GB2118597A

GB2118597A - Improvements in or relating to road signs

Info

Publication number: GB2118597A
Application number: GB08211122A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Lloyd
Original assignee: Glasdon Ltd
Current assignee: Glasdon Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-16
Filing date: 1982-04-16
Publication date: 1983-11-02
Also published as: GB2118597B

Abstract

A road sign comprises a hollow moulded plastics post (10) having an integral base to support the post and a flexible rectangular panel (15) bearing a road sign (16) on the surface thereof. The lower end of the panel has straps for connecting the panel to the bottom of the post and the upper end of the panel is formed with a pocket (17) extending the length thereof on which there is a stiffening member to hold the panel spread in generally flat form. Above the pocket (17) there is an eyelet (18) for a link (19) to which a band (20) is connected which is looped over an upstanding lug (12) at the upper end of the post to support the panel on the post. Alternative ways of connecting the panel to the post are shown in Figs. 2-7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to road signs This invention relates to road signs and in particular to signs comprising a free standing upright post having a separate flexible sheet or panel mounted thereon bearing the requisite sign.

The invention provides a road sign comprising a hollow moulded plastics post having an integral base to support the post in upright manner on the ground a flexible panel bearing a road sign on the surface thereof, attachment means at the top of the panel to connect the panel to the upper end of the post, further attachment means at the bottom of the panel to connect the bottom of the panel to the bottom of the post and stiffening means on the panel to hold the panel in generally flat form.

Preferably the post is of the form described and illustrated in our U.K. Patent Nos.

1531724 and 1531725 and U.K. Registered Design No. 965244.

The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying seven figures which all illustrate an upper part of a post and road sign assembly.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown an upper end part 10 of a road marker post which is of the construction described and illustrated in our U.K. Patent Nos.

1531724, 1531725 and our U.K. Registered Design No. 965244. The post is of hollow tubular form moulded in plastics and has an integral generally square base at the lower end thereof and tapers toward the upper end thereof.

At the upper end of the post, the moulding is stepped inwardly to form an upper defacing shoulder 11 on one side of the post and an upwardly extending bracket 1 2 formed as a continuation of the post on the other side of the post. The bracket 1 2 is formed with a through aperture 1 3. Just below the shoulder 11 the post is formed with keyhole slots 1 4 on either side thereof only one of which is visible.

The road sign is formed on a rectangular sheet of plastics material 1 5 and an example sign is indicated at 16. Adjacent the upper end of the panel 1 5 there is a hollow tubular pocket 1 7 containing a stiffening rod (not shown). At the centre of the margin of the panel above the stiffening rod an eyelet 1 8 is mounted through which a rigid length 1 9 extends. A rigid flexible or elastomeric band 20 extends in turn through the link or hook 1 9. The upper end of the panel 1 5 is located on the side of the post adjacent the bracket 1 2 and the band 20 is hooked over the bracket onto the shoulder 11 to support the upper end of the panel.The lower end of the panel is also formed with a tubular pocket (not shown) containing stiffening material and two bands are attached at spaced locations along the bottom margin of the panel and are looped around the base of the post to hold the panel against twisting or swaying with respect to the post.

Fig. 2 shows a similar arrangement except that the upper end of the panel 1 5 has a down turned hook-shaped member 20 attached at the centre thereof which engages in the hole 30 in the top of the lamp bracket 1 2 of the post. The aperture or hole 1 3 is circular as illustrated but could be of keyhole shape if required. The bracket 20 may be attached to a stiffening strip 21 attached to the upper end of the panel 15.

Fig. 3 shows a further arrangement in which the band 20 of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is replaced by a rigid or flexible Ushaped collar 23 having hook-shaped ends to engage in the keyhole slots 1 4 at the upper ends of the post. The collar 23 extends through the link or hook 1 9 to suspend the upper end of the panel 1 5 on the post. Fig. 4 shows a further arrangement in which a simple band 25 is provided for looping over the upper end of the post and engaging on the shoulder 11 and having a strip form hook 26 thereon to hook under a part of the panel 1 5.

Fig. 5 shows a further arrangement in which the panel 15 has a rigid strip 21 extending along the upper end thereof and a "top hat' 'form bracket 27 is attached to the strip 21 to receive the lamp (12) of the post and rest on the shoulder 11 to hold the panel on the post.

Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a further arrangement in which the tubular sleeve 1 7 in the panel 1 5 is formed at the upper end of the panel and receives a rigid stiffening rod 28. The panel 1 5 is formed with a central Ushaped aperture 29 immediately below the stiffening rod and the rod is hooked over the upper end of the post 10 so that the front bracket part 1 2 of the post extends through the aperture and the central part of the rod bears on the shoulder 11.

Fig. 7 of the drawings shows a still further arrangement in which panel 1 5 is formed with a stiffening strip 21 at its upper end on which a rigid headed button 31 is mounted to engage in one of the keyhole slots 1 4 adjacent the upper end of the post to lock the upper end of the panel to the post.

