US2165550A - Illuminated sign - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1939. J. A. HQWENSTINE ILLUMINATED SIGN FiledOct. 26, 1938 Patented July 11,

James A. Howenstine,

PATENT OFFICE 2.135.550 ILLUMINATED SIGN Lima, Ohio, assignmto Neon Products, 1110., Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio ApplicationOctober 2B, 1938, Serial No. 237,079

2Ciaims.

This invention relates: more particularly to advertising signs of the illuminated type, and has for its primary object the production of a simple and eihcient sign of this character, composed of a plurality of pieces capable of being easily and quickly assembled and secured together for use, or of being easily and quickly separated and packed or arranged in compact form for storage or shipment.

Another object of the invention is the production of a sign of this character which is simple and inexpensive in construction and attractive in appearance, is composed of a minimum number of parts, and has means for releasably securing the parts together in assembled relation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment thereof, -in

which- Figure 1 is a rear perspective elevation of a sign embodying the invention in set-up or usable form, and with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing certain of the parts separated but in assembling relation and showing, in dotted lines, the rear member in partially assembled position; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sections on the lines 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a central vertical crosssection of the sign in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the members of the sign in separated knocked-down form, and disposed in packing relation.

Referring to the drawing, I designates the front plate of the sign, preferably of glass, and of a nature to permit illumination from the rear to bring out or makeefl'ective advertising or other matter appearing thereon, as well understood in the art. a

The edges of the plate I are received-within the respective side portions of a border frame 2, the side members of which are of channel or U- form. For the purpose of the present invention, the top member a and the two opposed side mem- 55 bers b-b of the frame have their channels of greater width than the thickness of the plate I to provide a narrow space 3 between the rear side face of the plate and the adjacent side flange of the respective frame member.

so A back plate 5 and a top plate 6 have interengagement with each other and with the frame 2 to cooperate with the front plate I to form a.

box or housing for the illuminating means hereinafter described. The back plate 5 is of sheet 55 metal or other suitable flexible material prefer-' ably of an opaque nature, and its depth is substantially equal to the depth of the front plate, while its length or substantial width is greater than the corresponding dimension of the front plate, so that the back plate will assume a bowed 5 form, as shown, when its ends are engaged with the end members b of the frame 2. For the purpose of such engagement, each end edge of the back plate 5 is formed with an outwardly angled lip or flange 8 disposed at an oblique angle to the face of the plate and adapted to be inserted within a space 3 provided between the frame ,2 and front plate I, as best shown in Fig. 4. The flanged ends of theback plate 5 may be easily and quickly engaged with or disengaged from the respective end members b of the frame 2, and when both are engaged therewith the plate assumes an outwardly bowed form with respect to the front plate. I

The top plate 6 may be of any suitable stiff material of a thin nature and is of segmental form to adapt it to substantially flt and close the top opening of the case between the upper edge portions of the plates l and 5. It is thus apparent that the top plate 5 has its front edge substantially straight to conform to that of the front plate I, while its rear edge is curved to conform to the curved top edge of the back plate 5. The front edge of the plate 6 is provided with an upstanding lip or flange 9 for engaging up within the space 3 between the top frame member a and plate I, while its rear curved edge is provided with a downturned flange or lip I0 for lapping the top edge portion of the back plate 5 at its outer side. The top edge of the plate 5 is provided with a plurality of upstanding spurs H, in the present instance three in number, which pass through registering apertures l2 in the top plate 6 when the plates are in assembled relation and are then bent over to retain the parts in such relation.

The plate 6, in the present instance, is shown as provided with rings 13 to facilitate attaching a hanging cord to the sign. Such plate is also preferably perforated, as at I4, for the purpose of ventilation.

The illuminating means, in the present instance, comprises an electric lamp' 15 mounted in a socket I5 that is fixedly carried by a crossbar II. This bar may be'of sheet metal or any other suitable stiff material, and is of U-form in cross-section togive it the requisite strength. The ends of the bar web are extended beyond the side flanges thereof to provide tongues It! for insertion through registering apertures l9 provided in the back plate 5 near its lower edge and adjacent to its ends. The tongues are retained in the apertures l9 by springing action of the back plate, it being necessary to slightly distort the back plate from its normal position in order to insert the tongues in the apertures. The bar I! is disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to the plate, I and at its central portion in forwardly spaced relation to the back plate 5; so that the lamp I5 is held substantially central within'the housing formed by the various parts of the sign when assembled.

It is apparent that the arrangement and manner of connection of the various parts of the sign permit such parts to be easily and quickly assembled for the purpose of use or separated for the purpose of packing; that the sign is composed'of a minimum number of parts, and that in use it may either have its bottom edge resting on a supporting surface or may be suspended from above.

It is also apparent that when the members of the sign are in disconnected or knocked-down form, they are substantially flat and may be packed in compact form as illustrated in Fig. 7. This not only provides a sign of simple and inexpensive form and construction, but also enables it to be shipped m collapsed form at a minimum cost.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or 101m of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent,ris:

1. An illuminated sign having a front member bearing matter to be displayed, a bendable back member releasably engaged at its ends by end portions of the front member and held thereby in outwardly bowed relation thereto, a top member releasably engaged to said front and back members and cooperating therewith to form a housing, a bar disposed within the lower portion of said housing and releasably engaged at its ends by said back member adjacent to its ends, and an illuminating means mounted on said bar.

2. An illuminated sign having a front member bearing matter to be displayed, a bendable back member releasably engaged at its ends by end portions of the front member and-held thereby in outwardly bowed relation thereto, a top member releasably engaged to said front and back members and cooperating therewith to form a housing, a bar disposed within the lower portion of said housing lengthwise thereof and having releasable tongue and slot engagement with the lower portion of the-back member adjacent to its ends, said bar and back member being retained in engagement by the flexed position of the back member which it assumes when in assembled engagement with the front member, and illuminating means mounted on said bar.

JAMES A. HOWENSTINE.

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