Flagpole accessories: halyard, pulley, arm and ground sleeve

A flagpole is more than the tube. The accessories decide how the flag is raised, how it is protected against theft, how easy maintenance is and how the whole looks. This guide presents the common accessories in France and what they do.

For raising the flag

• Halyard: the rope that runs through the pulley at the top and raises and lowers the flag. It is generally braided polyester, resistant to UV light.
• Pulley: at the top of the pole, often built into a revolving truck that follows the wind to stop the flag wrapping.
• Cleat: the part around which the halyard is wound to lock it. According to the flag maker Doublet, on a standard single pole the halyard is reachable from outside and fastened to a cleat.
• Snap hooks, rings or eyelets: they connect the flag to the halyard. A counterweight or a closed-loop halyard holds the bottom of the flag.
• Crank: some poles with an arm are operated with a crank system, which raises and lowers the banner without tilting the pole.

Against theft and noise

On an anti-theft pole, the halyard runs inside the pole and can only be reached through a lockable hatch. According to Doublet, this system protects the flag against theft and damage, and avoids the noise of the halyard resonating against the pole in wind or gusts. On poles with an arm, the counterweight acts as an anti-theft device.

At the top of the pole

• Finial: a ball or point that finishes the pole. The façade staffs of public buildings often carry a gilt point.
• Arm: a horizontal bar that holds a vertical banner; a pole with two arms has one at the top and one at the bottom.
• Revolving truck: it turns with the wind and limits the flag wrapping around the pole.

At the foot of the pole

• Ground sleeve: a tube set in concrete into which the pole fits, so it can be removed.
• Base plate: a plate bolted onto anchor rods; a tilting base plate allows the pole to be lowered to change the flag or halyard without an aerial platform.
• Weighted mobile base: for event poles, placed on the ground without a foundation.

On the façade

• Bracket: a slanting wall mount into which the staff slides. It comes as a single, double or cluster version for several flags.
• Façade shield: a shield, often in the national colours or bearing the municipality’s arms, behind which the staffs are fixed.
• Staff: a wooden stick, covered or varnished, to which the flag is stapled or nailed.

For mourning and night

• Black ribbon and crêpe tie: according to the Ministry of the Interior’s guide, a black ribbon is tied to the top of the pole when the flag cannot be flown at half-mast. More on this is in the guide to half-mast.
• Lighting: a floodlight on the ground or at the top of the pole lights the flag at night. The guide to flag lighting covers the rules on light pollution.

The guide to flagpole mechanics explains how these parts work together.