GB2061703A - Improvements in or relating to securing articles to posts - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket for securing a flasher lamp or the like to a post (S) has a tubular part (2) that is slidable along the standard and is fixed at the required position by a bolt (4), and an angle bracket part (8) welded to the tubular part and comprising a vertical limb (8a) in which there is a hole (10) for a headed cap screw (B) for attaching the lamp (L), the head of the bolt being arranged with limited clearance between the limb (8a) and the post (S), so that a tool cannot be applied to turn it and release the lamp while the bracket remains on the post. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to securing brackets This invention relates to securing brackets for attaching devices to supports such as a post or standard. It has a particular application to the mounting of warning lamps, e.g., at road works, but can be utilised in other ways.

For safety reasons, road works have to be illuminated at night by lamps placed around the works.

Aithough the flasher lamps used for this purpose are usually secured by screws or bolts that can only be loosened by a special tool, there is still a problem caused by lamps being removed or even stolen.

Quite apart from the obvious safety hazards that may result, the regular replacement of lost lamps is very expensive. There is therefore a need for a practical way of mounting the lamps that makes their unauthorised removal more difficult. A similar problem exists for other devices, such as signs that are deployed in a temporary manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a securing bracket for attaching a device to a support such as a post or standard, comprising a tubular part for locating the bracket slideably on said post, means for fixing said tubular part to said post at a desired position therealong, and a carrier part fixed to said tubular part to project to one side thereof and having at least one opening for an attaching bolt of the device to be secured to the bracket, said opening being arranged to be disposed immediately adjacent and facing onto said post when the tubular part is slid onto said post.

Such a bracket may be adapted to be used with a conventional metal fencing standard as employed in the road works, which consists of a steel bar having a tapered lower end which is driven into the ground and a curled hook at its other end to support a barrier rope. The size of the tubular part of the bracket is to chosen that the bracket can be moved freely up and down the standard but cannot be slid over the hooked upper end. The bracket cannot therefore be removed without removing the standard. At the same time, the securing bolt for the device on the bracket is in a position in which its head is immediately adjacent to the standard and so hinders attempts to loosen the bolt as long as the bracket remains on the standard.

In another aspect, therefore, the invention also comprises a combination of securing bracket as defined above, in conjunction with a fencing standard having a formation or enlargement at its upper end and over which the tubular part of the bracket cannot pass.

The invention will be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a rear view of one form of bracket according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a side view showing the bracket of Fig. 1 mounted on a fencing standard and with a flasher lamp secured to it, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another form of bracket according to the invention mounting an alternative pattern of flasher lamp, and Fig. 4 is a side view of a further form of securing bracket according to the invention, suitable for mounting either of the lamps of Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring-to Figs. 1 and 2, the bracket comprises a tubular part 2 having a square cross-section. Near the lower end of one side of the tubular part a clamping bolt 4 is threaded into a tapped hole 6. At the upper region of the tubular part there is welded an angle bracket 8. One arm 8a of the bracket projects parallel to the axis of the tubular part and is provided with a plain bolt hole 10.

In use, the angle bracket 8 forms a carrier for a flasher lamp L of known form, which is adapted to be mounted by a bolt B passing horizontally into its lower region through its rear face. This bolt is inserted first into the bolt hole 10 in the angle bracket so that the head of the bolt is on the same side of the arm 8a as the tubular part 2 and the rear of the lamp is clamped firmly against the opposite side of that arm. The bracket (with the lamp attached) can then be slid on to a fencing standard S from the bottom and the standard then driven into the ground. In normal use the standard will be driven some considerable depth into the ground and, especially if penetrating a material such as concrete, is very securely fixed in place.

The lamp cannot now be removed from the standard until the standard has itself been extracted from the ground. The head of the attaching bolt B for the lamp faces directly onto the side of the standard; the bolt has a particular form of socket head for its manipulation and the location of the head leaves no room for entry of the special tool by which it can be turned to loosen the lamp. Although the height of the lamp on the standard can be freely adjusted and set by use of the clamping bolt 4 on the tubular part, the hooked formation at the top of the standard prevents removal ofthe bracket with the lamp attached to it.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of security bracket according to the invention used to mount a different pattern of flasher lamp, namely a Dorman Smith plastics-bodied lamp. This bracket has a similar tubular part 2 with clamping bolt 4 but projecting upwardly from that part is a cranked carrier 12 provided by the upwardly extending limb of an angle bracket made from a unitary metal strip that also comprises an upper horizontal limb 16. The mounting bolt then passes through a hole drilled in the vertical limb immediately below the horizontal limb.

This akernativeknown form of flasher-lamp is intended to have its mounting inserted through an opening in the bottom of the lamp casing and a bolt extends into the rear of the lamp casing, through the inserted mounting and into a threaded engagement near the front of the casing, but still within the casing. The upper end of the carrier 12 and its upper limb 16 is therefore inserted into the lamp casing and similarly to the first example the mounting bolt has its head (in this case somewhat larger than the head of the bolt in the first example) located immediately adjacent and facing onto the side face of the fencing standard when the lamp with its securing bracket is slid onto the standard. In use it there fore offers the same degree of security.If further reinforcement is required, in place of the horizontal limb 16 the bracket can comprise an uppertubular element that provides a sleeve for the bolt B Inthe example of Fig4the tubuFar part 2, pro- vided with a clamping bolt as in the preceding examples, has an angle bracket wended to itlnwhictr in addition to the lower horizontal limb 8, there is an upwardly extending limb 1 8that is cranked outwardly from the tubular part so that the major por- tion of its length is offset at an increased distance from the post or standard on which the tubular part s!ides. In this offset upper position are two holes 10, 1 0a one above the other.The larger hole is of a size to accept the attaching bolt for the type of lamp shown in Fig. 5 and the hole centre is the same height above the horizontal limb as in the example of Figs. 1 and 2. The smaller hole is intended for the attaching bolt of the type of lamp shown in Fig. 3, and it is set sufficiently high forthe lamp to be clear ofthe horizontal limb. Because of the offset of the upper limb of the bracket there is sufficient space between the bracket and the standard to admit the rather larger head of the bolt for the Dorman Smith plastics-bodied lamp. With this securing bracket, therefore, either of the illustrated types of lamp can be secured alternatively.

It will be appreciated that the form of the securing bracket according to the invention can be adapted to suit the mounting arrangements for other forms of lamp than the two known types already referred to.

Claims (6)

1. A securing bracket for attaching a device to a support such as a post orstandard, comprising a tubular part for locating the bracket slidably on said post, means for fixing said tubular part to said post at a desired position therealong, and a carrier part fixed to said tubular part to project to one side thereof and having at least one opening for an attaching bolt of the device to be secured to the bracket, said opening being arranged to be disposed immediately adjacent and facing onto said post when the tubular part is slid onto said post.

2. A securing bracket according to claim 1 wherein the bracket is arranged to be fixed to said post by a releasable screw-threaded member.

3. A securing bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said carrier part fixed to the tubular part comprises respective upwardly and outwardly extending limbs.

4. Asecuring bracket according to claim 3 wherein said upwardly extending limb is cranked outwardly from the tubular part.

5. A combination of a securing bracket according to any one of the preceding claims with a fencing standard on which said tubular part of the bracket is slidably mounted, said standard having a formation or enlargement at its upper end over which the tubular part of the bracket cannot pass.

6. A securing bracket constructed and arranged for use substantially as described herein with reference to any of the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings.