US2809453A - Display sign or similar article - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1957 G. J. PAWELKA DISPLAY SIGN 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 3, 1955 FIGJ.

. INVENTOR:

Gus/av Jo/m Pawe/Aa BY5 v E g dziarrgg/ Oct. 15, 1957 w a. J. PAWELKA 2,309,453

DISPLAY SIGN OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed Aug. 3, 1955 Y 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 2,809,453 Patented Oct. 15, 1957 Reel 2,809,453 DESPLAY SIGN R SIMILAR ARTICLE Gustav John Pawelka, Glenwood Landing, N. Y., assignor to Fm'rhaven Properties Corp., a corporation of Delaware Application August 3, 1955, Serial No. 526,204

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates generally to display devices and has particular reference to a display sign or placard supported On an upright pole or standard.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character for use in stores or other places for the advertising of goods, or for the presentation of informative material. Obviously, however, the display device may be used in other places and for other purposes, if desired.

it is a more specific object of the invention to provide a display device of staunch and practical construction, yet of such inexpensive character that it may, if desired, be discarded after a relatively short period of use; and to provide a display sign which can be very readily dismantled or erected and which, when dismantled, will occupy little space and may be conveniently handled, stored or shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display sign of this character which can be made of relatively inexpensive materials, essentially cardboard and paper; and in which a portion of the supporting structure or post of the sign can serve as a container or enclosure for the other parts of the device for convenience in packing, handling or shipping. It is still another object of the invention to provide a display sign which, when knocked down or disassembled, will be in convenient form, yet can be erected or set up very quickly without the use of any special skill or tools. It is a further object of the invention to provide a display sign in which the display sheets can be easily changed whenever desired.

With these and other objects in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a display sign constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the sign with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view from underneath of the lower end of the lower supporting tube;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the upper tube;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the display sheet;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a part of the upper tube;

Fig. 8 is a view from the rear of the upper portion of the display sheet, with the upper supporting tube shown in section;

Fig. 9 shows a modified structure;

Fig. 10 is a view from underneath of the lower supporting tube, showing the application thereto of a modified form of supporting feet;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view through the structure of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 shows one of the supporting feet (broken away ea L at the right-hand end) for the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

Referring to the drawings, the sign includes an upright supporting post or standard composed of separable tubular sections. The lower supporting tube 1 may be made of any suitable material, and for economy in manufacture it may be in the form of a relatively large-diameter, heavy-wall cardboard tube. Mounted to be telescopically slidable within the outer tube 1 is an inner tube 2, which may be of substantially the same or of less length than the outer tube, and may also be composed of cardboard, preferably of an outer diameter enabling it to slide with slight friction within the outer tube 1. The fit of the inner tube 2 within the outer tube 1 can be such as to make it possible for the inner tube to be retained frictionally in its extended position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this position, the lower end of the tube 2 fits telescopically within the upper end of the tube 1, and the tube 2 projects for the greater portion of its length out of the upper end of the tube 1.

Extending downwardly from the upper end of the tube 2 are diametrically-opposite slots or notches 4, and adjacent to the opposite, or lower, end of the tube 2 is a transverse horizontal slot 3.

The display sheet or placard 5 bearing the advertising matter or other display material, may consist of a sheet of paper, textile fabric, or other suitable flexible sheet material, and it is provided at one end with a stiffening and reinforcing strip 8 composed of cardboard or other suitable relatively rigid material. The sheet 5 may be glued to the strip 8 and possibly additionally or alternatively fastened thereto by staples 15 or other equivalent fastening elements. The reinforcing strip 8 may be a normally fiat strip of cardboard longitudinally scored on two parallel lines to enable it to be folded into channel-shape, substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. This provides a rear, downwardly-directed flange 9 on the strip adapted for engagement with the notches 4. At its central area, the flange 9 is provided with the two notches 10 (Fig. 8) which embrace the wall of the tube 2 within the notches 4 and hold the sheet 5 against lateral displacement when it is attached to the tube 2.

