US3581420A

US3581420A - Pole sign construction

Info

Publication number: US3581420A
Application number: US828848A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel J Mollet; Thomas Friedrichsen
Original assignee: MASSILLON CLEVELAND AKRON SIGN CO
Current assignee: MASSILLON CLEVELAND AKRON SIGN CO; MASSILLON CLEVELAND AKRON SIGN
Priority date: 1969-05-29
Filing date: 1969-05-29
Publication date: 1971-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-01

Abstract

The pole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting a flexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware excepting a simple mounting plate is removable from the pole for storage so that it does not present an unsightly appearance when not used for supporting a banner. A simple flexible banner that may be changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adapted to be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair of banner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. The banner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools by merely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement, and transferring pull rods from an initial banner to a replacement banner, and then hooking the replacement banner in place.

Description

United States Patent [54] POLE SIGN CONSTRUCTION 10 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. CI... 40/125 [5 1] int. Cl. G091 15/02 [50] Field of Search ..40/125 (G); 248/224 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,830 10/1956 Frey 40/ l 256 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles AttorneyFrease & Bishop ABSTRACT: The pole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting a flexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware excepting a simple mounting plate is removable from the pole for storage :50 that it does not present an unsightly appearance when not used for supporting a banner. A simple flexible banner that may be changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adapted to be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair of banner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. The banner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools by merely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement, and transferring pull rods from an initial banner to a replacement banner, and then hooking the replacement banner in place.

POLE SIGN CONSTRUCTION CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS The invention involves improvements upon the constructions shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,764,830, 2,882,630, 2,893,l47,and 3,310,899.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a banner display sign mounted on a pole of a type wherein a flexible banner member is pivotally supported at its upper end and spring tensioned at its lower end on a pole, such as a light pole located at a gasoline service station, to display a series of appropriate advertising messages from time to time. A pole banner sign of this general type is shown in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,830. The flexible banner of such a pole banner sign should be tensioned and should be detachable readily and easily for changing the banner message from time to time in an advertising campaign wherein a series of signs is displayed.

It is desirable to provide permanent hardware components for supporting and mounting the flexible banner on the pole so that no hardware need by shipped with a replacement banner each time the banner is changed in an advertising campaign involving a series of banners. At the same time it is desirable that the pole present a neat and trim appearance without conspicuous unused parts when no sign is mounted and displayed on the pole.

Finally, to minimize production and shipping costs, the flexible banner component should have a simple rectangular shape on which the sign is printed or otherwise displayed, which readily can be folded into small package size for ship ment, by mail when desired, in a relatively small envelope.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art is well shown in the prior patents identified above. Many types and kinds of poles exist at various gasoline service stations located throughout the country. Any of such poles may be at the desired place or location for mounting a series of banner display signs. Many different types and kinds of poles are involved, such as tubular metal poles, either plain or corrugated, cylindrical or tapered, or generally circular or polygonal in cross section; or the poles may be wooden, or concrete, or plastic; and any such pole may have any desired configuration in size and cross section.

This involves problems in providing upper and lower support members for a banner, particularly when the support members must hold the upper and lower edges of a rectangular vertically extending flexible banner in substantially horizontally extending locations when the banner is mounted on the pole, and to at the same time provide permanent hardware for mounting the banner which is inconspicuous when not in use to support a banner.

These considerations thus have presented a need for rugged permanent hardware for mounting a flexible banner in ten sioned position on a pole, which hardware except for a simple inconspicuous mounting plate may be removed when not in use, and which hardware readily may be used to change flexible banners from time to time without the use of any tools, and wherein the flexible banner per se may be folded in a small conveniently handled package for envelope shipping in order to repeatedly mount and display a series of different banners on the hardware in carrying out an advertising campaign.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing a pole banner sign construction which releasably suspends and mounts a flexible rectangular banner member or component in tensioned condition extending vertically on a pole with the banner located between upper and lower suspension or support means hardware of a permanent nature, the principal components of which are removably mounted on the pole; and in which successive banners may be mounted one replacing another without the use of any tools. Further objectives involve the use of hardware of a permanent nature, on which a banner may be pivotally mounted at its upper end, and in which the mounting means preferably involves only the engagement of a flexible banner by hook members which punc ture or pierce the fabric banner component in mounting the same on the hardware.

