Flagstaff

Abstract

A flagstaff having a relatively short axially movable sleeve which is prevented from rotating about the staff. The sleeve has a pair of spaced-apart discs on its upper end portion and a pair of spaced-apart discs on its lower end portion. A ring-shaped member is freely rotatable between the discs of each pair of discs. Each of the ring-shaped members has an arm radially extending therefrom, and a bar having several perforations is attached to the arms so that a flag may be easily hooked on the bar and thus can swing and whirl around the flagstaff without winding itself around it.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to flagstaff means for hoisting flag, and particularly to such flagstaffs which have means for permitting the flag to swivel around the flagstaff without being entangled around the staff.

Flagstaffs for marine use as well as staffs for being attached to buildings, etc. are known which have various means for preventing the flag from becoming entangled or wound on the staff. However none of the known flagstaffs has ever practically achieved the freely swinging and swiveling of the flag around the staff under all conditions of breezes and eddy movements of the wind. Such flagstaffs have been unable to prevent the flag being unsightly entangled around the shaft. This problem has been successfully solved by the present invention.

SUMMARY

The invention consists of such novel features, construction arrangements, combination of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the flagstaff herein disclosed by way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment.

The flagstaff of the present invention consists basically of two main parts. A stationary supporting rod or shaft is adapted to be fastened to a marine vessel or the like, or to a window sill of a building front. A relatively short tubular sleeve is axially movable up and down on the rod, but is prevented from rotating about it. Two pairs of spaced-apart disclike members on the sleeve, one pair on the upper end portion thereof and the other pair on the lower end portion thereof. A ring-shaped member carrying a plurality of balls held captive in suitable holes therein is interposed between the disc members of each pair so that it can freely and easily rotate therebetween. Each of the ring members has a radially extending arm on the end of which is a slot in the radial direction. A relatively lightweight bar is inserted in the slot and is pinned therein. The flag is attached to the bar by way of a series of holes and hooks. The entire sleeve assembly can be hoisted by known means of rope and pulley, but also can swivel freely about the stationary shaft under air current conditions because the bar which carries the flag is always radially spaced from the stationary rod, and, thus, the flag will not touch the stationary support.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and efficient flagstaff for hoisting a flag thereon and sustaining the flag in such manner that it is free from entanglement and prevented from wrapping itself around the staff.

Another object of the invention is to provide an axially slidable, nonrotatable sleeve on the staff, which has freely rotatable members thereon with arms extending radially at a distance from the staff, the arms carrying a bar substantially parallel to the staff upon which a flag may be fastened.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved flag hoisting means which is composed of few simple and easily operable elements.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the device of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, in which

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of the flagstaff;

FIG. 2 shows an axial section of the slidable sleeve on the flagstaff, partly broken away; and

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of portion 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in more detail to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, there is disclosed in FIG. 1 a flagstaff 10 which consists substantially of two parts, that is of a rigid rod or shaft 11 and of a tubular member or sleeve device 12 which is slidably mounted on shaft 11. Shaft 11 may be made of round bar stock tubing or any other suitable material, preferably consisting of corrosion resisting metal. At the top of shaft 11 is a headpiece 13 with a pulley 14 rotatably mounted on a relatively short horizontal shaft 15. Near the lower end of shaft 11 which is adapted to be inserted into a socket or flagstaff holder (not shown in the drawing) is a conventional rope fastening attachment 16. A keyway 17 is cut in shaft 11 extending along the length thereof, for a reason which will be hereinafter explained.

