US2129780A - Tube sign - Google Patents

Description

Sept. .13, 1938. E. R. NICKEL- 2,129,780

TUBE (SIG-N Filed June 6, 1938 7 INVENTOR.

9 [2445? A Wmmz S BY I ct." I 5 MM Q 8 ATTORNEY v Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UlTED STATES 8 Claims. (Cl. 40-1130) This invention relates to improvements in electric signs of the neon or other tube type.

The principal object of my invention is to I provide a masking arrangement for these signs whereby the sign message may be displayed with all of the brilliance of the light source as afforded by the tubes without'being required to form or shape the tubes into the symbols or characters of the display.

I m In carrying out the objects of my invention,

I mask the display sections of the tubes throughout the length thereof by means of sleeves fash ioned to fit about and enclose the tubes and provided with the requisite light emitting openings or areas to depict the message or legend to be displayed and illuminated by the tubes.

In accordance, with my invention, the light emitting areas of the masking sleeves may be cut-out openings in the sleeves, which openings may be either in the form of individual characters or symbols so that each tube may display a complete or a part of the sign message or said openings may be in the form of elements of a single character or symbol so that the latter 26 may have a size commensurate with the whole group of the tubes employed for the display.

A further object of my invention is to make the masking sleeves resilient, that is, make the sleeves of resilient material and have them 30 slotted longitudinally so that they be readily and easily applied to and removed from the tube sections in assemblyingand changing the sign and yieldably engage about the tubes when encircling the same.

35 When the masking sleeves are employed to provide a character or symbol larger, than the diameter of a single tube, I arrange the tube sections in parallel relation and have them suinciently close together to give more or less con- 40 tinuity to the symbolas displayed by the cutout openings or other light emittingareas in the sleeves.

Also, in conjunction with the foregoing, I make the openings or areas symmetrical and more 4.5 or less uniform in size and shape to provide by their're'gistration or alinement the full character to be displayed. The masking sleeves, except for the 'light'emitting areas, may be opaque if it is intended to i so block-out all passage of light fromthe tubes' other than atthe light emitting areas. These sleeves could be made of translucent material in which case the material, selected for the sleeves would be such as to preserve the demarcation required at the light emitting areas,

As disclosed herein, the masking sleeves are designed for use in sign structures in which the electrically generated light source embodies an elongated translucent tube with the terminals for the electrical energy at the opposite ends 5 of the tube or oppositely disposed with respect to the display section which is enclosed by the masking sleeve.

The invention consists further in the features hereinafter described and claimed. 10

In the accompanying drawing-- Fig. 1 is a face view of a sign construct in accordance with my invention, the masking sleeves each bearing a part of the message to be displayed by the sign; 16

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a. is a perspective view of one of the sleeves to show the slotted construction;

Fig. 3 is a face view of a sign in which the 20 masking sleeves provide a character larger than the diameter of an individual tube; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig.3.

The sign in Fig. 1 comprises a neon or other luminescent gas filled discharge tube mounted on a suitable support 2. The tube I is formed or shaped to provide a number of substantially parallel display sections 3, 3 between the electrode ends 4, 4 which are at the opposite ends of the tubing. In the embodiment shown, the

tube sections 3, 3 are disposed in front of the support 2 and the latter-isprovided with openings 5, 5 to receive the electrode ends 4 of the tube. The sections 3 in the particular sign shown in Fig. 1 are in the same general plane and are connected in alternation by the loops 6. in tubing.

In Fig. 1 the masking sleeves are marked 1, 1.. These sleeves are made of desired material and of a diameter to closely fit about the tube sec- 40 tion 3 with respect to which the sleeve is applied.

In Fig. 1, each sleeve 1 carries a portion of the "complete message to be displayed by the sign.

This is brought about by providing each sleeve 7 with cut-out. openings or other light emittingareas inthe shape of the individual characters or symbols constituting. the part of the message which the sleeve displays. In the drawing, the light emitting areas are in stencil form as shown at 8, 8. If the sleeves are made of opaque material, the display at the openings 8 will be as brilliant. as the character of the light source as pro-. .vided by the tubes when the sign is in operation.

It will be notedthat the'sleeves 1 are as long as the tube'sectionsl which they enclose. Hence, 56

the only portions of the light source in these sections exposed to view when an opaque sleeve is used, will be as afforded by the cut-out openings. The exposed portions of the tubing beyond the sleeves will be blackened to render them opaque. With each sleeve carrying the characters required it will be unnecessary to shape the tubing to provide the characters and thus a simpler and less expensive sign may be made and a more extensive message display is rendered possible. The same is true with respect to translucent sleeves, the only difference being in the material employed for the sleeves. With sleeves of a translucent character a contrasting color effect can be produced which is not the case with opaque sleeves.

To apply the sleeves to and remove them from the preformed tube sections 3, the sleeves are preferably made from a single blank of sheet material which blank is fashioned into sleeve form with its side edges relatively close together to provide what may be termed a slot extending the full length of the sleeve. This slot is shown at 9 in Figs. 2 and 2a. This construction permits the sleeve to be spread open on applying it to and removing it from the tube section and when the sleeve is on the tube section it closely hugs or yieldably engages about the same requiring no additional support for holding the sleeve in place on the tube. Of course, it is within the contemplation of my invention to make the sleeves in one piece in which case they would he slipped endwise on the tubing before shaping the tubing if parallel runs are desired as herein shown.

