WO2004013413A1

WO2004013413A1 - Post mounting bracket

Info

Publication number: WO2004013413A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/003382
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Coutts
Original assignee: Ad-On-Us
Priority date: 2002-08-02
Filing date: 2003-08-04
Publication date: 2004-02-12
Also published as: AU2003259319A1; GB0217997D0

Abstract

A mounting bracket (10) is described that is suitable for releasably mounting a post to a surface. In a first embodiment the mounting bracket comprises a base plate (12) that can be fixed directly to the ground and an upright support member (14) attached substantially orthogonally to the base plate. The upright support provides a means for releasably mounting the post to the base plate. By employing such a design the mounting bracket provides a simple and cost-effective means for interchanging the post that can be readily employed as a bollard and/or an advertisements.

Description

Post Mounting Bracket

The present invention relates to the field of mounting brackets, and in particular to brackets for releasably mounting posts to surfaces.

Bollards are commonly used around roadways and pedestrianised areas. The bollards typically comprise a rigid vertical post permanently mounted on the ground surface. The bollards may prevent vehicular access to restricted areas, and/or may display particular information to road user pedestrians. For example, the bollard may include directional indicators for directing traffic or providing information to pedestrians on the location of sites of interest. Alternatively, the bollard may simply include the reflective areas for indicating a road boundary in low visibility.

More recently, bollards have been used for displaying a wider range of information to pedestrians and road users. Specifically, bollards and posts provide a useful and highly visible advertising space. A variety of commercial concerns may wish to display advertisements on such panels, in position around the roadway or pathways. This type of advertisement may be particularly appealing to shops and businesses located in the vicinity of the posts. For example, if the posts are positioned around car parks at airports or shopping centres, they may display advertisements for hotels or shops. Furthermore, the adverts may also provide directional information to passers-by so that they are able to find the location of the business easily.

Typical bollards and posts are not ideally suited to providing advertising space to passers-by. They are often expensive to produce, and thus cannot be readily discarded if the advertisement is changed. Accordingly, posts have been made available that are more simple in construction, such posts comprise a substantially planar fibreglass sheet that has its lower end formed into a triangular point. This point, along with metal reinforcement where necessary, is positioned in an excavated hole or channel in the ground. When the post is in position, it is secured by filling^' the hole with concrete. The post is therefore permanently attached to the ground.

Although the above-described arrangement provides a simple and cost-effective means of providing advertising space, it does have a number of drawbacks. The permanent nature of the post means that it cannot be easily replaced with a new post with a different advertisement. In addition, although the posts have a certain degree of flexibility, they are brittle enough to break on impact from a vehicle, and are prone to vandalism. If the post is broken, a sharp edge is left exposed that poses a risk of injury to passers-by. Furthermore, if the post is to be replaced, it is necessary to excavate the hole in order to free the permanently mounted spike. Thus the replacement of posts is a labour intensive process.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a post and mounting assembly that obviates or at least mitigates one or more of the drawbacks associated with the prior art.

It is one objective of the invention to provide means for releasably mounting a post to a surface.

Further aims and objects of the invention will become apparent from reading of the descriptions.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for releasably mounting a post, the bracket comprising: - a base plate; - an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate, and having at least one face for releasably mounting to a post.

The upright support member may comprise a central planar face oriented in a first plane and having an outer surface and an inner surface, and two side plates fixed to the central planar face on either side thereof, wherein the side plates lie in planes that are inclined to the first plane.

The post may be substantially planar. Preferably, the post is elongate and flexible about a longitudinal axis. The post may be manufactured from a fibreglass material. 1 Alternatively, the post may be cylindrical. 2.

3 The post may be mounted against the inner surface of the

4 upright support member. Alternatively, the post may be

5 mounted against the outer surface of the upright support

6 member . 7

8 The post may be secured to the bracket via mounting means

9 provided on the central planar face. Alternatively, or 0 in addition, the post may be secured to the bracket via 1 mounting means provided on the side plates of the upright support member. The post may be mounted such that it 3 curves to form a convex outer surface. 4 The mounting means may be mechanical fixings, for 6 example, screws or bolts. 7 8 The base plate may be secured to a ground surface via 9 mechanical fixings. Alternatively, or in addition, the 0 base plate may be bonded to a ground surface by an 1 adhesive. The adhesive may be a silicone adhesive. Damping means may be provided for reducing vibrations in 3 the bracket and/or post. The • damping means may be a 4 silicone adhesive. Alternatively, the damping means may be a washer. 6 7 Optionally, the bracket further comprises an auxiliary 8 mounting plate fixed to the base plate. Preferably, the 9 an auxiliary mounting plate is inclined to the base 0 plate, and is provided with auxiliary mounting means for 1 securing the bracket to a secondary surface other than a 2 ground surface. 3 The auxiliary mounting means may comprise a slot for receiving a mechanical fixing on the secondary surface. The auxiliary mounting means may further comprise a notch for locating the bracket with respect to the mechanical fixing on the secondary surface.

The secondary surface may be substantially^' vertical. The secondary surface may be the substantially vertical surface of a kerbstone.

