Base for support of a removable post

Abstract

A base for supporting a removable sign post on a surface utilizes a clamp, housed within a tubular housing, to grip and engage the post in a gripping position. The clamp has a clamp element that is flexibly displaceable to grip the post or alternatively has more than one discrete clamp element, each of which is actuable relative to the housing. Actuators, such as setscrews or bolts, are advanced through the housing into engagement with a corresponding clamp element to cause the clamp to grip the post. The actuators are retractable from the housing to cause the clamp to release from the post in a released position to enable removal of the post or insertion of the post into the base.

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A base for releasably supporting a post from a supporting surface comprising:
 a tubular housing securable to the surface and having a perimeter wall forming a bore for receiving the post;   a clamp element located in an annular portion of the bore adjacent the perimeter wall, the clamp element actuable radially into the bore in a gripping position and releasable to a released position; and   at least one actuator located between the housing and the clamp element, wherein   when the at least one actuator engages the clamp element, the clamp element engages the post and the post is driven laterally towards an opposing wall of the housing for gripping the post therebetween; and   when the at least one actuator is released from the clamp element, the post is released from the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The base of  claim 1  wherein the clamp element further comprises:
 one or more clamp elements having an inner surface corresponding to a gripped surface of post, the clamp elements residing within the annular portion of the bore. 
 
     
     
         3 . The base of  claim 2  wherein the at least one actuator further comprises:
 one or more fasteners extending radially through the housing for engaging the one or more elements, the fasteners actuable to drive the elements into the post. 
 
     
     
         4 . The base of  claim 1  wherein, the clamp element further comprises:
 a generally C-shaped element encompassing more than one half a circumference of the housing, the C-shaped element forming at least one flexible arm, and 
 wherein each of the at least one actuator engages the at least one flexible arm for driving the flexible arm into the post. 
 
     
     
         5 . The base of  claim 4  wherein the post is circular and the C-shaped element further comprises an arcuate inner surface corresponding to the circular post. 
     
     
         6 . The base of  claim 4  wherein:
 the C-shaped element further comprises a midpoint forming two flexible arms extending circumferentially therefrom, and 
 the at least one actuator comprises two actuators, each actuator releasably engaging each flexible arm. 
 
     
     
         7 . The base of  claim 6  wherein the midpoint is secured to the housing to align each arm with each actuator. 
     
     
         8 . The base of  claim 1  wherein the clamp element is formed of a material resistant to deformation from engagement with the at least one actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The base of  claim 1  wherein the housing may be affixed to a baseplate for mounting the system to the supporting surface. 
     
     
         10 . The base of  claim 1  wherein the housing is embedded in the supporting surface. 
     
     
         11 . The base of  claim 1  wherein the at least one actuator is a setscrew. 
     
     
         12 . A method for releasably supporting a post from a supporting surface comprising:
 supporting a housing from the supporting surface, one or more clamping elements within the housing and forming a post-receiving bore therein, the clamping elements residing in an annulus between the post-receiving bore and the housing;   actuating the clamping elements to a released position for receiving a post;   actuating one or more of the one or more clamping elements to a gripping position for gripping the post; and   for post removal, actuating the one or more clamping elements to the released position for releasing the post.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the actuating of the clamping elements to the gripping position comprises radially advancing one or more actuators from the housing to reduce the effective diameter of the bore for clamping the post therein. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the actuating of the clamping elements to the gripping position comprises radially advancing one or more actuators from the housing reduce the effective diameter of the bore for clamping the post between the one or more clamping elements and the housing. 
     
     
         15 . A post and base for releasably supporting the post from a supporting surface comprising:
 a post having a base end;   a housing supported by the supporting surface and having a perimeter wall and a post-receiving bore for receiving the base end of the post;   a clamp located in an annulus between the bore and the housing, the clamp actuable radially between a released and a gripping position; and   at least one actuator located between the housing and the clamp, wherein   in the gripping position, when the at least one actuator engages the clamp, the clamp engages the base end of the post, and the base end is driven laterally towards an opposing wall of the housing, gripping the base end, and   in the released position, when the at least one actuator is released from the clamp, the clamp releases from the base end of the post permitting the base end to be released from the housing.