GB2113885A - Sign framing - Google Patents

Abstract

A sign panel 26 is peripherally retained in channels 40 in a surrounding frame. Each channel is defined by two frame parts 17, 30. One part 30 is L-shaped with limbs 31, 32 forming two sides of the channel. Along one wall (Fig. 1), one of the limbs 31 is inserted from the front into a slot 21 in the associated other frame part 17 and is releasably retained by screws 36 so that it can be detached for insertion and removal of the panel 26. Along the other walls (Fig. 2) the other limb 32 is located in the slot 21 by lengthwise sliding engagement of a rib 22 on the frame part 17 in a groove 35 in the limb 32. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sign framing This invention relates to sign framing, and particularly, but not exclusively, to illuminated box signs.

With any sign there is the likelihood that it will be necessary from time to time to remove the sign panel and replace it by a different one. With internally illuminated box signs, there is additionally the requirement that access be provided to the interior of the box, for example to replace burnt out lamps and the like. On the other hand, there is also the requirement that the sign framing should be aesthetically pleasing, and preferably with a minimum of visible screws or the like.

According to the present invention there is provided framing for a sign, in which a sign panel is framed by elongate members having portions of channel cross-section in which the margins of the panels are received, each of the frame members being formed in two parts one of which provides one wall of the channel and the other of the parts being of generally L-form in cross-section providing two limbs one of which forms the opposite wall of the channel and the other limb bridging the two channel walls, said other limb being engageable with said first frame part and securable thereto, releasably in the case of one of the frame members so that said other frame part thereof can be detached for insertion and removal of the sign panel, said one part of each of the other frame members having a longitudinal rib or recess adapted to co-operate with a corresponding recess or rib on one of the limbs of said other frame members thereof in securing the two parts together and determining the width of the channel.

Said other limb of said other part of said one frame member is preferably securable to said first part at a variety of positions whereby the width of the channel is adjusted to match the thickness of the sign panel. Said other limb thereof is preferably engageable in a slot in said first part, the slot extending from a mouth in the direction away from said one limb so that the free edge of said other limb is received within the slot and can slide along it to vary the channel width and is releasable from the slot through the mouth of the slot to detach said other frame part from said one frame part. The two parts are preferably secured together by means of screws passing through overlapping portions of the two parts.

One or more of the second parts of said other frame members may have a said rib or recess on both limbs but differently arranged so as to provide different channel widths according to which the limbs is engaged with the first part of the frame member. However, the second part of each of the frame members may be provided with a said rib or recess on one only of the limbs, whereby that limb can be engaged with the recess or rib of the first part of the frame member along three of the sides of the sign, and the other limb can be releasably secured to the first part of the frame member along the fourth side.

The first part of the frame members may comprise the wall for an internally illuminated box sign, or it may provide a frame for a nonilluminated sign. Where it provides the wall of an illuminated box sign, it may be adapted along both edges for the mounting thereto of a said second part of a frame member, whereby a sign panel can be mounted on both sides of the box sign.

In a box sign the top and bottom walls may be interconnected by vertical braces. In a preferred embodiment, the brace is of channel cross-section with mutually inwardly directed projections within the channel, and the top and bottom walls of the box sign also have mutually inwardly directed projections, and diagonal cross-braces are provided between the vertical braces and the adjacent wall panels, the cross braces having resilient elements which are a snap fit into the mutually inwardly directed projections of the vertical braces and the wall panels, the elements being shaped to resist withdrawal from said engagement.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view through the top portion of a box sign, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show cross-sections through one of the other sides of the box sign adapted for mounting three different thicknesses of sign panel.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through the top frame member of a non-illuminated sign, and Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the internal bracing suitable for a box sign with one illuminated panel.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figs. 1 to 4; a box sign is made from extruded aluminium frame members. The four wall panels are made from wall members 10 of identical cross-section.

This cross-section provides an outer wall panel 12, on the inside surface of which are a pair of Lshaped formations 13 which provide mutually inwardly directed ribs 14. On the inside surfaces of the L-shaped formations are C-section grooves 1 6 to receive screws for joining the panels at the corners, in known manner. From the L-shaped elements extend mutually outwardly a pair of Lshaped flanges 17, 18, one limb 1 9 of each of which defines, with a projecting portion 20 of the panel 12, a slot 21, and has a dovetail or semidovetail bead 22 running along its outer surface at the mouth of the slot. The other limb 23 of the Lshaped flange 1 7 is formed with a J-shaped end 24.

