US2697293A - Bulletin board - Google Patents

Description

J. GREENHUT BULLETIN BOARD Dec. 21, 1954 Original Filed April 28, 1950 INVENTOR JAMES GREENE-1H1 BY Wwmvey United States Patent BULLETIN BOARD James Greenhut, Lake View, N. Y.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 158,899,

April 28, 1950. This application March 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,307

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in signs or bulletin boards, particularly the type having removable and interchangeable letters arranged in tiers.

One object of the invention is to provide in such a sign a plurality of tiers of letter supports each quickly and easily securable to and removable from the sign.

Another object of the invention is to form each said support so that a plurality of letters can readily be secured thereto side by side without the use of fastening devices.

Still another object of the invention is to construct the sign so that the several tiers of letter supports are removable from the sign as a unit.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a translucent screen as a backing for the sign, such screen being adapted to diffuse the light of a lamp placed behind the sign to illuminate the letters thereof.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various povgl features of the invention are more particularly set ort In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the sign of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sign.

Fig. 3 is a front, partly broken away, view of the several tiers of removable letters removed from the sign as a. unit.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the supporting shelves for the letters.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the letters.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. l which illustrates the manner in which the sign cover is hinged.

The sign, according to the present invention, includes a pair of heavy metal foot pieces 10 having near their forward ends, the upward extensions 11. The forward vertical edges of the upward extensions 11 are inclined slightly rearward. Each of the foot pieces 10 also has its forward edge tapered downward as at 12 for a reason to be described hereinafter. Secured to the foot pieces 10 with the rear edge thereof abutting the inclined edges of extensions 11 so that it extends upward at a slight rearward inclination is a rectangular sheet metal angle bar frame 13, see also Figs. 4 and 5, to the inner face of the rear wall of which is cemented a translucent plastic sheet 14. The frame 13 and sheet 14 form a shallow rectangular box-like receptacle. Hinged to the frame 13 as at 15 in Fig. 8 is another frame 16 identical therewith but oppositely disposed so that the edges of the perimetral flanges of the two frames abut one another. Cemented to the inner face of the forward wall of frame 16 is a transparent glass or plastic sheet 17, the sheet and the frame forming a second shallow rectangular boxlike receptacle,which with that formed by frame 13 and sheet 14 forms a box in which the information illustrated by the sign is mounted.

Access to said box is gained by pivoting frame 16 on its hinges 15. To this end, said frame is provided at its upper end with a knob 18. In Fig. 2 the open position of frame 16 is illustrated in dot and dash lines, such position it will be noted is a substantial angle above the horizontal to protect the transparent sheet 17. It is to this end that the forward edges of the foot pieces 10 are tapered at 12, such tapers acting as limit stops for the lower edge of frame 16.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the lettered information illustrated by the sign is supported in tiers in a rectangular frame 20 comprising edging bars 21 secured together by corner angle brackets 22. The frame 20 is of such size that it fits snugly into the box formed by frames 13 and 16, and can readily be placed therein or removed therefrom. Frame 20 also includes a pair of vertical bars 23 one at either side thereof, said bars being secured to the inner vertical faces of the angle brackets 22, so that a space 24 is provided between each such bar and the adjacent bar 21. Each of the bars 23 has therein, referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, a plurality of vertically spaced cutouts 25 each having its upper edge extended to the forward edge of the bar 23, but having its lower edge formed with an abrupt rise whose upper edge is extended to the edge of the bar. Thus the cutouts 25 are formed each with a mouth 26 having its lower edge raised above that of the cutout. Each cutout in a bar 23 is, of course, aligned vertically with a cutout in the other bar.

Adapted to each pair of aligned cutouts 25 is a letter supporting shelf 27, see Figs. 4, 5 and 6, said shelf comprising a sheet metal channel having its side walls folded inwardly toward one another as at 28, and then downwardly into the channel at opposite inclinations as at 30, such that the lower edges are substantially in contact with one another. Thus the portions 30 form a resilient gripper to secure in place an article placed therebetween. Each shelf 27 is of such dimensions that it will pass through the mouths 26 of an aligned pair of slots 25 and will fit snugly in the cutouts. It will be noted that once the shelf 27 is seated in the cutouts 25 the same cannot accidentally be displaced, but can readily be removed by moving the same upward to clear the lower edges of the mouths 26 of said cutouts.

The letters 31 supported by shelves 27, see Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, preferably are formed of a dark-colored plastic and each is formed with a base 32 of the same thickness as the letter. The construction is such that to insert a letter in place on one of the shelves 27, the base 32 thereof is pressed down between the gripper portions 30 of the shelf until the lower edge of said base abuts the lower Wall of the shelf channel. Then the letter is securely held in place. To remove the letter one merely pulls the same free of said grippers 30.

It is contemplated by the invention that the sign be placed in front of a source of illumination which will be diffused by the translucent sheet 14, the dark letters then becoming more clearly visible through the transparent sheet 17.

It will be seen, therefore, that the invention provides for an improved sign or billboard which utilizes removable letters arranged in tiers, the construction being such that each letter is removable individually, each tier of letters is removable as a unit, and all of the several tiers of letters are removable as one unit.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

This is a substitute application for my previous application filed April 28, 1950 under Serial No. 158,899, now abandoned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by'United States Letters Patent, 1s:

1. In a sign of the class described having a removable frame in which a sign is supported, a box in which the frame is loosely mounted, foot pieces to support said box in an upright slightly rearwardly inclined position, each foot piece having its forward edge tapered downward, said box including a pair of like oppositely disposed angle bar frames, the rear one secured to said foot pieces and the front one hinged at its lower end to the rear one thereof, pivotal movements of said front frame being limited by the lower edge thereof contacting the tapered ends of said foot pieces, a translucent sheet secured to the rear frame and forming the rear side of the box, and a transparent sheet secured to the front frame and forming the front side of the box, said removable frame comprising a pair of flat side bars spaced from the sides of the box, each bar having therein a plurality of cut-outs for supporting the ends of a plurality of letter supporting shelves.

2. In a sign of the class described having a removable frame in which a sign is supported, a box in which the frame is loosely mounted, foot pieces to support said box in an upright slightly rearwardly inclined position, each foot piece having its forward edge tapered downward,

said box including a pair of like oppositely disposed angle bar frames, positioned with the perimetral flanges contacting one another the rear one secured to said foot pieces and the front one hinged at its lower end to the rear one thereof, pivotal movements of said front frame being limited by the lower edge thereof contacting the tapered ends of said foot pieces, a translucent sheet secured to the rear frame and forming the rear side of the box, and a transparent sheet secured to the front frame and forming the front side of the box, said removable frame comprising a pair of fiat side bars spaced from the sides of the box, each bar having therein a plurality of cut-outs for supporting the ends of a plurality of lettersupporting shelves.

No references cited.

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