US1583912A - Display sign - Google Patents

Description

May 11 1926. 1,583,912 C. L. BESWICKE DISPLAY SIGN Filed April 20. 1925 2 Sheets-Shut 1 -INVENYTOR'.'HQ. 3- QweMsLJAsMu- ATT EY.

May 11 1926.

c. L. BESWICKE' DISPLAY SIGN Filed April 20, 1925-- 2 Shegt-Sheet .2

Patented May 11, 1926.-

{UNITED S 'A crmnnns L. rnswrcxn, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIe'No-a o Monnnn-sroncom- PANY, me, or DETRO T, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

1,583,912 PATENT OFFICE.

DISPLAY srerr.

Application filed April 20,1925. Serial No.24,483.

This invention relates to display signs, and more particularly to that type of signs wherein a series of words or symbols are exhibited in daylight and illuminated at nightby lamps arranged upon or within the It has long been customary to build dis play signs having illuminating lamps within the sign casing and letters on one or both sides formed of opaque material on translucent plates or with apertured opaque plates covering all the translucent surfaces except the. letters, but heretofore the build ing ofsuch signs has been a tedious and expensive proceedin'g because each sign was separately designed and then built up of various shaped parts soldered or otherwise united to formcan integral whole. It is the primary object of my invention to do away with this independent building up of each sign. and provide a substantially standard sign casing construction the parts of which can. be manufacturedin quantities and preliminarily assembled in readiness to ;receive any desired set of letters orsymbols, which may be quickly applied to the signcasing after it has' been mounted in display position.

Another objectw of this invention is; the provision of. .asign casing of sheet metal having substantially identical top and bottom members extending length-wise of the entiresign, andcarrying spaced brackets. at either .or both sides adapted to form theupper and lower members of letter supporting frames, and, a series of 'substantiallyjidentical spacingmembers adapted to be secured at their extremities to the top and bottom sign members and. carrying lateral flanges adapted to .co-act with :said brackets .tocomplete the letter supporting frames, the flanges on each spacing member preferably forming side portions of adjacent letter. supporting frames. I,

A further object of this invention is the arrangement of a series o-fletter supporting frames-projecting from either or both sides of a. sign, casing against which transparent or translucent display plates may be held by flanged securingmembers fitting over the edges of the display plates and bolted or otherwise secured to the supporting frames.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference, is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherei-nsimr' lar reference numerals. designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings: a

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of a-display sign constructed in accordance with my invention. 1

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail perspective :views ofthe top and bottom members of. the sign casing.

F'g. 4. is a det-ail perspective view ofone of the flanged spacing members.

' Fi 5 is a detail cross section taken substantially on the line 5-.'5ofFig. L

Fig. his a detail cross section taken substantiallyon the line 6-6 -of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectiontaken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 1

Fig. 8- is a frontelevation of a slightly modified form of'display plate.

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section taken substantially on the line 9 9 of Fig. '8, and Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the display plate shown in Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawlngs, the numeral 5 designates the'top member of the sign and 6 the bottom member thereof. As best shown 'in'Figs. 2 and 3, these members 5 and 6 are substantially "identical in construction each comprising a horizontal central portion with side portions at substantially right angles thereto and carrying at 'their'edges a plurality of spaced laterally'projecting brackets 7 adapted to form the upper and lower members of a series of letter supporting frames. Each bracket 7 is preferably formed with a hori zontal portion at substantially right angles to the sides of the top andbottom'members 5 and 6 and a substantially vertical flange against which the letter carrying -plates engage when the sign is assembled.

The top and bottom members are separated .from each other bya-series of spacing-members 8, best shown in Figs. 4 and 7, havingv end tabs 8 adapted to be welded or :other-: 'wise secured to the inner-faces of the sides of the .top and bottom members 5' and 6 (note dotted lines in Fig. 1). Between the tabs 8 each spacing member is'formed with side flanges 8 having a portion extending vertically at substantially right angles to the center portion of the spacing member and.

flanges extending laterally in opposite direc lid tially the same width as the horizontal por- 'tions of the brackets 7 on the top and bottom members 5 and 6, whereby when the spacing members are in position the side flanges thereof are adapted to align with the vertical portions of the brackets 7 to complete a. letter supporting frame.