A sign panel 26 has a strip 28 secured along its top edge to provide a lip which engages on the Jshaped end 24 of the flange 17 of the top wall panel of the box sign, so that the panel is suspended therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. The four wall panels 10 form part of the frame for the sign panel, the flange elements 1 7 abutting the rear surface of the sign panel. The other parts of the framing are provided by L-section components.

One such component 30 is shown in Fig. 1 and extends along the top edge of the sign panel. It has two limbs 31,32, the free ends of which are provided with lips 33, 34 respectively. The limb 32 additionally has a longitudinal dovetail or semidovetail recess 35. At the top of the box sign the L-shaped component 30 is fitted to the wall panel 10 by introducing the free edge of the limb 31 into the mouth of the slot 21 anci then sliding it into the slot until the rib 34 abuts the front face of the sign panel 26. Holes are then drilled through the overlapping limb 31 and wall panel element 21 and screws 36 are inserted to secure the component 30 to the wall panel 10. In this condition the two limbs 31,32 of the component 30 and the limb 23 of the flange 17 form a channel in which the upper edge of the sign panel is received.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through any of the other three walls of the box sign in which the framing is completed by the use of the L-shaped components 30, but in this case it is the limbs 32 which enter the slots 21 of the wall panels.

Because of the provision of the recesses 35, this cannot be done by introducing the free edges 34 directly into the mouths of the slots, but rather the L-shaped components 30 have to be slid lengthwise into the slots from one end, with the recesses 35 engaging the beads 22. This assembly of the components 30 with three of the wall panels 10 therefore has to be effected before the wall panels are interconnected to form the box casing (or at any rate it has to be done that way for the bottom wall panel). The component 30 for the top wall panel, however, can be fitted after the casing is otherwise assembled, and after the sign panel has been slid into place from above.

The positioning of the recess 35 in relation to the bead 22 is such at to provide a specific width for the mouth of the channel 40, for example to match a sign panel of 6 mm thickness. However, other thicknesses of sign panel are commonly in use, for example 3 mm and 5 mm thicknesses.

Whereas the L-shaped component 30 at the top of the sign can readily adjust to different thicknesses of panel according to the extent to which the limb 31 is advanced into the slot 21, no such variation can occur on the other three sides where the recess 35 engages the bead 22. For this purpose, an alternative L-sheped component 30' is provided, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This is essentially similar to the component 30, except that the limb 31' (which corresponds to the limb 31) is also provided with a dovetail or semidovetail recess 35 on its inside surface. The position of this recess is such that if it is engaged with the bead 22, as shown in Fig. 4, the mouth of the resulting channel is such as to match a panel thickness of 3 mm.The recess 35 along the inside surface of the limb 32' (which corresponds to the limb 32 of the component 30) is positioned so that if it is engaged with the rib 22, as shown in Fig. 3, the width of the mouth of the channel 40 is such as to match a sign panel of 5 mm thickness.

Thus, it will be seen that with just two alternative L-shaped framing components, three different thicknesses of sign panel can be accommodated, and a sign can be constructed in which one of the L-shaped framing members (normally the one at the top) can be detached for insertion and removal of the sign panel. The other three L-shaped components are engaged with the wall panels without the aid of screws or other external fixings thus presenting a neat and aesthetically pleasing appearance. With screws 36 only provided along the top of the box sign, they will not normally be visible, since box signs are usually mounted at or above eye level.

It will be apparent that L-shaped components can be similarly attached to the opposite edges of the wall panels 10, thus defining panel-receiving channels with the limbs 23 of the L-shaped brackets 18. In this way a double-sided internally illuminated box sign can be constructed. However, it will also be noted that the cross-section of the Lshaped flange 1 8 is slightly different from that of the L-shaped flange 1 7, in that the limb 19 is slightly broader and the limb 23 does not have the L-shaped end. In this case, if the sign panel is to be suspended from the top frame member of the box sign, the rib 28 will be placed on its front surface and will hook over the upper element which goes to form the recess 35 on the limb 32 of the L-shaped component 30.

The reason why the L-shaped flange 1 8 has a different cross-section from that of the L-shaped flange 1 7 will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 6. This illustrates a single-sided box sign (that is a box sign having a sign panel on only one side), particularly one of larger size, in which internal bracing is necessary or desirable. This bracing is effected by means of a series of vertical braces 42 and diagonal braces 44. The vertical braces are spaced apart along the box sign, and interconnect at the top and bottom panels, the ends of the braces entering the channels formed by the Lshaped elements 1 3 and the L-shaped flanges 18.

