Patent Publication Number: US-3879907-A

Title: Flag mounting structure

Description:
United States Patent no Olson 1 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 FLAG MOUNTING STRUCTURE Harry M. Olson. 41() 1st Ave. North. Clear Lake. Iowa 50428 m Filed: Nov. 8. 1973 21 App]. No.:414.l39  
 [76] Inventor:  
 {52] U.S. Cl. 52/297; 52/293: 248/44 [511 Int. Cl EUZd 27/00 [52%| Field of Search 248/38. 44. 48: 52/296. 52/297. 298  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8115.707 11/1905 Brown 248/44 1.668.486 5/1923 Belts 52/298 l.7-1h 672 2/1931! Nylund ct al. 52/296 X 1.791.425 2/1931 Mund) ct al 248/44 1.805.731 5/1931 Bcckwithw. 52/298 2.210.441 1 /1941) Bachman 52/298 X 2.263.138 11/1941 Olson 248/44 2.775.221 12/1956 Olson i 248/44 X 3.3115990 2/1967 Hageb 248/44 3.664.613 5/1972 Krllcgcr 248/44 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 164.7114 1/1927 United Kingdom i. 248/38 1.4116199 6/1965 France 52/297 Pr/nulr) Eruminer-William Hv Schultz Attorney. Agent. or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson (57] ABSTRACT Flag support means for supporting a flag mounted on a Flagstaff includes a base plate adapted to rest on the ground having a centrally disposed opening therein. an elongated tubular socket member extending upwardly from the base plate to receive the lower end of the flagstaff. diagonal bracing means between the tubular member and the base plate. an elongated rod-like member extending through the tubular member and the opening having a hook at the end thereof below the base plate for attaching the plate to an anchor in the ground. said rod-like member including threads on the other end thereof. a sleeve supported on the base plate within said tubular member surrounding the rod like member. fastening means on the threaded end of the rod-like member engaging the upper end of the sleeve and a conically shaped castable block support member. preferably cast from concrete. on the base plate surrounding the tubular member. The anchor is a frusto-eonicall shaped block. preferably formed of concrete. having an upstanding eye to engage the hook depending from the base plate,  
 7 Claims. 9 Drawing Figures FLAG MOUNTING STRUCTURE The present invention relates to flag display means, and, more particularly, to an improved flag support means.  
  Flag display means comprising a base member for supporting an upright flag staff and an anchor in the ground for anchoring the base member in position are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2.775.22l to Olson discloses one type of such a flag display means. However, this type of flag display means, depending as it does on continuous welds for its structural strength. is quite expensive to fabricate.  
  Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a base-anchor type flag display means which is less expensive to manufacture than currently available base-anchor type display means, yet which retains the requisite strength to support a flagstaff and flag.  
  It is another object of the invention to provide a flag display means which eliminates expensive fabricating steps. such as continuous welding.  
  It is still another object of the invention to provide a base-anchor type flag display means having a simplified base structure.  
  Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims considered together with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the flag display means of the present invention supporting a flagstaff and flag.  
  FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.  
  FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of the flag display means of the present invention with the conical block support element removed.  
  FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the flag display means of the present invention adjusted for the inclination of the ground surface.  
  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an anchorless embodiment of the flag display means of the present invention installed on the ground surface.  
  FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6.  
  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an anchorless embodiment of the flag display means of the present invention, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 6, installed substantially under the ground surface.  
  FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8.  
  Referring now now to FIGS. 1-5, the flag display means of the present invention is designated generally at 10. A flagstaff 12 has a flag 14 detachably secured thereon by conventional fastening means 16 and 18. The lower end of the flagstaff 12 is received within flag display means 10. The base 20 for the flagstaff 12 comprises a generally circular metal base plate 22 with a rounded downturned edge flange 24 and a tubular metal socket 26 rising therefrom and in which the lower end of the flagstaff 12 is removably inserted. Socket 26 is not firmly secured to base plate 22 but is held generally in position in the center of the plate over center opening 23 by diagonal brace 28 which is welded to the socket 26 and the plate 22 at 30 and 32, respectively. Bridging support for socket 26 on base 22 is provided by conical pre-cast solid block member 34 which surrounds socket 26 and brace 28 and is itself supported on base plate 12. The upper end 27 of socket 26 projects through the apex of the conical block member. Block member 34 is desirably made of cast concrete, mortar or like masonry material, although other solid materials capable of being cast over the socket and the brace and having the strength on solidifying to support socket 26 may be used. All such suitable materials are hereinafter referred to as solid, castable materials.  
