AU2021102377A4

AU2021102377A4 - Support Base

Info

Publication number: AU2021102377A4
Application number: AU2021102377A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Barry Bloomfield
Original assignee: EARTHTRACK GROUP Pty Ltd
Current assignee: EARTHTRACK GROUP Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-06
Filing date: 2021-05-06
Publication date: 2021-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 2029-05-06

Abstract

A support base (10) comprising an outer shell (12) defining a fillable cavity. An 5 opening (40) is provided to receive a pole (11) on which equipment may be supported and feet (26) are provided on a lower wall of the outer shell (12). Recesses (28) are provided in an upper wall (18) of the outer shell (12) and are positioned to correspond to the feet (26) such that the feet (26) of a further support base (10) may be received in the recesses (28) in a stacked 10 configuration. Bores (30) extend downwardly from one or more of the recesses (28) to the corresponding feet (26) such that securing rods (32) may be received through the bores (30) of stacked support bases to secure the support bases together. 15 1/7 28 30 40 10 16 28 34a 28 18 3a34b 12 34a 28 34b 30 30 28 14 34a 26 28 34a 14 26 16 20 22 24 26 28 30 Fig 1

Description

1/7

28 30 40 10 16 28 34a 28 18 3a34b 12 34a 28 34b 30 28

14 34a

26 28

34a

14 26 16

20 22 24

26 28 30

Fig 1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For an Innovation Patent

Invention title:

"Support Base"

Applicant:

Earthtrack Group Pty Ltd

Associated provisional applications:

The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:

"Support Base"

Field of the Invention

[001] The present invention relates to support base for a vertical pole of the type that may be used to support a light.

Background to the Invention

[002] Temporary lighting installations are used in a variety of applications, such as on worksites and for events. Such lighting generally comprises a weighted base which is used to support a pole on which a light unit is mounted, in order to provide an elevated light to illuminate an area around the base. Such temporary lighting is generally transported to the required area by truck, where multiple bases must be lifted into position with suitable lifting equipment.

[003] The present invention relates to a base provided to support a pole on which lighting, or other similar equipment, may be mounted. The present invention is designed to allow ease in transporting multiple bases to the site and in securely stacking and supporting multiple bases together.

Summary of the Invention

[004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a support base comprising: an outer shell defining a fillable cavity, the outer shell including upper and lower walls; an opening to receive a pole on which equipment may be supported; feet provided on the lower wall, the feet comprising outwardly protruding portions of the outer shell; recesses in the upper wall of the outer shell positioned to correspond to the feet such that the feet of a further support base may be received in the recesses in a stacked configuration; and bores extending downwardly from one or more of the recesses to the corresponding feet such that securing rods may be received through the bores of the support base and the further support base in the stacked configuration to secure the stacked support bases together.

[005] Preferably the upper and lower walls are rectangular and the recesses and feet are provided in the corners of the upper and lower walls respectively, with the bores being provided in each of said recesses.

[006] Preferably channels are provided in the upper wall located between the recesses to receive securing straps for holding together multiple support bases such that the securing straps may extend downwardly to pass between the feet of a lowermost of the support bases.

[007] Preferably the upper wall is connected to the lower wall by an edge wall comprising first and second side walls and first and second end walls and wherein there are provided first channels extending between the first and second side walls and second channels extending between the first and second end wall.

[008] Preferably wherein the second channels extend across the full width of the upper wall and the first channel comprise channel sections located adjacent the first and second side walls.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[009] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings:

[010] Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a support base in accordance with the present invention;

[011] Figure 2a is a top view of the support base of Figure 1;

[012] Figure 2b is a bottom view of the support base of Figure 1;

[013] Figure 3a is a side view of the support base of Figure 1;

[014] Figure 2b is an end view of the support base of Figure 1;

[015]

[016] Figure 4 is a view of the support base of Figure 1 shown supporting a pole;

[017] Figure 5 is a view of two support bases in a stacked configuration supporting a pole;

[018] Figure 6 is a view of three support bases in a stacked configuration; and

[019] Figure 7 is a view of the three stacked support bases secured with straps.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[020] Referring to Figures, there is shown a support base 10 comprising an outer shell 12 provided to define an inner cavity. The cavity is fillable with a suitable ballast material such as sand or water in order to increase the weight of the support base 10. The outer shell 12 is provided with one or more holes 14 to allow filling and emptying of the cavity. The holes 14 are provided with removable caps 16.

[021] The outer shell 12 comprises upper and lower walls 18 and 19 connected by an edge wall 20. The edge wall 20 in embodiment shown comprises first and second side walls 22 and 23 and first and second end walls 24 and 25. The upper and lower walls 18 and 19 are generally planar and rectangular in shape as are each of the first second side walls 22 and 23 and the first and second end walls 24 and 25.