Another objective is to reduce the cost of the replaceable banner members or components as well as shipping costs therefor, by providing for banner shipment in a condition folded to small package size which may be contained in a relatively small envelope without requiring shipment or replacement of rigid stick members heretofore necessary in replacing a banner supported on hardware mounted on a pole.

These objectives and advantages are attained by the pole banner construction, the general nature of which may be stated as including the combination of a flexible banner member component generally rectangular in shape, formed of foldable cloth, fabric, or plastic material having a hem at each of its upper and lower edges; a rigid preferably metal rod or tube pull stick member removably contained in the hem at each upper and lower banner edge; upper and lower hardware support and suspension means for the banner component adapted to be mounted on a pole, the upper and lower support means each comprising a mounting plate adapted to be permanently mounted on the pole; the upper support means including a bracket removably wedge mounted on the upper mounting plate, a suspension plate pivotally mounted on the bracket, hook means on the suspension plate engageable with the hemmed edge and pull rod at the upper end of the banner component, and resilient stabilizing means interposed between the suspension plate and bracket urging the suspension plate normally to an indexed position parallel with the bracket; the lower support means including a lower bracket wedge mounted on the lower mounting plate, tube means fixed to the lower bracket, and spring tensioned hook means movable axially of said tube means for pierced hook engagement with the lower hemmed banner edge and pull rod.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention illustrative of the best mode in which applicants have contemplated applying the principles is set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. I is a perspective view of the improved pole sign construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view looking down on the top of the pole sign in the: direction of the arrows 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper support hardware for the banner;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the mounting plates oriented for use as a part of the upper support hardware of FIG. 3, detached from a pole;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper mounting plate of FIG. 4 mounted on a pole;

FIG. 6 is a rear view looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6, FIG. 4, of the upper mounting plate;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the suspension plate components of the upper support hardware shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the bracket component of the upper support hardware shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of the resilient cushion stabilizer components of the upper support hardware shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a front view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6, of one of the mounting plates oriented for use as a part of the lower support hardware shown in FIG. I, detached from a pole;

FIG. II is a side view of the lower support hardware, detached from a pole;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary front view of lower hardware tensioning device shown in FIG. 11, detached from the mounting plate; and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 13-13, FIG. 11, of the lower hardware tensioning device.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved pole banner construction generally is indicated at 1 wherein a flexible banner 2 is mounted on a pole 3. The mounting means for flexible banner component 2 comprises upper support means generally indicated at 4 and lower support means generally indicated at 5.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 9, the upper support means 4 includes mounting plate means generally indicated at 6 comprising a U-shaped member 7 having plate member 8 secured thereto preferably by spot welding as indicated at 9. Member 8 has an offset portion 10 trapezoidal in shape converging toward the top as shown in FIG. 4 so that the Wings 11 are spaced from the web 12 of channel-shaped member 7. Apertures 13 may be formed in ehannelshaped member 7, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 for receiving a flexible strap sometimes used inattaching objects to poles. As shown, the mounting plate 6 is pennanently mounted on the pole 3 by bolts 14.

The hardware upper support means assembly 4 also includes an angle bracket 15 (FIGS. 3 and 8) having a top flange l6 and a back flange 17. A downwardly opening trapezoidal slot 18 is formed in the back flange 17. The bracket 15 is attached to mounting plate means 6 by telescoping bifurcated

portions

18a and 18b of back flange 17 between the wings 11 and web member 12 of mounting plate means 6, with the slot 18 wedge fitting over the offset portion 10 of plate member 8. An opening 19 is formed in the top flange 16 of bracket 15 preferably centrally disposed and near the free edge 20 of flange 16.

