SIGN

Abstract: Sign, particularly highway sign, traffic sign, or advertising sign, comprising a panel attached to at least one post (10), which comprises a number of extruded channels (12). Each channel has a rib (19) on each edge flange (13) thereof, the ribs being undercut at one side to be engaged with each other at sloping surfaces adjacent the web (12) when the panel is clamped against the post, adjacent channels being pressed at edge flanges engaged with eachother, by wedge action at the sloping surfaces.

Description: SIGN The invention relates to a sign, particularly a highway sign, traffic sign, or advertising sign. It is common as far as large signs are concerned to construct the sign of a number of channels which are interconnected at the flanges thereof. The advantage of doing this instead of making the sign as a single large panel is that the sign will be more rigid and stable due to the flanges and that the sign, additionally, more easily can be repaired should it be damaged, which occurs rather often as far as signs are concerned, which are located at the road side, because it is possible to replace a number of channels without the necessity of replacing the sign as a whole. The most common embodiment of signs of the kind referred to herein comprises metal sheet sections which have been bent to U-shape. The bending of metal sheet at right angles necessitates a certain radius between the web and the flanges, and therefore it cannot be avoided that small grooves arise between adjacent sections on the outside of the webs which form the surface carrying the information. These grooves as such do not play a major roll as to the appearance and function of the sign, but water and dirt, in many cases containing calcium chloride if the sign is located close to a road, can be collected in the grooves, and as a consequence thereof corrosion on the metal sheet may arise in the groove and dirt may flow from the grooves and be spread over the sign such that the legibility will be reduced. It is known per se to construct signs of extruded aluminum sections, and in that case it is not necessary to have a radius of curvature at the transition between the flanges and the web, because an aluminum section can be extruded with sharp edges. Known embodiments of signs which are made of aluminum sections, do not include, however, a suitable device to press the sections in a simple manner against each other at adjacent flanges in order to construct large signs which are composed of several sections. The sign of the invention comprises a panel attached to at least one post, comprising channels with edge flanges and a flat web, which are mutually engaged at the flanges to form at the outside of the webs the flat surface of the panel arranged as the information carrier. The purpose of the invention is to arrange the sign in such a manner that when the panel is mounted to-the post, adjacent channels at the same time are heavily pressed against each other at the flanges to eliminate spaces, if any, between the flanges, and this is achieved by the sign of the kind referred to herein having obtained the characteristics according to claim 1. In order to explain the invention in more detail reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view from the back side of a sign constructed according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a double side sign which is also constructed according to the principles of the invention, FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the edge flange formed with a rib, FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the edge flange formed with a groove, and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a sign of a somewhat modified embodiment. In FIG. 1, there is shown a tubular post 10 which alone or together with one or more further posts supports a sign 11. This sign comprises a panel made of a number of extruded aluminum sections. Each section is channelled and has a flat web 12 and two edge flanges 13 and 14, and it is extruded with sharp corners. Each edge flange has an inwardly projecting flange 15 with a rib 16 at the inner side thereof close to the edge, and intermediate the two edge flanges a support flange 17 is provided which is T-shaped with the cross bar 18 substantially on the same level as the flanges 15. One edge flange, viz. the edge flange 13, forms a rib 19 which is undercut on one side thereof, the outside, and at that side is defined by a flat sloping surface 20 while the rib on the other side thereof is defined by a perpendicularly upwardly projecting flat surface 21. At the top, the rib is defined by a flat surface 22. The rib can be hollow as shown herein, which is advantageous as far as the material is concerned, but it can also be solid. The other flange 14 forms a groove 23 which is undercut on one side thereof, the side adjacent the web 12, and is defined there by a flat sloping surface 24 on a rib 19". On the other side, the groove is defined by a flat surface 25 which is perpendicular to the flat bottom 26 of the groove. The two sloping surfaces are arranged at substantially the same angle, and the distance from the free edge of the sloping surface 24 of the rib 19' to the outside surface of the web 12 - this distance is indicated at A in the drawings - is substantially as large as the distance between the base edge of the sloping surface of the rib 19 and the outside surface of the web 12 - indicated at B in the drawings. However, the depth of the groove 23 is larger than the height of the rib 19, and the minimum width of the groove, viz. the width at the opening of the groove, is larger than the largest width of the rib, viz. the width at the surface 22. By this arrangement it is made possible that a section is connected with an adjacent section in the manner illustrated in the upper part of FIG. 1. With the upper section inclining somewhat forwardly, this section at the groove 23 thereof can be hooked onto the rib 19 on the section located below and then be raised to the vertical position, as also shown in FIG. 1. Then, there is a gap 27 between the bottom of the groove and the rib, and when the two sloping surfaces are engaged with each other, there is also a gap 28 between the surfaces on the rib and in the groove, respectively, which are perpendicular to the edge flanges. The attachment of the sections to the post 10 is effected by means of a U-shaped clamp 29 having a groove 30 which is shaped so as to receive the flange 15 with the rib 16 as is shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The clamp 29 according to FIG. 1 is clamped by means of a screw 