Claims
- 1. An adjustable bracket for mounting a display sign on a post, said bracket being adapted for removable installation on said post and comprising:
- a first surface adapted to abut said post along a first line of contact;
- a second surface joined to said first surface which is adapted to abut said post along a second line of contact; and
- a clamping plate comprising a substantially planar third surface having a first end which is attached to one of said first and second surfaces and a second end which is adjustable attached to the other of said first and second surfaces using an adjustable fastener, wherein the clamping plate is adapted to translate through a range of positions when said bracket is installed on said post, from a position wherein it does not contact said post, to a position wherein it firmly abuts said post along a third line of contact which lies at an acute angle with respect to each of said first and second lines of contact, the clamping plate having no other post contacting surface, so that the clamping plate is adapted to contact said post only along said third line of contact;
- such that when said third surface does not contact the post or only loosely abuts the post along said third line of contact, the bracket may be moved vertically along the post or removed therefrom, and when said adjustable fastener is adjusted to cause the third surface to more firmly abut the post, the bracket is fixed at a predetermined vertical location thereon.
- 2. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second lines of contact are substantially orthogonal with respect to one another.
- 3. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 1, said clamping plate first end being removably attached to said first surface, and said second end being adjustably removably attached to said second surface.
- 4. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 3, wherein said clamping plate second end includes a first fastener hole therein, and said second surface includes a corresponding second fastener hole therein, said adjustable fastener further comprising a threaded fastener which includes a bolt and a nut, said bolt having a head end and a threaded end and being adapted for insertion through said first and second fastener holes, and said nut being adapted to threadedly engage said bolt at its threaded end which extends through said first fastener hole in the clamping plate, such that said nut may be tightened on said bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in the direction of the post, with a sufficient range of motion to permit the clamping plate to firmly abut the post along said third line of contact so that the bracket may be fixed at said predetermined vertical location on the post, and such that the nut may be loosened on the bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in a direction away from the post, whereby the nut may be loosened sufficiently to be removed from the bolt, so that the clamping plate may be disengaged from said second surface, and the bracket may be removed from the post.
- 5. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 4, wherein said adjustable fastener further includes a compression spring, said spring being adapted to surround said bolt between the clamping plate and the second surface when the bolt and the nut are threadedly engaged, thereby functioning to bias said clamping plate against said nut and said bolt head end into the second fastener hole.
- 6. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 5, wherein said nut comprises a wing nut, the size of the wing nut being sufficient so that, in conjunction with said compression spring, which keeps the bolt head end engaged in an anti-rotational position in the second surface fastener hole, the nut may be tightened and loosened by hand as desired, without the assistance of any tools.
- 7. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 5, wherein said first fastener hole is countersunk and said spring includes first and second ends, said first spring end being adapted to seat within the countersunk hole as the nut is tightened onto the bolt.
- 8. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 5, wherein said clamping plate includes a recessed portion in which said first fastener hole is located.
- 9. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the bracket is adapted for removable installation on a square post having a first side and a second adjacent side, said first line of contact being adapted to lie substantially along the first side of said post, said second line of contact being adapted to lie substantially along the second adjacent side of the post, wherein a first corner transitions said first and second sides, which are substantially orthogonal to one another, and said third line of contact is adapted to lie across a second corner of said post which opposes said first corner.
- 10. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket further comprises a sign receiving portion.
- 11. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 10, wherein said sign receiving portion is adapted to receive a rigid sign, said sign receiving portion being of a single piece continuous shape resembling a modified "V" and comprising a pair of attachment tabs for attaching said sign receiving portion to said adjustable mounting portion.
- 12. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 11, wherein said sign receiving portion further comprises first and second leg portions and a bottom portion, which together create the modified "V" shape.
- 13. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 12, wherein said sign receiving portion further comprises first and second side portions, which are angled outwardly from said attachment tabs in a direction adapted to provide a space into which a sign may be received, the orientation of said side portions being adapted to guide said sign further into said space so that the sign is received securely therein.
- 14. An adjustable bracket for mounting a display sign on a post, said bracket being adapted for removable installation on said post and comprising:
- a first surface;
- a second surface joined to said first surface; and
- a clamping plate comprising a third surface having a first end which is attached to one of said first and second surfaces and a second end which is adjustably attached to the other of said first and second surfaces;
- wherein said three surfaces are adapted to form a substantially triangular configuration which substantially surrounds said post when the bracket is installed thereon, said first surface being adapted to abut said post along a first line of contact, said second surface being adapted to abut said post along a second line of contact, and said third surface being adapted to translate through a range of positions when said bracket is installed on said post, from a position where it does not contact the post, or only loosely abuts the post along a third line of contact, to a position wherein the clamping plate firmly abuts said post only along said third line of contact, such that when the third surface does not contact the post, or only loosely contacts the post, the bracket may be moved vertically along the post or removed therefrom, and when the third surface is adjusted to more firmly abut the post, the bracket is fixed at a predetermined vertical location thereon.
- 15. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 14, wherein said first and second lines of contact are substantially orthogonal with respect to one another.
- 16. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 14, said clamping plate first end being adapted for removable attachment to said first surface, and said clamping plate second end being adapted for adjustable removable attachment to said second surface.
- 17. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 16, and further comprising a fixed plate having a first linear portion and a second linear portion, said fixed plate further including a first angled portion extending from said first linear portion and a second angled portion extending from said second linear portion, wherein said first linear portion and first angled portion comprise said first surface, and said second linear portion and second angled portion comprise said second surface.
- 18. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 17, wherein said clamping plate second end includes a first fastener hole therein, and said second angled portion includes a corresponding second fastener hole therein, said bracket further comprising a threaded fastener which includes a bolt and a nut, said bolt being adapted for insertion through said first and second fastener holes, and said nut being adapted to threadedly engage the bolt at its threaded end which extends through said first fastener hole in the clamping plate, such that the nut may be tightened on the bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in the direction of the post, with a sufficient range of motion to permit the clamping plate to firmly abut the post along said third line of contact so that the bracket may be fixed at said predetermined vertical location on the post, and such that the nut may be loosened on the bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in a direction away from the post, whereby the nut may be loosened sufficiently to be removed from the bolt, so that the clamping plate may be disengaged from the fixed plate, and the bracket may be removed from the post.
- 19. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 17, wherein said first and second linear portions are substantially orthogonal to one another.
- 20. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 16, and further comprising a backing plate and a fixed plate, said fixed plate being fixedly attached to said backing plate, wherein said backing plate comprises said first surface and said fixed plate comprises said second surface.
- 21. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 20, wherein said clamping plate second end includes a first fastener hole therein, and said fixed plate comprises a linear portion and an angled portion, said angled portion including a corresponding second fastener hole therein, said bracket further comprising a threaded fastener which includes a bolt and a nut, the bolt being adapted for insertion through the first and second fastener holes, and the nut being adapted to threadedly engage the bolt at its threaded end which extends through the first fastener hole in the clamping plate, such that the nut may be tightened on the bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in the direction of the post, with a sufficient range of motion to permit the clamping plate to firmly abut the post along said third line of contact so that the bracket may be fixed at said predetermined vertical location on the post, and such that the nut may be loosened on the bolt to cause the clamping plate to translate in a direction away from the post, whereby the nut may be loosened sufficiently to be removed from the bolt, so that the clamping plate may be disengaged from the backing plate, and the bracket may be removed from the post.
- 22. An adjustable bracket as recited in claim 20, wherein said backing plate and said fixed plate are substantially orthogonal to one another.
- 23. A sign apparatus, comprising:
- a post;
- a sign;
- an adjustable bracket for attaching the sign to the post, the bracket comprising a first surface, a second surface joined to said first surface, and a clamping plate comprising a third surface, the clamping plate having a first end which is attached to one of the first and second surfaces and a second end which is adjustably attached to the other of the first and second surfaces, wherein said three surfaces form a substantially triangular configuration which substantially surrounds said post when the bracket is installed thereon, said first surface abutting said post along a first line of contact, said second surface abutting said post along a second line of contact, and said third surface being capable of translating through a range of positions, from a first position where it does not contact the post, or only loosely abuts the post along a third line of contact, to a second position wherein the clamping plate firmly abuts said post only along said third line of contact, such that when the third surface does not contact the post, or only loosely contacts the post, the bracket may be moved vertically along the post or removed therefrom, and when the third surface is adjusted to more firmly abut the post, the bracket is fixed at a predetermined vertical location thereon.
- 24. A sign as recited in claim 23, wherein the first and second lines of contact are substantially orthogonal with respect to one another.
- 25. A sign as recited in claim 23, wherein said post is substantially square, having a first side and a second side, a first corner joining said two sides, and a second corner disposed in a position opposed to said first corner, said first line of contact lying substantially along the first side of said post, said second line of contact lying substantially along the second side of said post, and said third line of contact lying across said second corner.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/291,121 filed Aug. 16, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,092.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
291121 |
Aug 1994 |
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