Abstract:
A prefabricated concrete pole base and adjustable method of connection and use to receive, support, and stabilize light poles and the like having different hole mounting patterns, securing the pole to the base and facilitating rapid installation of poles while eliminating the need for on-site concrete forms and lengthy concrete cure times.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 13/568,807, filed Aug. 7, 2012, now allowed, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 13/536,013 filed Jun. 28, 2012, abandoned, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/502,460 filed Jun. 29, 2011, expired, all three of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to the field of pole supports, specifically including, without limitation, precast concrete pole support bases and methods of manufacture, installation and use. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A wide variety of poles and posts are used throughout the world, including lighting poles, electrical, telephone and cable supports and numerous other poles of many different types. Some of these poles are installed by placing a portion of the lower end of the pole in a hole in the ground and filling the remaining space in the hole with soil, concrete or another suitable material. Many wooden poles are installed using this method in which a portion of the pole is buried in the ground. Other poles and similar structures are intended for installation with the lower end of the pole resting on a separate base, the top of which may be positioned at ground level or above ground level. Metal lamp posts are but one of many such poles, posts and other structures frequently installed on a separate, typically concrete, base. 
         [0004]    Many poles or posts intended for installation on top of a base or support have attached to the bottom of the pole a horizontal square plate or other structure with a “square” arrangement of four holes, with one hole near each of the four corners of the plate or other structure. This provides four fastening holes arranged at the corners of a square so that each hole is equally distant from each of the other two holes adjacent to it. Each of the holes may be located, for instance, in a foot or boss protruding from the side or end of the pole or a plate secured to the lower end of the pole. 
         [0005]    Such a pole is typically installed by securing the plate or other pole-terminating structure with four studs, bolts or other fasteners: (a) protruding vertically from the concrete base and up through the plate or other structure or (b) passing down through the holes in the pole base plate or other structure and into the concrete base. Where studs, pins, bolts or the like are positioned to be received in the holes in the pole base plate or other hole-containing structure, the fasteners must be located carefully during preparation of the base or foundation in order to insure that the fastener spacing matches the locations of the holes in the pole plate or other hole-containing structure. Each stud, pin, bolt or the like is usually the upper end of a long rod or is attached to such a rod or other anchor that extends well down into the base or foundation on which the pole is to be installed. 
         [0006]    If one or more studs protruding from a concrete base are sheered off, as often happens when a motor vehicle collides with a pole mounted on such a concrete base, replacement of the pole may be difficult because of the difficulty of attaching new studs to the concrete base. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim. 
         [0008]    This invention provides a pole base, which may be a prefabricated concrete pole base, and that may have an adjustable connection or attachment structure and system of use that is simple to manufacture and install, highly versatile and easy to use. This invention can be used in a wide variety of configurations and alternative structures using numerous known materials and additional suitable materials and components that may be developed in the future. 
         [0009]    The attachment structure is adapted to accommodate pole base plates or other structure having differing dimensions. In one embodiment, an X-shaped arrangement of U-shaped cross section (or inverted T-shaped slot) channels support and attach to the bottom of a pole. 
         [0010]    The channels may be secured to a pole base body that is typically generally cylindrical in shape with generally round, planar top and bottom surfaces. The height may be approximately four times the diameter of the cylindrical body, but many other proportions and shapes are possible. The body may include one or first and second planar recessed regions disposed on opposing sides with inwardly tapered horizontal surfaces on the top and bottom of the recess. Alternate embodiments of the invention may have various proportions of recess depths and sizes and locations. The channels can be embedded in a square or rectangular protrusion from the planar top of the body or can be embedded directly in the top of the body. 
         [0011]    The body may also contain one or more electrical wire chase conduits. The conduits usually run continuous from the top central region of the body and extend downward and exit the body in different desired directions at a side or the bottom. 
         [0012]    A lifting anchor may be fastened to the concrete form so that a portion of it protrudes from the bottom of the body. This anchor or hook facilitates lifting and moving the base during and after manufacture, particularly if the base is manufactured upside down. 
         [0013]    If one or more studs or bolts securing a pole to the concrete base of this invention are sheered or otherwise broken off, as may happen when a motor vehicle collides with a pole mounted on such a concrete base, replacement of the pole may be easy. This is because the sheered stud or bolt can be easily removed from the channel to which it was secure and replaced, and the pole (if undamaged) or a replacement pole can be mounted on the base as described above. Moreover, the pole bases of this invention make it quick and easy to change poles or pole types mounted on the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawing figures: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is an perspective view of the top and a side of one embodiment of the base of this invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  an exploded perspective view of the attachment components incorporated in the base depicted in  FIG. 1 , together with the lower portion of a pole and pole base plate of a type that may be installed on the base depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the base of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the base of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an “x-ray-like” version of the same a view as  FIG. 3 , in which internal structure is visible. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the top of the base depicted in  FIG. 1  with lifting tackle positioned for insertion. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the top of the base depicted in  FIG. 1  like  FIG. 6  but with lifting tackle inserted for lifting the base. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  of the top and side an alternative embodiment of the pole base of this invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  of the top and a side of another embodiment of the base of this invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is an exploded elevation view of an alternative channel and fastener subassembly of the pole base of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. 
         [0026]    One embodiment of this invention is a manufactured or prefabricated, typically concrete pole base with an adjustable connection enabling use of the base to support and stabilize light poles, signs, posts and other monopoles having a range of different sizes of attachment plates or other structures. Other embodiments may not be manufactured or prefabricated remote from the location where used or may have numerous other differences. 
         [0027]    The figures depict an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which a generally cylindrical base  10  has a concrete body  11  having a cylindrical wall  12 , a top  14 , a bottom  16  and two recesses  18  and  20 . Recesses  18  and  20  have rectangular, vertical planar portions  22  that intersect the cylindrical wall  12  at vertical arrises  24  and  26 , the tops and bottoms of which transition to the cylindrical wall  12  along sloping upper transitions  28  and lower transitions  30 , as depicted in  FIG. 9 . Alternatively, recesses  18  and  20  can extend all the way from upper transitions  28  through the bottom  16  of the body, as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    As depicted in  FIG. 9 , a notch  29  may be cast in the side of body  11  to indicate “grade,” i.e., the depth to which the base  10  is to be buried during installation, where the portion of the body  11  above the notch  29  projects above “grade,” or the level of the ground. Notch  29  can be V-shaped or another shape, and other shapes than a notch may be utilized as such an indicator of grade. Other indicia can also be used, including, for instance and without limitation, a metal piece or other object embedded in and visible in or projecting from the body  11 , and a marking such as paint applied to the base  11 . A recess such as notch  29  formed by mold structure is a practical indicator of grade because it is automatically and accurately incorporated in the body  11  when base  10  is manufactured. 
         [0029]    Structure for attaching a pole to the base  10  is provided by anchors  32  easily seen in  FIG. 2 . Each anchor  32  may comprise a section of channel  34  positioned in use horizontally on or in the top of body  11 . Structure attached to the undersides  40  of anchors  32  is embedded, together with a portion of the anchor  32 , in the base  10  to secure the anchor in place. Such securing structure in a first exemplary embodiment depicted in the drawings is two vertical plates  38  and two vertical rods  36 , each of which rods  36  is attached to one of the plates  38  and the underside  40  of one of the channels  34 . Many other securing structures may be used such as the coupling  94  and threaded rod  100  shown in  FIG. 10 . Coaxial or aligned pairs of anchors  32  are positioned orthogonal to each other so that the channel axes  42  and  44  and the channels  34  form an X-shape, as may be easily seen in  FIG. 4 . This permits a pole  46  having a square base plate  48  penetrated by four corner holes  50  to be attached to the base  10  with four bolts, studs or other fasteners  52  typically (but not necessarily) having rectangular heads  54 , one of which heads  54  is received in each of channels  34 . Because the fastener heads  54  can be positioned in the channels  34  anywhere along the length of the channel, base plates  48  of different sizes can be attached to base  10 , provided that the base plate  48  can be positioned so that each of the holes  50  in the base plate  48  is over a portion of one of the channels  34 . The same is true of pole attachment holes in other pole termination structures. 
         [0030]    As an alternative to bolts, studs or other fasteners  52  positioned with heads  54  received in the channels  34 , “T-nuts” and other internally threaded fasteners can be positioned in the channels, and bolts or other fasteners  52  can be passed down through the holes  50  in pole base plate  48 , or through other hole-containing structure of pole  46 , and into the T-nuts or other internally threaded fasteners. 
         [0031]    The base  10  is formed with the channels  34  of anchors  32  at the top  14  of the body  11  and with rods  36  and plates  38  imbedded in the concrete or other material of which the body  11  is cast or otherwise formed. Concrete or other material of which the body  11  is formed can also be positioned between the channels  34  to form an integral monument-like structure  41  on the top of base  10 , or the channels can be partially or fully embedded in the body  11 . 
