US3389882A

US3389882A - Adjustable sign span support

Info

Publication number: US3389882A
Application number: US571071A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis G Schlosser
Original assignee: PFAFF AND KENDALL
Current assignee: PFAFF AND KENDALL
Priority date: 1966-08-08
Filing date: 1966-08-08
Publication date: 1968-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-25

Description

June 25, 1968 F. G. scHLossx-:R

ADJUSTABLE SIGN SPAN SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 8, 1966 F'IG.

June 25, 1968 F G SCHLOSSER 3,389,882

ADJUSTABLE SIGN SPAN SUPPORT Filed Aug. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'IG-5 F' I G. 6

F'IG. 9

/NVENTOR F. G. SCHLOSS/ER By Arron/Vey United States Patent O 3,389,882 ADJUSTABLE SIGN SPAN SUPPORT Francis G. Schlosser, Ridgefield Park, NJ., assignor to faff and Kendall, Newark, NJ., a corporation of New ersey Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 571,071 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-125) ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE Sign span supports comprising a pair of posts adapted to be secured adjacent the shoulders or margins of roadways, formed with adjusta'ble interconnecting plate members to hold the posts at the :desired spaced relation and with vertically adjustable clamp support members for adjustment to support the sign span.

This invention relates to adjustable supporting structures for signs, spans and other objects disposed marginally along the highways, including inherent adjustable features such that it may -be stored at strategic locations by highway departments, contractors and others, and readily moved to and assembled at the site, in Short order, as and where required, to provide essentially uninterrupted service While the damaged structure is repaired and restored to service. Thus the invention serves an important safety function, avoiding loss of life land property due to the down time -required for repairs to structures and, provides essentially uninterrupted continuity of service.

Highway accidents and damage due to extreme weather conditions and other causes frequently result in fracturing of sign and other structures which must be maintained along -highways for safety. Heretofore such damage often eliminated signs for extended down time required for repair and replacement-a dangerous and ineicient situation. The present invention provides a highly adaptable means for prompt replacement of damaged and downed sign and other structures and is equally adaptable to straddle the road or provide roadside replacements, as required, and is adaptable to the needs of the particular installation. Devices embodying the invention may be stocked at strategic locations for prompt installation at' the site of the damage, and are highly versatile to accommodate signs and other indicia of various contours 4and dimensions as required. In addition, the versatile features of the invention adapt it for use as original installation. The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures corning within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of an adjustable sign span support frame embodying the invention, showing, in dotted lines, span members positioned thereon,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partly sectional plan View of a clamp member which maybe used in connection therewith, taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is an elevational, sectional view of said clamp member, taken at line 3 3 of FIG. l,

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a partly fragmentary, elevational view, showing one of the shafts disposed closer to the other shaft than in FIG. l,

3,389,882 Patented June 25, 1968 ICC FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional View thereof taken at line 7--7 of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the clamp member, taken at line 8 8 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the plates alone, taken at line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

As shown in the drawings, the adjustable sign span support of the invention comprises a pair of

shafts

10 and 11 to be secured, `at one end, to a supporting surface (FIG. 1) as, for example, by securing

base plates

12, 13 to the lower ends of said shafts and the supporting surface 14 in any desired or convenient manner, after positioning the posts at the desired site in predetermined spatial relation, as below set forth. The posts are provided with handholes 1S, adjacent the lower end thereof, closed by a suitable door for access to the interior of the posts in connection with wiring and accessories such as ballast, etc. The wiring is preferably disposed interiorly of the shaft 10 and connected to underground cables or lthe like passing through the base plates 12 and into the lower ends of posts, which may be provided with outlets or plugs 16, so that the wires so positioned in the posts may be connected with the sign, etc. to be so powered. Plugs 16 may be of any conventional or desired type and may he normally sealed.

An elongated plate 20 is fixed (FIG. 4) -at one end (as by welding or the like 21), to shaft 10 to extend therefrom in essentially right angle relation thereto. An elongated plate 22 is fixed at one end to the second shaft 11, as by welding the same thereto at 23, so as to similarly extend therefrom in essentially right angle relation. Said plates 20, 22 :are so xed to the

shafts

10, 11 substantially equadistant lthe lower ends 24, 25 of the said shafts (FIG. l) so that said plates may be relatively moved in aligned parallel abutment and secured together by suitable means below described to define a predetermined spaced relation.

The above description of plate 20 fixed to the shaft 10 is equally applicable to other plates correspondingly numbered and secured to said shaft in vertically spaced relation.

The description herein as to plate 22 is equally applicable to one or more correspondingly numbered plates secured to shaft 11 in vertically spaced relation as shown in FIG. l.

As above noted, means are provided for axially adjustably connecting the plates, to thereby connect the shafts in predetermined desired spaced relation. To that end, one of the plates, such as 20, may be provided with a plurality of apertures 26 therethrough, and the other plate, such as 22, may have a group of apertures 27 axially disposed therein so that, on registry of the plates at the desired point, on passing bolts 28 or other means through the so registered apertures 27 and 26, the

shafts

10, 11 may be secured together (FIG. 1) with the

plates

22 and 20 in slight endwise overlapping relation, or (FIG. 7) in substantially overlapping relation. Thus precise juxtapositioning of

shafts

10 and 11 may be achieved to accommodate the particular frame 40 to be supported.

