GB2496363A - Banner hoisting apparatus with fall prevention device. - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for raising, lowering and supporting one or more banners comprises a banner support member 4, a body 10 with a conduit 8 for guiding the support member, a housing 14 containing a mechanism for raising the support member and a fall prevention device 20 connectable to the body to prevent the support member from falling. The fall prevention device makes it impossible for the banner and its support member to fall on anyone underneath in the event that the system supporting the banner in its raised position were to fail. The mechanism for raising the banner may comprise a winch mechanism powered by a drill engaging with an engagement portal 16. The fall prevention device preferably comprises a pivotable catch or latch positioned across the conduit which pivots in one direction to allow the support member to be raised but will not allow the support member to fall and must be manually released to lower the support member.

Description

Banner Raising Apparatus The present invention relates to an apparatus which is able to raise, lower and support one or more banners, Banners have been knoi Ibr many years for hanging off walls and other structures for conveying information and have been of use in, for example, advertising or publicising events, the flying of flags, and the like. Conventionally, but not exclusively, banners are raised outdoc.ffs, although they may also be used and raised indoors in buildings which have sufficient space. Various systems are known for raising and supporting the banners in their desired positions and orientations, but the)' have, evetito the present day, involved simple rope and weight-based mechanisms.

For example, the recent patent publications US 2009/0145013 and WO 2008/095246 to MeCudden each detail a banner raising and support apparatus for raising and supporting a banner using a mechanism comprising a halyard and a weight to help move the banner in upward and downward directions. In these apparatuses, a force is applied to the halyard to pull the halyard and propel the banner upwards. The applied force needs to be sufficient to overcome the influence of gravity on the weight. Once the banner has been raised to its desired height, the halyard at attached to a fastening means to retain the halyard, and thus the banner, in the raised position.

However, it would be desirable to have a banner raising apparatus which simplifics yet modernises the McCudden arrangements, one which does not need to use a halyard and weight-based mechanism, and which is simpler and safer to use, as vell as being more versatile. The present invention thifils one or more of these objectives.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for raising and supporting a banner, the apparatus comprising: -a banner support member; -an arrangement for holding the banner support member; -a body comprising a conduit for guiding the arrangement and banner support member when the banner is being raised; -a housing containing a mechanism for raising the banner support member; and -a device connectable to the body to prevent the arrangement and banner support member from falling downwards from a raiscd position to a lower end of the body.

The apparatus of the invention does not require the use of a weight as part of the mechanism for iaisillg and lowering the banner support member to raise and lower a banner.

One drawback with existing banner raising apparatuses is that they do not include a safety feature which makes it substantially impossible for the banner and its support member to fall on anyone standing underneath in the event that the system for supporting the banner and its support member in their raised position were to fail for any reason. In existing systems, if the supporting mcans were to fail, (he banner and its support member would fall to the ground unimpeded, potentially causing injury to any person nearby.

To address this issue, the apparaths of the invention is equipped with an anti-fall safety device which prevents the arrangement for holding the banner support member, the banner support member, and the banner itself when in position, from falling all the way downwards floin the raised position and potentially injuring any person below it. This anti-fall safety device comes in the form of a device which is detachably connectable to the body. To maximise the effectiveness of this anti-fall safety device, it is typically positioned at a point on the body which is above a normal person's hcad height, for example at least at a point which is about seven feet from the ground underneath the apparatus.

When the banner support member reaches the safety device while being raised into position, it is able to push past it and continue towards its desired height. Once the banner support member is raised past the safety device, the safety device then falls back into position under gravity.

When the banner support member is to be brought down from its raised position, the safety device must be manually released in order to allow this. It is therefore not possihie for the banner support member to fall back down to ground level without deliberate manual interference, thus removing the possibility of accidents.

The body of the apparatus comprising a conduit for guiding the arrangement and banner support member has a lower end and an tipper end. The body has sufficient internal volume to accommodate the support arrangement and other mechanisms required to raise and lower the banner. Apart from the conduit, the body substantially completely encloses the internal volume, and thus does not allow access to the internal volume for unauthorised persons to tamper with the inner workings of the apparatus. The lower end of the body is typically located near to ground level, but niay he located at whatever height it is desired to have it depending upon how high the banner is to be raised. V/hen a banner is to be raised using the apparatus, the banner support member and its supporting arrangement are positioned at the lower end of the body and conduit.

