AU4236502A - Sign stand - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act, 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT NAME OF APPLICANT ACTUAL INVENTOR ADDRESS FOR SERVICE TSSL Limited David Crichton Peter Maxwell Associates Level 6 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 INVENTION TITLE: DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED APPLICATION NO SIGN STAND 511,898 24 May 2001 New Zealand The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:m:\docs\20021022\008676.doc Doc'' r AN\M atp A The invention pertains to stands and more particularly to a stand for a sign such as a highway sign.

Portable or deployable highway signs are useful for notifying motorists and pedestrians of changing traffic conditions, road works, emergencies and temporary conditions which effect vehicle or pedestrian movements. Such a sign must be stable when in use, easily deployed, compact when in storage and offer some resistance to vandalism or tampering.

According, there is provided a sign stand which is adapted to support a sign which is affixed to a post or pole. The stand comprises a base having three or more legs which extend from a central vertical support. A weight shelf extends between two adjacent legs.

In preferred embodiments, the legs are four in number. A weight shelf extends between one pair of adjacent legs. The other two legs each support a portion of a weight shelf, the portions having a gap therebetween.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the weight shelf and the weight shelf portions are generally parallel.

In other embodiments of the invention, the centre of the underside of the base is elevated above the underside of the terminal extremities of the legs.

In other preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more solid, onepiece weights are provided, the weights adapted to lie flat on either the weight shelf or across the shelf portions.

In other preferred embodiments, the weight shelf and/or one of the shelf portions are provided with a small opening and the weights are provided with handles which features permit the weight to be locked to the stand.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a sign stand according to the teachings of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device depicted in Figure 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a sign stand weight.

As shown in Fig. 1, a sign stand 10 comprises a generally X-shaped base 11 and a central and vertical support 12. The base 11 comprises, in this example, 4 legs 13 which radiate from a central junction or intersection 14.

The vertical support 12 is located above the intersection of the legs 14. The support 12 may be a hollow tube (as illustrated) or alternately be provided in the form of a solid or other section. The X shape may be formed from two "V" shaped units 20 joined at their vertices.

A weight shelf 15 extends between a pair of adjacent legs 13. The weight shelf 15 may be provided in the form of an uninterrupted 700 mm length of angle stock, for example, having angle stock dimensions 112 x 35 x 3 mm.

The opposite legs each support a piece of similar angle section 16 spaced apart by a gap 17. The gap 17 is adapted to be wider than and therefore admit the central vertical support 12 of an adjacent stand 10 so that the units may be stacked, for example on the back of a vehicle, in a manner which permits rapid deployment by sliding rather than lifting individual sign stands 10. Once a stand 10 is deployed, one or more weights 30 are used to hold it down.

As shown in Fig. 3, a weight 30 comprises an elongated solid metal section having, at one end, a handle 31. In preferred embodiments, the body of the weight (excluding the handle) is approximately equal to the length of the shelf 15 or end-to-end length of the shelf portions 16, 16.

Note that the weight shelf 15 and at least one of the weight shelf portions 16 include a through opening 18. The opening 18 allows a padlock or padlock and chain combination to be used to securely lock the weight 30 to the stand The weight 30 may be fabricated from a 700 mm length of 50 x 100 mm steel bar. In preferred embodiments, the handle 31 is approximately 65 mm long and extends the full width of the weight.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the X-shaped base portion is fabricated from 35 mm diameter tube and the central support 12 is fabricated from a 450 mm length of 50 x 50 x 3 mm section or tube. In such an example, the overall width of the X-shaped base is approximately 810 mm and the overall length of the base is approximately 1,420 mm. As shown in Fig. 2, the centre of the underside of the base is elevated above the underside of the terminal extremities 21 of the legs 13 by a distance d equal to about 30 mm.

This provides stability on the ground.

It will be appreciated that where the central support 12 was provided as a tube, that such a tube or hollow section will vertically support a post or a pole which is affixed to a sign. In the alternative, the sign may be integrated with the stand at the time of manufacture.

It will be appreciated that stands made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may be fabricated from a variety of materials and not only those which are explicitly mentioned with reference to the present example.

Claims (8)

1. A stand for a sign, comprising: a base having three or more legs which extend from a central vertical support; a weight shelf extending between two of the legs; the vertical support extending above the legs and being adapted to support a sign.

2. The stand of claim 1, wherein: each leg comprises a terminal extremity having an underside; the legs having a central junction; the central junction is elevated above the terminal extremities of the legs.

3. The stand of either of claims 1 or 2, wherein: the legs are four in number and form an X shape; a second weight shelf extends between the other two legs.

4. The stand of claim 3, wherein: the second weight shelf is in two portions having a gap between them.

The stand of any of claims 1-4, further comprising: a first weight with a handle, the length of the weight being approximately equal to a length of a weight shelf.

6. The stand of claim 5, wherein: a portion of the stand includes an opening through which a weight may be padlocked.

7. The stand of any one of claims 1-6, further comprising: a sign on a pole which is adapted to be held upright by the central vertical support.

8. The stand of claim 5, further comprising: a second weight similar to the first weight. Dated this 14 day of May 2002 TSSL Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES