US2591494A

US2591494A - Collapsible signboard

Info

Publication number: US2591494A
Application number: US120483A
Authority: US
Inventors: George R Asachika
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-10-10
Filing date: 1949-10-10
Publication date: 1952-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1969-04-01

Description

April 1, 1952 G. R. ASACHIKA v COLLAPSIBLE SIGNBOARD 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. GEORGER. ASACHlKA,

Arromv: Y

Filed Oct. 10, 1949 Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This. invention relates to signs and particularly to highway display signs of the type commonly employed along the roadways throughout the country.

Highway signs have been generally recognized as a hazard and are a source of extensive and expensive maintenance, since they olfer a terrific wind resistance and frequently are blown down, completely wrecking the structure, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a sign structure that is collapsible with respect to the sign area offering the major wind resistance and contemplates a sign board and a supporting frame with means whereby the sign board may be easily and conveniently lowered to a horizontally reclined position and maintained against shifting with respect to its. supporting frame prior to and during exceptionally heavy winds and, after the passage of the heavy winds, can be just as easily raised to its display position without the use of ladders, props or fastening devices.

A further object. of the invention resides in a novel supporting frame and a double faced display sign board shiftable vertically of the frame through the medium of rollers and winding cables and drum with a minimum of effort by a single person.

Another object. of the invention resides in a novel double faced display sign board that is constructed of light weight metal and has detachabl'y secured thereto a plurality of panels upon which the sign is painted, the panels being of such nature that a predetermined sign can be painted on a sept of panels and transported to the structureand easily and conveniently installed with a minimum of effort.

Other novel structural details will be readily apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein is illustrated a preferred form of the invention and wherein like reference characters are employed to indicate like parts throughout,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sign constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is an end view thereof,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of V Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevation of the sign board and its upper guide roller, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line of Figure 6.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a supporting frame as a whole, embodying a horizontally arranged header 6 connected at its opposite ends to vertically arranged uprights l. The lower ends of the uprights terminate in a pair of outwardly inclined leg portions, as at 8, forming with the uprights. inverted Y-formations. The legs 8 are bolted at 9 to preferably concrete sills it. As clearly shown, the header, uprights and legs are formed of metallic channels, with the channels opening inwardly. The channel extends throughout the length of the header, the uprights and the leg portions and is continuous. The header 6 is slightly wider than the uprights, for a purpose to be described. The sills are formed of a desirable size to provide an adequate base of such weight as will maintain the frame in an upright position against abnormal wind pressures. The sills are preferably tied together by horizontal brace rods H.

Mounted for vertical movement in the frame, is a sign board, indicated as a whole, by the numeral l2. The signbcard I2 comprises a mounting base 13, of tubular formation and formed of a metal calculated to withstand corrosion and normal wind pressures. The base 83 is generally I-shaped in cross section, forming a rectangular recess [4 upon its. opposite faces. Detachably supported in the recesses upon the opposite faces of the board, are a plurality of metallic panels [5, having a display face I t and its marginal edges flanged, as at IT for added strength against twisting. The. upper and lower ends of the panels are notched, as at l8. The panels are of a size to be conveniently arranged in the recesses M in side to side abutment, with their display faces l6 exposed. The panels are held within the recesses I4 against displacement by a suitable molding i9, overlying the panels and held in position by screws 20. The notches [8 are for clearance over the screws 28 at assembly. The screws 20 have threaded engagement in openings 2i, formed in the recessed wall of the board.

Rotatably supported at opposite ends of the board, are

guide rollers

22 and 23. The sign board l2 has a width equal to the outside width of the uprights. 1, as clearly shown in Figure 5, while the additional width of the header permits the upper edge of the board to extend slightly thereinto, also clearly indicated in Figure 5. The

rollers

22 and 23 have a diameter that permits freely rotatable movement in the channels of the uprights l and the channels of the leg portions 8. The sign board is held in display position, with both faces exposed, by two or more cables 24, operating over grooved pulleys 25, supported upon cross shafts 26, carried by the header 6. The cables 24 are fixed at their free ends to the head of the sign board l2 and trained over the pulleys 25 to a winding drum 21, rotatably supported in the channel of one upright l. The shaft 28 of the drum extends through the wall of the upright and carries a ratchet wheel 29, held by a pawl 30. A hand crank 3|, fixed upon the shaft 28, serves to operate the drum for raising and lowering the sign board l2, as desired. The roller 23 is shiftable against the tension of a spring 32, for a purpose to be described. The roller 23 is supported upon a shaft 33, carried by a rectangular block 34, slidable in a slot 35 of the end portion of the signboard. A guide rod 36 supports the sliding movement of the block against the spring 32.

In use, the sign is mounted in a desirable location adjacent a highway and preferably at a right angle to the highway, so that its opposite faces will be equally disposed. The panels having been painted or otherwise decorated, are placed in the board I2 and secured by the molding l9. When an abnormal wind is expected. such as would normally destroy the conventional road sign, an operator visits each sign and, by releasing the pawl 30, lowers the sign board with its supported panels i5, by rotating the drum 21 in the proper direction. Such action permits the sign board to be lowered downward, guided by its

rollers

22 and 23 in the channels of the uprights until the lower rollers 22 hit the apex of the Y, at which time the rollers 22 will traverse one leg 8, while the upper rollers 23 tend to traverse the opposite leg 8. Since the rollers 23 mus travel in an arc, the springs 32 permit them to move inwardly, thus permitting the sign board 12 to swing toward a horizontal position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5, until it finally rests in a horizontal position with the rollers resting within the terminal ends of the channels. In this position, the sign offers relatively little wind resistance, while the frame offers practically no wind resistance. When the abnormal weather condition ceases, the operator merely returns and winds the drum 2'! through the medium of its crank 31, pulling upon the cables 24, which in turn pulls the sign board upward in the same path of movement as when it was lowered and at the termination of its upward movement, will be held against dropping by the pawl 30. When mounting the panels IS, the operator lowers the sign board l2 to a convenient height, after which it is then raised to display position.

