US3810091A - Warning sign - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable warning sign including a sign panel, a lens at one edge of the panel, and a battery casing handle extending outwardly of lens portion and supporting batteries and light bulb operable within the lens.

Description

United States Patent Hoover Inventor:

Filed:

WARNING SIGN William W. Hoover, 725 Grant St.,

Chenoa, 111. 61726 May 11, 1972 Appl. No.: 252,358

1.1.8. C1. 340/84, 40/129 A, 40/130 R,

Int. Cl G08b 5/00, G09f 13/00 Field ofSearch 40/129 R, 129 A, 130 R,

40/130 K, 125 N; 116/63 P; 340/84, 107, 321

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller et a1 40/130 R UX French 340/321 Klink 40/129 A Slater 340/144 UX Slater 340/87 [451 May 7,1974

1,820,157 8/1931 Prochazka 40/130 R 2,533,235 12/1950 Feek 40/130 R 2,638,583 5/1953 Edwards 340/321 2,994,971 8/1961 Meisenheimer et a1 40/130 K X 3,078,452 2/1963 Olson 340/107 X 3,139,611 6/1964 Fleming 340/321 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLlCATlONS 646,230 9/1962 llaly 340/321 Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell Assistant ExaminerKenneth N. Leimer Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Coffee and Sweeney 5 7] ABSTRACT A portable warning sign including a sign panel, a lens at one edge of the panel, and a battery casing handle extending outwardly of lens portion and supporting batteries and light bulb operable within the lens.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 7 I974 llllHlllll FIG. 2

WARNING SIGN BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of this invention to meet the need and desire in the art for an improved hand held lighted warning sign which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and sell, light in weight for ease of use, andreliable in operation.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention includes the provision of a single thickness sign panel having a lens along one portion of an edge of the panel. The lens terminates in an opening of a size and shape to receive a handle in the form of a hand flashlight battery casing and light bulb. The flashlight casing houses dry cell batteries for operating the bulb and also serves as a handle or supporting standard for the sign panel.

In a modified form of the invention, a six volt dry cell battery housing may be formed as part of a handle support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the warning sign of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the warning sign of this invention; and 7 FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section view of a portion of the warning sign of this invention, taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2, with portions broken away for clarity of illustration.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Thewarning sign 10 of this invention includes a sign panel, generally designated 12, here shown in an octagonal shape, which is conventional for indicating Stop. Preferably, thesign panel 12 is a relatively thin, sheet-like panel of plastic, metal or the like, having opposedfaces 12a and 12b, either one of which, or both, may bear an appropriate written message 14, which may be provided thereon in luminous material to facilitate viewing thereof at night. The sign panel has aperipheral edge 15 defining the octagonal shape and acircular aperture 16 is formed at one portion of the sign panel adjacent theperipheral edge 15.Aperture 16 includes a reducedopening 16a, which extends through theedge 15. A pair oflens members 18 are provided on theopposite faces 12a and 12b of the sign panel overlying theapertures 16.

Each lens member preferably is made of a molded plastic material and has aperipheral flange portion 20 through whichfasteners 22 may extend, as well as extending through thepanel 12, to secure the lens members I8 and thesign panel 12 together as a unit. Each lens member has a slightly bulbous and generallysegmental paraboloid body 24. This body may be divided into a thin peripheralclear lens portion 24a and a larger, colored lens (such as red)portion 24!). Eachlens member 18 terminates in asemi-circular neck portion 26 having anarcuate channel 26a therein. The twolens members 18 with the semi-circular neck portions together provide a generally circular cylindrical opening having a circular recess or channel therein for receiving therounded flange 32 of one end of thehandle portion 34.

Handle portion 34 is generally a hollow cylindrical structure of suitably rigid material such as metal, plastic or the like and generally has the configuration of a conventional hand held flashlight body.Handle 34 includes arear screw cap 36 with an inwardly facingspring 38 connected therewith. The hollow interior of thehandle 34 is intended to receive and supportdry cell batteries 40 of the conventional C or D" size. An on/offswitch 42 is provided for selectively energizing or activating thebatteries 40 to thereby activate the bulb 44 supported by thehandle 34 and therefore illuminate theelns 24 which will cast light across the exterior of theopposite faces 12a and 12b of thepanel 12. Preferably, bulb 44 would be of the well known intensity type.

Thus, it can be seen that the warning sign of this invention possesses unique structure affording resultant advantages in the manufacture and use thereof. Basically, the warning sign of this invention utilizes at least one face of a sheet-like sign panel and a small lens on a portion of the sign panel face when the bulb within the lens is activated. As a result, the structure possesses very few parts, is easily assembled, and the face of the sign panel is more adequately lighted than with a light bulb located in an interior of a chamber defined by two sign panels. Furthermore, the structure is light in weight so as to be easily hald and is believed to be more reliable in operation. The simplicity of structure permits it to be manufactured and sold less expensively than warning signs shown in the prior art.

The foregoing detailed'description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim: 1. A portable warning sign, comprising: a sheet-like sign panel member having opposed faces, a peripheral edge and an opening along one portion of the peripheral edge;

lens means overlying said opening in the sign panel member and having a lightbulb therein for illuminating the lens means and the opposed panel faces, said lens means being rounded and extending beyond the plane of the panel faces, the lens means being generally translucent and including a transparent light transmitting peripheral band;

handle means connected to the panel member adjacent to said lens means, said handle means having means for supporting a source of power for said lightbulb; and

switch means associated with said handle means for selectively energizing said lightbulb from said source of power for illuminating the bulb.

2. The warning sign ofclaim 1 wherein the lens means extends outwardly from both faces of the sign panel members and wherein a tubular handle capable of receiving dry cell batteries and supporting a light bulb is received within a peripheral opening in the lens means.

3. The warning sign of claim 2 wherein the lens means includes a peripheral flange which is secured to the sign panel member about the opening therein.

Claims (3)

1. A portable warning sign, comprising: a sheet-like sign panel member having opposed faces, a peripheral edge and an opening along one portion of the peripheral edge; lens means overlying said opening in the sign panel member and having a lightbulb therein for illuminating the lens means and the opposed panel faces, said lens means being rounded and extending beyond the plane of the panel faces, the lens means being generally translucent and including a transparent light transmitting peripheral band; handle means connected to the panel member adjacent to said lens means, said handle means having means for supporting a source of power for said lightbulb; and switch means associated with said handle means for selectively energizing said lightbulb from said source of power for illuminating the bulb.

2. The warning sign of claim 1 wherein the lens means extends outwardly from both faces of the sign panel members and wherein a tubular handle capable of receiving dry cell batteries and supporting a light bulb is received within a peripheral opening in the lens means.

3. The warning sign of claim 2 wherein the lens means includes a peripheral flange which is secured to the sign panel member about the opening therein.

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