US2050255A - Concrete sign - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1936. E. A. BELL CONCRETE SIGN Filed April 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: Edwin 291551]; BY [W WTORNEYS.

Q WA M QQM E. A. BELL CONCRETE SIGN Aug. 11, 1936.

Filed April 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR:

WITNESSES: I Z/uzJ/Z fldwzn :7 Bulb, (%TORNEYS. I i

Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to concrete or cement 'signs of a. luminous or reflective type, suitable concrete or of a wet Portland cement and sand mixture. The inventi'onis well adapted for advertising and for traffic directing and controlling signs, for motor vehicle highways, and I have here illustrated and described it with particular reference to a trafiic sign. In suitable forms of embodiment, the invention affords a simple, rugged, durable, and goodlooking sign, that can be very quickly made and installed, at comparatively low cost. Other features andadvantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description of species, or embodiments thereof, and from the drawings.

While the structures and methods of manufacture shown and described are such as I at present consider the best for my purposes, and while my invention extends to all their special features and details, so far as novel, yet the invention is not confined thereto, but can be otherwise carried out and embodied.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a tilted or perspective view of one type and form of concrete sign embodying my invention.

Fig. II shows a cross section through the sign, taken as indicated by the line and arrows IIII in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a side view of one of the luminous units or devices of the sign shown in Figs. I and II.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary tilted or perspective view of one of the letters in the sign shown in Fig. '1, illustrating a different form of luminous unit or device.

Fig. V is a tilted or perspective end and side view illustrating the assembled elements of the luminous device shown in Fig. IV.

Fig. V1 is a perspective view of a mold for casting a sign such as shown in Figs. I and II.

Fig. VII is a perspective view of a pattern or templet which may form part of the mold of Fig. VI.

Fig. VIII is a similar view of an alternative form of pattern or templet for the same purpose,

adapted for use with a luminous device or unit such as shown in Figs. IV and V.

Fig. IX is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the casting of a sign in a mold of the general type shown in Fig. VI.

Figs. I and II illustrate the embodiment of my invention in a Through-stop-traflic sign. In

this particular instance, the only part of the sign design to which the luminous or light-reflecting feature is applied is the word Stop,--which may also preferably be set out in symbols (letters) distinctively colored, or emphasized by surfaces 5 in a different plane from that of the sign face in generalfo'r both... In Fig. I, a number of closelyspaced luminous or light-reflecting devices or units In of glassy character are employed, embedded in" the concrete of which the sign is made 10 so as to be securely retained therein, yet visibly exposed at the surfaceof the concrete. In the present instance, the letter-symbols of the word Stop? are of intaglio formation, being deeply countersunk or grooved into the sign face, and 15 the sides of the grooves are beveled, which increases the visibility. In addition, the inner sur-' faces (sides and bottoms) of the letter-grooves are conspicuously colored, preferably red, as with suitable paint. The glassy luminous units II) are 20 exposed in the bottom surfaces of the trapezoidalgrooves, ll of the letters of the word Stop. It will be understood, of course, however, that any parts, features, or symbols of any sign design may be rendered conspicuous and luminous in the 25 same way as this word Stop.

As here shown, the sign comprises an octagonal slab I2 of concrete whose front face is convexly rounded or cambered slightly about a vertical axis,--i. e., an axis perpendicular to the horizon- 3O tal defined by the words of the sign legend I Through-stop-traffic. This sign slab I2 is pierced with two holes I3, I3 on its vertical center line, for screws or bolts for securing the slab to its supporting post or other structure. The 35 convexity of the front or sign face of the slab I2 provides maximum strength at the supporting central area where the holes I3, l3 are located, minimizes the weight of the slab, and somewhat increases the angle of visibility of the sign. As 40 shown in Fig. II, the concrete sign slab I2 is reinforced and strengthened with metal rods or wires M embedded in the concrete, and preferably extending both horizontally and vertically-speaking with reference to Fig. I.

