Theft resistant upstanding mount for temporary positioning of costly equipment at unattended outdoor locations

• US 20150240988A1
• Filed: 02/05/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin B. White
• Original Assignee: Franklin B. White
• Inventors: White, Franklin B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/003 Access covers or locks therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/383 Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/028 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00

Abstract

Theft resistant upstanding mounts adjustably support at temporary, often unattended outdoor locations, such costly devices as compact, wireless electronic devices that control such excavation machinery as bulldozers and road graders. Each mount is connectable to or includes a massive base structure, and includes an upstanding, telescopically extensible mast. Lockable connections are provided between many components of the mount. A lockable, swivel connection provided between the mast and a costly device supported atop the mast permits leveling of the costly device for proper operation even if a longitudinal axis of the upstanding mast deviates significantly from true vertical. A protective cover locked to the mast assembly denies access to a control knob that might otherwise be used to detach the costly device from the mast.

Claims

1. A theft resistant upstanding mount for adjustably supporting at temporary outdoor locations a costly device likely to be a target for theft, comprising:

a) a base assembly formed from a first set of components that include a massive barrier segment having a substantially flat ground-engageable surface, and having a saddle-shaped support assembly overlying and clamped to the massive barrier segment;

b) a mast assembly rigidly connected to the saddle-shaped support assembly and formed from a second set of components that include at least two relatively movable components that are telescopically extensible and retractable along an upwardly extending longitudinal axis, with substantially adjacent components of the second set being lockably connected to deter disassembly;

c) a leveling assembly supported by the mast assembly at an above-ground height and an orientation that are determined at'"'"'least in part by an extent to which the two relatively movable components are extended or retracted along the longitudinal axis, and by the orientation of the longitudinal axis, with the leveling assembly being capable of attempting to level and fine tune the leveling of the costly device connected thereto by tilting the costly device through only quite a limited first range of angular movement relative to how the leveling assembly is oriented by the mast assembly; and

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d) a spherical bearing interposed between the mast assembly and the leveling assembly, and being capable of tilting the leveling assembly relative to the longitudinal axis through a second range of angular movement that is significantly greater than the first range of angular movement, and to thereby orient the leveling assembly so it can succeed during an attempt to level the costly device by tilting within the quite limited first range of angular movement.

2. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 1 wherein the massive barrier segment is formed from at least one a large block of concrete that weights at least hundreds of pounds, and the telescopically extensible mast assembly is formed from a plurality of steel segments that are capable, when fully extended, of supporting the costly device at a height of greater than 12 feet, whereby the weight and size of the upstanding mount when the mast segments are fully extended provide an unwieldily structure that deters theft by its weight and height.

3. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 1 including at least one padlockable formation provided on the saddle-shaped support assembly that deters removal of the saddle-shaped support assembly from the massive barrier segment.

4. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 1 including a padlockable formation provided near an exposed fastener formation on the mount, and including a padlock installed on the padlockable formation that obstructs access to the exposed fastener formation.

5. A theft resistant upstanding mount for adjustably supporting at temporary outdoor locations a costly device likely to be a target for theft, comprising:

a) a base assembly formed from a first set of components that include a saddle-shaped support assembly configured to overlie and to be clamped to a massive barrier segment having a substantially flat ground-engageable surface;

b) a mast assembly rigidly connected to the saddle-shaped support assembly and formed from a second set of components that include at least two relatively movable components that are telescopically extensible and retractable along an upwardly extending longitudinal axis, with substantially adjacent components of the second set being lockably connected to deter disassembly;

c) a leveling assembly supported by the mast assembly at an above-ground height and an orientation that are determined at least in part by an extent to which the two relatively movable components are extended or retracted along the longitudinal axis, and by the orientation of the longitudinal axis, with the leveling assembly being capable of attempting to level and fine tune the leveling of the costly device connected thereto by tilting the costly device through only quite a limited first range of angular movement relative to how the leveling assembly is oriented by the mast assembly; and

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d) a spherical bearing interposed between the mast assembly and the leveling assembly, and being capable of tilting the leveling assembly relative to the longitudinal axis through a second range of angular movement that is significantly greater than the first range of angular movement, and to thereby orient the leveling assembly so it can succeed during an attempt to level the costly device by tilting within the quite limited first range of angular movement.

6. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 additionally including means for holding a tiltable component of the spherical bearing in a desired attitude to which the tiltable component has been tilted.

7. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 6 wherein the means for holding the tiltable component of the spherical bearing includes at least one threaded fastener connected to one of a set of relatively movable components of the spherical bearing, and being extensible into engagement with another of the set of relatively movable components.

8. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 6 additionally including a skirt structure that is connectible to the spherical bearing and is configured to extend in spaced relationship about the spherical bearing to shroud the threaded fastener, with a hole being formed through the skirt structure to permit an elongate tool to extend therethrough for engaging and turning the threaded fastener.

9. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 8 including at least one exposed fastener formation that, by being exposed and unprotected, invites a disassembly attack, but which, if loosened and removed, does not facilitate disassembly of any part of the upstanding mount.

10. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 8 including two relatively movable components that have aligned holes formed therethrough that are secured by a threaded fastener extending therethrough which has a nut threaded onto the fastener, with aligned holes being formed through the nut and the threaded fastener, and with a padlock having a shackle that extends through the aligned holes to secure the fastener, the nut, and the two relatively movable components.

11. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 10 wherein one of the two relatively movable components provides a shroud or protective cover that limits access to other components of the upstanding mount.

12. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 including at least one padlockable formation provided on at least a selected one of the first and second sets of components that renders deters disassembly of the selected set of components.

13. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 including a padlockable formation provided near an exposed fastener formation on the mount, and including a padlock installed on the padlockable formation that obstructs access to the exposed fastener formation.

14. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 including a movable control member on the mount, and including a cover that is lockable onto the mount that blocks access to the movable control when locked onto the mount.

15. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 with the two relatively movable components of the mast assembly includes a first component that extends into and is received within a second component, alignable holes are formed through the first and second components, and a lockable hitch pin assembly extends through the alignable holes when aligned.

16. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 15 additionally including a shroud structure that is connected to the second component to at least partially protectively enclose and limit access to at least one end region of the lockable hitch pin assembly when the hitch pin assembly is extending through the aligned holes.

17. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 16 wherein two shroud collars are welded to opposed side surfaces of the second component to protectively enclose and limit access to opposite end regions of the lockable hitch pin assembly, and a pair of cover structures are provided for closely enclosing the collars, with the cover structures being padlockable together.

18. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 wherein the leveling assembly has a threaded component that is threaded onto an upstanding threaded element of the spherical bearing, and a jam nut is installed on the threaded upstanding element and is tightened into engagement with the threaded component, with the jam nut being held in place by a roll pin installed to extend through the jam nut and through the threaded upstanding element after the jam nut has been tightened into engagement with the threaded base plate component.

19. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 18 wherein a tubular member is lowered into an open central region of the leveling assembly in surrounding relationship to the jam nut that has the roll pin installed therein, with the tubular member serving to shroud from view jam nut and the installed roll pin.

20. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 5 additionally including bracket means connected to one side of the mast assembly for supporting a battery pack to power the costly device, with the bracket means being configured to permit installation of device for locking the supported battery pack to the bracket means.

23. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 20 with the leveling assembly including a control member movable between a retention position and a release position, with the leveling assembly being capable of retaining the costly device when in the retention position, and permitting removal of the costly device from the leveling assembly when in the release position, with the upstanding mount further including means attachable to the mount to deter control member movement.

24. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 23 including lockable means for retaining on the mount the means attachable to the mount.

25. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 23 including means to retain the costly device in the nearly level orientation when the spherical bearing has moved the costly device to the nearly level orientation.

26. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 23 wherein the swivel bearing assembly includes an external member that supports for swivel movement an internal member having a generally spherical exterior surface portion, and a plurality of fasteners that are extensible through holes defined by the external member to engage the spherical surface portion of the interior member to retain the costly device in the nearly level orientation once the costly device is in the nearly level orientation.

27. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 26 with a threaded member connected to and extending upwardly from a central part of the internal member, and connection means coupling the threaded member to the costly device.

28. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 26 additionally including a skirt structure connectible to the spherical bearing assembly and configured to shroud the plurality of fasteners, with holes being formed thru the skirt structure to permit an elongate tool to extend therethrough for engaging and turning individual ones of the fasteners.

34. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 23 additionally including a leveling assembly connected to the swivel bearing assembly, and secured to an upstanding threaded component of the leveling assembly by a jam nut tightened onto the threaded component and by a roll pin driven through aligned holes that extend through the jam nut and the threaded component.

21. A theft resistant upstanding mount for adjustably supporting at temporary outdoor locations a costly device likely to be a target for theft, comprising:

a) a base assembly structure positionable atop and configured to be securely connected to a massive concrete structure;

b) a mast assembly securely connected to the base assembly and extensible upwardly therefrom along an upwardly extending longitudinal axis for positioning a costly device supported atop the mast assembly at a selection of above-ground heights; and

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c) a spherical bearing assembly securely connected to an upper portion of the mast assembly and being configured to be securely connectable to a costly device so as to enable the mast assembly to support the costly device at the selection of above-ground heights and in a nearly level orientation even when the upwardly extending longitudinal axis deviates as much as about thirty degrees from true vertical.

22. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 additionally including a leveling assembly interposed between the spherical bearing assembly and a costly device connected to the spherical bearing assembly, with the leveling assembly being capable of fine-tuning a level orientation of the costly device once the spherical bearing assembly has positioned the costly device in a nearly level orientation.

29. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 additionally including a resilient member positionable between the base assembly and the concrete structure for damping the transmission of vibration from the concrete structure to the base assembly.

30. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 wherein the mast assembly includes a plurality of telescopically extensible sections with at least two of the extensible sections being adjacent, having alignable holes formed therethrough, with the adjacent sections being connected by a pin component extending through the alignable holes when aligned.

31. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 30 with the pin component is a lockable hitch pin assembly.

32. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 including at least one tool engageable fastener formation thereon that is encircled in space relationship by a collar having at least one transversely extending hole formed therethrough, and a padlock having a shackle extending through the hole so as to obstruct tool access to the tool engageable fastener formation.

33. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 additionally including a leveling assembly interposed between the spherical bearing assembly and the costly device and being capable of fine-tuning a level orientation of the costly device once the spherical bearing assembly has positioned the costly device in a nearly level orientation.

35. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 21 additionally including a tubular member surrounding and shrouding from view the jam nut and the roll pin.

36. A theft resistant upstanding mount for adjustably supporting at temporary outdoor locations a costly device likely to be a target for theft, comprising:

a) a base assembly formed from a first set of disconnectable components and configured to rest atop a ground surface to underlie and support an upstanding mast assembly;

b) an upstanding mast assembly connected to the base assembly and formed from a second set of disconnectable components including components that are telescopically extensible along an upstanding longitudinal axis;

c) a spherical bearing assembly connected to an uppermost one of the second set of components and providing an upstanding component that can tilt and swivel through a relatively large range of angular movement relative to the longitudinal axis; and

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d) a costly device that is a likely target for thieves connected to the upstanding component for being tilted by the spherical bearing assembly as needed to roughly level the costly device for proper operation.

37. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 36 wherein the first set of components forming the base assembly includes a saddle-shaped support structure and a massive concrete barrier segment atop which the saddle-shaped support structure is configured to sit, and to which the saddle-shaped support structure is capable of clamping.

38. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 37 wherein the first set of components includes lockable threaded fasteners that cause the saddle-shaped support structure to be clamped to the barrier segment.

39. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 36 including a leveling assembly interposed between the upstanding mast assembly and the costly device, with the leveling assembly being capable of fine tuning a level orientation of the costly device atop the mast assembly.

40. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 39 including a control member that can be moved to release the costly device from the leveling assembly, and a cover is connectable to the upstanding mount to shroud the control member so it cannot be accessed and moved to release the leveling assembly.

41. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 39 wherein the control member is a component of the leveling assembly, and the cover is connectable to the leveling assembly to shroud the movable control to deny access to the movable control.

42. A theft resistant upstanding mount for a costly device, comprising:

a) a saddle-shaped base assembly configured to overlie and to be securely connected to an upstanding concrete k-rail;

b) an elongate, telescopically extensible mast assembly including a lower component connected to the saddle-shaped base assembly, and an upper component that is movable relatively to the lower component to permit telescopic extension and retraction of the mast assembly along an upstanding axis;

c) leveling means connected to the upper component of the mast assembly including a spherical bearing that permits an costly device supported atop the upstanding mount to enable the costly device to be moved to an nearly level orientation that differs quite substantially from a longitudinal axis of the telescopically extensible mast assembly so the costly device can be leveled for proper operation.

43. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 42 wherein the spherical bearing includes an internal member having a curved external surface, and fasteners that can engage the curved external surface to maintain the nearly level orientation.

44. A theft resistant upstanding mount for a costly device, comprising:

a) a base configured to overlie an upstanding concrete barrier, with the base having a pair of spaced members configured to depend along opposite upstanding sidewalls of the concrete barrier, with at least one of the spaced members having a component that is movable toward and away from the other of the spaced members to enable the spaced members selectively to disengage from, and to clampingly engage, the opposite upstanding sidewalls;

b) a plurality of threaded fasteners connected to the base, with each of the threaded fasteners having a formation that can be turned relative to the base to cause the component to move toward or away from an upstanding sidewall of the concrete barrier;

c) a collar welded to the base and surrounding the formation to limit access to the formation; and

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d) at least one hole formed through at least one wall of the collar for receiving a shackle of a pad-lock that, when receiving a shackle, further obstructs access to the component; and

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e) an upwardly extending telescopically extensible mast connected to the base, including at least a lower member connected to the base and extending upwardly therefrom, and an upper member movably connected to the lower member, and being configured for connection to a costly device to be supported atop the upstanding mount.

45. The theft resistant upstanding mount of claim 44 wherein the collar is a tubular member having a sidewall that extends from a rear end region of the collar that is welded to the base, and a forward end region of the collar that is spaced from the base, wherein the formation that can be turned includes a hex formation that can be turned by a tool inserted into the collar through the forward end region, and the at least one hole includes two aligned holes formed through opposite portions of the sidewall at locations that are closer to the forward end region than is the hex formation.