Patent Publication Number: US-6668474-B2

Title: Outdoor sign apparatus for real estate or other advertising purposes

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to signage and more particularly to outdoor signage that may be temporarily mounted to the ground such as real-estate signs. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A common practice in the real estate industry is to mount real estate advertising signs in areas of high public visibility, such as near a road or in the front yard of the property being sold. Because property is bought and sold throughout the year, real estate agents and other such persons attempt to mount and remove such real estate signs at various times throughout the year. It is intended that the sign be temporarily mounted when installed and easy to remove shortly after the property is sold. There are currently a couple deficiencies existing in the industry. One deficiency is that small bushes, overgrown weeds or grass can quickly obstruct smaller real estate signs. Larger real estate signs with posts require a posthole digger with difficult, labor-intensive installation and removal. Post-hole installation is particularly difficult during the winter when the ground is frozen. Installation or removal is practically impossible during such frozen ground conditions. Proper mounting of such larger signs is necessary; otherwise a strong wind can wreak much havoc and damage or blow over the real estate sign. Another requirement of any real estate sign is that it is easy to manipulate and transport utilizing the real estate agent&#39;s vehicle. A further desirable feature is that the real estate sign can be mounted on a wide variety of ground surfaces including inclined surfaces such as in a roadside ditch or on the side of a hill while at the same time positioning the sign vertically for easy viewing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is the principle aim of the present invention to provide a more practical large outdoor sign for temporary installation to a ground surface. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an outdoor sign that is easier to install in a reliable manner, particularly in winter and with frozen ground conditions. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an outdoor sign that is more wind resistant than other existing signs. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an outdoor sign that is easy to transport from place to place while at the same time achieving the foregoing aims and objectives. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an outdoor sign that is capable of supporting the sign at a proper vertical position while being mounted on an inclined ground surface and at the same time achieving the foregoing aims and objectives. 
     In accordance with these and other aims and objectives, the present invention is directed at a novel outdoor sign apparatus for mounting to a ground surface and displaying advertising signs. The outdoor sign apparatus comprises a pair of horizontally spaced footings, a movable support frame that holds the sign, a plurality of stakes, and support elements. The footings rest on the ground surface to provide a support base. The support frame is supported by each of the footings and has a first position substantially perpendicular to the footings for display and a second position substantially parallel to the footings for transport. Support elements (such as chains or other similar means such as cables, rigid bars, brackets, etc.) connect between the support frame and the footings to selectively hold the support frame vertically upright in the first position. The support elements may be selectively disconnected to release and lower the support frame to a second position substantially parallel with the footings. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the footings are secured to the ground surface using stakes proximate each end of the footing that are driven downward into the ground at opposing angles relative to each other. Preferably each stake is driven at an outwardly extending angle relative to the vertically upright support frame and sign. With opposing angles between pairs of stakes, the stakes cooperate to secure the sign in a manner that resists wind in all directions. To guide the stakes, each of the footings includes outwardly angled stake guides proximate opposite ends of each footing that slidably receive the stakes. 
     It is a feature of the invention that the sign is adjustable to accommodate different ground inclinations and sign orientations. According to this feature, the legs or posts attached to each of the footings are independently expandable and retractable such that the footings can be placed at different elevations on the ground while maintaining the sign level. The legs or posts may also be secured at angled positions between the vertically upright and the lowered positions for compensating for the incline of the ground surface. 
     Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor sign apparatus in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the outdoor sign apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the outdoor sign apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the vertically upright position for display. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmented side view of the outdoor sign apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 3 but in the lowered position for transport. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded assembly view of the post and sign holder portion of the outdoor sign apparatus. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmented perspective view of the lower portion of an outdoor sign apparatus to illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated as an outdoor sign apparatus  10 . The sign apparatus  10  may have many uses but one exemplary use is in the real estate industry for advertising property that is for sale. The sign apparatus  10  may be temporarily mounted to a ground surface  12  (e.g. in the front yard of a residence), removed when desired and then reused at another site. 