As shown in Fig. I, the outline of the sign face is emphasized with grooved border lines, and a central horizontal panel for the word Stop is set off by horizontal grooved lines. These grooved 50 lines and the letters forming the words Through and Traific are all shown as of deep-sunk roundbottom grooved formation. These features of the sign-face design may, if desired, be emphasized by appropriate coloring of the inner surfaces of 55 the round-bottom grooves forming them, as with any suitable paint, preferably black.

As shown in Figs. I and III, the closely spaced luminous or light-reflecting units or devices I0 consist principally of button or knob-like glassy members I5, of such shape that they can be retentively embedded in the concrete and yet partially exposed so as to be conspicuously visible at the bottoms of the grooves II. For this purpose, the glassy member of each unit I0 is shown in Fig. III as rounded or reduced in front, and its facial area I6 that is to be exposed is defined by a shoulder, which may consist of a metal ring I'I attached to the member I5 by any suitable cement or varnish. This ring I1 is of assistance in properly positioning the unit ID in the concrete, as hereinafter explained. The member I5 may also be provided with a reflector I8, shown in the form of a circular metal cup or cap with a convex and internally polished or silvered bottom. with a narrow lip or beveled edge I9 that can be attached to the surface of the member I5 by suitable cement or varnish. As shown in Fig. III, the member I5 is of spherically rounded form. When the interiors of the symbol-grooves II are colored red, as already mentioned, a very good effect is obtained by making the members I5 used in them of a light, clear amber-yellow glass.

Figs. IV and V illustrate a variation in the luminous or light-reflecting devices: i. e., instead of a number of separate units I0 spaced apart, each part of the design-feature (in Fig. IV the letter S) to be luminously set out has a continuous rod-like device 20 extending along its center line(s), retentively embedded in the concrete but partially exposed-at the bottom of the groove(s) II, if such depression of design fea tures is employed. As shown in Fig. V, each device 20 comprises a glassy rod member 2| of any frontally reduced cross-section that would be suitable for the glassy member of the device I9, and a trough-like reflector 22 having a cylindrically rounded bottom, internally polished or silvered. The reflector-trough 22 may be attached to one-side of the rod member 2I just as the reflector-cap I 8 is attached to the member I 5 in Fig. III. The rod 2| may consist of light, clear ambercolored glass. Separate rods 2I and reflector troughs 22 may be bent and/or attached to one another as required to make the desired design features or symbols; or such separate rod and reflector pieces may merely be assembled together before the pouring of the concrete as hereinafter described, since they will thereafter be permanently held in the proper relations to one another.

With either the construction of Figs.-I1II or that of Figs. IV and V, the countersinking of the design features or symbols affords shelter and protection for the luminous units III or 20,-which as shown in Figs. I and IV project from the bottoms of the grooves I I less than the depth of the grooves. This obviates damage to such devices I0 or 20 in handling, or by minor impacts after installation, and may also help to prevent obscuring of the devices III or 20 by snow, etc.

Figs. VI, VII, VIII and IX illustrate the making of a sign such as hereinbefore described. In Fig. VI, there is shown a mold comprising a bottom or base plate 24 for forming the front or sign-. face of the sign-slab I2, and preferably concavely rounded or cambered as already described, and a removable rim-band or frame 25 for forming the edges of the slab. The bottom plate 24 is shown as provided with rounded ridges 26 for forming the outline and panel grooves and the words Through and Traflic, and with projecting pins 21, 21 (which may be removably inserted in holes drilled in the plate 24) for forming the holes I3, I3 through the slab I2. In addition, the plate 24 is shown as provided with beveled, trapezoidal ridges 28 forming the raised letter-symbols of the word Stop. These raised symbols 28 are provided with socket recesses or depressions 29, shown as circular, for receiving the sight-faces I6 of the luminous devices or units I0 illustrated in Fig. III. As shown in Fig. VII, these sockets 29 may consist of depressions or holes. The size and depth of the socket 29 is such as to take the unit I0 just to the shoulder formed by the ring II, which thus keeps the unit It in proper upright position until after the concrete has been poured and has set.

