US1679167A - Sign - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1928. .1,679,167

T. A. NOLAN SIGN Fi1ed Nov.l5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 31, 1928.

T. A. NOLAN SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1926 A QFFIEK Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES THADDEUS A. NOLAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SIGN.

Application filed November 15, 1926. Serial No. 148,530.

The invention I am about todescribe is one designed with an object in V ew of producing an illuminated sign having a most pleasing and attractive appearance and, 1n which, while the reading or other matter of the sign may be either of a stationary or of a moving character, the manner in which the illumination is accomplished constitutes the principal feature of novelty. A further object consists in the production of a sign having a type of illumination which presents the appearance of a sign in motion and yet in which the reading or other display matter may be either stationary or in motion. An additional object is to produce a sign in which the character of illummas tion, although presenting a scintillating,

twinkling, spirited, bubbling or lambentblazing action of the light, is such that the actual motion producing mechanlsm 1s very simple, and in Which nothing but the rays of light are acted upon by the mechanism, in a most simple and effective manner.

These and other objects are attained in the sign described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embod1- ment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1,. and taken on the 11ne*2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional plan view taken'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4is a cross sectional elevation upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevatlonal v ew, upon an enlarged scale, of a detail showing a modification of my inventlon. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspect ve view showing upon enlarged scale a detail of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental perspective view showing upon an enlarged scale, a modified detail of my invention.

My invention is quite readily embodied in the form I have shown in Fig. 1, in which a. box-like casing 8 is shown with a removable front 9. In this manner the interior of the sign is rendered accessible for inspection, etc. In the front 9 an opening. of suitable size is made to contain a glass portion 10 upon which or against or adjacent to which the subject matter of the s1gn is placed, as will be explained. This glass sight portion is of particular formation in that it is not merely clear glass or frosted glass, but it is the type of glass which may be termed rough. By this I mean the kind of glass which is preferably smooth on one side and preferably sufficiently rough on the opposite side to present a surface side is preferably placed toward the inside of the casing with the smooth side to the outside of the sign. This is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

And now, back of the glass or sight portion I place in suspended position a screen 11 which is preferably of sheet metal having micrographic perforations or openings extending throughout the entire screen area in closely spaced relation. This screen is hung preferably quite close to the glass as shown in Fig. 4-, by means of a pair of eccentric straps 12 and 13 which encircle eccentrics 14 and 15 respectively. These eccentrics are secured to shafts 16 and 17 which extend transversely of the sign casing and are mounted for rotation in bearings 18-.19 and 21 which are conveniently supported from the underside of the top of the casing. Between the bearings 18 and 19 is a worm gear 22 which is secured to the shaft 16, and between the bearings 20 and 21 is a worm gear 23 which is secured to shaft 17. Both of these worm gears are driven by the respective worms 24. and 25 which are attached to a shaft 26 extending longitudinally of the casing preferably above the worm gears. Bearings 27 and 28 mount the shaft rotatively so that it may be driven by an electric motor 29 which is also mounted preferably from the underside of the casing. From the foregoing description it may be'seen that the eccentrics are rotated from their driving connections with the motor, thus bringing about a combined side to side and up and down movement of the micrographic screen 11. This screen, of course, has an opposite ends of shafts 1'6 and '17 from eccentrics 14 and 15. The eccentrics carrying straps 31 and 32 are of course attached to the shafts 16 and "17 for opposite throw to that produced by eccentrics 14 and 15, so that screen 11 may be truly counterbalanced.

The manner of illumination of the sign is merely shown-as suggestive of a means by which illumination may be accomplished. I have shown electric lamps 33 which may be positioned in a row. along the bottom of the casing back of the screen 11 and another. series of lamps 34 which may be similarly positioned along the under side of a horizontal partition 35 which also serves as a light deflector to help confine the light within the compartment 36 back of the screen 11.

Suitable reflectors 37 and 38 on the -respective lamps operate to throw or project the light rays against the back of the screen 11. The operation of the construction I have just described is quite obvious as to its mechanism, but the effect produced may not at first be readily apparent, Of course, through the operation of motor 29, the worms 24 and 25 rotate respective gears 22 and 23. These in turn rotate cams 14 and 15, thereby giving screen 11 the combined side to side and up and down movement described previously. Now this movement has a pecullar effect upon the small beams of light being projected through the small openings 39 in the screen. Each of this multitude of small beams is caused to move in a circle describing a circular path over the rough surface of the sight portion, which, with the multitude of other small beams operating similarly, covers a path over this rough prismatic surface, each of these paths overlapping many times until the entire I surface of the glass is covered by the overlapping beams. Now, of course, these beams being projected from these many apertures simultaneously, and coming from many angles onto the same spot at the same time, and some times at different times, the many angled faces of the prismatic glass surface will cause the light to be reflected or pro-' jected through the glass in a refracted manner thereby causing it to pass through it in a mutitude of directions which, being constantly changing,will show as if the surface of the glass was a sparking mass of fire.

Now, if the smooth outer surface, or, if

preferred, if the rough prismatic surface of the glass be painted or otherwise made opaque surrounding the letters, figures or characters 40 so that the surrounding surface 41 permits no light whatsoever to pass through it, thereby confining the refracted light to projection through the unpainted, transparent or translucent portions representing; the characters 40, the sign will take on the form ofthe reading or other display matter desired in an illuminated condition resembling sparkling areas of fire-like scinstudy of its possibilities is made. As ex amples of modifications which show the forms readily suggested by a perusal of the drawings and description, I may as readily incorporate in a sign, such as I have shown.

above, a double face in which the glass 10 and micrographically perforated screen 11 are duplicated on the'opposite face of the casing 8, the counterweight 30 bein removed and the second screen substltuted for it. In this event the rays from the source or sources of illumination are reflected or are pro-' jected through both screens simultaneously. Thus the sign may be read from both sides, thereby doubling its value with no more expenditurev of energy .for illumination and propelling power than in the one sided construction. v

A further suggestion, which relates to the manner of forming the characters on. the glass, consists in providing a sheet of metal or other material in which the characters are cut out in stencil fashion as in Fig. 7, 'so that when this sheet is placed back of the rough surfaced glass the lightwill ShOW throu 11 only on such portions as are cut out, tIiereby giving the same effect as has been explained in connection with the painted surface glass. Such a stencil sheet,

I when made readily removable, enables the user of the sign to change its subject matter.

from time to time, thus enlarging its usefulness.

An additional modification is to be had in the feature of the sign subject matter by providing that the sheet or strip containing the stenciled characters be made to move as for example-b described in t e machine described in patents which have been issued to me and which are of record in the United States Patent Office, in which the character bearing element coloredbulbs and may be of such a number some such mechanism as is that they may have alternate periods of illumination so that changes in color and combinations of colors may be effected. Also the source of light may be varied so that lens projected light is employed as in the devices described in the patents I have mentioned above.

In Fig. 5 a modification of the micrographically perforated screen is shown. As a counterbalance to one screen 42 I employ a second screen 43, the two screens being hung relatively close to one side of the sign casing back of the character-bearing glass and in front of the source of illumination. The effect of this would give flashing of the light beams through the openings in the screen, which, added to that created by the prismatic surface of the glass would enhance the visible results.

In addition to the foregoing I may men tion that, although I have shown and described but one form of screen 11, it is quite obvious that I may as readily provide a perforated screen of woven material, as for example of wire.

The foregoing but goes to show the many forms and modifications into which my invention may be built without departing from the spirit and scopethereof as will now be set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sign comprising a rough surfaced light permeable sight portion, a perforated screen adjacent to and located to one side of the sight portion, a source of light located to throw light on the side of the screen op posite the sight portion, means adjacent tp I! and covering the sight portion having characters permitting the passage of light co'nforming to the shape of the characters, one of said foregoing elements being capable of' reciprocating movement, and means to impart said movement to sald movable element.

2. A sign comprising a rough surfaced light permeable sight portion, a micrographically perforated screen adjacent to and located to one side of the sight portion, a source of light located to throw light on the side of the screen opposite the sight portion, means for rendering the sight portion opaque in all but those portions forming characters to be displayed, one of said fore going elements being capable of reciprocatlng movement, and means to impart said THADDEUS A. NOLAN.

Images