Mounting structure

• US 4,431,332 A
• Filed: 09/30/1982
• Issued: 02/14/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autotenna A Partnership Comprised of Alan Fischel and Westland Associates
• Original Assignee: Autotenna
• Inventors: Dieges, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundrat, Andrew V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fischetti, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US06/428,946
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 343/715, 343/888, 343/887, 403/259, 403/261, 403/256, 403/252, 403/195, 403/196, 403/90, 403/239, 174/138 A, 174/153 A, 174/152 A, 52/110, 248/539
• US Class Current: 403/252
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/20 Connections with hook-like parts gripping behind a blind side of an element to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/403 Threaded clamping parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/02 with special provisions for engaging surfaces which are not perpendicular to a bolt axis or do not surround the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32311 Ball and socket

Abstract

A mounting structure for mounting an automobile antenna, shaft, mirror or other device within a hole in a support surface such as a fender, at various angles to such support surface, comprises a base which partially passes through the hole, a device-supporting bushing which partially passes through the base, a clamping nut above, and a retainer below, the support surface. The bushing has engagement means above the support surface to mate with the clamping nut and stop means below the support surface against which the retainer pivots and bears. The base has a central aperture receiving the bushing, which can swing through various angles. A spherical upper bearing surface on the base mates with the clamping nut, and includes a flange bearing against the upper support surface. A toothed lower surface and a pair of legs extend downwardly from the base and have inner surfaces parallel to a given plane. Toothed upper edges on the plates on the retainer mate with the toothed base surface and a pivot point on the lower edge, thus engaging the bushing stop means. Each of the retainer plates also have pointed wings whose tops engage the bottom of the support surface adjacent the hole, and means connecting the plates. With the above structure, loosening of the clamping nut permits lateral movement of the retainer and adjustment of the bushing, to place the device in the desired upright or angular position. Fully tightening the clamping nut bends the retainer to engage the teeth on the base, fixing the bushing and device in position.

Claims

1. A mounting structure for mounting a device securely in a selected attitude, within a hole in a support surface, from one side of the surface, comprising:

a base disposed adjacent the upper side of the support surface, said base being adapted to partially pass through said hole and having an arcuate bearing surface on the upper side thereof and a central aperture therein;

bushing means fitting through the central aperture of said base and coupled to support said device therein and including engagement means extending therefrom in the lower region thereof;

clamping means threadedly coupled to the upper end of said bushing and including a lower bearing surface mating with the arcuate surface of said base through a range of positions;

retainer means disposed about said bushing below said support surface and contacting the engagement means;

said base including a toothed lower surface extending below the bottom of said support surface; and

said retainer means having a toothed upper surface facing the toothed lower surface of said base, and including spaced apart wing means engaging the bottom of said support surface outside the perimeter of said hole, the retainer means deforming when the clamping means is tightened on the bushing means such that the facing teeth come into engagement.

2. The mounting structure of claim 1, wherein retainer means further comprises ring means interconnecting said wing means and said wing means extend upwardly beyond the toothed upper surface until sufficient deformation of said retainer means.

3. A mounting structure for mounting a device in the form of an antenna, shaft, mirror and the like, within a hole in a support surface, at various angles within a plane perpendicular to said support surface, which comprises:

a base adapted to partially pass through said hole;

a bushing which partially passes through said base and is adapted to support said device therein;

a clamping nut mounted on the upper end of said bushing, said clamping nut having a lower bearing surface to mate with said base, and a matching engagement means to mate with said bushing;

a retainer means adapted to be positioned below said support surface;

said bushing having engagement means to mate with said clamping nut and pivot means against which said retainer means pivots and bears;

said base having a central aperture through which said bushing passes and is adapted to swing in said plane through said various angles, an upper bearing surface to mate with the lower bearing surface of said clamping nut, flange means adapted to bear against the top of said support surface, and a toothed lower surface adapted to be disposed below the bottom of said support surface; and

said retainer means comprising plate means, said plate means having a toothed upper surface adapted to mate with the toothed lower surface of said base, a pivot point on said plate means to mate with said pivot means of said bushing, and wing means carried on said plate means and adapted to engage the bottom of said support surface outside the perimeter of said hole.

4. The mounting structure of claim 3, said base having depending legs, and said plate means comprising a pair of parallel plates mounted on said retainer means and disposed between said legs and said bushing, each of said plates having a toothed upper surface and having a pivot point on the lower edge thereof, to mate with said pivot means of said bushing.

5. The mounting structure of claim 4, said wing means comprising at least two wings mounted on each of said plates and having end portions extending upwardly to slidably engage the bottom of said support surface to permit lateral movement of said retainer means with respect to said base when the toothed upper surfaces of said plates are disengaged from the toothed lower surface of said base, to change the angle of said bushing, said wings making fixed contact with the bottom of said support surface when the toothed upper surfaces of said plate engage the toothed lower surface of said base to maintain the bushing in a fixed angular position.

