Ground sleeve
AssigneeHuffy Corporation
InventorsJames N. Fitzsimmons, Randy R. Schickert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support structure or ground sleeve for supporting a pole including a cap threadably engageable with an open end of a sleeve body. The ground sleeve includes a sleeve body adapted to be positioned in a ground surface for receiving and supporting a pole and includes at least one flange extending outwardly from the sleeve body for preventing the sleeve from rotating in the ground, a collet for engaging the pole, and an inwardly tapered closed end of the sleeve body for centering an end of the pole. An inwardly tapered race surface of the cap and a plurality of cirumferentially-spaced tabs of the sleeve body cooperate to define the collet. In addition, the ground sleeve is formed of a weather resistant non-corrosive material.
Claims25
A support structure for supporting a pole comprising:
- a sleeve having a longitudinal axis and a deformable open end with an inner periphery of predetermined size for receiving a pole;
- a cap having a camming surface inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and being engageable with said open end of said sleeve to adjust the size of the inner periphery of said open end and form a collet for engaging the pole;
- and
- wherein said sleeve is formed of a corrosion resistant material.
A sleeve for securing in the ground a pole having a predetermined outer diameter within a range of diameters, said sleeve comprising:
- a sleeve body having a longitudinal axis and a deformable end having an opening with an inner periphery for receiving a pole;
- an adjusting member mountable on said sleeve body for longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve body, said adjusting member having a camming surface inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body, said camming surface being engageable with said deformable end for adjusting the inner periphery of the opening to conform to the predetermined outer diameter and fixedly retain the pole in the sleeve body.
A basketball goal assembly to be detachably secured in the ground, said assembly comprising:
- a basketball backboard and hoop;
- a pole having a predetermined size within a range of sizes for supporting the basketball backboard and hoop;
- a sleeve having a longitudinal axis and a deformable end having an opening with an inner periphery for receiving one end of the pole;
- an adjusting member mounted on said sleeve for movement relative to the sleeve, said adjusting member having a camming surface lying in a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, said inclined camming surface being engageable with the deformable end for adjusting the inner periphery of the opening to conform to the predetermined size and fixedly retain the pole within the sleeve.
A method for securing in the ground a support pole having a predetermined size within a range of sizes, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) embedding in the ground a ground sleeve having an open end and an adjusting cap with a radially tapered camming surface;
- b) inserting the pole through the open end of the ground sleeve;
- and
- c) moving the adjusting cap relative to the ground sleeve such that the camming surface adjusts the size of the open end of the ground sleeve to conform to the predetermined size and fixedly retain the pole in the ground sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.