Breakaway utility pole shear base structure

• US 4,813,199 A
• Filed: 04/29/1988
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shakespeare Company LLC (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Shakespeare Company LLC (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, John R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/188,351
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 52/297, 52/298, 52/98, 52/296, 404/9, 404/10, 403/2
• US Class Current: 52/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/635 by shearing or tearing, e.g. having weakened zones
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/63 Frangible connections

Abstract

A breakaway utility pole structure having a tubular base (11) anchored in the ground substantially at ground level and adapted to telescopically secure the bottom end portion of a pole (9), the base (11) having a circumferential shear groove (20) adjacent to its bottom end, and the base being secured in the base by adhesive material (12) and by bolts (21) spaced above the shear groove (20), the shear groove is adapted to cause failure of the base when the pole is subjected to horizontal impact at a predetermined distance above ground level from a vehicle of predetermined weight moving horizontally at a predetermined minimum speed.

Claims

1. A breakaway utility pole mounting structure comprising:

a utility pole having at least one substantially tubular end portion;

a base anchor in the ground substantially at ground level having a tubular portion extending vertically above ground level and adapted telescopically to enclose said pose end portion;

said base tubular portion having a circumferential shear groove therein adjacent its bottom end; and

bolt means spaced above said groove and passing through said base tubular portion and said pole end portion to secure said base tubular portion to said pole end portion;

said shear groove adapted to cause failure of the base when said pole is subjected to impact at a predetermined distance above the base from a vehicle of predetermined minimum weight moving horizontally at a predetermined minimum speed.

2. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein an adhesive material bonds said pole end portion to said base tubular portion, said adhesive material adapted to fail at the shear groove coincident with failure of said base.

3. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 2, wherein said base is adapted to release said pole while secured to the upper portion of the base above the shear groove upon failure at the shear groove, leaving a base structure part no more than 4 inches above ground level.

4. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 3, wherein said base is subjected to impact 18 inches above ground level.

5. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 4, wherein said base is subjected to impact from a vehicle weighing 1800 pounds moving at about 29.3 feet per second.

6. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said shear groove is spaced about 1 inch above the bottom of said base tubular portion.

7. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 6, wherein an adhesive material bonds said pole end portion to said base tubular portion, said adhesive material adapted to fail at the shear groove coincident with failure of said base.

8. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 7, wherein said base is adapted to release said pole while secured to the upper portion of the base above the shear groove upon failure at the shear groove, leaving a base structure part no more than 4 inches above ground level.

9. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 8, wherein said base is subjected to impact 18 inches above ground level.

10. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 6, wherein the radial thickness of said base tubular portion is about 3/16 inch and the shear groove is about 0.100 inch deep by about 0.060 inch wide.

11. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein the radial thickness of said base tubular portion is about 3/16 inch and the shear groove is about 0.100 inch deep by about 0.060 inch wide.

12. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 11, wherein said base is adapted to release said pole while secured to the upper portion of the base above the shear groove upon failure at the shear groove, leaving a base structure part no more than 4 inches above ground level.

13. A breakaway mounting surface as in claim 12, wherein said base is subjected to impact 18 inches above ground level.

14. A breakaway mounting structure as in claim 13, wherein said base is subjected to impact from a vehicle weighing 1800 pounds moving at about 29.3 feet per second.