US1955179A

US1955179A - Illuminated sign

Info

Publication number: US1955179A
Application number: US597731A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold J Force
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-03-09
Filing date: 1932-03-09
Publication date: 1934-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1951-04-17

Description

Ap 17, 1934. H. J. FORCE ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed March 9. 1952 J2-20623257. f/@ro'a 155101406 fifa , Patented Apr. I'Z, 1934 ILLUMINATED slGN Harold J. Force, Niles Center, lll. Application nach 9, 1932, serial No. 597,731

This invention relates in general to a caution, Warning, directional or advertising display sign provided with means for rendering it more attractive or more easily seen or for illuminating 5 it by natural or artificial light, and has more particular reference to a caution or warning sign which has a marginal rim-*either plain or colored, made more visible by illuminating lights such as a nood light or an automobile head-light.

Among the objects of the invention are: to

provide additional illumination for a caution, Warning, directional or advertising display sign; to distinctively set off a directional or display sign by natural or artiilcial illumination; to provide means for attaching illuminating means to a sign or advertising display; to provide means for locking an illuminating display upon a sign or display; to attach a marginal illuminating rim or outline to a sign or display; toprevent the unauthorized removal of a marginal or outline illuminator; to produce an inexpensive metal holder for a running glass reflector; to produce a reflecting glass holder in which sections thereof may be slipped in place for easy repair and replacement; to provide a sheet metal holder which readily conforms to display signs, of different shapes; to provide an inexpensive sheet metal holder which may be attached to wood and metal signs; and in general to produce the illuminating display holder for signs herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing illustrates different forms of the invention, and in Fig. 1 is a view in elevation ofa directional sign provided with a marginal reilector in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one corner oi the attaching means for a sign illuminator of this kind;

tig. 3 is a sectional view takenA on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a modification of fastening;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified holder; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a holder adapted for attachment to wood signs.

In illuminating caution, warning, directional or display signs for advertising and other purposes it is customary to employ plain and colored reflector buttons which outline the display letters, to utilize reflecting plates otmetal or glass in which the words or characters to be made prominmt are shown in relief or in outline. (v

The present invention provides tor the further the angular or corner in claims. (ci. 40-130) distinctive illumination of a new sign or display or of an old one already erected or placed in position by applying thereto a marginal frame or an outline adapted to receive and hold an illuminating medium such as glass, either plain or ably wide angle display or sign m and in this observer, renderin the approach of warning, or directional sign of vision therefrom will receive the reflected or illuminated rays which make the ore evident or more attractive,

way direct it to the attention of the g more noticeable, for example, an automobile to a caution,

placed along the roadside, and making more attractive-a window or other display so that an observer will be attracted more readily thereto.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a standard s top sign 8 is shown in Fig. l,

of a type commonly used for highway signs, often made of thin `m enameled or othe etal and having the surfaces rwise covered and protected to resist wear and Weather. These signs are relatively inconspicuous and usually have no means of illuminating them nor of making them stand out brilliantly in the dark except the contrasting color of the directional indicators or letters 9.

By applying to a sectional reflector consisting of tors l0 and l1, it with a distinctive sign of this kind a marginal,

running reflec outline the sign renders it conl is possible to margin which spicuous and glowing under the light rays from the headlights of the sign itself will be more apparent and the direction which it an approaching vehicle so that bears will be more readily seen.

The running reflectorslO and 11 may have an enlarged outer rounded lens portion 12, as shown in Fig. 3, with a reilecting surface reflecting coating reduced neck 13 and a convex 14 provided with any suitable 95 such as a. mirror or the like, or

provided with a number of innumerable rounded depressions 15 which act as reflectors magnified by the outer running lens portion 12 and preferably covered by a reflecting medium such as a 190 silver or foil backing and protected by a plastic or other coating.

A holderfor the running reflectors adapted to embrace the edge in Fig. 3 comprising a back portion 17 adapted to extend along the portion 18 extending of a thin metal sign 8 is shown edge of the sign with a bent over the edge to the front of the sign and having a reverse bend 19 and a porinwardly bent eds tion 20 abutting the front of the sign and a lower e 21 to form a dovetailed chan- 110 nel into which the holder or neck portions of the reflector elements 10 and 11 are slidable. At the ends of each back portion 17 are perforated ears 22 adapting the various sections to be secured together at the angles or corners of the sign by fastening means such as screws or rivets 23. The ears may be formed out of the back portion itself or angular pieces 24 may be separately attached at the ends as shown in Fig. 2, to connect the holders at the corners.