  Leveling means for base plate 22 comprises a plural ity oflegs 36, each having an aperture 38 therein. Legs 36 are adapted to be secured to plate 22 by inserting screws 40 through apertures 38 and apertures 44 spaced around the periphery of flange 24 and threading nuts (not shown) on the screws. Legs 36 are mounted to plate 22 as necessary to level the plate when the flag display means is placed in position on the ground surface. as shown in FIG. 5.  
  A J-hook 46 having an upper threaded end 48 depends through socket 26 and aperture 23 in plate 22 with the .I-portion below the level of the ground to detachably engage an eye 64 extending upwardly from a concrete block anchor 60 embedded in the ground. The anchor, which may be formed from any suitable solid, castable material. is preferably frusto-conically shaped with a central vertical, laterally pronged anchor rod 62 having an upper end eye 64 in a concavity 66 in the upper end of the block. it will be appreciated. however, that any generally conically shaped anchor embedded in the ground having an eye 64 to detachably engage .I-hook 46 will be suitable. It has been found that conically shaped anchors have less tendency to loosen in moist or granular soil (e.g., sand). A tubular sleeve 50 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the rod-like elongated portion of .I-hook 46 and the diameter of opening 23 surrounds the elongated portion of .I-hook 46 in socket 26. One end 52 of sleeve 50 is supported by plate 22. The other end 54 projects beyond socket 26 and the threaded end 48 of the .I-hook 46 projects beyond end 54 of sleeve 50. A wing nut 56 is threaded onto threaded end 48 into contact with sleeve end 54 to secure the J&#39;hook in place with the hook end thereof engaging eye 64.  
  An anchorless embodiment of the flag display means of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and designated as 100. Means consists of a cast concrete conical base 102 surrounding and supporting a socket 104 embedded therein, which socket is adapted to receive the lower end ofa flagstaff 106. One end 108 of the socket 104 projects beyond the apex of the cone. Means 100 is particularly designed as an indoor flag support means and may include a felt covering (not shown) for the bottom of the large diameter end of base 102 to avoid damage to the floor on which the base rest.  
  Another anchorless embodiment, designated 110, of the flag display means is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The embodiment 110 is designed for use outdoors and is particularly adapted to be embedded in the ground with socket end 108 projecting through the ground surface. Embodiment 110 differs from embodiment 100 only in that the lower end 112 of socket 104 is closed by a plug 114 inserted in the bottom of the socket bore in base 102. A vent hole 116 is provided in plug 114 to permit drainage of moisture which may accumulate in socket 104.  
  While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof it will be understood that numerous modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, all modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.  
 What is claimed as new is as follows:  
  1. Flag support means for supporting a flag on a flagstaff comprising:  
 a. a base plate adapted to rest on the ground having a centrally disposed opening therein;  
 b. a generally conically shaped anchor adapted to be embedded in the ground for securing said base plate thereto;  
 c. an elongated tubular member disposed over said opening extending upwardly from said base plate at substantially right angles thereto to receive the lower end of the flagstaff therein;  
 d. an elongated rod-like member extending through said tubular member and said openings, said rodlike member having engaging means at the end thereof below said base plate for attaching said plate to said anchor;  
 e. means for securing said rod-like member to said base plate, said means comprising external threads on the end of said rod-like member remote from said engaging means, a tubular sleeve within said tubular member surrounding said rod-like member and having one end supported on said base plate, the threaded end of said rod-like member projecting through said sleeve, and threadable fastening means on the threaded end of said rod-like member engaging the other end of said sleeve;  
 f. a conically shaped solid, cast support member on said base plate surrounding said tubular member, said tubular member projecting beyond the apex of said support member; and  
 g. a diagonal bracing member embedded within said support member secured to said tubular member and to said base plate.  
 2. Flag support means. as claimed in claim I, wherein said engaging means is a hook.  
  3. Flag support means. as claimed in claim I, wherein said threadable fastening means is a wing nut.  
  4. Flag support means. as claimed in claim I, wherein said support member is formed of cast masonry material.  
  5. Flag support means. as claimed 1, further including detachable leg means on said base plate engageable with the ground to level said plate.  
  6. Flag support means. as claimed in claim 5., wherein said detachable leg means includes a plurality of apertures in the periphery of said base plate, a plurality of legs. each said leg having an aperture therein adapted to be brought into registry with one of said apertures in the periphery of said base plate, and fastening means passing through the respective apertures to secure said legs to said base plate.  
  7. Flag support means, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said anchor is frusto-conically shaped and formed of cast masonry material.