Wind spilling driver direction sign for highways

Claim 2

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position above eye level, said structure comprising a plurality of generally horizontal letter supports disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other, each letter support having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support letters therein and defining a forwardly open groove shaped to receive removable letter attachment screws, a plurality of letter support spacers disposed between said letter supports in a plurality of stacks, said stacks of spacers being mutually spaced apart along the length of said letter supports with successive spacers in each stack disposed in intervening relation between successive letter supports, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a downward direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking downward excursions that approximate at least the transverse width of the individual vertical spaces between successive letter supports, the letter supports having vertical thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding vertical dimensions of the spaces intervening between successive letter supports and said spacers having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding spacings measured in the same direction between successive stacks of the spacers so that the letter supports and the spacers cumulatively define only a minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face and the spaces intervening between the letter supports and the spacers form wind tunnels through which wind pressures on the upright structure are relieved, said sight blocking lateral excursions of the letter supports serving to eclipse vision through the wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure below the level of said message face thereof, a pair of tie rods extending through each stack of spacers and the intervening letter supports to bind the spacers and letter supports together to form a strong torsion resistant structure, and a plurality of said letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support bolt receiving slots.

Claim 3

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position above eye level, said structure comprising a plurality of generally horizontal letter supports disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation to each other, each letter support having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support therein letter characters having structural form and mass and being individually attachable to a plurality of the letter support edges in spanning relation thereto, a plurality of letter support spacers disposed between said letter supports in a plurality of stacks, said stacks of spacers being mutually spaced apart along the length of said letter supports with successive spacers in each stack disposed in intervening relation between successive letter supports, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a downward direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking downward excursions that eclipse vision through said upright structure and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure below the level of said message face thereof, the letter supports having vertical thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding vertical dimensions of the spaces intervening between successive letter supports and said spacers having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding spacings measured in the same direction between successive stacks of the spacers so that the letter supports and the spacers cumulatively define only a minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face and the spaces intervening between the letter supports and the spacers form wind tunnels through which wind pressures on the upright structure are relieved, and a plurality of said letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support receiving slots for supporting said upright structure in an elevated position outdoors, means binding together the stacked spacers and the intervening letter supports to form a strong lightweight structure.

Claim 4

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position above eye level, said structure comprising a plurality of generally horizontal letter supports disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation to each other, each letter support having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support therein letter characters having structural form and mass and being individually attachable to a plurality of the letter support edges in spanning relation thereto, a plurality of letter support spacers disposed between said letter supports in a plurality of stacks, said stacks of spacers being mutually spaced apart along the length of said letter supports with successive spacers in each stack disposed in intervening relation between successive letter supports, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a downward direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking downward excursions that eclipse vision through said upright structure and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure below the level of said message face thereof, the letter supports having vertical thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding vertical dimensions of the spaces intervening between successive letter supports and said spacers having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding spacings measured in the same direction between successive stacks of the spacers so that the letter supports and the spacers cumulatively define only a minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face and the spaces intervening between the letter supports and the spacers form wind tunnels through which wind pressures on the upright structure are relieved, and a plurality of said letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support receiving slots for supporting said upright structure in an elevated position outdoors, means binding together the stacked spacers and the intervening letter supports to form a strong lightweight structure.

Claim 5

For displaying driver information, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a motorist confronting message face, said structure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel letter supports each having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support letters therein and being shaped to receive removable letter attachments, a plurality of letter support spacers disposed between said letter supports in a plurality of stacks, said stacks of spacers being mutually spaced apart along the length of said letter supports with successive spacers in each stack disposed in intervening relation between successive letter supports, said Letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking lateral excursions that approximate at least the transverse width of the individual spaces between successive letter supports, the letter supports having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding transverse dimensions of the spaces intervening between successive letter supports and said spacers having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding spacings measured in the same direction between successive stacks of the spacers so that the letter supports and the spacers cumulatively define only a minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face and the spaces intervening between the letter supports and the spacers form wind tunnels through which wind pressures on the upright structure are relieved, said sight blocking lateral excursions of the letter supports serving to eclipse vision through the wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure at the side thereof toward which said sight blocking lateral excursions are deflected, and means binding together the spacers in each stack and the intervening letter supports to form therewith a strong torsion resistant structure.

Claim 6

For displaying driver information, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a motorist confronting message face, said structure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel letter supports each having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support letters therein and being shaped to receive removable letter attachments, a plurality of letter support spacers disposed between said letter supports in a plurality of stacks, said stacks of spacers being mutually spaced apart along the length of said letter supports with successive spacers in each stack disposed in intervening relation between successive letter supports, said Letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking lateral excursions that approximate at least the transverse width of the individual spaces between successive letter supports, the letter supports having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding transverse dimensions of the spaces intervening between successive letter supports and said spacers having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding spacings measured in the same direction between successive stacks of the spacers so that the letter supports and the spacers cumulatively define only a minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face and the spaces intervening between the letter supports and the spacers form wind tunnels through which wind pressures on the upright structure are relieved, said sight blocking lateral excursions of the letter supports serving to eclipse vision through the wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure at the side thereof toward which said sight blocking lateral excursions are deflected, and means binding together the spacers in each stack and the intervening letter supports to form therewith a strong torsion resistant structure.

Claim 7

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position above eye level, said structure comprising a plurality of generally horizontal letter supports disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation to each other, each letter support having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support therein letter characters having structural form and mass and being individually attachable to a plurality of the letter support edges in spanning relation thereto, means securing said letter supports in vertically spaced tiered relation to each other so that the letter supports define therebetween wind tunnels extending transversely through the upright structure to relieve wind pressure thereon, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a downward direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking downward excursions that eclipse vision through said wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face, and a plurality of said letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support receiving slots for supporting said upright structure in an elevated position outdoors.

