Abstract:
A modular signpost including a first section, a second section that mounts onto the first section, and a third section that mounts onto the second section. The first section includes a ground mounting structure, a base tube and a guide tube. The second section includes a bracket for holding a flyer box. The second section includes a body tube that is able to slide over the guide tube on the first section. The third section is slide fit into the second section.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates generally to sign posts and more particular to a sign post which is modular, made to assemble from multiple sections, and can be reassembled and mounted in the ground without the use of additional tools. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In real estate and a number of other fields it is very useful to have a sign post for indicating information (e.g., that a property is for sale) to the public in a conspicuous manner. Commonly the signs currently in use are usually manufactured of 4×4 lumber sections joined to form a vertical post and horizontal top arm. The signs hang from the bottom of the horizontal arm and additional banners may be placed on top of the horizontal arm. For example, the name of the real estate company and agent may be positioned on S-hooks below the horizontal arm (mounted on a ring or hook secured into the horizontal arm) while “sale pending” or other sale information may be placed at the top of the horizontal arm. A flyer box is commonly nailed or otherwise secured to one side of the vertical post facing the street or the area accessed by viewers. This flyer box allows those viewing the sign post to approach the sign post and take away a flyer. The flyer provides printed information about the property being sold or other useful information. 
   The 4×4 lumber sign posts are rather heavy and bulky to transport and challenging to install and remove. Professional installers are commonly used to install and remove signs. This creates additional cost and causes a delay in placing the sign. 
   More recently arm post signs have been manufactured from lighter gauge metal square tubing and plastic (e.g., PVC) square tubing. These sign posts have been installed by digging holes and setting the vertical section into place in the hole or driving iron stakes through a holding bracket or tubing which is in turn attached to the vertical post. To mount any of these devices into the ground generally requires a number of different tools for the installation of the sign. These may include a shovel or other digging tool to create a hole into which the vertical pole is placed or any hammer or other striking tool for the installation of the post into the ground. Some signs have been designed requiring a specialty tool. 
   An alternative to a large, heavy monolithic device is the use of an arm post sign which may be disassembled. Such devices generally require some assembly hardware such as bolts or screws, to secure the various parts or sections of the signs together. Commonly end caps are installed to cap the ends of the sign posts to create a more natural and attractive appearance. 
   An object of the Applicant is to provide a less bulky arm sign which can be transported and installed by an individual user, such as a real estate agent. As a further object that this device sections may be used for installing the sign such that additional tools are not necessary for either installing the sign or removing the sign. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present modular sign post includes a first sign section which is mounted into the ground, a second sign section which is mounted on the first sign section, and a top arm section onto which a hanging sign may be mounted. The first sign section includes a base plate having a plurality of stakes extending from one side. In one embodiment, three stakes are used, the central stake being longer than the two flanking side stakes. On the opposite side of the base plate, a base tube is mounted. Mounted within the base plate is a guide tube. This guide tube extends into the base tube and beyond one end of the base tube. At the apex of the base tube is mounted a driving stop collar which forms an annular ring about the guide tube which extends beyond the end of the base tube. The second sign section includes a body tube having a cross-sectional interior dimension such that the guide tube may slidably fit into the body tube. A driving collar is mounted at a first end of the body tube. A flyer box mount is attached to the body tube. When the first section is placed such that the end of the stakes are pointing into the ground, the second section may be mounted over the first section and raised and lowered such that the driving collar repeatedly strikes the driving stop collar. Relatively little force is required to raise and lower this second section. This force would act to drive the stakes into the ground. Once the first sign section is mounted into the ground and the second sign section is mounted over the first a third sign section may be mounted over the second sign section. The third sign section includes a top vertical tube having a cross-sectional dimension allowing the tube to be mounted into the inner bore second tube. Mounted on this top vertical tube is an upper horizontal arm and a lower horizontal arm. The lower horizontal arm is mounted onto the top vertical tube such that it is parallel to the upper horizontal arm for most of its length. Proximate to one end of the lower arm, the arm bends and is connected to the upper horizontal arm. 
