US2901849A - Advertising panel - Google Patents

Description

P 1959 R. P. CALLISON 2,901,849

ADVERTISING PANEL 3 SheetS- Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1956 m INVENTOR.

Sept. 1, 1959 R. P. cALusoN ADVERTISING PANEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 9. 1956 United States Patent Ofilice 2,901,849 Patented Sept. 1, 1959} ADVERTISING PANEL Richard P. Callison, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Butler Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 9, 1956, Serial No. 603,092

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) The present invention relates in general to outdoor signs, and it deals more particularly with the construction of large signboards of the type used along the roadside for advertising or display purposes.

The object of the invention, broadly speaking, is to provide a signboard made of prefabricated components which can be assembled speedily and easily at the desired site whereby erection of the sign can be effected with little time and labor and the cost of installation thus reduced. In this connection, an important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a sign assembly wherein the panel components can be assembled with the frame working from the front side of the sign only. This has particular advantage where signs are placed back to back, or mounted on the wall of a building.

Another object is to provide a signboard which after erection can be dismantled or disassembled with equal ease and speed and without damage to the components whereby the parts can be reused successively at different locations in the event the initial site is abandoned for any reason.

A further object is to provide a signboard of the foregoing character which is neat and attractive in appearance, which is sturdy and rugged in construction, which is not subject to weathering and requires little maintenance, and whose components are economically manufactured.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a signboard Whose display area is composed of a plurality of separate panel sections disposed edge to edge in such positively registering relation that the display matter or advertising may be imposed on the panels before erection of the sign with assurance that when the panels thereafter are assembled at the site there will be no mismatching of the display material at the meeting lines of adjacent panels. In the case of painted signs, for example, this makes it unnecessary for the sign artists to work on open outdoor scaffolding at the site where conditions are not favorable to rapid work and their painting is subject to interruption due to unfavorable weather; instead, they can prepaint the individual panels at a central headquarters, protected from the weather and under ideal Working conditions, leaving for less skilled artisans the simple task of assembling the panels at the desired site.

An additional object is to provide a signboard structure upon which posters may be pasted, the display area being framed by an attractive molding or border trim so arranged as to avoid the possibility of its being disfigured as the result of paste being smeared or allowed to drip thereon.

A feature of the invention resides in the use of panels supported on horizontal stringers which are easily mounted on posts or other vertical supports regardless of the lateral spacing of these posts or supports.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a sign assembly in which the points of support for the panels can be increased with ease and facility to any desirable member to allow for increased wind loads on the panel face.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign assembly made up of a plurality of individual vertical panels, each panel having a plurality of horizontal panel stifieners readily engageable and disengageable therewith to aid in the shape retention and strengthening of the panel and extremely simple yet strong and positive acting mounting means cooperating between the horizontal panel stiffeners and horizontal stringers also of simple construction, the latter being readily mountable on posts or other vertical supports.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sign assembly made up of a plurality of individual Vertical panels, said panels mountable on horizontal stringers of simple construction supported by posts or other vertical supports, exceedingly simple and easily applied means being provided for mounting on the ends of the horizontal stringers and the ends of the panels for positioning trim around the periphery of said panel.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description thereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, an embodiment of the invention is shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a signboard structure or advertising panel embodying the invention, parts being cut away and broken away for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of a portion of the signboard structure or advertising panel of Fig. l, portions thereof having been broken away for illustrative purposes.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan sectional elevation taken 1 along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the 7 number of such support posts 10 depends upon the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a limited enlarged vertical cross section taken along the lines 55 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan vertical cross section taken through one of the vertical supporting posts of the advertising panel of Fig. 1, the view being taken from immediately above the intersection of one of the horizontal supporting stringers with the vertical supporting post but with the individual vertical advertising panel supported relative thereto having been removed from the horizontal stringer to best illustrate the interacting construction of the vertical post and horizontal stringer.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rear face of one of the individual vertical panels making up the front face of the assembled advertising panel of Fig. 1, a plurality of horizontal panel stitfeners being shown mounted on said rear face of said individual vertical panel, one of said horizontal stiifeners being disengaged at one side of the panel to show the engaging means thereon for union with the rear parts of the individual vertical panel itself.

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of an engaging clip for mounting on the tops and bottoms of pairs of the vertical panels similar to that shown in Fig. 7 for the purpose of supporting the trim tabs receiving the peripheral trim for the total advertising panel of Fig. l thereon.