The banner is then attached to the support member in any suitable fashion. For example, but non-limiting upon the invention, a section of material could be provided at the end of the banner through which the banner support member may be inserted, or eyelets could be provided on the banner together with corresponding hooks on the 1 0 support member for engagement thereto. Optionally, the banner may also be further secured along its vertical length by means of for example, eyelets affixed to or associated with the body which can engage with corresponding holes on the side of the banner. Once the banner is secured on the support member, it can be raised into the desired position.

Situated at the lower end of the conduit is a secure housing which contains at least part of a mechanism for raising the banner support member. For example, but non-limiting upon the inventions a winch mechanism may be employed. Such a winch mechanism may use a pulley arrangement comprising a strong rope material such one comprising a Kevlar® core, or a wound cable, such as one nrnde from steel.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the system for raising the banter andior banner support member can be motorised. This can be achieved by use of a emaIl motor in the secure housing at the base of the apparatus. The system is typically mechanical rather than electrical in operation. In another aspect, the system is able to be powered by a common household drill. An opening can be presented in the housing containing a mechanism for raising the banner support member into which an operator can insert a drill bit. When the drill is activated3 rotating the hit at speed, the banner raising system is set in motion and the banner is raised. Typically.

there are at least two pulleys in the system, and upper pulley and a lower pullcy. To raise a banner, the upper pulley is rotated upon activation by the drill, causing the rope or cable to be raised and wound around it, thus raising the support arrangemcnt.

Conversely, the banner may also he lowered using a drill by rotating the lower pulley.

The ability to operate the apparatus of the invention with a drill greatly reduces the amount of physical effort required and greatly simplifies the mode of operation of banner raising apparatuses. This simplification of procedures also removes the requirement that only trained personnel are able to operate a banner raising apparatus at significant cost, as is typically the ease, and allows anyolle to do it. Of course, the banner could also be raised manually using the winch.

According to a further aspect of the invention, to prevent any unauthorised pcrsons from operating the raising mechanism, the mechanism in the housing may he protected by security system, such as a key or security code, which must be inputted before any activation of the mechanism can take place.

The apparatus of the invention may be mounted to any substantially vertical structure or surface, such as, by way of example only, a wall of a building, either interior or exterior, or a flag pole. Further, the apparatus may be motmtcd at any height thereon as desired. As the apparatus can be made to be any suitable or desired height, it is typically mounted at or near to ground level. In this way, the banner can still be raised to a sufficient height, and the risk involved in mounting the apparatus is mininiised as no ladders are required. Alternatively, the apparatus may be mounted on surfaces which are angled to the horizontal, such as walls which jut out from a building at an angle, or on surfaces which are substantially parallel to the ground.

The apparatus may be secured to a surface via one or more attachments.

Examples of such attachments may include a brackct or other material portion connected to the apparatus and which can be brought into engagement with and be secured to the relevant surface.

Once the banner support member is raised to its desired height, the banner is able to extend vertically downwards to display the message or picture thereon which is to be conveyed. Once in position, the banner support member is held in place by its gearbox, No brake is required to hold it in place.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the banner support member to which the banner is connected may be telescopically extendable. This enables bammers having larger dimensions to be raised, lowered and supported on the same support member without needing to replace a smaller support member for a largcr one.

Alternatively, the banner support member may be detachable from its supporting arrangement and replaced with a longer, shorter, thicker or thinner member if desired, depending upon the size and weight of the banner to be raised and supported.

Optionally, the removal and replacemeni of the banner support member can only be carried out using a key or other security system to prevent the banner support member from being removed by unauthorised persons.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus may be provided with an adaptor enabling it simultaneously to raise, lower and support a plurality of support members, such as two, three or four, or even more, allowing a plurality of banners to be simultaneously raised and supported. Such an adaptor is equipped with as many openings or attachments as desired to accommodate and support the number of support members to be supported.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus niay be arranged so that the support member may be rotated substantially in a horizontal plane about the point it contacts the lifting mechanism of the apparatus. Typically, it may be rotatable for about 900 in each direction. This allows banners to he displayed on an angle relative to the body of the apparatus, rather than always be fixed substantially perpendicular thereto.