The auxiliary mounting plate may be bonded to the secondary surface by an adhesive. The adhesive may be a silicone adhesive.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided releasable post-mounting assembly comprising: a bracket having a base plate and an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate and having at least one face; and a post releasably mounted to the at least one face of the upright support member.

The post may be substantially planar. Preferably, the post is elongate and flexible about a longitudinal axis. The post may be manufactured from a fibreglass material.

The assembly may be provided with damping means for reducing vibrations in the bracket and/or post. The damping means may be a silicone adhesive. Alternatively, the damping means may be a washer. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method for releasably mounting a post comprising the steps of: - securing a bracket to a ground surface, the bracket having a base plate and an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate, the upright support member having at least one face; - releasably mounting a post to the at least one face of the upright support member.

There will now be described, by way of example only, various embodiments of the invention with reference to the following drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a mounted post in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is an alternative perspective view of the mounted post of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bracket according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, having an auxiliary mounting plate.

Figure 1 shows a bracket, generally depicted at 10, for detachably mounting a post to a ground surface 11. The bracket 10 comprises a base plate 12, which is placed substantially horizontally on the ground surface 11. The bracket includes an upright support member 14, mounted approximately perpendicularly to the base plate. The upright support member 14 of this example is joined to the base plate along edge 13. If additional structural support is required, the upright support member 14 can be joined to the base plate along the bases of the side plates 16a, 16b. The bracket 10 is constructed from any suitable material, such as mild steel.

The upright support member comprises a central planar face 15 oriented in a first plane, and two side plates 16a, 16b either side of the central planar face 15. The side plates 16a, 16b are inclined to the central planar face 15, such that the upright support member has a bevelled vertical outer surface. The upright support member 14 is also provided with mounting means in the form of apertures 17 on the side plates 16a, 16b. These apertures allow the detachable mounting of a post to the upright support.

Base plate 12 is provided with an aperture 19 for mechanically fixing the bracket to the ground surface. Typically, the bracket will be secured by a screw or bolt driven into a corresponding fitting (not shown) embedded within the ground surface. In this example, the bracket is also bonded to the ground surface by adhesive 18. The adhesive supplements the mechanical fixings, and provides additional structural support to the bracket 10. When secured to the ground surface, the bracket 10 is a permanent or semi-permanent fitting.

Figure 2 shows a post assembly comprising a bracket 10, with a post 20 detachably mounted thereto. The post 20 is secured to the outer surface of the bevelled upright member, via mechanical fixings in the form of nuts 22 and bolts 23 on the side plates 16a, 16b. The nuts and bolts 22, 23 are releasable, to enable posts to be attached or detached as required.

The post is substantially planar and rectangular in shape. The post has a degree of flexibility about a longitudinal axis of the rectangle. In this example, the bolts secure the post to the side plates and cause the post to flex. This flexing increases the visibility of the post from either side. In addition, the curvature of the post increases its rigidity in a vertical direction.

The base plate 12 is fixed to the ground surface via bolt 24 that extends through the aperture 19 and is attached to a corresponding fitting (not shown) . In this example, the bracket is also bonded to the ground surface by adhesive 18.

The adhesive 18 is carefully selected to provide a damping effect to damp vibrations in the bracket and post. Silicone adhesives are particularly suitable for this purpose. The adhesive is provided between the base plate and the ground surface, and absorbs vibrational energy induced by impacts, wind, or acoustic vibrations.

Figure 3 shows the assembly of Figure 2 from an outer surface. Although the post is likely to be opaque, the bracket is shown for clarity. The post includes a sign 31 for displaying a message to passers-by. The message could be, for example, a list of parking regulations, an advertisement, or a directional indicator. Figure 4 shows a bracket 40 in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this example, the bracket includes an auxiliary mounting plate 41 attached to the base plate 12. The auxiliary mounting plate 41 is fixed along the edge of the base plate that opposes the upright support member 14. The plate 41 is provided with horizontal slots 42 to enable the bracket to be slid onto mechanical fixing means. Notches 43 are provided on the slots 42 to locate the bracket in position with respect to the fixing means.

The auxiliary mounting plate 41 is suitable for securing the bracket to a vertical or substantially vertical surface. This surface may for example be part of a kerbstone or wall. The bracket 40 slides onto bolts or other mechanical fixings provided in the kerbstone, until they are located in the notches 43. The notches provide lateral positioning allow the bracket to have a degree of vertical movement, such that the bracket will rest on the surface of the ground. When the bracket is correctly positioned, the fixings are tightened to secure the bracket to the kerbstone. As before, a silicone adhesive may be used in addition to the mechanical fixings. The base plate is secured to the ground surface as described above.

The bracket 40 allows a post to be securely mounted in a position at which the available footprint area is not of an adequate size is not available, such as close to a wall or kerbstone. The auxiliary mounting plate 41 provides additional support to the bracket and the post. It will be evident that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment within the scope of the invention. For example, the upright support member 14 of the bracket may not be bevelled in the manner shown. As an alternative, the side plates 16a, 16b could be inclined to the central planar face in the opposite sense. This would tend to curve the post so that the outer surface is concave rather than convex as shown in Figure 2 and 3. Certain embodiments may comprise a substantially flat upright support member.

