Frangible connector assembly for stanchions, poles and standards

Claim 1

STRUCTURE FOR CONNECTING AN UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER TO A LOWER ANCHORED SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING A SACRIFICIAL SELF-CONTAINED CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY, SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING AN UPPER SECTION ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO THE LOWER END OF SAID UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER AND A LOWER SECTION ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO THE UPPER END OF SAID LOWER ANCHORED SUPPORT MEMBER TO RIGIDLY CONNECT SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS WITH THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS BEING SPACED APART ABOUT THE CENTRAL REGION OF SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY, SAID CENTRAL REGION OF SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY BEING FRANGIBLE UPON IMPACT APPLIED TO SAID UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING AXIALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER BEARING SURFACES, AND A BENDABLE RETAINER CARRIED BY SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY, SAID RETAINER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER AXIALLY SPACED BEARING SURFACES, THE SPACING BETWEEN THE BEARING SURFACES ON SAID RETAINER BEING GREATER THAN THE SPACING OF THE BEARING SURFACES ON SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WHEREBY SAID RETAINER LOOSELY CONNECTS SAID UPPER AND LOWER CONNECTOR SECTIONS AND IS OPERABLE WHEN SAID CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN BROKEN TO MAINTAIN SAID UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID LOWER ANCHORED SUPPORT MEMBER WHILE PERMITTING LIMITED AXIAL SEPARATION OF SAID CONNECTOR SECTIONS SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE CONTROLLED TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER ANCHORED SUPPORT MEMBER.