US3083044A - Hinged lock for connecting antenna rod to boom - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1963 F. J. KLANCNIK HINGED LOCK FOR CONNECTING ANTENNA ROD TO BOOM Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In I/e rzla rw 5 17i f fflazzczz t/r.

March 26, 1963 F. .1. KLANCNIK 3,083,

HINGED LOCK FOR CONNECTING ANTENNA ROD TO BOOM Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 0. w 5d j 52 #0 73 UZ 3.935 7 I United tates The improved foldable antenna structure comprising the present invention has been designed for use primarily as an outdoor television antenna of the very high frequency (VHF) type as currently exemplified by channels 2 through 13, and television antennas of the ultra high frequency (UHF) type as currently exemplified by channels 14 through 83, as well as antennas which are of the combination VHF and UHF type. The invention is, however, capable of other uses and antennas constructed according to the principles of the present invention are capable of use in connection with radio installations of either the broadcasting or receiving type and including the audio and frequency modulation type. Irrespective of the particular use to which the present invention may be put, the essential features thereof are at all times preserved.

It is among the general objects of the invention to provide a foldable antenna structure which is capable of being manufactured at the factory as a completely assembled package-type unit which may be shipped to the field in a folded condition wherein it consumes but little space, and thereafter, erected or installed at the scene of operations by merely mounting the unit, while still in its folded condition, on the antenna mast, and thereafter unfolding the structure of the unit and snapping the component parts thereof into positions which have been predetermined for them by the provision of novel detent mechanism in associated relation with the structure.

Antenna assemblies are currently being sold in the form of kits which must be assembled in the field, i.e., at the scene of the installation. Where rooftop antennas are concerned, an installation is usually made by first erecting the mast and subsequently installing the actual or operative antenna components upon the erected mast. This involves the placement of such hardware as nut and bolt assemblies, thumb screws and the like and, frequently, as, for example, when cold or inclement weather prevails and the operator is wearing gloves, these items of hardware are dropped so that it is necessary for the operator to dismount and retrieve them. Where the antenna components are furnished in separated condition, printed directions are not always explicit and, apart from the time spent in studying such directions, improper installations with reversed components frequently result.

A limited number of antenna assemblies having foldable antenna, reflector, and other components have recently appeared on the market, some of them having detent means for maintaining the components in their proper extended positions. Such antennas, however, em ploy anchoring bolts which must be passed through aligned holes to maintain the detent means locked, such detent means functioning only as temporary locating and holding means which are effective only until the locking means supersedes them. From the manufacturers point of view, the mountings for both the pivotal connections and the detent means must be designed especially for each angle involved. The connections for a 90 positioning of the parts will not serve for any angle other than 90. Thus, special tools, dies and fixtures are required for each angle involved.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon the construction and use of conventional antenna structures which are supplied in kit form for erection in the field and,

atent @iiice 3,083,044" Patented Mar. 26, 1963 toward this end, it contemplates the provision of a foldable, preassembled, package-type antenna unit which is entirely devoid of extraneous hardware and in which the various components thereof, when folded, assume positions of parallelism wherein they consume but little space, yet which may be extended so that they will assume prede termined acute angles with respect to one another.

The provision of an antenna structure of the type or character heretofore mentioned being among the principal objects of the present invention, it is a further object to provide such a structure wherein each foldable component of the assembly has associated therewith its own individual pivot connection whereby it may be pivotally connected to an adjacent element or member in the assembly for purposes of folding movement or extension thereof, as well as having its own individual detent means for maintaining it in its extended position. According to the present invention, the pivot connection and detent means are the same in each instance, regardless of the angle or angles involved when all of the components are extended. By such an arrangement, the manufacturer may assemble antenna structures of widely varying types by selecting the pivot connections and detent means from identical stock, thereby effecting a considerable savings in manufacturing costs.

