Multiple message sign apparatus

Claim 1

Changeable message sign apparatus comprising: support means including a pair of spaced apart frame members defining opposed sides of a message region including a pair of aligned spaced apart openings of viewing messages displayed in said message region; an array of separate message support means disposed in said message region, each of said message support means having further means whereby the message support means are mounted for rotation on respective parallel coplanar axes; each of said message support means having four message support sides which are parallel with the respective said axis of rotation and each of said four sides being spaced apart from the axis of rotation to define a parallelogram having a first pair and a second pair of parallel message support sides; said message support means being juxtaposed for rotation on said axes between first and second positions whereat confronting sides of adjacent message support means substantially abut each other; linkage means interconnecting each of each message support means for oscillation in unision between a first said position, placing all of the one message support sides of the first pairs of sides substantially in parallel plane alignment for viewing through one of said viewing openings and placing all of the other sides of said first pairs substantially in parallel plane alignment for viewing through the other of said viewing openings, and said second position, placing all of the one message support sides of the second pairs of sides substantially in parallel plane alignment for viewing through said one viewing opening and placing of the other sides of said second pairs substantially in parallel plane alignment for viewing through the other of said viewing openings; a first end member having a first side and a second side defining the opposite nonparallel sides of an isosceles trapezoid, said first end member mounted parallel to and adjacent the message support means at one end of said array for selective oscillation between a first position and a second position; the first position of said first end member placing said first side thereof into a gap in said one viewing opening between a frame member and an offset side of said adjacent message support means, and the second position of said first end member placing said second side thereof into a gap remaining in said other viewing opening between said frame member and another offset side of said adjacent message support means; and a second end member having a first side and a second side defining the opposite nonparallel sides of an isosceles trapezoid, said second end member mounted parallel to and adjacent the message support means at the other end of said array for selective oscillation between a first position and a second position, the first position of said second end member placing said first side thereof into a gap remaining in said other viewing opening between the other frame member and an offset side of said adjacent message support means and the second position of said second end member placing said second side thereof into a gap remaining in said one viewing opening between said other frame member and another offset side of said adjacent message support means, so that each viewing opening displays a complete first message or second message without any visible gaps at the ends of the array of message support means.