AU726279B2 - Foldable sign - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicants: DAVID WILLIAM GRAHAM MCCOURT JOHNATHON ANDREW ARMSTRONG DAVID WILLIAM GRAHAM MCCOURT JOHNATHON ANDREW ARMSTRONG Actual Inventors: Address for Service: CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

FOLDABLE SIGN Invention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Application: No. P00199 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

This invention relates to free-standing signs suitable for outdoor use particularly as roadside advertising signs, or for safety or warning signs. In particular, the invention relates to a foldable frame for a free-standing sign.

Free-standing signs for use on or adjacent roads for advertising purposes, to give safety messages, or to warn drivers of hazards, are well known. Use of such signs during road repair is commonplace. Free-standing signs also find use in pedestrian areas such as shopping malls and at sporting events.

Signs intended for the uses set out in the previous paragraph typically comprise a panel carrying the advertising, message or hazard signal which is held upright by legs of footings secured to the panel. The legs or footings must extend sufficiently beyond the panel to minimise the risk of the sign being blown over by the wind or by passing vehicles. Consequently, even a sign of modest dimensions say 1 m wide o.e* Sby 2 m high can occupy a reasonable amount of storage and/or transportation space because of the distance the legs or footings extend from the sign panel.

15 Demountable signs are known in which a panel is realeasably secured to a support structure such as a trestle, footings or the like. The sign can thus be V-06 dismantled for transportation and storage. However, these signs have the disadvantage that assembly and disassembly is required.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sign, or at least a 20 frame for a sign, which is free-standing and is suitable for outdoor use but does not take up as much space on storage or transportation as conventional free standing signs of a non-demountable nature.

In one aspect, the invention provides a foldable frame for a sign, said frame comprising: an I-beam chassis member having a leg pivotably connected at opposite sides of each end thereof, and a pair of spaced-apart sign support members pivotably connected to an upper surface of said I-beam chassis member; wherein each said leg can be pivoted between a position where it extends outwardly and downwardly of said chassis member and a position where it is received within the recess formed by said I-beam web and flanges, and wherein each said sign support member is pivotable between a position where it extends substantially perpendicularly of said chassis member and a position where it lies adjacent said chassis member.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a sign which includes the foldable frame of the first aspect.

It will be appreciated from the above description of the first aspect and the following exemplification that the sign frame can be folded into a compact unit in which frame members either lie against the chassis member or lie within the confines of the chassis member. So that the legs at opposite ends of a side of the chassis member can lie beside each other in the recess formed by the web and flanges of the I-beam, the pivotable connections are diagonally positioned. That is, one pivot point is at or near the bottom edge of the chassis member while the other pivot point is at or near the top edge of the chassis member. So that the chassis member will sit roughly parallel to the supporting surface when the legs are pivoted into their extended positions, legs which pivot from the upper edge of the chassis member are longer than the legs which pivot from the lower edge of the chassis member.

Swivel blocks are typically provided for connecting legs to the chassis member.

So that the legs extend downwardly of the chassis when folded away therefrom, the pivot blocks are angled with respect to the chassis member. Advantageously, the 15 pivot block is angled so that the legs project downwardly at about 200 to the horizontal when in their extended positions. The pivotable connection of a leg to the pivot block can be by any suitable means but is typically via a stepped bolt a portion of which :acts as a journal and which can be secured to the pivot block via a nut.

To prevent excessive outward pivoting of legs, stops are advantageously 20 provided which limits pivoting to no more than about 110*. An end plate fixed to the chassis member can also serve as a leg stop.

The longer legs are typically no longer than the chassis member so that in the folded state the legs do not extend past ends of the chassis member and are fully S"contained within the recesses formed by the web and flanges of the I-beam.

With regard to the sign support members, these typically pivot from points close to opposite ends of the chassis member. This is so that the members can be of similar length as the chassis member and not extend excessively past ends of the chassis member when in the folded position. So that the sign support members can lie beside each other when folded against the chassis member, the pivot points are located on opposite sides of the chassis member centre line. The pivotable connection of a sign support member is conveniently provided by a bracket or brackets extending from the surface of the chassis member to which or between which the sign support member can be secured with a nut and bolt. Support members advantageously include means for locking a member in the perpendicular (unfolded) position.

