Pole and hub

Abstract

There is provided a pole system suitable for supporting other objects such as bird feeders, plants and the like, the pole system having a pole with at least one transversely extending aperture formed therein, a pin mounted in the aperture and extending exteriorly of the pole on opposite sides thereof, and a hub member having a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a scalloped wall which is arranged to receive the pin such that the hub member is supported, the scalloped wall permitting rotation of the hub when sufficient rotational force is applied thereto.

Claims

1. A pole system comprising: a pole having at least one transversely extending aperture formed therein, said aperture extending through said pole; a pin mounted in said aperture, said pin extending exteriorly of said pole on opposite sides thereof; and a hub member rotatably mounted on the pole, said hub member having a bottom surface, said bottom surface including a scalloped wall, said scalloped wall sitting on said pin such that said hub member is supported, said scalloped wall comprising a plurality of arcuate recesses so as to permit rotation of said hub about said pole when a sufficiently large rotational force is applied to said hub, said hub member further including an outer wall, said scalloped wall being located interiorly of said outer wall, said outer wall extending downwardly about said pin to thereby prevent removal of said pin.

2. The pole system of claim 1 further including a plurality of apertures extending through said pole.

3. The pole system of claim 1 further including a container, said container being supported by said hub member.

4. The pole system of claim 1 wherein said hub member includes a plurality of vertically extending inner channels, a plurality of supporting members each including a vertical segment, each of said vertical segments being designed to fit within a corresponding vertically extending inner channel.

5. The pole system of claim 4 wherein each of said supporting members is arranged to receive a container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective of a still further embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the hub member of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom of a hub according to the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the bottom of the inner and outer walls forming a hub member; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the hub member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters thereto, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a first embodiment of the present invention wherein there is shown a pole system generally designated by reference numeral 10.

(11) Pole system 10 includes a pole 12 which, in some embodiments, may be formed of a plurality of components suitably secured together. As seen, pole 12 includes a screwthreaded end segment 14. Screwthreaded end system 14 is preferably formed to have a double helical screw on the outside thereof. The double helical screw preferably includes a first thread which extends outwardly from the base by a first distance, and a second thread which extends outwardly from the base by a second distance, with the first distance being greater than the second distance.

(12) As may be seen in FIG. 1, the lower portion of pole 12 is surrounded by a baffle 16 in order to deny access to animals attempting to climb the pole system. Both pole 12 and baffle 16 may be formed of any suitable material and in the preferred embodiment, are formed of a metallic material.

(13) In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, pole system 10 includes a lower hub 18 and an upper hub 20 which will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

(14) The top of the pole is capped with a finial 22.

(15) Upper hub 20 has a plurality of upper supporting members 24 mounted therein as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. Each upper supporting member 24 has a curled end forming a hook 26. Mounted on upper supporting members 24 are bird feeders generally designated by reference numeral 28. Each bird feeder 28 may be any suitable type known in the art.

(16) Lower hub 18 also supports lower supporting members 30 which extend outwardly therefrom. Each lower supporting member 30 has a tray 32 associated therewith. Trays 32 are mounted so as to be below a respective bird feeder 28. When feeding from bird feeders 28, certain birds discard a number of seeds. These stray seeds can kill vegetation located below the bird feeder. In the present case, each tray 32 will catch the excess seed and other birds may eat the same.

(17) Pole 12 includes a plurality of apertures 34 formed therein. Pole apertures 34 are designed to receive a member to allow the support of hubs 18, 20.

(18) Turning to the embodiment of FIG. 2, there is illustrated a modification of the pole system of FIG. 1. In the arrangement of FIG. 2, there is provided an intermediate hub and container generally designated by reference numeral 36. There is also provided a lower hub and a container generally designated by reference numeral 38.

(19) Turning to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a pole system wherein pole 12 is comprised of a plurality of pole sections 42. In lieu of a threaded end segment, there is provided a base 44 for support of pole sections 42.

(20) FIGS. 4 to 8 illustrate a hub member 20. Hub member 20 is formed to have an outer wall 48 and an inner wall 50. Inner wall 50 has a scalloped bottom wall 52. Scalloped bottom wall 52 comprises a plurality of arcuate recesses 54. Each arcuate recess is defined by a first sloping wall 56 and a second sloping wall 58 which meet at an arcuate seat 60. Extending between outer wall 48 and inner wall 50 are a plurality of transverse walls 62 which define a plurality of inner channels. The inner channels are designed to receive supporting members 24. Each supporting member 24 includes a vertical segment 64 designed to fit within one of the channels. Connecting with vertical segment 64 is an outwardly extending support arm 66 which in turn has a downwardly extending segment 68 which reinforces support arm 66 and also provides an abutting portion against outer wall 48. As may be seen in the drawings, a support pin 70 extends through an aperture 34 in pole 12 and is designed to fit within arcuate recess 54.

(21) The arrangement is such that support pin 70 can ride up one of the sloping walls 56 to seat within an adjacent arcuate recess 54 if sufficient force is applied to hub 20. Such may be the case, for example, when exterior forces such as wind and/or a person knocking one of the arms supplies such a force.

(22) As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, a projection 78 is formed on outer wall 48 where downwardly extending segment 68 abuts the outer wall 48. A slot 80 is formed in the upper marginal edge of outer wall 48 to receive support arm 66.