Referring to the drawings, the inventive advertising panel comprises a plurality of essentially vertical support posts 10, which may be of wood or metal or any suitable material but are preferably steel beams H-shaped in cross section as best seen in Fig. 6. Support post 10 has front face 10a and rear face 10b. The height of the posts 10 depends upon the total height of the sign and the desired width of the sign itselfv and how muchwind load, sign weight, etc., is to be carried. A plurality of means for mounting horizontal stringers on the front side of said; support posts ,are. provided comp ising shelves 11, L-shaped in cross section, having holes i11 =;-th.e-. lower flanges 12.-thereof to receivebolts 13-which;-engage rear locking-flanges 14', also la -shap d incrosssection; which. abut the rear faces b of the vertical support. posts 10. Nuts-13a on bolts 13-serve topermit tightening oifzsaidv bolts so as to frictionally engage. the flanged plates. 12' and 14 withthefront andrear sides of the support posts lo against-vertical motion thereon. .Shelf; 1-1 has.;slots. 11a (Fig. 6). formed in. the upper. outwardly-extendingportion 11 thereof. It is-obvious that the bolt 13 engaged flange plate 12 and 14 assemblies maybe; adjusted upwardly or-downwardly. on the vertical support posts 10 as desired.

A plurality of essentially. horizontal stringers 15 comprising beams L,-shaped in cross section are mountable on the shelves 11 by bolts 16 and nuts 17 which engage onev arm of the L.-shaped stringer beams to provide free edgelSa of the stringers projecting upwardly opposite the front side of .said. supporting posts 10. The horizontallength of the. stringers 15 ispreferably slightly greater than the total width of the plurality of vertical panel sections which are to be mounted on the stringers.

A plurality of vertical panels 18 (Fig. 7) are provided the panelsbeing mountable on the free edges 15a of said stringers 15 opposite the front faces 10a of said support posts 10. These vertical panels are preferably of a length greater than the distance between the uppermost and lowermost stringers 15. The number of stringersemployed in an installation depends largely-upon the height of the panels employed in the total advertising panel system.. In the modification shown in the figures, three horizontal stringers 15 are employed. The construction of the individual vertical panels is best seen in Fig. 7. Each of said panels comprises a vertically elongated-front sheet 18a each having a pair ofrearwardly extending flanges 19 and 19aalong the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, both of said flanges having inturned lips 20 and 20a along the rearmost-edges. thereof. Preferably the front sheets are continuous with the flanges but, if desired, the flanges and a tab may be separately formed and 'stapledor otherwise attached to front panels of varied materials to meet varied sign adhesion problems. Each flange 19 or 19a preferably has atleast one longitudinally extending concave-convex corrugation forming an outwardly extending or'projecting' rib- 22 at one edge of the panel and a complementary groove 21 at the opposite edge or flange of the panel, the complementary rib and groove construction in'a plurality of panels providing means for'interlocking adjustment panels in a common plane when they are positioned side by side.

Thecorrespondingribs and grooves 22 and 2-1 are preferably formed midway between thepanel face 18- and rear lips 20 and 20a.- It should. be noted that the corrugations 21 and 22 are relatively deep when compared with the width of the flanges 19 and 19a, taking on the form of a U having parallel legs. By providing this type of construction, the interlocking of adjacent panels in av common plane is insured even though the panels may not, for some reason, closely abut one another. In other words, should the panels become slightly separated one from another, the panels will still remain locked together in a common plane by virtue of the deep corrugations and no play between the two in a direction normal to the faces thereof will be permitted.