6. A mounting structure for mounting a device in the form of an antenna, shaft, mirror and the like, within a hole in a support surface, at various angles within a plane perpendicular to said support surface, which comprises:

a base adapted to partially pass through said hole;

a bushing which partially passes through said base and is adapted to support said device therein;

a clamping nut mounted on the upper end of said bushing, said clamping nut having a lower bearing surface to mate with said base, and a matching engagement means to mate with said bushing;

a retainer means adapted to be positioned below said support surface;

said bushing having engagement means to mate with said clamping nut and pivot means against which said retainer means pivots and bears;

said base having a central aperture through which said bushing passes and is adapted to swing in said plane through said various angles, an upper bearing surface to mate with the lower bearing surface of said clamping nut, a flange adapted to bear against the top of said support surface, a toothed lower surface adapted to be disposed below the bottom of said support surface, and a pair of legs on opposite sides of said central aperture, and adapted to pass through said hole a distance from the bottom of said support surface equal to at least the height of the teeth of said toothed lower surface; and

said retainer means comprising a pair of spaced plates parallel to said plane and disposed between each of said legs and said bushing, said plates having a toothed upper surface adapted to mate with said toothed lower surface of said base, a pivot surface on the lower edge of each of said plates to mate with said pivot means of said bushing, wing means on each side of said plates, said wing means having top portions adapted to engage the bottom of said support surface outside the perimeter of said hole, and connecting means between said plates forming an aperture through which said bushing passes, said plates being disposed parallel to said plane and located between each of said legs of said base, and said bushing.

7. The mounting structure of claim 6, said lower bearing surface of said clamping nut and said upper bearing surface of said base being spherical mating surface, said matching engagement means of said clamping nut and said bushing being a threaded engagement.

8. The mounting structure of claim 6, said flange on said base having a diameter larger than said hole, and said pair of legs on said base passing through said hole a distance from the bottom of said support surface, between about 2 and 10 times the height of the teeth of said toothed lower surface of said base.

9. The mounting structure of claim 6, said wing means on said retainer means comprising a pair of wings disposed outwardly from each of said plates, said wings being disposed at an angle to said plane perpendicular to said support surface, greater than 45°

, the top portions of said wings having points thereon adapted to slidably engage the bottom of said support surface.

10. The mounting structure of claim 9, wherein the tops of said pointed wings are disposed above the top of the teeth of said toothed upper surfaces of the plates of said retainer means by at least the height of said teeth, to permit lateral movement of said retainer means with respect to said base, while pivoting on the pivot means of said bushing, with said tops of said wings slidably engaging the bottom of said support surface, to change the angle of said bushing, prior to fully tightening said clamping nut, and wherein said pointed wings twist, and wherein said connecting means between the plates of said retainer means bends, to permit the toothed upper surfaces of said plates and the toothed lower surface of said base to engage when said clamping nut is fully tightened.

11. The mounting structure of claim 6, said toothed lower surface of said base being disposed between each of the legs on said base and said central aperture of said base, and said connecting means between the plates of said retainer means being substantially semicircular rings.

12. The mounting structure of claim 6, including a disk insulator positioned between the flange on said base and the top of said support surface.

13. The mounting structure of claim 6, said pair of legs on said base passing through said hole a distance from the bottom of said support member of about three times the height of the teeth of said toothed lower surface of said base.

14. A mounting structure for mounting a device in the form of an antenna, shaft, mirror and the like, within a hole in a support surface, at various angles within a plane perpendicular to said support surface, which comprises:

a base adapted to partially pass through said hole;

a bushing which partially passes through said base and is adapted to support said device therein;

a clamping nut mounted on the upper end of said bushing above said support surface, said clamping nut having a lower spherical bearing surface to mate with said base, and a threaded inner surface for mating engagement with said bushing;

a retainer means adapted to be positioned below said support surface;

said bushing having external threads at its upper ends for matching engagement with said clamping nut and outwardly extending diagonally disposed pivot pins against which said retainer means pivot and bears;

said base having a central aperture through which said bushing passes and is adapted to swing in said plane through said various angles, an upper spherical bearing surface to mate with the lower spherical bearing surface of said clamping nut, a flange larger in diameter than said hole and adapted to bear against the top of said support surface, a toothed lower surface having teeth wherein the root of said teeth are adapted to be disposed at least below the bottom of said support surface, and a pair of legs on opposite sides of said central aperture and which pass through said hole a distance from the bottom of said support surface equal to at least twice the height of the teeth of said toothed lower surface and having their inner surfaces parallel to said plane, said toothed lower surface being disposed between each of the legs and said central aperture of said base;

said retainer means comprising a pair of spaced plates parallel to said plane and disposed between each of said legs and said bushing, each of said plates having a toothed upper surface adapted to mate with said toothed lower surface of said base, a pivot surface on the lower edge of each of said plates to mate with said pivot pins of said bushing, a pair of wings disposed outwardly from each of said plates, said wings being disposed at an angle to said plane perpendicular to said support surface, greater than 45°

, said wings each having a top portion and a point thereon adapted to slidably engage the bottom of said support surface outside the perimeter of said hole, and substantially semicircular connecting rings between said plates, forming an aperture through which said bushing passes, said plates being disposed parallel to said plane and located between each of said legs of said base, and said bushing;

and wherein the tops of said pointed wings are above the top of the teeth of said upper toothed surfaces of said plates by at least the height of said teeth, to permit lateral movement of said retainer with respect to said base, while said plates pivot on the pivot pins of said bushing with the tops of said wings in slidable engagement with the bottom of said support surface, to change the angle of said bushing, prior to fully tightening said clamping nut, and wherein said pointed wings twist, and the connecting rings between said plates of said retainer means bend, to permit the teeth of said plates and the teeth of said base to engage as said clamping nut is fully tightened.