Patent ID: 8881669

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing a flag ( 44 ) from wrapping wherein the flag includes a top edge ( 46 ) and a bottom edge ( 48 ) and a heading ( 52 ) extending therebetween with a top end grommet ( 54 ) and a bottom end grommet ( 56 ) in the heading ( 52 ), said apparatus comprising: an elongated pole ( 20 ) extending along a pole axis (A) and having a lower portion ( 24 ) for mounting said pole ( 20 ) and an upper portion ( 22 ) bisected by a gravity plane (P) extending radially from said pole axis (A), a rod ( 58 ) of non-rigid material extending from said upper portion ( 22 ) of said pole ( 20 ) in said gravity plane (P) for extending into a sleeve ( 60 ) of the flag ( 44 ), a rod support ( 84 ) interconnecting said rod ( 58 ) and said upper portion ( 22 ) of said pole ( 20 ) preventing said rod ( 58 ) from rotating about said pole axis (A) and allowing free rotation of said rod ( 58 ) about an axis under the force of gravity only in said gravity plane (P), said rod support ( 84 ) defining an upper elongated slot ( 90 ) extending into said upper portion ( 22 ) of said pole ( 20 ) and bisected by said gravity plane (P), said rod support ( 84 ) including a rod coupler ( 86 ) extending from within said upper elongated slot ( 90 ) in said pole ( 20 ) and defining a bore ( 88 ) therein in said gravity plane (P) receiving said rod ( 58 ) and for connection to the top end grommet ( 54 ) to retain the flag ( 44 ) to said pole ( 20 ), said rod support ( 84 ) further including a shaft ( 92 ) supported by said pole ( 20 ) in said upper elongated slot ( 90 ) and extending through said pole ( 20 ) and through said rod coupler ( 86 ) within said upper elongated slot ( 90 ) for rotatably supporting and limiting said rotation of said rod coupler ( 86 ) to only in said gravity plane (P), a middle elongated slot ( 108 ) bisected by said gravity plane (P) and extending into said pole ( 20 ) and spaced between said upper portion ( 22 ) and said lower portion ( 24 ) of said pole ( 20 ), a connector ( 104 ) extending radially from within said pole ( 20 ) in said middle elongated slot ( 108 ) for connection to the bottom end grommet ( 56 ) of the flag ( 44 ) to retain the flag ( 44 ) to said connector ( 104 ) and to said pole ( 20 ), and a pin ( 110 ) supported in said middle elongated slot ( 108 ) and extending through said pole ( 20 ) and through said connector ( 104 ) for retaining said connector ( 104 ) to said pole ( 20 ).