Sign holder

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to signs, and more particularly to thin signs, such as those made from laminates of plastics or the like, and novel means for holding and supporting the same.

2. Description of the Prior Art ,

Signs made of relatively thin strips of metal or plastic, such as “Formica,” laminated “Bakelite,— or “Lucite,” have been fastened flat to doors or walls, provided with a permanently attached base or pedestal for desks or counters, and hung perpendicularly to a wall dependingly from an angle bracket. The hanging signs may display the desired indicia on one or both sides and are visible over a much greater range than flatmounted signs with the same indicia. However, they swing freely, are relatively insecure, and are not readily removable and replaceable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises novel base means firmly attachable to such relatively thin signs solely by frictionally engaging opposite sides of the sign and having a sign edge-engaging surface for insuring proper angular alignment of the sign relative thereto. The invention also includes bracket means comprising a vertical leg attachable to the wall by screws and a horizontal leg carrying an upstanding post spaced from the vertical leg, with the base means having a bore slidably mountable on the post, and an inner end slidably engaging the vertical leg of the bracket and groove to clear the heads of the screws, whereby the sign and its base means are firmly mountable on the wall-mounted bracket means and readily removable therefrom for replacement purposes.

IN THE DRAWING;

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a sign holder embodying the invention, with a portion of the wall supporting the same shown in section; '

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the base alone;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the sign and holder mounted as in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the supporting wall in horizontal section; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing a sign and its base separated from the supporting bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference numeral 11 indicates in general a relatively thin sign made in well-known manner from a strip of metal or plastic, such as “Formica,” laminated “Bakelite,” or “Lucite,” one or both of the opposed sides 12 of which are provided with engraved or otherwise formed indicia 13 which it is desired to display. The inner end of the sign 11 terminates in a vertical end or edge 14 (FIG. 4) extending at right angles to and between the front and rear sides 12.

Base means, preferably in the form of an aluminum extrusion and indicated generally by reference numeral 15, is provided for frictional engagement with the sign 11 and comprises a main body portion 16 having a bore 17 extending vertically therethrough. The outer vertical edge portion of the main body 16 is channeled to define spaced arms 18 which terminate in opposing vertical flanges 19 spaced from each other slightly less than the thickness of the sign 11 between its sides 12 for frictionally engaging those opposed sides 12 when the sign 11 is forced therebetween to alone retain the base 15 thereon. The channeling of the outer vertical edge portion of the main body 16 of the base also is such as to define a vertical rib 21 extending outwardly from the main body between the arms 18 to define an outer surface 22 for abutting engagement with the end edge 14 of the sign 11 to insure proper alignment of the sign and its base 15 when assembled, as in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5.

A bracket, indicated generally by reference numeral 23, for mounting the sign 11 and its base 15 on a wall, or any other desired vertical surface, is provided which comprises a vertical leg 24 having apertures for receiving screws 25 for attaching the bracket to the wall, and a horizontal leg 26. Upstanding from the horizontal leg 26 in spaced parallel relation to the leg 24 is a post 27 of a diameter to slidably engage in the bore 17 of the base 15, the upper end of the post being chamfered to facilitate mounting of the base thereon. The axis of the post 27 is spaced from the outer surface of the vertical leg 24 the same distance as the axis of the bore 17 is spaced from the inner end surface of the main body 16 of the bracket 15, as best seen in FIG. 4, so that these surfaces slidably engage each other to facilitate mounting of the base 15 on the bracket 23 and engagement of the post 27 in the bore 17 and to insure against tipping, twisting or swinging of the sign relative to the bracket when mounted thereon, as in FIGS. 1,2 and 4.

Since the heads of the screws 25 normally extend beyond the base-engaging surface of the bracket leg 24, the inner end of the base 15 is grooved vertically, as indicated at 28, to provide clearance for the screw heads during sliding assembly of the sign 11 and its base 15 onto the bracket 23 and separation thereof, as to their positions of FIG. 5,

From the above it will be appreciated that the sign 11 is rigidly secured solely by friction to the base 15, with engagement of its inner edge 14 with the edge-abutting surface 22 of the base assuring proper alignment of the sign on the base. These two members 11 and 15 thus constitute a unitary assemblage which may very readily be slidable assembled on a wallmounted bracket 23 to provide a firm and substantially rigid support for the sign in outstanding relationship to the wall. At the same time, the relationship between the sign base 15 and the bracket 23 is such that the sign is readily removable from the bracket for repositioning on another bracket or replacement purposes.