Abstract:
A two part bracket for mounting a light bar to an environmental surface. The bracket may comprise two mirror image platforms or members hinged to one another to move from an open condition to a closed or folded condition. Each platform may have a plurality of holes for passing fasteners to fix the platform to the light bar or to the environmental surface. In the closed conditioner, the bracket obstructs casual access to these fasteners. Each platform has an eye which aligns with the eye of the other platform when the bracket is in the closed condition, to receive the shackle of a padlock for example. Each platform includes pads which abut pads of the other to oppose collapse of the bracket due to weight loads.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to attachment brackets, and more particularly to a folding bracket for securing a light bar to a wheeled vehicle on which the light bar is to be mounted. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Light bars are custom or semi-custom accessories which may be mounted on wheeled vehicles to provide supplementary lighting. The lighting may be for illumination, signaling, or both. One example of a popular application of light bars is for police cars. 
     A light bar is an assembly of lighting fixtures mounted on a common base, typically having a common translucent or transparent covering lens. The light bar typically spans the width of the vehicle to which it is mounted. A light bar may be bolted to its associated wheeled vehicle. 
     However, a light bar which is directly bolted to its vehicle suffers from vulnerability to theft or other unauthorized removal or tampering. A need exists to increase security of connection, and especially bolted connection, of a light bar to its associated wheeled vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above stated need by providing a bracket which may receive a security device such as a padlock such that bolted type connections are secured against access to those who would steal or tamper with the light bar. The bracket may comprise two complementary sections which pivot about a hinge and when closed, provide aligned eyes for receiving the shackle of a padlock or similar security device. When pivoted to spread apart in clamshell fashion, access to bolt heads, nuts, and like fasteners is enabled. 
     The novel bracket may comprise a plurality of holes in each of the mutually pivotal sections to provide choice as to fastener location. 
     The bracket may comprise complementing projections or pads formed on each one of the mutually pivotal sections, arranged to meet and abut when the bracket is in the closed position. The complementing pads support and accommodate weight or force loads which in the absence of abutting pads could distort the bracket and permit the bracket to collapse due to weight or force loads. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a bracket for mounting a light bar to a wheeled vehicle which covers fasteners used to mount the light bar on the vehicle. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for mounting a light bar to a wheeled vehicle which comprises two mutually pivotal sections. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket for mounting a light bar to a wheeled vehicle which accepts a security device such as a padlock to provide security against unauthorized removal and tampering. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for mounting a light bar to a wheeled vehicle which resists collapse and distortion. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective environmental view of two of the novel brackets, shown connecting a light bar to an environmental surface. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a novel bracket shown fully spread open. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a novel bracket shown in approximately the same degree of opening as in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an environmental view of a novel bracket in the fully closed position, about to receive a padlock. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  of the drawings shows a light bar  2  mounted to an environmental surface such as the roof  4  of a tow truck (not shown in its entirety), using two brackets  10 . The brackets  10 , which may be identical to one another, are for mounting one object to an environmental surface, and not necessarily limited to mounting light bars such as the light bar  2  to a tow truck. Each one of the brackets  10  may comprise a first platform  12  and a second platform  14 . The term platform as employed herein represents a member which serves as a generally rigid structural platform for supporting and connecting the various functional structures of the novel apparatus. Each platform  12  or  14  has length, represented as the arrow  16 , width, represented as the arrow  18 , and thickness, represented as the arrow  20 . The length  16  will be understood to be the maximum length, and is that distance spanning the projection lines  22  and  24 . Similarly, the width  18 , which spans the projection lines  26  and  28 , is the maximum width of the bracket  10 , and the thickness  20 , which spans the projection lines  30  and  32 , is the maximum thickness. The thickness  20  is less in magnitude than the magnitude of either the length  16  or the width  18 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a fastener  6  which fixes the platform  12  to the roof  4  of the tow truck, and a fastener  8  which fixes the platform  14  to the light bar  2 . The fasteners  6 ,  8  are typically of the threaded and headed type, which may take the form for example of bolts, studs, nuts, screws, threaded eyes, and the like, which may be installed with supplementary devices such as lock washers, flat washers and others (none shown). 
     The platform  12  may be substantially a mirror image of the platform  14 , although the platforms in the various embodiments which are possible may be different from one another if desired. Therefore, only platform  12  will be described in detail. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the platform  12  is seen to comprise an exposed face  34  and an opposed concealable face  36 , each of which is bounded at their common perimeter by the length and width dimensions  16  and  18 . The exposed face  34  is that surface of the subject platform  12  which is exposed to view when the associated bracket  10  is folded into a closed condition, seen in  FIG. 4 . The concealable face  36  is exposed in the view of  FIG. 2 , but is concealed from both view and access in the closed condition of  FIG. 4 . The exposed face  34  and the concealed face  36  are formed on opposed sides of the platform  12 . 
