US1859911A - Sign and sign character - Google Patents

Description

May 24, 1932. J, BOYCE 1,859,911

SIGN AND SIGN CHARACTER Filedppil 14, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 J IBCIYCIE SIGN AND SIGN CHARACTER May 24, 1932.

Filed April 14. 1950 Z'SheetS-Sheet 2 BLACK Patented May 24, 1932 A UNITED STATES PATENTS OFFICE :maras Boron, oF LANNION; mcIIIeAN, AssIeNon ro cnI'cAcfo GLAss NovELrY conronATIoN, or. MAnIoN, INDIANA, A' coaronArIoN or INDIANA SIGN ANI) sIaN CHARACTER `Applimion mea April 14,

This invention relates to improvements in 'flood-lighted or externally-illuminated signs, and particularly to a sign of this type which comprises glass characters. Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide sign characters which shall be exceptionally brilliant and attractive, whether illuminated by direct or diiused light, to reduce to a l minimum the necessity of cleaning, painting or otherwise servicing the slgn, to provlde 5a simple and inexpensive method of combining the characters into the form of a sign, to produce fastening means which shall obviate the danger 0I breakage of the glass elements during the construction of the sign, and to provide improved means for building' up letters which are of sectional construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa face view of a sign constituting one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2- is a face view of one of the sign units.` v Y Fig. 3 is a section'on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. -1 is a face view of asign constituting another embodiment of the invention. Y

Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the sign units employed in the construction of th sign shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Referring to the species. illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,the sign therein illustrated comprises units each consisting of awglass plate or panel 1 having a character stroke 2 embossed thereon. The `panel 1 with its integral character stroke 2 is preferably formed of crystal (i. e., transparent colorless) glass. If desired, the character stroke may be colored by applying to the inner or under side of `the character stroke a transparent colored enamel fired into the glass. In order to enhance the brilliancy of the character stroke, facets 2a of any desired form maybe molded therein, as indicated in the drawings.

Behind the character stroke is placed a reflector consisting, in this instance, of a sheet of aluminum foil 3. The aluminum foil, be-

1930. Serial No. 444,017.

to corrosion it retains itsrelecting qualities for an indefinitely long time.

In order to prevent reflection of light from the portions of the panel surrounding the 'character stroke, I apply to the outer face of the panel a fired-in coating of black, nonreflecting, i. e., matt enamel. y

Behind the reflecting sheet is placed a sheet of resilient waterproof material, as, for example, a sheet of tarred felt 4. This sheet serves to protect the reflecting sheet 3 and forms a cushion between the glass panel and the supporting surface and thus aids in preventing breakage of the lass during the han' dling and mounting of 51e letters, and while the sign is in use.

The panel l, the reflecting sheet 3 and the waterproof cushion sheet 4 are secured together to constitute a unitary article of merchandise which may be sold to builders of signs. The meansl for securing together the parts of the unit, in this instance, is shown as consisting of a metal sheet 5 having narrow integral flanges 6 at its corners which overlie the edges of the panel 1 and serve to hold the elements of the unit together,

The unit just described is provided with means whereby it may be mounted upon any preferred support, as, for example, the walll of a building, a wooden panel, orthe like. In Fig. l a support S is indicated. In the present instance the securing means consists of lugs 7 on the margins of the backing sheet 5, these lugs being perforated to receive screws, nails or the like. In order that sign units may be placed close together, edge to edge, the lugs on opposite sides are odset with respect to-each other. In this instance, there is a centrally located lug on one lateral edge of the unit and two lugs on the opposite edge, said two lugs being spaced so as to permit of the single lug on the adjacent edge of the next unit to be inserted behind the first-mentioned unit. It will be seen that the underlapping lug assists in holding the second-mentioned unit in place.

In Fig. 1 the spaces between adjacent units have vbeen exaggerated for the sake of clearness. In practice these spaces or crevices may ing sheet, a cushionsheet anda backing be filled or covered in any preferred manner, as, for example, by means of cementy If desired, means may be employed to eX- clude moisture from between the units and the surface upon which they are mounted. Such means may consist of cement or afstrip of molding 8 extending around the perimeter of the series of units. Such molding servesUv .lows V.The sign character very effectively re to conceal-,.the securing lugs However, in

many instances the sign will'be of such size and will be at such a distance from the observer that it is unnecessary to conceal the lugs other than by the application of paint thereto when painting the supporting surface..

