A HOLDER FOR A FLAGSTAFF FINIAL

Abstract: A holder for mounting a flagstaff finial (10, 11) at the top of a flagstaff. The holder comprises a sleeve (33) which is attachable to the end of said flagstaff and a halyard fitting (13, 20) which carries the finial and which is rotatable to the sleeve. The halyard fitting (13, 20) is provided with a cylindric bearing bushing (28) of an elastic material, having external bearing surface and snap-fit locking means (32) for pivotal attachment to the flagstaff end sleeve (33) and cooperation with an internal bearing surface (34) in said sleeve. The bearing bushing (28) is rigidly connected to an element (20) of a harder material, which is provided with at least one channel (21) for a flag halyard. The element (20) is rigidly connected to a bracket (13) of elastic material for attachment of the finial (10, 11).

Description: TITLE A holder for a flagstaff finial FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a holder for mounting a flagstaff finial at the top of a flagstaff, comprising a sleeve which is attachable to the end of said flagstaff and a halyard fitting which carries the finial and which is rotatable to the sleeve. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to produce holders for flagstaff finials with a revolving halyard fitting, through which the line is pulled when is hoisting or lowering a flag or a banner. Owing to that the halyard fitting is revolving and thus can adapt itself to the prevailing wind, the flag or the banner is prevented from being entangled with the flag pole. The fitting must be made of a hard material, usually metal, in order to be able to withstand the wear of the halyard. The remaining parts are usually made of plastics in order to reduce the weight and the production cost. It has proven to be a problem that wear can arise between metal and plastics in the bearing surfaces that provide for rotation. Eventually, this wear will lead to that the adaptability to shifting winds will deter. Several aspects must be taken into consideration, when designing the holder, for example that it must be requiring no maintenance for several years, and that it must be able function during large changes in temperature, that the weight must be low, and that it must be cheap to produce and assemble with a small number of separate components. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a wear resistant, climate insensitive, maintenance free pivotal bearing for the halyard fitting. Another object is to provide a light and inexpensive holder which is made up of a small number of components. SOLUTION This is achieved according to the invention, owing to that the halyard fitting is provided with a cylindric bearing bushing of an elastic material, having external bearing surface and snap-fit locking means for pivotal attachment to the flagstaff end sleeve and cooperation with an internal bearing surface in said sleeve, that the bearing bushing is rigidly connected to an element of a harder material, which is provided with at least one channel for a flag halyard, and that the element is rigidly connected to a bracket of elastic material for attachment of the finial. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to an embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a holder according to the invention with a flagstaff finial in a section along its longitudinal axis, Fig. 2 shows the holder in Fig. 1 in a section which is turned 90° with relation to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a bracket which is a part of the holder, in a view corresponding to Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the holder, showing a sleeve, a bearing bushing, a halyard fitting and a bracket, in position for assembly. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The holder shown in the figures have two objects to fulfil, namely to carry a halyard fitting and an ornamental finial at the top of a flagstaff. The globe of the finial is made hollow in two halves 10, 11, which are mounted together by means of a screw 12 which is screwed into the end of a rod 14 which is a part of a bracket 13. As Fig. 3 shows, the rod 14 made integral with a disc 15 and a cup shaped bottom section 16. The upper half 10 of the finial globe is provided with a hole 17 for the screw 12. The bottom half of the finial globe is provided with a base surface 18 which rests upon the disc 15. The two finial halves 10, 11 are made from a clear material, e.g. plexiglass, which is coated on the inside with a gold coloured metallic layer. The bracket 13 is made of a more elastic plastics material, e.g. polyamide. As also is shown in Fig. 3, the cup shaped section 16 is provided with a rectangular channel 19, which is designated for receiving the halyard fitting 20. This fitting 20 is provided with a T-shaped internal channel 21 for receiving a not shown halyard, which either can run straight through the fitting, or in angle down through the central opening wherein the halyard runs internally in the pole. The central opening of the channel 21 is designed as a downwards pointing cylindrical tube section 22, with an enlarged diameter at 23 (see Fig. 4). The halyard fitting 20 is mountable in the bracket 13, by pressing it in with the conical inclined surfaces 24 past the two bars 25 which form the lower limiting surfaces of the channel 19. Then the bars 25 will snap in below the underside of the lugs 26 and be locked between the sides of a slot which 27 runs across the underside of the respective lug. The above described locking of the halyard fitting, which preferably is made by moulding a durable metal alloy, is stable and free from looseness in the bracket 13. A bearing bushing 28 is mountable with fit-up on downwards pointing tube sections 22, 23 of the halyard fitting 20, in such a way that two short protruding pins 29 lock the bushing via two openings 30. The bushing 28 is cylindric with an upper shoulder section with a perpendicular side 31 and snap lock means 32 at the opposite bottom end. The bearing bushing 28 is made of an elastic material, e.g. polyamide plastics. The bearing bushing 28 is insertable with its external bearing surfaces in a sleeve 33, which is provided with corresponding internal cylindric bearing surfaces 34 and a U-formed section 35. This U-formed section is provided with slits 36 and are arranged to fit onto the top of the flagstaff. The sleeve is preferably made of an elastic plastics material, e.g. acetal plastic. The design of the bearing bushing with an upper enlarged section and a surface 31 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, leads to an effective and stable lateral and axial support. Wear on the bearing surfaces are avoided by means of the selected materials. The assembly of the holder is rapidly and simply effected. The invention is not limited to the above described embodiment, but several variations are available within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A holder for mounting a flagstaff finial (10, 11) at the top of a flagstaff, comprising a sleeve (33) which is attachable to the end of said flagstaff and a halyard fitting (13, 20) which carries the finial and which is rotatable to the sleeve, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the halyard fitting (13, 20) is provided with a cylindric bearing bushing (28) of an elastic material, having external bearing surface and snap-fit locking means (32) for pivotal attachment to the flagstaff end sleeve (33) and cooperation with an internal bearing surface (34) in said sleeve, that the bearing bushing (28) is rigidly connected to an element (20) of a harder material, which is provided with at least one channel (21) for a flag halyard, and that the element (20) is rigidly connected to a bracket (13) of elastic material for attachment of the finial (10, 11). 2. A holder according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the element (20) is provided with a tubular part (22), which projects centrally in the longitudinal direction of the flagstaff, and which forms a guide channel for an internal flag halyard. 3. A holder according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tubular part (22) is coaxially engaged within the bearing bushing (28). 4. A holder according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bearing bushing (28) is provided with a coaxially enlarged cylindric shoulder section with a perpendicular side (31) which is arranged to be received in a correspondingly formed aperture in the sleeve (33), in such a way, that the side (31) forms an axial support surface in cooperation with the sleeve. 5. A holder according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the element (20) is engaged in a channel (19) in the bracket (13) which has four sides and is arranged across the longitudinal axis of the flagstaff, and that the element is provided with fixed lugs (26) cooperating with bars (25) on the bracket, for locking the element laterally. 6. A holder according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the element (20) is provided with two conically bevelled side surfaces (24), which makes it possible, when mounting the element in the bracket, to enter the element in the longitudinal direction of the flagstaff into the channel (19), whereafter the bars (25) of the bracket can snap in behind the lugs (26) of the element.

Inventors: TYCHE ROLF, TYCHE, ROLF
Applicants: STROEMBLAD AB GUSTAV, TYCHE ROLF, STROEMBLAD, AB GUSTAV, TYCHE, ROLF
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E04H12
IPC codes: E04H12, G09F17