GB2268821A - Support for a sign. - Google Patents

Abstract

A support for a sign comprises a base 10 and one or more support members 20 extending from the base. The sign 26 can be fixed to the support members and the support members are detachable from the base or are pivotable with respect to the base. Other forms of base are disclosed and may be provided with extension pieces projecting from the base to give it greater stability. The sign may be a folding sign that may be collapsed in a zig-zag manner. The support may be easily collapsed for storage and/or transport, and is particularly useful with an appropriate sign, to indicate road works. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT FOR A SIGN This invention relates to a support for a sign and more particularly but not exclusively a support for a folding sign of the kind which is comprised of a plurality of panels connected together such that they can be folded in a zig-zag manner. Such signs are described in our co-pending patent application filed on 19th June, 1992.

As discussed in the aforesaid co-pending application the purpose of the folding sign is to reduce the area of the sign and thus make the storage and transport of the sign easier and more economic.

Equally advantageous is the improvement in the ease of handling the sign particularly in moving the sign across live traffic lanes of a motorway or trunk road to the central reservation where the sign is required temporarily to indicate road works.

The conventional support which is normally used for temporary signs indicating road works is a metal A frame. These frames present the same sort of problems as conventional signs. They are large, heavy and awkward to handle, store and transport. The larger A frame supports require at least two men to lift them onto and off a vehicle transporting the frames to and from the site where they are used. If the frames are not lifted from a vehicle when they are unloaded, but merely thrown from the vehicle onto the ground they can be damaged or bent so that the sign is less easily fixed to the frame. Like the conventional signs that are to be fixed thereto large A frames if required on the central reservation of a motorway or trunk road have to be carried across two or more lanes of live traffic where vehicles may be travelling at very high speeds.

There is a considerable risk that personnel crossing the traffic lanes while carrying the supports cannot co-ordinate their movements so as to avoid injury. For example if one of the two men carrying the A frame sign tries to move faster than, or in a different direction to, the other it may cause one of them to drop the sign.

The time taken for the sign to be picked up may actually delay the movement of the frames across the lanes of traffic.

The present invention has been made with these problems in mind.

According to the invention there is provided a support for a sign comprising a base and one or more support members extending from the base, such that a sign can be fixed thereto, said support members being detachable from the base or pivotable with respect to the base.

With the invention, therefore, the overall bulk of the frame can be reduced by separating the support members from the base so that the base and support members, either separately or together can be easily stored, transported and handled, the latter possibly by one person only. Similarly the bulk of the frame is reduced if the support members are pivotable with respect to the base and are folded so that they do not extend from the base. Again this provides improved storage, transport and handling.

The base may comprise one or more members which may be separate from each other or joined or linked together. Where a plurality of linked or joined base members are provided the connection between the members may be such that the members can be separated from each other or moved into a position relative to each other that their overall bulk can be reduced.

The base can be provided with extension pieces that project from the base at ground level in order to give greater stability to the support assembly. The extension pieces may be separable from the base or may be pivotably connected thereto so that they can be moved from the position where they project from the base to a more compact position where the overall bulk of the base is reduced.

The support members can be fixed or linked to the base in any suitable way subject to their being movable or separable relative to the base as already described.

One convenient provision for joining the support members to the base is to provide apertures in the base in which the support member can be removably received. It is advantageous to provide a plurality of apertures in the base at different locations so that the support members can be fixed to the base at different relative spacings depending on the size of the sign that is to be supported. Where the base comprises separate base members the spacing between support members fixed to the base members can be adjusted merely by moving the base members relative to each other.

In order to assist with the handling of the support of the invention, handles or the like can be provided on the base and/or the support members. If desired one or more wheels may be provided on the base, preferably at one end thereof so that the assembly can be pushed or pulled quickly in the manner of a wheelbarrow or wheeled suitcase.It is also possible to provide for the support assembly of the invention or a part thereof to co-operate with a folding sign assembly for example so that they nest together, whereby both the support of the invention and the folding sign assembly can be handled on a single unit during storage and transport, the posts being separated when in use., In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention two or more support members extend generally upwardly from the base and transverse rigidity for the structure is provided by the sign itself when it is fixed to the support members. The absence of any transverse link between the support members in the support assembly per se greatly simplifies the support assembly of the invention and, therefore, makes it easier to erect and dismantle.

