US2899764A

US2899764A - Sign structure

Info

Publication number: US2899764A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1959-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1976-08-18

Description

Aug. 18, 1959 SIGN STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 14, 1958 R. E. OBERLIN, JR

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RALPH E. OBERL/N, JR.

INVENTOR.

l aay M v ATTORNEYS R. E. OBERLIN, JR

SIGN STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1958 SEF FIG. 6

FIG. 5

nited States Patent 'Cfifice Patented Aug. 18, 1959 SIGN STRUCTURE Ralph E. Oberlin, Jr., Massillon, Ohio, assigrior to Igelstroem-Oberlin, Inc., Massillon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 14, 1958, Serial No. 774,015

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to so-called pole signs and to apparatus for mounting signs on poles, particularly signs of the banner type in which the sign body is a printed, painted, or lithographed sheet of flexible material, such as a woven fabric, a plastic film, or the like. 7

Such banner type signs are commonly provided with stiffening bars or slats of wood or metal that are seamed into or otherwise secured to horizontal, parallel, upper and lower edges of the flexible banner. Signs of this type are generally mounted on vertical poles, often with a pair of the signs mounted on opposite sides of the pole to face in opposite directions. The stiffened horizontal upper and lower edges of the signs are generally secured to the pole by suitable brackets that grip the pole and pull the stiffened edges in opposite directions to hold the body of the sign taut so as to minimize flapping and vibrating of the sign body in the wind, while holding the sign body in a generally vertical plane.

It is common practice to display banner type signs of the character described above for relatively short periods of time, and to change the banners at intervals in order to obtain a desired variety of advertising. Particularly in cases where the signs are changed at relatively frequent intervals, it is desirable to have sign mounting devices which can be easily and quickly applied to a post and removed therefrom, which are adapted to have the sign banners easily and quickly secured thereto and removed therefrom, and which are readily adjustable to initially mount a banner thereon under tension and to adjust the tension from time to time to take up slack caused by stretching of the banner or to accommodate dimensional changes in the banner caused by changing atmospheric conditions in the course of outdoor exposure of the signs.

The objects of 'theinvention are to provide signs of the type described and mounting devices for such signs which are simple in form, light in weight, and inexpensive to manufacture; which have the foregoing attributes of being easily and quickly installed, removed, and adjusted; and which are reliable and rugged in use. a i

The present invention involves a novel combination of a pair of simple post-gripping assemblies respectivelydisposed adjacent the stiffened, horizontal, top and bottom edges of a banner ty'p'e sign, with a pair of turnbuckles for connecting at least one of said edges of the sign to one of the post-gripping assemblies, whereby the tension in the banner may be adjusted after the post-gripping assemblies are mounted on a post and the banner has been attached thereto. The other of said stiffened edges of the sign may be secured more or less rigidly to the second of the post-gripping assemblies, or it may also be secured thereto by a pair of turnbuckles. A pair of banner type signs facing in opposite directions may be similarly mounted on the same set of post-gripping assemblies, one sign being disposed on each side of the supporting post.

The foregoing advantages and features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pair of banner type signs mounted on opposite sides of a vertical post in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view showing how the stiffened bottom edges of the signs may be adjustably secured to the supporting post in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a combination post-gripping bracket and banner tensioning means utilized in the structure as shown in Fig. 2. 7

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary plan views similar to Fig. 1, with minor modifications, and illustrate how the post-gripping device accommodates itself to posts of different diameters. a

Fig. 6 is a similar fragmentary plan view, with minor modifications, illustrating an alternative construction in which themain clamp elements of the post-gripping assemblies may be connected for gripping posts of still smaller diameter. a a I p Referring to Figs. 1 'to 3, inclusive, a vertical post 11 is shown with upper and

lower post-gripping assemblies

12 and 13 mounted thereon and with oppositely facing

banner type signs

14 and 15 secured on opposite sides of the post behind the post-gripping assemblies. Each of the upper and lower post-gripping assemblies may comprise two generally W-shaped clamp elements 16 which are interconnected by W-shaped connecting elements 17 and a plurality of screws and nuts 18. As will be apparent from the drawing, this assembly of clamp elements and connecting elements may be assembled about the post 11 and may be tightened about the post in gripping relationship therewith simply by tightening the screws and nuts 18.

Each clamp element 16 has its opposite ends 20 b'e'n't outwardly in a symmetrical manner to extend in opposite directions in a common plane spaced outwardly from the body of the clamp element relative to the post'll engaged thereby. These end portions 20 constitue ears through which screws 21 may be passed for securing the stiffened upper or lower edge of a banner to the clamp elem'e'nt. As shownin Fig. l, the

upper edge portion

22 or 23 6f each

sign

14 or 15 may besecu'red directly to the ears 20 of a clamp element by passing the screws 21 theret hro'ugh and applying nuts to the screws. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower stiiiened edge of the banner (and the -upper stiflened edge as we'll), may be constructed by folding the edge of the banner about a bar or slat 24 and stitching the banner to retain the slat in place, similarly to the seaming of a slat'in the lower'edge portion 'of a conventional roll type window blind.

As also shown in Fig. 2, the lower edge 25 or 26 of each

banner

14 or 15 may be secured to the lower postgripping assembly 13 by means of a pair of turnbuckles 27, each turnbuckle having one end pivotally secured to an ear 20 of a clamp element 16' by means of a screw and nut 28. The opposite end of each turnbuckle may be similarly secured to the lower edge portion 25 or 26 of the

banner

14 or 15 by means of another screw and nut 29. An assembly of the post-gripping elements with four such turnbuckles is shown in Fig. 3.