At the opposite or lower end of the sheet 5 there is provided a reinforcing strip 6 which is also a normally fiat strip of cardboard or other suitable material, provided with a rearwardly-projecting flange 7. Reinforcing strip 6 is attached to the sheet 5 by the staples 16 or by gluing it. Flange 7 is notched adjacent to its central area, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 3, and when the flange '7 is inserted into the slot 3, the notches 11 will engage with the ends of the slot, thus holding the lower end of the sheet or placard 5 against lateral displacement. The notches 4 at the upper end of the tube 2 and the horizontal slot 3 at the lower region thereof are spaced just sufficiently to maintain the sign sheet 5 in a stretched planar condition.

The supporting post for the sign, consisting of the tubes 1 and 2 as described, is maintained in its upright position by feet 12 and 13 which are detachably fitted in the lower end of the outer tube 1. This is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. One of these feet, designated 13, is disclosed in Fig. 12, wherein it will be seen that it consists of a length of stiif wire rod, provided with an offset part, or laterally-bent loop 14 of a size enabling it to fit snugly within the open lower end of the tube 1. The two rods 12 and 13 have their loop portions 14 placed in crossed relation within the lower end of the tube, and the leg portions of the rods extend radially from the tube and thus form feet that support the post. The loop 14 of the rod 12 is slightly higher than the loop 14 of the rod 13 to facilitate the interengagement of the parts and to position the radial feet in a single plane as shown in Fig. 2.

by the snugness of fit of these loop parts within the tube.

The tube 1 may now be stood upright on these supporting feet. The flange 9 of the sheet or placard is then fitted into the notches-4 in tube 2,'with the notches on the flange engaging with the wall of the 'tube within' the notches 4. The flange 7 'onthe lower reinforcement .6 is now fitted into the slot 3 audits notches 11 are caused to engage the wall of the tube 2 within the slot 3. The sheet 5 will then lie in stretched condition between the notches 4 and the slot '3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

' The lower end of the tube 2 is then telescopically fitted into the upper end of the tubel and it will hold its position therein, either by tightness of fit withinthe tube 1,

or by the fact that the strip 7 extending through slot 3 will limit the descent of tube 2 within the outer tube 1. The erected'display sign appears as seen in Fig. l.

The parts of the device other than the tube 1, namely, the sheet 5 (rolled up), the inner tube 2, and the sup- 7 porting feet 12 and 13, are adapted to fit inside the outer tube 1 when the sign is in its dismantled condition, so that the outer tube 1 then acts as a case or container affording protection for the parts of the sign while reducing it to convenient shipping and storage size.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have 'shown a slightly modified construction of the supporting feet, wherein each of the feet consists of a rod 25 having a laterally-bent end 26 adapted to be removably fitted into a hole 24 provided in or througha plug 23 fixed in the lower end of the outer tube 1. The feet 25, of which three are shown, extend radially from the tube 1 and support the tube 1 in a manner similar to the functioning of the feet 12 and 13.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the inner tube is provided adjacent to its opposite ends with the horizontal slots shown at 18 and 19. In this embodiment of the invention, the sheet or placard 5 is provided at its opposite ends with the flat reinforcing strips 21 and '22 which are respectively inserted into the slots 18 and 19. In this embodiment, also, the major part of the inner tube is of relatively small diameter and is provided at one end with a sleeve which fits snugly within the outer tube. The slot indicated at 19 is located closely adjacent to the upper end of the sleeve 20. The reinforcing strip 22, when fitted in slot 19, limits the descent of the tube 17 into the outer tube 1. This embodiment of the invention is capable of being dismantled and the parts thereof housed within the outer sleeve 1 in the manner explained with respect to the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings.

It will thus be seen that the device may be made of V V inexpensive materials; when collapsed and with its parts housed in the outer tube it presents the aspect of a long cylinder for easy shipment and storage; and it is easily erected and dismantled. While I have Suggested that the device is primarily applicable for use as a sign or display placard, it will be apparent that it can have other uses, for example, as a portable screen for the display of motion pictures or slides.

Having described several embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to include all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

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

1; A display sign or similar article comprising a vertical standard including separable tubes one of which is a lower tube and the other an upper tube, the latter having its lower end telescopically within the upper end of the lower tube, the upper'tube being slotted at its upper end and having a horizontal slot near its lower end, a

being of substantially equal lengths and each of said tubes being of uniform diameter throughout its length-so that said upper tube may be telescoped in its entirety into the lower tube when said placard is disengaged from said upper tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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