US1651429A - Sign - Google Patents

Description

H. H. WINEBURGH Dec. 6, 192 7.

SIGN

Filed March 19, 1927 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,651,429 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HAROLD WINIEBURGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR '10 TEXLITE ELECTRIC SIGNCO. INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION, OF TEXAS.

SIGN.

Application filed March 19, 1927. Serial No. 176,648.

This invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs 'for displaying advertising matter or other information.

At present there is being used a type I of illuminated sign wherein the characters tobe displayed are defined or outlined by meansof electric lamps or tubes containing vapor or gas, such as neon tubes. While these signs are attractive, they are expensive and the tubes are liable to be broken or to get out of order.

-The principal object of this invention is to provide a sign of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction which will simulate the effect and appearance of signs having illuminated characters formed of electric gas or vapor tubes. Y

Other andfurther objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription thereof.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated-fin the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a sign embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fi 3is a face view of a portion of the transducent plate of the sign and,

Fig. 4 is a broken detailed view of the lat 'p Referring to the drawings the sign consists of a casing 1 made of metal or other suitable material and of any conventional or approved construction and design. The

front or cover 20f the sign is formed with openings 3 which are each cut out in the outline of a character such as a letter of the alphabet, a numeral, or other symbol or figure. Mounted within the casing is a source of light such as an electric lamp 4. I Within the casing, and closing the openings of the front 2, is a translucent plate 5 made of any suitable material, preferably colored opal glass. Marked or mounted on the plate 5 are characters 6 of a contrasting color to thatof the plate and preferably formed of a substantially light impervious material. The characters 6 conform respectively in configuration with the characters .outlined by the. openings 3 of the casing but are somewhat smaller in size so that when the, plate is in place in the casing a uniform border of the plate material, surrounding each characterfi, is-visible through the openings 3. Now when the plate is illuminated bymeans of the electric lamp 4, the characters 6 will be luminously out, lined, thus causing them to stand out prominently (and simulating the efieot or appearance of characters formed or outlined .with gas or vapor tubes. It is to be understood that instead of having a single plate 5 for all of the characters of the sign, individual plates for each separate character may be used. I I

The. characters 6 may either be "marked directly on the plate with a dark coloring matter, preferably an. opaque black paint, or they maybe made of porcelain or other material and cemented to or mounted on the plate. In the former case I prefer to first etch the characters on the plate, as indicated at 7 in Fig. 4, so as to provide a good bonding surface for the paint. If desired a surface coat 8 of paint, enamel, or other substance, either white or any bright color, may be applied over the dark undercoating to give the characters a more attractive appearance. In Figs. 1, 2 and B of the drawings the characters 6 are shown in black merely to indicate their opacity and without limitation as to color.

While I have shown the invention applied to a single faced sign, it is obvious that it may be used in a double faced sign, and that other modifications in the details of construction may be made without departin from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is i 1. An illuminated sign comprising a casing having an opening formed in the outline of a character, a light source within the casing, a translucent plate backing and closing the opening, and an opaque character on the plate conforming in configuration with the character outlined by the easing opening but of'a smaller size so as to leave visible a luminous border of the plate material surrounding the opaque character.

2. An illuminated sign comprising a casing having an opening formed in the outline of a character, a light source within the casing, a colored translucent late backing and closing the opening and an opaque 1 character on the plate of a color contrasting with that of the plate, said plate character conforming in configuration with the character outlined by the casing opening but no being of a smaller size so as to leave visible I a luminous border of the colored plate Inaterial surrounding the opaque character.

3. An illuminated sign comprising 8. casing having an opening formed in the outline 5 of a character, a light source Within the casing, a colored translucent late backing and closing the opening, an an opaque character on the plate conforming in configuration with the character outlined by the casing opening but of a smaller size so as to leave visible a luminous border of the colored plate material surrounding the opa 119 character. 7

ENRY HAROLD WINEBURGH.

Images