US1739819A - Method of applying signs to glass - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 17, 1929 wane rare

HUGO IBEINROTH, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO HEYDEN CHEMICAL 'COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION on NEW YORK METHOD OF APPLYING SIGNS TO GLASS No Drawing. Application filed March 23, 1928, Serial No. 264,281, and in Germany'March 29, 1927.

This invention relates to the production of signs and it particularly relates to the production of signs on glass, for instance on the back of show-windows and the like glass panes.

The production of signs, figures, or the like, from materials having a metallic luster, or being colored, especially the production of firm names or similar signs in gold or silver on the inner side of a show window, always entailed a rather cumbersome and costly procedure. In order to obtain durable signs, or figures, in gold or silver, one had to resort to films of the genuine precious metals. Inasmuch as such metals could only be produced in films of small dimensions, lettering windows and similar work was always slow. Moreover, the high luster of the films of precious metals proved not mellow enough to yield easily legible signs. It was necessary therefore, in the most cases, to prepare the surface of the glass first by either slightly etching it or give it a coat of lacquer or varnish, or eventually deaden slightly the luster of the precious metal by suitable means.-

I have now found a process by which the application of films of the precious metals is avoided. In the operation of my invention I apply only films made of ordinary bronze powder. It is important that the bronze particles are embedded in a binding.

material in which they are hermetically sealed; such binding materials are for 1nstance cellulose esters, such as nitro-cellulose,

acetyl-cellulose, formyl-cellulose, and the like esters, cellulose-ether, gelatine or any other, preferably transparent, colorless material forming films. The films may be used with or without paper backing. Instead of a film proper I may also use paper, tissues or any other similar texture coated with a layer of bronze or color. I apply for instance thin bronze tissue paper, or colored pargamyn paper, such as used in some countries for finishing the mouth pieces of cigarettes.

Remarkably well suited for the purposes of my invention are the rolls of films as ob- I tained by the process of von Hoessle &

Richter, described in U. S. Patent No.

necessary to align one small slip after the other. The rolls of bronze films made by the von Hoessle-Richter process can be furnished in any length and widths up to 28 inches.

To produce for instance a window sign of 28 inches height and 80 inches length, it is only necessary to affix a film of slightly more than the above dimensions by means of a solution of gelatine to the inner side of the window, which of course was previously properly cleaned. The gelatine solution, which I found very suitable for this purpose, contained 8 sheets of gelatine in a liter of water. The bronze film is then pressed upon the glass with blotting paper and a squeegee roller and as much of the gelatine solution is pressed out from between the glass and thefilm as can safely be done in view of the fragility of the window pane. By working in this manner the film adheres perfectly smoothly to the glass, especially the more the drying proceeds. The drying can also be accelerated by artificial heat, for instance by means of a fan blowing heated air upon the film. Though the desired sign in reversed position can be entered directly upon the bronze surface, and the superfluous parts of the film can be erased, the process described below is more advantageous.

In this process I proceed exactly as described above until the bronze film has dried and at that stage 1' coat then the film with a solution of damar varnish andqturpentine and allow then the solvent to evaporate for some minutes until the varnish becomes sticky. Then I apply a covering material which will admit of cutting out'the letters with well defined edges. Among other materials I found that tin foil answers this purpose especially well. I trace then the lettors in reversed position upon this tin foil and then cut them out with a sharp knife, taking care that the edges present a. clean cut. The knife must cut through to the glass so as to have also the bronze film cut through. Thereupon all these parts of the covering or protecting material are ripped off which do not form a part of the desired sign.

lVhenever, as in the present case, for the application of the bronze film upon the glass an adhesive was used which like gelatine, does not adhere so strongly as the damar varnish used for the cover, or tin foil, the superfluous parts of the bronze film are also torn off so that only the letters remain which are pressed once more with the squeegee roller. Should any spots of Varnish show on the glass, then I remove the same with turpentine and similarly I remove with hike-warm water the gelatine sticking on the glass be tween the letters. These letters are thereupon pressed again and are then finally cove-red with a layer of lacquer or varnish, or of suitable paint. The letters can also be provided with a rim of varnish or lacquer so as to show off more distinctly. In case it is desired to have a sign show off from a dark ground then two or three coats of varnish, stained with the desired color, are applied over the whole part of the glass, including the letters by this contrast any letters, figures, or decorations are then distinctly visible. Or if desired, a silver or mercury foil can be applied upon the glass, ex-

' tending also over the sign, and one obtains then a mirror from which the golden, or colored letters show off well. It is of course understood that instead of bronze films such of the precious metals, gold, silver, etc. may be used for the signs, that by the addition of dyestuffs or by the application of colored bronzes a great variation of color effects may be produced, or that films made with any desired pigment may be used.

The procedure for the manufacture of glass letters is similar as described above. I coat then such letters for instance on their back with damar varnish, allow the same to dry until: it becomes sticky, apply then the thin bronze film and rub the same thereafter with a soft piece of cloth from the middle to the edges. Thereupon I coat the surface repeatedly with damar varnish and finally provide it with a protective coat, for instance tin foil. As a finishing touch I cut off all parts proj'ecting beyond the edges of the letters. C0lored letters are similarly produced.

What I claim is:

1. The method of applying signs on the rear side of glass, consisting in applying an adhesive to the glass, pressing tightly upon the glass a'strip of a film, having a coloring matter embedded therein, providing then a coat of another adhesive on said film, impressing a thin foil of an easily cut protective material upon the adhesive when highly sticky, imprinting the reversed sign upon the aforesaid foil, cutting the layers through to the glass along the edges of the sign, and ripping off the superfluous parts of the layers when dry.

2'. The method of applying signs on the rear side of the glass, consisting in applying an adhesive to the glass, pressing tightly upon the glass a strip of a film of a transparent, colorless material, larger in size than the sign and having. a coloring matter embedded therein, providing then a coat of another adhesive on said film, impressing a thin foil of an easily cut protective material upon the adhesive when highly sticky, imprinting the reversed sign upon the aforesaid foil, cutting the layers through to the glass along the edges of the sign, and ripping off the superfluous parts of the layers when QTY.

3. The method of applying signs to the rear side of glass,consisting in applying an adhesive of moderate power to the glass. pressing tightly upon the glass a strip of a film of a transparent, colorless substance, larger in size than the sign and having a col-- oring matter embedded therein providing on top of the aforesaid film a coat of an adhesive of stronger power than that below the said film, impressing a thin foil of an easily cut protective material upon the stronger adhesive, imprinting the reversed sign upon the aforesaid foil, cutting the layers through to. the glass along the edges of the sign, and ripping off the superfluous parts of layers when dry.

4. The method of applying signs to the rear sideof glass, consisting in applying a solution of gelatine to the surface of the glass, pressing tightly upon the glass a strip of a film of a transparent colorless substance, larger in size and having a metal bronze embedded therein, providing on top of said film a coat of damar varnish, impressing a film of tin foil upon said damar varnish when highlysticky, imprinting the reversed sign upon the tin foil, cutting the layers through to the glass along the edges of the sign, and ripping ofl the superfluous parts of the layers when dry.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of March, 1928.

HUGO BEINROTH.