US2125576A - Changeable sign - Google Patents

Description

L. C. LOY

CHANGEABLE S I GN Aug. 2, 1938.

a Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1936 L. C. LOY

CHANGEABLE S I GN Aug. 2, 1938.

Filed Dec. 22, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 4 6 2 a0 5 z. a 0. r 2

Aug. 2, 1938. L. c. LOY 2,125,576

CHANGEABLE S I GN Filed Dec. 22, 1936 s Sheets-sheaf 3 Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,125,576 CHANGEABLE SIGN O. Loy, Tyler, Tex.

Application December 22, 1936, Serial No. 117,196

'1 Claims. (61. 40-125) T This invention relates to signs and more particularly to.a changeable sign.

One object of the invention is to provide a sign having improved means for detachably mounting display matter and firmly supporting the display matter while permitting it to be easily detached when substitution of display matter is desired.

Another object of the invention is to so con struct the mounting means for the display matter that one member thereof may be secured to a support and a companion member secured to a sign or other display matter and easily moved into engagement with the support-engaging member where it will be firmly but detachably held.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the support-engaging member and the sign-engaging member that when the sign-engaging member is moved into engagement with the support-engaging member gripping members or jawsforming part of the sign-engaging member will be snapped into gripping engagement with the sign-engaging member and prevent likelihood of accidental release of the sign-engaging member.

It is another object of the invention to so construct the support-engaging member and the sign-engaging member that when the sign-engaging member is applied to the support-engaging member its outer face will be flush with the outer face of the support-engaging member.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a sign constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken vertically through the sign on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Fig. 3 is a view inelevation of the improved sign mounting with one leafof the sign-engaging member swung upwardly,

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the sign mounting means, Fig. 6 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken on the line 6+5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through Fig. 4 uponthe line '|'l,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the two members of the sign-mounting means separated and the hinge leaf of the sign-engaging member removed,

Fig. 10 is a view illustrating a modified form of sign,

Fig. 11 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken vertically through Fig. 10 on the line ll-ll and showing a detaching implement in position to spring the sign out of engagement with the support-engaging member,

Fig. 12 is a view taken on the line l2--l2 of Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a View in elevation of the supportengaging means with the sign detached therefrom,

Fig. 14 is a view looking at the rear face of the sign,

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of another modified form of sign,

Fig. 16 is a view in elevation of the sign shown in Fig. 15 with the numeral-carrying plates detached,

Fig. 17 is a view looking at the rear face'of one of the numeral-carrying plates,

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a modified form of. bracket which may be used in place of the bracket shown in Fig. 15,

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of another modifled form of sign holder,

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a detaching implement by use of which the sign-engaging members may be detached from the supportengaging members as shown in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 21 is a view of a detaching implement by means of which a numeral-carrying plate may be detached from the support-engaging member as shown in Fig. 17.

The sign I which has been shown mounted against a wall or other support 2 in Figures 1 and 2 may be of any dimensions desired and formed of wood or any other desired material. It may be painted and have an appropriate in- .scription upon its outer or front face, as shown in Figure 1, or the inscription may be provided upon the sign in any desired manner.

The sign is to be securely but detachably mounted in position against the support 2 where it may be seen and easily read. It is also desired to permit this sign to be easily removed and another substituted in its place. In order to securely but detachably mount the sign, there has been provided mounting means consisting of a support-engaging member or plate 3 and a signengaging member consisting of leaves or plates I and 5, the leaves I and 5 being pivoted to each other, the leaf 4 being secured against the rear or inner face of the sign I by screws 6 and the leaf 5 being snapped into tight gripping engagement with the plate I which is secured against the support by the screws I. A tongue is cut from the intermediate portion of the leafor plate 5 and rolled upwardly to form a hinge ear or sleeve 8, as clearly shown in Figure 9, and the upper end portion of the leaf or plate 4 has a slot or opening 3 formed intermediate its width, after which the portion of the plate above this slot may be rolled upon itself to form a hinge pin or bar l about which the hinge ear or sleeve 8 engages, as clearly shown in Figure 2, to hingedly connect the leaf 4 with the leaf 5.

