Abstract:
This invention relates to a flag pole and more specifically, to a flag pole with moveable flag clips and an electric lamp to illuminate the flag.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation in part of Ser. No. ______, filed on Oct. 3, 2003, entitled Flag Pole. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to a flag pole and more specifically, to a flag pole with rotatable flag clips and an electric lamp to illuminate the flag.  
         [0004]     2. Background Art  
         [0005]     The problem of properly displaying a flag is very important since flags must be illuminated at night and should be removed when in inclement weather. Another problem is that on windy days, a flag may become wrapped or “furled” around the pole. People have attempted to solve this situation by having automatic reels and timers. These solutions are often expensive and difficult for the flag owner to operate easily.  
         [0006]     It is an aim of this present invention to present a user-friendly system that will allow a flag owner to display a flag properly under all conditions and for easy removal of the flag. Also, this invention will allow the flag to move easily around the flag pole and not get tangled.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     This invention relates to a flag pole and more specifically, to a flag pole with rotatable flag clips and an electric lamp to illuminate the flag.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     For a further understanding of this present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a flag pole of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a detailed view of a connector.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is another view of a connector and a portion of the flag pole.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is another embodiment of the flag pole. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The problem of a flag wrapping around a pole in the wind is particularly acute when the pole is attached to a bracket on the side of a building, especially when it is positioned at an angle with the building wall.  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the flag pole, generally indicated at  10 , that could be used with a 220 voltage power source. The flag pole  10  including a staff  12  with a longitudinal axis  14  and a light  16  on one end. An electrical power cord  18  can be attached to the staff  12  for supplying electricity to the light  16 . In this case, the electrical power cord  18  is shown contained within the staff  12  to protect it from the elements but one skilled in the art would understand that there are other ways to power the light.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows two connectors  20   a ,  20   b , also referred to as “wind control flag clips,” mounted on the staff  12 . Each of the connectors includes a sleeve  26  that is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis  14 . The connectors  20  are fixed longitudinally relative to the staff, and thus do not move up and down the staff, but stay in place. The sleeves  26  are capable of being releasably attached to a flag  21  using a clip  22  which attaches to a grommet  24  on the flag  21  or other flag attaching portion of the flag. The connectors  20 , and more particularly the sleeves  26 , allow the flag to swing freely 360° around the longitudinal axis of the staff and thus the flag does not get wound up or furled on to the staff. The connectors in a preferred embodiment include a rigid connecting rod  25  that is attached at its opposite ends to each of the sleeves  26 . Connecting the sleeves in this fashion ensures that they rotate in concert about the axis  14  of the flag pole. For example, if the top of the flag is wind blown so its sleeve  26   a  turns about the flag pole axis, sleeve  26   b  also turns. Forcing the two sleeves  26   a ,  26   b  to move in concert insures that a wind blown flag does not furl or wrap about the flag pole. This allows the movement of one part of the flag, such as the top, to move another part of the flag, such as the bottom.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows the connector  20  as including a sleeve  26  that encircles the staff  12  and is free to rotate about the staff. Although the preferred embodiment does not include roller bearings, the sleeve could contain movement means such as roller bearings, ball bearings or other devices to enhance rotation of the sleeve. Clamps  28   a ,  28   b  are placed on either side of the sleeve to hold the sleeve in place on the staff  12 . Attached to the sleeve  26  is the clip  22  for attaching to the flag. The clip  22  may consist of one or more parts including a clipping portion  22   a  and a holder  22   b .  FIG. 2  further shows the rigid rod  25  that connects the sleeves  26  of one connector  20  to the sleeve of the other. This rod  25  preferably is attached directly to the holder  22   b  as shown. However, it also can be attached directly to the sleeve portion  26 . As an alternative to the rigid rod  25 , a tubular member (not shown) slidably disposed once the flag pole shaft  12  can be attached at its ends directly to the holder  22   b  or sleeve  26  of both connectors.  
         [0016]     The connector  20 , including the sleeve  26 , one or more longitudinally fixable clamps  28  to hold the sleeve on the flag pole  10 , the rod  25 , and the clip  22  can form a flag pole assembly kit for converting a standard flag pole into a flag pole that prevents flag wrapping or furling of the flag around the pole.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  also shows the light  16  connected to the staff  12  with a threaded coupling  30  connected to an adjustable light socket  32 . The threaded coupling  30  fits into a one half inch compression connector  34  so that the light can sit on the staff  12 . The shaft preferably is a tube that has a 32° bend so that the light  16  will shine on the flag. The light could be a 50 watt halogen, par-20 Philips Masterline Halogen, or other light appropriate for outdoor conditions. This embodiment has a protective cage  36  to protect the flag material from burning if the flag would happen to touch the light  16 .  
         [0018]     The light  16  is connected to a power source by the cord  18  that should be weatherproof with a weatherproof plug, cord caps, and receptacle. The tube forming the staff  12  has an opening (not shown) in the lower end. The cord extends through the lower opening and terminates in a plug that can be inserted into a conventional outdoor electrical socket. A dusk-to-dawn sensor  38  allows the flag to be lit at all times when there is not sufficient light to illuminate the flag. This is necessary in certain applications since it is required by law that a flag be lit when it is dark if it is not brought down during the evening hours.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a connector  40  including a sleeve  42  that sits in a circumferential indent formed by the staff  12 . Clamps are not necessary in this embodiment of the connector since the edges  44   a ,  44   b  act as stops to hold the connector in position. Attached to the sleeve  42  is the clip  22  for attaching the flag. In this case, the sleeve can be snapped into the indent, or the staff  12  can be screwed together in two pieces forming an indent. In either case, the sleeve  42  is free to turn in the indent about the axis of the staff  12 . In the  FIG. 4  embodiment, a tube  27  is slidably disposed on the flag pole and is attached at its ends to the sleeves  42  of the two connectors  22 . This tube  27  is an alternative to the rod  25  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  for insuring that the sleeves  42  rotate in concert about the flag pole.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the flag pole that can be used with power sources that produce less than 110 volts. The flag pole  50  has a staff  52  with a longitudinal axis  54  with an optional light  56  on one end and an electrical power cord  58  attached to the staff  52 , which preferably is threaded through the interior of the staff  52 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows two connectors  60   a ,  60   b  mounted to the staff  52  for rotation about the longitudinal axis  54 . The connectors  60  are fixed longitudinally relative to the staff and thus do not move up and down the staff, but stay in place. Each connector  60   a ,  60   b  is constructed so that it can move circumferentially around the staff  52  as described above. The connector is also capable of being releasably attached to a flag  62  that may have a grommet  64  or other flag attaching portion that can be used to attach the flag to hold the flag to the staff  52 . The connectors  60  allow the flag to swing freely 360° around the longitudinal axis of the staff  52  and thus the flag does not get wound up or furled on to the staff  52 .  
         [0022]     The optional light  56  shown in  FIG. 4  is shown with a mounting bracket  66  so that the light can be attached to the staff  52 , here preferably a tube. This staff  52  is shown without a bend and uses the angle of the bracket to ensure the lamp  56  will shine on the flag. The light could be a low voltage spot light appropriate for outdoor conditions. This embodiment may have a protective cage to protect the flag material from burning if the flag should happen to touch the light  56 . The light  56  is connected to a power source by the cord  58  that should be weatherproof with a weatherproof plug, cord caps, and receptacle, and can have a dusk-to-dawn sensor  68  that allows the flag to be lit at all times when there is not sufficient light to shine on the flag. In this embodiment the sensor  68  also embodies a low voltage transformer  69 .  
         [0023]     While we have described the invention in connection with certain embodiments, we are aware that numerous departures may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.