Abstract:
A bracket for mounting an article, such as a roll-up fabric sign, on a mast, includes a body and a clamp on the body for securing the bracket at a desired location on the mast. A receptacle on the body is provided for receiving a portion of the article. The bracket body may be secured in first and second different orientations on the mast at the desired location, the first operational orientation being one in which the receptacle is positioned forwardly of a forward surface of the mast, for receiving the article portion, and the second non-operational orientation being one in which substantially no portions of the bracket body are positioned forwardly of the mast forward surface.

Description:
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the filing date of Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/856,520, entitled Roll-Up Sign Bracket, filed on Nov. 3, 2006. This provisional application is expressly incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to signs and message display devices, and more particularly to adjustable brackets for attaching such signs to support stands for display to the public. 
     Signs used in the roadway construction field may be of the rigid type, constructed of metal, plywood, or the like, or may be of the flexible type, constructed of fabric or vinyl and designed to roll up for transport and storage when not in use. The signs may be of any shape, such as diamond, square, rectangular, or circular, and may be of varying sizes, depending upon the distance from which the signs must be viewed. 
     Portable, metallic sign stands are commonly used to support both rigid and flexible or roll-up types of signs. For example, the assignee of the present application, TrafFix Devices, Inc. of San Clemente, Calif., makes and sells several types of such sign stands, under, for example, the registered trademarks SUPER BUSTER, LITTLE BUSTER, BIG BUSTER, ECONO BUSTER, and the trademark TRI BUSTER. The TRI BUSTER sign stand is disclosed in co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/935,085, entitled Portable Sign Stand and filed on even date herewith, which application is herein expressly incorporated by reference. 
     Typically, rigid sign brackets may be left on the sign stand if a roll-up sign needs to be used. However, when a rigid sign is to be employed, the roll-up sign bracket must be removed from the sign stand. Removing the roll-up sign bracket in the event of the need to use a rigid sign often results in damage to or loss of the roll-up sign bracket. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The roll-up sign bracket of the present invention is designed to freely and easily rotate to a stowage position, without the need for removal from the sign stand, when it is desired to mount a rigid sign panel to the sign stand. 
     More particularly, a bracket is provided for mounting an article on a mast, which comprises a body, a clamp on the body for securing the bracket at a desired location on the mast, and a receptacle on the body for receiving a portion of the article. Forward portions of the bracket body comprise angled surfaces so that when the bracket body is secured to the mast in a particular orientations, no portions of the bracket body extend substantially forwardly of a forward side of the mast. The body preferably comprises opposing side walls and a rear wall, and the clamp extends through the rear wall. 
     The claim preferably comprises a bolt and nut combination and has a proximal handle for rotating the bolt. The angled surfaces, in a preferred embodiment, are on each of the side walls. The side walls each have a substantially horizontal lower edge, and the angled surfaces each extend upwardly from their respective lower edges toward a front end of the bracket body at a predetermined angle. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined angle is between about 30° and about 60°. In a most preferred embodiment, the predetermined angle is about 45°. The receptacle comprises a slot in each of the opposing side walls. 
     In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a bracket for mounting an article on a mast, which comprises a body and a clamp on the body for securing the bracket at a desired location on the mast. A receptacle on the body is provided for receiving a portion of the article. The bracket body may be secured in first and second different orientations on the mast at the desired location, the first orientation being one in which the receptacle is positioned forwardly of a forward surface of the mast, for receiving the article portion, and the second orientation being one in which substantially no portions of the bracket body are positioned forwardly of the mast forward surface. 
     Preferably, the body comprises opposing side walls and a rear wall, and the clamp extends through the rear wall. The clamp comprises a bolt and nut combination and has a proximal handle for rotating the bolt. Each of the side walls include angled surfaces thereon. The side walls each have a substantially horizontal lower edge, and the angled surfaces each extend upwardly from their respective lower edges toward a front end of the bracket body at a predetermined angle. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined angle is between about 30° and about 60°, and in a most preferred embodiment, the predetermined angle is about 45°. 
