GB2161305A

GB2161305A - Manufacture of sign plates

Info

Publication number: GB2161305A
Application number: GB08417423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Curtis
Original assignee: Tennant Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Tennant UK Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-07
Filing date: 1984-07-07
Publication date: 1986-01-08
Also published as: GB8417423D0; GB2161305B

Abstract

A sign plate, such as a vehicle registration plate, is made from a kit of parts comprising a transparent plate 11, transfer symbols 20 carried by support sheets 21 and a retro-reflective strip 12. The symbols are positioned a predetermined distance from the edges of the respective support sheets 21 so that laying of the sheets side by side determines the distance between the symbols. The sheets 21 are laid on the plate 14 and the symbols transferred to the plate, after which the support sheets 21 are removed and the strip 12 adhered to the symbols and the plate. The plate has an edge pattern 15 with spaces 17 defining markings for indicating various starting positions for laying the symbols according to the number of symbols and their width. The support sheets 21 also have markings 25, 26 indicating the location of the symbols to facilitate alignment of the symbols. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Manufacture of sign plates This invention relates to manufacture of sign plates and, in particular, to manufacturing of vehicle registration plates.

There are strict legal requirements relating to the sizes and relative spacing of numbers and letters on a vehicle registration plate. Most registration plates have all the letters and numbers in a single line and the plate is of a standard size. The registration reference is, in the United Kingdom, in two parts, the letters and numbers in each part being spaced close together relative to the spacing between the two parts. The spacing of each part from the adjacent end of the plate will be varied according to the size of the registration reference. The reference may, for example, have a total of five, six or seven numbers and letters. The letters and numbers can all be substantially the same width, except for numeral "1", and the location of each part of the reference on the plate will also depend on whether one or more numerals "1" are present.

Registration plates are now, usually, constructed from a transparent plastics plate to a rear face of which is adhered a reflective backing, the numbers and letters being protected between the plate and the backing. A process for making such a registration plate is disclosed in GB-A-1403583. This process provides the numbers and letters by engraving the transparent plate and filling the engraved portions with a dark-coloured material.

The reflective backing now used is a reflex-reflective sheet and the numbers and letters are usually separate symbols carried by support sheets.

These symbols are adhered either to the transparent plate, or the reflective backing, and the backing is then adhered to the transparent plate with the symbols therebetween. To facilitate proper location and spacing of the symbols on the plate, various methods are used, usually with complicated spacing jigs and sometimes with light boxes. One such proposal is disclosed in GB-A-2094534.

The present invention provides a kit of parts for manufacturing an indication plate, such as a vehicle registration plate, whose use is simpler than existing methods and avoids the necessity for a special jig.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a kit of parts for manufacturing a sign plate, comprising a transparent plate, a reflective strip and symbols carried on support sheets, the symbols being adherable to the transparent plate or the reflective strip and separable from the support sheets, and the reflective strip being adherable to the transparent plate with the symbols therebetween, wherein each symbol is located a predetermined spacing from each opposite side of its support sheet so that laying of the sheets side by side provides predetermined spacing of the symbols, and the transparent plate or the reflective strip has markings which indicate various starting positions for location of the support sheets according to variation in the number of sheets to be used and in the sizes of the symbols carried.Preferably, the opposite face of each sheet to that carrying the symbol carries markings indicating the position of the symbol on the opposite face to facilitate alignment of the symbols.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing, wherein the sole Figure is a perspective view of a kit of parts according to the invention for making a vehicle registration plate.

The kit of parts comprises a transparent plastics plate 11, made for example of an acrylic plastics material and a backing strip 12 having a retro-reflective surface 13 carrying an adhesive. The plate 11 has on one face 14 a decorative marginal pattern 15 made up of a series of lines 16 with a small space 17 between each pair of lines. These lines may be thick with thinner parts of the pattern replacing the spaces in resemblance of a string of sausages.

A multiplicity of symbols 20, i.e. numbers and letters, are provided on corresponding support sheets 21 of rectangular shape. Each symbol is adhesive and can be transferred under pressure to the face 14 of the transparent plate, the support sheet 21 then being removed.

A registration plate is made in this way, the backing strip 12 then being adhered to the face 14 over the symbols.

The widths of all the symbols, except the numeral "1" are substantially identical and the spacing of each symbol from each adjacent side edge of its support sheet is constant and predetermined.

Arrangement of two support sheets 21 with their side edges in contact, therefore, provides a predetermined spacing of the symbols. The height of each support sheet is nearly equal to the width of the transparent plate, so that careful positioning of the sheets relative to the longitudinal edges of the plate is not necessary.

It is, however, necessary accurately to align all the symbols, once the first symbol has been laid.

To this end, the rear face 4 of each support sheet, opposite the face 23 carrying the symbol 20, is provided with a pair of lateral lines 25, 26 corresponding to the positions of the top and bottom edges of the symbol. Alignment of the symbols is, therefore, achieved by alignment of the lateral lines 25, 26 of adjacent support sheets. An additional line 27 is also provided to indicate the top of the symbol to prevent inadvertent inversion of a symbol.

The decorative marginal pattern 15 provides a multiplicity of markings defined by the spaces 17.

Other forms of marking may be used instead.

These markings are used to determine the starting positions for laying the symbols on the transparent sheet.

Where seven symbols, excluding a "1", are provided, the starting position is adjacent each end of the plate and the support sheets are laid starting from both ends. Where there is a "1" symbol, the sheets are still laid in both directions from the ends, but markings 17 spaced inwardly from both of those ends are used as starting positions. Different starting positions are used according to the number of symbols in the registration.

The retro-reflective surface 13 of the strip 12 may be printed with the pattern 15, or other markings, instead of providing the pattern on the transparent plate 11. The symbols will then be adhered to the strip 12.

The invention is also applicable to the type of registration plate where the two parts of the reference are located one above the other instead of in line.

Claims

1. A kit of parts for manufacturing a sign plate, comprising a transparent plate, a reflective strip and symbols carried on support sheets, the symbols being adherable to the transparent plate or the reflective strip and separable from the support sheets, and the reflective strip being adherable to the transparent plate with the symbols therebetween, wherein each symbol is located a predetermined spacing from each opposite side of its support sheet so that laying of the sheets side by side provides predetermined spacing of the symbols, and the transparent plate or the reflective strip has markings which indicate various starting positions for location of the support sheets according to variation in the number of sheets to be used and in the sizes of the symbols carried.

2. A kit of parts according to Claim 1, including a pattern extending along the transparent plate or reflective strip adjacent an edge and defining said markings.

3. A kit of parts according to Claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises relatively thick and thin lines or lines with spaces between to define the markings.

4. A kit of parts according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the opposite face of each support sheet to that carrying the symbol carries markings indicating the position of the symbol to facilitate alignment of the symbols.

5. A kit of parts according to Claim 4, wherein the markings on each support sheet comprise a pair of lines extending across the width of the sheet, and indicating the position of the top and the bottom of the symbol respectively.

6. A kit of parts according to Claim 5, including a further marking indicating the position of the top of the symbol.

7. A kit of parts for manufacturing a sign plate, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A sign plate when made from a kit of parts according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A sign plate constructed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.