GB1590397A - Method of producing signboards - Google Patents

Description

(54) A METHOD OF PRODUCING SIGNBOARDS (71) We, GEORGE E. PACKER & SONS LIMITED a British company of 261 Regent Street, Glasgow G3, Scotland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of producing signboards, nameplates and the like, using applied letters.

The term "applied letters" refers to individual letters, numerals or symbols, usually made of rigid or flexible PVC and which are secured by adhesive to a backing member to form the signboard, nameplate or the like.

Signboards so formed are cheaper to produce than boards which have the details engraved, painted or stneciled thereon but they have proved to be very vulnerable to vandalism in that usually one or more letters can be prised free and removed or, alternatively, chipped.

In fact, such is the scale of vandalism to this type of signboard that major public authority buildings such as hospitals, railways and airports, and Government Departments dealing with the public no longer use signboards having applied letters.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of producing signboards, nameplates or the like using applied letters which, on the finished product, provide letters, numerals or symbols which cannot be removed.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a signboard, nameplate or the like, comprising the steps of temporarily locating on a backing member one or more applied letters as hereinbefore defined, by means of a weak adhesive applied to one face of the or each applied letter, applying paint to the surface of the backing member and to the applied letter or letters and thereafter peeling off the or each applied letter so that the shape of the or each letter is provided by an unpainted area or areas of the backing member.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a signboard, nameplate or the like, when produced by the method defined in the preceding paragraph.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a signboard formed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig.

1; and Fig. 3 illustrates a letter mounted on a carrier.

In Fig. 1, two of the letters have been removed and the third is patrially removed.

A signboard, nameplate or the like is produced by locating on a backing member 10 an applied letter 11 or a series of applied letters which form the desired information.

In the preferred embodiment, the applied letter is made from thin paper such as graph paper and to one face of the paper is applied during production a weak adhesive such as is used on postage stamps or on sealing or masking tape, namely, a lowadhesion adhesive which will provide a temporary hold but permit removal of the applied letter when desired. The adhesive may be, for example, paper resistant glue.

Once the or each applied letter has been temporarily secured, the backing member is coated with paint 12, for example, by means of a paint spray, which also covers the or each applied letter 11 and, thereafter, once the paint has dried, the or each applied letter is peeled off. Due to its lowadhesion qualities, no residual adhesive remains on the backing member.

Thus, on the finished product the letters, numerals or symbols show as unpainted areas 13 of backing member.

The applied letter 11 may be mounted on a carrier 14 which, when the applied letter is located on the backing member, will provide a spacing guide for the next applied letter to be used in forming a word.

A carrier, if provided, would be removed prior to the application of the paint.

In a modification the applied letters are coated with adhesive just prior to being attached to the backing member.

An advantage of a signboard, nameplate or the like when produced by the method hereinbefore described, is that the letters, numberals or symbols cannot be removed.

A further advantage is that the signboard, nameplate or the like is cheaper to produce than one produced by means of a stencil (due to the cost of producing the stencil) or one wherein the letters, numerals or symbols are painted on (due to the cost of employing a signwriter).

It is to be understood that the backing member may be a transparent member such as glass or perspex (Registered Trade Mark) and that the lettering may be located on the rear face. In such a case, applied letters are provided which are in reverse. These are temporarily mounted on the rear surface of the backing member and that surface is then painted, after which the applied letters are removed leaving the letters to show through the glass or perspex.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of producing a signboard, nameplate or the like, comprising the steps of temporarily locating on a backing member one or more applied letters as hereinbefore defined, by means of a weak adhesive applied to one face of the or each applied letter, applying paint to the surface of the backing member and to the applied letter or letters and thereafter peeling off the or each applied letter so that the shape of the or each letter is provided by an unpainted area or areas of the backing member.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, which includes the use of an applied letter coated on one face with the weak adhesive during production.

3. A signboard, nameplate or the like, when produced by the method claimed in

Claims (1)

1. Claim 1 or 2.

   4. A method of producing a signboard, nameplate or the like substantially as hereinbefore described.

   5. A signboard, nameplate or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.