Abstract:
This is a hinge base construction for light poles which provides a non-corrosive hinge connection between the pole and the fixed base member. The connection includes non-corrosive elements to preserve the pivotal relationship between the stationary base and the pole mounting member.

Description:
A provisional application disclosing this invention was filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 27, 1998; Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/076,350. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Highway and parking lot light poles are mounted on a suitable concrete foundation. It is convenient to mount the pole on the hinge base assembly which permits the pole to be tilted down for servicing the light components mounted on the upper portion of the pole. 
     PRIOR ART 
     The most pertinent prior art known to applicant is the expired U.S. Pat. No. RE-26995, original U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,635, dated Jan. 23, 1968 and entitled RECESSED HINGED BASE STANDARD, issued to Kenneth F. Guggemos of Winsted, Minn., and also U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,559, issued to Bert Tendrummeler of Westminster, Calif., issued Mar. 21, 1978. Neither of these prior art patents discloses the concept of the present invention which includes the corrosive resistant construction of this invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A concrete foundation of conventional design is provided for supporting and anchoring a pole mounted thereon. The assembly for providing a supporting base for the pole includes a stationary mounting member which is secured in fixed relation to the concrete foundation, as by suitable fixed hold down bolts with suitable leveling nuts which support and level the base on the foundation. A hinged pole-mounting platform is pivotally mounted on the supporting base as by a suitable stainless steel hinge pin supported on fixed hinge elements provided on one side of the stationery mounting member. The hinge pin provides a non-corrosive hinge connection for the tilt down movement of the pole to facilitate servicing of the elevated light elements. 
     A plurality of stainless steel hold down bolts are provided for securing hinged pole mounting platform to the stationary mounting member. A plurality of internally threaded non-corrosive stainless steel sleeves are integrally cast in the stationary mounting member which is anchored to the concrete base and combine with the stainless steel hold down bolts to provide a corrosion resistant anchoring system for the hinged pole mounting member and the pole mounted thereon. A suitable cover in the form of a two piece collar is provided and each of the collar sections is secured to the stationary mounting member by stainless steel hold-down screws inserted into four upstanding post elements, each of which is lined with corrosion resistant stainless steel sleeve members. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pole anchoring base with the lower portion of the pole shown therein; 
     FIG. 2 is a side down elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of broken away portions of the structure shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the base and pole assembly in partially tilted position with portions broken away; 
     FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the pole showing the base anchoring parts in assembled position; 
     FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through one of the stainless steel anchoring sleeves per se; and 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the anchoring sleeve shown in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional concrete foundation  9  is poured into a suitable hole in the ground for supporting the light pole assembly. Suitable fixed anchoring bolts  10  are imbedded in the concrete and extend upwardly above the top thereof. A fixed base member  11  is mounted on the anchoring bolts  10  with suitable leveling nuts provided under the base member  11  and hold down nuts  10   a  are provided above the base member  11  to positively secure the same to the foundation  9 . 
     A hinged pole mounting and supporting platform  12  is pivotally connected to the stationary base member  11  by a stainless steel hinge pin  13  supported by a suitable fixed hinge element  11   b  provided on one side of the member  11  and connecting said fixed element  11   b  to hinge ears  12   a  of platform  12 . The hinge pin  13  provides a hinge connection to facilitate the tilt down movement of the pole P shown in partially tilted position in FIG.  4 . Non-corrosive hold down bolts  14  are provided for securely anchoring the hinged pole mounting member  12  to the fixed base member  11  as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Suitable washers  14   a  are provided for each of the hold down bolts  14  and non-corrosive stainless steel insert sleeves  15  are cast into the base member  11  to provide the non-corrosive connection between the hinged pole mounting member  12  and the base member  11 . This is an important feature of this invention as it produces an extremely durable and long-lasting hinged connection between the pole mounting member  12  and the fixed base member  11 . The details of the construction of the stainless steel sleeves  15  are best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each sleeve is internally threaded and has circumferential rings  15   a  formed around the upper and lower ends thereof with intermediate peripheral stabilizing rings  15   b  formed around intermediate portions of the sleeves  15  as best shown in FIG.  6 . In addition to the rings  15   a  and  15   b , the sleeves are provided with indentations or notches formed in each of the rings  15   a  as best shown in FIG. 7, which is a top plan view of a typical sleeve  15 . This positively locks each of the sleeves  15  to the base member  11  and provides a rustproof joint therebetween. 
     A suitable cover in the form of a two-piece round collar  16  is provided. The two collar sections  16  are securely anchored to the base member  11  as by the internally threaded hold down screws  17  which are received in stainless steel sleeves  18  fixed in upstanding bases  19  integrally cast in base member  11 . The sleeves  18  have exterior longitudinal ribs  18  as best shown in FIG. 4 to the base members  19  and provide rustproof connections therebetween. 
     It will be seen that this invention provides an extremely durable base assembly for light poles which facilitates tilting the pole down for servicing.