Abstract:
A device for the lowering and raising of a flag having a tubular hollow body used to house and protect the flag while lowered and having a crank assembly with a plurality of line leads for to make raising and lowering of a flag by its flag line an easier task. Additionally the present invention is composed of a plurality of sections that may be attached to any existing flagpole via clamps or other fastening means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to flag poles and, more specifically, to a device for the improved lowering, raising and storage of a flag body comprising a housing formed of a plurality of tubular sections that connect to form an extending parallel hollow housing body with a crank and series of guides used to help the user raise or lower a flag more efficiently that extends local from the bottom portion of a flagpole to a higher location on a flagpole with the said section protecting and concealing the flag when not in use while being in the lowered position, also the present invention allows the user to have full view of the flag after the present invention has been used to raise the flag to the top end of a flagpole via its flag line and crank assembly. Additionally the present invention has a series of attachments and guides that work in cooperation with the crank to help direct the flag line into an organized arrangement that minimizes tangling and effort by the user during the raising or lowering of the flag. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   There are other flag pole devices designed for raising or lowering a flag, but while these flag raising accessories may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   A primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for the raising and lowering of a flag having a tubular hollow body used to house and protect the flag while lowered. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the lowering and raising of a flag that allows the user to do so simply by turning a crank handle. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the lowering and raising of a flag having a plurality of guides to ensure the smooth flow of flag line traveling up or down while the flag is in transition from being in the raised or lowered position. 
   Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the raising and lowering of a flag that can be installed on any existing flagpole. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the lowering and raising of a flag having line leads to guide flag line into a free flowing direction and path. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the lowering and raising of a flag that reduces the amount of work a user would typically expend maintaining or removing a flag in service. 
   Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
   The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a device for the lowering and raising of a flag having a tubular hollow body used to house and protect the flag while lowered and having a crank assembly with a plurality of line leads for to make raising and lowering of a flag by its flag line an easier task. Additionally the present invention is composed of a plurality of sections that may be attached to any existing flagpole via clamps or other fastening means. 
   The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
   The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag; 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the present invention&#39;s system and crank assembly; 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the present inventions system&#39;s lower section and crank assembly; 
       FIG. 9  is a detail view of the present invention system&#39;s line routing for raising and, lowering a flag; and 
       FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the present invention&#39;s system for raising, lowering and housing a flag. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
   Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the Flag Pole Housing Apparatus of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
           10  Flag Pole Housing Apparatus of the present invention     12  flag     14  flagpole     16  flag housing     18  lower tubular housing     20  middle tubular housing     22  upper tubular housing     24  crank assembly     26  line lead     28  crank pulley     30  pulley slots of  18       32  crank axle     34  crank handle     36  flag line     38  flag line aperture     40  90 degree elbow     42  extension     44  handle grip     46  axle cap     48  coupling     50  clamp members       

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
     FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the present invention  10 . The present invention  10  is a flag pole  14  housing apparatus  10  for raising, lowering and housing a flag  12 . The flag  12  is lowered into the housing  16  during inclement weather. In turn, the housing apparatus  10  increases the longevity of the flag  12  by reducing wear and tear and also reduces the time and maintenance of flag  12  removal. 
     FIG. 2  is a front view of the flagpole housing apparatus  10  for raising, lowering and housing a flag. The flag pole housing apparatus  10  comprises a crank assembly  24  and a lower tubular section  18 , a middle tubular section  20  and an upper tubular housing  22  that are secured together to form the flag housing  16  and fastened to the lower end of a flag staff. The lower section  18  includes the crank assembly  24  that provides means to raise and lower the flag. 
     FIG. 3  is a side view of the flagpole housing apparatus  10  for raising, lowering and housing a flag. The lower section  18  of the flag housing  16  retains the crank pulley  28 , which extends therebeyond through a pair of opposing, elongate pulley slots  30  to centralize the pulley  28  within the tubular form. A pair of line leads  26  are also disposed on the lower section  18  to act as guides for the flag line that then extends through the middle section  20 , the upper section  22  then up the flagpole to the flag. 
     FIG. 4  is a top view of the crank assembly  24  within the lower section  18  of the housing. The pulley  28  extends beyond the lower section  18  walls through opposing pulley slots  30  and is rotationally retained therein by the crank axle  32 . A handle  34  with grip is further provided to manually rotate said pulley  28  during the operation thereof. 
     FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the flagpole housing apparatus  10  for raising, lowering and housing a flag. The lower section  18  of the flag housing  16  retains the crank assembly  24  including the crank pulley  28 , which extends therebeyond through a pair of opposing, elongate pulley slots  18  to centralize the pulley  28  within the tubular form. A pair of line leads  26  are also disposed on the lower section  18  to act as guides for the flag line that then extends through the middle section  20 , the upper section  22  then up the flagpole to the flag. To withstand weather, the system is preferably made from non-corrosive materials such as PVC piping or the like. 
     FIG. 6  is a side view of the flagpole housing apparatus  10  for raising, lowering and housing a flag. A pair of line leads  26  are mounted slightly above the crank assembly  24  to ensure a taunt flag line  36  and prevent the entanglement thereof during raising and lowering of the flag. A pair of opposing apertures  38  in the lower section  18  allow the flag line  36  to be retained within the housing  16  and provides means for the flag to be lowered therein. 
     FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the crank assembly  24 . The crank assembly  24  comprises a pulley  28 , an axle  32 , a 90 degree elbow  40  disposed on said axle  32 , an extension  42  inserted into said elbow  40  and another 90 degree elbow  40  on the other end of the extension  42  oriented so that the handle  34  also inserted therein is oriented parallel to the axle  32 . A grip  44  is secured over the tubular handle  34  to provide comfort for the user during raising and lowering of the flag. 
     FIG. 8  is an exploded isometric view of the lower section  18  and crank assembly  24 . The crank assembly  24  comprises a pulley  28 , an axle  32 , a cap  46  on one end of the axle  32 , a 90 degree elbow  40  disposed on the other end of said axle  32 , an extension  42  inserted into said elbow  40 , another 90 degree elbow  40  on the other end of the extension  42  oriented so that the handle  34  also inserted therein is oriented parallel to the axle  32  and a grip  44  disposed on the handle  34 . The lower tubular section  18  includes a pair of opposing pulley slots  30 , a pair of opposing line leads  26  above the pulley slots  30  and a pair of opposing flag line apertures  38  disposed above and perpendicular to the line leads  26 . Couplings  48  are used to connect the lower  18 , middle and upper tubular housings. 
     FIG. 9  is a detail view of the flagpole housing apparatus method of routing the flag line  36 . A pair of line leads  26  are mounted slightly above the crank assembly to ensure a taunt rope and prevent entanglement of the flag line  36  during raising and lowering of the flag. A pair of apertures  38  in the top portion of the lower section  18  allows the flag line  36  to be retained within the housing and provides means for the flag to be lowered therein. 
     FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the flagpole housing apparatus  10  in use. Shown is the flagpole housing apparatus  10  secured to a flagpole  14  by a plurality of clamp members  50 . Any suitable clamp member  50  may be employed such as hose clamps, tie-wraps and the like that are suitable to accomplish the objective at hand. 
   It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
   While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
   Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention