US1922595A - Automobile license tag holder - Google Patents

Description

Au 15, 1933. L. LOCOLLO ET AL 1,922,595

AUTOMOBILE LICENSE TAG HOLDER Filed April 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d Invenlor I 4 {9 locozza j j Z0 Marv w 8- 1933- 1.. LOCOLLO ET AL AUTOMOBILE LICENSE TAG HOLDER Filed A pril 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llflfyz'locaddi, #737 e 20 Marrw Inventor f1 lfomey Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE T I V 7 1,922,595 I l I AUTOMQBILE LICENSE .TAG HOLDER Luigi Locollo and Angelo MorraQPlainfield, N. J.

Application April 4,1933. Serial No. 664,427

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-133) Thisinvention relates to a new and improved holder for automobiles license tags or plates.

Although the invention does not enter a wholly new and uncultivated field, it constitutes an appreciable and readily recognizable addition to the trade and art in that it is characterized by a simple and economical casing including handy and dependable tag retention means and a so called lamp box for association therewith which is intended to permit the letters, numbers and other data on the tag to be readily visualized at night and from a considerable distance.

In adopting and perfecting an embodiment of the invention to satisfy therequirements of our purposes and aims we have evolved and produced a simple and economical structure readily distinguishable as an improvement in the industry in that it embodies an ingenious adaptation and 1 perfect coordination of details each of which contributes its proportionate share to the provision of a structurally refined and improved device susceptible of fulfilling the purposes of the invention with a requisite degree of success.

Other features and advantages such as superior convenience and compactness and adaptability to repair and replacement will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention showing the manner in which it may be put in use.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

and 4-4= respectively of Figure 2.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail perspective views of the essential parts of the assembly.

Referring first to Figure 5 it will be observed that the numeral 8 designates the license tag or plate. As is customary this is of regulation or standardized shape and proportion and is designed to be changed periodically on the customary annual plan. In the present instance the indicating numerals and letters are punched out to form perforations and at one end the plate is provided with holes 9 to accommodate fastening screws 10 as shown in Figure 1. This tag is mounted in front of a suitably colored tran parent glass plate 11. The plate 11 removably seated in an opening backed by a marginal confining ledge or flange 12 of the frame 13. The upper horizontal bar of this frame is provided with slots 14 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The left hand end portion is provided Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 with holes 9a to register with the holes 9 in the tag 8. At this same end is a finger grip or tab 15 to facilitate handling the frame 13 and glass plate 11 as a unit. The frame 13, plate 11 and tag 8 may be described as a removable and replaceable unit. As a general rule the glass plate 11 will be colored to correspond with the color of the tag.

The aforesaid unit is removably contained in a specially designed sheet metal holder. This comprises primarily a casing 16 having a marginal border fashioned to provide a holder for the tag and its associated parts. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 the body portion of the casing embodies a relatively narrow downwardly inclined top wall 17, a gradually inclining rear wall 18 and a somewhat wider horizontal flat bottom wall 19. The wall 19 is apertured to accommodate the sockets 20 containing the removable electric bulbs or lamps 21. These are confined within the limits of the casing 16. We preferably provide two such bulbs for even distribution of the light rays. It will be noted that the back wall 18 is provided opposite each bulb with a window or entrance opening here shown as of general rectangular form surrounded by an outstanding retention fiange22 to accommodate the rim flange of the cover plate 23. The rim snaps over the flange 22 in telescoping relation as shown in Figure 3 to prevent rattling of parts. Each cover plate is mounted on a spring closing hinge 24. The cover plates cooperate with the flanges 22 in providing watertight joints. As shown in Figure '3 the upper channel shaped portion of the border indicated at 25 is slightly narrower than the lower also provided with slots 28 which register with the aforesaid slots is to accommodate fastener bolts 29 to secure the device as a whole to an appropriate bracket or the like 30 carried by the automobile. This channeled border forms a frame like holder for the tag 8, a glass panel or plate 11 and supporting frame 13. In other words these three parts as a unit are removably contained in the holder. At its left hand end, that is the end where the fastening screws 19 are placed, the holder is open to permit these parts to be in serted and removed as conditions require. The openings or windows 22 and cover 23 permit access to be had to the interior of the casing for exchanging damaged or burned out bulbs 21.

Novelty is thought to reside in the configuration of a box like part of the casing shown in Figures 3 and 4 comprising the downwardly inclined top wall 17 disposed above the relatively wider apertured bottom wall 19 wherein the latter wall serves to accommodate the mounting of the bulb, and wherein the wall 17 cooperates with the receding or inclining back wall 18 to facilitate shedding of water and moisture. An additional structural distinction is thought to reside in the bordering holder (see Figure 4) for the tag 8 and frame v13 wherein this part embodies channel shaped portions, that is portions which are channel shaped in cross section, and wherein it is open at one end. Then too, stability of association is thought to reside in proportioning the upper part 25 to snugly fit the frame 13 and to permit these two parts to be slotted to accommodate the attaching bolts 19. This arrangement insures security of maintenance of the apertured tag 8 andprevents shifting and possible breakage of the glass plate. Moreover it permits the tag 8 to be made in the conventional way since the casing is generally to be permanently attached to the automobile and the tag 8 is the only renewable part with the exception of the glass plate 11. In other words the plate 11 and tag 8 are the only features which need to be renewed each year. The only principal modification in the tag is that it would be formed with cut-out letters and numbers and provided with the screw fastener holes 9. This arrangement permits the invention to enter a practical field of usefulness and also aifords a sturdy, well balanced and dependable structure.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the illustrative drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the purpose, features and advantages, the explicit construction, and the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It is to be understood that minor changes in shape, size, relative proportions, and materials may be resorted to in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the invention as now claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. An illuminated license tag holder comprising an open front hollow lamp casing having tag holding means surrounding the margin of its open front portion, said casing embodying a rearwardly and downwardly inclined relatively narrow top wall, an inclined rear wall, and a horizontally disposed apertured bottom Wall, said bottom wall. serving to accommodate a bulb retaining socket, said rear wall having at least one opening surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange, a cover for said opening having a marginal rim fitting telescopically over said flange, and spring equipped hinges mounting said cover in place.

2. An illuminated license tag holder comprising an open'front, a hollow lamp casing embodying a rearwardly and outwardly inclined relatively narrow top wall, an inclined rear wall, and a horizontally disposed bottom wall, said bottom wall serving to accommodate lamp retaining bulb sockets, said rear wall having at least one open ing surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange, a cover for said opening having a marginal rim fitting telescopically over said flange, spring equipped hinges attaching said cover to said rear wall, the open frontal portion of said casing having a frame-like holder bordering its perimeter, said holder being open at one end and the portions thereof being of channel shaped cross sectional formation, the top channel shaped portion having horizontally elongated slots to accommodate attaching bolts, the outer or front wall of said top channel shaped portion having an offset depending lip, and a sectional license tag unit insertable through the open end of said frame-like holder, one of the sections of said unit being cooperable with the aforesaid ofiset depending lip.

I LUIGI LOCOLLO.

ANGELO MORRA.

Images