WO2000072672A1

WO2000072672A1 - Protection device for poles

Info

Publication number: WO2000072672A1
Application number: PCT/SE2000/001075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anders Blomberg
Original assignee: Andersson, Bertil
Priority date: 1999-06-01
Filing date: 2000-05-26
Publication date: 2000-12-07
Also published as: SE9902011D0; NO20015869L; NO315962B1; AU5262600A; NO20015869D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of protecting electricity telegraph poles (2) of wood, which poles have a diameter of between 100 - 800 mm and a height of between 8 and 16 meters above the ground, which pole (2) carries an electricity cable arrangement (4) and is provided with means of preventing attacks by woodpeckers, said means consisting of a dummy bird of prey (6).

Description

PROTECTION DEVICE FOR POLES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and a protection device for telegraph poles, with the aim of preventing woodpeckers, chiefly black woodpeckers, from making holes and thereby destroying the poles. The device is intended to have a deterrent effect, so that damage attacks of this kind can be avoided.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is a commonly known problem for owners of electricity networks that woodpeckers can destroy telegraph poles in a short time, so that these have to be replaced. Replacing telegraph poles is very expensive. It is therefore self-evidently desirable to eliminate or at least minimize damage attacks by woodpeckers, chiefly black woodpeckers. Many attempts have been made to try and avoid damage attacks of this kind. The one most commonly occurring today is to cover the telegraph pole with a layer of plastic, on top of which a steel net is then arranged, with the aim of making it difficult for a woodpecker to get at it. However, it is proving to be the case that certain woodpeckers, principally the black woodpecker, can soon learn to make holes in the net, following which damage attacks can take place. Coating the poles with various types of chemical has also been tried, but without achieving the desired effect. As well as not entirely solving the problem, the known methods described above entail a not inconsiderable, undesirable extra cost.

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least minimize the aforesaid problems, which is achieved by means of a dummy bird of prey. According to one aspect of the invention, the dummy comprises a suspension device intended to act together with a pole attachment.

Further aspects and features of the invention are evident from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Reference will be made in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments to the enclosed figures, of which

Fig. 1 shows a telegraph pole arrangement with a dummy according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a preferred execution of a device according to the invention, and Fig. 3 shows an alternative silhouette for a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Figure 1 shows an electricity cable arrangement with a dummy 6 according to the invention. Two poles 2 are shown, which are provided at the top with means of carrying electricity cables 4. Such telegraph poles have long been generally known and normally have a height above the ground of approx. 9-16 metres and a diameter of approx. 300 mm. Located at a suitable height, approx. 6-9 metres above the ground, in accordance with the invention is a dummy 6, which has a pole attachment 10 which is disposed on the pole 2 in a suitable manner, for example by means of a screw. The dummy 6 in this case is formed as a goshawk and consists of a flat-shaped organ, which is cut out of sheet metal.

Fig. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention in greater detail. A pole attachment 10 is shown, consisting of an attachment plate 10C, a spacer organ 10B and a cylindrical hinge organ 10 A. The pole attachment 10 is affixed to the pole so that the centre axis 10D of the hinge organ 10A extends essentially vertically. The actual dummy 6, which in this case also consists of a goshawk profile, is provided with a suspension device 8, which consists of a pivot pin 8 A, stop organ 8B and attachment part 8C. The pivot pin 8A is formed with a diameter so that it can easily be fitted inside the cavity in the hinge organ 10A for the pole attachment 10. The hinge organ 10A is best provided with a plastic bushing, so that low friction is obtained and the inner surface of the cavity is protected against abrasive wear. The stop organ 8B is intended to prevent the dummy 6 from being turned more than a limited angle. According to a preferred embodiment, the pole attachment 10 is provided with a further stop organ 10D, so that the stop organ 8B which is disposed on the attachment device can swing between these two devices 10B, 10D.

Figure 3 shows a different embodiment of a dummy according to the invention, it being shown that instead of a goshawk, an eagle owl dummy is used, which according to the above is provided with two eyes 12 on each side.

