Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Si~ns and si~na~e s~Tstems
This lnvention relates to si~s and signage
systems, particularly for indoor use~,
A wide variety of signs and signage systems has
been developed for use in buildings. Many such
5 systems are dif~icult to operate in prac-tice due to
the wide variety of mechanical support and fixing
means and o:E sign panels which need to be used. In
additio~L, many known signage systems are inflexible
and~ do not lend themselves easily to change to
10 reflect desired changes in signage, e.g, where it
is desired to change one sign legend for another,
Often the~entire sign must be renewed and this
gives rise to difficulties in practice.
~ well-tried approach in interior signage is
15 to provide some sor-t o:E frame member into whlch
sign indicia may be insertedO Examples o:E this
type of signage are described inter alia in British
Patent Specifications 937,188; 951,870; 966~55û;
969~500; ~72,369; 1,4049801 and United States
20 Specification 4,334,372.
~ n alternative approach which has been adopted
is to provide flat panels which can be clipped to a
base and which can receive sign legends. Systems
of this type are described in British Patent
25 Specifications 1,532,995 and 2,034,391.
Many of these systems are dedicated to one
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particular type of legend display and are inflexible
We have now found that by careful design it is
possible to produce signs and a signage system
which is exceptionally versatile but which uses
a relatively small number of basic components. The
most fundamental componen~ which constitutes a first
~eature of -the present invention9is an extruded
section which can be used either way round in
signage applications,as will be described in more
detail below.
Thus in accordance with a first feature of
the present invention there is provided a multi-
purpose sign unit consisting of an extruded section
~ormed of a ~lat centrai web and two flanges extending
from the two edges thereof and both on the same side
thereof, the extrusion having a generally elongated
C-shape in cross section, and wherein the flat
outer surface of the web on the side opposite the
flanges is adapted to receive a legend and wherein
the section is characterised by formations on the
facing surfaces of the two flanges which formations
are adapted to receive a sign plate and hold it in
a position parallel to and spaced from the central
web
A length cut from such an extruded section may
be used in one of two main ways: first,a sign legend
may be applied directly -to the surface of the cen-tral
web remote frorn the two flanges The mode o~
application may vary widely, for example by printing,
adhesion of vinyl film letters thereto or adhesion
thereto o~ translucent film carrying thereunder or
having printed thereon one or more legible indicia.
Alternatively, a sign sheet may be inserted
between the two flanges and supported on -the
formations, the extrusion then constituting a frame for
the sign sheet. Such a sign sheet may be for example
a plastics sign sheet ha~ing a sign legend applied
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thereto. The invention is of particular value with
so-called sub-surface signs consisting of a sheet
o~ transp&~ent or translucent plastics through
which the legend is visible and right reading
having the legend adhered thereto. A particularly
preferred method of manufacturing such signs is
claimed and described in Bri~ish Patent Specification
2,005,596.
In a particularly preferred embodiment the
e~truded section comprises formations on the facing
sur~aces of the two flanges which enable two plates
to be inserted and held in positions parallel to and
spaced ~rom the central web. The first may be a
sign plate bearing a legend and the other, the more
remote ~rom the central web, may be a transparent
or translucent cover plate. Alternatively, an
opaque cover plate ext~n~ing only part way, e.g,
half way along~ the length of the piece of extrusion
may be mounted in the channel more remote from the
~o cen-tral web and may be slidable in the channel to
expose or cover a legend on the sign plate between
it and the central web.
Extruded sign componen-ts according to the present
invention may be used singly in either o~ -the two
ways indicated above. They are also particularly
well adapted for use in pairs. Thus for example two
identical sec-tions may be assembIed with their
flanges and accordingly hollow sides ~acing one
another. Alternatively, the two ch~nnel sec-tions may
be welded or otherwise secured back to bac~ and the
same or different signs inserted into each of the
frames thereby formed,
In order to use the extruded sections to the
best advantage, a number of accessories may be
provided. For example base members may be provided
having projections thereon over which the extruded
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sec-tions may be clipped with the two flanges
resiliently engaging formations on the base member
in the fashion of a spring clipo In a particularly
preferred embodiment, the outwardly facing surfaces
5 of the two flanges bear a key con~iguration groove,
i.e. a groove of wider cross section more remote
from the ex-ternal surface of the ~lange than nearer
to it. The cross section may be a dovetail or other
suitable key configuration. Preferably such
configuration is located substan-tially hal~way across
the ~lange in order that two such configurations
lie the same distance apart when two extruded
sections are placed back to back as when they are
placed front to front. Simple extruded key pieces
may be used in connection with such key con~igurations
to link two extruded sections together.