I

4 When used as a frame for a sign, the legs are folded away from the chassis member so that the member is stably supported above ground level and substantially parallel thereto. The sign support members are similarly folded away from the chassis member to extend perpendicularly therefrom where they can support a panel which carries the subject of the sign. When to be transported or stored, the sign panel is removed, the support members folded back against the chassis member, and the legs folded into the I-beam recesses to give an article of not much greater size than the chassis member per se.

The sign panel can be a flexible or inflexible material. Suitable materials include, plastics, metals, canvas, natural and synthetic tarpaulins, and reinforced plastics materials such as fibre glass. Sleeves are advantageously provided on opposite edges of a panel which are passed over the extended sign support members to hold the panel in position on the frame.

The frame members can be fabricated from any suitable material such as a 15 metal or a plastics material. A metal material is preferably used for the frame. A much preferred material is aluminium alloy. The leg and sign support members are typically tubular sections.

It will be appreciated that the sign frame can be dimensioned to support a sign panel of any desired size. By virtue of the broad foot print of the frame when the legs 20 are unfolded, a sign comprising the frame is stable even when fabricated from lightweight materials. Furthermore, the I-beam chassis member lowers the centre of gravity of the sign.

•Setting up a sign from a folded frame is simple and a sign can be erected in S•seconds. A further advantage is that many different sign panels can be used with the one frame. When the frame is folded and when the sign panel is a flexible material so that is can be folded or rolled, the entire sign can be easily transported.

Having broadly described the invention, a sign frame and sign comprising the same will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings briefly described hereafter.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sign frame according to the invention in an unfolded state with a sign panel fixed thereto.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the chassis member of the frame the subject of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sign frame the subject of Figure 1 but in the folded state.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown sign frame 1 comprising I-beam member 2 having legs 3 to 5 pivotably connected thereto. A fourth leg cannot be seen in this view of the frame but is pivotably connected to the end of chassis member 2 opposite leg 5 and like leg 5 atthe top edge of the chassis member. Each leg is pivotably connected to chassis member 2 via a nut and bolt, one of which is indicated at 6.

Sign support members 7 and 8 are pivotably connected to the upper surface of chassis member 2 via a nut and bolt passed though a pair of upstanding brackets and the support member. Taking support member 7 as an example, the nut and bolt is item 9 and the brackets 10a and 10Ob. The hole for bolt 9 in brackets 10a and is in fact a slot which extends longitudinally of each bracket. This allows upward movement of the pivot point when the support member is to be folded from the upright orientation shown in Figure 1. When in the upright orientation, member 7 and bolt 9 can drop down so that the end of member 7 is received as a clearance fit in a recess formed in the upper surface of chassis member 2. This aids retention of the support member in the upright position.

S Figure 1 also shows a sign panel 11 in position on support members 7 and 8.

Sign panel 11 is a sheet of vinyl material having sleeves formed at each side thereof, 12 and 13, to receive sign support members 7 and 8. Other edges, such as 14, of 20 sign panel 11 are hemmed to prevent fraying.

egoo* Chassis member 2 includes end plates 15 and 16. It can be appreciated from end plate 15 and leg 3 as shown in Figure 1 that end plates act as stops for pivoting of legs.

Turning now to Figure 2, there is shown chassis member 2 of Figure 1 is crosssection with the section plane through the holes for bolts 6 and 9 and viewed from the left of the member as shown in Figure 1. The I-beam nature of chassis member 2 can be appreciated from Figure 2 as can be appreciated that flanges 17 and 18, and web 19, define recesses on either side of the member, one of which can be seen as of Figure 1.

Pivot blocks 20 and 21 for legs 4 and 3, respectively, of Figure 1 can be seen in Figure 2 in cross-section as well as the sides of pivot blocks 22 and 23 for the legs at the other end of the chassis member. The swivel blocks are in effect sections of flanges 17 or 18 which are angled downwardly from the flanges at an angle of about 19'. Holes are provided in pivot blocks, such as indicated at 24, for the bolt which pivotably connects legs to the chassis member. Washers are advantageously used 6 between a leg and a pivot block to raise the leg above the surface of the pivot block.