Another and specific object of the invention is to provide in a foldable antenna structure a self-locking pivot connection by means of which various antenna and reflector components may be pivotally connected to the antenna boom, or to some other element or member associated with the assembly, as, for example, an insulating head, the connection being comprised of but three parts, two of which are in the form of small sheet metal stampings and the other of which is in the form of a short length of fiat leaf spring stock.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a foldable antenna such a pivot connection wherein the selflocking feature outlined above is in the form of a detent means which is positive in its action so that it may not be disabled inadvertently or accidentally, as, for example, by the force of the wind after an installation has been completed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a detent means which is efiective not only to maintain the various antenna and reflector components in their extended positions, but which also is effective to maintain them in their collapsed or folded positions so that the folded antenna structure may be easily handled, as, for example, after it has been unpacked and is being carried to a rooftop for installation.

The provision of a foldable antenna structure which is extremely simple in its construction, is comprised of relatively few parts over and above the normal antenna components, and, therefore, may be manufactured at a low cost; one which is rugged and durable and, therefore, will withstand rough usage; one which, although provided with positive detent locking means as briefly outlined above, is capable of manual release when desired for purposes of dismantling the antenna installation; and one which otherwise is well-adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front top perspective view of a foldable 3 antenna structure embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective bottom view of the front portion of the antenna structure of FIG. 1, the view being taken in the vicinity of the pivotal connections between the antenna components proper and an insulating head which is employed in connection with the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom perspective view similar to FIG. 2 but taken in the vicinity of the pivotal connection between the reflector components and the boom at the rear of the structure;

P16. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the folded or collapsed antenna structure;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but inverted, and showing a modified form of antenna structure.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to FIG. 1, the invention has, for illustrative purposes, been disclosed in association with an outdoor television receiving antenna structure of the conical type, the particular disclosure being purely exemplary since the present invention is equally well-adapted for use in connection with other types of antenna structures, such as folded dipole, single channel or wide band yagi, single and multiple half-wave dipole, piggy back, FM turnstile, incline, flying arrow, phased array, parasitic array and other installations too numerous to mention.

The structure which is shown in FIG. 1 has been designated in its entirety at 10 and involves in its general organization the usual vertical antenna mast 12, only the upper region of the mast being shown herein. A horizontal boom 14 has its medial region aflixed to the upper end region of the mast by means of a conventional U-clamp assembly 16. The forward end of the boom 14- carries the antenna components proper, these components being designated as a group by the reference numeral 18, while the rear end of the bottom carries a single composite two-part reflector component which is designated by the reference numeral 20. The transmission line constitutes no part of the present invention and has not been disclosed herein. The electrical characteristics of the antenna structure 10 likewise are not pertinent to the present invention since they are common to conical antenna structures having the same antenna and reflector components as those illustrated and described. These electrical characteristics will not be set forth, suffice it to say that the antenna components 18 are arranged in two groups on opposite sides of the boom 14, each group being electrically insulated from the boom, as well as from each other, while the two parts of the reflector component are electrically connected to the boom.

Still referring to FIG. 1, and additionally to FIG. 2, the forward end of the boom has fixedly mounted thereon a two-piece or split insulating head 22 including an upper part 24 and a lower part 26, the two parts being identical in construction. Each group of antenna components consists of three antenna rods including an upper rod 30, an intermediate rod 32, and a lower rod 34. The various antenna rods are pivotally conencted to the insulating head 22 and individually movable between foldable or collapsed positions wherein they extend in parallelism and also extend substantially in parallel relation with the boom, and extended positions wherein they extend outwardly away from one another in divergent fanlike fashion at small acute angles to one another, as well as extending forwardly and at compound angle of approximately 45 with respect to the axis of the boom, while at the same time, lying in a common vertical plane. The reflector component is comprised of two reflector rods 36 which are disposed on opposite sides of the boom 14 and are pivoted to the latter for individual movement between folded or collapsed positions wherein they ex= tend parallel to the boom and extended positions whereinthey are in axial alignment and extend at an angle of with respect to the axis of the boom, as well as lying in? a horizontal plane. The various rods 39, 32, 34 and 36 may be either tubular or solid, the particular rods dis-' closed herein being formed from cylindrical tube stock and with pinched-together outer ends. Each of the parts 24 and 26 is in the form of a five-sided ceramic block (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) which is recessed as at 38 to receive the forward end of the boom 14. An elongated rivet 39 extends through the parts 24 and :26 and boom 14 and serves to maintain the boom and the insulating head 22 in fixedly connected relation.