     The platform  12  may have a generally flat area  38  bearing a plurality of holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , which may as illustrated be arrayed as a matrix of nine holes laid out in rows of three holes and columns of three holes. It will be noted that the holes  46 ,  48 ,  50  are of diameter different from those of the holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 . 
     Each one of the holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , passes through the width of the constituent material of the platform  12 , and communicates from the exposed face  34  to the concealed face  36 . This is for the purpose of accepting a fastener such as the fasteners  6  or  8  for example in each one of the holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 . At least one of the holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and more if desired, may be used to accept a fastener. 
     An eye  58  is located at one end of the platform  12 . The eye  58  will be understood to include both the opening and the surrounding structural material of the platform  12  which defines the opening. A corresponding eye is located at the same end (when the associated bracket such as the bracket  10  is in the folded condition shown in  FIG. 4 ) of the other platform  14 . In the folded condition shown in  FIG. 4 , the two eyes align so as to be able to accept the shackle  3  of a padlock  5 . Installation of a padlock such as the padlock S immobilizes the bracket  10  in the folded condition of  FIG. 4 . It will be noted that in this folded condition, the conceable faces  36  of both the platforms  12  and  14  are neither visible nor accessible. Thus, in the folded condition, the fasteners such as the fasteners  6  and  8  are immune to casual removal that would for example release the light bar  2  for unauthorized removal, such as for theft. 
     It would be possible to provide the two eyes, such as the eye  58  and the corresponding eye, such that they are out of alignment. The platforms of the two eyes could nonetheless be united by for example by passing a flexible tether or a specially shaped rigid member (neither shown) through the two eyes. 
     The platform  14  will be understood to have length, width, thickness which is less in magnitude than the length and than the width, an exposed face bounded by the length and the width of the platform  14 , an opposed concealable face bounded by the length and the width of the platform  14 , at least one hole passing through the width of the platform  14  and communicating from the exposed face to the concealed face of the platform  14 , for accepting a fastener, and an eye located at one end of the platform  14 . These structural features of the platform  14  are functional counterparts of the similarly named components of the platform  12  regardless of whether the platform  14  is substantially a mirror image of the platform  12 . 
     Again referring to  FIG. 2 , the platforms  12 ,  14  are mutually pivotable about an axis  60 . A pin  62  may be rotatably supported within a trunnion bearing  64  of the platform  12 . When both platforms  12  and  14  are assembled together about the pin  62 , either or both of the platforms may pivot on the pin  62 . The pin  62  may be of the type having a transverse throughbore (not visible in  FIG. 2 ) through which a clip such as a cotter pin  66  may be placed to constrain the cotter pin  66  against loss for example by working its way along the axis  60  until it escapes entrapment within the trunnion bearing  64 . 
     The pin  62  and the trunnion bearings of the platforms  12 ,  14  (such as the trunnion bearing  64 ) collectively form a hinge disposed to pivotally connect the platform  12  to the platform  14  such that the platform  14  may overlie the platform  12  (as seen in  FIG. 4 ) in close abutment therewith. Close abutment establishes closed condition of the bracket  10  shown in  FIG. 4 . The platform  12  may swing away from the platform  14  (indicated as an arrow  68  in  FIG. 3 ) to separate the concealable face  36  of the platform  12  from the corresponding concealable face of the platform  14 , thereby establishing an open condition of the bracket  10 . Open conditions of the bracket  10  are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the eye  58  of the platform  12  and the corresponding eye of the platform  14  may have a common eye axis  70  when the bracket  10  is in the closed condition of  FIG. 4 . As clearly seen in  FIG. 3 , the hinge (which may be represented here as the axis  60 ) is located on ends of the platforms  12 ,  14  which are opposite the ends bearing the common eye axis  70 . It may further be noted from  FIG. 3  that the common eye axis  70  may be parallel to the axis  60  of pivot of the hinge. 
     Continuing to refer to  FIG. 3 , the platform  12  and the platform  14  may have complementing weight support pads, such as the pads  72  and  74 ,  76  and  78 , and  80  and  82 . Each one of the pads  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 ,  82  may have a surface which abuts an opposed yet corresponding surface of a complementing pad when the bracket  10  is in the closed condition. As an example, the pad  76  may have a surface  84  which corresponds to and may come to abut a surface  86  of the pad  78 . When the pads  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 ,  82  abut, compressive forces imposed on the exposed faces such as the exposed face  34  of the platform  12 , which forces might distort and damage the bracket  10 , are resisted by constituent material of the bracket  10  extending along the thickness of the platforms  12 ,  14 . 
     The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concepts. While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.