Antenna mount

• US 3,928,952 A
• Filed: 06/04/1975
• Issued: 12/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas P. Whyte
• Original Assignee: Thomas P. Whyte
• Inventors: Whyte, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, J. Karl
• Application Number:
  US05/583,545
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 52/110 343/713,888
• US Class Current: 52/110
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an antenna mount apparatus of the type which mounts an antenna onto a vehicle. The antenna mount apparatus includes a base member having a bottom adapted for being secured to a vehicle and a cavity having walls defining cam surfaces. The antenna mount also includes a pivotable member within the cavity. The pivotable member includes a receptacle for receiving an antenna to be mounted and peripheral cam surfaces that co-act with the base cam surfaces so that when in a first position, the antenna apparatus is semi-locked with the antenna disposed in a vertical position and when in a second position the antenna mount is locked with the antenna disposed in an acute position extending towards the rear of the vehicle. Because the mount is semi-locked in the first position, should the antenna strike an overhanging obstruction during vehicle movement, the impact will cause the mount to assume the second position so that the impact will be diminished leaving the antenna undamaged and lowered for clearing further low overhanging objects.

Claims

1. An antenna mount apparatus for mounting an antenna onto a vehicle comprising:

a base member including a bottom adapted to be secured to a vehicle surface, a cavity having a concave cam surface on a first wall thereof and a convex cam surface on a second wall thereof, said first and second walls being opposite and facing one another, and an elongated slot in the top of said base member and separating said cam surfaces;

a pivotable member within said cavity having a receptacle extending through said elongated slot and adapted for receiving an antenna to be mounted, said pivotable member being pivotable between a first position and a second position, said pivotable member also including a first convex peripheral surface portion and a shallow concave peripheral surface portion, said first convex peripheral surface portion extending from said receptacle and terminating integrally with said shallow concave portion, said first convex portion and said shallow concave portion facing said concave cam surface when said pivotable member is in said first position, and a second convex peripheral surface portion and a second concave peripheral surface portion, said second convex peripheral surface portion extending from said receptacle to and integrally terminating with said second concave peripheral surface portion, said second concave peripheral surface portion facing and engaged with said base convex cam surface when said pivotable member is in said first position; and

resilient means for resiliently holding said pivotable member in communication with said base member cavity walls;

whereby, when said pivotable member is in said first position, the antenna is disposed in a vertical semi-locked position with said second concave peripheral surface portion in engagement with said convex cam surface, and when said pivotable member is in said second position the antenna is disposed in locked acute position with said shallow concave peripheral surface portion engaged with said concave cam surface and said second convex peripheral surface portion engaged with said convex cam surface.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elongated base member slot includes an abuttment surface at one end, and wherein said receptacle is in abuttment relation with said abuttment surface when said pivotable member is in said first position.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the top of said base member is substantially arcuately shaped and wherein said abuttment surface is approximately at the apex of said arc.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said base member bottom includes an elongated opening and wherein said pivotable member includes an extension extending through said base member opening forming a handle, the arcuate displacement of which causes said pivotable member to be pivoted between said first and second positions.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said pivotable member is also vertically displaceable within said cavity for unlocking the engagement of said shallow concave peripheral portion and said concave cam surface with downward displacement of said pivotable member.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said resilient means comprises a spring.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said pivotable member includes an opening and an elongated slot, and wherein said base member includes an extension extending through said pivotable member slot, and wherein said spring is disposed between said base member extension and the inner peripheral surface of said pivotable member opening.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said pivotable member elongated slot is in said shallow concave peripheral portion.

9. An antenna mount apparatus for mounting an antenna onto a vehicle comprising:

a base member including a bottom adapted to be secured to a vehicle surface, a cavity within said base member having a concave cam surface on a first wall thereof and a convex cam surface on a second wall thereof, said first and second walls being opposite and facing one another, an elongated slot in the top thereof terminating at one end in an abuttment surface, and an elongated opening in said bottom;

a pivotable member within said cavity having a receptacle extending through said elongated slot and adapted for receiving an antenna to be mounted, said pivotable member being pivotable between a first position wherein said receptacle is in abuttment relation with said abuttment surface and a second position, said pivotable member also including a first convex peripheral surface portion and a shallow concave peripheral surface portion, said first convex peripheral surface portion extending from said receptacle and terminating integrally with said shallow concave portion, said first convex portion and said shallow concave portion facing said concave cam surface when said pivotable member is in said first position, and a second convex peripheral surface portion and a second concave peripheral surface portion, said second convex peripheral surface portion extending from said receptacle to and integrally terminating with said second concave peripheral surface portion, said second concave peripheral surface portion facing and engaged with said base convex cam surface when said pivotable member is in said first position, and a handle extension extending through said base member elongated opening, the arcuate displacement of which causes said pivotable member to be pivoted between said first and second positions; and

a spring for resiliently holding said pivotable member in communication with said base member cavity walls;

whereby, when said pivotable member is in said first position, said receptacle is in abuttment relation with said abuttment surface and said antenna is disposed in a vertical semilocKed position with said second concave peripheral surface portion in engagement with said convex cam surface so that when the antenna strikes an obstruction the pivotable member will assume said second position to dispose the antenna in locked acute position for clearing further obstructions with said shallow concave peripheral surface portion engaged with said concave cam surface and said second convex peripheral surface portion engaged with said convex cam surface.