Each of the antenna rods 34?, 32 and 34 is pivotally mounted on a bracket, the rods 3% having brackets 46', the rods 32 having brackets 42, and the rods 34 having brackets 44. The six brackets are similar in configuration are made from the same set of stamping dies. Hovt ever, in the final shaping operation, slightly diiferent bending steps are resorted to in the case of the brackets? 40 and 44 to give the proper inclinations to the antenna rods 30 and 34 when the latter are extended, as will be described presently. The brackets 42 remain substantially planar and are used as they issue from the stamping dies without further bending operations.

The brackets 42 are in the form of generally rectangular sheet metal stampings having proximate end regions which are confined between the upper and lower parts 24 and 26 of the insulating head 22, and having distal ends which are provided with inwardly extending notches 48. A rivet 50 extends through one corner of the bracket 42 and through both parts 24 and 26 of the insulating head 22. A bolt 52 extends through the adjacent corner of the bracket 42 and through both parts 24 and 26 and has associated therewith a clamping nut 54 and a terminal nut 56. The terminal nut is employed for attachment to one conductor of a transmission line.

The brackets 44 are similar to the brackets 42, but the proximate end regions of these brackets are bent out of the general plane of the brackets as indicated at 60 in FIG. 2 and are fastened by the rivets 5t) and bolts 52 to the underneath face of the lower part 26 of the insulating head 22 on opposite sides thereof. The angle of the bend which is effected in the brackets 44 is such that the general planes of the body portions of the brackets will determine the angle of downward inclination of the lower antenna rods 34 when the latter are in their extended position.

The brackets 40 are also similar to the brackets 42, but the proximate end regions are bent out of the general planes of the brackets as indicated at 64 in FIG. 2 and are fastened by the rivets 50 and bolts 52 to the upper face of the upper part 26 of the insulating head 22 on opposite sides thereof. The angle of the bend in this case is such that the antenna rods 30 which are pivoted to the brackets will assume the desired upward inclination when they are extended.

Each bracket 40, 42 and 44 has pivoted thereto a comparatively short channel 70 which serves as a reinforcing cradle for the proximate end of one of the antenna rods 30, 32 or 34 as the case may be. A rivet 72 extends through the base part of the channel and through the associated antenna rod and serves as the fulcrum pin by means of which the channel and rod are pivoted as a unit for swinging movement in the general plane of the bracket.

Interposed between the base part of each channel 70 and its associated antenna rod is a detent leaf spring 74, the spring projecting outwardly beyond one end of the channel and having a free down-turned portion 76 which is designed for locking cooperation with the notch 48 in the distal end of the associated bracket. The antenna rod, spring and channel are thus movable bodily as a unit on the bracket and, in each instance, involving the brackets 40, 42 or 44, as the case may be, the rod, spring and channel assembly is movable between a retracted position wherein the antenna rod traverses the bracket diagonally and causes the antenna rod to assume a folded horizontal position Where it extends substantially parallel to the axis of the boom 14, and an extended position wherein the rod assumes the operative position in which it is illustrated in FIG. 1. In the extended positions of the various antenna rods, the three rods on each side of the antenna structure are divergent. In their collapsed or folded positions, they extend in parallelism. In the extended positions of the various antenna rods 30, 32 and 34, the associated detent springs 74 intersect the notches 48 and are confined thereby so that the channels 70 and the antenna rods, which are nested therein, remain locked in their extended positions. In the folded position of each antenna rod, the associated detent spring 74 overhangs one longitudinal edge of the bracket, bears frictionally against such edge, and serves yieldingly to bias the antenna rod in its folded position against outward movement.