For this, an adjusting mechanism may be provided together with the supporting arrangement. A section of a material, typically a metal, may be positioned under the banner support member but engaged with the supporting arrangement. The section of material may semi-circular, and may be providcd with a series of holes, typically arranged approximately equidistantly near to the curved edge of the section, For example, but non-limiting, there may be seven holes -one centrally positioned, on top of which the banner support member would be positioned when oriented perpendicular to the body of the apparatus, with three holes located on either side thereof. Alternatively, there may be 1,2,4 or 5 holes on either side of the central hole.

The banner support member engages with the selected hole by means, for example, of a spring-loaded member on or in the support member. When the part of the support member containing the spring-loaded member reaches the hole, the spring-loaded member springs out and engages with the hole to secure the support member to the section of material. This can be done with any of the holes on the section of material, thus permitting the banner to be angled relative to the body of the apparatus at whatever angle the operator wishes. This engagement with the holes secures the position of the banner at a desired angle so that it cannot be moved by wind or any other external force out of position.

Typically, the banner support member is a pole.

According to a further aspect of the invention, while a typical heavy banner may weigh in the region o about 30-40 kg, the banner support member is able to support a banner weighing over 100 kg. even up to about 200 kg.

The apparatus of the invention may be manufactured up to any suitable height, enabling even banners which are to be raised to significant heights on a building to be mechanically operated from ground level.

Using the apparatus of the invention, a banner can be raised in a matter of no more than a few minutes, with the banner being able to be raised at a rate oF about a metre about every S seconds.

According to a thither aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of raising and supporting a banner, comprising using an apparatus comprising: -a banner support member; -an arrangement for holding the banner support member; -a body comprising a conduit for guiding the arrangement and banner support member when the banner is being raised; -a housing containing a mechanism for raising the banner support member; and -a device connectable to the body to prevent the arrangement and banner support member from falling downwards from a raised position to a lower end of the body.

The invention will now be described further by way of exaniple with reference to the following examples and figures which are intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting upon the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a representation of an apparatus according to the invention with the banner support member in the lowcrcd position.

Figure 2 shows a representation of an apparatus according to the invention with the banner support member in the raised position.

Figure 3 shows a front view representation of an apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a side view representation of an apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the arrangement for holding the banner support member, Figures 6(a) and (b) show a side and front view, respectively of the safety device which prevents the arrangement and banner support member from falling downwards from a raised position to the bottom of thc apparatus.

Figure 1 shows a representation of an apparatus 2 according to the invention as it could look to a casual observer. The apparatus 2 comprises a banner support member 4 which is supported by its support arrangement 6, which is in turn engaged with the vertical conduit Sin the body 10, for guiding the alTangement 6 and banner support member 4 up and down the conduit 8 in the body 10 when raising and lowering a banner. The body 10, and thus the entire apparatus 2, is able to be secured to a surface via attachment 12. Housing 14 at the lower end of the body 10 contains the mechanism for raising and lowering the banner support member 4, and portal 1 6 thereon is the point of engagement for the operation of the mechanism, such as by using a drill.

Figure 2 shows the equivalent representation of the apparatus 2 but with the banner support member 4 in the raised position and supporting a banner 18 in the intended maimer. One typical manner of attaching the banner 18 to the banner support member 4 is shown, with the section of material on the banner 18 allowing for the banner support member 4 to be inserted therein.

While the apparatus 2 of the invention is shown in Figure 2 as supporting a banner 8 which is suspended vertically downwards, it is also envisaged within the scope of the invention to be used for suspending and supporting banners in their horizontal plane. This, of course, will typically require the use of a longer banner support member 4 to accommodate the length of the longer side of the banner.

