GB2286618A

GB2286618A - A foldable sign

Info

Publication number: GB2286618A
Application number: GB9502276A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ferdinand Kleger
Original assignee: TRIOPAN AG
Current assignee: TRIOPAN AG
Priority date: 1994-02-08
Filing date: 1995-02-06
Publication date: 1995-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-06
Also published as: SE9500267D0; DE29501530U1; SE9500267L; SE506899C2; GB9502276D0; DK9500036U3; GB2286618B; CH688167A5

Abstract

The folding sign (1) has three sign-carrying surfaces (5, 7, 9) which are kept tensioned by a three-legged stand (2). An additional sign-carrying surface (15) is mounted on a side edge (13), which interconnects two sign-carrying surfaces and carries a traffic sign (11) on at least one side. The additional sign-carrying surface can, if necessary, be placed over the adjacent surface and cover the traffic sign (11) applied thereto. <IMAGE>

Description

A FOLDABLE SIGN The subject-matter of the invention is a foldable sign for erecting at building sites, traffic diversions and accident sites, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Folding signs for the uses mentioned are known.

A folding sign is known from CH-B-374576, which comprises a three-legged stand or tripod made from metal, the legs of said stand being interconnected at their upper end by a joint. To open the stand easily when it is folded-up, the legs are connected to struts mounted thereon by a spring. A cover is laid over the three legs and comprises three equal-sided sign-carrying surfaces, which are interconnected, e.g. sewn or glued, longitudinally of their legs. Three identical or three different traffic signs, e.g. "50" for 50km/h or "!" for danger or "POLICE", etc., can be printed or sprayed on the sign-carrying surfaces. The traffic sign required, i.e. the sign-carrying surface with the traffic sign mounted thereon, is aligned in the direction of the traffic, depending on the type of use. Drivers of vehicles approaching the traffic sign in the opposite direction may feel insecure as a result of the traffic signs provided on the two "rear" sign-carrying surfaces.

Folding signs, therefore, are also already known, wherein only one of the three sign-carrying surfaces has a traffic sign and the other two surfaces are unmarked. Such signs can only be used, of course, for one single purpose.

The object of the present invention is to provide a folding sign of the described type, on which more than three different traffic signs can be displayed.

According to the present invention there is provided å foldable sign having a tripod or three-legged stand, the legs cf said stand being interconnected at their upper ends by a joint, a cover formed from signcarrying surfaces and made of plastics or other material, said cover spanning at least the greatest portion of the equal-sided sides formed by the three legs, and at least one traffic sign applied to one of the sign-carrying surfaces, wherein an additional marked sign-carrying surface is mounted on one of the lateral edges of the sign-carrying surfaces with one of its lateral edges and is disposed so that it can be placed over the adjacent sign-carrying surface and mounted or secured thereon.

Surprisingly, it is possible to display three different traffic signs with the folding sign according to the invention, one or both rear sign-carrying surfaces being made blank. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, up to nine different traffic signs can be applied to one single folding sign. In the embodiment of the sign which is provided with more than three marked sides, the rear sides are of course not blank. The particularly desired traffic sign can be made visible by one single manipulation.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a folding sign having the traffic sign "50" (km/h); Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the folding sign of Fig. 1, in which an additional sign-carrying surface, mounted on the right-hand edge of the front triangular sign-carrying surface, already obscures approximately half of the front side; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the folding sign according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates a folding sign 1 in its position of use, i.e. on a tripod or stand 2 having splayed-apart legs 3 and sign-carrying surfaces 5, 7 and 9, which have been stretched flat. A traffic sign 11 indicating "50" km/h is applied to the front side, facing the oncoming traffic, of the sign-carrying surface 5.

The sign-carrying surfaces 5, 7 and 9 are formed from a tear-resistant and weatherproof plastics material to which the traffic signs are applied by screenprinting, spraying, colouring, gluing or the like. The three sign-carrying surfaces 5, 7 and 9 are interconnected along their side edges, which have the same length and lie on the legs 3. The joint can be effected by gluing or sewing and the like. The three sign-carrying surfaces 5, 7 and 9 could also, of course, be made from a single flat-shaped structure which is only joined along a single seam.

