Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPLIT FRAME STGN
This invention deals with the field of signs and in particular with a sign having a split frame
allowing quick and easy ch~nging of the sign information.
0 BACKGROUND:
Signs wherein the message can be changed by the owner are becoming more popular. Such
signs are often portable and set up near the street to advertise business specials and so forth,
and may also be mounted directly to a wall or sign support structure. For the most part the
present signs are plain and merely provide channels for holding letters which are provided in
a box and are used to spell out the message desired. Spelling out the message is time
consuming and so the message is not changed often. After people have looked at a sign
several times and seen the same message, they will tend to ignore it.
A sign that allowed incorporation of colourful logos and designs would attract more
attention. It would also be an advantage for many businesses to change the message several
times during the day. One message could be directed at people going to work in the morning,
and another to those on their way home in the evening. Restaurants could advertise ~ elll
breakfast, lunch and dirmer specials. A sign that could be changed very quickly would be a
valuable alternative. In many situations both sides of a sign are visible and it would be an
advantage to be able to change both sides of a sign .~imlllt~neously, thereby reducing the time
required. Commonly signs are two sided, however the letters must be arranged on each side
separately.
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Presently known portable signs are most often rather large and cumbersome, and are often
mounted on trailers to allow easy movement of same. Considerable space is needed to
manoeuvre and place such signs. It would be an advantage to have a sign which is light and
m~ml~lly portable, and which could be sized appropriately for the space available. Such a sign
would be more economical to mslmlf~cture as well.
SUMMARY OF TE[E INVENTION:
It is an obj ect of the present invention to provide a sign that allows the information contained
on the sign to be changed easily so that chslngin~ the sign information several times each day
is practical.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a sign that may be viewed from
both sides.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a sign that is lightweight and so
m~n~ lly portable and easily placed into position.
The invention accomplishes these objects providing a sign comprising a split frame comprising
a first pair of vertical members at the first side thereof and a second pair of vertical members
at the second opposite side thereof, the members of each pair being separated by a vertical
gap, a top horizontal member and a bottom horizontal member; a plurality of horizontal
channel members defining a plurality of horizontal ~h~nn~ , said channels oriented to be open
alternately upwards and downwards with the open sides facing each other so as to engage a
sign board, said channels being in alignment with said vertical gaps, and at least one sign
board inserted through said gap on one side ofthe sign and engaged in said ch~nnel~ having
open sides facing each other.
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The top and bottom horizontal members of the split frame could also be horizontal channel
members. The sign could be built so that the top horizontal member defines a charmel open
dowllw~lds and the bottom horizontal member defines a channel open upwards.
The horizontal channel members could include a middle channel member, defining two
horizontal channels being a first channel open upwards and a second channel opendownwards. The middle channel member could itself comprise a rectzln~~ r portion having
a first end protruding between the vertical members of the first vertical pair and attached to
each said member of the first vertical pair, and a second end protruding between the vertical
0 members ofthe second vertical pair and attached to each said member ofthe second vertical
pair, thereby holding the vertical members of each pair in a spaced apart relationship
separated by a vertical gap; and ~lat portions attached to each vertical face ofthe rect~n~ll~r
portion, and extending above and below said rect~n~ll~r portion thereby forming a channel
open upwards along the upper side ofthe horizontal member, and a channel open downwards
along the lower side of the horizontal member.
One embodiment ofthe top horizontal member comprises a rect~nglll:~r portion having a first
end protruding between the vertical members of the first vertical pair and attached to each
said member of the first vertical pair, and a second end protruding between the vertical
members of the second vertical pair and attached to each said member of the second vertical
pair, thereby holding the vertical members of each pair in a spaced apart relationship
separated by a vertical gap; and right angle portions attached to each vertical face of the
rect~nglll~r portion, and extending below said rectangular portion thereby forming a channel
open dowllw~lds along the lower side of the top horizontal member. Similarly the bottom
horizontal member might comprise a rect~n~ r portion having a first end protruding
between the vertical members of the first vertical pair and attached to each said member of
the first vertical pair, and a second end protruding between the vertical members of the
second vertical pair and attached to each said member of the second vertical pair, thereby
holding the vertical members of each pair in a spaced apart relationship separated by a vertical
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gap; and right angle portions attached to each vertical face of the rect~n~ll~r portion, and
e~n(lin~ above said rect~n~ r portion thereby forming a channel open upwards along the
upper side of the bottom horizontal member.
The sign boards could have information on one or both sides.
Legs might be added to the sign to make it sit on the ground or another surface.
The members of the sign might be made of alllminllm, plastic, or any other suitable material.
The sign boards simply slide through the gap between the vertical members and are engaged
at the top and bottom by the channels. The user can have a variety of sign boards
economically available to install in the sign. The signs may be printed on both sides and also
of such a thickness that two of them could fit in the same channels, providing more display
options.
DESCRIPTION OF TElE DRAWI~GS:
While the invention is claimed in the ct-nc.llltling portions hereof, pl ~r~ d embodiments are
provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams
are labeled with like numbers, and where:
ri~ure 1 is an exploded fiollt vie-w- ofthe embodillîellt;
Figure 2 is a plane top view of the sign showing details;
Figure 3 is a plane front view of the sign showing details;
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Figure 4 is a plane side view with a cross-section view of the horizontal members
expanded to show details;
Figure 5 is a plane side view of the embodiment with legs attached;
s
Figure 6 is a plane front view of the embodiment showing the sign boards partially
inserted.
