method of raising a support pole for monitors or the like equipment and having co-axially nested lengths of pole, a ground mounting for the outermost pole length, a jacking lug on each pole length and a lock operative between each pole length and the next nested pole length; the method including the steps of: engaging a longitudinally extensible jack between the jacking lug of the innermost pole length and the ground; operating the jack to extend the innermost pole length from the nest of pole lengths; locking that pole length to the next nested pole length; removing the extended jack; re-engaging the jack with the jacking lug of said next nested pole length; and, repeating each of said steps until the support pole has been raised.