The support-engaging plate 3 is formed of resilient metal and has its intermediate portion cut out, as shown in Figure 9, to provide a socket II, the lower portion ll of which is of reduced width. The cross bar l2 at the upper end of the plate 3 is undercut for a portion of its length to form a recess l3 having a diagonal or sloping wall, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, so that it is gradually reduced in depth toward the upper end of the support-engaging plate. The side portions of the socket which project beyond opposite sides of the reduced lower portion ll of the socket have their upper portion 14 extending through the plate 3 for the full thickness thereof but their lower portions are cut to form lugs l5 having sloping upper faces l6 which converge rearwardly. Externally of the sloping outer faces of the lugs l5, the side walls of the reduced lower portion i I of the socket are grooved, as shown at H, and upon referring to Figures 8 and 9, it willbe seen that these grooves are V-shaped in cross section and form seats in the lower end portions of inner side edge faces of arms or jaws l8 formed by cutting slits in the plate 3. A. notch I9 is formed intermediate thewidth of the lower end of the socket in order that the leaf 5 may be easily removed when so desired.

The leaf 5 of the sign-engaging member is shaped to fit the socket I l and the reduced lower portion ll thereof, and upon referring to Figure 9 it will be seen that at its upper end this leaf or plate is formed with a bill having a sioping upper face in order that the bill 23 may be easily slid into the recess orseat l3 when applying the leaf 5 to the support-engaging member or plate 3. The side extensions or arms 2| of the leaf 5 fit into the side portions 14 of the socket II and lower portions of the side arms 2| are formed with recesses 22 which are so cut that the lower portions of the side arms will be formed with sloping faces conforming to and having flat contacting engagement with the sloping faces of the lugs l5 when the leaf is seated in the socket. Below the side arms 2| the side edge portions of the leaf are cut to provide ribs 23 along the side edges of the leaf and these ribs are so cut that they will fit snugly into the grooves I! of the jaws I8. By so forming the leaf 5 the bill 20 may be engaged in the seat or recess l3 and pressure then applied to the lower portion of the leaf or plate 5 to slide the leaf into the socket. As the lower portion of the leaf moves into the lower portion ll of the socket, the rib 23 will enter thegroove ll of the jaws and they will be very firmly gripped by the jaws which are resilient. Therefore, the ieaf will be firmly held to the support-engaging member and will not be liable to accidentally slip out of place. At its lower end the leaf is formed with a notch or recess 24 which registers with the notch I E- of the support-engaging member when the leaf is snapped into the socket of the support-engaging member.

While a screw driver blade, nail or some other prying implement may he engaged through the registering notches l9 and 24 in order to pry the leaf 5 out of the socket of the support-engaging member, there has been illustrated in Figure 20 a removing implement 25 which is formed of strong metal and consists of a shank 23 having one end portion reduced in width from both side edges to provide a tapered blade 21, the free end of which is of the proper width to be engaged in the registering notches and extend under the lower end of the leaf or plate 5. When the bill of this removing implement is engaged under the lower end of the leaf 5, the implement may then be rocked across the lower bar 28 of the support-engaging member and force will be exerted to spring the leaf out of the socket into which it fits. The other end of the removingimplement is bent to form a lip or handle 29 by means of which it may be grasped, and by referring to Figure 20 it will be seen that before this end portion of the implement is bent to form the lip 29 an opening 33 having a slit 3| leading therefrom is formed in this end portion of the implement. This opening 30 is extended at its ends to provide a tongue between its extended end portions which forms a bill 32 when this end portion of the implement is bent to form the handle 29. It should also be noted that in slight- 1y spaced relation to the inner end of the bill 32 the implement is bent, as shown at 33, to provide a foot 34 having the bill extending therefrom in the same plane as the foot. The shank 26 extends diagonally from the foot and, therefore, when the implement is grasped by the shank and the bill 32 employed to remove asign in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, the implement may be rocked upon thev foot by applying pressure to the free end portion of the shank.

