US2783566A - Collapsible work sign - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1957 w. JUMP COLLAPSIBLE WORK SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 50, 1954 INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. JUMP HIS ATTORNEY March 5, 1957 w. L. JUMP 2,783,566

COLLAPSIBLE WORK SIGN Filed Aug. 50, 1954 2 sheets'sheet 2 WILLIAM L. JUMP INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 l This invention relates to a collapsible work sign and particularly to such a device which is adapted to be used on roads and highways as a warning to traffic for the safety of passing vehicles and persons doing maintenance work.

-It is an object of my invention to provide such a sign which is an improvement over conventional and prior signs in several ways. First, my sign collapses completely to a size which is substantially the same in length a'n'cl width as the signboard itself, with a thickness of only one inch. Second, my sign when collapsed can be stored or carried flat, so that a large number of signs can be stored or carried in a small space. Third, my sign is so constructed that the painted or legend side of the signboard is protected by the framework when the sign is collapsed. Fourth, my sign cannot be sucked or blown over by passing vehicles, since wind causes it to assume a position having greater stability and in which the wind passes over the sign. Fifth, my sign needs no additional weights or holding devices of any kind.

It is also among the objects of my invention to provide a sign of the class described which is simple and economical to manufacture and which is capable of widespread use.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my sign in use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my sign in collapsed position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of myback frame member;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the latch portion on the side of my sign;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of my sign in the position which it assumes when subjected to wind pressure.

A preferred embodiment which has been selected to illustrate my invention comprises a substantially rectangular signboard 10, which is preferably formed of metal and has a legend painted on one side thereof. The entire legend side of signboard It) is customarily painted inorder to increase its effectiveness in attracting the attention of drivers.

The signboard 10 is attached adjacent its side edges to a pair of centrally disposed L-shaped flanges 11 and 12 by means of screws 13 or other suitable fastening means. One side 11a and 12a of said flanges extends behind signboard 10 to receive screws 13, while the other side 11b and 12b extends at a right angle forwardly from the edges of signboard 14). A pair of pivots 14 and 15 2,783,556 ?atentecl .Mar. 5, 1957 extend through sides 11b and 12b to. pivotally attach signboard 10 to the upwardly extending arms 16 and 17 of a U-shaped front frame member18. Pivots 14 and 15 may be rivets, bolts or other suitable mounting devices and are attached adjacent the upper portion of arms 16 and 17. e

The bottom of front frame member 18 comprises a front iron bar 19, which is approximately one inch thick and several inches wide. It extends transversely between arms 16 and 17 adjacent the bottom thereof. Arms 16 and 17 are substantially square in cross section.

The top ends of arms 1'6 and 17' are pivotally attached by a pair of bolts 20 and 21 to the top ends of the side pieces 22 and 23 of a U-shaped back frame member 24. Side pieces 22 and 23 are L-shaped in cross section, with one side 2211 and: 23a extending along the sides of arms 16 and 17 and the otherside 2217 and 23b extending inwardly towards signboard 10. The bottom of back frame member 24' comprises a back iron bar 25 which is substantially the same size as front iron bar 19. It extends transversely between the inner edges of inwardly extending side 22b and 23b.

It should be noted that the ends of back iron bar 25 do not extend all the way to sides 22a and 23a. Instead they stop short to provide an open space which is slightly wider than arms 16 and 17 of front frame member 18.

A pair of latches 26 and 27 are pivotally mounted at one end on bolts 20 and 21. Latches 26 and 27 are provided adjacent their opposite free ends with U-shaped slots 28 and 29, which are adapted to removably fit over a pair of pins 30 and 31, which project outwardly from sides 11a and 12a of flanges '11 and 12.

A warning flag holder is provided adjacent the upper lefthand corner of signboard 10. It comprises a channel member 32, which is pivotally attached to signboard :10 by a bolt and wing nut 33. A short'tubel3'4 is held within channel member 32 and is adapted to receive the bottotiiof a warning flagi In. use,.-wing nut 33 'is loosened and channel member 32. andctube- 34 pivoted to vertical position, in which they are held by the tightening of wing nut 33. If the flag holder is not 'used or if the sign is collapsed, channel member 32 and. tube 34 may be pivoted and held in a. position parallel to the top'of sign board 10.

'In use, my sign assumes the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The front frame member 18 and back frame member 24 form a triangle with, the ground. Signboard It extends vertically, with its sides held by pivots 14 and 15 and latches 26 and 27.

To collapse my sign, latches 26 and 27 are lifted upwardly at their free ends to free pins 30 and 31 from slots 28 and 29. Signboard 10 is then free to be rotated on pivots 14 and 15. The topofsignboardlllis moved forwardly and downwardly toward front"v iron bar 19 until its legend side contactsfront iron bar 19. Front frame member 18 and back frame member 24 are movedtoward each other, pivoting on' bolts .20 and 21 until arms 16 and 17 lie within side pieces 22 and 23. Arms 16 and 1-7 fit in the space between the ends of back iron .bar 25 and. sides 22a and 23a.

Back iron bar 25 is disposed farther from the bottom than from iron bar 19 by slightly more than the widthof front iron bar 19, so that the bars are positioned adjacent to each other .whenthe sign is in collapsed position. The flag holder extends along the top of signboard 10 and fits between the bottom edge of front iron bar 19 and the bottom ends of arms 16 and 17.

