GB2186729A

GB2186729A - Collapsible sign

Info

Publication number: GB2186729A
Application number: GB08603801A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Dawson
Original assignee: SWINTEX
Current assignee: SWINTEX
Priority date: 1986-02-15
Filing date: 1986-02-15
Publication date: 1987-08-19
Also published as: GB2186729B; GB8603801D0

Abstract

A road sign which can be folded flat for storage and/or transport. The sign comprises a base 10 with supports 18 and 22 pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the base. A display surface 32 is pivotally mounted on one support. A fastener 44 is provided on support 22 for fixing to support 18 and the display surface 32 to hold them in the use position. To fold, the support 22 is released from both a cross- piece (26) on the support 18 and a cross-piece (34) on the display surface 32 to permit the display surface to fold through 180 DEG about a cross-piece 24 before lying flat against the base 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible sign This invention relates to signs and more particularly collapsible signs.

There are many occasions when temporary signs are used, for example when a road is under repair or there is some other temporary traffic hazard it is normal to position signs in advance of the hazard to warn road users thereof. These signs must be sufficiently large that they can be seen clearly from a distance by drivers of fast moving vehicles. But they must also be stable so that they are not overturned by natural wind or by draughts created by passing traffic. In an effort to meet these requirements temporary road signs have been constructed without regard to their portability or ease of storage.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a road sign comprising a base, a first support mounted on the base for movement between a storage position adjacent the base and a use position extending from the base, a second support mounted on the base for movement between a storage position adjacent the base and a use position extending from the base, a display surface mounted on one support, said display surface being movable relative to the support between a storage position and a use position, means for releasably locking the supports in the use position and means for releasably locking the display surface in the use position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the display surface is mounted on a support so as to be movable such that the side of the surface which is remote from the base when in the use position is located adjacent the base when in the storage position. It is preferred that when in the storage position the display surface should not extend beyond the edges of the base.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a sign in the fully collapsed condition; Figures 2-6 show successive stages in the erection of the sign; and Figure 7 shows the sign in the use condition.

Referring to the drawings the sign comprises a base 10 having side walls 12 around the periphery. In the embodiment shown the base is rectangular in plan but it can be of any shape. The base is preferably made of high density material such as blends of rubber and thermoplastic resin examples of which are described in U.K. Patent Specification No.

1464860.

A gap 14 is provided in the wall which pivotally receives the web 16 of a U-shaped support 18. The first support has a first strut 24 extending between the arms adjacent the free ends thereof and a second strut 26 extending across the arms about half way therealong. Two spaced apart elongate members 30 are pivotally mounted about midway along their length on strut 24. A display surface 32 is fixed to the members 30. A strut 34 extends across the ends of the members 30.

A second gap 20 is provided in the wall 12 opposite gap 14 and pivotally receives a second support 22. The second support is in the form of a flat member having a hook 40 at its free end. An aperture 42 is provided adjacent the free end. Flanges 44 extend along the longitudinal sides of the aperture and across the free end, the flanges being located on the side of the support 22 which is directed towards the left as shown in Fig. 3.

In the storage position the display surface 32 rests on the base 10 within the confines of the wall 12 and the support 18 extends over the display surface. The second support 22 lies over the support 18 with the flanges 44 being received in the aperture defined by the web 16, the strut 26 and the arms of the support 18. As can be seen in the drawings the ends of the flanges 44 are slightly inclined as at 46 so that they will wedge against the strut 26, thus retaining the movable parts in the storage position. As can be seen in Fig. 1 when the parts are in the storage position the overall height is no greater than the height of the wall 12.

To set up the sign the support 22 is lifted up using the aperture 42 as a hand hold. The support 18 is then raised as shown in Fig. 3, carrying the display surface 32 with it. When there is adequate clearance the display surface is then pivotted anticlockwise (as viewed in the drawings) until the side 50 of the display surface that was adjacent the base in the stored position is directed away from the base. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

As can be seen in Fig. 6 when the display surface 32 has been rotated on support 18 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 5 the strut 34 lies adjacent the strut 26. The support 22 can now be moved so that hook 44 engages both the struts 34 and 26 thereby locking the support 18 in position extending from the base and at the same time locking the display surface against movement relative to the support.

The sign is then ready for use. To collapse the sign the steps described above are carried out in reverse order.

The erected sign is an exceedingly stable structure due at least partly to the iower ends of the supports 18 and 22 being fixed to the base and thereby held at a fixed distance apart. If desired the stability of the assembly in the use position can be increased by plac ing weights in the base.

The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiment and many variations are possible. For example the sign need not be triangular but can be any shape. It is not essential that the movement of the support 18 and movement of the display surface 32 be locked by a single means. Separate locking means can be provided if desired.

An aperture mey be provided in the base 10 so that when the sign is in the collapsed condition the nature of the information on the display surface can be determined without having to unfold the assembly.

Although the embodiment described with reference to the drawings has the support surface linked to the base by two articulations namely support 18 and members 30 it is within the scope of the invention to increase the number of articulations as may be desired.

Claims

1. A road sign comprising a base, a first support mounted on the base for movement between a storage position adjacent the base and a use position extending from the base, a second support mounted on the base for movement between a storage position adjacent the base and a use position extending from the base, a display surface mounted on one support, said display surface being movable relative to the support between a storage position and a use position, means for releasably locking the supports in the use position and means for releasably locking the display surface in the use position.

2. A road sign as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the display surface is mounted on a support so as to be movable such that the side of the surface which is remote from the base when in the use position is located adjacent the base when in the storage position.

3. A road sign as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the display surface in the storage position does not extend beyond the edges of the base.

4. A road sign as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base is recessed to receive the display surface and the supports in the storage position.

5. A road sign as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means for releasably locking the supports in the use position also locks the display surface in the use position.

6. A road sign substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.