         [0032]    The X-shaped arrangement of anchors  32  for securing a pole base plate  48  can be attached to other structures such as poured-in-place and prefabricated bases, concrete pads, or building, dam, parking lot, pedestrian walkway, landscaped area, street or road components. Anchors  32  can also be configured as channels secured to other components by bolts, studs or other fasteners passing through or attached to the bottoms  35  or sides  37  of channels  34 . 
         [0033]    In addition to the anchors  32 , reinforcing structure  56 , conduits  58 , other desired structures such as an anchor or hook  60  can be imbedded in body  11  to reinforce and strengthen the body  11 , facilitate connection of electrical or other devices in or on the pole  46  to power sources, controls or other devices and provide lifting structure. 
         [0034]    Reinforcement  56  (visible in  FIG. 5 ) can include vertical rebar  62  and generally horizontal, square rebar stirrups  64 . These vertical and horizontal members can be held together for placement in the concrete mold with rebar tie wires, can be welded or can be separate components. 
         [0035]    Conduit  58  can run from the top  14  of the body  11  inside the channels  34 , down the inside of the body  11  and out through a side of the base  10  through cylindrical wall  12  or one of the planar portions  22  or  28  of one of the recesses  18  or  20 . Such positioning of an upper end  68  of conduit  58  in a central location inside the body  11  and channels  34  positions wires or other structures positioned in the conduit  58  to travel directly up the inside of pole  46 . While the conduit  58  can bend inside the base and exit to the side, conduit  58  could also exit the bottom  16  of the base  10 . 
         [0036]    Junction boxes or other desirable structures or components can be positioned on or in body  11  as may be desirable to achieve additional or improved functionality. 
         [0037]    Base  10  may be manufactured utilizing a concrete form having multiple connected panels that, when connected, define voids in which embedded structures like reinforcement  56 , portions of anchors  32  and conduit  58  are positioned and into which the concrete mixture or other material from which the base is formed is poured. Such a form may be a clam-shell opening form or any other form suitable for manufacturing concrete structures like base  10 . 
         [0038]    Alternate embodiments of the invention may have various proportions of recess depths and sizes, thereby allowing for the addition or subtraction of mass and thus weight to the body as needed and to provide roll-resisting structure and for other purposes. 
         [0039]    Anchors  32  with fastening channels  34  may be “Halfen,” “Unistrut” or other similar anchoring channels having a generally U-shaped cross section. Lips on the opposed inside ends of the “U,” together with inside walls of the channel form an inverted T-shaped slot and retain appropriately shaped nuts and bolt heads. Such fasteners are sometimes referred to as “Tee-nuts” and Tee-bolts.” Anchors  32  also may be obtained from other suppliers or can be fabricated for this application. Anchors  32  can be a wide variety of different sizes and can have a wide variety of different forms provided that the anchor provides structure for attachment of a nut, bolt, stud or other fastener structure that is securely attached or anchored to the base  10 . 
         [0040]    The channels  34  are positioned in horizontal positions at the top of the body  11  in a generally X-shaped arrangement, with the outer ends of the channels at the corners of the protrusion or monument  41  at the top  14  of the body  11 , and the inner ends  35  of channels  34  facing the center of the protrusion  41 . The protrusion  41  is typically square but can also be a rectangle or another shape and can be omitted so that the channels  34  simply sit on top of the body or are partially or fully embedded (as depicted in  FIG. 8 ) in the top of body  11  of pole base  15 . If the channels  34  are embedded in the body  11 , the outer ends  39  of channels  34  may be flush with the wall  12  of body  11  as shown in  FIG. 8 , but they need not necessarily be flush with the wall  12 . 
         [0041]    While it can be beneficial for the outer ends  39  of channels  34  to be open to provide access for positioning or securing fasteners, they need not necessarily be open and can be embedded in the body  11  of base  10  or  15  if either the inner ends of the channels  34  are open so that fasteners can be introduced through the inner ends or if the base  10  or  15  is manufactured with fasteners already positioned in the channels  34 . 