Still referring primarily to Fig. 7, a plurality of essentially horizontal panel stiffeners 23 may be mounted on the rear of faces 18 of the vertical panels adjacent said stringers 15. Means are provided on said panel stifieners removably engageable with, at least a portion of said stringers 15 for removably mounting said panels 18' on the free edges 15a of the stringers opposite front faces 10a of thesupporting posts 10. .The panel stitfeners 23 preferably comprise formed metallic sheets essentially U-shaped in cross section, the closed face 23a of the U or bottom thereof being positioned opposite the panel sheet 18a. The edges 23b of the U-shaped sheet which are free and positioned next to the rear face of the panel sheet 18a itself are preferably outwardly turned as shown to form a basev for the panel stiifeners. The panel stiffeners are of a length, when positioned at right angles to the flanges 19 and 19a to extend flange to flange on the backs of the panels 18 and of a thickness to just fit under the inturned lips 20 and 20a. Grooves 24 are cut into the-edge face of the panel stiffeners 23 to engage the grooves 21 in the flanges 19. Means are provided cooperating between the inturned lips 20 and 20a and the outer faces 23a of the panel stifieners 23 to engage the latter with the lips 20 and 20a to hold the panel stiffenersfast against vertical .motion relative the panel sheet 18a'yet-permit. easy and convenient engagement and disengagement of the panel stiffeners 22: with the vertical panels 18. Such. meanscomprise mating grooves 25 and 26 formed respectively in the inturned lips 2t and 26a and outerfaces 23a of the panel stiifeners 23; Fig. 7 also shows the method ofinsertion of the panel stiffeners under the inturned lips 20xand 20a. The panel stii'feners, which; have aheight or thickness from the outwardly turned. edges 23b to the upper face 23a thereof essentially equal to. the distance from the rear face of the panel sheet 13a to: the underside ofthe lips 26 and 25a is engaged, preferably at the free edge opposite the outwardly ribbed, (22) flange 19a with the groove 25 in the inwardly turned lip. 20a. The opposite edge of the panel stiffener 23 having groove 24 therein to engage the inwardly extending trough 21 in the opposite flange 19, is then pivoted. around this engagement point and, as the groove 26 in the top surface 23a of the panel stiffener approaches the groove 25 in the inturned lip 29, the groove 24 in the edge of the panel stiffener engages the flange trough 21 and guides the panel stiffener into place, a sharp blow or quickpressure forcing the bottom of the groove 25 over the top face 23a of the panel stiffener into place.

Means are provided positioned relative the rear closed faces 23a of said panel stiifeners 23 removably engageable with at least a portion of said stringers 15 for removably mounting said panel stiifeners 23 and, thus, the vertical panels 18 on the free edge 15a of the stringers opposite the support posts 10. Such mounting means comprise downwardly extending flanges 27 having angled top faces 28 fixed to the top surface (as mounted on the verticalpanels) of the panel stiffeners 23 and spaced outwardly from the rear face 23a of the stiffeners and the inturned lips 20 and 20a of the vertical panel, said flanges 27 engageable with the upwardly extending front edges 15a of the horizontal stringers 15. Said flanges 27 preferably have outwardly angled lower edges 27a to aid in the positioning of the flanges 27 over the front edges of the stringers 15. The distance between the main portion of the flange 27' and the outer surfaces of the inwardly turned lips 20 and 20a on the rear faces of the panel sheets 18a is preferably essentially equal to the thickness of the upwardly extending edges 15a of the horizontal stilfenersv 15. This relationship is best seen in Fig. 5.

As previously mentioned, the length of the horizontal stringers 15 is preferably slightly greater than the width of the total number of. vertical panels 18 which are intended to be employed in the advertising panel. Thus the horizontal stringers extend slightly beyond the vertical panels. when mounted on the stringers as is best seen in Fig. 4. .Means are provided engageable with the outside ends of .said horizontal stringers 15 to secure said panels against horizontal motion and also provide means for mounting the vertical portions of the trim relative said panels As is best seen in Fig. 4, the side trim clip comprises in cross section a doubly angled member having arear face 29 with a bolt hole or slot 30 therein engageable by bolt 31 which also penetrates both hole 32 in the front edge of the horizontal stringer 15. The rear face 29 of the mounting clip is preferably equal in length to the distance from the outer edge of the horizontal stringer to the outer face of the flange 19 or rib 22 of vertical panels 18 less the thickness of the intermediate portion 33 of the mounting clip which, itself, has a length greater than the thickness of the vertical panel 18 so as to extend outwardly past the front thereof. The forward portion 34'of the mounting clip is bent essentially at right angles to the intermediate portion 33 thereof and partially overlies the front face of one of the end vertical panels. Bolt hole 35 is formed therein. The side trim bracket itself comprises a front flat portion 36 having bolt hole or slot 37 therein for bolt 38 to engage with bolt holes 35 in the side trim clip and a rearwardly extending outer portion 39 and an outwardly angled inner portion 40 with an inmost portion 41 formed at right angles to the face of the vertical panels themselves. The side trim itself preferably comprises an essentially flat sheet portion 42 having, in cross section, a rearwardly angled outermost portion 43 engageable by bolt or rivet 44 with the rearwardly angled portion 39 of the side trim bracket and an inner triangular portion 45 having at the inmost end thereof engaging por tion 46 engageable with engaging portion 41 of the trim bracket by bolt or rivet 47. The bolt hole 37 in the main portion 36 of the trim bracket is preferably slotted to present opportunity for laterally displacing the trim as desired relative the vertical panels 18 themselves to increase or cut down as desired the amount of edge surface of the outermost vertical panels covered or uncovered by the trim.

