|
CLARK
MASTS
These pages depict Clark Masts
original range of mast products.
|
| Page 1 of 18 - Clark Masts, over 67 Years Old in 2023 |
|
|
|
In the early 1970's Clark Masts published their first catalogue in 16 years. Alec Clark, the company's founder had been designing and building portable air-operated telescopic masts since 1957. During this time Alec Clark's unique lightweight portable masts had found their way into applications throughout the world with government Departments Of Defence, Police Departments, Fire Departments and Emergency Services. Commercial and industrial applications included for Radio Field Strength Surveying, TV Field Strength Surveying and portable radio communications. Alec Clark's company, Clark Masts Limited, performed practically ever manufacturing operation itself in-house. Fabrication, casting, precision machining, canvas sewing, plastic and rubber mouldings, anodising and plating, painting, printing, publishing and even the manufacture of packing cases were all in-house operations. Australian users first saw these unique portable masts in the early 1960's courtesy of a antenna manufacturing company called Belling-Lee and the foresight of a gentleman working for them at the time, Frank Welsh. Frank went on, with others, to form his own company, Scalar Industries, in the late 1960's and brought the Clark Masts agency with him. Following Frank Welsh's retirement from Scalar in the mid 1980's GFS Electronics took on the Australian distributorship and continued to market Clark Masts in the Australia Asia-Pacific region until the company was closed in 2011. In 2012 a new company, started by Greg Whiter, who was previously Managing Director of GFS Electronics took over the Australian distributorship of Clark Masts. That new company is Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd and still handles Clark's extensive range of masts today. Illustrated in these web pages, for historical purposes, are some pages from Clark Masts Limited early 1970's catalogue. |
 
|
|
Located at Binstead on the Isle Of Wight in the United Kingdom, Alec Clark's Clark Masts Limited built quite an organization, with most manufacturing operations carried on in house as can be seen from the catalogue introduction shown above. |
|
|
The smallest in Clark Masts Limited early 1970's mast range was the QT Series, consisting of four models which were sold with or without side mounted handpumps for mast erection. All four models in the QT Series used a base tube of 63.5 mm (2.5") outside diameter and had unguyed wind ratings, with 1000 square cm of sail on top, from 40 km/h to 128 km/h, depending on the model. Today's QT Series mast range consists of 200 different models, a far cry from the four models which existed 54 years ago! |
 
|
|
Clark Masts 1970's QT Series masts offered extended mast heights from 5 metres to 12 metres. All masts in the series had a 24 mm socket at their head with a quick clamp for attachment of their headload. Each size QT Series mast was available either with or without a side mounted handpump, unlike today's QT masts which are all supplied with handpumps. |
 
|
|
Shown below is a list of the various accessories available for Clark's early QT Series. The accessory range included a Tripod for "stand-alone" mounting of the mast, a handpump or 12/24 volt operated Air Source/Mast Controller for mast extension/retraction, various mounting brackets for the mast as well as for the headload. A range of Guying equipment was also available. |
 
|
|
CLARK SCAMP MOPED - A slight diversion from portable mast manufacturing occurred for Alec Clark in 1967 with the design and manufacture of a small moped called the Clark "Scamp". The Scamp was developed and marketed in the United Kingdom by Alec's company AN Clark (Engineers) Limited from March to November 1968. For more details on the Clark Scamp moped see HERE. |