Furthermore, the releasable attachment means for mounting the post to the bracket need not be provided on the side plates 16a and 16b. Rather, mechanical fixing means could be provided to mount the post to the central planar face. In such an arrangement, the bracket may surround the outer surface of the post to provide curvature, when desired.

The skilled reader will also appreciate that a pair of brackets could be provided. The brackets may, for example, be, formed in the same bevelled shape, one bracket being placed on the inner surface of the post and one being placed on the outer surface. The two brackets would clamp the post vertically therebetween and provide a more secure fitting.

Modifications can also be made to the bracket shown in Figure 4. For example, the auxiliary mounting plate 41 need not be vertically arranged. If the auxiliary surface is not vertical, the plate 41 can be inclined to the base plate at a suitable angle. This may be required for attachment to inclined kerbstone faces. Resilient washers may be used as an alternative (or in addition) to the adhesive for damping vibrations. The washer may be positioned under the base plate, around the mechanical fixing. Alternatively, the washer could be placed above the base plate and below the mechanical fixing.

It will be noted that the brackets described herein are suitable for mounted a variety of posts. In addition to the planar posts shown in the drawings, cylindrical posts, or posts with rectangular cross-sections could be used. The bracket may be most suitable for breakable posts, such as posts manufactured from plastic-based materials or fibreglass. The bracket allows a broken post to be replaced readily.

Additional features may be provided on the bracket and post of the present invention. For example, means can be provided for preventing the mechanical fixings from being tampered with. In addition, the upper portion of the post may _include an arrangement for mounting an advertising panel such that it can be readily replaced without removing the whole post.

Further modifications and improvements may be made to the scope of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended Claims.

Claims

1) A bracket for releasably mounting a post, the bracket comprising a base plate an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate and having at least one face for releasably mounting to a post.

2) A bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the upright support member comprises a central planar face oriented in a first plane and having an outer surface and an inner surface, and two side plates fixed to the central planar face on either side thereof, such that the side plates lie in planes that are inclined to the first plane.

3) A bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the post is substantially planar having an elongate shape so as to be flexible about a longitudinal axis.

4) A bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the post is substantially cylindrical.

5) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the post comprises a fibreglass material.

6) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the post is mounted against the inner surface of the upright support member.

7) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the post is mounted against the outer surface of the upright support member. 8) A bracket as claimed in Claim 2 to Claim 7 wherein the post is secured to the bracket via mounting means provided on the central planar face.

9) A bracket as claimed in Claim 2 to Claim 8 wherein the post is secured to the bracket via mounting means provided on the side plates of the upright support^' member.

10) A bracket as claimed in Claim 8 to Claim 9 wherein the post is secured such that it curves to form a convex outer surface.

11) A bracket as claimed in Claim 8 to Claim 10 wherein the mounting means comprise screw and bolt fixings.

12) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the base plate is secured to a ground surface via a mechanical fixing.

13) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the base plate is secured to the ground surface by an adhesive, the adhesive providing a damping means for reducing vibrations in the bracket.

14) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the bracket further comprises a washer, the washer providing a damping means for reducing vibrations in the bracket. 15) A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the bracket further comprises an auxiliary mounting plate fixed to the base plate.

16) A bracket as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the auxiliary mounting plate is inclined to the base plate, and is provided with auxiliary mounting means for securing the bracket to a secondary surface other than the ground surface.

17) A bracket as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16 wherein the auxiliary mounting means comprises one or more slots for receiving a mechanical fixing on the secondary surface.

18) A bracket as claimed in Claim 15 to Claim 17 wherein the auxiliary mounting means further comprises one or more notches for locating the bracket with respect to the mechanical fixing on the secondary surface.

19) A bracket as claimed in Claim 15 to 18 wherein the auxiliary mounting plate is bonded to the secondary surface by an adhesive.

20) A bracket as claimed in Claim 13 to Claim 19 wherein the adhesive comprises a silicone adhesive.

21) A releasable post-mounting assembly comprising: a bracket having a base plate and an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate and having at least one face and a post releasably mounted to the at least one face of the upright support member. 22) A releasable post-mounting assembly as claimed in Claim 21 wherein the post is substantially planar having an elongate shape so as to be flexible about a longitudinal axis.

23) A releasable post-mounting assembly as claimed in Claim 21 or Claim 22 wherein the post comprises a fibreglass material.

24) A releasable post-mounting assembly as claimed in Claim 21 to Claim 23 wherein the releasable post- mounting assembly further comprises a damping means for reducing vibrations in the bracket and/or post.

25) A releasable post-mounting assembly as claimed in Claim 24 wherein the damping means comprises a silicone adhesive.

26) A releasable post-mounting assembly as claimed in Claim 24 or Claim 25 wherein the damping means compris.es a washer.

27) A method for releasably mounting a post comprising the steps of: 1) securing a bracket to a ground surface, the bracket having a base plate and an upright support member fixed substantially orthogonally to the base plate, the upright support member having at least one face; and 2) releasably mounting a post to the at least one face of the upright support member.