In the described example, only the front signcarrying surface 5 of the three surfaces is securedly provided with a traffic sign 11 on the stand 2. The two rear sign-carrying surfaces 7 and 9, which are not visible to the oncoming traffic, are blank, i.e. with no traffic sign 11 printed thereon. An additional signcarrying surface 15, which is congruent, i.e. of the same size, and is preferably formed from the same material, is mounted on the right-hand side edge 13 of the forwardly situated sign-carrying surface 5.

The inscription "ACCIDENT" is applied to one side of the additional sign-carrying surface. The rear side is blank. The inscription "POLICE", for example, could be mounted, of course, on the rear side. However, one of the two sides facing the opposite traffic would then not be blank. The additional sign-carrying surface 15 can now be mounted so as to lie on the right-hand rear sign-carrying surface 7, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

It can be placed over the front side, as illustrated in Figure 2, when the folding sign is not used for a speed control but is used at an accident spot. The previously invisible inscription "ACCIDENT" now appears on the front side and lies over the sign-carrying surface 5, at the same time covering the traffic sign "50". If the rear side of the additional sign-carrying surface 15 is inscribed with "POLICE", as in Figure 3, the folding sign can be rotated through 1200 and, in consequence, traffic can be made aware of the presence of the police.

Adhesive strips 19, such as also known by the trade mark name VELCRO (a registered trade mark), pressstuds or hooks (not shown) are mounted on both sides of the free end 17 of the additional sign-carrying surface 15, such means co-operating with corresponding adhesive strips 19 or respectively press-studs or eyes in the lower corners of the sign-carrying surfaces 5 and 7.

These connection means permit the additional signcarrying surface 15 to be mounted in a satisfactory secured manner over the front sign-carrying surface 5 or over the sign-carrying surface 7.

It is also possible, of course, to mount further additional sign-carrying surfaces 15 on the left-hand and/or rear side edge 13, in order to increase the number of possible traffic signs 11 on one single folding sign 1. In consequence, a total of nine different traffic signs 11 could be displayed on a single folding sign, if an additional sign-carrying surface 15, marked on both sides, were mounted on all three sid edges 13, and if traffic signs 11 were also applied to all three sign-carrying surfaces 5, 7 and 9.

The collapsible or foldable sign 1 according to the invention can be folded-up like a conventional sign after use. It is then irrelevant whether the additional sign-carrying surface 15 lies above the sign-carrying surface 5 or above the sign-carrying surface 7.

It would also be possible, of course, to join the additional sign-carrying surface 15 along the horizontally extending lower edge 21 to the respective sign-carrying surface 5, 7 or 9. In this embodiment, however, the additional sign-carrying surface 15 would always have to be mounted so as to lie on the adjacent sign-carrying surface before the folding sign 1 were folded-up.

Claims

1. A foldable sign having a tripod or three-legged stand, the legs of said stand being interconnected at their upper ends by a joint, a cover formed from signcarrying surfaces and made of plastics or other material, said cover spanning at least the greatest portion of the equal-sided sides formed by the three legs, and at least one traffic sign applied to one of the sign-carrying surfaces, wherein an additional marked sign-carrying surface (15) is mounted on one of the lateral edges (13 or 21) of the sign-carrying surfaces (5,7,9) with one of its lateral edges (13) and is disposed so that it can be placed over the adjacent sign-carrying surface (5) and mounted or secured thereon.

2. A foldable sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional sign-carrying surface (15) has, on both sides of its free corner (17), a first connection means (19) which co-operates with a corresponding second connection means (19) on the two sign-carrying surfaces (5,7) which are intended to be covered.

3. A foldable sign as claimed in claim 2, wherein adhesive strips, hooks or press-studs are used as connection means (19).

4. A foldable sign as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the two rear sign-carrying surfaces (7,9) have a blank surface, and wherein the front signcarrying surface (5) and at least one side of the additional sign-carrying surfaces (15) each carry a traffic sign (11).

5. A foldable sign as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two rear sign-carrying surfaces (7,9) have a printed surface, and wherein all three signcarrying 'surfaces (5,7,9) carry a traffic sign (11).

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