US2018208A - Sign - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1935. F. P. GILL 2,018,208

SIGN

Filed May 9, 1934 ATTORNEY Patenteiinct. n, i935 UNITEDy STATES v PATENT ol-rlcs I sion Forest P. Gill. Kansas City.' lb.

Application may o, 1934, sei-m No. '124,610 ,I

v claim. (ci. 4ta-issy Y other important objects or thev invention are' 10 to provide a simple, inexpensive construction em- 1 lploying stock letters which maybe assembled to.

compose a sign, to provide a sign which can be s.' produced from inexpensive materials such as paper or cardboard and metal foil, and to pro- 15 vide for water-proofing the materials whereby the sign is made impervious to the elements.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Pig. 1 is a perspective view of an awning equipped with a sign embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the letter 35 blocks.

4 a Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view yof a sign in the course of. construction.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of one end of a comj pleted sign unit.

3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through a portion of the sign, particularly illustrating the method of fastening the sign on the awning drop.

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged section through the edge of one of the letter blocks showing the method of water-proonng the back and edges Referring more in detail to the drawing: v I designatesja sign including a series of letter blocks 2 secured together to compose a word 3.

4 v Each lettervhloek includes a rectangular cardboard sheet 4 faced with a metal lfoil covering l which is cemented thereto and which has a highly polished front face 0 for reflecting light rays. In order to promote the reflection properties of the metal foil, the sheets of foil andcard board are provided with a series Iof Iembossments 1 which, in the illustrated instance. are in the form of circular mound-like protuberances arranged in vertical and horizontal rows with the mounds of one row in staggered relation to those of the adjacent rows so that they closely cover the entirey field of the letter block. y The letters 0 are formed on the blocks by painting the neld portion l exriorly of the letters .with a non-reseetina'paint il so that the exposed refiecting surfaces-constitute the face of the letter.

In order to enhance the appearance of the letter, it may be outlined with a colored-strip ing, asillustrated at Il. 5

The front face of the letter blocks. being con structed of the metal foil, are impervious to moisture. but the card-board backing is rendered water-proof by covering the exposed rear side i2 with a water-proof coating I3 preferably applied 10 lin the form of a liquid. To seal the joint between the foil and the-backing, the coating is carried up and over the marginal edges of the block as shown at Il in Fig. 6 to completely enclose and seal the card-board backing. 15 IIhe letter blocks thus'constructed may be c stocked in various sizes and types of lettering4 and the blocks assembled in units to form the words of a sign. For example, in the "Cafe sign .,illuatrated, the letter blocks c", "A", "r" and 1 "E are joined by overlapping the edges of the adjacent blocks and sewing the overlapped edges bylines of .stitching I 5 to form a substantially continuous strip. 'Ihe edges of the strip may 'then be encased in a mutable gimp le shaped 25 to form flanges i1 and Il engaging thevfront and rear faces ofathe sign and which are secured by lines of stitching I9 to leave a marginal edge for attaching the sign to the drop 2| of the awning rr, the marginal edge 'being seemed to 3 lthe awning drop by lines of stitching 2l.

when the letter blocks are assemblea and aecured to the awning drop, the sign is free to iiex with the awning material without in any' u" damaging-the reilexing surfaces.

Also. due to the light weight construction of the sign, it does not cause the awning to sag Aor pucker and does not form a hazard to pedestrians walking under .the awning, as is the case -in 4 heavier constructed signs employing reflecting enses.

Prom the foregoing, itis. apparent that I have provided a siinple. inexpensive sign which is readily adaptable to awning drops and similar 45 places requiring light. flexible construction and which is clearly visible inl both daylight'imd darkness incidental to sunlight and artiilcial light I reected by the embossments.

It is also obvious that due to the moimd shape 50 of the embossments. rays of light are reected back and forth between the nts to greatly enhance the visibility ot the letters, so that they are rendered irradiative even though the light-rays be fairly faint.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A

1. .A letter block including a'iiexible backing, a facing secured to thbacking and having re- 5 fleeting surfaces, a non-reecting coating applied as a paint to selected portions of the reflecting surfaces whereby the uncated surface denes a letter having reflecting surfaces, and a waterproof coating covering theopposite side of the 10 backing and edges of the letter block to seal the joint between the backing and the facing. 2,'A letter block including a flexible backing, a facing secured to the backing and having a seing to seal the -Joint between the backing and the facing.

4. A sign of the character described including a series of letter blocks provided with light reecting surfaces and having over-lapping edges 5 secured together to composea word, and a gimp `binding secured to the letter blocks to provide a t exible frame for securing the sign.

5. A sign of the. character described including a series of iiexible letter blocks providedv with 10

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