   The device may include a number of additional features. These may include a face plate mounted on the base plate in front of an upper portion of the stakes, a rotatably attached flyer box mount, multiple drift stops on the lower horizontal arm to constrain the movement of the hardware for hanging a sign, and inline tabs on an upper surface of the upper horizontal arm to allow mounting of additional signs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a front view of a modular sign post embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the three sections of a modular sign post embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the rotating flyer box clip. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , an assembled modular sign is shown. This view shows a first sign section  6  having stakes  10 ,  14 ,  18 , which extend from base plate  22  mounted into the ground. Fitting onto first sign section  6  is second sign section  4 . Mounted on second sign section  4  is a flyer box  80 . Mounted atop second sign section  4  is a third sign section  2 . Extending horizontally from a vertical post on second section  2  is a upper horizontal arm  52  and a lower horizontal arm  54 . Hanging from lower horizontal arm  54  between drift stops,  62  are signs held by S-hooks  96 . The S-hooks are preferred to have large throat openings on the sign hanging end for easier insertion into the sign holes. On the end that hooks over the lower horizontal arm  54 , the S-hook may be crimped to permanently attach the S-hook to lower horizontal arm  54 . This prevents the sign from blowing off in the wind, the hook being lost in post disassembly, etc. The sign  90  may include a lower sign  92  also attached by S-hooks or by other means. At the top of upper horizontal arm  52  is a banner sign  94 . Banner sign is attached to in-line tabs, as explained in conjunction with  FIG. 2 . 
   Greater detail of the illustrated embodiment is shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 2 . This view shows the first sign section  6  before insertion of the second sign section  4  and third side section  2 . First sign section  6  includes a base plate  22 . This base plate may be designed to be rectangular and have sufficient width (such as 8 inches) to allow a user to place a foot on one side of the base plate. This width also allows a space for separations of the stakes mounted on the under side of base plate  22 . In one embodiment, also mounted on the underside of base plate  22  is stability plate  8 . This plate allows the stakes to remain with a gap from the ground of one inch or more. Stakes  10 ,  12 ,  14  are each welded to the stability plate. This prevents the stakes from bonding or splaying as the device is driven into the ground. Each of stakes  10 ,  12 ,  14  have a respective associated pointed tip  12 ,  16 ,  20  allowing the stakes to more easily be driven into the ground. Center stake  14  is an inch or two longer than side stakes  10 ,  18 . This may prove advantageous when driving the first sign section  6  into the ground. Instead of requiring all three stakes to be driven into the ground at once, the longer, central stake may be initially driven into the ground. The first sign section  6  may then be straightened if the section was tipping or tilted. The side stakes may then be driven into the ground. In one embodiment, the center stake  14  is twelve inches long and the side stakes  10 ,  14  are each ten inches long. 
   Affixed to the opposite side of base plate  22  is base tube  24 . This tube may be cylindrical or have a square, rectangular or other shape cross section. In one embodiment, the parts of the device are all steel allowing the base tube section to be welded onto base plate  22 . Mounted within base tube  24  is guide tube  26 . In the illustrated embodiment guide tube  26  extends into the interior bore of base tube  24  all the way to base plate  22 . Guide tube  26  is welded onto base plate  22 . It should also be possible to weld guide tube  26  onto base tube  24 . Another embodiments, material costs may be saved if guide tube  26  and base tube  24  are made as a single integrated part. In addition if guide tube  26  were attached to base tube  24  at the open end of base tube  24  some material would be saved. Affixed onto the top of base tube  24  is driving stop collar  28 . Driving stop collar  28  may be welded onto base tube  24 . If base tube  24  has a square or rectangular cross section driving stop collar  28  may be welded onto the four sides along the bottom edge of driving stop collar  28  to the top edges of the top sides of base tube  24 . 
   Fitting onto guide tube  26  is body tube  32  on second sign section  4 . At a first end of the body tube  32  is attached driving collar  30 . 
   To drive the first sign section  6  into the ground, second sign section  4  is placed over first sign section  6  (as indicated by dashed lines) and rapidly moving second sign section  4  up and down such that body tube  32  slides over guide tube  26 . The downward motion of body tube  32  would be arrested as driving collar  30  on body tube  32  strikes driving stop collar  28  on base tube  24 . This would transfer the driving force to base tube  24  and onto base plate  22 , driving center stake  14  into the ground, and subsequently driving side stakes  10 ,  18  into the ground. 
   Mounted on body tube  32  is a flyer box clip  34  mounted by flyer box clip mount  36  onto body tube  32 . Flyer box clip  34  allows clipping of flyer box  80  to secure this box onto body tube  32 . 