Claim 8

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position above eye level, said structure comprising a plurality of generally horizontal letter supports disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation to each other, each letter support having a forward letter support edge extending to said message face to support therein letter characters having structural form and mass and being individually attachable to a plurality of the letter support edges in spanning relation thereto, means securing said letter supports in vertically spaced tiered relation to each other so that the letter supports define therebetween wind tunnels extending transversely through the upright structure to relieve wind pressure thereon, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a downward direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking downward excursions that eclipse vision through said wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face, and a plurality of said letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support receiving slots for supporting said upright structure in an elevated position outdoors.

Claim 9

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position, said structure comprising a plurality of spaced generally parallel letter supports, said respective letter supports having forward letter support edges projecting forwardly in mutually parallel relation to each other and to said message face to support message letter characters in said message face, said forwardly projecting letter support edges defining forwardly open grooves for receiving letter attached screws for attachment of individual letter characters to the letter supports in said message face, means securing said letter supports in spaced parallel relation to each other so that the letter supports define therebetween wind tunnels extending transversely through the upright structuRe to relieve wind pressure thereon, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking excursions that eclipse vision through said wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face, a plurality of the letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support bolt receiving slots, and the remainder of said letter supports for the most part having rear marginal edges projecting rearwardly in mutually parallel relation to said forward edges of the letter supports.

Claim 10

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure defining a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position, said structure comprising a plurality of spaced generally parallel letter supports, said respective letter supports having forward letter support edges projecting forwardly in mutually parallel relation to each other and to said message face to support message letter characters in said message face, said forwardly projecting letter support edges defining forwardly open grooves for receiving letter attached screws for attachment of individual letter characters to the letter supports in said message face, means securing said letter supports in spaced parallel relation to each other so that the letter supports define therebetween wind tunnels extending transversely through the upright structuRe to relieve wind pressure thereon, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said letter support edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the letter support edges thereof sight blocking excursions that eclipse vision through said wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face, a plurality of the letter supports having rear marginal edges enlarged and shaped to define support bolt receiving slots, and the remainder of said letter supports for the most part having rear marginal edges projecting rearwardly in mutually parallel relation to said forward edges of the letter supports.

Claim 11

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining on the forward side thereof a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position, said structure comprising a plurality of elongated letter supports parallel to said flat message face, letter support spacing means positively coacting with said letter supports to hold the latter immovably in mutually spaced relation to define therebetween wind tunnels extending from the message face through said upright structure in a common direction away from the message face to relieve the pressure of wind on the structure, each letter support having a forward marginal edge of substantial width extending forwardly to said message face in generally perpendicular relation thereto to support letters therein and being shaped to receive removable letter attachments, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said forward marginal edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the forward letter supporting edges thereof sight blocking lateral excursions that approximate at least the transverse width of the individual wind tunnels between successive letter supports, the letter supports having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding transverse dimensions of the wind tunnels intervening between successive letter supports and said letter support spacing means having a cumulative thickness measured longitudinally with respect to the letter supports that is equal to only a small fraction of the corresponding cumulative dimension measured in the same direction of the individual tunnels so that the letter supports and the letter support spacing means together define only a very minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face with the remaining portion of the frontal area of said message face being defined by the open forward ends of said wind tunnels which are generally perpendicular to said message face, said sight blocking lateral excursions of the letter supports serving to eclipse vision through the wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure at the side thereof toward which said sight blocking lateraly excursions are deflected, and said respective letter supports having at the rear side of said structure mutually parallel rear marginal edges of substantial width extending rearwardly in generally parallel relation to said forward edges of the letter supports whereby the forward and rear marginal edges of the letter supports tend to cause wind to enter and leave said wind tunnels in parallel planes generally perpendicular to said structure.

Claim 12

For displaying essential traffic and roadway information to motorists, a highway sign comprising an upright structure of rectilinear form defining on the forward side thereof a generally flat message face normally disposed in proximate generally perpendicular relation to a vehicular traffic lane in a generally vertical position, said structure comprising a plurality of elongated letter supports parallel to said flat message face, letter support spacing means positively coacting with said letter supports to hold the latter immovably in mutually spaced relation to define therebetween wind tunnels extending from the message face through said upright structure in a common direction away from the message face to relieve the pressure of wind on the structure, each letter support having a forward marginal edge of substantial width extending forwardly to said message face in generally perpendicular relation thereto to support letters therein and being shaped to receive removable letter attachments, said letter supports extending rearwardly from said forward marginal edges thereof and being deflected laterally in a common direction so that the letter supports have relative to the forward letter supporting edges thereof sight blocking lateral excursions that approximate at least the transverse width of the individual wind tunnels between successive letter supports, the letter supports having transverse thicknesses that are equal to only small fractions of the corresponding transverse dimensions of the wind tunnels intervening between successive letter supports and said letter support spacing means having a cumulative thickness measured longitudinally with respect to the letter supports that is equal to only a small fraction of the corresponding cumulative dimension measured in the same direction of the individual tunnels so that the letter supports and the letter support spacing means together define only a very minor fraction of the frontal area of said message face with the remaining portion of the frontal area of said message face being defined by the open forward ends of said wind tunnels which are generally perpendicular to said message face, said sight blocking lateral excursions of the letter supports serving to eclipse vision through the wind tunnels and present a visually solid background surface for said message face with reference to a moving vantage point starting in front of said message face and passing the sign structure at the side thereof toward which said sight blocking lateraly excursions are deflected, and said respective letter supports having at the rear side of said structure mutually parallel rear marginal edges of substantial width extending rearwardly in generally parallel relation to said forward edges of the letter supports whereby the forward and rear marginal edges of the letter supports tend to cause wind to enter and leave said wind tunnels in parallel planes generally perpendicular to said structure.