Figure 3 shows a representation of the apparatus 2 of the invention from the flout, complete with the banner support member 4, support arrangement 6, conduit 8 and body 10, attachment 12, housing 14 and portal 16. The anti-fall safety device 20 is shown engaged with the body 10 to prevent the banner support member 4, support arrangement 6 and any banner from accidentally falling on any passer-by. The housing 14 contains a winch mechanism (not shown) which is connected to a lower V-groove pulley 22 around which is wound a steel cable (not shown). The steel cable extends from the lower V-groove pulley 22, through the support arrangement 6 with which it engages to raise the banner support member 4, and is wound around an upper V-groove pulley 26 at the upper end of the body 10. When in operation, the winch mechanism is activated via portal 16, causing the V-groove pulley 26 to rotate, 1*1 winding the steel cable 24 around it, winch in turn causes the banner support member 4 and support arrangement 6 to be pulled in an upwards direction to the desired height for the banner to he displayed. It is through portal 16 that a drill may be inserted to operate the winch mechanism to carry out this process.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 3. The banner support member 4 and support arrangement 6 are positioned towards the upper end of the body 10, which is in turn secured to a surface via attachments 12, and are located above the anti-fall safety device 20 engaged with the body 10. In the event that the system holding the baimer support member 4 and support arrangement 6 in an elevated position were to fail for some reason, the anti-fall safety device 20 would prevent any contact with any person located underneath and thus prevent any injury occurring.

The support arrangement 6 which holds the banner support member 4 as it extends through the conduit 8 in the body 10 is depicted in Figure 5. An adjusting mechanism 28 is positioned under the banner support member 4. It can be seen that the adjusting mechanism 28 is equipped with a plurality of holes 30, three in this instance (the middle hole being in use and obscured by the banner support member 4).

The banner support member 4 is able to engage with the selected hole 30 by means of a spring-loaded member (not shown) on or in the banner support member 4.

When the part of the banner support member 4 containing the spring-loaded member reaches the hole 30, the spring-loaded member springs out and engages with the hole to secure the banner support member 4 to the adjusting mechanism 28. This can be done with any of the holes 30 on the adjusting mechanism 28, thus permitting the banner to be angled perpendicular relative to the body of the apparatus, or at whatever angle the operator wishes, This engagement of the banner support member 4 with any one of the holes 30 secures the position of the banner (not shown in this Figure) at a desired angle so that it cannot be moved out of position.

Figures 6(a) and (b) show a side and front vicw, respectively of the anti-fall S safety deviec 20 engaged with the body 10, It is the anti-fall safety device 20 which prevents the arrangement and banner support member 4 from falling downwards from a raised position to the bottom of the apparatus. The anti-fall safety device 20 is secured to the body 10 by way of a nut and bolt arrangement. When the banner support member 4 reaches the anti-fall safety device 20 while being raised into position, the banner support member 4 is able to push past it and continue towards its desired height. Once the banner support member 4 is above the anti-fall safety device 20, the anti-fall safety device 20 then falls back into position under gravity.

When the banner support member 4 is to be brought down from its raised position to ground level, the anti-fall safety device 20 must be manually released in order to permit the banner support member 4 to be brought below it. It is therefore not possible for the banner support member to fall back down to ground level without deliberate manual interference, thus removing the possibility of accidents.

It is of course to he understood thai the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the foregoing examples which are described by way of example only.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. An apparatus for raising and supporting a banner, the apparatus comprising -a banner support mcmber; -an arrangement for holding the banner support member; -a body comprising a conduit for guiding the arrangement and banner support member when the banner is being raised; -a housing containing a mechanism for raising the banner supporl member; and -a device comiectable to the body to prevent the arrangement and banner support member from falling downwards from a raised position to a tower end of the body.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for raising the banner support member is able to be powered by a drill.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. An apparatus according to claim I or claim 2, wherein the arrangement for holding the banner support member is able to support more than one banner support member shnultaneously.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, whcrcin the arrangement for holding the banner support member is rotatably pivotable about a point.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is able to be mounted to a support surface.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the support surce is substantially vertical.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the banner support member is telescopically extendable.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A method of raising, lowering and supporting a banner, comprising using an apparatus according to any of claims 1-7.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. An apparatus or method substantially as described herein in the description and drawings.</claim-text>