     Again, with reference to a preferred embodiment, the receptacle comprises a slot in each of the opposing side walls. The bracket body is moved from the first orientation to the second orientation by rotating the bracket body upwardly and rearwardly. 
     In still another aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method of reorienting a bracket disposed on an upstanding mast from an operational orientation, for securing an article to the mast, to a non-operational orientation, without removing the bracket from the mast. The method comprises loosening a clamp which secures the bracket in the operational orientation, wherein a receptacle on the bracket is disposed forwardly of a forward surface of the mast for receiving a portion of the article. Then, the bracket is rotated rearwardly through a predetermined angle to the non-operational orientation, wherein no substantial portion of the bracket is disposed forwardly of the forward surface of the mast. The clamp is then re-tightened to secure the bracket in the non-operational orientation. 
     The invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom view of a roll-up sign bracket constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the roll-up sign bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the roll-up sign bracket of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the roll-up sign bracket of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a sign stand on which the bracket of  FIGS. 1-4  has been installed and on which a rigid sign is mounted; 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of the portion of  FIG. 5  denoted by the circle A; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a sign stand illustrating both a prior art roll-up sign bracket and a roll-up sign bracket in accordance with the present invention installed thereon, for comparison purposes; 
         FIG. 8  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 7  denoted by the circle B; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a sign stand on which is disposed a roll-up fabric or vinyl sign and a roll-up sign bracket according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view, in isolation, of the roll-up sign bracket installed on the sign stand of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 9  denoted by the circle C; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a sign stand having a roll-up sign bracket in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 13  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 12  denoted by the circle D. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  a roll-up sign bracket  10  constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bracket  10  comprises a body  12 , comprised, preferably, of metal, such as steel. In a presently preferred embodiment, the body  12  is comprised of 0.080-0.100 inch thick galvanized steel. Of course, other suitable rigid, durable materials may be used, such as alternative metals or plastics. The body  12  comprises opposing side walls  14 ,  16  and a rear wall  18 . A bolt  20  having threads  22  on one end thereof and a T-handle  24  on the opposing end extends through a hole  26  on the rear wall  18 , as well as a nut  27 , which is preferably welded to the wall  18 . Corresponding slots  28 ,  30  are disposed on the front ends of each of the side walls  14 ,  16 , as shown particularly in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The slots  28 ,  30  are adapted to receive the horizontal pultrusion for supporting a flexible sign, as will be described more fully below. Accordingly, frontwardly of the slots  28 ,  30  are upstanding fingers  32 ,  34 , each of which include upper hooks  36 ,  38 , respectively, overhanging a portion of the respective slots  28 ,  30 . The hooks  36 ,  38  function to retain the pultrusion in the slots  28 ,  30 . 
     An important feature of the present invention is that the bottom portion of each side wall  14 ,  16 , respectively, cuts sharply upwardly toward the front edge thereof, to create an angled edge  40 ,  42 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an angle θ between the angled edge  42  and a line extending from bottom edge  44  is approximately 45°, though the angle may actually fall within a range of approximately 30° to 60° and still be adapted to function effectively for the purposes of this invention. In the preferred embodiment, the angle θ for the other angled edge  40 , which is not specifically shown in the drawings, should be approximately the same as the illustrated angle θ. 
     Now referring particularly to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is shown in  FIG. 5  a portable sign stand  46  having a plurality of support legs  48  and a mast  50 . As shown, the sign stand  46  is supporting a rigid sign panel  52 . Importantly, even though a rigid sign panel  52  is deployed on the sign stand, the roll-up sign bracket  10  of the present invention remains installed on the sign stand. This will be discussed in more detail below. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a sign stand  46 , similar to that in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , but in  FIGS. 7 and 8  no sign panel is illustrated, for clarity. A roll-up sign bracket  10 , of the invention, is installed thereon, in a manner similar to that on  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Also installed thereon is a typical prior art roll-up sign bracket  54 , for comparative purposes, to be discussed in more detail below. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 9-11 , there is shown yet another sign stand  46  of the type previously shown. In this instance, a roll-up fabric or vinyl sign panel  56  is deployed on the sign stand, as illustrated. The sign panel  56  is supported by crossed horizontal and vertical pultrusions  58  and  60 , respectively. 
