US1525107A - Sign and method for making the same - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3. 1925;

w. H. SPENCER SIGN AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17,

WITNESSES iNVENTOR Feb. 3. 1925.

w. H. SPENCER smu AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed April 17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2

INVENTOR wlmgpsEs Patented Feb. 3, 1925. 7

UNITED STATES 1,525,107 PATENT OFFICE. I

WILLIAM H. srnlvcnnyor BOQOTA,NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To 1. r. FRINK me; on

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CQRPORATION on NEW YORK.

SIGN AND METHOD FOR MAKINGTHE SAME.

Application filed April 17,v 1924. Serial No. 707,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bogota, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful-Improvements in Si ns and .Methods' for Makiugthe Same, of W ich the following is a specification. I

Thisv invention relates to signs and methods for making the same. It is more especially related to devices ofthis nature in which a legend or design is arranged upon a background of contrasting character or appearance. The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved construc-- tion and an improved method for making an article of this nature.

As an illustration of the principle underlying this invention, I have shown on the drawings a preferred embodiment in the form of an illuminated sign which is pref-- erably constructed on a base of glass or other translucent material for the purpose of enhancing its ornamental appearance and for showing the designor legend thereon in striking contrast to the surrounding background. Toward the attainment ofthis purpose, the present invention contemplates'a sign comprising electro-plated roughened areas in conjunction with. unroughened areas contiguous thereto. The method employed and. the final result secured will be understood from the I specification. In carrying out my invention on a base of uniform thickness, the areas to be roughened are preferably treated by sand blast or hydro-fiuoric acid so that said roughened areas are depressed withrespect to the unimpaired surface of the block. For the purpose of accentuating the outline of the design or legend on the sign the invention contemin the specification and be plates as a refinement, the electro-plating operation to form a border to the roughened areas which in its relation to the plane of the unroughened areas may be flush therewith, slightly. raised with respect thereto, thickcned or beaded as desired. According to the drawings, the invention has been illustrated in this respect with a raised thickened border around the design or legend.

Specific objects of invention will appear pointed out in the ap ended claims.

n the drawings, Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, illustrate successive stages in the process of manufacture, all of said views correspondmg to the line 8'-8, of Figure 9.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-section of i the sign base as constructed of plate glass;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section of the same afterthe application of a suitably prepared layer of paper correspondingin form to the design or legend to be formed on said plate;

Figure 3 is a similarfragmentary section according to which a layer uI adhesive has been applied to said paper;

Figure 4 is a similar section showing the application of a protective coating of sand tothe adhesive layer;

Figure 5 isa similar section after surrounding portions of the background have been removed by a sand blast;

Figure 6 is a similar section after the application to the background of a conductive layer such as a silver solution, portions of the protectivecovering on the design being broken away;

Figure 7 is a similar section showing the plate after removal of the protective covermg i a Figure 8 is a similar fragmentary section of the finished sign on the line 8-8 of Figure 9;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a finished sign constructed according to the present invention;

' Figure 10 is a similar plan view of another embodiment in its final form as exemplified in a clock dial;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary section on the line.1111 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a similar fragmentary section showing an incompleted stage of the same; igure 13 is a fragmentary'detail plan of the dial at an incompleted stage;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of my invention as exem lified in a clock'dial; and i ligure 15 is a fragmentary section on the line 15'-15, of Figure 14.

I11 the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, a base 1 constructed of plate glass has been.oporated upon to form in relief the letters indicated thereon by reference characters 2, said letters having for their upper surfaces, the

residual portions of the original surface of the plate glass after portions contiguous thereto have been removed by a suitable comprise a material as indicated. in Figure 2, the-upper.

agency such as a sand blast or a bath of hydrofluoric acid which leaves a roughened background corresponding t he hollowed out spaces 7. According to my improved method of producing this sign a protective covering is applied toportions of the upper surface of the plate glass base 1 shown in Figure 1. Said protective covering mav layer 1 of paper or other suitable f-surface of said layer 4 being covered by a in' Figure of suitable binding material as shown 3. Upon this binder. may be delayer 5 I ample, may consist of powdered graphite or similar powder in an aqueous solution of water glass as described in U. S. Patent No. 893,811 granted to Pickard under date of July 21, 1908, or any other suitable' coating of this. nature for permanently attaching I The protective covering comprising the lay 10 to 13 inclusive. A circular-plate 11,- of

glass which may be clear, opague or ground the conductive layer to the glass plate and I incorporating it with said plate,

