Abstract:
Signalling apparatus ( 10 ) for use in restaurants or other establishments for attracting the attention of staff including a stand ( 11 ) which can seat upon a table or other supporting surface and which has first lower opening ( 15 ) and a second elevated opening ( 16 ) for receiving an elongated member ( 17 ) which carries at its upper end, a display card ( 23 ) which may be supported for free rotation to the member ( 17 ). The elongated member ( 17 ) when supported in an upright attitude in the elevated opening can attract the attention of staff.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to signalling apparatus and in a particular aspect to apparatus for use in restaurants or other like establishments to signal that attention or service from staff of the restaurant or like establishment is required.  
         BACKGROUND ART  
         [0002]    A common problem encountered in restaurants or other establishments providing food and/or beverages, particular in alfresco dining establishments, is that of attracting the attention of staff such as waiters or food attendants say for the purchase of food or beverages, payment of bills or for other purposes. Usually patrons attempt to attract waiters or other staff by waving of hands, or by verbal means. This is often unsuccessful and can be embarrassing to the patron.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention aims to provide a simple and effective signaling apparatus which may be used to attract attending staff in restaurants or other like establishments particular alfresco establishments. The present invention in a further aspect aims to provide signaling apparatus which may also be used for carrying advertising material. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.  
           [0004]    The present invention thus provides in one aspect, signaling apparatus for use in restaurants or other establishments for attracting the attention of staff, said signaling apparatus comprising:  
           [0005]    a signaling device;  
           [0006]    a stand adapted to seat upon a table or other supporting surface, said stand having first and second locating means for said signaling device, one said locating means being elevated relative to the other said locating means,  
           [0007]    whereby placement of said signaling device at said one locating means indicates that attention of staff is required  
           [0008]    Preferably, the signaling device comprises an elongated member, and the locating means comprise means for supporting the elongated member in an upright attitude. Suitably, the locating means comprise holes or apertures in the stand for receiving a lower end of the elongated member.  
           [0009]    The elongated member may be provided at its upper end with display means which may serve as the or an additional means to attract the attention of staff. The display means however may also carry advertising information such as advertising material relating to a particular food or beverage such as a wine. Most preferably, the display means is mounted rotatably at the upper end of the elongated member so as to be capable of free rotation about a substantially vertical axis. The display means suitably comprises a holder which releasably holds a planar display member such as a display card.  
           [0010]    The holder may comprise a cylindrical body, the body having at one end a diametrically extending slit for receipt and support of the planar display member. The holder suitably includes a hollow socket for location over the upper end of the elongated member so that the holder is supported for rotation relative to the elongated member.  
           [0011]    Means may be provided for capturing the holder to the upper end of the elongated member. The capturing means may comprises a groove suitably an annular groove in the one end of the elongated member and restraining means such as a flexible washer extending from the bolder into the groove to restrain detachment of the holder from the elongated member.  
           [0012]    The support stand may include a generally planar base which has one aperture or hole defining the other locating means to receive and support the elongated member in a lowered position, and a tower-like portion supported on or extending from the base which also has an aperture or hole defining the one locating means to receive and support the elongated member at an elevated position.  
           [0013]    In a further aspect, the present invention provides signaling and advertising apparatus for use in food or drink establishments, said apparatus comprising:  
           [0014]    a signaling and advertising device, said signaling and advertising device having means for displaying advertising material;  
           [0015]    a stand adapted to seat upon a table or other supporting surface, said stand having first and second locating means for said signaling device, one said locating means being elevated relative to the other said locating means,  
           [0016]    whereby in use placement of said signaling device at said one locating means indicates that attention of staff in a food or drink establishment is required.  