The pivotal mountings for the reflector rods 36 are similar to the pivotal mountings for the antenna rods. As shown in FIG. 3, an elongated bracket in the form of a plate 80 underlies the rear end of the boom 14 and extends transversely thereof so as to present lateral portions 82 on each side of the boom, and an interconnecting semi-cylindrical cradle portion 83. The ends of the lateral portions 82 having inwardly extending notches 84 and the two reflector rods 36 are pivotally connected to such portions by means of pivoted cradle assemblie including channels 70, detent leaf springs 74 and rivets 72 identical with those previously described in connection with the pivotal connections for the antenna rods 30, 32 and 34. The two lateral portions 82 of the bracket 80 are coplanar and lie in a common horizontal plane when the antenna structure 10 is in its erected or operative condition. An elongated rivet 36 passes vertically through the end region of the boom 14 and through the semi-cylindrical cradle portion 83 and serves to maintain the boom and the bracket so in fixedly connected relation. In the collapsed or folded positions of the reflector rods 36, they assume horizontal positions alongside the boom 14 and lie in the general horizontal plane of the latter. In their extended positions, these reflector rods extend substantially at an angle of 90 to the axis of the boom and lie in the same common horizontal plane.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reflector rods in the collapsed or folded condition of the antenna structure are embraced by the folded antenna rods and all of the rods extend in parallelism as well as parallel to the axis of the boom 14. In erecting the structure, it is preferable that the antenna rods 30, 32 and 34 be first unfolded so that there will be no physical interference with the unfolding of the reflector rods 36.

In FIG. 7 there has been disclosed a slightly modified form of conical antenna structure embodying the principles of the present invention. In this view, only that portion of the structure where the various antenna rods converge in the vicinity of the front end of the boom has been shown and, since the parts involved are similar to those described in connection with the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2, similar reference numerals but of a higher order have been applied to the corresponding parts as between the two views.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 7, the boom 114 and the composite two-piece insulating head 122 remain the same as the boom 14 and the head 22 previously described. The brackets 140 and 144 are similar to the brackets 40 and 44, respectively, with the exception that the brackets 140 and 144 are formed with angular proximate end regions 164 which are inclined with respect to the axis of elongation of the brackets. The brackets 142 are identical with the brackets 42. The end reigons 164 are bent out of the general plane of their respective brackets and their directions of angularity with respect to the axes of elongation of the brackets are such that, in the final assembly, the antenna rods 130, 132 and 134 will assume parallel positions when folded, but will assume divergent positions around the conical side of a solid angle when the rods are extended. Otherwise, the assembly illustrated in FIG. 7 is substantially identical with the assembly illustrated in FIG. 2.

While there has been illustrated and described herein two illustrative embodiments of the invention, both falling within the class of antenna structures known as conical antennas, it is obvious that a wide variety of other antenna structures may be accommodated by the use of the pivot and detent arrangement of the present invention including the various brackets, cradle-like channels and detent springs. Any desired forward or rearward inclination of the antenna rods with respect to the axis of the boom may be accommodated by increasing or decreasing the angularity of the proximate regions of the brackets to which the antenna rods are pivotally connected. Small departures in such forward or rearward inclinations may be accommodated by a judicious positioning of the notches in the outer ends of the brackets. Similarly, any desired upward or downward inclination of the antenna rods away from the horizontal may be accommodated by the extent to which the proximate regions of the brackets are bent out of the general planes of their respective brackets. If there are less than three antenna rods on each side of the insulating head, the head may be made in one piece. If more than three rods are involved on each side of the insulating head, the latter may be made in multiple sections to accommodate sandwiching of the bracket and head parts together to the necessary degree of stacking. Finally, by the use of the present pivot and detent connections, a wide variety of special antenna structures may be assembled including structures having antenna, reflector or other components which are pivoted to the medial regions of the boom.