The support of the invention may be made of any suitable material, but it is preferred that they be of plastics so that they are not too heavy and, therefore, more easily carried by one person. It is, of course, well known that lightweight structures on road works sites can be blown over or out of position by the wind or the draught created by traffic moving at high speed.

The normal practice with signs is to weight them with sand bags. Although a somewhat crude solution to the problem it is very effective in practice. Similar weighting with sand bags can be used with the present invention Although the invention is described mainly in connection with the structure of a support for a sign it is not limited thereto, other aspects of the invention include the transport, handling, erection and dismantling of the support of the assembly. Thus the invention algo provides not only the physical construction, but also the improvements and-benefits of the working practices and savings which derive from its use.The benefits are enjoyed not just once, but on every occasion the support is erected, dis-erected or dismantled, stored or transported; the more frequent the use, the greater the benefits enjoyed. The invention also provides yet further benefits in that employing such a support an engineer or commercial contractor may enjoy more commerce through reduced expense, better safety practices and favour through professionalism.

According to another aspect of the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of transporting and/or storing a support as defined above wherein said support is in a dismantled condition.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of erecting a support comprising transporting the support as defined above to the place where it is to be used wherein during said transport the support is in a dismantled condition and wherein the support is unfolded before or after having a sign mounted thereon.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of removal of a support as defined above comprising dismantling the support before or after de-mounting a sign therefrom and transporting the dismantled support to storage or its next place of use.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.1 is a perspective view from the front and one side of a folding sign supported by a support of the invention; Fig.2 shows the base of the support of Fig.1 in a folded condition; Fig.3 is a plan view of another form of the base; Fig.4 shows the base of Fig.3 in side elevation and partly in section; Fig.5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the support and with sign fitted to the support; Fig.5A shows the assembly of Fig.5 with the base structure in a different position; Fig.6 shows another form of base; Fig.7 illustrates the stacking of parts of the base;; Fig.8 shows yet another form of base; Fig.9 shows the base of Fig.8 with support members and a sign fixed thereto; Fig.10 shows the assembly of Fig.9 in a dismantled condition; Fig.11 shows another embodiment which is a modification of the support of Figs.8, 9 and 10; Fig.12 illustrates an embodiment in which the base of the support comprises two separate unlinked, base members.

Referring to Figs.1 and 2 the support for a sign comprises a base 10 comprising two base members 12, 14 in the form of elongate members joined pivotably together at the middle 16 thereof in the manner of a pair of scissors. The base members can be moved between a closed or compact position as shown in Fig.2 where the members 12, 14 lie alongside each other and an open or use position where the members 12, 14 are at anangle to each other. In the embodiment shown in Fig.1 the members 12, 14 are at about 90" to each other but that is not critical.

Apertures 18 are provided in the members 12, 14 adjacent the free ends thereof for the reception of support members 20. In this embodiment the support members comprise rods 22, 24 linked at one end so that they can be opened up to form an inverted V and their free ends inserted in the apertures 18. Two support members 20 are provided. There is no transverse connection between the two support members except as provided by the base and by a sign 26 fixed thereto.

The sign may be a folding sign comprising a plurality of panels interlinked such that the sign can be collapsed in a zig-zag manner.

Although not illustrated the base members can be provided with further apertures at different positions so that the spacing between the support members 2 can be adjusted to suit different sizes of sign. As already mentioned the angle between the base members 12, 14 in the use position can also be altered and this may b desirable also to adopt the assembly for use with different sizes of sign.

The precise shape of the base members can be altered in order to suit prevailing conditions. For example where the assembly is to be used on an uneven surface the underside of the base members may be shaped so that only the part adjacent the free ends of the members actually rests on the ground.