           [0017]    The signalling and advertising device suitably comprises a display member for displaying advertising material and/or attracting wait staff, and an elongated member for carrying the display member. The locating means suitably comprise holes for receipt of an end of the elongated member to support the elongated member in an upright attitude, the stand including a planar base portion containing one hole and a tower portion extending from the base portion and containing another hole. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 illustrates the components of the signaling apparatus according to the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the signaling device of the signaling apparatus; and.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the signaling apparatus in its two attitudes. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    Referring to the drawings and firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated the components of the signalling apparatus  10  according to the present invention including a support stand  11  and a signalling device  12  adapted to be supported on the stand  11 . The stand  11  includes a base  13  which is of a generally planar configuration for seating on a support surface and an elongated tower-like portion  14  supported by the base  13  in a substantially upright attitude at an offset position on the base  13 . The base  13  and tower portion  14  may be formed integrally or as separate components which are joined together. Preferably, the base and tower portions  13  and  14  are formed of timber however they may be formed of plastics or metal. Most preferably, the stand  11  has sufficient weight or is weighted to seat stably on a supporting surface.  
         [0023]    The base  13  includes a centrally arranged aperture or hole  15  which when the stand  11  is seated on a horizontal surface is oriented substantially vertically. The tower portion  14  is also provided with an aperture or hole  16  at its upper end which is also oriented substantially vertically when the base  13  is seated on a horizontal surface.  
         [0024]    The signalling device  12  includes an elongated member  17  which is of cylindrical rod-like form of slightly less diameter than the internal diameter of the apertures or holes  15  or  16 . The upper end of the elongated member  17  is provided with a tubular or cylindrical sign holder  18  which is mounted for free rotation about the longitudinal axis of the elongated member  17 . The holder  18  may be mounted by means of a suitable bearing arrangement to the end of the elongated member  17  but in a simplified form includes a blind bore or socket  19  of an internal diameter slighty greater than the diameter of the elongated member  17  (See FIG. 2) in which the upper end of the member  17  locates. To prevent or reduce the possibility of detachment of the holder  18  from the end of the elongated member  17 , an annular groove  20  may be formed or provided in the elongated member  17  towards its upper end. The lower end of the holder  18  is provided with a washer  21  suitably a flexible washer fixed, such as by an adhesive, to the open end of the holder  18  and which has an internal diameter less than the diameter of the member  17  and which will thus locate within the groove  20  as shown in FIG. 2 when the holder  18  is in its operative position located over the end of the elongated member  17 . The flexibility of the washer  21  allows the holder  18  to be forced over the end of the elongated member  17  until the washer  21  locates within the groove  19  to thereby capture the holder  18  to the elongated member  17  but permit is free rotation therearound.  
         [0025]    The holder  18  is diametrically slit at  22  at its upper end to receive a planar card  23  such as a plastic point of sale card. The card  23  may be held in position by pinning at  24  through the holder  18 . The  23  may carry any suitable advertising material such as advertising for a food product or beverage product such as wine or beer or any other product to be marketed such as a food special. The mounting of the holder  18  on the end of the elongated member  17  is such that when the card  23  is engaged with the holder  18 , the holder  18  and card  23  may rotate or spin in for example windy conditions.  
         [0026]    In use, the signalling apparatus  10  is placed on tables or the like in a restaurant. The elongated member  17  is normally located in the lowermost aperture  15  of the stand  11  as shown in FIG. 3. When the occupants of the table require service from staff in the restaurant, the member  17  is detached from the aperture  15  and inserted in the top aperture  16  as shown in FIG. 4 which substantially elevates the member  17  and card  23  which can be easily observed by the staff. When staff attend the table, the member  17  may be detached from the aperture  16  and replaced in the lower aperture  15 . In either position, the card  23  is free to rotate with the holder  18 . This will not only attract patrons to the card  23  and the message carried thereby such as advertising but will also substantially reduce the risk of the signalling apparatus  10  tipping over in the event of high winds.  
         [0027]    The signalling apparatus  10  of course may be used in many different environments and may be used for advertising any product on the card  23 . The signalling apparatus  10  may also be used to carry for example a table number on the card  23  of an establishment such that if food is ordered for a particular table, the table number as displayed by the card  23  when in the elevated position of FIG. 4 can be rapidly observed.  
         [0028]    The components of the signalling apparatus  10  may be manufactured of any suitable material such as metal, plastics or wood or combinations thereof and of course may be in configurations other than that illustrated. For example, the stand  11  may be in the shape of a figure sculpture or in any other form.  
         [0029]    Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.