The upper support means 4 also includes a suspension plate 21 (FIG. 7) having a bolt member 22 fixed thereto and projeeting upwardly from the upper edge 23 of plate 21, the bolt 22 being preferably threaded at 24. A pair of hook members 25 with sharpened points 26 are fixed to the outer or front sur face of plate 21. Suspension plate bolt 22 when assembled with bracket 15 extends through opening 19 and is pivotally connected thereto by a nut 27. Preferably,

nylon washers

28 and 29 are located below nut 27 and a cotter pin 30 engages the nut 27 and bolt 22 which enables suspension plate 21 to pivot with respect to bracket 15 on the vertical axis of bolt 22.

Resilient cushioning stabilizer members 31 are interposed between plate 21 and the rear flange 17 of bracket 15 adjacent each end of suspension plate 21 and behind each hook 25. One of the cushioning members is illustrated in FIG. 9 and may comprise foam rubber or foam polyurethane. In assembling the upper support hardware 4 shown in FIG. 3, the cushioning members 31 may be cemented to the rear flange 17 of bracket 15. These cushion members 31 act to return the suspension plates 21 to the nonnal stabilized position shown in FIG. 3, parallel with the back flange 17 of bracket 15 if the suspension plate 21 has been moved on its pivot connection to bracket 15.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 13, the lower support means 5 includes mounting plate means 6 which are the same as the upper mounting plate means but are oriented upside down as compared with the mounting plate means 6 used in the upper support means 4. The orientation of the lower mounting plate means 6 is illustrated in FIG. 10, and the lower mounting plate 6 may be permanently mounted on the pole 3 by bolts at a location generally shown in FIG. I.

The lower hardware support means assembly 5 also includes a lower bracket 32 (FIGS. 11 and 12) having a backplate 33 and a lower base plate 34. An upwardly opening trapezoidal slot 35 is formed in the back plate 33. Bracket 32 is attached to lower mounting plate means 6 by telescoping

bifurcated portions

33a and 33b of backplate 33 between the wings 11 and the web member of mounting plate means 6, with the slot 35 wedge fitting over the offset portion 10 of plate member 8 of mounting plate means 6 as shown in FIG. 11. Preferably, setscrew 36 is threaded through an opening 37 in one of the wings of plate means 6 to hold

members

6 and 32 assembled.

A tube member 38 necked in at 39 at its upper end and having a bottom opening 40 preferably is rigidly mounted on base plate portion 34 of lower bracket 32 (FIG. 11). A rod 41 extends axially into tube 38 and has a hook 42 at its upper end terminating in a point 43. Rod 41 is surrounded by a spring 44 within tube 38 engaging washers 45 at the ends of spring 44, and washers and spring are retained assembled to the rod 41 by locknut 46.

In accordance with the invention, flexible banner component 2, used to display a sign or an advertising message printed or otherwise carried thereon, preferably generally is rectangular in shape and formed of cloth, fabric, plastic, or other flexible material, so that it may be folded into a package small enough in size that it may be contained in a relatively small envelope. Banner component 2 has an upper edge 47 and a lower edge 48, and banner component 2 is formed with hems 49 at the upper and

lower edges

47 and 48. The remaining hardware component for mounting the banner component 2 comprises a rigid preferably metal rod or tube pull stick member removably contained in each of hems 49 at the upper and lower banner edges, such pull stick rods being indicated at 50.

In mounting a banner 2 on a pole 3, two mounting plate members 6 oriented as described are permanently mounted on the pole 3 in the desired spaced relation.

An upper support means assembly 4 as shown in FIG. 3 is then wedge mounted on the upper mounting plate 6 as shown in FIGS, 1, 2, and 3. The rigid pull rod 50 is then inserted in each of the banner hems 49. The banner 2 is then secured on the hooks 25 as shown in FIG. 1, the hooks piercing the flexible material and being engaged beneath and holding the pull rod 50.