The vertical braces are riveted or otherwise secured at their ends to the limbs 23 of the flanges 1 8. The vertical braces 24 are of inwardly opening channel cross-section, with longitudinal inwardly opening ribs 46. The diagonal braces are suitably injection moulded from plastics material such as nylon, and on the two sides at right angles to each other they are provided with pairs of snap flanges 48, 50 respectively. Each pair of snap flanges are provided with mutually outwardly directed barbs 51. The snap flanges 48 extend along one side of the diagonal brace, and enter the channel of a vertical brace 42, where they deflect mutually inwardly as the barbs 51 engage the ribs 46 and then spring outwardly as the barbs snap around the inside surfaces of the ribs 46, thereby retaining the diagonal brace to the vertical brace.

The diagonal brace is then slid lengthwise of the vertical brace until the barbs 51 of the snap flanges 50 which extend transversely to the diagonal brace, engage the ribs 14 of the Lshaped elements 13, whereupon the snap flanges 50 deflect resiliently towards each other and snap outwardly as the barbs 51 engage over the ribs 14, as shown in Fig. 1. The diagonal brace is thereby secured to the panel 10 as well as to the vertical brace 42. This type of diagonal brace can thus be fitted quickly and easily without the aid of any tools or fixings, and is thus particularly advantageous. It is considered to be both novel and inventive in its own right.

Fig. 5 shows a sign in which the wall panel 10 is replaced by a frame component 50, to make a non-illuminated flat sign. The component 50 has certain elements in common with the component 10, in particular it has a slot 21 defined by an extension element 20 and a flange 19' which carries a dovetail or semi-dovetail bead 22, and also a screw groove 16. Another flange 51 projects forwardly from the back surface 53 of the component 50, to provide an abutment for the rear of the sign panel and also a support for the rib 28 of the sign panel along the top of the sign. The framing is completed by an L-shaped component 30 along one side (usually the top side) and Lshaped components 30 or 30' along the other three sides. The L-shaped components are secured to the components 50 in precisely the same waxy as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.

Claims (9)

1. Framing for a sign, in which a sign panel is framed by elongate members having portions of channel cross-section in which the margains of the panels are received, each of the frame members being formed in two parts one of which provides one wall of the channel and the other of the parts being of generally L-form in cross-section providing two limbs one of which forms the opposite wall of the channel and the other limb bridging the two channel walls, said other limb being engageable with said first frame part and securable thereto, releasably in the case of one of the frame members so that said other frame part thereof can be detached for insertion and removal of the sign panel, said one part of each of the other frame members having a longitudinal rib or recess adapted to co-operate with a corresponding recess or rib on one of the limbs of said other frame member thereof in securing the two parts together and determining the width of the channel.

2. Sign framing according to claim 1 wherein, said other limb of said other part of said one frame member is securable to said first part at a variety of positions whereby the width of the channel is adjusted to match the thickness of the sign panel.

3. Sign framing according to claim 2 wherein said other limb is engageable in a slot in said first part, the slot extending from a mouth in the direction away from said one limb so that the free edge of said other limb is received within the slot and can slide along it to vary the channel width and is releasable from the slot through the mouth of the slot to detach said other frame part from said one frame part.

4. Sign framing according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the two parts of said one frame member are secured together by means of screws passing through overlapping portions of the two parts.

5. Sign framing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of said second parts of said otherframe members have a said rib or recess on both limbs but differently arranged so as to provide different channel widths according to which of the limbs is engaged with the first part of the frame member.

6. Sign framing according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said second part of each of the frame members is provided with a said rib or recess on one only of the limbs, whereby that limb can be engaged with the recess or rib of the first part of the frame member along three of the sides of the sign, and the other limb can be releasably secured to the first part of the frame member along the fourth side.

7. Sign framing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first part of the frame members comprises the wall for an internally illuminated box sign.

8. Sign framing according to claim 7 wherein said wall is arranged along both edges for the mounting thereto of said second parts of frame members, whereby a sign panel can be mounted on both sides of the box sign.

9. A box sign incorporating sign framing according to claim 7 wherein the top and bottom walls are interconnected by vertical braces, each brace being of channel cross-section with mutually inwardly directed projections within the channel, and the top and bottom walls of the box sign also have mutually inwardly directed projections, and diagonal cross-braces are provided between the vertical braces and the adjacent wall panels, the cross-braces having resilient elements which are a snap fit into the mutually inwardly directed projections of the vertical braces and the wall panels, the elements being shaped to resist withdrawal from said engagement.

1 0. Sign framing substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.