31 which can be engaged with the post, the section being pulled against the post at the flange 15 on the lower edge flange 14 by means of the clamp. At the same time the two sloping surfaces 20 on the rib 19 and 24 on the rib 19' are pressed against each other, the edge flanges 13 and 14 on adjacent sections also being heavily pressed against each other by wedge action between the two sloping surfaces. No engagement can arise at the bottom of the groove where a gap 27 is provided. By the sections being pressed against each other in this manner every trace of a gap between the flanges 13 and 14 on the outside of the webs 12 which form the surface carrying the information of the sign, is eliminated. In order to secure engagement between the sloping surfaces the flange 14 with the groove 23 can be made somewhat lower, maybe about 1 mm lower, than the flange 13 with the rib 19 so that the force from the clamp 29 via the sloping surfaces will be transmitted to the- flange 13 and therefrom to the post before the flange 14 due to deformation of the section will engage the post. It is also advisable to curve the free edges at the sloping surfaces 20 and 24, respectively, so as to avoid that the rib and the groove are engaged at these edges and not at the sloping surfaces. As far as a double side sign is concerned the attachment to the post 10 can be provided as is shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the clamp forms outwardly projecting end flanges 31, two clamps being interconnected at opposite sides of the post by means of screw connections 32 extending through these flanges. Otherwise, the embodiment of FIG. 2 is identical with that of FIG. 1. It is possible to interconnect a necessary number of sections in the manner described in order to provide the desired size of the sign. Then, sections of the size shown herein with a support flange 17 between the edge flanges 13 and 14 can be utilized, but the sections can also be made smaller and then can lack such a specific support flange, or larger, two, three, or more support flanges being arranged on a section. The attachment is effected by means of clamps at the lower edge of each section which then will hold the upper edge of the section located below, so that the flange 15 at this edge will be pressed to engage the post. FIG. 2 illustrates how it is also possible to joint the sections endwise. A solid or tubular rod 33 is inserted into the gap 28 and extends also into the corresponding gap of an adjacent panel which is engaged endwise with the panel of FIG. 2. The design of the section as to the individual details thereof can be modified in many different manners without departing from the principle proposed according to the invention for the assembly of the sections. Also the clamp can, of course, be arranged in another way than that shown and described above or be replaced by other means for pressing the sections against the post. Thus, there is shown in FIG. 5 an embodiment of the sign according to the invention wherein the groove 23 is dispensed with and the two ribs 19 and 19" on each section are solid and have the free edges thereof at the sloping surface 20 and 24, respectively, curved. The distances A and B also in this case should be substantially of the same size. The sloping surfaces of the ribs can be pressed against each other by the attachment of the sections to the post 10 by means of a U-shaped clamp 29 in the manner described with reference to FIG. 1, or the attachment to the post can be made double-sided in the manner described with reference to FIG. 2. The function of the embodiment according to FIG. 5 is the same as that of the embodiment previously described. In those cases wherein the sign is wide, it may be suitable to arrange at the edges or the portions of the sign, which are located between the posts supporting the sign, a clamp of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. This clamp comprises a rail 34 which at channelled end portions 35 is hooked onto the adjacent flanges 15 of the adjacent sections. In a pocket 36 in the rail 34, a nut 37 is located. A screw 38 is screwed into the nut and is tightened to be engaged at the end thereof with the rib 19, the sloping surface 24 of the rib 19' being pressed against the sloping surface 20 of the rib 19 by the intermediary of the rail 34. The effect will be exactly the same as when the ribs are pressed against each other by means of the clamp 29, FIG. 1. On the outside of the edge flanges 13 and 14, a longitudinal bead 39 is provided which is dimensioned in order that the beads 39 located one at each side of the screw 38, will be pressed against the screw shaft when the screw is tightened, so as to avoid that the web 12 wi ll be deformed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Sign, particularly highway sign, traffic sign, or advertising sign, comprising a panel attached to at least one post (10), which comprises a number of channels having edge flanges (13, 14) and a flat web (12), which are engaged with each other at the flanges to form at the outside surface of the webs the flat surface of the panel which is arranged as the information carrier, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the channels are of an extruded construction with each edge flange (13, 14) having a rib (19', 19) undercut at one side thereof, which is defined at the undercut side thereof by a flat sloping surface (20 and 24, respectively) which on one edge flange (14) of each channel is facing away from the outside of the web (12) with the opposite surface of the rib in the same plane as the outside surface of the web and on the other edge flange (13) is facing towards the outside surface of the web spaced therefrom, and that the sloping surfaces are located in relation to the outside surface of the web such that the rib (19') on said one edge flange (14) of one of two adjacent channels can be pressed against said other edge flange (13) on the other channel with the outside surface flush with the outside surface of the web of said latter channel, by pressing the two sloping surfaces of the ribs against each other at said one edge flange (14) and with said other edge flange (13) as a support. 2. Sign as in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rib (19) with the sloping surface (20) facing the outside surface of the web (12) is somewhat lower than the rib (19') with the sloping surface (24) facing away from the outside surface of the web.

Inventors: STROEMBERG ROLF, STROEMBERG, ROLF
Applicants: STROEMBERG ROLF, STROEMBERG, ROLF
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G09F7
IPC codes: G09F7