A further way in which the sign unit may be used
is as a receiving unit for a tile holder, into which
tile holder tiles bearing 9 e.g. letters or numbers may
be interchangeably inserted. This way of using the
unit is useful where there is a need to vary sign
information.
The extruded sign unit may be made of any
suitable material, Aluminium alloy extrusions are
preferred, though rigid plastics can be used also.
The invention is illustrated by way of example
in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a cross section of an extruded
component according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross section of the sign component
according to the invention mounted on a wall in use
as a first sur~ace sign;
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the component
of the invention used as a sign frame with a sub~surface
sign;
Figure 4 is a section through a flag sign formed
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usi.ng two components according to the invention,
Figure- 5 is a cross section through an
alternative form of flag sign;
Figure 6 is a cross section through a desk bar
again using the component according to the invention,
Figure 7 is a cross section t~rough an alternative
form of desk bar;
Figure 8 is a cross section of an alternative
embodiment showing its use as a component of a
variable sign
Figure 9 is a cross section through a third
embodiment,
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are cross sections
through signs made using the third embodiment;
Figures 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 show in perspective
part exploded view further types of sign made using
the third embodiment and using a variety of
accessory pieces;
Figure 18 shows how a sign made up using the
extrusions shown in Figures 9 and 12 may be enclosed
in an outer ~rame;
Figures 19 and 20 show in exploded view hanging
sign configurations;
Figure 21 shows a flag sign configuration, and
Figure 22 shows a desk bar.
Referring to Figures 1 to 8 o~ the drawings,
each shows in cross section one or more extruded
components, as shown in Figure 1 or 8. The extruded
component consists o~ a central web 1 and two flanges
2, 3. Moulded integrally with ~langes 2, 3 are two
upst~n~ing ribs. viz. an outer rib 4 and an inner rib
5. In the case of Figures 1 to 7, moulded integrally
with central web 1 is a pair of ribs 6 defining the
centre of the web and constituting a guide for
attachment of the extruded section. ~n the case of
Figure 8, a central groove 20 is formed on w~b 1,
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Not all o~ the ribs 4, 5 and 6 are used in all
sign applications. Thus for example Figure 2 shows
the use of ribs 4 and 5 to clip the extruded section
over a bracket 7 itself fixed -to a fixed structure
5 8 such as a wall or notice-board by means o~ a
bolt 9. Component 7 may likewise be made from an
extruded plastics section or it may be a moulded
plastics unit. Ribs 4 and 5 clip resiliently on
to beads 10 on component 7. As shown in Figure 2,
two or more extruded sections may be loc~ted side
b~ side.
Figure 3 shows the extruded section moun-ted on a
wall 12 by means of a screw 13 the head of which
fits between ribs 6. A sign plate 14 is spring-
clipped between flanges 2 and 3 and held verticalby rîbs 4.
Figures 4 and 5 show dou~le sided sign units
formed by two extrusions. In the case where webs 1
are adjacent9 each extrusion has a sign shee-t 15
clipped into it. In both cases a generally
re&tangular plastics end cap may be used to unite
the two extrusions and hold them together.
Figures 6 and 7 show desk bars, where two
extrusions are held between two plastics end caps 16
each o~ which consists of a base o~ the shape of
an equilateral triangle with its corners cut o~f and
a side wall of hexagonal shape with three longer sides
and three shorter. In the desk bar of Figure 7~ the
legend is on its two clipped-in sign sheets 17,
Figure 8 shows a sign consisting o~ three componen-ts,
viæ. a sign unit according to the in.vention, a tile
holder insert 21 and a set of tiles 22. The holder
21 fits in place between ribs 4 and web 1 and has a
grooved face with grooves 23. Interchangeable tiles
~5 22 have rearward resilient ribs 24 on one face which
.~ are dimensioned -to ~i-t into grooves 23 and bear
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against the flanks o~ grooves 2~ to hold tile 22
in place as illustrated. Two associated ribs 25
abut the sur~ace o~ holder 21 to ensure that the
plane o~ tile 22 is parallel to the plane of web 1.