The lower support means assembly 5 indicated in FIG. 11 is then wedge mounted on the lower support means 6 and secured thereto by setscrew 36. Spring tensioned hook member 42 then is engaged with the lower end of banner 2 centrally thereof and around pull rod 50 in the lower hem, the hook member 42 piercing the banner material in obtaining the engagement. If desired, the center of the lower pull rod 50 may be provided with an aperture through which hook member 42 may extend. Similar provisions may be made for engagement of the upper hooks 25 in apertures in the upper pull rod 50, if desired.

The spring 44 in the lower support means tensioning device 5 maintains tension on banner 2 against flexing and movement of the banner clue to wind forces or wind pressure. Also banner 2 is free to pivot at its upper end on the axis of bolt 22 to assist in absorbing the shock of wind pressure, which bolt constitutes the pivotal connection of the suspension plate 21 on the upper support means 4. Pivotal movement or flexing of the banner is compensated for and the parts restored to normal stabilized position by the cushion members 31.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is usual to mount two banners back to back on any pole to display signs in opposite directions. This may be accomplished as illustrated in FIG. 1 by permanently mounting the upper and lower support means mounting plate means 6 back to back on either side of pole 3 for mounting two banners on the pole.

Advertising campaigns conducted through point-ofpurchase advertising at gasoline or service stations frequently involve the successive display of a series of advertising messages. In accordance with the invention, this may be accomplished merely by replacing banners 2 with new banners from time to time. Such replacement is performed readily, quickly, and easily merely by unhooking the banners from the

hooks

25 and 42, and inserting the pull rods 50 from initial banner members 2 into the hems of replacement banners 2 and then engaging the new banners 2 on the support hooks 25 and 42. No tools of any nature whatsoever are required to make the banner change, all hardware being present at or remaining on the pole.

If it is not desired to display a banner on the pole 3 for a period of time, banners 2 may be removed and the pull rods 50 and upper and lower assemblies 4 and 5 stored at the service station with the mounting plate means 6 only remaining on the pole in an inconspicuous manner.

Accordingly, the new pole sign construction provides an arrangement in which permanent hardware is provided for mounting a banner on a pole, and only the flexible banners per se are changed and discarded for changing the sign displayed; provides a construction in which the hardware components permanently mounted on the pole are very inconspicuous and the remaining permanent hardware may be conveniently stored for subsequent use; provides a construction in which the flexible banner component may be pivotally mounted at its top edge and tensioned on the pole to accommodate wind forces; provides a banner component which may be folded into a small package and shipped in an envelope to the place of use; provides a new construction having reduced banner and banner shipments costs; provides a construction which may be readily mounted on any kind, or type, or size, or material of existing pole; and provides a construction eliminating difficulties present with prior devices, and which achieves the objectives stated and solves existing problems in the art.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way ofexample, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved pole sign construction is constructed and used, the characteristics of the new construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Pole sign construction ofa type in which a flexible banner is removably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangular flexible banner formed with a hem at each of its upper and lower edges; rigid pull rod means removably mounted in each hem; upper and lower hardware support means for the banner each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support means including a bracket with a downwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate, a suspension plate pivotally mounted on the bracket, and hook means on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including spring tensioned hook means having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

2. The construction defined in claim 1 in which resilient stabilizing means engages the bracket and suspension plate to urge the suspension plate normally to an indexed position parallel with the bracket.

3. The construction defined in claim 2 in which the bracket is an angle member having top and rear legs, and in which the stabilizing means comprises sponge rubberlike blocks engaged between the ends of the suspension plate and the rear bracket leg.

4. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the suspension plate is pivotally mounted on a vertical axis.

5. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the spring tensioned hook means comprises a bracket wedge mounted on the lower mounting plate, a tubular member having an open lower end and a necked-in upper end vertically mounted on the bracket, a hook member having a lower end spring tensioned within the tube member and an upper hooked end projecting through the neckedin upper end releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

6. Pole sign construction ofa type in which a flexible banner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned on permanent hardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; the permanent hardware means including upper and lower pull rods adapted to be telescoped into the hemmed edges of a banner; upper and lower support means each having a mounting plate comprising a channelshaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, and a bracket with a trapezoidal slot removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the mounting plate; the upper support means including a suspension plate pivotally mounted on the upper bracket and hook means on the suspension plate adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including a tube mounted on the lower bracket and spring tensioned hook means mounted in and projecting from the tube means adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

