Frame supported height adjustable pylon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298804-A1
Application number	US-201615093022-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly is provided. The frame includes two frame members meeting at a corner with the frame members being generally co-planar and the pylon being urged into the corner so as to extend at generally right angles to a plane including the two frame members. A fastener assembly has two end portions each anchored relative its associated frame member so as to extend transversely to it. The fastener assembly includes an intermediate saddle portion engaging a surface of the pylon that is directed outwardly relative to the corner with the pylon being urged into the corner when the fastener assembly is tightened to engage the pylon and lock it axially relative to the frame members in a selected position. Preferably, the frame members each form two upper and two lower frame members of two trusses. Lower ends of the pylons may support the assembly.

First claim

1 . A height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly comprising:
two frame members meeting at a corner with the two frame members being generally co-planar and the height adjustable pylon being urged into the corner so as to extend at generally right angles to a plane including the two frame members, and at least one fastener assembly having two end portions each of which is anchored relative to its associated frame member so as to extend transversely relative to the associated frame member, and wherein the at least one fastener assembly further comprises an intermediate saddle portion engaging a surface of the height adjustable pylon that is directed outwardly relative to the corner so that the height adjustable pylon is urged by the at least one fastener assembly into the corner when the at least one fastener assembly is tightened to thereby engage the height adjustable pylon and lock it axially relative to the two frame members in a selected position.

2 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the end portions of the at least one fastener assembly pass through or around the associated frame member.

3 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a head or nut engages an outside of the associated frame member to anchor it relative to the frame member.

4 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one fastener assembly is a single elongate fastener having an arcuate central saddle portion formed to closely follow the outer surface of the height adjustable pylon and two straight end portions that constitute said end portions.

5 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the angle at which the two frame members meet each other at the corner is selected from a right angle and an acute angle.

6 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the two frame members meet each other at the corner at an acute angle of about 60°.

7 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface of the two frame members engaged by the height adjustable pylon is pre-formed to provide a contact surface conforming substantially to the outer surface of the height adjustable pylon.

8 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the two frame members are tubular frame members made of a deformable metal or other suitable material that is formed to provide said contact surfaces and flattened and perforated ends that are bolted or riveted together.

9 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the two frame members is part of one of two trusses each of which is composed of an upper straight frame member and a lower straight frame member with the two upper straight frame members and the two lower straight frame members serving as said frame members with each truss having one or more inclined brace members extending between the upper straight frame member and lower straight frame member of each truss.

10 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the inclined brace members are selected from a group consisting of tubular section, angle section, channel section, and flat bar with flattened ends and a flattened central region that are perforated to accommodate bolts, rivets or other fasteners passing through them.

11 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the one or more inclined brace members are limited in number to a single elongate brace member for each span of frame members between adjacent height adjustable pylons.

12 . The height adjustable pylon and supporting frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein vertical adjustment of the height adjustable pylons is employed to cause lower ends of multiple pylons to engage a supporting surface to support both the supporting frame and the height adjustable pylons supported thereby.

Assignees

• Univ Stellenbosch

Inventors

• Landman Willem Adolph
• Larmuth James Nicholas

Classifications

• F24S25/65

  for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together · CPC title

• F24S25/13

  Profile arrangements, e.g. trusses (F24S25/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24S25/12

  using posts in combination with upper profiles · CPC title

• F24S25/16

  Arrangement of interconnected standing structures; Standing structures having separate supporting portions for adjacent modules · CPC title

• F24S25/70

  with means for adjusting the final position or orientation of supporting elements in relation to each other or to a mounting surface; with means for compensating mounting tolerances · CPC title