Figs.3 and 4 show the base of a different embodiment. In this construction the base comprises a web or body 30 having an arm 32 pivotally fitted to each end thereof. As can be seen in Fig.3 the arrangement is such that the arms 32 can be folded against the web 30 for transport and storage and can be moved to extend, one on each side of the web, when in use.

Apertures 34 are provided in the base for receiving support members 36. In the embodiment illustrated the support members are simply poles. However, the base of Fig.3 can be used with other forms of support member.

For example by providing apertures in the arms 32 the support member of the embodiment of Fig.1 can be used.

Again there is no transverse connection between the support members except as provided by the base and by a sign when the latter is fitted thereto.

Figs.5 and 5A illustrate an assembly similar to that of Figs.3 and 4 except that two arms 32 are pivotally mounted at the free end of the web 30. The drawings show that the arms can be moved into different positions relative to the web, this being useful where the ground surface is uneven where the assembly is being used.

Referring now to Fig.6, the base comprises two base members 40 having the general shape of a pyramid. The base members are hollow and with no base so that they can be stacked as shown in Fig.7 when not in use.

The base members are linked together by one or more rods 42 which are removably received in apertures in the side wall of the base members. Outriggers 44 to give stability to the assembly when in use-are also removably mountable-on the base members.

Apertures 46 are formed in the top of the base members for securing support members (not shown) similar to those illustrated in Figs.5 and 5A.

In the embodiment of Fig.8 the base comprises similar base members 50, 52 in the form of blocks.

Base member 50 has two rods 54 projecting therefrom in spaced apart parallel relationship. The rods extend through apertures in base member 52 which can be slidably moved in the rods so that the spacing between the base members can be adjusted. For transport and storage the base member 52 can be separated from the rods 54 and further the rods 54 can be separated from the base member 50.

Base member 50 has apertures 56 formed in the top surface thereof for receiving support members 58 (see Fig.9) to which a sign 60 is fixed. The completely disassembled structure is shown in Fig.10.

A modified version of the embodiment of Figs.8, 9 and 10 is shown in Fig.11. In this arrangement four base members 62 are provided which are connected together by rods 64 so that the base members are disposed at the corners of a notional rectangle. The connection between the base members and the rods is such that the spacing between the base members can be altered both from front to rear but also transversely.

In the embodiment shown in Fig.12, two base members 70 are provided which are quite separate from each other. Each base member comprises feet 72 integrally connected by an arcuate web 74. This structure will readily seat on uneven ground.

Apertures 76 are formed in the top of each base member for receiving support members 78 which in turn carry a sign 80.

Recesses 82 may be formed in the base members into which a distance piece (not shown) can be temporarily fitted so that the base members are spaced apart by the appropriate distance for the sign that is to be fitted to the support members.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the above described embodiment and many variations and modifications can be made.

Claims (12)

1. A support for a sign comprising a base and one or more support members extending from the base, such that a sign can be fixed thereto, said support members being detachable from the base or pivotable with respect to the base.

2. A support according to Claim 1, wherein the base comprises a plurality of members.

3. A support according to Claim 2, wherein the base members are joined or linked together and the connection between the members is such that the members can be separated from each other or moved into a position relative to each other that their overall bulk can be reduced.

4. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is provided with extension pieces that project from the base at ground level in order to give greater stability to the support assembly.

5. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more apertures are provided in the base in which said support members can be received.

6. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the spacing between support members is adjustable.

7. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support cooperates with a folding sign assembly.

8. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein two or more support members extend generally upwardly from the base and transverse rigidity for the support is provided, in use, by a sign supported thereon.

9. A method of transporting and/or storing a support wherein said support is in a dismantled condition.

10. A method of erecting a support comprising transporting the support as claimed in any preceding claim to the place where it is to be used wherein during said transport the support is in a dismantled condition and wherein the support is unfolded before or after having a sign mounted thereon.

11. A method of removal of a support as claimed in any preceding claim comprising dismantling the support before or after de-mounting a sign therefrom and transporting the dismantled support to storage or its next place of use.

12. A support or a method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.