US2512169A - Open-end tube closure - Google Patents

Description

un 1950 D. A. NACHTIGAL 2,512,159

. orzn END TUBE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 22, 1946 INVEN TOR. 00/7/22/ 4- Nae/zbiya/ BY Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to interior closures for open end tubes and in particular protectors for side walk flag pole tubes wherein the tubes are permanently installed in the side walk with the open exposed ends flush with the surface of the walk.

Side walk flag pole tubes are normally used in the outer edges of side walks around public buildings, residences, and the like, and as the ends of the tubes remain open after the flag poles are removed the tubes fill with dirt, stones and the like, and cleaning objects from the tubes is very diflicult. A simple form of cap or closure is readily kicked off, or otherwise removed and lost or stolen, so that these flag pole tubes or pipes in side walks generally remain open.

The purpose of this invention is therefore, to provide closures for flag pole tubes in sidewalks which are locked down inside of the tube and which may be locked in place and unlocked by a screwdriver.

In providing a closure for flag pole tubes in sidewalks it has been found desirable to use a flat cover plate at the end of the tube and then look the plate by gripping jaws suspended down inside of the tube and operate the jaws to locking and unlocking position by a screw with a screw driver slot in the upper exposed end.

The object of the invention is therefore, to provide a protector for side walk flag pole tubes which may readily be installed in the tubes and at the same time readily removed.

Another object is to provide a closure for sidewalk flag pole tubes which may be standardized so that when the flag poles are removed it is not necessary that the same closure be used in the tube from which it was removed.

A further object is to provide a protector for flag pole tubes in sidewalks which is relatively simple and economical in construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention embodies a cover plate, an inner tubular element depending from said cover plate, a centrally positioned screw extending downward from said cover plate, a traveler on said screw, jaws on said traveler extending through notches in the walls of said inner tubular member, and stops positioned for sliding contact with the jaws.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the locking element assembly.

Figure 2 is a detail taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a side view of the locking jaws with the screw broken away.

Figure 3 is a view showing a side elevation of the inner tube.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the cover plate.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section on line 6-6 of Figure 5, through the protector and sidewalk flag pole tube.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the inner tube.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, the flag pole sidewalk protector of this invention is made with a cover plate l0, an inner tube II, and a screw 12.

The cover plate II] is provided with a central opening I3 for the screw [2, and also openings I 4 for tongues I 5 that extend from the end of the tube II, and which ass through the cover plate and are crimped over in assembling, as shown in Figure 6.

The head of the screw I2 is rotatably held in a socket is on the under side of the cover plate Ill, and on the lower part of the screw is a traveler IT with jaws l8 and I9 pivotally mounted thereon through a pin 20. The jaws are U-shaped with their legs curved as shown in Figure 6, and their open ends are held on the pin 20 with their closed ends extending through slots 2| and 22 in the sides of the tube H. In the lower end of the tube 1 l are cross bars 23 and 24 forming stops against which the jaws slide in looking and unlocking the protector.

The protector is inserted in a flag pole side walk tube and the screw turned to force the traveler downward to operate the jaws to locking position, and then turned in the opposite direction to release the device.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a closure for a sidewalk flag pole tube, a cover plate for the end of the tube, an inner tubular element depending within the tube from said cover plate and having a plurality of notches in the side wall thereof, a centrally positioned screw extending downward from said cover plate and having a tool engaging head on the opposite side of the plate to facilitate rotative movement of the screw within the plate, means secured to the underside of the plate for rotatively mounting the screw in the plate, a traveler threadedly supported on said screw, a plurality of jaws each 3 pivotally secured at one 'end thereof to said traveler and having the opposite end portions thereof extended outwardly through said notches in the tubular element respectively for gripping action with the inner side wall of the tube, and means influencing the jaws for gripping and releasing action with respect to said tube side wall as the screw is turned in opposite directions to cause downward and upward movement respectively of the traveler on the screw, said last named means comprising stops carried by said tubular element and positioned for sliding con- 10 Number tact with the outwardly extending end portions of the jaws.

DANIEL A. NACI-ITIGAL.

REFERENCES CITED Name Date 854,986 De Weese May 28, 1907

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