The invention is not restricted to the details described above and can be varied within the scope of the following claims. It is understood for example that the hinge mechanism can be arranged in a reverse manner, i.e. instead of arranging the pin on the suspension device by the dummy, it can instead be arranged on the pole attachment and the cylindrical part by the dummy. Furthermore, it is understood that instead of a cylindrical part, two or more parallel loops can be used, like also other hinge mechanisms of known types. Furthermore, the stop organ 8 can be arranged in a correspondingly reversed manner, i.e. the stop organ either arranged projecting from the pole attachment or from the dummy. Furthermore, it is understood that the actual dummy can be used as part of an element forming an integral part of the stop organ.

Claims

1. Method for protection of electricity telegraph poles (2) of wood, which poles have a diameter of between 100 - 800 mm and a height of between 8 and 16 metres above the ground, which pole (2) carries an electricity cable arrangement (4) and is provided with means for preventing attacks by woodpeckers, characterized in that said means consist of a dummy bird of prey (6).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said dummy bird of prey is arranged movably on said pole (2).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said dummy bird of prey is arranged below the top of the pole but at least three metres above the ground, preferably at least 5 metres above the ground and more preferredly approx. 6-10 metres above the ground.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said dummy is suspended rotatably around an essentially vertical axis of rotation.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotating movement is limited so that the rotation can constitute a maximum of 360°, preferably a maximum of 180°, and more preferredly amount to a maximum of 90°.

6. Device for executing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the dummy (6) comprises a suspension device (8) intended to act together with a pole attachment (10).

7. Device for executing the method according to claim 6, characterized in that said suspension device (8) comprises a pin-shaped hinge organ (8A) intended to act together with a hole-shaped hinge organ (10A) on said pole attachment (10), the centre axis for said hole-shaped organ (10A) forming the axis of rotation for said pin-shaped hinge organ (8 A)

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said suspension device (8) comprises a stop organ (8B) intended to act together with at least one corresponding stop organ (10B) on said pole attachment (10), so that the movement of said suspension device is limited.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said suspension device or pole attachment is provided with a second stop organ (IOC; 8C), so that the rotating movement of the dummy (6) is limited to the desired range, the angular motion preferably being limited to approx. 90°.

10. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said dummy (6) is formed of a flat-shaped material, in such a way that it reproduces the contours of a bird of prey and is preferably provided with at least one coloured eye (12).

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 12 October 2000 (12.10.00); original claims 1-10 replaced by new claims 1-8 (2 pages)]

1. Method for protection of electricity telegraph poles (2) of wood, which poles have a diameter of between 100 - 800 mm and a height of between 8 and 16 metres above the ground, which pole (2) carries an electricity cable arrangement (4) and is provided with a dummy bird which is arranged movably on said pole (2) for preventing attacks by woodpeckers, characterized in that said dummy consists of a dummy bird of prey (6), which is arranged below the top of the pole but at least 3 meters above the ground and wherein said dummy is suspended rotatably around an essentially vertical axis of rotation, whereby the rotating movement is limited so that the rotation can constitute a maximum of 360°.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said dummy bird of prey is arranged below the top of the pole but at least 5 meters above the ground and preferably approx.6-10 meter above the ground.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating movement is limited so that the rotation can constitute a maximum of 180°, and more preferably amount to a maximum of 90°.

4. Device for protection of electricity telegraph poles (2) of wood, which poles have a diameter of between 100-800 mm and a height between 8 and 16 meters above the ground, which pole (2) carries an electricity cable arrangement and is provided with a dummy bird which is arranged moveably on said pole (2) for preventing attacks by woodpeckers, characterized in that said dummy consists of a dummy bird of prey (6), which is moveably arranged on said pole (2) by means of a suspension device (8) and a pole attachment (10), and that said suspension device (8) is intended to act together with said pole attachment (10) in order to limit the maximum rotation of the dummy (6) to 360°.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said suspension device (8) comprises a pin-shaped hinge organ (8A) intended to act together with a hole-shaped hinge organ (10A) on said pole attachment (10), the centre axis for said hole-shaped organ (10A) forming the axis of rotation for said pin-shaped hinge organ (8 A).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said suspension device (8) comprises a stop organ (8B) intended to act together with at least one corresponding stop organ (10B) on said pole attachment (10), so that the movement of said suspension device is limited.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said suspension device or pole attachment is provided with a second stop organ (IOC; 8C), so that the rotating movement of the dummy (6) is limited to the desired range, the angular motion preferably being limited to approx.90°.

8. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said dummy (6) is formed of a flat-shaped material, in such a way that it reproduces the contours of a bird of prey and is preferably provided with at least one coloured eye (12).