The preferred positioning of the spacing members 8 substantially as shown in Fig. 1 permits the lateral flanges 8* of each spacing member to form the side flanges of adjacent letter supporting frames. If desired, the ends of the sign. may be closed by separate end members suitably secured to the top and bottom members 5 and 6 and provided with a single projecting flange 9 on each side to form the outer sides of the end lettersupporting frames of the sign.

Transparent or translucent plates 10 are arranged with their rear faces in contact with the letter-supporting frames, and are held in such position by flanged plates 11 fitting over the edges of the translucent plates 10 and supporting frames, substantially as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. These flanged plates 11 may be fastened to the top and bottom members by means of screws 12 or other suitable securing means. It will be understood that the plates 10 may bear on their face pigment or other suitable material for forming the body of the letter or symbol to be displayed in each letter sup porting frame, or if desired the plates 10,

may be unmarked and the flanged plate 11 cover all the surface of the translucent plate 10 except that forming the letter or symbol to be displayed. Any desired means of marking the plates 10 might be employed, and those described are in common use among sign manufacturers, and form no part of the present invention.

A series to electric lamps 12 may be suitably secured to the top or bottom member of the sign, or to both, whereby the desired illumination of the several. letters or symbols forming the sign will be secured. It will be noted, however, that it is unnecessary to leave openings in the top and bottom members of the sign to permit access to the lamps 12 because easy access is provided by the removal of one or more of the translucent plates 10 whenever desired.

In Figs. 8 to 101 have illustrated a modified form of display plate wherein an opaque plate 1'5 is marked on its front surface with the letter or symbol to be displayed, by

painting, etching, embossing or other desired means. A plurality of lamp sockets 16 are .sultably mounted in the plate 15 to support electric lamps 17 to illuminate the front face of the plate and particularly bring out the letter or symbol therein at night. As herein shown the sockets 16 extend through apertures in the plate so that the lamps 17 project forwardly of the plate 15 and wires 18 for conneeting the several sockets with a suitable source of power can be arranged rearwardly of the plate. Rearwardly extending flanges 'l9 may be formed at the edges of the plate 15 to fit over the letter supporting frames of the sign, and may be suitably secured thereto in any desired manner. It will be evident, however, that the plate 15 may be formed without the edge flanges 19 and then supported against the letter supporting frames by means of the flanged plates 11.

While I have illustrated and described a similar construction on both sides of a sign. it will be understood that some signs may be manufactured with letters or symbols on only one side thereof, or if desired, a single translucent plate may be utilized on one side of the sign and a series of smaller translucent plates utilized on the other.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1.'A display sign having top and bottom members provided with spaced brackets adapted to form upper and lower portions of letter supporting frames, a .series of vertical spacing members having lateral flanges adapted to form the side portions'of said letter supporting frames, display plates arranged exteriorly of the said frames, and flanged supporting members fitting over the display plates and frames.

2. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with spaced brackets adapted to form upper and lower portions of letter supporting frames, a series of vertical spaced members having lateral flanges adapted to form the side portions of adjacent letter supporting frames, display plates arranged exteriorly of the said frames, flanged supporting members fitting over the display plates and: frames, and means for detachably holding the supporting members in position.

3. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with spaced laterally pro jecting vertically aligned brackets adapted to form upper and lower portions of letter supporting frames, a series of vertical spacing members having lateral flanges adapted to form the side portions of said letter supporting frames, display plates arranged exteriorly of thesaid frames, flanged supporting members fitting over the displav plates and frames, and'means for detachably holding the supporting member in position.

4. A display sign having substantially identical integral top and bottom members provided with a series of laterally projecting vertically alignedbrackets adapted to form the upper and lower portions of letter supporting frames a series of vertical spacing members arranged between the brackets and provided Withlateral flanges adapted to form the side portions of adjacent letter supporting frames, display plates arranged exterior-1y of each letter supporting frame.

and a supporting member fitting-over each display plate and frame and detachably se-l cured to the frame.

5. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with a plurality of later ally projecting brackets adapted to form the upper and lower portions of letter support-- in g frames, a series of vertical spacing members arranged between the brackets and secured to the top and bottom members, each form the .side portions of adjacent letter supporting frames, letter carrying plates arranged with their rear faces in contact with said letter supporting frames, flanged sup-- porting members fitting over the letter carrying plates and frames, and illuminating means mounted Within the sign In witness whereof I hereunto set my CHARLES L. BESWICKE.v

hand.

Images