AU769277B2 - A post assembly - Google Patents

Description

I 1 This invention relates to a post assembly.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to guide posts that are used to mark the edge of a road, and for illustrative purposes references will be made to such application.

Guide posts typically consist of an elongate tubular steel member. The lower end of the post often is often placed in a suitably sized hole and wherein the hole is then filled either with earth or cement. In other embodiments the lower end of the post is slideably located within a tubular sleeve that extends upwardly from the 2. ground or pavement and is secured thereto using one or more mechanical fasteners 10 such as a bolt that is threaded through aligned apertures formed in both the post and the sleeve.

It has been noted that the digging of holes is a labourious task which does not allow for the quick erection of posts. Furthermore, in some instances the erection of o*°oooo posts is hindered by poor soil conditions that may make digging holes difficult.

It has also been noted that metal guide posts and the mechanical fasteners often used to secure them to sleeves embedded in the ground are subject to corrosion, particularly in areas near the seaside.

Furthermore, guide posts are often struck by wayward motor vehicles and wherein as a consequence difficulties may arise when attempting to remove the bent post from the sleeve due to damage to the sleeve and/or the mechanical fastener.

The present invention aims to alleviate at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a post assembly which will be reliable and efficient in use.

With the forgoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides in a post assembly including: a base member; an arm assembly pivotally mounted on said base member; locking means for preventing selective pivotal movement of said arm assembly relative to said base member, and a post having a cavity formed in an end portion thereof which is adapted to receive said arm member and wherein said post is maintained in a substantially upright operative condition by said arm assembly, wherein the locking means is configured to permit pivotal movement of the arm assembly on application of a force in excess of predetermined value.

10 The post assembly may also include retaining means for selectively retaining the post tethered to either the base member or the arm assembly whereby the post when struck shall remain attached to either the base member or the arm assembly and shall not become a projectile.

In one embodiment the post may be adapted to rest on the base member.

15 Alternatively, the post may also be adapted to cover the base, or at least a portion of

S.°

the base that projects above the foundation. In particular, the post may abut against adjacent walls of the base member which may assist with the location of the post in a preferred upstanding position and provide some stability to said post.

The base member may include foundation engaging means such as one or more dependent ground engaging projections. Alternatively, the base member may include one or more apertures formed therein through which a peg or such like may extend.

The base member may be constructed from a variety of materials including various metals. However, it is preferred that the base is constructed from noncorrosive materials including various plastics materials including polypropylene.

3 The arm assembly may include an elongate member that is pivotally mounted on the base member. The elongate member may be closely received within the post.

Alternatively, the arm assembly may include a plurality of arms, each pivotally mounted on the base member, said arms in combination being closely received within the post.

The arm member may be constructed from any suitable material. However it is preferred that the arm member is constructed from a non-corrosive material such as plastics materials including polypropylene.

The locking means may include a locking member that is adapted to engage both an arm member and the base member and thereby prevent any unwanted pivotal movement of the arm member relative to said base member. For example, the locking member may be constructed from a material which will fail when a predetermined load is applied to the arm member, as may be the case if the post were struck by a motor vehicle travelling at a predetermined speed.

15 The post may be of tubular construction. For example, the post may have a "generally circular shape transverse cross-section. However it is preferred that the transverse cross-sectional shape of the post is rather elliptical and wherein a greater amount of material, such as reflective material, house numbers or the like, may be displayed on the broad side faces of the post.

The posts may be constructed from any suitable material. However it is preferred that the posts are constructed from a non-corrosive material such as a plastics material including polypropylene.

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein: 4 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a post assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the post assembly illustrated in figure 1, and FIG. 3 is a side view of an arm member.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a post assembly 10 that includes a pair of opposing arm members 11, each pivotally mounted on a base member 12, and a hollow post 13 having a lower end portion 14 that covers said arm members 11 and said base °°°member 12. Pivotal movement of the arm members 11 relative to the base member 12 is selectively prevented by locking means 15 that is intended to fail when the post 10 13 is struck side on by a motor vehicle.

The base member 12 is constructed from polypropylene and is generally elliptical in shape when viewed in plan. The base member 12 includes a lower circumferential face 16 and an adjacent chamfered upper edge 17.

V The base member 12 also includes a centrally located aperture 18 through which the shaft of a suitably sized peg may extend when used to secure the base member to a foundation, such as the ground.