         [0042]    The fastening channels  34  each have one or more structures, which can be one or more anchoring bars  36  or plates  38  (see  FIG. 2 ) or other shapes (see  FIG. 10 ), fastened to the bottom  40  of the channel  34  and extending downward into the body  11 , thereby acting to strengthen the connection between each channel  34  and the body  11 . The fastening hardware (typically tee-head bolts or studs or nuts) used to fasten the base of the pole to the channels may be common hardware used in Halfen, Unistrut or similar anchoring structures. 
         [0043]    Such Halfen, Unistrut or similar anchors  32  will typically include a channel  34  having a generally U-shaped cross section with an open top forming an inverted T-shaped slot. The channels  34  need to be open at least one end and may have a length typically somewhat less than half of the radius of the cylindrical base  10 ; however, other anchor structures and dimensions may be used. 
         [0044]    Having the center of the “X-shaped” anchor  32  channels  34  open provides an unobstructed region for the conduits  58  to open to the top of the base  10 . However, a complete “X-Shaped” structure could be used by having equal length channels  34  that meet in the middle or by having one longer channel  34  and two shorter channels  34  abutting the longer channel on opposite sides in its middle. If one longer and two shorter channels  34  are used, two of the fasteners  52  will be secured in the longer channel  34 , and one will be secured in each of the shorter channels  34 . Conduits  58  could open to the top of body  11  just to one side of the abutting channels  34  in these alternative configurations. 
         [0045]    If abutting channels are welded or otherwise attached to the channel they abut, the desired orientation of the “X-shaped” channels  34  structure can be easily maintained during manufacture of the base  10 . Where the channels  34  do not abut, other means will have to be used to maintain the proper relative orientation of the channels during manufacture of the base  10  or during incorporation of the anchors  32  in another structure. 
         [0046]    An alternative channel and fastener structure is depicted in  FIG. 10 . In this alternative, channel  76  is similar to channels  34 , but depending sharp or v-shaped lips  78  extend downward from the inward-extending tops  80  of the channel  76 , forming inverted v-shaped recesses  84  between the side walls  82  and the lips  78 . These recesses  84  receive protrusions  86  on square or rectangular washers  88  through which bolts  90  pass into nuts  92 . This arrangement of components and structures can provide especially strong attachment structures, particularly including resistance to force exerted on the fasteners, because, among other reasons, of the engagement between the lips  78  of channel  76  and protrusions  86  of washer washers  88 . 
         [0047]    Channel  76  rests on and is welded (e.g. with weld bead  102 ) or otherwise appropriately attached to a threaded coupler  94 . In the embodiment of coupler  94  depicted in  FIG. 10 , a plate  96  to which the channel  76  is attached is welded to or otherwise attached to or formed with a threaded collar  98 . Threaded rod  100  seated in collar  98  extends down into the concrete of body  11 . One, two or any other suitable number of threaded couplers  94  and rods  100  may be attached to each channel  76   
         [0048]    A lifting anchor  60  visible in  FIG. 5  is fastened to the main concrete form (not shown) in a manner so as to dispose it at the bottom  16  of the body  11 , sufficiently inward from the wall  12  of the body  11  to allow a substantial portion of the anchor  60  to be embedded in the body  11 . The lifting anchor  60  may vary in type and size while still performing the intended purpose and function of providing a structure by which base  10  can be lifted. 
         [0049]    The reinforcing structure  56  is positioned in the form (not shown) prior to the introduction of concrete mixture or other material of which the body is formed and will serve to reinforce the structural integrity of the base body  11  when the fabrication process is complete. Reinforcement  56  may be comprised of one or a multitude of steel reinforcement members in the form of a single reinforcing member or a framework of multiple reinforcing members that form a structure having a diameter, length, width, and height that are sufficiently less than the diameter, length, width, and height of the interior volume of the body  11  to insure that concrete completely surrounds the reinforcement  56 . Reinforcement structure  56  may be constructed of a variety of different suitable materials including but not limited in use to, metals, polymers, fiberglass, carbon fibers, metal/plastic composites, and other materials that perform the same desired functions. 
         [0050]    After positioning of all components within the concrete form, a concrete mixture, typically but not necessarily a high grade concrete mixture, is poured into the main concrete form, surrounding the entirety of the main interior reinforcing components. 
         [0051]    Once the concrete is at least partially cured or hardened, the base  10  is removed from the form, is allowed to cure fully and, optionally, is finished by a variety of methods including but not limited to, texturing, staining, etching, polishing, glazing, sealing, color coating, and other finish methods. 
