Abstract:
An anti-wrap device for a flag comprises a clamp, which is configured to attach the anti-wrap device to a flagpole. The clamp includes a pair of spaced apart arms and a connecting portion, connecting the pair of spaced apart arms, with a first pivot disposed between the pair of spaced apart arms. An arm hinge is rotatably disposed about the first pivot, and configured to have a limited and predetermined range of motion about the first pivot. A second pivot is disposed through said arm hinge, with a flag arm comprising first and second spaced apart retaining arms that are connected together by a connecting portion. The retaining arms are configured to be disposed on either major face of a flag and are pivotable about the second pivot in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of pivot of the am hinge about the first pivot.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is claiming the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of the provisional application filed Mar. 9, 2004 under 35 U.S.C. § 111 (b), which was granted Ser. No. 60/551,597. This provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference. Application Ser. No. 60/551,597 is co-pending as of the filing date of the present application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for hanging banners, flags and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and apparatus of the foregoing nature, which is specifically designed to prevent a flag or a banner mounted on a pole from fouling or wrapping around the pole in windy conditions. Most specifically, the present invention relates to a system or apparatus comprising at least a fixed hinge mountable to flagpoles of widely varying diameters, an arm hinge pivotally mounted to the fixed hinge for horizontal movement through less than 360° of rotation, and an arm member having a pair of arms, the arms for placement one on each side of a flag mounted to the flag pole and pivotally mounted to the arm hinge for rotation through about ninety degrees in a plane orthogonal to the plane in which the arm hinge rotates.  
         [0003]     The problems of having a banner or flag foul, or wrap around the pole on which it has been mounted has existed almost from the time of the invention of the flag. Many solutions to this problem have been tried by Applicant and others over the years. Many of these solutions, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,627 to Williams, show devices which mount to only one size flagpole, and must be actually attached to the flag to be operational. While such a device is generally satisfactory, applicant sought to make an anti-wrap device which would not need to be attached to the flag, thereby eliminating the problem of wear and possibly ripping the flag under windy conditions. Additionally, it was desired to provide a device that could be mounted to many diameters of flagpole, and which could be mounted in any desired position with respect to a flag, for example, near the middle of the flag.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In view of the above, it is a possible object of the present invention to provide a flag anti-wrap device, which is adjustably mountable to a wide range of flagpole diameters.  
         [0005]     A further possible object of the present invention is to provide a flag anti-wrap device, which is easily retrofitted to existing flags on existing flagpoles.  
         [0006]     A still further possible object is to provide a flag anti-wrap device, which is able to prevent fouling of a flag or banner without actual attachment to the flag or banner.  
         [0007]     Another possible object is to provide a flag anti-wrap device which can be mounted to a flagpole at any desired position between the top and the bottom of the flag and still prevent fouling.  
         [0008]     Yet another possible object is to provide a flag anti-wrap device apparatus comprising at least a fixed hinge mountable to flagpoles of widely varying diameters, an arm hinge pivotally mounted to the fixed hinge for horizontal movement through less than 360° of rotation, and an arm member having a pair of arms, each of the arms for placement on one side of a flag mounted to the flag pole, pivotally mounted to the arm hinge for rotation through about ninety degrees. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1 . is a front, elevational, perspective view, partially cut away, of a prior art device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a rear, elevational, perspective view, partially cut away, of a prior art device.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2 . is an elevational view of a construction embodying the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view, partially cut away, of the construction shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3 . is an exploded view of the flag anti-wrap device shown in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0015]      FIG. 4 . is an elevational view of the arm member of the flag anti-wrap device shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a plain view of the arm member shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a universal pole latch.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view, taken in the direction of the arrows, along the section line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a clamping portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a left end view of the construction shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the hinged portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is an elevational view of the construction shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is an end view of the construction shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an arm hinge arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a sectional view, taken in the direction of the arrows, along the section line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is a bottom view, partially cut away, of the construction shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view, taken in the direction of the arrows, along the section line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, there is shown a known flag anti-wrap system, generally designated by the numeral  30 , for preventing a flag or banner (not shown) from wrapping around the pole  31  on which it is mounted. In this embodiment, the anti-wrap device can be secured to the flagpole through the use of clamps  90 , which can be disposed above and below the anti-wrap device on the flagpole. The flag anti-wrap device will rotate about the flagpole  31 , while the flag retaining arm  58  will rotate about a pin  55 . The motion of the flag-retaining arm  58  can be limited through the use of a stop pin  91  disposed in the flag anti-wrap device. The rotation of the anti-wrap device  30  about the flagpole  32  has caused problems in the art which have been solved by the present invention.  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a flag anti-wrap device  42  according to the present invention is described. A flag pole  32  is illustrated, which may be mounted to a support, generally designated by the numeral  33 , which may be such as wall  34 . The pole  32  is held in a bracket  35 , which is mounted to the support  33  by any suitable fastening means. The pole  32  may be of a single or multiple piece construction. Preferably, the pole  32  consists of an upper pole section  36  and a lower pole section  37 , which are slidably fitted together and held in position by snap button(s)  38 . Snap button(s)  38  may also be used at the lower end  37 A of the lower pole section  37  to prevent rotation of the pole  32  in the bracket  35 . Suitable openings are provided in the bracket  35  to accept the snap button(s)  38 .  
