Abstract:
Mounting devices for mounting items such as signs to chainlink fences. The devices have at least one tab punched out of each end of the mounting and a portion of the chainlink fence is received between the tab and the remainder of the mounting device, which attaches the mounting device to the fence. The mounting device has apertures which will receive fasteners to secure a sign to the mounting device which in turn is secured to the fence.

Description:
Applicant claims the priority of Provisional Ser. No. 60/176315, filed Jan. 18, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates, in general, to mounting devices, and, in particular, to mounting devices for chainlink fences. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to mounting devices for mounting items such as signs to chainlink fences. The devices have at least one tab punched out of each end of the mounting and a portion of the chainlink fence is received between the tab and the remainder of the mounting device, which attaches the mounting device to the fence. The mounting device has apertures which will receive fasteners to secure a sign to the mounting device which in turn is secured to the fence. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mounting device for attaching items such as signs to chainlink fences. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mounting device for attaching items such as signs to chainlink fences which can be easily and quickly attached to a fence. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mounting device for attaching items such as signs to chainlink fences which will securely hold the signs to the fence and can be easily and quickly removed if necessary. 
    
    
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is top view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the FIG. 1 embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the FIG. 1 embodiment of the present invention attached to a fence. 
     FIG. 5 is top view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the FIG. 5 embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a view of the FIG. 5 embodiment of the present invention attached to a fence. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a mounting device  1  used to attach items such as signs (not shown) to a fence such as a chainlink fence. The mounting device  1  is a relatively flat piece of material such as metal or plastic which has an intermediate section  2  and two end sections  7 . The intermediate section  2  has a slot  3  passing therethrough, and which can be used to fasten a sign to the device  1  by, for example, passing fasteners through the sign and then through the slot  3 . It should be noted that any fastening device such as, but not limited to, a bolt and nut can be used to fasten a sign to the device  1 . 
     Each of the end sections of the FIG. 1 device has an aperture  4 , out of which has been punched, or otherwise formed, a tab  5 . As seen from the side view of FIG. 3, the tab is positioned below the plane of the intermediate portion  2  to form a gap  15  between the tab  5  and the end section  7 . As shown in FIG. 4, the device  1  can be secured to a fence having crossed wires  8 ,  9  by passing the tab  5  beneath the wire  9  and the end section  7  on top of the wire  9 . By attaching both ends of the device to the wires  9  in this manner the device can be securely fastened to the fence. In order to attach a sign to the mounting device  1 , fasteners, such as a bolt, would be passed through the sign, then passed through the slot  3  and a complimentary fastener, such as a nut, would be secured to the bolt to secure the sign to the mounting device  1 . Obviously, more than one tab  5  could be formed in the end sections without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a modified version  1 ′ of the FIG. 1 mounting device which has an intermediate section  2 ′ and two end sections  7 ′. The intermediate section  2 ′ has a plurality of apertures  6  passing therethrough, and which can be used to fasten a sign to the device  1 ′ by, for example, passing fasteners through the sign and then through the apertures  6 . It should be noted that any fastening device such as, but not limited to, a bolt and nut can be used to fasten a sign to the device  1 ′. 
     Each of the end sections of the FIG. 2 device has an aperture  4 ′, out of which has been punched, or otherwise formed, a tab  5 ′. The tabs  5 ′ serve the same purpose as the tabs  5  in the FIG. 1 device, and the apertures  6  serve the same purpose as the slot  3  in the FIG. 1 device. 
     FIG. 5 shows another modified version  10  of the FIG. 1 device. The FIG. 5 device has an intermediate section  11 , through which two apertures  14  pass. The apertures  14  serve the same purpose as the Gus apertures  6  in the FIG. 2 device. The ends have a plurality of fingers  12 ,  13  formed thereon in any conventional manner. As shown in FIG. 7, the finger  13  is pressed down out of the plane of the device  10  while the fingers  12  are raised slightly above the plane of the device thereby forming a gap  16  which functions in the same manner as the gap  15  in the FIG. 1 device. It should be noted that while the drawings show the finger  13  below and the fingers  12  above the plane of the FIG. 5 device, this arrangement could be reversed (fingers  12  below and finger  13  above the plane of the device) without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a modified version  10 ′ of the FIG. 5 device. The FIG. 6 device has an intermediate section  11 ′, through which a slot  15  passes, and which serves the same function as the slot  3  in the FIG. 1 device. The ends have a plurality of fingers  12 ′,  13 ′ formed thereon in any conventional manner. The fingers  12 ′,  13 ′ serve the same function as the fingers  12 ,  13  of the FIG. 5 device. Obviously more than one finger  13 ,  13  could be formed in the end sections without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 shows the FIG. 5 device in a side view similar to the side view in FIG. 3 of the FIG. 1 device. In addition, FIG. 8 shows the FIG. 5 device attached to a fence having wires  8 ,  9  similar to FIG.  4 . also, it should be noted that in FIGS. 4 and 8, the dotted lines indicate that either device can be mounted as shown in solid lines or the device can be rotated 90° and mounted in the position shown by the dotted lines in each figure. Which way the devices will be turned will be dictated by the sign that is attached. 
     Although the Mounting Devices for Chainlink Fences and the method of using the same according to the present invention has been described in the foregoing specification with considerable details, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the invention which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims and modified forms of the present invention done by others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be considered infringements of this invention when those modified forms fall within the claimed scope of this invention.