Clamp members

29 and 30 are secured to the posts in predetermined desired position between the

opposite ends

31, 32, 24, 25 of said posts;

ends

31, 32 may have

electrical outlets

33, 34 if desired.

It will -be apparent, from the foregoing description, that pursuant to the invention, the

posts

10, 11 may be positioned in a simple and accurate manner at the predetermined desired spatial relation, to accommodate the sign or other structure (40, FIG. 1) which may span the distance between

posts

10, 11 and be received on the

brackets

29 and 30, clamp members 29 being secured to the posts at precisely the desired vertical position for supporting the frame 40.

The plate 20 may be made of outwardly opening C-shaped outline (FIG. 9) and the plate 22 of inwardly opening C-shaped outline, said plates sliding back to back (FIG. 9) for adjustment of the spatial arrangement of the shafts. A plurality, for example, four bolts 28 may be passed through the plates to secure them together, if desired, as shown (FIGS. l, 6).

Clamp

members

29, 30 may be single units or a plurality of units correspondingly numbered, and of corresponding construction, as in FIG. l, spaced apart vertically on

shafts

10 and 11. Clamp member 29 may engage clamp member 30 having a base portion 42 to support frame 40 and having slots 45 (FIG. 2) through which U-bolts 44 or other anchoring means may be passed (FIG. 8) to secure frame 40 to the clamp members and thus to the posts. The collar and

base portions

29, 42 may be secured together by bolts 4S (FIG. 3). As will be apparent from the foregoing, the horizontal relative spatial arrangement of the posts 10 and the vertical positioning of the supporting brackets 29 may be readily attained at the site, the brackets being slid along the posts and secured at the precisely desired positions on tightening bolt or other means 45.

A second plate 50 (FIG. 4) may be fixed at one end to the rst mentioned shaft 10 substantially 180 from the plate 20, as by welding the same thereto at 51 and provided with apertures corresponding with aperture 26 of the plate 20. Likewise, a second plate 52 may be secured as by Welding at 53 to shaft 11.

Plates

50, 52 may be provided with apertures for reception of bolts in the fashion above described in connection with the

plates

22 and 20. The

second plates

50 and 52 have sliding abutting intcrengagement (FIG. and are disposed diametrically apart from the

rst plates

20, 22 on the

shafts

10 and 11 and in parallel aligned relation therewith and may likewise 'be disposed spatially along the height of the

posts

10 and 11 as described above in connection with

plates

20 and 22 and shown in FIG. 1.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the posts and 11 and associated parts may be positioned marginally along the shoulder or margin of a roadway and a second assembly therewith positioned at the opposite side of the roadway if desired to accommodate spans traversing the road, or a single assembly may be positioned along a single side of the road to accommodate frame structures to be so displayed.

While the foregoing disclosure of exemplary embodiments is made in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, the inventive scope being defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable sign span support frame comprising a pair of shafts to be secured at one end to a support surface, in spaced relation,

an elongated plate xed, at one end, to one of the shafts and extending therefrom in essentially right angular relation thereto,

an elongated plate fixed at one end to the second shaft and extending therefrom in essentially right angular relation thereto,

said plates being so fixed to said shafts substantially equidistant the ends of said shafts, so that such shafts may be disposed with said plates in registry and in slidable abutment,

means connecting the plates, to secure them together axially adjustably to thereby provide a support for a sign span,

a second plate fixed at one end to one shaft at a point substantially diametrically opposed to the point of securing the first mentioned plate thereto,

whereby the plates so secured to said shaft will extend therefrom in spaced parallel relation,

a second plate fixed at one end to the other shaft, at a point substantially diametrically opposed to the point of securing the lirst mentioned plate thereto,

whereby the plates so secured to said other shafts will extend therefrom in spaced parallel relation,

and said plates will thereby be so secured to the shafts in sliding abutment.

2. In an adjustable sign span support frame as set forth in claim 1,

said plates being formed of outwardly opening C-shaped outline.

3. In an adjustable sign span support frame as set forth in claim 1,

clamp members secured to the shafts above the plates so secured thereto,

said clamp members having elongated base portions extending at substantially right angles to the plane of the post, when the clamp members are so secured thereto, for so supporting the sign, and

said base portions being provided with elongated slots to receive anchoring means for so securing signs thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,580,935 4/1926 Vidon 182-183 1,581,352 4/1926 Kuen 211-182 X 2,591,049 4/1952 Butsch 211-177 X 2,720,414 10/1955 Hart 211-182 X 2,833,421 5/1958 Skubic 211-182 X 3,303,936 2/1967 Barnawell 211-177 X FOREIGN PATENTS 741,980 12/ 1932 France.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.