Patent ID: 8590190

Claim:
A multipurpose sign base for supporting a roadway safety sign comprising an upstanding mast having at least an upper mast component and a lower mast component that are telescopically extensible and retractable, and that have a gas spring interposed therebetween to aid in raising the upper mast member relative to the lower mast member by releasing energy stored by the gas spring during lowering of the upper mast member relatively to the lower mast member; an elongate ground surface engageable horizontally extending support member rigidly connected to the lower mast component at a right angle to extend towards a hitch member of a vehicle; a diagonal brace having a lower end rigidly connected to the elongate ground surface engageable support member and an upper end rigidly connected to the lower mast component so as to form a right triangle from a length of a portion of the lower mast member, a portion of the elongate length of the ground surface engageable support member and a length of the diagonal brace; wherein the elongate, ground surface engageable support member defines a formation that is insertable into a hitch member of a vehicle to rigidly couple the ground surface engageable support member to the hitch member such that the mast is rigidly coupled to the hitch member of the vehicle so the vehicle can carry and support the full weight of the multipurpose sign base and the roadway safety sign while the sign base supports and displays the roadway safety sign; and wherein the lower mast component and the lower end of the diagonal brace are each rigidly connected to the elongate ground surface engageable support member by a block of structurally weakened metal to provide a pair of breakaway connections adapted to sever when the multipurpose sign base is impacted by a massive moving object.