7. Pole sign construction of a type in which a rectangular flexible banner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned on hardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; including upper and lower rigid pull rod means removably mounted in the hemmed edges of the banner, upper and lower hardware support means for the banner, each support means including a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, means connecting said trapez0idal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member whereby the opposite end portions of the plate member form wings spaced from the channel-shaped member, means permanently mounting the mounting plates on the pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support means including an angle bracket having a top flange and a back flange with a downwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein, the back flange being received between said wings and the web of the channel-shaped member with the slot wedge fitting over the offset portion, a suspension plate pivotally attached to the angle bracket, hook means on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod, a block of resilient cushioning material between each end of the suspension plate and the bracket back flange; the lower support means including a lower bracket having an offset backplate at its upper end, said backplate having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein, said backplate being received between the wings and web of the lower mounting plate means with the slot wedge fitting over the trapezoidal offset portion thereof, and spring tensioned hook means carried by said lower bracket and releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

8. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 7 in which the suspension plate is pivotally connected to the angle bracket by a bolt attached to the center of the upper edge of the suspension plate and extending upwardly therefrom and through an aperture in the top flange of the angle bracket, a nut on the upper threaded end of the bolt and washer between the nut and said top flange.

9. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 7 in which the spring tensioned hook means carried by the lower bracket comprises an upright tube member rigidly connected to the lower bracket, a rod located through the tube member and

Claims

1. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner is removably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangular flexible banner formed with a hem at each of its upper and lower edges; rigid pull rod means removably mounted in each hem; upper and lower hardware support means for the banner each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offSet portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; the trapezoidalshaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support means including a bracket with a downwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate, a suspension plate pivotally mounted on the bracket, and hook means on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including spring tensioned hook means having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

5. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the spring tensioned hook means comprises a bracket wedge mounted on the lower mounting plate, a tubular member having an open lower end and a necked-in upper end vertically mounted on the bracket, a hook member having a lower end spring tensioned within the tube member and an upper hooked end projecting through the necked-in upper end releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

6. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned on permanent hardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; the permanent hardware means including upper and lower pull rods adapted to be telescoped into the hemmed edges of a banner; upper and lower support means each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, and a bracket with a trapezoidal slot removably wedge mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the mounting plate; the upper support means including a suspension plate pivotally mounted on the upper bracket and hook means on the suspension plate adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including a tube mounted on the lower bracket and spring tensioned hook means mounted in and projecting from the tube means adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

7. Pole sign construction of a type in which a rectangular flexible banner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned on hardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; including upper and lower rigid pull rod means removably mounted in the hemmed edges of the banner, upper and lower hardware support means for the banner, each support means including a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of the channel-shaped member whereby the opposite end portions of the plate member form wings sPaced from the channel-shaped member, means permanently mounting the mounting plates on the pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support means including an angle bracket having a top flange and a back flange with a downwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein, the back flange being received between said wings and the web of the channel-shaped member with the slot wedge fitting over the offset portion, a suspension plate pivotally attached to the angle bracket, hook means on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod, a block of resilient cushioning material between each end of the suspension plate and the bracket back flange; the lower support means including a lower bracket having an offset backplate at its upper end, said backplate having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein, said backplate being received between the wings and web of the lower mounting plate means with the slot wedge fitting over the trapezoidal offset portion thereof, and spring tensioned hook means carried by said lower bracket and releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod.

9. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 7 in which the spring tensioned hook means carried by the lower bracket comprises an upright tube member rigidly connected to the lower bracket, a rod located through the tube member and having a hook at its upper end, and a coil spring within the tube member surrounding said rod, washers at the ends of said coil spring and a nut upon the lower end of the rod.

10. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 7 in which the means permanently mounting the mounting plates on the pole comprises screws located through the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of each plate member and through the central portion of the corresponding channel-shaped member and into the pole.