In the use of the mold just described, the luminous or reflective units III are placed in all the sockets 29 of the symbols or features 28 of the sign-design, and the concrete is poured into the mold to the top edge of the rim 25. At a suitable stage or stages in the pouring of the concrete,-

1 or even after it has been poured and is still soft,-the metal reinforcements I4 may be placed in the mold, extending in any desired direction or directions. After the pouring, any superfluity of concrete may be struck off flush with the top edge of the rim 25, and the top surface of the concrete suitably smoothed. When the concrete has set and hardened sufficiently, the cast slab I2 and the mold may be separated, leaving the units I0 permanently and retentively embedded in the concrete, and partially exposed at the bottoms of the symbol (letter) grooves II formed by the raised mold symbols 28. The beveled edges of the raised symbols 28 allow them to part from the cast without difliculty.

When the rod-and-trough type of luminous units or device 20 shown in Figs. IV and V is employed, instead of the button type II) shown in Fig. III, the sockets 29 of the raised mold symbols may have the form of grooves or slots such as shown in Fig. VIII, adapted to receive the front faces of the rods 2I to the proper depth.

In cases where the parts or symbols of the sign design that are to be provided with the luminous devices ID or 20 vary for the individual signs to be made, the raised mold-symbols 28 shown in Fig. VI may not be integral with the mold bottom 24, but may consist of separate removable paterns or templets 28a such as shown in Figs. VII and VIII, adapted to be removed from the mold and replaced as desired. They may be held in place in the mold by any suitable securing means well-known to mechanics, such as dowels, screws, or the like, or by suitable cement, even.

In cases where a great many signs are to be made with identical design features having the luminous devices II! (or 20) ,such, for example, as that shown in Fig. I,the raised mold-symbols 28 shown in Fig. VI may be (cast) integral with the bottom plate of the mold, as illustrated in Fig. IX,-where the various parts and features are marked with the same reference characters as in Figs. I, II, III and VI, as a means of dispensing with repetitive description. It will be observed, however, that the luminous unit I0 here shown rests in a circular socket hole 29 bored through the raised integral symbol ridge 28 of the mold bottom 24, which appears in cross-section. It will be observed that owing to the rounded form of the glass member I5 and the reduction of its front face I6 (inside the shoulder ring I1) which is intended to be exposed and visible, the rest of the member I overhangs the edges of the socket 29, so as to be retentiv'ely embedded in the concrete poured around it.

It will be seen that in the process of sign manufacture as described the whole sign slab l2 complete with all its intaglio or countersunk design is molded at one operation, and the luminous devices H) or 20 are at the same time permanently incorporated and secured in it. The operation is simple and allows of the manufacture of many identical or different signs in a short time, since as soon as the concrete has set, it may be separated from the mold and left to harden or cure on some suitable back support. Double-face signs of the same character can readily be made by using a mold with a top plate carrying the desired obverse design, and employing a suitable concrete-molding machine or press.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign of concrete having a recessed design therein, and a conformative glassy light-reflecting member retentively embedded in the concrete recession, with its face partly covered thereby and partly exposed therethrough to provide surrounding shelter for said member.

2. A sign oi concrete having an indented design therein, and con'formative light-reflecting means, laterally rounded or reduced,, embedded and held fast in the concrete indentations, and forming a luminous design exposed to view below 5 the sign face.

3. A sign of concrete having inits face grooves forming a sign design, with light-reflecting means embedded in the concrete and exposed at the bottoms of said grooves, and sheltered by the latter.

4. A signof concrete having in its face grooves forming a sign design, with light-reflecting glassy rods forming the same design as said grooves embedded in the concrete and exposed at the bottoms of said grooves, and sheltered by the latter.

5. A sign comprising a concrete slab with metal reinforcement embedded therein, said slab having in its face grooves forming a sign design, with light-reflecting means embedded in the concrete and exposed at the bottoms of said grooves, and sheltered by the latter.

' EDWIN A. BELL.

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