Fast mount sign hanger

An upright standard of non-circular cross section is provided and includes a lower end for anchoring in the ground and an upper end portion including first and second oppositely facing sides. One of the sides is substantially straight longitudinally of the standard and the other side includes a plurality of abutments spaced therealong and projecting outwardly therefrom. A horizontal support arm is provided and includes base and free ends and the base end defines an upstanding opening formed therethrough. The upper end of the standard is slidingly received through the opening with the free arm end projecting laterally outwardly from the straight standard side. The base end of the arm includes an abutment surface spaced below the opening and toward the base end from the side of the opening adjacent the free arm end and abuttingly engageable with the standard straight side one surface. The arm portions on the side of the opening remote from the free arm end define downwardly facing abutment surfaces for engagement with the abutments and the free arm end includes structure for supporting a vertical sign panel therefrom. When the arm is horizontally disposed, the first mentioned abutment surface abuts the one side of the standard and the downwardly facing abutment surfaces engage a corresponding abutment for support of the arm in adjusted elevated position on the standard and the free end of the arm may be inclined upwardly to enable the base end thereof to be shifted longitudinally of the standard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various forms of fast mounting sign posts have been heretofore designed 
such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,926,442, 2,952,057, 3,315,393, 
and 3,529,798. However, these previously known fast mounting signs include 
various features thereof which either require special tools for support of 
a sign panel therefrom or render the standard of the sign difficult to 
drive into the ground with an impact tool such as a hammer. Also, some of 
the previously known forms of quick or fast mount sign hangers are 
constructed in a manner which require special sign panels. Accordingly, a 
need exists for a sign construction which will enable temporary signs to 
be quickly erected, changed and removed when desired. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The quick mounting sign of the instant invention utilizes a conventional 
wire fence post for the standard thereof and includes a specially 
constructed sign mounting support arm therefor which may be readily 
disengaged from the standard and also quickly vertically shifted 
therealong. Further, the support arm is constructed in a manner whereby a 
conventional hanging sign panel may be removably supported therefrom. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a sign which may be quickly 
erected whenever desired and which will require utilization of only a 
simple impact tool in some instances of installation. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a sign construction 
including a standard and horizontal support from which a vertical sign 
panel may be hung and with the support arm being readily vertically 
adjustable in desired position along the standard. 
Another very important object of this invention is to provide a sign in 
accordance with the preceding objects and constructed in a manner whereby 
a plurality of sign panel support arms may be mounted on and adjustably 
shifted along the standard of the sign. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a sign construction which 
will enable the components of the sign to be disassembled and compactly 
stored. 
Another important object of this invention in accordance with the 
immediately preceding objects is to provide a sign construction whose 
components may be readily assembled subsequent to the standard of the sign 
being driven downwardly into a supportive ground surface. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a sign construction which 
may be readily fabricated from inexpensive commercially available 
components. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a sign construction in accordance with the preceding objects and 
which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple 
construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be 
economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in 
operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally 
designates the sign construction of the instant invention. The sign 
construction 10 includes a standard referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 12, a support arm referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 14 and a sign panel 16. 
The standard 12 is generally T-shaped in cross section and includes 
integrally formed base and cross flanges 18 and 20. The base flange 18 
includes a base longitudinal edge 22 formed integrally with and extending 
along the transverse mid portion of one side face 24 of the cross flange 
20. The flanges 18 and 20 are disposed at right angles relative to each 
other and the other side face 26 of the cross flange 20 includes 
longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting abutments 28 spaced 
longitudinally therealong. The standard 12 actually comprises a 
conventional post for use in constructing a wire fence and may be readily 
driven down into the ground by impacting an impact tool against the upper 
end 30 of the standard 12, the lower end (not shown) of that standard 12 
being preferably pointed for penetrating the ground. 
The support arm 14 comprises a piece of angle iron 32 including an 
upstanding flange 34 and a horizontal flange 36, the flanges 34 and 36 
being joined along adjacent longitudinal edge portions and being disposed 
at right angles relative to each other. The flange 36 has a pair of 
longitudinally spaced apertures 38 formed therethrough by which the 
threaded shank portions 40 of a pair of suspension hooks 42 may be 
supported from the support arm 14 and the suspension hooks 42 may be 
engaged in apertures 44 formed in the upper marginal edge portion of the 
panel 16 in order to support the panel 16 from the support arm 14. 
In addition to the angle iron 32, the support arm 14 includes a plate 46 
having a T-shaped opening 48 formed therethrough. The plate 46 is secured 
(by welding) to the base end of the arm 14 along the upper marginal edge 
of the flange 34 in a position which can best be determined from FIGS. 2, 
3 and 4 of the drawings. Although there is no need to provide a vertical 
bracing member between the flange 36 and the portion of the plate 46 
overlying the free longitudinal edge 50 of the flange 36, a suitable 
bracing plate may be secured (by welding) between the longitudinal edge 50 
at the base of the arm 14 and the underside of a plate 46, along the 
phantom line 52 in FIG. 2. 
The flange 36 has a notch 54 formed in its base end registered with the leg 
portion 56 of the opening 48 and the cross head portion 58 of the opening 
48 includes a central notch 60 registrable with the abutments 28 when the 
standard 12 is received through the opening 48. 
The edge of the opening 48 disposed on opposite sides of the notch 60 
oppose the outer side of the cross flange 20 outwardly from which the 
abutments 28 project and the closed end 66 of the notch 54 abuts the free 
edge 62 of the base flange 18 while the end edge 64 of the flange 32 on 
opposite sides of the notch 54 abuts the surface of the cross flange 20 
outwardly from which the base flange 18 projects. 
From FIG. 4 of the drawings, it may be seen that the closed end 66 of the 
notch 54 is spaced slightly toward the base end of the arm 14 from the 
closed end 68 of the leg portion 56 of the opening 48. Thus, if it is 
desired to shift the support arm 14 from the position thereof illustrated 
in FIG. 1, the free end of the support arm 14 is upwardly inclined in the 
manner illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings with the closed end 68 of the 
leg portion 56 of the opening 48 engaged with the free edge 62 of the base 
flange 18 and the support arm 14 may then be shifted longitudinally of the 
standard 12. After the desired new positioning of the support arm 14 along 
the standard 12. After the desired new positioning of the support arm 14 
along the standard 12 has been achieved, the support arm 14 is then 
returned to the horizontal position such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 
and 3 of the drawings with the closed end 66 of the notch 54 engaged with 
the free longitudinal edge 62 of the base flange 18 and the end edge 64 of 
the flange 36 engaged with the one side face 24 of the cross flange 20 of 
the standard 12. In this manner, the cantilever-supported support arm 14 
will have the under surfaces of the plate 46 defining the notch 60 engaged 
with the associated abutment 28 in order to prevent the support arm 14 
from sliding downwardly along the standard 12. Of course, when the support 
arm 14 is in the inclined position thereof illustrated in FIG. 5 of the 
drawings, it may be slid upwardly along the standard 12 and from the upper 
end thereof to completely disengage the support arm 14 from the standard 
12. 
When it is desired to erect the sign 10, the standard 12 is driven down 
into the ground through the utilization of an impact tool such as a hammer 
in the conventional manner. After the standard has penetrated the ground 
to the desired depth, the support arm 14 may be inclined relative to the 
standard 12 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5 but spaced above the upper 
end of the standard 12 and then downwardly displaced over the support arm 
to the desired level, after which the support arm 14 may then be swung to 
the horizontal position. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes 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 suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.