US1304080A - mastalia - Google Patents

Description

E. MASTALIA (ALSO KNOWN AS H. MASTLE).

ADVERTISING BOARD OR FRAMEi APPLICATION FILED IUNE I2. I9I8.

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.w M W IIII ll il ||I1| A lm m NINJA E. MASTALIA (ALSO KNOWN AS H. MASTLE).

ADVERTISING BOARD 0R FRAME.

APPLICATION man JUNE 12. 1918.

Patented May 20, 19N).

-imwl x.; y N x w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENRICO MASTALIA, (ALSO KNOWN AS HARRY MASTLEJ OE LEEDS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR To HARRY JAMES JOHNSON, OE LEEDS, ENGLAND.

ADVERTISING BOARD 0R FRAME.

Application filed J' une 12` 1918.

To all whom if may concern Be it known that I, ENRICO MAsTALLA, commonly called and known as HARRY MAsTLE, residing at 61 Roseville road, Roundhay Road, Leeds, in the county of York, England, and whose business address is 17 Vade Lane, Leeds, in the county of York, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Advertising Boards or Frames, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in boards or frames used for advertising and like purposes of the type in which the advertising matter is formed of a number of loose letters, or figures, or numerals, or other symbols or devices,-all of which are hereinafter termed and included in the term the letters,-provided with projections or hooks on their back portions adapted to fit into transverse grooves formed or provided in the board or frame. It is particularly applicable to that class of advertising board or frame having a transparent or semiopaque background, and Open letters, that is, letters which are cut or formed out of sheets of metal or other material and onlyr show their exact Shape or outline.

The object of this invention is to provide a portable rabbeted and grooved board or frame of the type applicable for day and night advertising purposes which can be used either in a rectangularf-hereinafter termed landscape,-or in an upright position in a shop window or hung upon a wall and having means Jfor automatically or otherwise adjusting and retaining the whole or a portion of the movable strips,-and letters,in position by springs, and the letters are prevented from working out of position by the vibration of the building or passing traflic by the said adjusting medium.

In the dra-wings hereunto annexed are shown means for carrying this invention into practice, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of rectangular or landscape advertising frame or board;

Fig. 2 a sectional elevation on line A, B, Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 a sectional plan on line C, D, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: an enlarged elevation of a Corner of the advertising frame shown at Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 a sectional plan of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a part sectional plan of advertising Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Serial No. 239,525.

frame showing a modified arrangement of spacing piece;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged part sectional elevation of the frame with the bars and loops arranged to be put in a metal U-shaped channel;

Fig. 8 an enlarged kelevation of the strip employed for retaining the back sheet of glass in position;

Fig. 9 a sectional plan of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 an enlarged' elevation of the rods with a number of the loops thereon;

Fig. 11 an elevation of a loop;

Fig. 12 an edge view of Same;

Fig. 13 an elevation of a plate used in place of a loop; n

Fig. 14 an edge view of same;

t Fig. 15 an enlarged elevation of a cushioning spring;

Fig. 16 are front and end elevations of some of the letters employed with projections at the back.

Like parts in all the views are marked with similar letters of reference.

a is a frame made of wood orother material in any desired shape, as, for example, say, rectangular, and may be used in a landscape or upright position, and it is provided with a rabbet b of any suitable depth and width in its inner edges at the back of the frame. In the rabbet are placed two sheets of glass c, cl, one or both of which may 'be either transparent or semi-opaque. The front Sheet Z before being placed in the frame is divided into strips, but the rear sheet c is not divided. The strips are of suitable width and length which vary in accordance with the size of the frame and the position in which it is used, and of the letters used, as for example, Va longer strip will be required for use with la frame in the landscape position,-as shown at Fig. 1,-than when the same frame vis used in an upright position. The length of the Strips in each case is such that they can be placed readily in the rabbets b and slide freely therein. The strips are for-med of what is termed ground glass, b-ut the whole or undivided sheet,-which forms a removable and detachable background for the frame,-is made of white opaque or opal glass. The undivided sheet c iS placed either near to, or at a convenient distance from, the rear of the strips 0l.

The two sheets c and cZ originally may or may not be cut to the same or different sizes, but in any case they are made of such a size that they can be readily placed within the rabbets b. Zhen desired instead of forming the rear sheet c of white opaque glass, as just described, it may be formed of colored glass, or one or more pieces or strips of tissue paper of the same or different colors is or are fixed by any convenient means, such as, say, gum or other mucilage, to the back of the white opaque glass, or to a sheet of plain transparent glass. The undivided sheet terms a stay for preventing the breakage of the glass strips CZ when placing or removing the letters from the interstices or spaces c', c' between the strips (Z, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The sheet c is retained in a. fixed position in the frame by means of' wooden or other strips f, f which are placed within the rabbet b and secured therein by the nails g, as shown. Instead of using two separate strips f, four of such strips joined together at the corners to form a second frame may be employed for retaining the undivided sheet 0 in position.