   Holding the sides of flyer box  80  is a rotating bar  38 . With reference to  FIG. 3 , the rotating bar  38  is shown in cross section as mounted on body tube  32 . Rotating bar  38  is mounted on body tube  32  by bolts  40  which extends through body tube  32 . The opposite threaded end of bolt  40  is secured by nut  43 . In one embodiment, a washer  47  is positioned between rotating bar  38  and body tube  32 . Bolt  40  extends through a hole in rotating bar  38 , through the washer  37 , through body tube  32  and is secured by nut  43 . Both nut  43  and washer  47  may be nylon. Washer  47  prevents metal rotating bar  38  from scraping against metal body tube  32 . On the sides of rotating bar  38  are return strap  39 ,  41 . This configuration allows a flyer box to be mounted on the portable sign device by simply slipping the sign box into the area between return straps  39 ,  41 . 
   Returning to  FIG. 2 , the bottom of the flyer box  80  would be held by flyer box clip  34 . Flyer box  80  has sides that would be held by return straps  39 ,  41  which press against the flyer box cover  82  of flyer box  80 . The flyers could be accessed by raising flyer box flap  84 . Flyer box flap  84  prevents rain or insects from entering the interior of flyer box  80 . Flyer box bottom contact  86  is used to secure flyer box  80  to flyer box clip  34 . 
   Into the second opening (open end  42  on body tube  32 ) a vertical tube  50  of the third sign section  2  is placed. Vertical tube  50  includes a section that slidably fits into open end  42  body tube  32 . Mounted onto and extending from vertical tube  50  is an upper horizontal arm  52  and a lower horizontal arm  54 . These arms may be attached to the vertical tube  50  by welding, bolts, or any other attachment means to form a single third sign section  2 . This third sign section  2  may once manufactured, be assembled onto the modular arm sign post by simple insertion of vertical tube  50  into body tube  32 . No tool or bolts are required to attach third sign section  2  to second sign section  4 . The upper horizontal arm  52  may be affixed at a right angle to vertical tube  50 . The lower horizontal arm  54  is attached at a first end about half way down the length of vertical tube  50 . The second end of lower horizontal arm  54  in this embodiment bends allowing attachment to upper horizontal arm  52  at the end of upper horizontal arm  52 . Although a short section of lower horizontal arm  54  is vertical to allow attachment to upper horizontal arm  52 , or over 80% of the length of the lower horizontal arm  52  is horizontal. The arm is substantially horizontal and substantially perpendicular to vertical tube  50  and for the present purposes would be considered substantially horizontal. Affixed to lower horizontal arm  54  is a first drift stop  60  and second drift stop  62 . Each of the drift stops are several inches from the horizontal section of lower horizontal arm  54  and the attachment of lower horizontal  54  to vertical tube  50 , respectively. These drift stops act to constrain the movement of the sign as discussed with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
   Attached to the top of upper horizontal arm  52  are a plurality of sign tabs  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76 . In one embodiment, these sign tabs are mounted in line. A banner-type sign as shown in  FIG. 1  may then be slightly bent to weave between these sign tabs. 
   It is preferred that the present device be manufactured from steel. Other materials, including other metals and plastics, may be adaptable for modular signs. However, the driving installation of the present device makes steel preferable. The device may be relatively simply manufactured by welding together various component parts. The device may be painted as with a powder coating to create an attractive look, inhibit rust, and make the product long lasting. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the base tube  24 , guide tube  26 , body tube  32  and vertical tube  50  all have a square cross section. It could be possible to use round cross sections and include a means for preventing the first sign section from rotating on the second sign section and the second sign section from rotating on the third sign section. For example, wind on the sign hanging from the modular signpost will create a torque force that will cause the sign sections to want to rotate. This could include a mechanical means, such as a pin or bolt extending through the sections, or could be a magnet or other means. However it is preferred that the cross section of teach tube include at least one faceted side. In the illustrated embodiment, the tubes are square in cross section. Rectangular cross-sections, other polygons, or a roughly cylindrical shape having one arc section having a facet on one arc section could also be used. 
   The use of a steel driving collar and a steel stop collar allow transfer of force to drive in the base device without flaring or deforming the base tube. The second sign section is used as a force-transferring device, like a pile driver. This section thus acts both as part of the modular sign device and as the tool for installing the device, in conjunction with the guide tube. 
   Each of the first sign section, the second sign section and the third sign section are about three feet long. This allows the three sections to be assembled by most users, fit into a bag  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . If the hanging sign and banner sign are not counted, the entire modular arm sign post is only three parts. Each of the three sign sections are about three feet long and no wider than eight inches in the illustrated embodiment. The entire device (with bag  100 ) weighs about 20 pounds. Several could fit into the trunk of a car. A single user could rapidly install and assemble the sign, removing the need for a professional installer. The sign does not have small parts that could be misplaced or break. The smallest part of the sign that is an independent part is the flyer box. No tools are required for the installation of this modular sign post.