Closed-open Sign

Abstract

A sign is provided with a sliding element so that either of two different messages can be exposed such as "closed" or "open". The sign is of inexpensive plastic construction and lends itself to mounting on either inside or outside surfaces.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sign of simple plastic construction which is particularly adaptable for use as a closed-open sign. The main face of the sign has two side-by-side surfaces of substantially equal size with a sliding element over them so that either side may be exposed. The sliding element is firmly gripped by guide rails and the rails themselves can serve as mounting elements. Preferably the mounting rails are provided with a pressure sensitive tape. The sign can be mounted on the inside of a transparent surface, for example behind a glass door, or can be mounted on the outside of any surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sign embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective exploded view showing the method of assembling the sign.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the sign, generally designated 5, has a front face, generally designated 7, which is divided approximately into side-by-side halves and may have two messsages thereon. For instance, in the embodiment illustrated, the lefthand side has the message "closed" designated 9 while the righthand side, which is obscured in FIG. 1, has the message "open" thereon. A slider, generally designated 11, is provided which can be slid over the front fact 7 to expose either of the messages. The slider itself may have a sign thereon as at 13.

The face element 7 is suitably made of a stiff athough somewhat flexible plastic and has a bottom rail 15 and a top rail 18 attached thereto. The member 7 is attached to the bottom rail 15 throughout its length but at the top, the element 7 is cut away at its center to form a slot 19 so that it is attached to the top rail 18 only at its ends. The center of the top rail may be beveled as at 20 for ease in inserting the slide. The bottom rail has upturned lips 21 and 22 while the top rail 18 has a downturned lip 23.

The sliding element 15 consists of a folded over piece of plastic having a front surface 25 and a rear surface 27 with a center portion connecting them 29. The rear surface 27 can be considerably smaller than the front surface since its only function is to act as a guide. However, the front surface should be half the total width of the sign and the center portion 29 is only about half the width of the sheet 25. Also, the distance from the edge of the slot 19 to the edge of the sign is about the same, i.e., 1/4 the width of the whole sign. Thus, the edges of the slot 19 act as stops so that the slider 11 can traverse the entire width of the sign yet will be retained when it comes to the edge.

The method of assembling the sign is best seen in FIG. 3 and this is done by slightly distortng the plastic. Thus, the sheet 7 is pushed to the rear and the slider 11 then slips over the distorted center portion of the sheet 7. When sheet 7 is now released, the parts spring back into place. The slider is now being retained over the center portion of the sheet 7 with both its top and bottom edges engaged by the lips 21, 22 and 23.

Preferably the rails 15 and 18 are provided with double sided pressure sensitive tapes as at 31. Since the top and bottom rails extend both in front of and behind the sliding element, the sign can be readily attached to either a front surface or a back surface. Thus, the sign might be mounted behind a transparent widow or door as at 33 or it might be mounted on a wall or the like 35 which might or might not be transparent.

Although the sign has been designated as an opened-closed sign, it is obvious that the sign might be used in any situation where one wished to display alternately two different messages.

Claims

I claim:

1. An advertising sign or the like comprising in combination:

a. a central sign face of generally rectangular configuration divided into two side-by-side equal parts by an imaginary vertical line at the center thereof and having indicia on both of said parts,

b. a bottom rail attached along the length of said face,

c. a top rail extending along the top of said face,

d. a centrally located slot in said central face at the top thereof, said slot extending about half of the length of said central face whereby said face is attached to said top rail at the edges, leaving a space between the top rail and the face at the center thereof,

e. a slider element having a front surface and a rear surface, said slider element having a front surface about half as long as said sign face whereby it will obscure half of said face at any one time, said front and rear surfaces forming part of a single sheet bent at a central portion into a "U"-shaped configuration,

f. said central portion of the "U" linking the front and rear surfaces having a width about 1/4 the width of said sign face,

g. said slider element being passed through said slot whereby it straddles the central sign face with its front surface over the front surface of the central sign face and its rear surface extending downwardly over the rear sign face whereby said slider can be slid from side-to-side, exposing half of the front of said sign face in either position,

h. said top and bottom rails extending on each side of the central sign face for a sufficient distance to permit said sign to be attached to a surface by either the front surfaces or the rear surfaces of said rails, providing clearance for said slider to move back and forth, and

i. said bottom rail having upturned lips at the front and back thereof with the bottom portions of front and rear surfaces of said slider being respectively held in sliding relationship by said lips.