US1485445A

US1485445A - Sign

Info

Publication number: US1485445A
Application number: US603013A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul Schuyler Van Bloem
Original assignee: VIKING PRODUCTS CORP
Current assignee: VIKING PRODUCTS CORP
Priority date: 1922-11-24
Filing date: 1922-11-24
Publication date: 1924-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1941-03-04

Description

Patented-Mar. 4,1924.

UNITED STATES;

lPATE- PAUL scnuynnn VAN storm, or nnmrsrnan, NEW Yonir, AssIaNon mo TBIE VIKING .rnonuors CORPORATION, or NEW roan, N. Y., nconrona'rroN on NEW YORK.

SIGN.

Application filed November 24, 1922. Serial No. 608,013.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pam. Sonurrnn VAN BLonM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

One of the main objects of this invention is the provision of a sign or signal plate of translucent glass, or other material which will permit the passage of light rays, having sign or signal characters formed by depressions in the rear or light receiving face of the plate and by convexities upon the front face of the plate. The convexities overlie the depressions and both conform in outline to the sign of signal character. The walls of the depressions are so shaped and disposed as to cause most of the light rays entering the depressions to be concentrated and directed outwardly through the convexities and also to produce a shaded effect which will give the characters a decided outstanding appearance upon the .front face of the plate. The convexities distribute the illumination properly over the front portions of the characters and also increase the range of visibility of the characters by the reflection of light from the outside.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a signal showing the plate adapted for use therein;

Fi 2, a vertical section taken through the signal on the line 22.of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a greatly enlarged detail section l akenthrough the plate on the line 33 of Figf a fragmentary view of the rear face of the signal plate; and v Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a coat of coloring or opaque matter applied to the bottom of the depression.

Referrin to the parts by numerals, 1 designates t e improved sign or signal plate. The plate 1 is made of transparent or translucent glass orother suitable material which -will permit the passage of light rays and has substantially flat, parallel, front and

reverse faces

2 and 3 respectively. A series of deep character impressions 42 are formed in the reverse face of the plate and a series of convexities 5 are formed upon the front face 2 of the plate. The convexities 5 overlie the depressions 4 and both the convexities and the depressions conform in outline to the characters to be displayed. In

the present instance the plate 1 is adapted for use as anelevator signal and the characters are the letters of the word Down. The plate is larger than the over-all dimensions of the characters in order to secure a general illumination of that part of the plate surrounding the characters. The plate is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as mounted in a casing 6, the said casing preferably having a rear reflect' wall 7. A lamp 8 is suitably located an mounted within the casing a. letter.- Each of the said depressions is formed with side walls 9 which in cross section are straight, as shown in Fig. 3, and are substantially perpendicular to the plate face 3. The bottom 10 of the depression curves inwardly at the sides as shown at 11 and merges with the side walls. The side walls 9 are of material depth particularly with relation to the width of the letter stroke, and this depth of the side walls and their substantial perpendicularity to the face 3 'of the plate together with the convexities 5 are 1m ortant factors in producing the effect 018a decidedly outstanding character upon the front face of the late.

The effect of the light rays whic are directed from the rearinto the depressions 4, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is as follows, as-' side of a are slightly refracted but emerge from the convexity 5 substantially parallel to the rays a, the rays a and b are thus distributed fairly evenly over the surface of the convexity and are directed toward the eye of the observer. The rays 0 and d which fall upon the curves 11 of the depression diverge away from the eye of the observer with the result that the sides of the character will appear shaded. Owing to the substantial perpendicularity of the walls 9 to the rear face of the plate most of the rays e incident thereon will be beyond the critical angle or the angle at. which they would penetrate the plate and will therefore be reflected to, and be concentrated at, the bottom of the will be transmitte through the convexity. The side walls of the depressions diverge slightly and this divergence tends to in-v crease the shaded eflect at the edge of the character when viewed from the front, and also facilitates the withdrawal of the mold used in forming the depressions.

When the signal is viewed obliquely as from the direction indicated by the right hand arrow in Fig. 3, the'rays such as b and 0 which are cast upon the curve 11 ofthe depression are directed toward the observer while the rays a and b which fall upon the bottom 10 and pass through the convexity 5 are directed away from the observer as are also the rays e which fall upon the side walls 9. The result will be that the character will appear as an outstanding perspective with a high light at the "corner due to the rays coming through the curve 11 and with the convexity 5 and the nearer side wall 9' of the depression shading oil from either side of the high light. 7

In Fig. 5 the bottom 10 of the depression 4 is shown as provided with either a colored or an opaque coating 12 to produce a desired.

ornamental eflect. The coating 12 may be applied to only the center of the bottom leaving the curves 11 uncovered so as not to diminish their effect.

It will be seen that a simple, easily manufactured sign or signal and one that is also beautiful and effective, is provided. A si nal of this character which permits the lig t to pass through the entire area of the plate is particularly effective as it makes a more striking effect and will attract more atten' tion than if merely the characters were illuminated. The convexities 5 serve to make the characters more distinct and legible particularly when viewed obliquely as the said convexities reflect toward the observer light which theyreceive from the surroundings.

A sign of this character is effective even when used independently, without the special illumination shown in Fig. 2. When unprovided with special illumination the sign will share in the general illumination, either daylight or artificial, of its surround- (plate from whence they ings, the depressions 4 and the eonvexities 5 rendering the characters distinct from the rest of the plate. I

What I claim is:

1.. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of light rays, formed in its rear face with a depression and formed on its front face with a convexityoverlying the depression, the convexity and the depression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, the said depression having a bottom designed to transmit light rays through the convexity and a pair of reflecting side "walls of material depth and substantially perpendicular to the rear face of the si plate.

2. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of light rays, formed in its rear face with a depression of material depth and formed on its front face with a convexity overlying the depression the convexity and the depression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, and the said depression being formed in cross section with a bottom and a pair of straight side walls the said bottom and side walls being so disposed as to concentrate light rays falling within the depression. and direct them through the convexity.

3. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage'of light rays, formed in its rear face with a depression and formed upon its front face with a convexity overlying the depression, the convexity and the depression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, and the said depression having a bottom, side walls so disposed as to reflect light rays upon the bottom and surfaces at the juncture of the side walls and the bottom so disposed as to cause light rays cast thereon to be refracted away from the center.

4. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage ofi light rays, formed in its rear face with a depression of material depth and formed upon its front face with a raised portion overlying the depression, the raised portion and the depression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, the plate being larger than the overall dimensions of the sign character and admitting light through its area surrounding the sign character and the depression having reflecting side walls of material depth and substantially perpendicular to the rear face of the sign plate to direct light rays through the raised portion.

5. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of light rays, formed in its rear face with a depression and upon its front face with a raised portion overlying the depression, the raised portion. and the depression being alike in outline and forming a sign character and the dep ion be ing of maLerial depth with relati to its width and adapted to concentrate light ra forming a sign character, and a coating of 10 falling therein and direct them through-t e coloring matter applied to the bottom of raised portion. the depression, the said j depression being 6. A sign plate of material adapted to adapted to concentrate light rays 1 6 permit the passage of ht rays, formed in therein and direct them through the rais 7 its reverse face with a epresiion and upon portion. 15 its ,fi-ont face with a raised portion overly- In testimony whereof I- hereunto aflix my ing the depression, the raised portion and signature. the depression being alike in outline and PAUL 3:5: ER VAN BLUE.