1. A road sign comprising a hollow moulded plastics post having an integral base to support the posts in an upright manner on the ground, a flexible panel bearing a road sign on the surface thereof, attachment means at the top of the panel to connect the panel to the upper end of the post, further attachment means at the bottom of the panel to connect

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to road signs This invention relates to road signs and in particular to signs comprising a free standing upright post having a separate flexible sheet or panel mounted thereon bearing the requisite sign. The invention provides a road sign comprising a hollow moulded plastics post having an integral base to support the post in upright manner on the ground a flexible panel bearing a road sign on the surface thereof, attachment means at the top of the panel to connect the panel to the upper end of the post, further attachment means at the bottom of the panel to connect the bottom of the panel to the bottom of the post and stiffening means on the panel to hold the panel in generally flat form. Preferably the post is of the form described and illustrated in our U.K. Patent Nos. 1531724 and 1531725 and U.K. Registered Design No. 965244. The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying seven figures which all illustrate an upper part of a post and road sign assembly. Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown an upper end part 10 of a road marker post which is of the construction described and illustrated in our U.K. Patent Nos. 1531724, 1531725 and our U.K. Registered Design No. 965244. The post is of hollow tubular form moulded in plastics and has an integral generally square base at the lower end thereof and tapers toward the upper end thereof. At the upper end of the post, the moulding is stepped inwardly to form an upper defacing shoulder 11 on one side of the post and an upwardly extending bracket 1 2 formed as a continuation of the post on the other side of the post. The bracket 1 2 is formed with a through aperture 1 3. Just below the shoulder 11 the post is formed with keyhole slots 1 4 on either side thereof only one of which is visible. The road sign is formed on a rectangular sheet of plastics material 1 5 and an example sign is indicated at 16. Adjacent the upper end of the panel 1 5 there is a hollow tubular pocket 1 7 containing a stiffening rod (not shown). At the centre of the margin of the panel above the stiffening rod an eyelet 1 8 is mounted through which a rigid length 1 9 extends. A rigid flexible or elastomeric band 20 extends in turn through the link or hook 1 9. The upper end of the panel 1 5 is located on the side of the post adjacent the bracket 1 2 and the band 20 is hooked over the bracket onto the shoulder 11 to support the upper end of the panel.The lower end of the panel is also formed with a tubular pocket (not shown) containing stiffening material and two bands are attached at spaced locations along the bottom margin of the panel and are looped around the base of the post to hold the panel against twisting or swaying with respect to the post. Fig. 2 shows a similar arrangement except that the upper end of the panel 1 5 has a down turned hook-shaped member 20 attached at the centre thereof which engages in the hole 30 in the top of the lamp bracket 1 2 of the post. The aperture or hole 1 3 is circular as illustrated but could be of keyhole shape if required. The bracket 20 may be attached to a stiffening strip 21 attached to the upper end of the panel 15. Fig. 3 shows a further arrangement in which the band 20 of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is replaced by a rigid or flexible Ushaped collar 23 having hook-shaped ends to engage in the keyhole slots 1 4 at the upper ends of the post. The collar 23 extends through the link or hook 1 9 to suspend the upper end of the panel 1 5 on the post. Fig. 4 shows a further arrangement in which a simple band 25 is provided for looping over the upper end of the post and engaging on the shoulder 11 and having a strip form hook 26 thereon to hook under a part of the panel 1 5. Fig. 5 shows a further arrangement in which the panel 15 has a rigid strip 21 extending along the upper end thereof and a "top hat' 'form bracket 27 is attached to the strip 21 to receive the lamp (12) of the post and rest on the shoulder 11 to hold the panel on the post. Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a further arrangement in which the tubular sleeve 1 7 in the panel 1 5 is formed at the upper end of the panel and receives a rigid stiffening rod 28. The panel 1 5 is formed with a central Ushaped aperture 29 immediately below the stiffening rod and the rod is hooked over the upper end of the post 10 so that the front bracket part 1 2 of the post extends through the aperture and the central part of the rod bears on the shoulder 11. Fig. 7 of the drawings shows a still further arrangement in which panel 1 5 is formed with a stiffening strip 21 at its upper end on which a rigid headed button 31 is mounted to engage in one of the keyhole slots 1 4 adjacent the upper end of the post to lock the upper end of the panel to the post. CLAIMS

1. A road sign comprising a hollow moulded plastics post having an integral base to support the posts in an upright manner on the ground, a flexible panel bearing a road sign on the surface thereof, attachment means at the top of the panel to connect the panel to the upper end of the post, further attachment means at the bottom of the panel to connect the bottom of the panel to the bottom of the post, and stiffening means extending along at least an upper part of the panel to hold the panel in substantially flat form suspended on the post.

2. A road sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein the panel is formed with a pocket or pockets extending along the upper edge of the panel and the stiffening means comprise a rigid member extending through the pocket or pockets.

3. A road sign as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pocket is formed adjacent the upper edge of the panel and attachment means are connected to the panel above the pocket for connection to the upper end of the post.

4. A road sign as claimed in claim 3 wherein the attachment means comprise a central eyelet in the upper edge of the panel to which a band is connected and the post has an upstanding integral bracket or lug at the upper end thereof over which the band is passed to support the upper end of the panel on the post.

5. A road sign as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the pocket is formed at the upper edge of the panel and the panel has a central aperture immediately below the pocket, the post having an upstanding integral lug or bracket on one side of the upper end thereof, the panel being mounted at the upper end of the post with the stiffening member lying on the upper end of the post and the lug or bracket extending through the aperture in the panel.

6. A road sign as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the panel has a rigid member extending along the upper end thereof with a central bracket to engage a part of the upper end of the post.

7. A road sign as claimed in claim 6 wherein the post has an integral upstanding lug on one side of the upper end thereof and the bracket on the stiffening member comprises a U-shaped element to form, with the stiffening member, a socket to receive the lug on the post to support the upper end of the panel on the post.

8. A sign as claimed in claim 6 wherein the bracket on the stiffening member comprises an inverted hook and the post has an upstanding lug on one side thereof formed with an aperture in which the hook engages to hold the stiffening member and with it the upper end of the panel on the post.

9. A road sign substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Figs. 3 and 4, Fig. 5. Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.