It will be seen "thatsign units oftheconn struction.l herein described may be secured to the lupl'iozr'ting surface without the necessity dfb@ ilg'holes through, the glass panels,l and thiis, fi'sfpossibletoattach the units firmly inplace 'without puttinganystress onr the glassraneL y y A'. glass sign letter of such large size that it is impracticable to form itin onepiece may be'cnstructed of a plurality of panelsections eachbearing a portion ofthe character stroke. Each such panel-section would be a unit comprising a glass panel, a refleteing equipped with securing lugs as described in connection with the unit shown in Figs. 2 and 3. y v

Fi 4 to 7, inclusive, illustrate analternative orni of unit which is intended to bese: curedfin place by means of small bolts. Said unit comprisesd a lass i character-bearing panel 10 which may e like ythe panel 1. The unitcfurther comprises a reflecting sheet 11 which may be asheet of aluminumfoil. The unit further comprises awaterproof resilient sheet 12. The parts of the'unit are secured together by meansV of bolts 13 extending through openings in the panel, the aluminum foil and4 the waterproof sheet, a thin'washer 14 and a small thin nut 15 on the bolts'e'rving to hold the parts together. The unit maybe attachedto a vwood mounting boa-rd `or a sheetmetal-backing S by passing the projecting ends of the bolts 13 through openings in such mounting board lor metallicbacking. Nuts 'le serve to secure the units to such, supporting structuren Inasmuch as the supporting structure is clamped between the nuts 15 and 16, the operation of mounting the units upon the backing places no pressure upon the glass panel. f

The outer surface of each panel surround-l .ing the character stroke may-be rendered vis' -.eflicient, durable, and inexpensive.

mmc.

i The features ofkli't'he two species'y unit y herein'disolosed may be summarized as foliects the light :falling upon it. f The reliector (formed as it is of aluminum foil or the lik) T e character stroke may be given various colors by applying'toiits rear or inner side a permanent coat `of transparent `vcolored enamel, preferablyired in.,. The cushion 4 or 12 protects the glass panel froml shock. `'The assemblage ofthe various elements into Ythe form of a unit produces an article that may be conveniently shipped, handled and incor-` porated into a sign. Each unit has securing means of suchnature that-the sign-builder need not 'bore holes in ther glass panel. p Nor need the sign-builder employ the usualfexpensive sheet metal stencil, .although a stencil maybe used if desired. The panels are of such dimensions that in the spelling yof a word the distances between letters will be uniform. i, p AV sign constructed ofv my improved units requires a minimum 'of servicing. .l

In certain of the following claims the term support is used to denote a wooden panel or board, a sheet-metal supportLthewall of abuilding or other supporting means.' The term non-reflector is used to denote a. matt coating on the front side of the glass panel, a stencil which'vcovers all of the panel except the character stroke, or other equivalent means.v While the foil3 is ya highlyl-eflicient and inexpensive reflector, the termrefle'ctor is used in the claims to denote, generally, means to reflect light through the character stroke. f

I claimas my invention:

, 1..'A sign unit'comprisinga glass. panel havinga characten stroke embossed on the frontlside. thereof, a sheet 'of-v aluminum foil behind the .character stroke. and extending. beyond the"'edge'. sy ofi'the .Stroke,fa resilient sheetnbehin jaba'cking sheet behindt the resilient Yshee and meansto secure said panel, foilfandkslieets'togetlier. Y

= Al Sigfanireemprising a 4glass panel;

having a characterstrciken embossedv on ftlie front side thereof, flla'th'in lieiribleA retl'ectonbehind'and 'extending beyond the" edges "of 'the character stroke, a@resilient'sheet behind the panel, a metallic backing sheet behindthe resilient -sheet,f and meansy :to .secure vsaid panelfrellectorcand sheets together.;

3. A si .vunitconprising 'a glass. anel. having a c aracterlstrokefthereon,.a `re ector behind. sai-dpanel,a-eushionlsheet -behind,-the reflector, bolts extending through registering ggg aflixed my si ature.

gn JAMES BOYCE.

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