In 10 through 14, there has been illustrated a modified construction wherein the sign 35 has a backing plate 36 secured thereto. The backing plate has its intermediate portion formed with an opening 31 defining a pocket when the backing plate is riveted or otherwise firmly secured against the sign. Wlnle it has been stated that the pocket is provided by forming an opening in a backing plate which is secured against the rear face of the sign, it willbe obvious that the sign and its backing plate may be formed as an integral structure with the pocket provided therein. A support-engaging member 38 which is of the same construction as the support-engaging member 3 is secured against a wall or other support 39 by screws or equivalent fasteners 50, and attention is called to the fact that, while the pocket 31 corresponds in outline to the support-engaging member, it is of greater width than the support-engaging member and. therefore, when the sign-engaging member which is mounted in the pocket 31 is. engaged with the support-engaging member, the upper edge of the support-engaging member will be spaced from the upper edge of the pocket. The sign-engaging member 4| is of the same construction as the leaf or plate 5 of the sign-engaging member previously described and has its upper and lower ends in such spaced relation to upper or lower margins or edges of the pocket 31 that when the sign 35 is mounted the bill 42 of the sign-engaging member may be engaged in the opening 43 of the support-engaging member with the narrow upper portion 44 of the backing plate 36 disposed close to the upper edge of the support-engaging member and the sign then shifted upwardly while applying pressure toward the wall or other support to move the 1 bill 42 into the socket 45 of the support-engaging ing member will be firmly gripped between the jaws of the support-engaging member. The sign will then have proper engagement with the face of the wall or other support and the narrow lower portion 48 of the backing plate will have contacting engagement with the lower edge face of the support-engaging member, as clearly shown in Figure 11. The sign will thus be properly held upon the wall or in place upon a shelf or other support and will not be liable to accidentally slip loose. When it is desired to remove the sign, it is merely necessary to grasp the removing implement for the sign by its shank 26 and apply the removing implement against the face of the support, as shown in Figure 11, with the bill or tongue 32 extending between the support and the lower edge of the sign. Pressure may then be applied to the tongue to impart rocking movement to the implement and as the bill or tongue 32 moves away from the support the sign will be pried loose.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 15 through 18 inclusive, the sign is intended to be applied to a shelf, table or other support and includes a support-engaging bracket which may be formed of wood or the like, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, or of metal, as shown in Figure 18. The bracket illustrated in Figure 15 has a base 49 from which rises a wall 50 which extends upwardly at a rearward incline and has its front face formed with a recess in order that a plate 5i, corresponding to the support-engaging plate 3, may be secured in the recess in counter-sunk relation to the front face of the wall by a screw 52. In the present illustration, two sign members 53 having numbers upon their outer faces are to be applied to the support-engaging plate II and, therefore,

the plate 5| has been shown with a pair of sockets 54 each of which is to receive the sign-engaging member 55 carried by a sign member or plate 53. It will be obvious that by increasing the length of the bracket and its wall II a plate SI having a greater number of sockets Il may be secured in the recess formed in the front face of the wall or if so desired the bracket may be formed of the proper size to accommodate a single plate corresponding to the support-engaging plate 3. The manner of applying the sign members or the plates "is the same as previously described and merely consists of engaging the bill 56 of the sign-engaging member I in the recess or seat 51 leading from the socket I4 and then applying pressure to the lower end portion 58 of the sign-engaging member between the jaws of the support-engaging member.

When it is desired to remove a sign member 53, the implement illustrated in Figure 21 is employed. This implement has a shank ll at one end of which is, formed a flat head II from which extend bills or tongues II which are spaced from each other transversely of the head I. These bills ii are pressed between the lower end of the sign member and plate II and the lower edge of the recess formed in the wall II. in such position that they may engage under a plate 53' at opposite sides of the lower portion ll of the sign-engaging member II. It is then merely necessary to applypressure to the handle of the removing implement and thetongues will cause the plate 53 to be pried out.

The bracket fllustrated in Figure 18 is intended for use upon a glass shelf and is formed of resilient metal. This bracket is formed from a single blank of metal having its intermediate portion cut so that the blank may be bent to I wardly and then back upon itself to provide a leaf or plate which projects upwardly at a rearward incline and corresponds to the wall 50. An opening 61 is formed in the leaf 68 so that a bolt may be passed through the leaf to secure the support-engaging member or plate 5| against the front face of the leaf.

