GB2272716A

GB2272716A - A sign support

Info

Publication number: GB2272716A
Application number: GB9323767A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Henry Hodgkins
Original assignee: Bribex Ltd
Current assignee: Bribex Ltd
Priority date: 1992-11-20
Filing date: 1993-11-18
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Also published as: GB9224324D0; GB9323767D0

Abstract

A collar 11 (which is mountable on a post 12 to support a signboard 13) comprises two half collar elements 14, 15 having slots 17 each for receiving an end 19 of a signboard 13. The ends of the signboards are deformed and the slots 17 are similarly shaped. Locking means are provided for retaining the ends in the slots 17. <IMAGE>

Description

A Sian Support This invention relates to sign supports and in particular for a support for connection to a post.

It is known to provide a cast collar with vertically extending slots for mounting on a new post so that a number of signs can be supported in the slots. However, the collar is only really suitable for mounting on a new post and is expensive to manufacture. In addition problems have arisen due to signs being vibrated from their slots by passing traffic and the like. The various embodiments of the invention mitigate some or all of these problems.

From one aspect the invention consists in a sign support collar comprising a pair of collar elements connectable together to surround and locate on a post, each element defining a plurality of vertical slots for receiving signboards.

The split arrangement enables the collar to be mounted on existing posts and the two halves can conveniently be extruded allowing for collars of different heights. In that case the collar may further comprise top and/or bottom plates for closing one or both of the ends of the slots and indeed such plates could be used with a cast collar.

The invention further includes a sign assembly including a collar as defined above and a signboard disposed in a slot. The board may have a formation extending out of its plane for locating in the slot. The formation may be a cranked end of the board or a deformation extending over the height of the board. If the collar is extruded, the slots may have generally the same cross-section as the formation and may be sized so that the formation is a friction or push fit in the slot.

Alternatively, the assembly may further include expansion means located in the slot for locking the formation within the slot. For example, the expansion means may comprise a deformable hollow element which is a loose fit within a portion of the slot and an oversized rigid element longitudinally insertable into the hollow element to force the latter into locking engagement with the collar and the signboard.

In this last arrangement the portion of the slot may be enlarged and in particular both it and the hollow element may be generally circular in cross-section.

The invention also consists in a signboard assembly comprising a collar having a vertical slot for receiving a signboard, a signboard disposed in the slot and locking means for engaging the signboard within the slot to lock it within the slot. The locking means may be the expansion means, for example, as defined above or a self-tapping screw.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways- and specific embodiments will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a signboard assembly; Figure 2 is a plan view of a collar element with a sign board mounted in a slot; Figure 3 is an enlarged scrap view of Figure 2 at A; Figures 4 to 6 show alternative configurations of slots and signboard ends; and Figure 7 is a plan view of one half of a collar showing an altlernative form of slot.

In Figure 1 a sign assembly generally indicated at 10 comprises a collar 11, mountable on a post 12, and signboard 13.

The collar 11 is generally cylindrical and is made up of two half collar elements 14,15 which can be screwed together by means of threaded apertures 16 (see Figure 2).

Each element has vertically extending slots 17, which have enlarged cylindrical blind openings 18 in which the ends 19 of the signboards 13 locate.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the ends 19 have hook formations 20 which loosely locate in the holes 18.

They can then be locked therein by means of a hollow deformable element 21 which is slid into the hole 18 to act between the hook 20 and the wall 22 of the hole 18. A bolt 23 is then screwed down into the element 21 causing it to expand and urge the hook 20 against the wall 22 to lock the signboard 13 within the slot 17.

Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for cast collar elements because the tolerances which can be achieved in casting are fairly inexact.

Alternatively, the collar element 14,15 can be extruded, in which case the slots 17 can be dimensioned sufficiently precisely that the ends 19 of the sign boards 13 can be a push or friction fit within the slots. This may be sufficient to retain them within the slots or screws 24 may be used to further locate the ends 19. In this case the cranked ends shown in Figures 4 to 6 may conveniently be used.

For further security, an annular bottom plate 25 may be affixed to the collar 11 and this again may come in two halves, when retro-fitting is required. Additional security can be provided by supplying a similar top plate.

Figure 7 illustrates an alternative collar element 14 with different shaped slots 17a. Each slot 17a has an opening 26 in its side wall to receive an oversized selftapping screw 127 which bites into both the collar element 14 and signboard 13 to lock the two together.

Claims

1. A sign support collar comprising a pair of collar elements connectable together to surround and locate on a post, each element defining a plurality of vertical slots for receiving signboards.

2. A collar as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising top and/or bottom plates for closing one or both of the ends of the slots.

3. A sign support collar substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A sign assembly including a collar as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, and a signboard disposed in a slot.

5. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the board has a formation extending out of the plane of the signboard for locating in the slot.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the formation is in the form of a cranked end of the board or a deformation extending over the height of the board.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the slots have generally the same cross-section as the formation.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the formation is a friction or push fit in the slot.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5 to 8, further including expansion means located in the slot for locking the formation within the slot.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the expansion means comprises a deformable hollow element which is a loose fit within the portion of the slot and an oversized rigid element longitudinally insertable into the hollow element to deform the latter into locking engagement with the collar and the signboard.

11. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, further including a self-tapping screw engaging in both the collar and the signboard.

12. An assembly as claimed in Claim 11, further including a lead hole opening into the slot for receiving the self-tapping screw.

13. A signboard assembly comprising a collar having a vertical slot for receiving a signboard, a signboard disposed in the slot and locking means for engaging the signboard within the slot to lock it within the slot.

14. An assembly as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the locking means is a self-tapping screw and/or an expansion means disposed within the slot.

15. An assembly as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.