Flagpole mechanics: how the flag goes up and down

The hoisting mechanism described in the manufacturers’ sheets is old and simple: a line running over a pulley at the top of the pole. Law 5,700 assumes this mechanism when it speaks of a flag raised on a pole or halyards and of a flag at half-halyard. This guide explains how it works and how the rules of the law translate into the use of the pole.

Pulley and halyard

On outdoor poles, the flag goes up on a halyard, the hoisting line, which runs over a pulley at the top. The sheets of the manufacturers consulted include this system: Metalsinter makes tubular and polygonal poles with a pulley system for hoisting the flag, and B&B Iluminação supplies its poles with hoisting fittings ready for use:

1. a 2½-inch pulley with a V groove, over which the line runs;
2. a guide washer welded along the shaft, which guides the line along the pole;
3. a cleat, on which the braided line is tied in a figure of eight.

The line forms a loop between the base and the top. The flag is attached to one side by its hoist; pulling the other side raises it to the pulley. To keep it at the top, the line is tied off on the cleat. The guide to flagpole accessories describes each part.

Raising and lowering

Under article 15 of Law 5,700, the flag may be raised and lowered at any time of day or night; it is normally raised at 8 a.m. and lowered at 6 p.m., and on Flag Day, 19 November, it is raised at noon. When the flag stays on the pole at night, it is properly lit.

When several flags are raised or lowered at the same time, the national flag is the first to reach the top and the last to come down (article 16). On a line of poles, this means the national flag starts to go up a little before the others and comes down a little after them.

Half-mast

For a flag in mourning, article 17 provides that, when it is raised or lowered, it is first taken to the top. The movement is therefore:

• in the morning: the flag goes up to the top and then down to half height, where the line is tied off on the cleat;
• in the afternoon: the flag goes back up to the top and only then is lowered.

On a pole without a halyard, such as a fixed façade bracket or a panóplia without a pulley, the flag cannot be put at half-mast. The guide on half-mast covers the situations of mourning.

The continuous changeover on the Praça dos Três Poderes

The special pole on the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília has a rule of its own: under article 12(1), the flag is replaced with special ceremonies on the first Sunday of every month, and the new flag reaches the top of the pole before the old one starts to come down. The flag thus never leaves the top of the pole.

Indoor poles

In panóplias, the poles may be simple stands of wood, metal or plastic, according to the Memorial of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Minas Gerais. When the pole is taller than a person, a line attached to a pulley at the top is generally used, with its ends tied to the base, as on an outdoor pole.

Care of the mechanism

The line and the pulley work at every raising and are exposed to sun and wind. The guide to flagpole maintenance covers inspecting these parts, and the guide to flagpole repair replacing a broken line or a jammed pulley.