Tubular member or sleeve device 12 may consist of tubing made preferably of corrosion-resistant metal. Sleeve 12 can axially slide on shaft 11 but is prevented from rotating about shaft 11 by at least one dog screw 18 or other suitable means arranged for engaging keyway 17. Near the upper and lower ends of sleeve 12 there are welded or otherwise secured annular flanges or disc-shaped members 19 and 20, respectively. To each of the disc-shaped members 19 and 20 and in spaced relation thereto there is fastened by suitable means such as screws 23, a removable annular plate or disc-shaped member, the latter being indicated by the reference numerals 21 and 22, respectively. Disc members 21 and 22 are held in such spaced relation by means of spacers 24 providing the space or slot 25 between disc members 19 and 21, and a similar space or slot 26 between disc members 20 and 22. Ring-shaped members 27 and 28 are inserted in spaces or slots 25 and 26, respectively. Members 27 and 28 each has a series of circumferentially arranged holes in which are received and held spherical elements, such as metal balls 29, so that members 27 and 28 may freely and easily rotate in axial ball bearing fashion. The inner diameter of each of the ring-shaped members 27 and 28 is designed for retaining balls 29 radially in place by being fitted around spacers 24. Four axially arranged leaf spring blades 29' are fastened in equally spaced relation on the periphery of sleeve 12 in such manner that their ends press resiliently against elements 30, preferably consisting of friction material, disposed in perforations formed in sleeve 12. Elements 30 bear against ring-shaped members or plates 27, 28 and each has a radially extending arm indicated by the reference numerals 31 and 32 respectively, the end of which is slotted for holding an elongated member or bar 33 therein by respective pins 34. Member 33 has a plurality of spaced apart holes into which hooks 35 of flag 36 may be readily inserted. It is preferable that member or bar 33 be not exactly parallel to shaft 11 but is slightly inclined toward the top of shaft 11. Such inclined positioning of member 33 facilitates the flag being suspended or hung from shaft 11 in a proper position and prevents the flag from being entangled about shaft 11. A bracket 37 is welded or otherwise secured on upper disc member 21 for fastening a hoisting rope 38 thereon. Holes 39, 40 extend through disc-shaped members or plates 19, 20, 21, 22 in straight alignment for receiving rope 38.

The elongated keyway or groove 17 is preferably so located that when the flagstaff is in correct hanging position, any moisture which may tend to accumulate in the keyway or groove will run off or drain.

The spherical elements 33' at both ends of member 33 prevent the flag from being caught or entangled at the ends of member 33, such as under windy conditions.

Thus, it is easy to hook a flag on member or bar 33 and hoist it to the desired height. Since the flag is spaced from shaft 11 and can easily and freely whirl around the same with member or bar 33 when influenced by air movements or currents, it cannot wind or wrap around shaft 11 and thus continuously remains free to wave from flagstaff 10.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A flagstaff comprising a shaft, a nonrotatable axially movable sleeve device arranged on said shaft said sleeve device and said shaft having means for preventing said sleeve device from rotating around said shaft, spaced aligned supports rotatably carried by said sleeve device for rotation about said sleeve device and said shaft, means connected to said supports for carrying a flag in spaced relation to said sleeve device, and means for moving said sleeve device along said shaft for raising and lowering the flag.

2. A flagstaff according to claim 1, said means connected to said supports for carrying a flag comprising an elongated member.

3. A flagstaff according to claim 1, and antifriction means for facilitating said rotation of said supports.

4. A flagstaff according to claim 1, and means providing frictional engagement between said sleeve device and said shaft.

5. A flagstaff according to claim 1, said means for moving said sleeve device along said shaft comprising pulley means and a line trained over said pulley means having its ends connected to said device.

6. A flagstaff according to claim 2, said supports each comprising an annular flange on said sleeve device, an annular plate spaced from said flange, and a member having a ring portion surrounding said sleeve device and interposed between said flange and said plate and a portion extending from said ring portion, said latter portions supporting said elongated member.

7. A flagstaff comprising a stationary shaft, an axially movable sleeve on said shaft, said sleeve device and said shaft having means for preventing said sleeve device from rotating around said shaft, a pair of spaced substantially disc-shaped members on each end portion of said sleeve device, a freely rotatable substantially ring-shaped member disposed between the members of each pair of said disc-shaped members, said disc-shaped members encircling said sleeve device, each of said ring-shaped members having a plurality of perforations and a plurality of spherical elements within said perforations, the elements of each of said ring-shaped members being adapted to roll within said perforations and between the members of a respective pair of disc-shaped members, each of said ring-shaped members having a radially extending arm, and a flag holding member attached to said arms at a fixed distance from said shaft.

8. A flagstaff for hoisting a flag according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of axially arranged leaf spring blades on the periphery of said sleeve device, and friction elements in said sleeve device, said spring blades pressing resiliently said friction elements against said shaft.

9. A flagstaff for hoisting a flag according to claim 7, said shaft and said sleeve device comprising corrosion-proof material.

10. A flagstaff according to claim 7, wherein one of said disc-shaped members of each pair thereof is fixed to said sleeve device and the other one of each pair thereof is axially movable along said sleeve device, and means are provided for securing together in spaced relation the disc-shaped members of each pair.