It will be apparent, that a very novel and highly desirable form of sign has been provided. Conventional road signs carry a very expensive maintenance cost. The sign of the application can be formed of aluminum or other light weight metals, costing relatively little more than conventional signs while at the same time being of a permanent nature. The sign board 12 is relatively light in weight and requires a minimum of force to raise and lower. The panels l5, being demountable, can be first painted or decorated in the shop and then transported to the sign, where they are mounted upon opposite faces 4 of the board 12. This avoids scaffolding, such as is now employed when painting conventional signs. The sign of this application further has the advantage of being readable from both directions, which is a distinct advantage. Ground pegs may be found desirable in the smaller signs and would be driven through the base 10 into the ground prior to the setting of the concrete.

While a preferred example of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sign of the character described comprising a vertically arranged U-shaped frame of channel formation, the said frame comprising a header and uprights, the uprights terminating at their lower ends in outwardly inclined legs of channel formation, the said channels communicating throughout the header, uprights and legs, a rigid base for the support of the frame, a sign device having opposite display faces, guide rollers carried by the sign device and operable in the channels, means for raising and lowering the sign device with respect to the frame, the said sign device when lowered to the base caused to assume a horizontal position by the engagement of the rollers in the channels.

2. In a highway sign, the combination of a supporting frame and a shiftable sign device having double display faces, the frame comprising a header of channel formation and integral vertically arranged uprights of channel formation, the channels of the header and uprights communicating and continuous, the lower portions of the uprights divided into angularly disposed legs of channel formation with the channels of the legs communicating with the channels of the uprights, a rigid base for the fixed support of the legs, a winding drum carried by one upright, grooved pulleys carried by the header, cables wound upon the drum and trained over the pulleys with their terminal ends attached to the sign device, antifriction guide rollers supported upon the ends of the sign device and operable in the channels of the uprights and legs when the sign is vertically shifted, the said sign device when lowered to the base assuming a flat position with its display faces in horizontal alignment with the base.

3. In a highway sign for double display purposes comprising a U-shaped frame including a horizontal header of channel formation and a pair of vertically arranged uprights of channel formation with the channels of the header and uprights being continuous, the lower ends of the uprights divided into a pair of angularly disposed leg portions of channel formation with the channels of the legs being identical in diameter and continuous with the channels of the uprights, concrete base members for the ground support of the legs, a sign device of rectangular shape vertically shiftable Within the frame, the sign device being of a length to lie Within the frame and parallel with the header and uprights, antifriction guide rollers carried by the ends of the sign device to traverse the channels of the uprights and legs, one roller at each end of the sign device being yieldable inwardly, a winding drum supported within the channel of one upright and having a winding handle, ratchet means for the drum, a plurality of grooved pulleys supported in the channel of the header, cables wound upon the drum and trained over the pulleys with their terminal ends connected to the top of the sign device, demountable panels supported upon the opposite faces of the sign device, the sign device when shifted downwardly causing its guide rollers to traverse the channels of both sets of legs for swinging the sign to a position with its display faces in horizontal alignment and adjacent to the base.

4. A sign structure of the character described having a double display face, comprising a U- shaped frame of channel formation including a header, and uprights and angularly disposed legs for the lower ends of the uprights, the channel extending throughout the header, uprights and legs, a rigid concrete ground base for the bolting support of the'legs, brace rods between the base of each upright, a sign display board of rectangular shape formed tubular and having its opposite faces inset, a plurality of sign panels for demountable'support within the insets in abutting relation, strips for retaining the panels against accidental displacement, antifriction guide rollers carried by the ends of the sign board adjacent its lower edge, antifriction guide rollers carried by the ends of the sign board adjacent its upper edge, the last named rollers being yieldable inwardly, the sign board lying wholly within the frame and having a width corresponding to the width of the uprights, the said rollers adapted to traverse the channels vertically, a winding drum supported in the channel of one upright, a hand crank for rotating the drum, a ratchet for the drum, a plurality of grooved pulleys rotatably supported Within the channel of the header with certain of the pulleys arranged adjacent the ends of the sign board, cables Wound around the drum and trained over the pulleys with their terminal ends connected to the upper edge of the sign board, the said sign board adapted to be shifted downwardly of,the uprights with the first named set of rollers engaging in the channels of one corresponding leg at each end of the frame and the second named set of rollers engaging the channels of the other corresponding legs at either end of the frame, the said rollers traversing the leg channels in a manner to cause the sign board to assume a position in parallelism with the base with its display faces in horizontal position.

1,5. A sign of the character described comprising a U-shaped frame having a header and integral uprights at opposite ends, the header and upright being of channel formation with the channels continuous, the lower portions of the uprights provided with integral outwardly angled legs of channel formation with the channels of the legs being identical with the channels of the uprights and continuous therewith, a double faced sign board vertically shiftable within the frame, raising and lowering means for the sign board carried by the frame, the sign board being of flat tubularform having recessed opposite faces throughout its major area, antifriction guide rollers carried by the ends of the sign board for traversing the channels of the uprights and legs, a plurality of rectangular shaped panels adapted to be detachably mounted within the recessed faces in abutting relation, the panels having their circumferential edges flanged with the upper and lower ends notched, molding strips for supporting the panels in the recesses against accidental displacement, screws for attaching the molding strips, the screws passing through the notches of the panels, the recesses provided with screw threaded openings for the reception of the screws.

GEORGE R. ASACHIKA.

REFERENCES CITED "The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number