         [0052]    Body  11  may be manufactured using concrete of numerous types and composition mixes having various combinations of ingredients such as cement, water, cementitious materials, and chemical and or mineral admixtures or coloring agents. Concrete usable for manufacturing the concrete base of this invention may be regular concrete, including high grade concrete, and it may be polymer concrete or a wide variety of other concrete types, including, without limitation, high strength concrete, high performance concrete, ultra-high-performance concrete, glass concrete, asphalt concrete, rapid strength concrete, geopolymer concrete and green concrete. Other types of concrete and materials other than concrete also may be used, provided that such materials provide appropriate mass, strength and ability to hold the channels and other components required for the poles to be supported and the conditions of the intended installation. 
         [0053]    Body  11  and base  10  may be manufactured in a variety of shapes other than cylindrical, including, but not limited to, triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, rectangular or any other polygonal shape, or ovoid, elliptical or another rounded shape, as viewed from the top or in cross section. Body  11  and base  10  shapes other than round may resist rotation in situ better than entirely round shapes. Body  11  may be irregular along its length and may have yet other shapes, including, for instance, a truncated cone tapering from its bottom up, as well as other shapes that provide the needed strength, stability and other properties desired or needed for a particular pole base. 
         [0054]    This invention is intended to be used for applications including, but not limited to, as a mounting and stabilizing support for light poles, sign posts, sign panels, traffic light poles, flag poles, radar equipment mounting poles, communication equipment mounting poles, solar panel array mounting poles, wind turbine poles, or other applications for mounting, support and stabilization. 
         [0055]    The X-shaped configuration of channels (easily seen in  FIG. 2 ) can be used in cast-in-place concrete or other structures to provide the attachment structure for a variety or range of base plate  48  sizes and bolt receiving hole  50  spacings. 
         [0056]    Pole base  10  may be installed by lifting the base  10  by a lifting harness  72  attached to eye-bolts, Tee-cross section slot-fillers  74  or other hardware temporally attached to one or more of channels  34 , as depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The base  10  is lowered into a previously excavated hole. Soil, concrete or other suitable fill material is then placed in the hole to secure the base in an upright position. If the body  11  has any recesses  18  or  20 , the fill material will occupy such recesses. 
         [0057]    A pole having a square arrangement of stud or bolt-receiving mounting holes, such as pole  46 , may be installed on the base  10  by positioning one anchor bolt or stud  52  in each of the four channel sections  34  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) with an end of each stud facing upward and positioning the pole base  48  above and near the channel sections  34 . Before or after positioning the pole base  48  near the channel sections, each of studs  52  may be slid into and positioned in the channel  34  within which it is located so that the stud  52  can be received in one of the pole base holes  50 . The pole  46  may then be lowered so that the pole base  48  holes  50  receive the studs  52  with one of the studs  52  positioned in each of the four base structure holes  50 . The fasteners are then tightened so as to hold the pole base  48  securely connected to the channels. 
         [0058]    Alternatively, as is generally illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the nut and bolt can be turned over so that a bolt shank is passed through the top of a pole base, into a channel and into a nut or washer and nut in the channel. 
         [0059]    Furthermore, the base of this invention can be manufactured with channels having numerous other cross-sectional shapes provided that an X-shaped arrangement of channels is provided to accommodate differing sizes and hole or fastener arrangements in pole bases. 
         [0060]    Other embodiments of the pole base of this invention may use fastener arrangements that are not adjustable together with other aspects of the invention described and/or depicted herein and in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0061]    The ability of the base  10  of this invention to receive and securely hold poles with different sizes of square arrangements of mounting holes, affords versatility in use of the base and permits a first pole mounted on the base to be replaced by a pole with different size hole arrangements. It also permits a damaged pole or a pole secured with damaged or broken studs to be replaced or remounted without replacing or repairing the base. 
         [0062]    Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below. 
         [0063]    For instance, one or both of the recesses  22  can be omitted or can have different proportions and different shapes. Where there are two recesses  22 , they do not have to have the same shape. 
         [0064]    “Soil” used to backfill a hole within which a pole base of this invention is positioned can be any fluid, granular or similar material suitable for securing the pole base in a stable, upright position so that the base can resist any uplift or tilting forces exerted on the base or a pole attached to it. Accordingly, “soil” includes earth, dirt, stone or other aggregate, concrete and any other suitable material. Holes within which pole bases of this invention are positioned can be excavate in undisturbed earth (including loose soil, stone, rock and other materials), in fill, in other naturally occurring or human-made structures like parking lots.