Figs. 2, 3 and 8 show the construction and manner of attachment of the top and bottom trim bracket mounting clips 48. This clip is mountable at the tops and hottoms of the vertical panels, each clip engaging a pair of panels 18 at the contacting edges thereof. The mounting clip 48 preferably comprises a sheet formed to U-shape in cross section, the distance between the outside surfaces 48a of the U arms being essentially equal to the distance from the inside faces of the inturned lips 20 and 20a to the rear faces of the panel sheets 18a. A pair of slots 49 are formed opposite one another in the U arms, preferably centrally thereof extending from one edge thereof longitudinally of the sheet. The width of the slots 49 is essentially equal to twice the thickness of the panel flanges '19 and 19a whereby to permit engagement thereby of the flanges 19 and 19a of a pair of panels 18 mounted relative one another on stringers 15 in close contact one with the other. A groove 50 is formed in one U arm 48a of the mounting clip 48 intermediate the ends of the slot 49 and extending preferably from the slot to the closed face 51 of the clip 48. This groove may be formed in the U arm 48a adjacent the open end thereof but is preferably formed adjacent the closed face 51 thereof. A pair of grooves 52 and 53 are formed in the opposite inwardly turned lips 20 and 20a of each vertical panel and at opposite ends of the panel as best seen in Figs. 2 and 7. The grooves 52 and 53 are formed inwardly a distance from the ends of the panels preferably essentially equal to the distance of the head or groove 50 from the bottom of the slot 49. Bolt hole 54, best seen in Fig. 3, is formed in the U arm opposite from that having the groove 50 therein, the bolt hole 54 also being formed adjacent the opposite end of the clip 48 from that containing said groove 50.

The bottom and top trim brackets (Fig. 3) are essentially congruent in cross-sectional structure to the side trim brackets having a main portion 55 with a slotted bolt hole 56 therein to abut the outer face of the mounting clip 48, bolt 57 engaging the bolt holes 54 and 56 to fix the two parts relative one another. Outwardly angled inner portion 58 has inmost portion 59 formed normal to the face 18a of the panels. Outermost portion 60 is also formed normal to the face of the panels and extends inwardly relative thereto.

The bottom trim is also more essentially congruent in cross-sectional structure to the side trim having main fiat portion 61 with rearwardly angled outmost portion 62 of greater length than the outermost portion 60 of the trim bracket, triangular inner portion 63 and rearwardly extending inmost portion 64 engageable with the inmost portion 59 of the trim bracket by rivet or bolt 65. Rivet or bolt 66 engages the outermost portions 62 and 60 of the trim and trim bracket, respectively.

In assembly and operation, it will be seen that an extraordinarily simple construction has been provided, exceedingly adjustable and easy to assembly, yet very rugged in construction and attractive in appearance with many desirable features. To assemble, the vertical posts 10 are set into whatever mounting surface 67 is to be employed as the base for the entire advertising panel or sign structure. The stringer mounting clips 12 are bolted to the vertical posts 10 at predetermined intervals, depending upon the predetermined spacing of the panel stilfeners on the rear faces of the panels and, of course, the length of the panels themselves. The horizontal stringers 15 are then fastened to shelves 11, the mounting clips. If the panel stilfeners 23 have not been already engaged in the plurality of vertical panels, they are quickly inserted as shown in Fig. 7 and are fixed by the engagement of the grooves 25 on the inturned lips 20 and 20a on the back of the panels 18 and the grooves 26 on the stiffeners themselves. The vertical panels are then hung by the rearwardly extending depending flanges 27 on the stiffeners 23 over the upwardly extending front faces or edges 15a of the horizontal stringers. The panels are thus eminently mountable and dismountable from the horizontal stringers with the outwardly edged portions 27a of the downwardly extending flanges 27 facilitating the mounting process, but not endangering the stable mounting of the panels upon the stringers. The ribs 22 and grooves 21 on each panel interengage with the rips and grooves of the adjacent panels to form an essentially solid structure. When the vertical panels have been all mounted on the horizontal stringers working from either end to the other, the side trim pieces 33 are bolted in abut ment with the outermost individual panels and the trim brackets 36 attached thereto by bolts 38. Top and bottom mounting clips 48 are slid into place engaging adjacent interengaged panel edges or flanges 19 and 19a. The groove 50 in each of the clips 48 engages the mating groove 52 or 53 in one of the adjacent inturned lips 20 or 20a of the panels. Once the mounting clips 48 have been engaged, the trim brackets 55 may be bolted thereto. The upper and lower trim brackets are adjusted by slots 56 to define the proper relationship of the trim to the advertising panels. The top and bottom trim 61 is then fixed to the upper and lower trim brackets 55 as previously described.

