US2158195A

US2158195A - Illuminated sign

Info

Publication number: US2158195A
Application number: US207599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar E Mutti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-05-12
Filing date: 1938-05-12
Publication date: 1939-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1956-05-16

Description

O. E. MUTTI May 16, 1939.

ILLUMINATED SIGN l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Filed May 12', 1958 Attorneys y 16, 1939- o. E. MUTTI ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed May 12., 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jdzzff/ o okk K H Patented May 16, 1939 S TAT 5 OFFICE .foscaraiiuw.frii oum.

Application May 12, 19?;8,'SeIialiNoQZDLSQQ I fao a ms. (c1. 107130) I larly eittending portions 5 comprising a preferably inclined shelf on which a plurality of clear- 'ance lightsfigare mounted. Theselig-hts .6 are The present inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in signs particularly for'motor trucks and has for its primaryobject to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device 5 of this character embodyinga novel construction and arrangement whereby the usual pluralj ity of clearance lights on top of the-vehicle at the front thereof will be utilized for illuminating the letters or characters of the sign. 1

Another veryimportantobject of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign of the aforementioned "character for motor trucks Ill wherein the letters or words may be expedi J tiously changed as desired, V Other objects of the invention are -to'provide an illuminated sign of'thecharacter described which will be comparatively simple'in construc- I tion, strong, durable, compact attractive in' appearance and which maybe manufactured at 'low 1 cost. i

All of the foregoingandfstill further objects and advantages ofjth'einvention will becomeapparentifrom a study of thefollowing specification, taken" in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters ofrefe'rence fir designate corresponding 1 parts throughout-the several views, and wherein: 7 7

Figure 1 is a yiew in front elevation bodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the device.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in top plan of a portion of the invention. L'o Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an upper portion of the device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a base of suitable material, such as aluminum, which is designated generally by the reference numeral l. The base I is of any suitable dimensions and, as shown to advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawings, said base is formed to conform substantially with the usually curved top of the truck cab or body 2 on which it is mounted.

As best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the base I comprises a preferably inclined plate or web portion 3 from the top of which a flange 4 extends rearwardly to provide a mounting for sign means Hi. The base is also formed with means providing lamp mounting seats, preferably equally spaced apart and arranged in the lower portions of the plate or web 3, said lower portions being formed preferably as integral, angu- Of an empreferably carried in lamp supports .of any'suitable character adapted for attachment in the:

' mounting seatsformed. :in the base, and it *Will be noted that these seats, due to .the inclination wet the portion 15 ,uare inclined so :that thelamps not onlysareiyisible, as clearance lights, hori- 'zontallywith respect to the yehicle, :but. also wSGIVBM-tO illuminate :the sign means l0.

An in- ;tegral lip 'Tlwmay be formed at the lower edge of *the' shelf "5 stozstreng then and rigidity the same. {the base. 11 further may and preferably .does in- ;,.clude. vertical and .walls' 8 provided with .out-

aturnedcapertured feet 9 which accommodate fas- ..--mounted.on the rfiange ..-:4. -o'f the ,sbas'e .I and usu- -.tening..elements for securing said .base'.;in posi- .tio'non: -the'ttruckcabioribody2;

-JJZhe sign .means=...l.0. preferably .detachably allypomprises .sign characters oflsuitable, pref- :.erablydight+lweight material,- and I more partictularlyxcontemplate the fabrication of the sign 2 characters? Zof metal.

The sign characters are preferablyfonned ivith integral feet M which'are .lsecuredazo the flange :4 by. scrljews l2 brother-suitable fastening-elements. fll'os this end ithe flange iilmayrbe aprovided :with .a .plurality of spaced,

threaded openings l3 which accommodate the elements |2-.

The construction and arrangement is such that the clearance lights 6 effectively and attractively illuminate the sign means [0 in silhouette. It will thus be seen that an attractive advertising sign has been provided which will be plainly visible both at night and during the day to persons facing the vehicle. While individual let- 'ters have been illustrated in the drawings on the base I, in practice entire words or slogans may be mounted on said base in lieu of said individual letters.

It is believed that the many advantages of an illuminated sign constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign of the class described comprising an elongated base adapted to be mounted transversely on a vehicle, said base being formed from a single piece of metal and including an inclined plate comprising an angularly projecting lower portion extending forwardly from said plate at a different degree of inclination, a rearwardly extending flange integral with the upper edge of the inclined plate, characters detachably mounted on said flange, and a plurality of lights mounted on the angularly projecting lower portion of the plate for illuminating said characters.

2. A sign of the class described comprising an elongated metallic base adapted to'be mounted on top of a motor vehicle at the front thereof, said base including an inclined plate comprising an angularly projecting lower portion extending forwardly therefrom, a lip depending from the lower portion of the angularly projecting portion of the plate, a horizontal flange extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the inclined plate, end walls on the ends of the plate,

said end walls including outturned feet for accommodating securing elements for fastening the base to the vehicle, characters detachably secured to the flange, and a plurality of electric lights mounted on the angularly projecting lower portion of the inclined plate for illuminating said characters.

3. A sign of the class described adapted for mounting on a vehicle and having front and rear sides, the front side being adapted for arrangement in position facing outwardly of the vehicle and visible for display purposes when mounted in operative position on the vehicle, said sign comprising an elongated base for mounting on the vehicle having a generally upstanding portion provided with an elevated sign seat for mounting sign means thereon, sign means secured on said seat in position extending upwardly therefrom,

said upstanding portion of said base comprising portions extending. substantially forwardly of the said sign seat in position substantially therebelow, longitudinally spaced-apart lamp mounting seats formed in said base-on the forwardly extending portions thereof, said lamp mounting seats being so positioned on said base as to support lamps in substantially forwardly-extending position whereby the lamps are visible forwardly of the sign as clearance lights, said seats further being arranged to support the lamps in position to illuminate the forward face of the upwardlyextending sign means.

4. A sign of the class described adapted for mounting on a vehicle and having front and rear sides, the front side being adapted for arrangement in position facing outwardly of the vehicle and visible for display purposes when mounted in operative position on the vehicle, said sign comprising an elongated base for mounting on the vehicle having a generally upstanding portion provided with an elevated sign seat for mounting sign means thereon, signmeans secured on said seat in position extending upwardly therefrom, said upstanding portion of said base comprising portions extending substantially for- 'wardly of the said sign seat in position substantially therebelow, V lamp mounting seats formed in said base on the longitudinally spaced-apart forwardly extending portions thereof, a lamp in each of said spaced-apart seats, said seats and lamps being arranged to support the lamps in upstanding, forwardly-inclined position whereby to serve as clearance lights visible forwardly of the sign while illuminating the forward surfaces of said upwardly-extending sign means from a position forwardly thereof. I

5. A sign of the class described adapted for mounting on a vehicle and-having front and rear sides, the front side being adapted for arrangement in position facing outwardly of the vehicle and visible for display purposes when mounted in operative position on the vehicle, said sign comprising an elongated base for mounting on the vehicle having a generally upstanding portion provided with an elevated sign seat for mounting sign means thereon in position extending upwardly thereof, said basecomprising portions extending substantially forwardly of the said sign seatin position substantially therebelow, longitudinally spaced-apart lamp mounting seats portions thereof, said lamp mounting seats being so positioned on said base as to support lamps in substantially forwardly-extending position whereby the lamps are visible forwardly of the signas clearance lights, said seats further being arranged to support the lamps in position to illuminate the forward face of sign means on and extending upwardly of said sign seat.

OSCAR E. MUTTI.