In each portion of the rabbet or recess of the frame a is also formed a semicircular or other shaped groove ZL of any desired size for purposes to be hereinafter described. lIhe groove Zt extends around the four sides of the frame.

rl`he strips of the divided glass sheet Z are adjustably arranged in the rabbet Z) at suitable distances apart so as to leave a horizontal space or interstice c' between them for the reception of the hereinafter described projections j on the backs of the letters 7c. The horizontal spaces or grooves z' are arranged at the same or varying distances apart, and the glass strips (Z are, as previously described, made of such a length that they will slide freely within t-he side rabbets of the frame a. Pins, or nails, or small pieces of wood are employed and fixed in the centers of the rabbets of the side members of larger frames for taking the weight of the upper portion of the glass strips (Z, but such pins, or nails, or pieces of wood are not shown in the drawings, as they are not used in frames of the smaller sizes.

The strips are kept in contact with movable spacing pieces by compensating springs, the said spacing pieces consist of a number of elongated rings or loops or bands or plates or pieces,-all of which are termed and included in the term loop Z,which are made of any suitable material, such as, for example, say, iron, or steel, or brass in sheet or wire, or in rod or bar form are drawn or made to the gage or size required to form the space between the edges of the strips CZ, or they may be made of celluloid. The loops Z form distance or spacing pieces which are slightly less in thickness than the thickness of the projections y' on the back of the letters. At Figs. l1 and 'l2 the loops Z are shown in the elongated ring form, but at Figs. 13 and 14 they are shown in the plate form with two holes Z1 formed therein. In some cases only one hole Z1 is employed. One or more of the loops Z is or are placed at or near the end of each strip Z within the rabbet Z), upon one or more rods ffmas shown at Figs. 6 and 10,-arranged vertically within the recess ZL and at a suitable dist-ance from each end of the glass strip CZ.

In some cases,-though not necessarily so,--the said rods m may be inclosed,-as shown at Fig. 7,-in a vertical metal trough or channel n made, say, of thin tin, or brass, or other suitable material, and in cross section bent to the shape of the letter U. Zhen the trough a is employed it is arranged to be let into a. recess formed for its reception in the frame a.' The troughs n are arranged at t-he two opposite vertical sides of the frame a, and they are arranged to extend the full lengths ot vthe said sides and be retained therein by any convenient means. The rods m are arranged to pass beyond the ends of the metal troughs n and to enter a hole or recess formed for their reception in the frame a. The ends of the glass strips cZ when required may be allowed to pass within the U-shaped metal troughs a, and they are also 1nade,-when a colored groundwork is requiredV-of colored glass or tissue paper of the required color fixed to their rear surfaces.

To permit of the front face or surface of the glass strips Z abutting when required, but not necessarily so,-against the inner surface of the recessed portion or rabbet of the frame, the rods are passed into the recesses ZL formed in the vertical portions of the frame a. rfhe loops Z are arranged to slide freely upon the rods Im. When two vertical rods are e1nployed,-as shown in the drawings,-on each side of the framethe ends thereof are arranged to be connected together by the loop m1, and the two opposite ends are arranged to fit into recesses formed for their reception in the frame ct. Although the rods m in the drawings are shown to be round in cross section it is to be understood that they may be of any other shape or configuration, and the hole Z1, when the plate form is used, will be shaped accordingly.

The loops Z are placed upon the rods m one above the other with a strip of glass between them. Three ot such loops and two of the strips are shown in position at Fig. 10 between the two rods m. The thickness of the loops Z is arranged to suit the varying thicknesses of the projection j and the size of the letter employed, but in all cases the loops are made a little thinner than the projections j so as to permit of the adjacent edges of each pair of strips d to act as a clamp for holdin the projections and letters in position. y employing loops Z the labor of fitting the glass strips d into their respective spaces is ob-viated and at the same time spaces t can be readily provided in with vthe projections j can slide freely. When the plate rform of spacing piece Z is employed then one or two rods may be used; in practice it is preferred to use two rods.