In Figure 19, there has been illustrated a device constructed in accordance with this invention and by means of which a sign may be suspended from an overhead support. This device has a support-engaging member or plate 68 corresponding in construction to the support-engaging member 3 and adapted to be secured against the overhead support by screws or equivalent fasteners 69. A companion member 10 which corresponds in construction to the plate 5 is employed in connection with the supportengaging member 68 and is snappedv into engagement with the plate 58 where it will be securely held by the jaws H. The car 12 of the plate 10 instead of being engaged with a pivot pin of a companion plate carries a ring 13 which is of rectangular shape and provided with an eye H- through which is engaged an'end 1km of the chain 15. This chain may be of any length desired and have a sign suspended from its lower end. In view of the fact that the ring I! from which the chain is suspended is connected with the plate 10 at the end thereof formed with a tongue corresponding to the tongue 20 of the plate 5 the weight of the sign may not cause the plate III to be drawn out of engagement with the plate 68. While it has been stated that this-device shown in Figure 19 is for suspending a hanging sign, it will be obvious that it may be used for mounting overhead straps in a street car.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a sign construction, a sign element, and mounting means including a support-engaging member formed with a socket and having resilient jaws at opposite sides of the socket, and an anchoring member carried by the sign element and adapted to be forced into the socket of the support-engaging member and firmly gripped by said jaws, the anchoring member being provided at one end with means for engaging between the support-engaging member and a support and aiding said laws in maintaining the anchoring member in the socket.

2. In a sign construction, a sign element, and mounting means for said sign element comprising a support-engaging member having its intermediate portion cut out to form a socket having a wide upper portion and a reduced lower portion, the support-engaging member being also cut to provide jaws at opposite sides of said socket, said Jaws being formed with rearwardly extending cam faces and below the cam faces having their inner side edges grooved, and an anchoring member carried by the sign element and having a wide upper portion and a reduced lower portion whereby the anchoring member may be fitted into the socket of the support-engaging member, the lower portion of the anchoring;

member having its side edge faces beveled to provide ribs adapted to be engaged in the grooves of said jaws and the wider portion of the an mounting means for said sign element comprising a. support-engaging member formed with a socket and having jaws at opposite sides of the socket provided with grooved inner edge faces and above the groove being provided with cam faces converging rearwardly of the support-engaging member, and an anchoring member'carried by said sigfi element and conforming to the outline of said socket whereby it may be fitted snugly within the socket, said anchoring member having ribs along its side edges to fit into the grooves of said jaws and having beveled surfaces to bear against the inclined cam surfaces of the support-engaging member when the anchoring member is forced into said socket.

4. In a sign construction, a sign board, mounting means for the sign board comprising a support-engaging member having its intermediate portion cut out to form a socket and at opposite sides of the socket being cut to provide resilient jaws, and an anchoring member consisting of a. plate conforming to the outline of said socket whereby it may be fitted snugly into the socket, said plate having a bill at one end adapted to engage under the support engaging member and having its other end portion adapted for interlocking engagement with said jaws, a hinge leaf at the first-mentioned end of said plate, and a second plate pivotally engaged with the hinge leaf of the first plate adapted to be secured against the rear face of the sign board to hingedly mount the sign board.

5. In a sign, a sign board, a back plate for said sign board having its intermediate portion cut out to provide a pocket at the back of the sign board, a support-engaging member adapted to be secured against a support and having its intermediate portion out out to provide a socket, the support-engaging member being of a length corresponding to that of the socket and of a depth appreciably less than the distance between upper and lower marginal edges of the socket to permit vertical shifting of the support-engaging member in the socket, said support-engaging member being provided with resilient jaws at opposite sides of its socket, and a companion member secured against the rear face of the sign board within the pocket thereof in spaced relation to ends and upper and lower margins thereof and adapted to be fitted snugly into the socket of the support-engaging member and firmly gripped by said jaws to mount the sign against a support with the support-engaging 7. A sign, a bracket having a. support-ehgaging base and an upstanding wall, the front face of said wall being recessed to form a pocket, a mounting member secured in said pocket and formed with a socket having resilient jaws at opposite sides thereof, and a sign having a mount- 7 ing member at its back conforming to the outline of the socket whereby it may be snapped into the socket and firmly gripped to detachably mount the sign in the recess of the upstanding wall.

LEE 0. LOY.

Images