     Both the top and bottom portions of the bracket  10  are open, except for an angled cross-member  62  ( FIG. 1 ), which is disposed at an angle approximately the same as angle θ. Thus, to mount the roll-up bracket  10  on the sign stand  46 , the bracket  10  is slipped over the mast  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , so that the mast is disposed in the space within the body  12  defined by the side walls  14  and  16 , the rear wall  18 , and the angled cross-member  62 . When the bracket  10  is located at a desired position along the mast  50 , such as the position shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , the operator turns the T-handle  24  in a clockwise direction to advance the distal threaded end  22  of the bolt  20  toward the front end of the bracket  10 . Ultimately, with sufficient advancement of the bolt  20 , the mast will become clamped between the bolt  20  and the angled cross-member  62 , thus securing the bracket  10  in the desired position. 
     Once the bracket  10  is secured, the slots  28  and  30  are disposed on the front side of the mast  50 . At this juncture, the horizontal pultrusion  58  of the flexible sign  56  can be positioned within the two slots  28  and  30 , so that it lies horizontally through both slots and extending from each side, as shown. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the bracket  10  weights about 0.25 lb., and has overall dimensions of approximately 3.125 in.×3.250 in.×4.562 in. The slots  28  and  30  are sized to receive pultrusions having a thickness of up to 0.375 in. The bracket is adapted particularly to fit a mast  50  size of approximately 1 in.×1 in., which is a typical size. Masts are usually fabricated of hollow metallic square tubing. Of course, the bracket  10  can be adapted to fit any reasonably sized sign stand mast and sign frame pultrusion. 
     Now again referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when it is desired to place a rigid sign  52  on the stand  46 , rather than having to remove the bracket  10  from the mast  50 , the operator need only turn the T-handle  24  counter-clockwise sufficiently to loosen the bracket relative to the mast  50 , and then rotate the bracket backwards as shown, so that the slots  28  and  30  and the remainder of the front portion of the bracket  10  move upwardly to the orientation shown in  FIG. 6 . The T-handle  24  can then be re-tightened to secure the bracket in this new orientation, with the mast  50  still clamped between the distal end of the bolt  20  and the angled cross member  62 . The rigid sign  52  can then be installed, using one or more rigid sign brackets or other suitable mounting means. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are included to visually illustrate a significant advantage of the present bracket  10  relative to prior art brackets, such as prior art roll-up sign bracket  54 . As shown, the prior art bracket  54  presents a front portion  64  thereof which extends frontally of the mast  50  at all times when the bracket  54  is installed. This bracket frontal portion prevents the rigid sign  52  from proper disposition on the sign stand. Accordingly, this type of bracket must be removed before the sign panel  52  is installed, with consequent additional labor and potential bracket loss or damage. 
     On the other hand, as discussed above, the inventive bracket  10  may merely be rotated backwardly, through approximately the angle θ, as shown. Because of the angled edges  40  and  42 , once rotated, the bracket lies substantially flush along the mast  50 , as shown, thereby permitting a rigid sign  52  to lie freely in front of the mast. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate a different type of wind-yielding portable sign stand  46 , on which a rigid sign  52  is installed, by means of rigid sign brackets  66 . The inventive bracket  10  has been rotated backwardly to its storage position, as discussed above, to permit the sign panel  52  to be properly installed. 
     Accordingly, although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that all the terms used herein are descriptive rather than limiting, and that many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.