     The sign apparatus  10  generally includes a pair of horizontally spaced footings  14  and a vertically upright support frame  16 . The footings  14  are provided by angle iron in the preferred embodiment and rest horizontally upon the ground surface  12 . The footings  14  are shown as independent of one another but may also be secured with one another with cross supports to provide an interconnected base structure. The support frame  16  generally includes a pair of vertical posts  18  that may be provided by square steel tube and a rectangular sign holder  20  mounted to the posts  18 . Each post  18  is connected to and supported by one of the footings  14  through a pivot joint  22  provided by such means as a shoulder bolt, pin or hinge. Through the provision of the pivot joint  22 , the support frame  16  is adapted to be pivoted between a vertically upright position as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and a lowered transport position as illustrated in FIG.  4 . In the lowered transport position several sign holders may be stacked and the sign holder apparatus fits easily in a wide variety of vehicles typically driven by real estate agents. 
     To prevent the upright support frame  16  from collapsing when in the upright position, the sign apparatus  10  includes support elements in the form of two chains  24 , one for each footing and post. Each chain  24  is divided into two segments  26 ,  28  that provide counteracting force relative to the other through tension. In particular, the ends of the chain  24  are secured to opposing ends of each footing  14 . The middle link  30  of the chain  24  is secured in a narrow bracket  32  mounted on the post. The narrow bracket  32  has a width and length closely corresponding to the width of one link  30  such that when the middle link  30  is inserted into the bracket  32  little or no slippage is permitted which retains the posts  18  and therefore the entire sign support frame  16  in the vertically upright position. Although chains are shown in the first embodiment, it will be appreciated that other support elements could be substituted for the purpose such as rigid bars or cables for example. Each long chain may also be broken into two separate chain segments that may be fastened or welded to the support post. 
     In accordance with the adjustment feature of the invention, other chain links beside the middle link  30  may be secured in the bracket  32  to selectively angle the posts  18  and therefore the entire support frame  16  at an selected angle between the vertically upright and lowered positions that correlates to the inclination of the ground surface to keep the sign vertically upright despite an inclined ground surface. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a tension control device  34  is incorporated into each chain  24 . The tension control device  34  provides for adjustment and fine-tuning of the tension in the chain  24  to remove slack in the chain  24  and therefore remove slop in the support frame  16 . The tension control device  34  is a commercial available device that includes a screw that can be used for selectively lengthening or shortening the chain  24 . The tension control device  34  can be utilized to maintain proper chain tension when the sign holder is situated in angled positions between the vertically upright and perpendicular position and the lowered transport position. 
     It is an aspect of the present invention that the support frame  16  can be pivoted to the lowered position as shown in FIG. 4 such that the support frame  16  lies substantially parallel and generally flat with the footings  14  to provide for easy handling and transport of the sign apparatus  10 . To accomplish this pivoting movement, the chains  24  (or one of the chain segments  26 ,  28 ) are released from either the post  18  or the footings  14  or both. In the illustrated embodiment, the chains  24  are released via an open hook  36  at the end of each tension control device  34 . The end chain link  38  may be selectively connected and disconnected to the hook  36 . Once disconnected, the sign apparatus  10  easily collapses to the lowered position for transport. 
     The footings  14  can be temporarily but securely secured to the ground surface  12  with stakes  40 . Two stakes  40  are provided for each footing  14 , with one stake  40  securing each opposed end of the footing  14  to the ground surface  12 . To ensure that the wind does not blow the sign apparatus  10  over, the two stakes  40  for each footing  14  are driven into the ground surface  12  in opposite directions (both being driven either outwardly or inwardly towards the central mounted support frame  16 ). A hammer and preferably a sledgehammer can be used to drive the stakes  40 . It has been found that such steel stakes drive relatively easily into frozen ground which permits winter installation and removal. To guide and ensure a proper angle and opposite angle directions for cooperating pairs of stakes  40 , end tubes or stake guides  42  are welded proximate each opposed end of each footing  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the stake guides  42  angle outwardly away from the support frame  16 , preferably between an angle of about  30  and about  60  relative to horizontal to provide optimal wind resistance. Each stakes  40  includes a stop tab  44  welded to the end of a steel rod  46 . The steel rod  46  is sized closely in diameter to the inner diameter of the stake guide  42  to ensure proper support but yet to allow easy sliding movement at the proper angle. The tab  44  projects radially outward from the rod end to a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the tube of the stake guide  42  to act as stop and secure the stake guide  42  and therefore the footing  14  securely against the ground surface  12 . The tab  44  also provides a structure that can be used to pull the stake  40  from the ground when removing a sign apparatus  10 . 
     The sign apparatus  10  also has a vertical adjustment feature as can be seen in FIG.  1 . Referring to FIG. 1, the rectangular sign holder  20  includes horizontal support members  50  and vertical support members  52  in the form of hollow square tubes  52  (e.g. cut from square tube steel). The rectangular sign holder  20  is the structure that directly secures and supports the sign  56 , in this case a real estate sign  56  for advertising a piece of property for sale. The square tubes  52  slid over and closely interfit with the posts  18  extending vertically upward from the footings  14 . To control the vertical height of the sign  56 , the rectangular sign holder  20  may be raised or lowered to the desired position and then secured in position via a nut and bolt or pin and hole mechanism  58  as illustrated or other release mechanism such as a clamp. It is a feature that each of the vertical supports (comprising the combination of the vertical support members  52  and posts) is also independently expandable and retractable such that the footings  14  may be positioned at different elevations. This feature is useful for mounting the sign apparatus  10  in a ditch, in which the different footing elevations would keep the sign level. 
     The sign apparatus  10  further includes a sign interchangeability feature for removing and replacing the sign  56 . For this feature, the rectangular sign holder  20  includes sign mounts or brackets  60  about the inside rectangular periphery of the sign holder  20 . Signs  56  can be selectively bolted to the brackets  60  and later removed, if desired, from the sign holder  20 . 
     A further optional feature is the provision of a top bracket  62  that mounts on the top of the rectangular sign holder  20  for holding a second smaller sign  64  for such purposes in exemplary real estate applications as indicating such things as acreage or other special feature of the property or that the property has already been sold. 
     Turning to FIG. 6, a second preferred embodiment is illustrated. The second embodiment illustrates an alternative way to secure the sign support frame  116  in the vertical position and also a simpler less expensive design for the stakes and the metal support tubes or stake guides as compared with the first embodiment. Several of the welding and assembly steps have been eliminated with this design. In this second embodiment of FIG. 6, the vertical posts  118  of the support frame  116  are also pivotably mounted near the center of the footing  114 . However, the vertical posts  118  are metal c-channels with internal edges or lips  100 . The chains have been eliminated as the support elements and replaced with a diagonal bar or brace  124  (preferably one for each footing) as the support element. Each brace  124  has one end pivotably connected and the other end clamped or otherwise connected in a releasable manner for selective disconnection. In this embodiment the brace  124  is pivotably connected to the footing  114  through a pivot joint  126  and releasably clamped to the c-channel of the vertical posts  118  via a square clamp  128  inserted into the c-channel. The clamp  128  grips the lips  100  of the c-channel to secure the support frame  116  in either the vertically upright or lowered position as desired. In the second embodiment, the stakes  140  are also different with one end bent or deformed to provide the stop tabs  144 . The stakes  140  are also guided by a different form of stake guide  142  which comprises a hole  143  torched or otherwise formed in the bottom of the footing  114  in combination with a bracket  145  mounted to the footing in diagonal relationship thereto, both having diameters relatively closely conforming to those of the stakes  140 . The bracket  145  is pivotably mounted and also allows for storage of stakes while the sign is not in use. 
     The foregoing description of various preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.