Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Signs – Interchangeable
Patent
1996-05-09
1998-08-04
Green, Brian K.
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Signs
Interchangeable
40600, 40618, 273157R, G09F 704
Patent
active
057876223
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a display board or signboard having at least one interchangeable indicia-bearing sign member.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In order to prevent tampering with the sign member or members, previous signboards have been constructed with a lockable arrangement in order to prevent unauthorized removal of any sign member and this has necessitated the use of a separate key, without which the sign members cannot be removed. However, having to use a separate key may be inconvenient and the key may be easily lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invent ion to provide a signboard which alleviates this disadvantage whilst still being resistant to tampering.
From one aspect, the invent ion consists in a signboard comprising a backboard having a frame which contains a sign member disposed contiguous with the frame so as to fill the area within the frame, said sign member having a rear surface releasably attached to said backboard and one of said rear surface or said backboard having a recess or being otherwise configured such that pressure applied to a region of the front surface of the sign member causes said sign member to lift sufficiently to facilitate its removal.
From another aspect, the invention consists in a signboard comprising a backboard having a frame which contains a plurality of sign members for bearing information disposed contiguous with each other and with the frame so as to fill the area within the frame, said sign members each having a rear one of releasably attached to said backboard and at least one of said sign members in conjunction with said backboard defining a recessed area or being otherwise configured such that pressure applied to a region of the front of that sign member causes said sign member to lift sufficiently to facilitate its removal.
Each sign member is preferably releasable attached to the backboard by magnetic force, in which case the rear surface of each sign member may include a permanently magnetic region and the backboard may be ferrometallic. It will of course be understood that the reverse arrangement may be employed.
In one embodiment of the invention, the or each sign member is rectangular and said permanently magnetic region is formed by a magnetic strip occupying a proportion of the width of the or each sign member which can be lifted by applied pressure.
Preferably, the front edges of the or each sign member and the inner front edge of the frame member are chamfered in order to resist any attempt to prise the sign members out of the frame member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a signboard according to the first aspect of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the signboard of FIG. 2, showing the sign member removed;
FIG. 3 is a section along the line III--III of FIG. 1, showing the sign member in its partially lifted position;
FIG. 4 is a front view of a signboard according to the second aspect of the invention; FIG. 5 is a section along the line V--V of FIG. 4, according to a first embodiment and showing one of the sign members in its partially lifted position;
FIG. 6 is a section along the line VI--VI of FIG. 4, according to a second embodiment and showing one of the sign members in its partially lifted position; and
FIG. 7 is a section according to a third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, according to the first aspect of the invention, the frame encloses only one sign member which fills the area within the frame and has its rear surface configured such that pressure applied to a region of the front surface causes the sign member to lift sufficiently to facilitate its removal.
The signboard includes a rectangular backboard 1 which in this example is made of steel, and a rectangular frame 2 of a plastics material is fixed to one surface of the backboard. A sign member or slat 3
REFERENCES:
patent: 4040194 (1977-08-01), Penton et al.
patent: 5236166 (1993-08-01), Darling
patent: 5269083 (1993-12-01), Vampatella et al.
Green Frank
Speak Susan Jane
Advanced Engraving Limited
Green Brian K.
LandOfFree
Signboard does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Signboard, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Signboard will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1165252