In Fig. 3, I have shown an arrangement whereby a symbol or character is displayed by the sleeves and which character has a size commensurate with the whole group of the tube sections. In this figure the tube sections are marked i0, it. They arearranged parallel and preferably in the same plane. They may be made from a single length of tubing or they may be composed of several lengths of tubing in which case each tube length would take in the particular part of the tube group with respect to which it is associated.

In any case, the sections II) are between the terminal ends of the tubing the same as in Fig. 1. The masking sleeves in Fig. 3 are marked II, II. These sleeves are similar to the sleeves 1 heretofore described except as to the light emitting openings or areas l2, l2.

The openings or areas I! are preferably uniform in size and shape and each area preferably takes in the greater portion of half the circumference of the sleeve. In the embodiment shown, the openings I! are rectangular in shape and provide by their registration andarrangement in the sleeve group the single character symbol to be displayed. In Fig. 3 the character "E'f is shown. This necessitates the use of sleeves having openings or apertures 12 disposed to provide a row of openings for the vertical portion of the character and three longitudinal rows to provide the horizontal portion of. the character. The intermediate sleeves each have a single opening. These openings register with each other and with the initial openings of the rows to provide the vertical staff of the character.

In Fig. 3, only one end of the tube group is shown. The sleeves Ii will extend from the loops lfla at one end of the tube sections III to the loops at the other end as in Fig. 1. The sleeves will display the characters or symbols desired, and have the necessary arrangement of openings l2.

Instead of having the tube sections Ill arranged horizontal they could be arranged vertical or at any other desired angle. In a vertical or upwardly extending arrangement, the characters would be one above the other in the sign form of Fig. 1. For discharge tube signs which give a cold light, the masking sleeves may be made of metallic or non-metallic materials. I find that the relatively light, flexible Bakelite material is satisfactory for the sleeves for these signs. In signs employing filament tubes with electric terminals at the'opposite ends, I will use a. heat resistant material for the masking sleeves. The loop ends and all exposed portions of the tube sections beyond the masking sleeves in Fig. 3 will be blackened to block-out the illumination where not needed.

The light emittingareas, whether in the form of individual characters or portions of a character, may be of the size desired, within of course, the limits of the masking sleeves. In Fig. 1 for example, the openings 8 are arranged on the front sides of the sleeves. The openings could be on both sides for a two-way display or they could extend beneath the sleeves for a display of that The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described may-be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, except as pointed out in the annexed claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, an electric light source in the form of a length of translucent tubin'g having electric terminals in spaced relationship with respect to the tube length, and a masking element in the form of a sleeve enclosing a portion of the tubing between said terminals, said sleeve having light emitting areas shaped to provide a message display for the tubing.

2. In combination, an electric light source in the form of a. length of translucent tubing having electric terminals in spaced relationship with respect to the tube length, and a masking element in the form of a sleeve fitting about a portion of the tubing between said terminals, said sleeve having light emitting cut-out openings. in the form of individual symbols or characters for the message display for the tubing.

,3. In combination, an electric light source in the form of a length of translucent tubing having electric terminals in spaced relationship with respect to the tube length, and a masking element in the form of a sleeve fitting about a portion of the tubing between said terminals, said sleeve having light emitting areas to display the message to be illuminated by thetubing, said sleeve being slotted longitudinally and constituted of resilient material for lateral application to and removable from thetubing.

4. In combination, an electric light source in the form of a luminescent gas illled discharge tube having electrodes in spaced relationship in respect to the tube length, and a masking element in the form of a sleeve. fitting about a portion of the tube between said electrodes, said sleeve being formed of masking material. and having stencil.- like cut-out openings in the form of individual symbols or characters to be illuminated by the tube.

5. A sign comprising, an electric light source of the luminescent gas filled discharge tube type having a plurality of spaced tube sections, and masking elements in the form of sleeves fittin about and extending along. the respective tube sections, said sleeves having light emitting areas disposed longitudinally of the sleeves and formed having a plurality of substantially parallel tube sections, and masking elements in the form 01 sleeves fitting about and extending along the' parallel tube sections, said sleeves being made of masking material and provided with light emitting openings in the shape of individual characters or symbols for the message to be displayed by the sigh.

7. A sign comprising, an electric light source of the luminescent gas filled discharge tube type having a plurality of substantially parallel tube sections, and masking elements in the form of sleeves fitting about and extending along the several parallel tube sections, said sleeves being made of masking material and having light emitting areas therein, said areas providing a symbol or character to be displayed by the sign and each area being individual with respect to the other areas and forming a Portion of said sign character.

8. A sign comprising, an electric light source of the luminescent gas fllled discharge tube type having a plurality of substantially parallel tube sections, and masking elements in the formof sleeves fitting about and extending along said tube sections, said sleeves being made of opaque material and having light emitting openings therein, said openings providing a symbol or character to be displayed by the sign, and each opening being individual with respect to the other openings and forming a portion of the sign character, said tube sections being closely spaced to provide continuity for the sign character formed by the openings.

ELMER R. NICKEL.

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