Also shown in Figure 2 are the brackets to which the sign support members are connected. Brackets 10 a and 1 Ob of Figure 1 can be seen plus brackets 25a and for support member 8 of Figure 1. As brackets 10a and 10b are in cross-section, slotted holes 26a and 26b can be seen as well as a hole 27 through flange 17 for an end of support member 7 of Figure 1 when the member is in an upright position. It can be appreciated from Figure 2 that the pairs of brackets 10a and 10Ob, and and 25b -are not aligned but are on either side of the centre of chassis member 22.

This facilitates folding of the support members against the chassis member as will be discussed below.

The inside face of end wall 16 (Figure 1) can also be seen in Figure 2.

Chassis member 2 of the sign frame shown in the figures has dimensions of °*about 950 mm long by about 100 mm high by about 76 mm wide. The chassis member is fabricated from aluminium alloy as are the end plates. Support members 7 and 8 are aluminium alloy tubes of 20 mm diameter by about 630 mm in length.

Legs 3 and 4 are square section aluminium alloy of 20 x 20 mm and about 475 mm in length. The longer legs such as 5 of Figure 1 are of the same square section as legs 3 and 4 but are about 625 mm in length. It will be appreciated from the foregoing dimensions and the figures that sign panel 11 of Figure 1 isthus about 920 20 mm wide by about 600 mm high.

Figure 3 shows the sign frame of Figure 1 in a folded state. Chassis member 2 can be seen with legs 3 and 5 folded into recess 20. Because legs 3 and 5 pivot from diagonally opposite points on the chassis member, both legs can be received in e S.i recess Because bracket pair 10a and 10Ob is not aligned with bracket pair 25a and sign support members 7 and 8 can be folded against the upper surface of chassis member 2 to lie beside each other.

It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that many changes can be made to the sign frame and sign as exemplified above without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (14)

1. A foldable frame for a sign, said frame comprising: an I-beam chassis member having a leg pivotably connected at opposite sides of each end thereof, and a pair of spaced-apart sign support members pivotably connected to an upper surface of said I-beam chassis member; wherein each said leg can be pivoted between a position where it extends outwardly and downwardly of said chassis member and a position where it is received within the recess formed by said I-beam web and flanges, and wherein each said sign support member is pivotable between a position where it extends substantially perpendicularly of said chassis member and a position where it lies adjacent said chassis member.

The foldable frame of claim 1, wherein said legs are pivotably connected at diagonally opposite points on each side of said chassis member.

3. The foldable frame of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said legs at one end of said chassis member are pivotably connected at or near opposite lower edges thereof and said legs at the other end of said chassis member are pivotably connected at or near opposite upper edges thereof.

4. The foldable frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said pivotable connection of said legs to said chassis member is via a pivot block which is angled 20 with respect to said chassis member.

The foldable frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein stops are provided to limit outward pivoting of said legs.

6. The foldable frame of claim 5, wherein said stops comprise an end plate at each end of said chassis member.

7. The foldable frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sign support members are pivotably connected at points near opposite ends of said chassis member.

8. The foldable frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sign support members are pivotably connected at points which lie on opposite sides of a longitudinal central plane of said chassis member.

9. The foldable frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said sign support member includes means for locking said member in said perpendicularly extending position.

The foldable frame of claim 9, wherein said locking means comprises an aperture in said chassis member for receiving an end of a said sign support member 8 when in said perpendicularly extending position.

11. A sign comprising the foldable frame of any one of claims 1 to 10 in combination with a sign panel supported by said sign support members of said foldable frame.

12. The sign of claim 11, wherein said sign panel is a flexible material having sleeves at edges thereof for receiving said sign support members.

13. A foldable frame for a sign, which frame is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of Figure 3.

14. A sign as defined in claim 11 and hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1. DATED THIS 29TH DAY OF MAY 1997 DAVID WILLIAM GRAHAM MCCOURT JOHNATHON ANDREW ARMSTRONG By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO Co..