         [0030]     The flag  95  may be held to the pole  32  by an upper snap and snap clamp assembly  40 , and a lower snap and snap clamp assembly  41 , which are well known in the art. A flag anti-wrap device generally designated by the numeral  42 , may be placed anywhere between the upper snap and snap clamp assembly  40  and the lower snap and snap clamp assembly  41 .  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 3 , to mount the flag anti-wrap device  42  to the pole  32 , an adjustably fixable clamp  46  is provided which may be fixed in any desired location on a pole as herein above explained. The adjustably fixable clamp  46  consists of a clamping portion  47 , and a hinge portion  48 , held together by fastening means  49 , such as sheet metal screws  50 . It is well within the scope of the present invention to use fastening means  49  other than the sheet metal screws  50  to provide for the adjustable fixable clamp to fit a wide range of diameters of flagpole  32 .  
         [0032]     The hinge portion  48  of the adjustably fixable clamp  46  comprises a pair of spaced apart arms  51 , connected by a connecting portion  52 , which accepts an arm hinge  53 . The arm hinge rotates about a pivot  54  for a predetermined desired degree of rotation. The degree of rotation is determined by when the arm hinge  53  contacts the connecting portion  52  of the hinge portion  48 . It can be seen that the connecting portion  52  of the hinge portion  48  may be made to provide for different degrees of rotation of the arm hinge  53  about the pivot  54 . Also, it can be seen that the axis of rotation of the arm hinge  53  about the pivot  54  is offset from the axis of the flagpole  32 , but is substantially parallel thereto.  
         [0033]     Pivotally mounted to the arm hinge  53 , for rotation about an axis which is orthogonal to the axis of the pivot  54 , is the flag retaining arm or support  57 .  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the flag arm  57  comprises a pair of spaced apart retaining arms  58 , which may be similar to the arms  58 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, adapted to be placed one on each side of a flag, such as flag  95  shown in  FIG. 2 . However, in the present invention, the retaining arms  58  are connected at one end by a joining portion  59 . Provided adjacent the joining portion  59  of the flag arm  57  is a flag arm aperture  60  which aligns with the arm hinge aperture  61  to accept a second pivot  55  which allows the flag arm  57  to pivot about the second pivot  55  in a plane which is orthogonal to the plane in which the arm hinge  53  pivots. It is preferable that the flag arm  57  rotate for approximately 90° of rotation from a first position substantially parallel to the flagpole to a second position at substantially a right angle to a flagpole. It can be seen that when the flag arm  58  is in a position substantially perpendicular to the axis of the flagpole on which it is mounted, the flag arm  57  will turn with the flag for an amount equal to the degree of rotation of the arm hinge  53 , and then will resist further rotation of the flag  95  so that the flag  95  cannot follow or wrap around the pole  36  on which it is mounted. The cross-section of each of the retaining arms  58  may vary with the distance from the connection portion  59  to provide different degrees of resistance or a pre-determined desired resistance to further rotation of the flag  31  once the arm hinge  53  reaches it pre-determined limits of travel.  