The invention, therefore, is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as Various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a foldable antenna structure, a combined pivot and detent assembly for pivotally connecting the proximate end of an antenna rod to an antenna boom, said assembly comprising a plate adapted to be fixedly secured to the boom and having a rectangular flat portion adapted to project laterally therefrom, the marginal edge of said fiat portion being formed with a cradle-like notch therein, a channel member adapted to receive therein said proximate end of the rod and having a base pivoted to said fiat portion for angular turning movements about an axis normal to the flat portion and having upstanding channel sides, and a detent spring movable bodily with the channel member and having a portion thereof overhanging the marginal edge of the fiat portion and bearing frictionally against said edge at its region of overhang, said notch being disposed in the path of movement of the spring and designed for removable reception therein of the overhanging portion of the spring.

2. In a foldable antenna structure, the combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein the marginal edge of said flat portion is provided with'two straight-edge portions which extend at a right angle to each other and on which the overhanging portion of the spring is adapted selectively to rest.

3. In a foldable antenna structure, a combined pivot and detent assembly for pivotally connecting the proximate end of an antenna rod to an antenna boom, said assembly comprising a plate adapted to be fixedly secured to the boom and to project laterally outwardly therefrom, an open-ended cradle-like channel member having parallel channel sides and a fiat channel bottom, adapted to receive therein the proximate end of the rod with said channel sides straddling the same, a detent spring having one end region adapted to be interposed between the proximate end of the rod and the channel bottom, a pivot pin adapted to extend diametrically through the proximate end of the rod, the spring, the channel bottom with the plate serving pivotally to connect the rod, spring, and channel member to the plate for swinging movements bodily as a unit in the general plane of the plate, said spring having portions thereof overhanging the marginal edge of the plate, the overhanging portion of the spring bearing frictionally against said marginal edge of the plate, said marginal edge having portions thereof which are of less eccentricity than other portions in relation to the pivotal axis of swinging movement of the channel member, said spring being adapted to traverse said por tions of the marginal edge during swinging movements of the channel member whereby the portions of less eccentricity serve to bias the spring to predetermined positions of angularity with respect to the boom.

4. In a foldable antenna structure, the combination set forth in claim 3 and wherein one of said portions of less eccentricity is in the form of a notch which is formed in said marginal edge at a distal region of the laterally projecting portion of the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,529 7 Kaplan Dec. 27, 1949 2,680,196 Fox et a1 June 1, 1954 2,819,463 Vail et al. Jan. 7, 1958 2,847,671 Lieb Aug. 12, 1958 2,882,080 Burns Apr. 14, 1959 2,926,350 Saul Feb. 23, 1960 2,989,331 Bohmuller June 20, 1961

Claims (1)

1. IN A FOLDABLE ANTENNA STRUCTURE, A COMBINED PIVOT AND DETENT ASSEMBLY FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE PROXIMATE END OF AN ANTENNA ROD TO AN ANTENNA BOOM, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLATE ADAPTED TO BE FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE BOOM AND HAVING A RECTANGULAR FLAT PORTION ADAPTED TO PROJECT LATERALLY THEREFROM, THE MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID FLAT PORTION BEING FORMED WITH A CRADLE-LIKE NOTCH THEREIN, A CHANNEL MEMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THEREIN SAID PROXIMATE END OF THE ROD AND HAVING A BASE PIVOTED TO SAID FLAT PORTION FOR ANGULAR TURNING MOVEMENTS ABOUT AN AXIS NORMAL TO THE FLAT PORTION AND HAVING UPSTANDING CHANNEL SIDES, AND A DETENT SPRING MOVABLE BODILY WITH THE CHANNEL MEMBER AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF OVERHANGING THE MARGINAL EDGE OF THE FLAT PORTION AND BEARING FRICTIONALLY AGAINST SAID EDGE AT ITS REGION OF OVERHANG, SAID NOTCH BEING DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPRING AND DESIGNED FOR REMOVABLE RECEPTION THEREIN OF THE OVERHANGING PORTION OF THE SPRING.

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