Instead of the perforated ears, cooperating interlocking ears 25 and 26 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 4, it being customary to compress the interlocking edges when the illuminating holders and elements are in place upon a sign to prevent their unnoticed removal.

A somewhat simpler form is shown in Fig. 5, in which a clip 27 extends over the opposite sides of the edge of a sign to which is attached a dovetailed holder 28 by soldering, riveting, or spot welds 29. In this holder is shown an illuminating member 30 having a base of a Width to be received in the dove-tailed groove and an outer, rounded, continuous lens portion 31 with a reflecting back 32 of any desired form.

In..order to attach a holder of this kind to a sign made of wood, the back leg 33 of a holder clip 34 is extended at right angles thereto and has a perforation through which a screw 35 or other suitable fastening device may be inserted into the wood or frame 36 of the sign.

To` attach reflecting elements to a sign or display at other points than about the marginal edge thereof, the back clip or holder may be omitted and the front or dove-tailed portion may be perforated and attached by screws or other fastening means directly to the sign. The reflecting or illuminating means is then inserted in the dove-tailed groove which conceals the fastening means.

With these various constructions it is obvious that the reflecting and illuminating means are readily attached tothe margin or edge, or to an outline in a sign, or they may be placed to constitute the sign itself; the holders may be attached together against unauthorized removal and by making the illuminating means sectional, the parts thereof are easily replaced and removed should they become broken or need repair, or should it be desired to change the colors of the reflectors themselves. Such holders are readily attached to signs already erected, either of metal or of Wood, which will enable the signs already in use to be equipped the same as those which may be supplied later with these refiecting members.

It is obvious that special contours of reectors and holders may be provided, such for example, as the shield designs representing the United States through traffic route markers.

Various other changes and modifications may be made in the holders, and in the form of the reflecting members, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

' 1. The combination with a sign, of a holder adapted to engage the adjacent front and rear edges at the margin of the sign and comprising a dove-tailed holder and a reflecting medium maarre having a wide angle of reflection and adapted te slidably engage in the dove-tailed portion of the holder.

2. The combination with a sign, of a holder for the marginal edge of the sign adapted to engage over the front and rear faces thereof, means for securing angular holder sections together about the sign, a recessed supporting portion at the front of the holder, and a reflecting illuminating means movable in the recessed supporting portion.

3. A holder for sign reflectors comprising a sheet metal clip to fit over the opposite faces of a sign member, a grooved slide member attached to the clip and to extend along the margin of the sign on one side, and a reflecting member movable in the slide.

4. A marginal holder for sign reflectors, comprising a sheet metal clip section to fit over the edge of a sign, means for attaching adjacent sections together at the ends, and means for mounting a reflecting member in the clip at one side of the sign.

5. A marginal holder for sign reflectors comprising a sheet metal strip bent to engage over the opposite faces of a sign and having a dovetailed portion on the exposed side of the sign extending along the margin thereof to receive a reflector.

6. A holder for sign reflectors comprising a metal strip bent to embrace opposite sides of a sign at the edge thereof and a dove-tailed section extending along the edge of the sign at one side thereof.

'7. A holder according to claim 6 in which the dove-tailed section is formed as an integral part of the strip which is reversely bent upon itself at one side of the dove-tailed section.

8. A holder for sign reflectors for angular margins, comprising a holding strip to engage opposite faces of a sign and with a recessed front portion, the ends being angularly cut to fit closely together, and perforated fastening ears at the ends of the strips by which they are fastened together.

9. The combination with a marginal holder for signs, of a recessed member at the front, a sectional running reflector slidable into the recess, means for securing the end of the holder together and thus holding the reflector sections in place.

10. A reflector holder for signs comprising an angular holder to engage adjacent faces at the edge of a sign, a dove-tailed reector support attached to one angular portion of the holder, and means for securing the other angular portion of the holder to a sign.

11. A metal strip holder for sign reflectors comprising a clip portion to fit over the edge of a thin metal sign and an attached portion on one I face forming a receiving groove to extend along the edge of a sign, the ends of the holder being angularly cut to t an angularly shaped sign, the ends of the holder having perforated projections at the rear, and fastening means inserted through the perforations of adjacent projections by which the holder is secured to a sign.

HAROLD J. FORCE.

lOO