NZ540500A - Power pole assembly with upper part telescoping in fixed lower part - Google Patents

Abstract

An upper part 12 has light 20 and telescopes within a fixed lower part 11 so as to allow maintenance of light 20 from an adjacent walkway 28. A cable 34A is connected to light 20 and to junction box 16.

Description

U^/UO £UUQ 14;0^ r AA OX i OLli. UOVi r i ^ncii\ uullj. 4jj yuu 540500 1 ADJUSTABLE POWER POLE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to an adjustable power pole assembly especially for use in buildings and in particular walkways of buildings such as power stations, confinement centres such as asylums and jails and any other 5 structure requiring external walkways which require illumination at night. However it may well be appreciated the adjustable power pole assembly may be used in other applications.

Hitherto power pole assemblies for such walkways comprised a junction box attached to the building adjacent the walkway, an electrical 10 cable connected to the junction box and an elongate tubular power pole having an internal bore through which the cable extended to an overhead light fixture. The power pole was usually welded or otherwise attached to a safety barrier or safety rail located on an external part of the walkway. This conventional power pole assembly was a fixed installation and the usual 15 method of changing a light globe or other part of the overhead light fixture or carrying out another maintenance operation to the power pole assembly was for a maintenance worker to mount a stepladder or other support structure to gain access to the overhead light fixture which in some cases extended a considerable distance above the safety barrier and normally well in excess of 20 the height of the maintenance worker. In this situation it was often difficult to provide proper support for the stepladder and thus this provided danger to the maintenance worker especially if he had a fear of heights. Also use of a stepladder in this situation often contravened local workplace health and safety regulations. u^/uo ^UUO 14:0^ rAA 01 I uo»/ riarmts. AL/AIYIO IULI^X ItiJ UUU Reference may be made to prior art specifications which have attempted to alleviate this problem. Thus US specification 5,772,172 refers to a roadside standard assembly and maintenance method which facilitate installation, maintenance and repair of an object such as a plurality of light 5 fixtures attached to a cross arm of a roadside standard or pole. Usually each light fixture is normally disposed over a roadway. The cross arm is fixedly attached to the pole and the pole is rotatable about a mounting base which is telescopically engageable with the pole which was of greater diameter. This enables the cross arm to be rotated from a roadside location to a roadside 10 location for maintenance and repair of the light fixture. However it is noted that rotation of the pole may only be achieved by use of a winch.

US specification 4,001,573 refers to a light pole having a support at the top of the pole and a light carrying structure encircling the light pole-There is provided a cable system extending from the support to the light 15 carrying structure for use in lowering the light carrying structure down the pole for servicing and to raising it back to the top of the pole.

US patent 4,878,160 refers to a service pole assembly comprising a light pole including a hinged pair of members one of which is adjustably connected to a support pad for the service pole assembly and the other of 20 which is connected to the light pole. The support members are releasably connected to each other to provide either a stable support of the light pole in erect condition or to permit the pole to be pivoted downwardly to provide convenient access for service or other maintenance.

US patent 4,242,726 refers to an assembly comprising a pole which is 01/09 200G 14:47 FAX @ 009/013 3 used in street or highway lighting. The light structure may be lowered internally of the tubular pole to a lower position for repair, replacement or other maintenance. The means for moving the light structure along the pole comprised a carriage moveable along an internal bore of the pole.

One significant disadvantage of the above prior art is that the mechanisms adopted for lowering of the light fixture for the purpose of maintenance of the light fixture are complicated or utilise excess space. Thus in the case of US patent 5,772,172 use is made of a winch to lower the light fixture which could not be used in confined spaces and each of US patents 10 4,001,573,4,878,160 and 4,242,726 use complicated internal mechanisms to achieve movement of the light fixture for maintenance purposes.

Thus it is an object of the invention to provide method and apparatus which may alleviate the abovementioned problems of the prior art.

In one aspect of the invention provides an adjustable power pole 15 assembly comprising: (i) a fixed component; (ii) a movable component telescopically engageable with the fixed component whereby the movable component is movable in an inner bore of the fixed component; (iii) a light fixture or other power accessory attached to an upper part of the movable component; and (iv) a cable connected to the light fixture or other power accessory which is connectable to a power source; lowered for maintenance purposes by axial movement of the INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. -1 SEP 2006 RI?fiPiVFn 01/09 2006 14:47 FAX 0010/013 4 movable component to a lower position permitting access to the light fixture and subsequently the light fixture is elevated to its normal operational position.