         [0035]     It is preferable that the flag arm  57  may be made of a transparent strong material such as clear plastic, preferably polycarbonate. However, it can be understood by those skilled in the other materials may be substituted for polycarbonate and be well within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0036]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , it is desirable that the flagpole  32  not rotate within the bracket  35 . In a modification of the present invention, there is shown a universal pole latch, generally designated by the numeral  70 , which contains a pole latch clamp portion  71 , which may be similar or identical to clamping portion  47  of adjustably fixable clamp  46 , or different, as the application requires. Mounted opposite the universal pole latch clamp portion  71 , is the body portion  73  which is held to the clamping portion  71  by sheet metal screws  74  or other fastening means. The body portion  73  has arms  72  and  80  that have angled portions  75 ,  76  extending at an angle thereto. At the juncture of angled portion  75  and  76 , is a barrel portion  77  having a plunger  78  which is preferably, but not necessarily, spring loaded and reciprocally movable in the barrel portion  77 . A knob  79  is attached at one end thereof. To prevent rotation of the flagpole  32 , the universal pole clamp  36  would be mounted to the flagpole  32  a short distance above the lower end  37 A thereof, and the plunger  78  would fit in the same hole in the bracket  35  that the spring button  38  fit into. If the flag anti-wrap device is being retrofitted in a situation where there is not a hole in bracket  35  for the plunger  68  to fit into, the owner of the flagpole may simply drill a hole in the bracket  35  so that the plunger  68  will fit therein and prevent rotation of the flagpole.  
         [0037]      FIGS. 7-9  show an embodiment of the clamp portion  47  of the adjustably fixable clamp  46  of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2, 2A  and  3  above. In this embodiment the clamp portion  47  has apertures  100  with recesses  101  for the fastening means  49 , preferably sheet metal screws. A recessed portion  102  is depicted (preferably with a stepped contour) for connecting to the flagpole  32 .  
         [0038]      FIGS. 10-12  depict an embodiment of the hinge portion  48  of the adjustably fixable clamp  46  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 3 . The hinge portion  48  includes a recessed portion  103  (preferably with a stepped contour), which aligns with the recessed portion  102  of clamp portion  47  to connect and to secure the anti-wrap device to the flagpole. Apertures  105  align with apertures  100  ( FIG. 8 ) of the clamping portion  47  for the fastening means  49 .  
         [0039]     Also depicted is pivot hole  104  with recess  106  for receiving the pivot  54 . The configuration depicted allows for the pivot  54  to be in the form of a shoulder bolt (not shown) although other configurations of the pivot are possible within the scope of the present invention. The shoulder bolt is preferred for its ease of assembly.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 13-16  depict an embodiment of the arm hinge  53  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Flag arm aperture  61  is shown with a recessed portion  108  for receiving the second pivot  55 . The second pivot  55  is again, preferably, in the form of a shoulder bolt. It can be seen that arm hinge  53  preferably has extending side portions  109  that extend on either side of the flag arm  57 . Additionally, a center portion  110  preferably extends between the retaining arms  58  of the flag arm  57  to help secure the retaining arms  58  relative to each other and the arm hinge  53 , thus sandwiching each of the flag arms  58  between the center portion  110  and one of the extending portions  109 . Finally, a connecting portion or base  111  connects both of the extending portions and the center portion. Aperture  107  aligns with pivot hole  104  to accept pivot  54  and retain arm hinge  53  in position.  
         [0041]     It can best be seen in  FIG. 14  that flag arm  57  is restrained to rotate 90° in the preferred embodiment of the invention because of the upper stop portion  130  and the lower stop portion  131  of the arm hinge  53 . As the flag arm  57  rotates around the second pivot  55 , when it reaches a vertical position, it will be abutting upper stop portion  130 , and when it reaches a horizontal position, it will be abutting lower stop portion  130 . It can be seen that by varying the proportions of the stop portions ( 130 , 131 ) more or less rotation of the flag arm  57  may be provided for. It is preferred that when the flag arm  57  is in a vertical position it may be slid out the bottom of arm hinge  53 , such as for installation in, or removal from, the arm hinge  53 .  
         [0042]     Thus, by carefully studying the problem associated with flags or banners wrapping around or following the pole on which they are mounted, a novel flag anti-wrap device has been developed. In accordance with the present invention, the anti-wrap device, as shown hereinabove, can be secured to a flagpole. The device can allow the flag to rotate a predetermined amount relative to the flagpole and prevent the flag from wrapping around the flagpole.  
         [0043]     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.