Mounting System for Attaching Signs to Sign Support Pos

Abstract

A mounting system for attaching a sign to a sign support post comprises a first clamp plate member and a second clamp plate member, each shaped to conform to an exterior of the tubular support post and configured to securely engage the tubular support post, a first plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the first clamp plate member, a second plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the second clamp plate member, a plurality of fasteners each configured to pass through a first lug and a second lug to securely fasten the first clamp plate member to the second clamp plate member around the support post, a first tube member fixed to the first clamp plate member, and a second tube member fixed to the second clamp plate member, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are configured for attachment of the roadway sign.

Claims

1. A mounting system for attaching roadway signs to sign support posts, comprising: a first clamp plate member shaped to conform to an exterior of a tubular support post and configured to securely engage said tubular support post; a second clamp plate member shaped to conform to an exterior of a tubular support post and configured to securely engage a tubular support post; a first plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the first clamp plate member, the first plurality of lugs configured to receive fasteners for securing the first clamp plate member to the second clamp plate member, thereby securing said mounting system to said tubular support post; a second plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the second clamp plate member, the second plurality of lugs configured to receive fasteners for securing the second clamp plate member to the first clamp plate member, thereby securing said mounting system to said tubular support post; a first tube member fixed to said first clamp plate member, wherein said first tube is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign; and a second tube member fixed to said second clamp plate member, wherein said second tube member is arranged and configured for attachment of said roadway sign.

2. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are configured to form a T-shape with the sign support post.

3. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are configured to form a U-shape.

4. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of lugs projecting from the first clamp plate and said plurality of lugs projecting from the second clamp plate are arranged and configured to allow the first clamp plate and the second clamp plate to be securely fastened together and to be securely fastened to the support post.

5. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first clamp plate with its plurality of projecting lugs mirrors the second clamp plate with its plurality of projecting lugs.

6. The mounting system of claim 5, wherein one of said plurality of fasteners is passed through a projecting lug on the first clamp plate and through a corresponding projecting lug on the second clamp plate.

7. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of fasteners are defined as bolts and nuts.

8. The mounting system of claim 7, wherein each one of said bolts is passed through a projecting lug on the first clamp plate and the bolt is passed through a corresponding projecting lug on the second clamp plate and one of said nuts is fastened to the end of said bolt after it passes through the lug on the second clamp plate.

9. A mounting system for attaching roadway signs to tubular support posts, comprising: a first clamp plate member shaped to conform to an exterior of a tubular support post and configured to securely engage said tubular support post; a second clamp plate member shaped to conform to the exterior of said tubular support post and configured to securely engage said tubular support post; a first plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the first clamp plate member, the first plurality of lugs configured to receive fasteners for securing the first clamp plate member to the second clamp plate member; a second plurality of lugs projecting from the surface of the second clamp plate member, the second plurality of lugs configured to receive fasteners for securing the second clamp plate member to the first clamp plate member; a plurality of fasteners, wherein each fastener fastens one of said first lugs to one of said second lugs, thereby fastening said first clamp plate member to said second clamp plate member around said support post; a first tube member fixed to said first clamp plate member, wherein said first tube is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign; and a second tube member fixed to said second clamp plate member, wherein said second tube member is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign.

10. The mounting system of claim 9, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are configured to form a T-shape with the sign support post.

11. The mounting system of claim 9, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are each bent in order to form a U-shape.

12. The mounting system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of lugs projecting from the first clamp plate and said plurality of lugs projecting from the second clamp plate are arranged and configured to allow the first clamp plate and the second clamp plate to be securely fastened together and to be securely fastened to the support post.

13. The mounting system of claim 9, wherein the first clamp plate with its plurality of projecting lugs mirrors the second clamp plate with its plurality of projecting lugs.

14. The mounting system of claim 13, wherein one of said plurality of fasteners is passed through a projecting lug on the first clamp plate and through a corresponding projecting lug on the second clamp plate.

15. A mounting system for attaching roadway signs to sign support posts, comprising: a first clamp plate member configured to fixedly engage a tubular sign support post; a second clamp plate member configured to fixedly engage said tubular support post; a first lug projecting from the surface of the first clamp plate member, the lug configured to receive a fastener for securing the first clamp plate member to the second clamp plate member; a second lug projecting from the surface of the second clamp plate member, the second lug configured to receive said fastener for securing the second clamp plate member to the first clamp plate member; said fastener fastening said first lug to said second lug, thereby fastening said first clamp plate member to said second clamp plate member around said support post; a first tube member fixed to said first clamp plate member, wherein said first tube is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign; and a second tube member fixed to said second clamp plate member, wherein said second tube member is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign.

16. The mounting system of claim 15, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are configured to form a T-shape with the sign support post.

17. The mounting system of claim 15, wherein the first tube member and the second tube member are each bent in order to form a U-shape.

18. The mounting system of claim 15, wherein said first lug projecting from the first clamp plate and said second lug projecting from the second clamp plate are arranged and configured to allow the first clamp plate and the second clamp plate to be securely fastened together and to be securely fastened to the support post.

19. The mounting system of claim 15, wherein the first clamp plate with said first lug mirrors the second clamp plate with said second lug.

20. The mounting system of claim 19, wherein said fastener is passed through said first lug on the first clamp plate and through the second lug on the second clamp plate, thereby securely fastening said first clamp plate to said second clamp plate in order to firmly fasten said system to said support post.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting system for attaching signs to sign support posts constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a side view of the mounting system shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the mounting system shown in FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of the mounting system shown in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a front view of a portion of the mounting system shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the mounting system shown in FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mounting system for attaching signs to sign support posts constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a side view of the mounting system shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Exemplary embodiments of a mounting system for attaching signs to sign support posts in accordance with the present disclosure are discussed below. Many other uses of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon acquiring a thorough understanding of the present invention. Once given the below disclosures, many other features, modifications and variations will become apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the teachings set forth herein. Such other features, modifications and variations are, therefore, considered to be a part of this invention.

[0031] The disclosed mounting system 10 for attaching a sign to a sign support post comprises a first clamp plate member 15 shaped to conform to an exterior of a tubular support post 11 and configured to securely engage said tubular support post 11; a second clamp plate member 16 shaped to conform to an exterior of a tubular support post 11 and configured to securely engage a tubular support post 11; a first plurality of lugs 22 projecting from the surface of the first clamp plate member 15, the first plurality of lugs 22 configured to receive fasteners 17 for securing the first clamp plate member 15 to the second clamp plate member 16, thereby securing said mounting system 10 to said tubular support post 11; a second plurality of lugs 23 projecting from the surface of the second clamp plate member 16, the second plurality of lugs 23 configured to receive said fasteners 17 for securing the second clamp plate member 16 to the first clamp plate member 15, thereby securing said mounting system 10 to said tubular support post 11; a plurality of fasteners 17 configured to securely fasten said first clamp plate member 15 to said second clamp plate member 16 around said support post 11; a first tube member 12 fixed to said first clamp plate member 15, wherein said first tube 12 is arranged and configured for attachment of a roadway sign; a second tube member 13 fixed to said second clamp plate member 16, wherein said second tube member 13 is arranged and configured for attachment of said roadway sign.

[0032] Turning to FIGS. 1-2 and 7-8, the first tube member and the second tube member are arranged and configured for fixed attachment of one or more roadway signs to said first and second tube members. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first tube member 12 and the second tube member 13 may be configured to form a T-shape with the sign support post 11. Alternatively, as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first tube member 20 and the second tube member 21 may be bent and configured to form a U-shape. It should be understood that the first tube member and the second tube member may be configured to form any suitable shape for mounting one or more roadway signs to the first and second tube members.

[0033] In one embodiment anticipated by the present disclosure, the first tube member and the second tube member are made from a small diameter tubing (e.g., tubing having a diameter of 2 inches). Other sizes of tubing may be used to accomplish the objectives discussed herein.

[0034] The plurality of lugs 22 projecting from the first clamp plate 15 and the plurality of lugs 23 projecting from the second clamp plate 16 allow the first and second clamp plates to be securely fastened together and to be securely fastened to the support post. The first clamp plate with its projecting lugs mirrors the second clamp plate with its projecting lugs, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, each of the projecting lugs on the first clamp plate corresponds to a projecting lug on the second clamp plate (see FIG. 1). A fastener is passed through a projecting lug on the first clamp plate and through a corresponding projecting lug on the second clamp plate. If bolts 17 and nuts 18 are used as the fasteners, a bolt 17 is passed through a projecting lug 22 on the first clamp plate and the bolt 17 is passed through a corresponding projecting lug 23 on the second clamp plate and a nut 18 is fastened to the end of the bolt after it passes through the lug on the second clamp plate (see FIGS. 1-2 and 7-8).

[0035] Each of the plurality of fasteners 17 is passed through one lug 22 projecting from the first clamp plate and through one opposing lug 23 projecting from the second clamp plate. This arrangement and configuration allow the first clamp plate member 15 to securely fasten to the second clamp plate member 16, thereby securely fastening the disclosed system around the sign support post 11 as depicted in FIGS. 1-2 and 7-8. The first and second clamp plates are shaped to conform to the exterior of the support post in order to securely engage the support post, as depicted in FIGS. 1-2 and 7-8.

[0036] In one preferred embodiment, the disclosed system, including the first and second clamp plates, is made of steel. It should be understood, however, that the clamp plates and other elements of the disclosed system alternatively may be constructed from any suitable material known to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0037] It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the invention provided herein are illustrative only. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these embodiments (such as variations in orientation of the components of the system, sizes, structures, shapes and proportions of the various components, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention.

[0038] Many other uses of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon acquiring a thorough understanding of the present invention. Once given the above disclosures, many other features, modifications and variations will become apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the teachings set forth herein. Such other features, modifications and variations are, therefore, considered to be a part of this invention.