Preferably in regard to movement of the movable component the 5 cable is connected to a junction box constituting a suitable power source which is attached to the fixed component or alternatively to adjacent support structure such as a safety rail or barrier located on a perimeter of a walkway of a building. In this regard when the movable component is in the lower position the cable may then extend in such a manner from the movable 10 component that there is a slack portion interconnecting the junction box and the movable component which is rendered taut upon movement of the movable component to the normal operational position.

Preferably the fixed component is a base component of tubular shape which is attached directly to the walkway or other suitable horizontal support 15 surface or to the adjacent support structure referred to above. Preferably the fixed component has a circular cross sectional shape although it would also be rectangular or polygonal if desired.

The movable component is preferably longer than the fixed component which is relatively short in length. Most preferably the movable 20 component is also tubular and of similar cross sectional shape to the fixed component. It is extremely desirable that the movable component is telescopically engageable with the fixed component and thus of shorter diameter so that the movable component is movable in an inner bore of the fixed component. The movable component may have a lower open end to INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - 1 SEP 2006 RECEIVED r/iA oi i oi.i.1, uoai rijncn avajiio facilitate movement of the cable upon corresponding movement of the movable component. The movable component may also be provided with a stop to prevent undesirable axial movement of the movable component relative to the fixed component.

There also may be provided locking means to lock the movable component in the normal operational position and this may comprise a locking pin which contacts or bears against the movable component which extends through an aperture in the fixed component. Alternative locking means may comprise one or more fasteners engaging in co-aligned holes in adjacent side walls of the fixed component and the movable component.

It will also be appreciated that the term "light fixture" as used herein also includes within its scope any other electrical device. This may include for example electrically operated signs, electrically or electronically controlled indicators or even heating devices.

The fixed component may have attachment brackets or plates extending laterally thereof for attachment to the support structure which may comprise for example as described above a safety barrier or a safety rail assembly located on the perimeter of the building walkway.

In another aspect the invention may also include a method of moving a light fixture supported by a movable component relative to a fixed component for maintenance purposes which includes the steps of: (1) connecting a cable from a junction box to the light fixture wherein the cable extends adjacent to the movable component whereby in a lowered position of the movable component the U^/UO ^UUD fAA 01 / 0221 UDil/ rJLdil£ft AJJAitta J\£iL.L.l i&J U1U 6 cable has a slack portion extending below the movable component which is connected to the junction box; and (2) elevating the movable component relative to the fixed component whereby the light fixture achieves a normal 5 operational position which thereby substantially takes up at least most of the slack portion of the cable.

The method of the invention may also include a further step of locking the movable component in a fixed position when the light fixture has been elevated to its normal operational position.

Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein: FIG 1 is a perspective view of the various parts of the adjustable power pole assembly of the invention; FIG 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable power pole assembly of FIG 1 attached to a safety barrier of a walkway of a building structure wherein the light fixture is in a lowered position facilitating access for maintenance purposes; and FIG 3 is a similar view to FIG 2 showing the light fixture in its normal operational position.

The power pole assembly 10 includes an outer tubular fixed component 11 and an inner tubular movable component 12. The outer component 11 has a pair of brackets or attachment plates 13 which may be attached to a safety barrier 14 as shown in FIG 2. The outer component 11 also includes a support plate 15 for supporting a wiring junction box 16 also u^/uo iuuo Li: oo rAA 01 i oi^i uo»< riorum auamo ruiijiji ittiun 7 shown in FIG 2. There is also provided a seal 17 made of suitable elastomeric material such as rubber which prevents water penetrating the inner bore 18 of outer component 11 - The inner component 12 has a cross arm 19 for supporting a light assembly 20 as shown in FIG 2. There is also 5 shown a spigot 21 for engaging with a mating socket (not shown) of light assembly 20. The inner component 12 is also provided with a stop 22 which engages with seal 17 for appropriate adjustment of movement of inner component 11 when telescopically engaged with outer component 11 as shown in FIG 2.

When the desired position of inner component 12 is achieved relative to outer component 11 then locking pin 23 having handle 24 is rotated whereby locking pin 23 bears against inner component 11 in the manner of a grub screw or bearing bolt.

In FIG 2 which shows the installation of power pole assembly 10 to 15 safety barrier 14 each bracket or attachment plate 13 is welded at 25 and 26 to upright 27 of safety barrier 14. Also junction box 16 may be attached to support plate 15 in any suitable manner such as by the use of threaded fasteners (not shown) or adhesive. The safety barrier 14 having cross rails 14A extends along the periphery of a walkway 28 and upright 26 is attached 20 to walkway 27 by a mounting plate 29 being attached to walkway 27 by bolts 30. There is also shown cable sleeve 31 which may be clamped to a suitable bearing surface 32 of walkway 28 and supported by flange 33. Cable 34 extends through outer sleeve 31 and end collar 35 before extending to junction box 16. Cable 34 may then extend through an internal bore 36 of r.iA ui i ouovi r i on.Eii\ auasilo ^ v# 8 inner component 11 before being connected to light assembly 20.

FIGS 2-3 show the installation procedure of power pole assembly 10 wherein cable 34 is provided with enough slack to provide a slack portion 34A after attachment of junction box 16 to support plate 15 wherein cable 34 has already been connected to light assembly 20. Then the slack portion 34A is taken up to a major extent by movement of inner component 12 relative to outer component 11 upwardly as shown by the arrow in full outline before inner component 11 is locked in position by locking pin 23 leaving only a relative short portion 34B of cable 34 interconnecting junction box 16 and lower end 12A of inner component 12.

In FIGS 1-2 there is also shown lower portion 35 of movable component 12 which may be painted in a different colour to the remainder of movable component 12 so as to make it clear that lower portion 35 is normally retracted within outer component 11 when light fixture 20 is in its normal operational position shown in FIG 3.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the invention provides a simple and effective apparatus and method for achieving maintenance of overhead light fixtures which does not require complicated ancillary structure as is the case with the prior art described above and which may be carried out in minimal time and minimal expense.

Claims (12)

01/09 2008 14:47 FAX 0011/013 9 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. An adjustable power pole assembly comprising: (i) a fixed component; (ii) a movable component telescopically engageable with the fixed 5 component whereby the movable component is movable in an inner bore of the fixed component; (iii) a light fixture or other power accessory attached to an upper part of the movable component; and (iv) a cable connected to the light fixture or other power accessory 10 which is connectable to a power source; whereby in use the light fixture or other power accessory is lowered for maintenance purposes by axial movement of the movable component to a lower position permitting access to the light fixture or other power accessory and subsequently the 15 light fixture is elevated to its normal operational position.

2. The adjustable power pole assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable is connected to a junction box constituting a suitable power source which is attached to the fixed component or alternatively to adjacent support structure such as a safety rail or barrier located on a perimeter of a walkway of a 20 building.

3. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein when the movable component is in the lower position the cable may then extend from the movable component in such a manner that there is a slack portion interconnecting the power source and the movable component INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - 1 SEP 2006 RECEIVED 01/09 2006 14:47 FAX @012/013 10 which is rendered taut upon movement of the movable component to the normal operational position.

4. The adjustable power pole assembly of claim 2 wherein the fixed component is a base component of tubular shape which is adapted to be 5 attached directly to a mating horizontal support surface or to the adjacent support structure.

5. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the movable component is also tubular and of similar cross sectional shape to the fixed component. 10

6. The adjustable power pole assembly of claim 3 which has a lower open end to facilitate movement of the cable upon corresponding movement of the movable component.

7. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the movable component is provided with a stop to prevent 15 undesirable axial movement of the movable component relative to the fixed component.

8. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is providing locking means to lock the movable component in the normal operational position. 20

9. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises a locking pin which contacts or bears against the movable component which extends through an aperture in the fixed component.

10. The adjustable power pole assembly as claimed in any one of claims INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - I SEP 2006 RECEIVED 01/09 2006 14:47 FAX @013/013 11 4 to 9 wherein the fixed component has attachment brackets or plates extending laterally thereof for attachment to the adjacent support structure.

11. A method of moving a light fixture supported by a movable component relative to a fixed component for maintenance purposes which includes the 5 steps of: (1) connecting a cable from a junction box to the light fixture wherein the cable extends adjacent to the movable component whereby in a lowered position of the movable component the cable has a slack portion extending below the movable component which is 10 connected to the junction box; and (2) elevating the movable component relative to the fixed component whereby the light fixture achieves a normal operational position which thereby substantially takes up at least most of the slack portion of the cable. 15

12. The method of claim 11 which includes a further step of locking the movable component in a fixed position when the light fixture has been elevated to its normal operational position. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - 1 SEP 2006 RECEIVED