The base member 12 further includes two mounting lugs 20 each having a horizontally disposed aperture 21 formed therein. Each lug 20 includes a top wall 22 in which thee is formed a narrow channel shaped recess or slit 23. The apertures 21 and the slits 22 are aligned as illustrated in figures 1 and 2.

The arm members 11 are each constructed from polypropylene and include an aperture 24 formed in the fixed end thereof. Respective pins 30 extending through aligned apertures 24 and 21 pivotally connect each of said arm members 11 to the base member 11.

Each of the arm members 11 also includes a curved wall 25 that substantially compliments the internal shape of the post 13. The curved walls 25 each include an outwardly and downwardly directed projection 26 as shown in figures 1 and 3 in particular.

The locking means 15 includes a thin strip of polystyrene 27 that is threaded through aligned apertures 28 formed in the respective arm members 11 and wherein an edge portion 32 of the polystyrene is locatable in the slit 23, as illustrated in figure 1.

The post 13 is preferably constructed from a length of elliptically shaped, :10 tubular pipe manufactured from a rigid plastics material. The post 13 includes two broad side faces 29 on which material may be displayed including reflective material.

The post 13 also includes two opposing slits 31 formed therein through which a respective projection 26 extends.

In use, the base member 12 can be secured to the ground by driving a peg that extends through aperture 18. The arm members 11 may then be each connected to a respective mounting lug 20 by the location of a respective pin 30 in aligned apertures 21 and 24. As a consequence the arm members may pivot about the pins The strip of polystyrene 27 is then inserted in aligned apertures 28 and wherein the edge portion 32 is located in the slits 23 associated with the mounting lugs 20. This then prevents movement of the arms 11 relative to the base member 2.

The post 13 is then placed over the arm members 11 and the base member 12 such that the side walls 25 bear against and provide support for the post 13. The 6 lower edge portion 35 of the post 13 closely receives the lower circumferential face 16 of the base member 12.

When sliding the post 13 over the arm members 11, the projections 26 are temporarily displaced, said projections being locatable within respective slits 31.

Should a motor vehicle strike a side face 29 of the post 13, the strip of polystyrene will break thereby permitting the arm members 11 to pivot relative to the base member 12. The post 13 when struck will move upwardly thereby clearing any obstruction posed by the face 16 that is preventing lateral movement of said post.

However engagement between the projections 26 and the slits 31 prevents the post becoming separated from the remainder of the assembly and hence a dangerous projectile that could injure passengers travelling in the motor vehicle or persons standing near by.

However, after the accident the post assembly 10 can be quickly and easily repaired by locating another polystyrene strip 27 between aligned apertures 28 and in slits 23 as previously described and by again locating the post over the arm members 11 and base member 12.

It will be appreciated that the length of the slits 31 allows the post 13 to be slid upwardly so as to allow access to the polystyrene strip 27 should persons wish to collapse the post assembly 10 without damaging the polystyrene strip.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the present invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as claimed in the following claims.

Claims (14)

1. A post assembly including: a base member; an arm assembly pivotally mounted on said base member; locking means for preventing selective pivotal movement of said arm assembly relative to said base member, and a post having a cavity formed in an end portion thereof which is adapted to receive said arm member and wherein said post is maintained in a substantially upright operative condition by said arm assembly, wherein the locking means is configured to permit pivotal movement of the arm assembly on application of a force in excess of a predetermined value.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the base member includes a pair of spaced apart mounting lugs to assist in the mounting of the arm assembly to the base member.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said mounting lug is provided with an aperture to accommodate a pivot pin, to pivotally mount the arm assembly to the base member. 20

4. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm assembly comprises an elongate member.

The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm assembly comprises a pair of spaced apart elongate members.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each elongate member is pivotally attached to a respective said mounting lug.

7. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the or each elongate member is mounted adjacent a peripheral edge of the base member. 30

8. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means comprises a elongate member which engages with the arm assembly.

9. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein 8 the locking means is adapted to deform or break on application of the force in excess of a predetermined value.

The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein each said elongate member is provided with an aperture, and the locking means comprises an elongate member having two opposed ends, each said end passing into the aperture on a respective elongate member.

11. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the assembly includes a foundation engaging means.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the foundation engaging means comprises an aperture in the base member, and a peg which has a shaft which passes through the aperture to engage the post assembly to a foundation.

13. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the post is provided with at least one elongate slit, the arm assembly being provided with at least one projection which passes at least partially through said slit to couple the post to the arm assembly.

14. A post assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 ::Dated this 18 th day of November 2003 Desmond James Boxsell and Lynette Mavis Boxsell By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO *o