Improved Means for Swinging and Mounting Letters, Signs, and the like for Advertising Purposes
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Swinging and Mounting Letters, Signs, and the
like for Advertising Purposes.
CHARLES DEXTER BARKER 76 Turnmill Street London E.C. in the County of
Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide means for facilitating the erection of
Structures for suspending Figures, Letters Signs, for advertising purposes allowing
such Figures, Letters, Signs to swing freely clear and independently of their supports.
With this object I first construct a metal clamp capable of being bolted on firinly
to either the pipe or other uprights of the framework of the structure. This clamp
has extended ends of sufficient length to enable one or more scaffold boards to rest
upon each side of it the ends of these clamps I connect by suitable iron rods to a
smaller clamp above or below the other clamp.
Upon the uprights 1 affix suitable cross stays either for the purpose of stiffening
the structure or for suspending the Figures Letters Signs &c. &c.
For this purpose I use a cast iron (or other suitable metal) sleeve having screwed
lugs on each side over these screwed lugs 1 thread another casting shaped out either to
fit the pipe or some form of upright and so arranged or constructed that if forced
towards the upright it will grip it this casting has two eyes for fixing suitable cross
stays to. Having got the sleeve into the required position for the cross rail, and
the grip casting threaded on it, I proceed to place the cross stays having a socket
or nut screwed so as to leave the end bare opposite the lug of the sleeve and screw
the socket or nut partly off the cross stay on to the lug continuing this operation
until the gripping casting is firmly jammed against the upright.
Having in the foregone manner erected the uprights and cross rails on bars and
stayed them where necessary with cross stays I proceed to suspend the figures letters
signs &c. &c. to the cross rails by means of either one or more bent hooks of such a
shape that they fit the cross rails or bars & the opening of such clips is so arranged
that the tail has to be put horizontally to thread them on to the cross bars then these
clips are fixed in their required position by means of a set screw or screws tapped
into a lug on the clip. The tail end of this lug has a suitable hole with a gun-metal
or brass bush to receive a bolt which bolt also passes through two lugs carrying an
extension piece for fixing the Figures Letters Sign Gate or other object to be suspended.
These can at any time be removed without taking out the cross rail or bar upon
which they hang.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Swinging and Mounting Letters, Signs, and the
like for Advertising Purposes.
I, Charles DexTER BARKER, of 76 Turnmill Street, London, E.C., in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide means for facilitating the erection
of structures for suspending figures, letters, signs and the like to swing freely,
clear, and independently of their supports or carriers to serve for advertizing
purposes.

page_text: In order that my Invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying explanatory drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2
an end elevation, Figure 3 a plan, and Figures 4. and 5 horizontal sections, on
line A, B, Figure 1, of the adjustable clamping support or platform which I employ
as hereinafter described. Figures 6 and 7 represent, by an end and front elevation
respectively, partly in section, the means employed for suspending or swinging the
figures, letters and the like freely from their horizontal supports. Figures 8 and 9
illustrate, by an elevation, and a horizontal section on line C, D, Figure 6, the
connection or union employed for connecting and firmly securing the horizontal stays
or supports to the uprights.
In carrying out my Invention I first construct a clamping support or platform or
equivalent device, preferably of metal, shown Figures 1 to 5, which is capable of
being bolted, or otherwise secured, to the vertical pipes, tubes or the like composing
the uprights of the framework of the structure; this support serving to carry the
scaffold boards used when building up the framework and suspending the figures or
letters. The support or platform, which may be bolted at any desired height on the
upright, is composed essentially of two clamps, C, c and d, d, arranged one above the
other, which are connected by diagonal bars rods or stays D. D. The larger clamp C, c,
(which may be either above or below the smaller one d, d,) on which the scaffold
boards are supported, consists of a bar, rod, or the like C, bent at the central
portion to the semi-circular shape shown so as to partially embrace the upright A,
to which it is clamped by the bar, plate or the like c which may extend for a portion
only, or the whole length, of the plate C to ensure additional strength for very heavy
weights. The smaller clamping portion of the supporting platform consists of two
plates or bars d, d, Figures 1, 2, and 4, bent in such a form as to embrace the
upright A by bolting or otherwise. The diagonal rods, bars, cross supports or the
like D, D, are bolted, at their upper ends to the plate or plates C, and, at their lower
ends, are supported on the bolts or studs which clamp the plates d, d, to the upright,
as shown more particularly at Figure 4. If desirable, the plates d, d, could be
dispensed with, in which case I would employ two continuous bars or rods D bolted,
at their upper ends, to each side of the plate or plates C from which they extend
downwards, parallel to each other, being bent, at their lowest extremities, so as to
embrace the upright A as shown in dotted lines Figure 1, and at d¹ Figure 5. The
ends of the plate or plates C might be turned up at c¹ to prevent the boards 6 from
slipping or otherwise becoming dislodged.
Upon the uprights A 1 affix suitable cross stays, rods, or tubes either for the
purpose of stiffening the structure or for suspending the figures or letters. For this
purpose, I use a metal sleeve E, Figures 8 and 9, having screwed lugs e, e', on either
side. Over these lugs I thread two castings F, F1, shaped out to fit the upright A
and so arranged that if forced towards the upright they will grip it. Eyes or
sockets a are formed in the castings E, E, to which cross stays al are attached.
Having got the sleeve E into the required position, and the grip castings threaded or
passed over the lugs e, e', I proceed to place the ends of the horizontal tubes or cross
bars B, B', next the ends of the lugs e, e'. The ends of the tubes or stays B, B¹, are
formed with an external screw thread, corresponding to that of the lugs, on which are
screwed nuts or sockets b, b. When the screwed ends of the supports B, B¹
are placed against the ends of the lugs e, e¹, the sockets or nuts b, 6, are rotated and
screwed partly off the ends of the supports B, B1, when they engage with the screw
threads of the lugs e, e¹, this operation being continued until the gripping castings are
firmly jammed against the upright, and the connection established.
When the vertical pipes or uprights A and horizontal supports B, B1, have been
erected, and stayed together where necessary with suitable cross stays, I proceed to
suspend the figures, letters or the like to the cross rails B, by means of the arrange-
ment shown Figures 6 and 7. This comprises one or more bent hooks G, G¹, of
such a shape that they fit the cross rails or supports B, to which they are securely
attached by set pins or screws i passing through lugs; the dotted lines in Figure 6
represent the hooks G, G', in the open position. The bosses g, g', of the hooks are

page_text: formed with openings for the reception of gun-metal or brass bushes g², g², a bolt or
stud H, passing through these bushes, serving to suspend the extension piece J, (to
which the letters or figures are secured,) by its lugs h, this bolt being prevented
falling out of place by a lock nut or equivalent means.
It will thus be obvious, that whilst the letters or figures are allowed to swing freely,
independently of their supports, they can be readily removed, when occasion arises,
without detaching, or interfering in any way with, the cross rail or bar on which they
hang.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First The improved means for swinging and mounting letters, signs, and the
like for advertising purposes substantially as herein set forth and shown.
Second: The improved adjustable support or platform, comprising two clamping
portions arranged one above the other and connected by diagonal rods, bars, or
cross stays substantially as set forth and shown Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
Third: In the employment of suspended letters, figures, or the like, for advertising
purposes, the use of a support to serve as a centre on which to hang or swing the
letters or figures, this support, which normally is rigidly secured to the cross rail,
being so constructed as to permit of the ready removal, and attachment, of the letters
or figures, when required, without interfering with the cross rail or other portions of
the structural framework substantially as herein described.
Fourth: The means employed for suspending or swinging the letters, figures, or
the like freely from their supports substantially as herein set forth, and as shown,
Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawing.
:
Fifth The method of, and means employed for, connecting together the horizontal
pipes, tubes, or cross rails and vertical pipes or uprights composing the framework
of the structure, substantially as herein set forth and shown Figures 8 and 9 of the
accompanying drawing.
companying drawing
Dated this 18th day of March 1890.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.