The sign structure described above may be mounted on the post 11 by first securing the upper post-gripping assembly 12 in place and securing the upper edge portions of the banners 14 and 15'to opposite sides thereof so that the two banners are suspended therefrom. The lower post-gripping assembly is then secured in place on the post a short distance below the lower edges of the two banners, and the turnbuckles 27 are secured to the lower edge portions of the banners as described. The banners may then be stretched taut by simply adjusting the turnbuckles to initially tension the sign. As may be required from time to time, the tension in the sign may be relieved or increased by readjusting the turnbuckles.

Although somewhat less convenient during initial installation of a sign, it will be obvious that the positions ofthe upper and lower post-gripping assemblies 12 and 1.3 may be reversed if desired. It will also be obvious that a pair of post-gripping assemblies, each including the turnbuckles, may be employed to hold both the upper and lower edge portions of the two banners without departing from the principles of the invention.

In order to further rigidify the entire sign assembly, a pair of long threaded rods 30 may be disposed to extend between and pass outwardly through the stiffened

upper edges

22 and 23 of each

sign

14 and 15, and speed nuts 31 or the like may be applied to opposite ends of each threaded rod to spring the adjacent ends of the upper edge portions of the two signs together a short distance and hold them under moderate bending stresses. A similar pair of long threaded rods and associated speed nuts (not shown) or the like may' be similarly applied to the opposite ends of the lower edge portions 25 and 26 of the two signs.

From the foregoing description of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3, it will be apparent that a simple sign structure has been provided which may be easilv and quickly installed and readily adjusted as needed from time to time, and that the post-gripping assemblies may be inexpensively fabricated from sheet metal stampings and conventional screws, nuts. and turnbuckles to provide reliable and rugged supports for the flexible signs.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, essentially the same form of post-gripping assembly used in the structure of Figs. l3 is shown mounted on posts 33 (Fig. 4) and 34 (Fig. As will be apparent, the post-gripping assemblies adapt themselves to posts of different sizes, it merely being necessary to tighten the screws and nuts 18 until each of the clamp elements 16 and connector elements 17 firmly engages and partially embraces the post. For the particular form of post gripping assembly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, utilizing screws 18 of a given length, substantially the minimum and maximum post sizes which may be accommodated are shown in the two figures. Larger post sizes may be accommodated by using long screws 18. Still smaller post sizes than the one illustrated in Fig. 4 may be accommodated by substituting smaller, modified connector elements 36 of generally V-shape. In this instance only the clamp elements 16 directly engage the post 37, the connector elements 36 being spaced outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof.

To illustrate optional sign constructions adapted to be mounted in accordance with the invention, Figs. 4 and 5 show signs comprising sheets 38 of plastic or the like glued or otherwise bonded to metal stiffening bars 39 of any desired cross section, Fig. 4, showing two such signs mounted on opposite sides of the post 33, and Fig. 5 showing a single sign similarly mounted by means of the same mounting assemblies on the post 34. Fig. 6 shows a sign differing from those heretofore described only in that a modified stiffening bar 40 is shown as being made of wood, with the sheet material of the banner glued or otherwise bonded thereto.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and drawings of illustrated forms of the invention that numerous modifications thereof may be made without departing from the principles of the invention, and all such modifications as will occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for mounting signs of flexible fabric or the like on a vertical post, comprising an annularpostgripping assembly adapted to surround a post, said assembly including adjustable means for contracting the assembly to releasably grip a post surrounded thereby, a pair of cars extending from said assembly, relative to a post embraced thereby, outwardly to horizontally aligned and spaced points, and a pair of turnbuckles respectively having ends pivotally attached to said ears at said points and having opposite free ends for attachment to one edge portion of a sign to be mounted on a 0st. p 2. A device for mounting signs of flexible fabric 0 the like on a vertical post, comprising a plurality of opposed clamp elements adapted to be positioned against opposite sides of a post, means releasably connecting said clamp elements together to form an annular assembly adapted to surround the post, said means being adjustable to urge said clamp elements toward each other against opposite sides of the post for gripping the same, a pair of ears extending from said assembly, relative to a post embraced thereby, outwardly to horizontally aligned and spaced points, a pair of turnbuckles respectively having ends pivotally attached to said ears at said points and having opposite free ends for attachment to one edge portion of a sign to be mounted on the post. p

3. A device for mounting signs of flexible fabric or the like on a vertical post, comprising a pair of opposed, generally W-shaped clamp elements having their central V-shaped portions diverging toward each other for engaging and partially embracing opposite sides of a round post, brackets releasably connecting said clamp elements together adjacent opposite ends thereof to form an annular assembly adapted to surround a post, said brackets being adjustable to urge said clamp elements toward each other on opposite sides of a post for gripping the same, each of said clamp elements having its opposite ends bent to extend symmetrically relative to the clamp element in opposite directions in a common plane, a pair of turnbuckles respectively having ends pivotally attached to said opposite ends of a clamp element, the other free ends of said turnbuckles being shaped for removable attachment to one edge portion of a sign to be mounted on a post.

4. A sign assembly comprising a flexible sign body of fabric or the like having parallel upper and lower straight edges, a pair of stiffening bars respectively secured to said upper and lower edges of the sign body, an annular post-gripping assembly adapted to surround a post and including means for releasably and adjustably clamping the assembly about a post, horizontally spaced ears on said assembly disposed in a common plane outwardly of the body of the assembly relative to a post embraced thereby, means securing said ears to one of said stiffening bars, a second corresponding post-gripping assembly, a pair of turnbuckles respectively having ends pivotally attached to the ears of said second post-gripping assembly and having opposite free ends attached to the other of said stiffening bars, whereby said post-gripping assemblies may be clamped to a post in vertically spaced relationship with opposite edges of the sign body extending therebetween and connected thereto, and the sign body may be stretched taut by adjustment of said turnbuckles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS