US2752709A - Sign holding and attaching clamps - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1956 B. c. GOUGH SIGN HOLDING AND ATTACHING CLAMPS Filed Nov. 9, 1953 Boyd 6. 009/) INVENTOR.

BY 4%.. Mew? 2,752,709 SIGN HOLDING AND ATTACHDIG CLAMPS Boyd C. Gough, Murray, Utah Application November 9, 1953, Serial No. 390,872 4 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in novel and practical means which is especially adapted to accommodatingly grip and hold a paper, cardboard or equivalent banner-type sign and which is such in construction that the sign may be supported handily and advantageously from a rain gutter of the form now used on automobile and similar vehicle roof constructions.

It is a matter of common knowledge to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that many and varied so-called attachments such as may be categorized as fixtures and brackets have been devised by those engaged in this line of endeavor to serve as attaching and holddown clamps for advertising signs, fish pole carriers and holders, funeral flags, banners and the like. It is an object in the instant matter to provide improved clamping means which is structurally unique and distinct and is characterized by novel cooperating brackets and clasps which lend themselves admirably well in clamping and attaching display-type political campaign signs, signs for tourists and mechandise and commodity advertising placards and equivalent displays.

Keeping in mind the prerequisites of simplicity in construction, economy in construction and purpose and matters of commercial appeal generally speaking, the particular subject matter under consideration has to do with novel clamps having perpendicular portions adapted to embrace and maintain the sign between themselves and whose lower end portions are especially fashioned to conformably cooperate with and maintain themselves in position on the gutter to which they are applied and temporarily fastened.

Stated more explicitly, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a first or outer limb having a fiat upper end portion and provided at its lower end with a gutter grip which is longitudinally curved and conformable in shape with the outside flange and bottom portion of the rain gutter, and a second companion or complemental limb having a vertical clamping portion opposed in parallelism to the corresponding portion of the first named limb and provided at its lower end with a companion gutter grip which is conformable in shape with the interior surfaces of said flange and bottom portion of the stated gutter.

In addition to the above, novelty is also predicated on stabilizing and bracing means for the cooperating grips on the lower ends of the respective bracket limbs. this end, the uppermost grip which fits into the gutter this hooked finger is featured as a brace in that it rests against the roof of the car and assists materially in keeping the clamps in their erect positions, and consequently, satisfactorily holding the stretched sign in correct place.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like nu- 2 metals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of an autd mobile equipped with a rain gutter which serves to accommodate and support the spaced vertical clamping brackets and which, in turn, clampingly grip and stretch the sign between the brackets so that the sign is correctly positioned and the advertising or other media is clearly visible;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the clamping brackets by itself;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a readily attachable and detachable clasp;

Figure 4 is a section on the approximate horizontal line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a section on the vertical line 5-5 of Fig ure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by reference numerals and accompanying lead lines, the banner or ribbon-type sign is denoted by the numeral 6 and it comprises a band of paper or cardboard which is stretched horizontally above the gutter and which has its end portions held down on the gutter by way of the improved clamp or bracket. The two brackets used are identical in construction, and the description of one will suffice for both. With reference to Figure 2, the bracket is denoted by the numeral 8 and it is formed from a flat band of metal which is bent between its ends and upon itself as at 10 to define an elongate, U-shaped gripping device, and which is characterized by an outer vertical limb 12 and a companion inner vertical limb 14. It is to be stated in this connection that the terms inner and outer are used, of course, in relation to the views as they appear in the drawings in this application, the left hand side of the automobile being the outer surface. In any event, the lower end of the outer limb 12 is curved longitudinally as at 16 to provide a grip which engages beneath the gutter 18, as best shown in Figure 5. The lower end of the inner limb has a similar curvate bend 2i spaced from the bend 16 and cooperating therewith and providing a gutter clamping means. This grip 20 has an extension 22 which is oblique-angled and which terminates in a return bend forming a sort of a hook 24. This is the aforementioned hooked finger which constitutes a stabilizing brace and which rests against the roof of the car 26 in the manner best shown in Figure 5. The end portions of the paper or cardboard sign are tucked in between the gripping limbs 12 and 14 in an obvious manner. To squeeze these arms together and to hold the end portions 28 in place, there are provided U-shaped clasps 30 which are readily attachable and detachable. The bend or bight of the clasp is denoted at 32, and this joins the long and short arms 34- and 36 together. The long arm has a lateral bend 38 which is at right angles to the arm, and the free end of the shorter arm also has a lateral deflected bend 40.

The clasp in the construction shown is readily attachable and detachable, and it is sufiiciently resilient to squeeze the arms firmly clamp the ends of the paper sign in place. The deflected end 4t serves as a sort of a pilot and it comes in handy in initially placing the clasp at right angles to the lengthwise dimension of the clamping brackets 3 so that the clasp may be fed into its clamping position, which is the position shown in Figure 4. Once the clasp is in place and it is necessary to change the sign and to unclamp the end portions 28, the user simply pushes against the thumb rest 38 which serves as a shoulder, and this slides the clasp at right angles to 12 and 14, and permits the user to angle the clasp oil of the clamping bracket in a convenient and seemingly 0bvious manner.

or limbs 12 and 14 together and to It will be clear from the drawings and the description that each clamping bracket is susceptible of manufacture from common fiat band metal which is bent in the manner shown best in Figure 2. No bolts or nuts are required in this construction. Having a one-piece clamping bracket is thought to be desirable, and therefore, more practical. The grips 16 and 2% in conjunction with the brace finger ZZ provide highly satisractory readily attachable and detachable clamping jaw action in respect to the cooperating portions of the rain gutter. The sign is held at its ends, stretched and held tight, and this means that a lighter piece of paper or cardboard is capable of being used. The spring arms help stabilize the clamp against the car top and automatically adjust themselves to the space between the crest or curvature of the roof and the gutter, and accommodate either gutters which are deep and wide orofditferent and varying dimensions.

,Itis believed that the invention is characterized by the prerequisites of simplicity in construction, economy of manufacture and appropriateness in design. With the construction revealed, it is felt that it will be found such as to meet not only the ordinary manufacturing requirements, but the general needs and purposes of users.

,From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Sign clamping and attaching means which is attachable to and supported by a rain gutter such as is commonly in use on an average automobile comprising a onepiece hold-down bracket having an outer linearly straight limb provided with a free end portion having a gutter grip longitudinally curved and conformable in shape with the outside flange and bottom portion of said gutter, and an inner correspondingly straight limb opposed in close spaced parallelism to said first named limb and of a length corresponding to the latter limb and having a similar free end portion provided with companion gutter grip conformable in shape with the cooperating interior surfaces of said flange and bottom portion, the respective other ends of said limbs being joined together, said companion grip embodying an upstanding extension oblique to said inner limb, said extension providing a stabilizing brace which is adapted to rest in firm contact with that part of the roof of the automobile which is adjacent to said gutter.

2. Sign clamping and attaching means which is attachable to and supported by a rain gutter such as is commonly in use on an average automobile comprising a one-piece hold-down bracket having an outer linearly straight limb provided with a free end portion having a gutter grip longitudinally curved and conformable in shape with the outside flange and bottom portion of said gutter, and an inner correspondingly straight limb opposed in close spaced parallelism to said first named limb and of a length corresponding to the latter limb and havprovide ing a similar free end portion provided with companion gutter grip conformable in shape with the cooperating interior surfaces of said flange and bottom portion, the respective other ends of said limbs being joined together, said companion grip embodying an upstanding extension oblique to said inner limb, said extension providing a stabilizing brace which is adapted to rest in firm contact with that part of the roof of the automobile which is adjacent to said gutter, and a U-shaped resilient clasp removably embracing said limbs, said clasp embodying long and short arms having free ends terminating in individual lateral bends.

3. A sign clamping and hold-down bracket for attachment to a rain gutter on an automobile body comprising a one-piece unit formed from a length of resilient strap etal which is bent upon itself intermediate its ends to provide opposed linearly straight fiat-faced limbs, the free ends of said links being spaced apart, one free end having a laterally curved gutter grip, the other free end having a similar laterally curved gutter grip and also including an oblique-angled upstanding extension terminating in a bend directed toward the adjacent limb and providing a hooked stabilizing finger, and a U-shaped resilient clasp removably embracing the intermediate portions of the limbs and tensioned and adapted to squeeze said limbs together, said clasp embodying arms and the free end of at least one of said arms having a lateral terminal bend.

4. Sign clamping, attaching and hold-down means for ready attachment to an automobile rain gutter comprising a pair of duplicate brackets, each bracket comprising a one-piece unit formed from a length of resilient strap metal which is bent upon itself intermediate its ends to opposed limbs, said ends being spaced apart, one end having a laterally curved gutter grip, the other end having a similar gutter grip laterally curved in the same direction as said first named grip and in spaced parallel relation in respect thereto and also including an obliqueangled upstanding extension terminating in a bend directed toward the adjacent limb and providing a hooked stabilizing finger, a sign having its ends interposed and clamped between the cooperating limbs of the respective brackets, and a U-shaped resilient clasp removably embracing the intermediate portions of the limbs of each bracket and tensioned and adapted to thus squeeze the limbs firmly together into close clamping relationship, said clasp embodying arms at the free end of at least one of said arms having a lateral bend.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 148,099 Tanchuck Dec. 9, 1947 1,074,273 Koller Sept. 30, 1913 1,478,209 Eaton Dec. 18, 1923 1,637,564 Gillette Aug. 2, 1927 1,752,591 Ellis Apr. 1, 1930 1,949,123 Jones Feb. 27, 1934 2,074,475 lesser Mar. 23, 1937 2,206,775 Hoofer July 2, 1940 2,209,864 Warren July 30, 1940

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