[022] The lower wall 19 of the outer shell 12 includes a plurality of feet 26. The feet 26 comprise outwardly protruding portions of the outer shell 12. The feet 26 are provided around the periphery of the lower wall 19. In the embodiment shown, feet 26 are provided adjacent each of the corners of the rectangular lower wall 19. Feet 26 are also provided on the lower wall 19 adjacent the first and second side walls 22 and 23 being positioned centrally between adjacent pairs of the corner feet 26.

[023] The upper wall 18 of the outer shell 12 is provided with a plurality of recesses 28. Each of the recesses 28 corresponds in position to one of the feet 26 such that when a further support base 10 is placed on top of the support base 10, the feet 26 of the further support base 10 are received within the recesses 28. In embodiment shown, lower ends of the feet 26 are generally rectangular and the recesses 28 are therefore also generally rectangular in shape. Further, the embodiment shown includes recesses 28 adjacent each of the corners of the upper wall 18 along with recesses 28 located adjacent the first and second side walls 22 and 23.

[024] The support base 10 is provided with a plurality of bores 30 extending from the upper wall 18 to the lower wall 19. The bores 30 extend from within the recesses 28 to lower surfaces of the feet 26 and are each provided for receiving a securing rod 32. The securing rods 32 are provided to extend through aligned bores 30 of support bases 10 in the stacked configuration. The securing rod 32 includes end members 34 engageable with opposed ends of the securing rods 32 when the support bases 10 are in the stacked configuration to retain the support bases 10 in the stacked configuration. In embodiment shown, the bores 30 are provided in the recesses 28 located adjacent the corners of the upper wall 18.

[025] The upper wall 18 of the outer shell 12 is provided also with a plurality of channels 36. The channels 36 are located between adjacent pairs of recesses 28 such that a securing strap 38 extending across the upper wall 18 may be received into one of the channels 36. The securing straps 38 are passed around multiple support bases 10 in the stacked configuration (as can be seen in Figure 7) and the location of the channels 36 in the upper wall 18 allows for the securing straps 38 to pass between adjacent pairs of feet 26 on the lower wall 19.

[026] In embodiment shown, there are provided first channels 36a extending between the first and second side walls 22 and 23 and second channels 36b extending between the first and second end wall 24 and 25. The second channels 36b in embodiment shown extend across the full width of the upper wall 19 while the first channel 36a comprise channel sections located adjacent the first and second side walls 22 and 23.

[027] The upper wall 18 includes an opening 40 provided to receive a pole 11. The opening 40 extends from the upper wall 18 through to the lower wall 19. Equipment such as a lighting unit may be mounted to an upper end of the pole 11 such that when the pole 11 is received in the opening 40, the equipment is securely mounted in an elevated position above the support base 10.

[028] The holes 14 are provided adjacent both the upper and lower walls 18 and 19. In embodiment shown, holes 14 are provided in outer surfaces of the feet 26 as can be seen in Figure 3a. Holes 14 are also provided in the upper wall 19 adjacent the first and second end walls 24 and 25. Larger sized holes 14 are also provided on the upper wall 18 to allow quicker filling of the outer shell 12 with material such as sand.

[029] It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A support base comprising: an outer shell defining a fillable cavity, the outer shell including upper and lower walls; an opening to receive a pole on which equipment may be supported; feet provided on the lower wall, the feet comprising outwardly protruding portions of the outer shell; recesses in the upper wall of the outer shell positioned to correspond to the feet such that the feet of a further support base may be received in the recesses in a stacked configuration; and bores extending downwardly from one or more of the recesses to the corresponding feet such that securing rods may be received through the bores of the support base and the further support base in the stacked configuration to secure the stacked support bases together.

2. A support base in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper and lower walls are rectangular and the recesses and feet are provided in the corners of the upper and lower walls respectively, with the bores being provided in each of said recesses.

3. A support base in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein channels are provided in the upper wall located between the recesses to receive securing straps for holding together multiple support bases such that the securing straps may extend downwardly to pass between the feet of a lowermost of the support bases.

4. A support base in accordance with claim 3, wherein the upper wall is connected to the lower wall by an edge wall comprising first and second side walls and first and second end walls and wherein there are provided first channels extending between the first and second side walls and second channels extending between the first and second end wall.

5. A support base in accordance with claim 4, wherein the second channels extend across the full width of the upper wall and the first channel comprise channel sections located adjacent the first and second side walls.

Earthtrack Group Pty Ltd by its Patent Attorneys Armour IP