0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~E ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT:
The invention provides a sign comprising a split frame comprising a first pair of vertical
members at the first side thereof and a second pair of vertical members at the second opposite
side thereof, the members of each pair being separated by a vertical gap, a top horizontal
member and a bottom horizontal member; a plurality of horizontal channel members defining
a plurality of horizontal ch~nn~,ls, said channels oriented to be open alternately upwards and
downwards with the open sides facing each other so as to engage a sign board, said channels
being in ~lignm~,nt with said vertical gaps; and at least one sign board inserted through said
gap on one side ofthe sign and engaged in said channels having open sides facing each other.
Figures 1-6 show one pl~relled embodiment ofthe invention. Vertical members 1 are right
angled members arranged in pairs on each side of the sign 2. The right angled form of the
vertical members 1 provides the strength needed to resist wind and such other forces as are
exerted on the sign. It is contemplated that the members could be tubing, barstock or any
other shape that provides sufficient strength. The paired vertical members provide a split
frame which provides a finished sign that looks the same from both sides and is therefore
balanced and aesthetically pleasing.
Middle horizontal charmel members 3 extend from one side of the sign to the other. To form
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middle horizontal channel members 3, square tubing 4 is attached between the vertical
members 1 of each pair by bolts 5, lockwashers 17 and nuts 18, thereby creating a gap 6
between the vertical members 1 of a pair. A plate 7 is attached to each vertical side of the
square tubing 4 by bolts S, lockwashers 17 and nuts 18. Plate 7 extends above and below the
s square tubing 4, creating an upper channel 8 and a lower channel 9 along the upper and lower
sides of the middle horizontal channel member 3 . In this way, the upper and lower channels
8 and 9 are aligned with the gap 6 to allow for insertion ofthe sign boards 19 through the gap
6 and into the channels 8 and 9.
0 Bottom horizontal member 10 is formed by bottom spacer 11 attached bet~,veen the bottoms
of the vertical members 1 of each pair by bolts 5, lockwashers 17 and nuts 18, m~int~ining the
gap 6. A right angle member 12 is bolted to each vertical side of the bottom spacer 11, so
as to form the bottom channel 13 . Bottom horizontal member 10 is then a horizontal channel
member.
Figure 1 shows that the top horizontal member 14 is constructed by an alternative method
wherein a short top spacer 15 is attached between the tops of the vertical members 1 of each
pair by bolts S, lockwashers 17 and nuts 18. A right angle member 12 is attached by bolts 5,
lockwashers 17 and nuts 18 to each vertical side of each top spacer 15, so as to complete top
channel memberl4. Top channel 16 is open at the top and bottom between the top spacers
15. Top horizontal member 14 is then a horizontal channel member.
The sign boards 19 are inserted through the gap 6 into the channels in the adjacent channel
members. To prevent wind or vandals from dislodging them, the sign boards 19 may be
2s secured by a screw or pin through the channel and the sign board 19. Alternatively a
removable cap could be provided to cover the gap 6 on each side of the sign. In interior
locations it may be that no securing means is necessary, and this may be desirable where
frequent sign changes are to be done.
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Sign boards 19 are made from a corrugated plastic material, providing a very light yet strong
sign with a surface that can be laminated or painted with information on both sides. Designs
or logos may be easily incorporated into the sign boards. One or more ofthe sign boards 19
may be designed to be left in place, with others designed to be changed daily or however
often the user wishes. The sign boards may be two-sided, or of a thickness such that two sign
boards can fit in one channel with one facing each direction, providing increased options for
display. It can be seen that the sign boards 19 can be changed very quickly. A user could
have a number of cli~Tere~L signs with di~er~lL messages, designs and colours that would
attract attention much better than a sign with letters only. Ch~lnging the sign often makes it
more noticeable as well, since regular passers-by tend to ignore a sign they have been seeing
for some time without any change.
It is contemplated that the sign boards 19 could be made from any material that is stiffenough
to m~int:~in its shape when mounted in the channels and will stand up to the conditions to
which it is exposed, such as plywood, particle board and so forth.
The illustrated embodiment is designed as a free stzln(1ing portable unit and includes legs 20,
one end of which are secured to vertical members 1 at a midpoint, and the opposite end of
which sits on the ground. Cross brace 21 joins the legs 20 at a midpoint and the bottoms of
the vertical members 1, providing a rigid profile. The legs 20 can be anchored to the ground
by weights 22 or pegs in order to resist wind forces and so forth.
Alternatively it is contemplated that the split frame sign could be mounted fiat against a wall,
exposing only one face, or extending perpendicular from a wall or post thereby exposing both
faces.
In this embodiment the sign boards 19 have information on both sides. The upper sign board
1 9A is app~ llately twice as deep as the lower sign boards 1 9B, and is designed as such to
show a business name or logo. The three lower sign boards l9B are the same size and are
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interchangeable. Any combination of sign board sizes could be accommodated by the
invention.
In the illustrated embodiment, the material used to make all the members and channels is
s alllminllm It is contemplated that many other materials would be s~ti~f~ctory in different
applications, including steel and plastics.
Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes all of its stated objectives. The foregoing
is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous
o changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit
the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly,
all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to
are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.
