Swiveling banner-carrying apparatus

Abstract

A banner-carrying apparatus which reduces the folding and winding up of the banner or flag about the banner-carrying pole by using a tubular sleeve coaxially, annularly and rotatively mounted about a flag pole shaft. Low friction bearing surfaces allow the sleeve to freely rotate unwinding, through the force of gravity, a flag which has been wound upon it. Specialized clamps provide adjustable and releasable securing of the flag to the sleeve.

1 . A banner-carrying apparatus which comprises: 
 an oblong rigid rod having a top extremity and a given outer diameter;    a substantially rigid tubular sleeve defining a central cavity having a lower end and an opposite upper end;    said sleeve being sized and shaped to coaxially and rotatively mount over said rod;    a cap closing said upper end, said cap having an axial pit tapering to a closed vertex;    a spike projecting axially from said top extremity and having a tapered sharp end point engaging said axial pit, thereby forming a low friction first bearing; and,    a banner secured to said sleeve;    whereby said spike engaging said pit causes a self-centering of said rod within said sleeve, and whereby said banner is encouraged to defurl under the influence of gravity when said rod is oriented at a non-vertical angle.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said axial pit is substantially cone-shaped.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said spike and said cap are each made from a material comprising steel.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said rod is oriented at an angle which is non-vertical.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which further comprises: 
 said sleeve having an inner diameter substantially greater than said outer diameter;    a second bearing comprising a cylindrical plug removably inserted into said lower end and having a central hole rotatively engaging said rod; and    a retaining ring fixedly mounted on said rod within said sleeve proximate said second bearing, whereby said ring restricts axial movement of said sleeve with respect to said rod.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said rod is oriented at an angle greater than 90 degrees from vertical.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one snap-clamp sized and shaped to releasably engage said sleeve.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which further comprises said banner being shaped to have an oblong pocket sized to slip over said sleeve.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , which further comprises said at least one snap-clamp being further sized engage said sleeve over said banner.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprises a substantially U-shaped hoop portion.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said banner comprises a mounting ring sized to be penetrated by said hoop portion of said at least one snap-clamp.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , which further comprises said at least one snap-clamp being further sized engage said sleeve over said banner, whereby said at least one snap-clamp is capable of engaging either said mounting ring or a second banner having a peripheral pocket.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said sleeve is formed to have at least one axially restrictive prominence formed onto an outer surface of said sleeve.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said prominence comprises: 
 a variable depth channel and wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprises a prong shaped to intimately engage said channel.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprises a toothed jaw sized to engage said sleeve.