To disassemble the sign, the foregoing order of assembly is merely reversed. Thus, first, the trim is unbolted or removed from the trim brackets, the trim brackets are removed from the mounting clips, the top and bottom mounting clips are merely pulled off, while the side mounting clips are unbolted. The vertical panels may then be individually lifted off the stringers, starting from either outside end and disengaging the grooves and ribs of adjacent panels. Once the panels have been removed, the horizontal stringers are unbolted from their mounting brackets and removed, the mounting brackets themselves loosened and unbolted from the vertical post and then the vertical posts may be taken down. Thus, the sign may be assembled or disassembled at will, with very high speed and with great convenience without any particular training of the workers being required.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth, together with other advantages Inasmuch as many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign construction comprising a plurality of essentially horizontal stringers vertically spaced one from the other, means for mounting said stringers in said vertically spaced position, a plurality of essentially vertically oriented elongate panels removably mounted on said stringers, each of said panels comprising a sheet having a pair of rearwardly extending flanges along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a plurality of essentially horizontal panel stiffeners mounted on the rear face of each of the vertical panels, said panel stiffeners comprising members extending flange to flange on the backs of said panels, means for removably mounting said panels on said stringers comprising at least two hook members each attached to a separate stiffener on the rear face of each panel, said hook members and stiffeners vertically spaced from one another on each said panel a distance at least substantially equal to the vertical spacing of two of said stringers and said hook members so formed as to removably fit over said stringers.

2. A sign construction comprising a plurality of essentially horizontal stringers vertically spaced one from the other, means for mounting said stringers in said vertically spaced position, a plurality of essentially vertically oriented elongate panels removably mounted on said stringers, each of said panels comprising a vertically elongated sheet having a pair of rearwardly extending flanges along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, both of said flanges having inturned lips along the rearmost edges thereof, a plurality of essentially horizontal panel stifleners mounted on the rear face of each of the vertical panels, said panel stiffeners comprising members extending flange to flange on the backs of said panels, fitting under the inturned lips and fixed thereto against vertical motion, means for removably mounting said panels on said stringers comprising at least two hook members, each said hook member attached to a panel stiffener on the rear face of each panel, said hook members and stiffeners spaced vertically from one another on each said panel a distance substantially equal to the vertical spacing of two of said stringers and said hook members so formed as to removably fit thereover.

3. A sign construction as in claim 2 wherein pairs of 8 mating grooves are formed in the inturned lips of the panels and the outer faces :of the panel stififeners whereby to removably fix said panel stiifeners on the backs of said panels against vertical motion.

4. An advertising panel as in claim 2 wherein said panel stiffeners are U-shaped in cross section, the base of'the U being positioned away from the rear face of'the panel.

5. A sign construction as in claim 2 wherein said panel stiffeners are U-shaped in cross section, the closed end of the U spaced outwardly from the rear face of the panel, and the free edges of the U are outwardly turned to form a base which contacts and lies against the rear panel face.

6. A sign construction comprising a plurality of essentially horizontal stringers vertically spaced one from the other, means for mounting said stringers in said vertically spaced position, a plurality of essentially vertically oriented elongate panels removably mounted on said stringers, means for removably mounting said panels on said stringers, the vertical panels all being of a length at least slightly greater than the distance between the uppermost and lowermost stringers, means mounted on the tops and bottoms of adjacent panels for the holding together of said panels, said panels comprising vertically elongated sheets each having a pair of rearwardly extending flanges along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, each said flange having an inturned lip along the rearmost edge thereof, said means mounted on the tops and bottoms of said panels aiding also in positioning trim around the periphery of said panels and comprising a sheet U-shaped in cross section, the distance between the outside surfaces of the arms of the U being at least substantially equal to the distance from the inside face of the inturned lips of the flanges to the rear face of said panels, a pair of slots being formed opposite one another in the U' arms extending from one edge thereof, the width of said slots being at least equal to twice the thickness of the rearwardly extending flanges of said panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 957,259 Ruby May 10, 1910 1,742,667 Purdy Jan. 7, 1930 1,745,987 Ellis Feb. 4, 1930 1,853,141 Overholtz Apr. 12, 1932 1,853,143 Overholtz Apr. 12, 1932 1,860,919 Ansel May 31, 1932 2,194,367 Petzold Mar. 19, 1940 2,205,818 Lane June 25, 1940 2,775,833 Wishart Jan. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 339,810 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1930

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