It should be noted that my sign thus collapses to a size which is substantially equal in length and width to that of the signboard itself, and which is only one inch thick, that being the width of sides 22a and 23a. In collapsed form, the front iron bar 19 and back iron 'bar 25 extend across the legend side of signboard 10 and sides 22a and 23a extend along its edges to protect the paint for damage.

Front iron bar 19 and back iron bar 25 are extremely heavy and provide a considerable amount of weight closely adjacent to the ground to give the sign an extremely low center of gravity, so that no additional weights are neces sary. Signboard 10 may be provided with small holes to permit air to pass therethrough.

If my sign is struck by wind from a passing vehicle, it cannot be sucked or blown over. Instead of tipping the sign, wind pressure on the legend side of sign board 10 will cause rearwardly directed pressure to be exerted through latches 26 and 27 on bolts 20 and 21. It will also cause forwardly directed pressure to be exerted on pivots 14 and 15 by the bottom of signboard 10. Front frame member 18 and back frame member 24 are spread farther apart until the ends of arms 16 and 17 bear against sides 22b and 23b. This tilts signboard 10 in a rearward direction so that wind can more easily pass over it.

My sign thus assumes the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in which the center of gravity is even lower, the supporting frames are farther apart and the signboard is tilted to pass the wind. It is almost impossible for the sign to be blown over from such a position, but the legend on slgnboard 10 will still be legible to traffic and the sign will continue to serve its purpose.

When my sign is in collapsed position, latches 26 and 27 pivot to lie parallel to the inside of arms 16 and 17.

The top ends of arms 16 and 17 are square at their front portions and rounded toward their rear portions. This permits movement of arms 16 and 17 with respect to side pieces 22 and 23 from the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to that shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Such movement is resisted by friction between the rounded portions of the ends and sides 22b and 23b. When the sign reaches the position shown in Fig. 6, the square portion of the ends bears against sides 22b and 23b and prevents any further movement of arms 16 and 17 with respect to side pieces 22 and 23. 1

I claim:

1..A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board, a pair of substantially U-shaped frame members, each of said frame members having a heavy iron bar extending transversely across the lower portion thereof, the length and width of each of said frame members being substantially equal to that of said sign board, said frame members being pivotally attached to each other at their top ends, the lower portion of said'sign board being pivotally attached to one of said frame members adjacent the upper portion thereof, the distance between saidpoint of attachment and the bottom of said sign being substantially equal to the distance from said point of attachment to the attached upper ends of said frame members, a latch pivotally attached at one end adjacent to the attached upper ends of said frame members, latch receiving means carried by said sign board adjacent the mid-portion thereof, said latch receiving means being adapted to engage the opposite end of said latch, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a flat collapsed position wherein said frame members and sign board are aligned substantially parallel to each other to form a fiat collapsed unit substantially equal in length and width to said sign board, said sign adapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said frame members form an inverted V, said sign board being held in vertical position along the line of its attachment to said frame members, said latch being attached to said latch receiving means and extending horizontally from the midportion of said sign board to the point of attachment of said frame members to provide a second spaced support for said sign board.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, said frame members being pivotable to a third position wherein the bottoms of said frame members are spaced farther apart from each other, said sign board adapted upon wind pressure being exerted thereon to tip rearwardly and exert pressure to move said frame members to said position to prevent said sign board from being blown over.

3. A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board, a pair of frame members, each of said frame members having a heavy portion adjacent the lower part thereof, the length and width of each of said frame members being substantially equal to that of said sign board, said frame members being pivotally attached to each other at their top ends, the lower portion of said sign board being pivotally attached to one of said frame members adjacent the upper portion thereof, the distance between said point of attachment and the bottom of said sign being substantially equal to the distance between said point of attachment and the attached upper ends of said frame members, a support pivotally attached at one end thereof adjacent the attached upper ends of said frame members, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a flat collapsed position wherein said frame members and sign board are disposed substantially parallel to each other to form a flat collapsed unit substantially equal in length and width to said sign board, said sign adapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said frame members form an inverted V, said sign board being held in vertical position along the line of its attachment to said frame members, the opposite end of said support being attached to said sign board and extending horizontally from the mid-portion of said sign board to the point of attachment of said frame members to provide a second spaced support for said sign board.

4. A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board, a pair of frame members, each of said frame members having a heavy portion adjacent the lower part thereof, the length and width of each of said frame membersbeing substantially equal to that of said sign board, said frame members being pivotally attached to each other at their top ends, the lower portion of said sign board being pivotally attached to one of said frame members adjacent the upper portion thereof a substantial distance from the bottom of said sign board and the top of said frame member, and a support member pivotally attached at one end thereof to at least one of saidframe members adjacent the attached upper ends of said frame members, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a fiat collapsed position wherein said frame members and sign board are disposed substantially parallel to each other to form a flat collapsed unit substantially equal in length and width to said sign board, said sign adapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said frame members form an inverted V, said sign board being held in upright position, the opposite end of said support member being attached to said sign board to provide a second spaced support for said sign board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Joerger et a1, Dec. 4, 1934

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