As an al-' ternative for this purpose, the roughened glass plate or sand blasted letters maybe.

coated with a chemical deposit of silver-"for the electrolytic deposit to be made thereon.

ers'el, 5 and 6 may then be removed from the unimpaired portions of the original top surfaceofthe plate lass as indicated in Figure 7 and the plate thus prepared suspended in a suitable solution for electro;plating the.

conductive layer 8- The final form of the signthus produced is illustrated Figures 8 and 9 in which an electro deposited layer 9 such, as for example as copper, constitutes a decorative back round to, the letters Exit which are formed by the smooth original top surface of the 'plate glass base 1. From an inspection of Figures 7 and 8, it will be seenthat. the conductive layer 8 is preferablv provided with upwardly presented marginal edges 8 around the borders, of the letters 2 so that when the electro-deposited layer 9 is applied thereto, a beaded relief border 10 is formed around the margin of each. of said letters- An adaptation of my invention to the construction of a clock .dial, is shown in Figures 1s provlded with depressions to form the design in intaglio in the dial plate, Ac-

cording to this "embodiment of my invenlayer 6 of sand, for example, which.

'tion, the numbers or designs with which the plate glass base 11 is to be marked, constitute-those areas which-are to be degraded and then built up by superposed layers of' conductive material and electro-deposited metal. The protective covering may be unprotected portions of said top surface to form thedepressions indicated at 13 in Figure 12; The roughened depressions thus formed are flooded with a suitable conduc- ,tivesolution or paint of any desired composition such as suggested above. For this purpose, the several numbers of the clock dial may be connected up 'with the battery anode by conductive strips 14, and with each other by suitable bridgev strips 15, said conductive strips being removed after the electro-plating has'been accomplished and the dial removed from the bath. The dial plate thusv completed includes the electrodeposited layer" 16 with raised beaded margins 17 forming a strikingly beautiful deslgng I Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figures 14 and 15 of the drawings, the figures on the clock dial may be constructed in relief and with raised beaded margins by a sequence of. operations similar to those described in connection with Figures 1 to 9 inclusive. -Thus;the roughenedsurface 20 of ,the degraded portions of the design is coated with a conductive layer 21 upon which is electro-deposit'ed a layer of metal '22. For this purpose, a plate glass base 19 7 may be subjected to the degrading action of hydrofluoric acid or sand blast preparatoryto the application. of the conductive and electro-deposited layers.

1 claim: J 1. The method of forming a-device ofthe character described, which method consists informing a permanent base, in removing portions of said permanent base corresponding to the design or legend desired, in applyinga conductive layer to the surface .left by the removal of said base portions and character de scribed, which method consists in forming a roughened surface upon a penmanen't base to outline a design or legend thereon, in applying a conductive layer to said roughened surface and in depositing a permanent electroplated layer on said roughened surface by means of said con: ductive layer. I a

' 3. The method of forming a plate glass sign which method consists in treating one surface of a plate glass base to form a depressed roughened surface, and in permanently electroplating said depressed roughened surface by means of a suitable interposed conductive layer, and in continuing the electrodeposition until a thickened border is formed thereon to accentuate the outline.

.4. The method of making signs, which consists in providing a plate glass base with a roughened surface forming an outline thereon, in applying a conductive layer to said roughened surface, and in electroplating said conductive layer to form a permanently attached and incorporated metal deposit on the roughened areas of said sign.

The method of making signs, said method consisting in roughcning portions of the surface of a plate glass base, in applying to said roughened portions a conductive layer adapted to form a permanently attached and incorporated portion of said base, and in electroplating said conductive layer.

said conductive layer being provided with raised borders around the margin of said protective coating, in electro-plating said conductive layer, and in removing said protective. coatin 8. A sign constructed of translucent material and having unimpaired surface portions and roughened surface portions, and a metallic layer permanently attached to and incorporated with said roughened surface portions.

WILLIAM H. SPENCER.

Images