Le-tters, numbers or other symbols are e~g. printed
on to the ~ace o~ each tile 22 opposite ribs 24
and 25.
Referring now to Figures 9 to 22, these show
the use of an extruded section of di~ferent
configuration. As is clear from Figure 9 the extruded
con~iguration consists of a central web 30 having
a centre groove 31 ~ormed on one side thereof and
having two ~langes 32~ 33 extPn~;ng each side. Each
~lange has an external key con~iguration groove 34
and two internal ~acing grooves 35 closer to web 30
and 36 more remote therefrom. Plates such as sign
panels 37 or translucent protective sheets 38 may
be inserted into the pairs o~ grooves as shown in
Figures 1Q and 11. Also a ribbed plate 48 may be
inserted between grooves 35 which may receive letter-
carrying tiles 39 each of which has a pair of resilient
prongs 40 on its rear ~ace which is engaged in the
groo~es in plate 48. To complete such a sign which
is shown in detail in Figure 12 and in exploded ~orm
in Figure 13 a transparent plate 41 may be fitted
into grooves 36. The ends of such a sign may be
finished by injection moulded plastics end members
42 which have a pair of prongs 43 moulded thereon
which are a press-fit in grooves 34.
Fig~e 14 shows a simple ~orm of sign consisting
o~` a single piece extrusion carrying a sign sheet
50 the sign being ~inished wi-th end plates 42. The
sign may be a~ixed to e.g. a wall using screws 51
which pass through holes 52 drilled in the centre o~
the web 30. The groove 31 ensures that both holes
are drilled centrally.
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Figure 15 shows an alternative,approach where
the flat outer face o~ web 30 is used for the sign.
In this case, a mounting panel 52 having a pair of
holes 53,through which screws paSS9is mounted on a
wa~ or the like with suitable spacing means between
plate 52 and the wall. The extrusion is then slid
on with its flat face outwards and end caps 42
press fitted in the usual way,
Figure 16 shows in expIoded view how an array
of extruded sections may be placed on a wall fitted
by means of simple bent flat metal clips 60 in~o
sections 61 which are mounted e.g. on a wall and
which ha~e apertures 62 into which the clips 60 are
a spring fit.
15An alternative fixture system using clips 70
- which fit into grooves 34 is shown in Figure 17.
All the clips 70 are identical and are made of spring
steel. They fit into successive slots in a section,
~or example, a metal se,tion 72, the edge of each
clip 70 fitting into an edge of a rectangular
aperture 73 punched in the central web of member 72
End caps 42 fit on to the ends of -the extrusions by
means of prongs as described above.
Figure 18 shows a sign in accordance with Figure
17 and protected by an exterior frame consisting of
top and bottom members 80,two end plates 81 and a
transparent front panel 82 which fits in opposed
grooves 83 on members 80. Members 80 contain holes
84 a~ their ends into which fixing screws 85 fit to
hold panel 81 in place3 This sort of signage
construction is of particular value in large directory
signs, e,g. for use in the entrance lobbies of office
blocks,
Figure 19 shows how the sign consisting of a
section of extrusion and a sigrn plate 90 can be
suspended by means of a wire 91 which passes through
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the interior of the section~ A small extruded link
piece 92 fits in two grooves 34 to link two adjacent
extruded sections together. Figure 20 shows a
more substantial sign construction, again suspended
by a wire 91 which hangs the sign up via a further
extruded sectîon 93 which engages,in two grooves 34
of two side by side by side lying extruded sec-tions,
the web 30 o~ each o~ which bears a'desired legend.
The ends of these hanging signs are closed as
previously by end caps 42.
A flag sign is shown in Figure 21 consisting of
two extrusion sections, an extrusion l;nk;ng section
9~, two end caps 42 and mounting bracket 95, e.g.
formed of plastics by impact moulding. The bracket
95 is placed on a wall and the section hung
eOg. by means o~ a screw 96 which is driven into
groove ~4 from the end and which fits into a slot
97 on clip 95.
Finally, Figure 22 shows the use of a further
simple extruded section 98 which has a bead which,
can slide into groove 34. A desk bar can simply be
made out of an extruded section, two end caps 42
and a suitable legend-bearing sign plate. Extrusion
98 may have two holes~ 997 bored in it through
which screws 100 may pass to attach a desk bar to a
desk.
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