Happy Independence Day everybody! As India celebrates its 69th independence day, we here at Sinapse wanted to join the festivities.
India is known for being the land of thinkers, intellectuals and innovators. Being the world’s largest democracy, freedom is not just a word for us, it is a way of life. Freedom does not only mean breaking free from physical constraints, it also mean breaking-free from all shackles that restrain our freedom of thought. So let us salute every thinker, every innovator, every inventor and every young dreamer for as Christopher Hitchens says in his book Letters to a Young Contratrian “The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
Continuing with the festivities, here is some interesting flag patents and flag hoisting technology trivia for you!
1. In the year 1914, inventor Zed Hetzel Copp designed and patented (USD46525) a new, original and ornamental design for a home flag.
The specification with reference to the above picture describes the flag as- the upper part consisting of thirteen stars with alternating red and white strips on either side; bottom white field with a roman cross in red, with the right field red and left field blue.
2. In the year 1909, inventor Charles Y. Turner designed and patented (USD40336) a design for a flag which was tricolor, consisting of three equal horizontal stripes of Nassau orange, white and light blue. In the middle of the center stripe were the initials H.F. in red and on each side of the initials is a branch of laurel in its natural color.
3. Another design for a flag was patented (USD35985) in the year 1902 by A. Reed Conner. The flag was rectangular in shape with triangular corners of a contrasting color, such as purple. A diamond shaped space is located central of the flag and alternate stripes of yellow and white extend diagonally across the flag. The pictorial representation of an aristocratic man occupies the center of the diamond shaped space. The representation of a chicken appears at the lower corner, an opossum at the right-hand corner, and a watermelon at the left-hand corner of the said diamond-shaped space.
FLAG HOISTING TECHNOLOGY
External Halyard System
External halyard (rope) system is the most widely used technique for hoisting flags. The Flag hoisting device is provided with a pole body that is erected upward from the ground, a revolving pulley fitted to the upper end of flag body, the flag is attached to the rope by using swivel type snap hooks. As the rope runs down the outside of flagpole, the flag can be moved up and down.
Internal Halyard System
Highly Flexible stainless steel cable is routed through the interior of the flagpole shaft. The cable is attached to a gearless positive locking winch that allows display of the flag at any position on the pole. The cable is routed over two pulleys inside the revolving pulley and ends with a neoprene ball block to prevent jamming at the poles top. Then, an arrangement, the length of each flag to be flown, is attached. At the bottom of this arrangement a beaded sling encircles the pole and keeps the flag tight against the flagpole. The neoprene-coated counterweight allows for proper lowering of the flag. A removable winch handle is used to raise and lower the flag through an access hole in the pole. A flush-hinged door with a cylinder lock is provided to access and maintain the winch and cable
Internal cam system
This type of internal halyard system is substantially more cost effective. The cam cleat replaces the winch and the door is removable allowing for access to operate the halyard. Standard nylon rope is used in lieu of stainless steel cable and a stationary truck instead of a revolving truck. This system can be used in 5″ diameter poles and above. The cam system is not recommended on poles 35′ and above.