An automatic adjustment of the strips is ,provided for the strips by means of springs r, r and they are introduced at each corner of the frame within the rabbets. The springs 1' are made to encircle the bars m, and by employing a spring at each corner of the frame to act respectively upon the upper and lower edges of the top and the bottom strips l a uniform pressure is exerted in each direction for correspondingly pressing, say, one half of the glass strips l in an upward direction,^and the other half in a downward direction.

In the case of large frames, as previously named, a pin is iiXed in the rabbets of the side members of the frame at or about the central space z' between the rows of strips, in which case the pressure would be controlled, say, for the upper half portion or rows of the strips, by the springs at the two top corners, whereby a downward pressure is imparted thereto for pressing them automatically against the just named pins, and an upward pressure would be imparted to the lower half or rows of the said strips by the springs at the two lower corners of the frame. The springs are arranged to be inserted in recesses formed for their reception in the rabbets of the frame a. When the springs are placed upon the rods m they form a cushioning arrangement for the glass strips as well as retaining the strips against the loops and in contact with the projections y' on the back of the letters. If the edges of the strips should be slightly beveled the springs make provision for the said edges gripping the projections on the letters. By the use of the said springs and owing to their diameter being larger than the thickness of the strips CZ room is provided,-as shown at Fig. 6,-at the back of the strips for the hooked portion of the projections j to pass readily behind the strips.

The springs vary in length, diameter and strength according to the size of the frame and the weight of the glass strips d. The springs will also a'ct as a compensating medium in case of a blow being accidentally given to the frame, and they also aid in preventing the breakage of the glass strips, as well as keeping the projections 4j from working out of the spaces z' by the vibration of the building or a passing vehicle.

The letters IGV-specimens of which are shown at Fig. 16,it is preferred to use are formed of metal or other opaque material, cut from sheets to the desired shape, and not, as hitherto, painted or mounted upon a metal or transparent background. Each of the letters which a'rermarked with the reference la are provided at or near the upper edge of itsiback with one or more projections y', as, for example, in the letters F, J, O, Q, and Z one projection is arranged at the back, and for a letter such as W three projections may be used.

The letters are cut or formed so as to clearly define their outline so that when the sign is used in the evening, or at such other time when it requires to be illuminated from the rear the outline of each letter can be distinctly seen when placed upon the trans-f parent or semi-transparent background. A small 1i0fht,sueh as an electric lamp or candle hot shown in the drawings),will give the necessary illumination in the dark hours when the shop or other place is open, so that the outline of the letters can Abe readily discerned from the front of the frame.

A broken strip of glass can be readily replaced by a new one, and the letters readily changed as required.

Advertising boards or frames constructed according to this invention may be made in such a form as either to be stationary or portable, or arranged as an easel, and when illuminated from the back by, say, electric lights, then the lamp, if so desired, can be arranged to be colored in different portions so as to give a change of color when and as required, instead of, or in addition to, a colored background.

l. A board for advertising purposes, comprising a rabbeted frame, two layers of glass placed in the frame one behind the other, one of said layers being divided into strips and the other layer forming a xed background, a number of devices for spacing the said strips so as to leave an nterstice between them, rods on two sides of the frames in the rabbets on which the loops are movably mounted, and letters having projections on their backs for insertion in the interstices, as set forth.

2. A board for advertising purposes, a rabbeted frame having a groove formed in the rabbeted portion, an undivided sheet of glass placed in the frame to form a background, means for retaining the said sheet in position, a plurality of strips of glass placed in the frame in front of the said background, a pair of rods placed within the rabbeted and grooved portion of the frame on two of its sides, movable devices mounted on each pair of rods for spacing the said glass strips, letters having projections on their backs for entering the interstices between the strips and for suspending them in front'of the translucent background, and means for adjusting, retaining and cushioning the letters and strips in position, as set orth.

3. In a board for advertising purposes, a rabbeted and grooved frame, a translucent sheet of glass placed therein to form a background, means or retaining the said sheet in the frame, a plurality of strips of glass placed within the frame in front oi its translucent background, and means for spacing, retaining, cushioning, and adjusting the strips, said means comprising a pair of rods placed respectively in two sides of the rabbeted and grooved portion of the frame, each pair of rods being united together at one end, movable devices mounted on each pair of rods between and near the ends of the strips for spacing purposes, a coiled spring mounted on the ends of a pair of rods and near each corner of the frame, and a pin placed in the said rabbeted and grooved portion for dividing the strips into two portions, as set forth.

ENRICO MASTALIA, Commonly called and known. as Harry Maszle. Witnesses W. FAIRBURN HART, ALICE M. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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