Column For Supporting Electrical Devices Embodying A Handhole Electrical Terminal Compartment Near Its Base

Abstract

A vertical shaft, pillar, or column having a base and a capital for supporting electrical devices such as lamps, traffic signals and the like and embodying an improved integrally arranged handhole electrical terminal compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Increased motor vehicle speeds and increasing congestion on streets and highways are bringing about requirements for higher levels of street and highway lighting and traffic signal controls. Actuarial and safety experts studying the statistics have demonstrated that the provisions of higher illumination and the proper design of column support for the lighting and traffic signal lamps have a strong favorable impetus on accident avoidance. Fixed lighting of streets and highways for illumination and traffic control is therefore being modernized and extended at an accelerating rate and many of the newer installations are requiring modern pole, shaft, and column design and hardware configurations must provide artistic beauty as well as eye and visibility comfort. Maintenance of these new lighting and signaling hardware configurations must be easily handled with a minimum of expense.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to the modern shaft, pillar, or column configurations used for street and highway lighting and traffic control and particularly to improved handhole electrical terminal compartments which are formed integral with and within the outward geometrical configuration of the columns at a height above the base of the column rendering it easily serviceable by service and maintenance personnel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

At the present time poles, shafts, columns and the like employed to support lamps and traffic signal lights are provided with a base for housing the electrical wires, transformers and switching devices needed for controlling and servicing the lights and signal devices. These electrical devices for controlling and servicing the lights and signal devices are assembled in the base in a haphazard manner usually merely tucked into the base through a handhole in the base so close to the ground level of the post that connecting and servicing of these devices are difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved shaft, pole, pillar, column or the like is provided, employing an integrally arranged handhole terminal compartment arranged within the outward geometrical configuration of the column with the compartment's cover fitting closely to and outside the surface of the column.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide an improved shaft, pillar, pole, column or the like, employing an integrally arranged handhole terminal compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved traffic pole having a recessed integral handhole terminal compartment arranged above the base of the pole sufficiently high to provide easy access.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved traffic pole employing a recessed electrical terminal compartment at the base of the pole which artistically adds to the ornamental appearance of the pole.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a traffic signal column or pole employing a recessed handhole electrical terminal compartment which is economical to manufacture, easy to wire and service.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which;

FIG. 1 is a view of the vertical column, crossarm and signal lamps forming a traffic signal pole and embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2--2; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the handhole terminal compartment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to shafts, pillars, poles, columns or the like, each having a base and a capital for supporting electrical devices such as lamp and traffic signals, inter alia, and embodying an improved integrally arranged handhole electrical terminal compartment.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, FIG. 1 discloses a traffic signal pole 10 which is intended to be representative of any shaft, pillar, post, or column vertically arranged or otherwise which is utilized to support and house wires, connections, control devices, lamps, traffic signal lights, and so forth, for pedestrian and traffic comfort and control. The traffic signal pole 10 may comprise a hollow tapered steel shaft 11 having a base 12, anchor bolts 13, integral handhole terminal compartment 14 and a top or capital 15.

A tapered hollow mast arm 16 is suitably secured to the top of shaft 11 by means of an adjustable split bracket 17 of adequate strength, shape and size to support the mast arm 16 and is shown as being electric arc-welded to the large end of mast arm 16.

Suitable signal hanging devices 18 are fastened to the mast arm at spaced intervals, as required, for supporting and positioning a plurality of traffic signal lamps or devices 20.

In accordance with the invention claimed, shaft 11 is provided with a reinforced, integral handhole terminal compartment 14 and cover 14a.

Compartment 14 is self-contained housing extending through an opening 21 in shaft 11 and fixedly secured within the hollow configuration of shaft 11. Compartment 14 comprises a base 22 which defines an aperture or hole 23 providing an opening from the outside of the surface of shaft 11 through the compartment into the hollow confines of shaft 11 and mast arm 16.

As shown in FIG. 2 the base 22 of compartment 14 forms a support for a terminal board 24 which is used for connecting, disconnecting, testing, servicing, etc., the electrical equipment mounted on pole 10.

The outer edges 26 of the sides of compartment 14 are provided with a rubber gasket 27 which weather seals the compartment when closed by cover 14a shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 1 compartment 14 is arranged within shaft 11 at a position or height above base 12 such that servicing of the electrical devices mounted on or within the pole may be easily accomplished.

While, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, there has been illustrated and described the best form of the invention known, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the structure described without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases, certain features of the invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a pole for supporting electrical equipment for traffic accommodation comprising:

a hollow, vertically extending shaft defining a vertically extending aperture near its lower end exposing the hollow interior of the shaft;

a base secured to the lower end of the shaft for supporting the shaft in its vertically extending position; and

a hollow mast arm fastened to the upper portion of said shaft and extending laterally therefrom for supporting said electrical equipment;

a compartment mounted within said aperture and extending at least partly within the interior of said shaft, said compartment having:

a base;

substantially parallel sidewalls projecting from said compartment base;

a top wall projecting from said compartment base and interconnecting the upper ends of said sidewalls;

a bottom wall projecting from said compartment base and interconnecting the lower ends of said sidewalls,

said compartment extending through the aperture in said hollow shaft into the hollow interior of said shaft with said compartment base extending longitudinally of said shaft in a vertical direction therein, said compartment further having an open front side opposite said compartment base located on the outside of said shaft,

said compartment base having a handhole in the lower portion thereof in horizontal alignment with a portion of the open front side of said compartment and opening into the interior of said shaft whereby electrical wires and leads extended through said shaft to the rear side of said compartment adjacent said compartment base may be viewed from outside said shaft through said open front side of said compartment and through the aligned handhole in said compartment base;

a terminal board secured to the upper half of said compartment base immediately above said handhole for receiving electrical wires from the interior of said shaft through said handhole; and

a cover for said compartment removably secured to the sidewalls, top wall and bottom wall of said compartment and positioned outside said shaft.