Esselte Pendaflex Corporation

Esselte Letraset Limited

Kenneth W Elcock

Michel A Woodman

Peter McKie

A modular sign system is disclosed in which signs having various thicknesses can be adjustably mounted on a post. The system comprising a post which has a longitudinally extending slot into which a sign or a plurality of nesting components can be accommodated. Each nesting component can be accommodated to receive either a sign of lesser thickness or another nesting component which may form a spacer between several signs or may itself hold a sign of appropriate thickness.

Sign systems

Sign-making materials are described which may be cut on a computer controlled sign cutting machine and then used to make subsurface signs, i.e. signs in which the legend is viewed through a transparent or translucent sign sheet. The sign-making material consists of a carrier with successively on it an adhesive layer, a film layer and a dye- or pigment-containing layer. The last of these adheres to the back of the sign sheet under heat and pressure. The first two may subsequently be removed, e.g. by using the adhesive to adhere the film layer to a sheet of material more strongly than the film layer is adhered to the dye- or pigment-containing layer, and then pulling the sheet of material away. The material enables the satisfactory production of very professional looking signs quickly and easily using standard computer controlled vinyl cutting machines, which are widely available in commerce, and a simple heated roller nip.

Sign-making materials

A sign unit is described which may be used in a variety of ways to make up signs. The unit consists of an extruded section having a flat central web (1, 30) and two flanges (2, 3, 32, 33). The outer surface of web (1) remote from the flanges can have a legend printed on it. Alternatively a sign plate (14, 15, 37, 38) may be inserted between flanges (2 and 3) and held against e.g. ribs (4) or in grooves (35, 36). The flanges or formations thereon may be dimensioned to cooperate with a holder on which the unit may be clipped. The sign unit is preferably made of aluminium alloy or rigid plastics material.

Growing community of inventors

Hythe, United Kingdom

Kenneth W Elcock