AU5951599A

AU5951599A - Post and foundation for post

Info

Publication number: AU5951599A
Application number: AU59515/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Mead
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-11-18
Filing date: 1999-11-18
Publication date: 2000-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2019-11-18
Also published as: AU766749B2

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION oo o *oo Invention Title: Post and Foundation for Post The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 'T tI Title of Invention: Post and foundation for post.

Field of Invention: This invention relates to sign posts suitable for the mounting of street-name signs, traffic signs, street lights and the like.

Background of the Invention: Posts for street-name signs, traffic signs, street lights and the like are commonly consist of a pipe (ie, hollow) shaft with one end mounted in the ground and carrying a sign or light at the other end.

Such posts are vulnerable to being bent or broken by vehicle impact or by vandalism.

ooooo Depending on the degree of damage, it is some times possible to bend a damaged sign 20 post back up into the vertical position. If the post is too badly damaged to survive being ":bent back into position, it is necessary to remove the post from its foundation and replace it. Neither solution is particularly satisfactory. A post which has been straightened back S•into the vertical position is further weakened by the straightening process, leaving it more, vulnerable to vandalism. There are substantial costs to removing and replacing a 25 damaged post.

The present invention accordingly aims to provide a foundation for a post for street signs and the like which renders the post less vulnerable to bending by vehicle impact or vandalism.

-2- The present invention also aims to provide a post assembly for street signs and the like which is less vulnerable to bending by vehicle impact or vandalism.

Summary of the Invention: This invention accordingly provides a foundation for a post or the like, comprising: a first foundation element adapted for the mounting of a post or the like thereon; the first foundation element bearing against a second foundation element which is adapted for mounting in the ground or other substrate; a tension member passing through bores in both the first and second foundation elements; and a compression spring mounted within one of the first and second foundation elements in order to impart tension loading to the tension member, the foundation being adapted so that the first foundation element may rotate relative to the second foundation element: away from an initial position under an impact load; and back towards the initial position under influence from the tension member on removal of the impact force.

Preferred Aspects of the Invention: It is preferred that the tension member be mounted substantially coaxial with central axial bores through both the first and second foundation elements.

S: It if preferred that the tension member includes a wire rope.

It is preferred that the two ends of the wire rope be crimped together by a sleeve to form a loop ofrope. loop of rope.

It is preferred that a second sleeve be crimped to the rope remote from the two ends of the rope to form an eye in the rope.

It is preferred that the tension member passes substantially coaxially through the compression spring.

It is preferred that the compression spring be mounted substantially coaxially within the first foundation element.

Brief Description of the Drawings: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a post assembly and a foundation for a post in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the post assembly and foundation at ground level.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, preferred embodiments of it will now be described with reference to the drawing.

Detailed Description with Respect to the Drawings: The post assembly according to the embodiment of the figures includes a foundation which has a first portion 11 and a second portion 12. As illustrated in the drawings, a hollow post 2 is provided on the foundation for the mounting of a traffic sign or the like (not illustrated). Preferably, the hollow post 2 is in the form of a cylindrical pipe.

Alternative preferred forms of the post 2 are square or rectangular in cross section. It is preferred that the post 2 be fabricated from galvanised mild steel, however, other tubular material, such as PVC plastics, may be suitable for some purposes.

The post 2 is a tight frictional fit over the first foundation portion 11.

The second foundation portion 12 includes a casing 14, a plate 16 adjacent the first foundation portion 11, and a plug 13 of filler material within the body of the casing 14. It is preferred that casing 14 and plate 16 be fabricated from galvanised mild steel. The first foundation portion 11 and the plug 13 can be fabricated from plastics material, preferably polyethylene.

It is preferred that retention of plug 13 within casing 14 be aided by the provision of at least one screw 8. The insertion of screw 8 into the plastics material of plug 13 causes some displacement of the material of plug 8 laterally, increasing the tightness of the fit of plug 13 into casing 14. Alternatively, in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, a wedge is driven down between the side of the plug 13 and the casing 14.

The first and second foundation portions 11 and 12 are hingedly mounted together by use of a tension member. Preferably the tension member is in the form of wire cable 3 passing through aligned axial bores in foundation portions 11 and 12. Preferably, the cable 3 is looped and the free ends of the cable are held tightly together by means of a deformable metal sleeve 23 crimped about both ends of the cable. Another deformable 20 metal sleeve 22 is crimped to the cable remote from the sleeve 23 to form an eye as indicated at 19.

The wire cable 3 is kept in tension by compression spring 1 which is mounted in a bore 26 in the first foundation portion 11. It is preferred that the compression spring 1 and the wire cable 3 be mounted substantially coaxially.

"It is preferred that a washer 24 be provided adjacent the sleeve 23 to distribute compressive forces from sleeve 23 to the plug 13. Similarly, it is preferred that a collar 28 be provided adjacent sleeve 22 to bear against the adjacent end of compression spring 1.

To aid retention of post 2 on first foundation portion 11, it is preferred that a screw 6 be provided to pass through a hole in the side of the post 2 into a threaded bore in the first foundation portion 11.

To ensure consistency of orientation of any sign which is mounted on first foundation portion 11, a locating pin 4 may be fixedly mounted in the plug 13 of second foundation portion 12 to protrude into a bore 27 in the first foundation portion 11. It is preferred that the pin 4 be a loose fit in the bore 27. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2, to assist in relocating the first foundation portion 11, the locating pin 4 may have a chamfered top locating into a countersunk mating surface in a locating plate mounted above plate 16.

In use the foundation is placed in the ground or other substrate with the plate 16 flush with the ground or substrate surface. The post 2 is mounted on the first foundation portion 11. On lateral impact loading of the post 2 such as by a vehicle impact, the post 2 and foundation portion 11 are adapted to hinge at the upper surface of the plate 16, tending to prevent bending of the post 2 by the impact load.

The post 2 and any sign which is mounted on post 2 are then returned to their proper orientation by moving post 2 and first foundation portion 11 to re-locate pin 4 within the 20 bore 27.

The eye 19 in the wire cable 3 is provided to aid in the withdrawal of the foundation assembly from the ground or other substrate.

S -6-

Claims

1. A foundation for a post or the like, comprising: a first foundation element adapted for the mounting of a post or the like thereon; the first foundation element bearing against a second foundation element which is adapted for mounting in the ground or other substrate; a tension member passing through bores in both the first and second foundation elements; and a compression spring mounted within one of the first and second foundation elements in order to impart tension loading to the tension member, the foundation being adapted so that the first foundation element may rotate relative to the second foundation element: away from an initial position under an impact load; and back towards the initial position under influence from the tension member on removal of the impact force.

2. A foundation according to claim 1, in which the tension member is mounted substantially coaxial with central axial bores through both the first and second foundation "elements.

3. A foundation according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the tension member includes a wire rope.

4. A foundation according to claim 3, in which the two ends of the wire rope are S 25 crimped together by a sleeve to form a loop of rope.

A foundation according to claim 4, in which a second sleeve is crimped to the rope remote from the two ends of the rope to form an eye in the rope.

6. A foundation according to any preceding claim, in which the tension member passes substantially coaxially through the compression spring. -7-

7. A foundation according to any preceding claim, in which the compression spring is mounted substantially coaxially within the first foundation element.

8. A foundation substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the drawings. David Mead By his Patent Attorneys PIPERS Dated: 18 November 1999 S