Patent Publication Number: US-7722014-B2

Title: Surface mount

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
   This application is a continuation of the prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/297,983 which was filed on Nov. 26, 2007 and is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to a device for surface mounting a hollow object on a surface. This invention relates more particularly to mounting a hollow object on a flat surface. This invention relates most particularly to mounting a fence post on a solid surface. 
   BACKGROUND 
   There have been a number of attempts to provide surface mounts for securing hollow objects to the surface. While a number of these have been found useful, there are still problems with the endurance of the connection between the mount and the hollow object. It has been found that one cause of failure between the mount and the object has been the failure to restrain movement of the object within the mount. 
   SUMMARY 
   The invention is a mount comprised of a base for receiving a hollow object that is to be secured. The interior area includes a movable anchor than can be advanced toward a wall that defines the hollow object receiving area so that the hollow object is pinched or compressed between the anchor and its respective wall. In one particular application, the hollow object is a fence post, which is most commonly rectangular or square. However, the post may be round or of another shape. The anchor members are shaped to complement the interior shape of the hollow object that is to be secured. The hollow object is inserted into the base in the space between the anchors and the walls of the base. A fastener is passed through the wall and the hollow object and into the anchor. As the fastener is tightened, the anchor moves toward the object and compress it between the wall and the anchor. This results in the hollow object being retained by both the fastener which passes through it and the pinching or compressing force against the wall. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       FIG. 1  is a general illustration of a fence assembly; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a surface mount with a square hollow object inserted in the interior of the surface mount; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded, partial section of the surface mount with the anchors exploded out to reveal the slots in the base of the surface mount; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the anchors positioned in the interior portion of the surface mount to define a space between them and the walls for receipt of the hollow object; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view that illustrates three anchors in interior positions that are spaced from the base walls, like  FIG. 4 , and one anchor that is in the insertion position adjacent to a wall and prior to being moved to the interior position; 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view that illustrates the arrangement of the slots within which the anchors are moved from the insertion position into the interior position; 
       FIG. 7  is a section through the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6  that shows one anchor in the insert position and one in the interior position; 
       FIGS. 8 through 11  illustrate the assembly steps that are associated with a square hollow object or fence post in the mount of the invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a left perspective view of a preferred anchor geometry; 
       FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a front plan view of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a side elevation of the anchor of  FIG. 12  with the other side being the mirror image thereof; 
       FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a rear plan view of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 18  is a bottom plan view of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 19  is a bottom left perspective of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; and 
       FIG. 20  is a bottom rear perspective of the anchor of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 21  is a front plan view of an alternative anchor geometry; 
       FIG. 22  is a side elevation of the anchor of  FIG. 21 ; 
       FIG. 23  is a top plan view that illustrates a base that is can be used with the anchor illustrated in  FIGS. 21 and 22 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
   Referring now to the drawing figures, the invention will be described in detail.  FIG. 1  is a generalized view of a fence  10  that generally illustrates the position of the surface mounts  20  in a preferred application. However, the specific type of fence is not part of the present invention. With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the surface mount  20  is fastened to a surface  22 , such as concrete, with a plurality of fasteners, which may be bolts, rivets, rods or other means of attachment suitable for the application. The surface mount has a base  24  and walls  30  that define an interior cavity  34 . The floor  36  of the interior cavity  34  has a plurality of slots  40  that are configured to receive anchors  100 . 
   The preferred geometry of the anchors  100  is fully illustrated in  FIGS. 12 through 20 . Generally, the anchors  100  have a face  102  with a fastener aperture  104 , a lower vertical guide rail  106  that carries a depend retainer  108 . Above the face  102 , there is a slanted surface  110  which terminates in flat surfaces  112  and the ramp  114 . The geometry of the anchor  100  is designed to keep the anchor balanced and to focus the weight of the anchor  100  over the centerline of the anchor  100  with a low center of gravity. This resistance to tilting of the anchor  100  improves its movement through the slots  40  when it is being drawn in to compress the inserted object  200  between the anchor  100  and the wall  30 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an illustration of how the hollow object or member  200  fits between the anchors  100  and the walls  30 . The method for creating that space is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Each of the slots  40  illustrated in this embodiment has a “T” like configuration comprised of generally perpendicular slots  50  and  52 . The slots  50  and  52  are configured to receive the vertical guide rail  106  and dependent retainer  108  respectively. As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the anchor  100  is positioned with the retainer  108  over the slot  52  and the guide rail  106  is over the slot  50 . Once the anchor is inserted, it is moved inwardly so that the space  34  is available to receive the desired object when all of the anchors are positioned as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 8 through 10 , a fastener, which may be a bolt, a screw, a rivet or another connecting means, such as screw  42 , is passed through a preferably pre-formed aperture  32  in wall  30  and into the aperture  104  in anchor  100 . As the fastener is tightened in aperture  104 , the anchor  100  is drawn toward the wall  30  until the inserted object  200  is pinched or compressed between the anchor  100  and the wall  30 . The anchor  100  remains in abutment against the floor  36  because the inserted object occupies space over the slot  52  and prevents vertical movement of the retainer  108 . It will be appreciated that the dimensions of slot  52  will need to take into account the retainer  108  and the available space. 
   As noted previously, the preferred geometry of the anchors  100  is illustrated in  FIGS. 12 through 20 . This preferred anchor geometry keeps the anchor balanced and provides a low center of gravity that resist tilting of the anchor  100  when it is being drawn toward the wall  30 . With reference again to  FIG. 12 , the anchors  100  have a face  102  that includes a fastener aperture  104 , a lower vertical guide rail  106  and a retainer  108 . Above the face  102 , there is a slanted surface  110  which terminates in flat surfaces  112  and the vertically inclined ramp  114 . On the back or side opposite the face  102 , the anchor has vertical faces  120  and  122  that generally lie in the same plane and essentially determine the depth of the anchor  100 . On either side of the vertical faces  120  and  122  are the respective angled surfaces  124  and  126 , and  128  and  130 . The angled surfaces  124  and  126  are tapered toward face  102  until they meet the respective side wall  132  or  134 . Side walls  132  and  134  determine the width of anchor  100 . The angled surfaces  128  and  130  are tapered toward face  102  until they meet the respective side wall  138  or  136 . The side walls are generally in the same vertical plane. As can be seen in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , the anchors are preferably dimensioned so that the back surfaces are complementary and fit together when they are moved toward the center of the surface mount  20 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 21 through 23 , there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the anchor  300  does not include a retainer  108  as described previously. In keeping with the configuration of anchor  300 , there is continuous single slot  350  in the floor  36 , because the continuous guide rail  306  does not require the crossing slot. The guide rail  306  includes an aperture  316  that is positioned below the floor  36  and receives a retainer  308 . Once inserted, retainer  308  maintains the anchor  300  in the slot  350 . This anchor may be used in application where the available tolerances make the anchor  100  more difficult to use. Here, the guide rail  306  passes through the slot  350  and the retainer  308  is inserted without the need for the crossing slot of the prior embodiment. As a result, there is no concern about the dimension of the inserted object. It will be appreciated that the anchor  300  may be used with the base  20  and that the location of the aperture  316  may be varied by application.