US2206866A - Hanging type of edge illuminated signs - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1940. T. J.ID. FULLER. JR,

HANGING TYPE OF EDGE ILLUMINATED SIGNS Filed April 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ilorlzey July 9, 19400 T. J. D. FULLER, JR

HANGING TYPE OF EDGE ILLUMINATED SIGNS Filed April 1. 1959 zsneets-sneet'z Ill/i/ ,50 I i, I mgfifnvenairf. h 3% wil fliia rneys.

l -aienteoi July 9, i940 l'iED STATES PATENT oFFicE i]' HANGING TYPE OF EDGE ILLUMINATE SIGNS Thomas J. D. Fuller, Jr., Cambridge, Mass. v p

Application April 1, 1939, Serial No. 265,575 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to the hanging type of One embodiment-of the invention is illustrated edge illuminated glass signs. Such signs comin Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawingsiand prise a frame adapted to be suspended and carcomprises a transparent glass panel ill which rying a panel of plate glass depending theremay be suspended from above its upper edge by from. The frame provides a light chamber for chains H which are connected to a hook l2'fixed 5 projecting light rays through the upper edge of in the upper endroffleachof a pair of spaced U- the panel. Letters, figures or other symbols of shaped meter-strips l3. Each of the strips l3 the sign are etched in a face of the glass panel straddles the upper edge of the "panel I0 and is as by a sand blast. The rays'of light which secured to the panel by a bolt M passing through enter the upper edge of the glass at greater than the panel at a point spaced from its edge and 10 the critical angle of reflection are confined withfixed in each arm of the U -shapedst rip i3. in the surfaces of the glass and are caught by A'light chamber 20 is supported upon the upthe etched symbols making the sign stand out per edge portion of the panel wand comprises clearly against the transparency of the glass. 9. frame having end blocks 2! each provided with In the hanging type of edge illuminated signs a groove 23 formed in its bottom edge. The end 15 afllm of dirt quickly collects upon the upper edge member 2| are provided with vertical ribs 9 proof the glass panel through which the light rays jecting laterally from each of their front and must pass to illuminate the sign. Heretofore, back faces intermediate their ends mid are'consuch signs have been so constructed that it was nected by spaced channel members 24 and 25,

diilicult, and in many cases impossible, to clean the ends of which fit the portions of the blocks 20 the lighted edge of the glass panel without unbetween the faces thereof and the groove in the hanging or disassembling the sign. For this bottom surfaces and abut the ribs 9. The chanreason the upper edge of the glass panel seldom nel members are secured to the end members 2| was cleaned and, consequently, the emciency of by screws 26. Each of the end blocks 2| also 25 the sign rapidly decreased. is provided with a vertical passage 2 through 25 It is an object of the present invention to inwhich one of the U-shaped metal strips i3 procrease the efliclency of a sign of this general jects. character so as to maintain maximum illumina- A double electric lainpsocket '30 rests upon tion of the etched symbols atall times. the channel members 26 and 25 so as to straddle 30 It is a further object of the invention to prothe space therebetween and is held securely in 30 vide a sign construction in which the light source this position by a metal band 3! extending over is readily available for replacement without-dis-= the socket 30 and held at its ends by bolts Bland mantling the sign. 33 secured to the channel members 24 and 25,

The invention will be more clearly understood respectively.' Electric light bulbs 35 and 36 fit 35 from the following description in conjunction opposite ends of the socket 30 and are positioned 35 with the accompanying drawings: in which, closetothe upper edge of the anel i0.- -O'ne Fig. l is a front elevational view of a sign emof the end blocks ii is provided with a longibodying the invention: tudinal passage 39 to receive an electrical con- Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. I with parts of duit 43 for supplying electric energy to the socket the sign spaced apart; 30. An inverted U-shaped cover 31 extends'be- 40 Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationalview of a portween the ribs 9 of the end blocks 2! and rests tion of the sign; upon the latter so as 'to enclose. the lamps 35 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one end and 36 and the channel members 32 and 33. The of the sign with one of the parts removed; cover 31 is provided with a plurality of openings 45 Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken upon 38 in its top surface to provide an outlet for 45 the lines '5-5 and 6-6 of Figs. 1 and, 3, respecheat developed by the bulbs 35 and 36. tively; y In the sign construction described the light Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a modified sign chamber 20 is supported upon the top edge porconstruction; tion of the glass panel l0 and may be raised 5 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational above the panel by sliding along the guides proview of a portion of the sign illustrated in Fig. 7; vided by the U-shaped metal strips l3 and the and spaced chains II as indicated in Fig. 2.. When Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken upon the light chamber 20 is in the position indicated the lines 9-9 and l0lll of Figs. '7 and 8, respecin Fig. 2 the top edge of the panel 20 may be as tively. l 1 I readily cleaned and the light chamber 20 may ii 7 Q I I then be returned to its operative position upon the top edge of the panel as indicated in Fig. 1. This permits the frequent cleaning of the top edge of the panel 10 without unhanging or disassembling the sign. Furthermore, the structure permits ready access to the light chamber for the purpose of replacing the bulbs 35 and 36 by merely lifting the cover 31.

For larger signs, the construction illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 is preferred. In this construction a glass panel 45 is fitted in a frame com prising vertical channel members 41 which are secured at their lower ends to the ends of a horizontal channel 48 by bolts 49. The channel members 4'! and 48 are provided with felt runners 50 and 5! respectively for receiving the edges of the panel 45 to hold the panel firmly without danger of breakage. The channel members 4'! extend above the top edge of the panel 45 and each has a bolt 53 secured in its upper ed e as by being embedded in solder. A chain 54 connected to an eye bolt 55 at its lower end is connected to each of the bolts 53 by a turn buckle 56. g

A light chamber is arranged to rest upon the upper edge of the panel 45 and comprises spaced end members 2! which may be formed as a metal casting having spaced parallel walls 58 extending longitudinally inward intermediate the front and back edges of the end members. Each of the end members 2| also is provided with a front platform 59 and a back platform 60 extending laterally outward from the spaced walls 58 and longitudinally beyond the walls 58. The end members 2| are connected by spaced channel members GI and 52, the channel members 6| extending between the platforms 60 and the channel member 62 extending between the platforms 59 and being secured thereto by screws 63. Front and rear panels 54 and 55 respectively extend between and are secured to the end members by welding. A removable cover 65 also is provided for enclosing the top of the light chamber 20' and is provided with down-turned flanges 61 adapted to rest upon shoulders 68 formed upon the front and rear panels 64 and 65 which are shaped to conform to the front and rear portions of the end members 2i. Electric light bulb sockets 10 rest upon and straddle the space between the channel members 5| and 62 and are held in position by a metal band H passing over the same and secured at its ends ,by bolts 12 fixed in the channel members 6| and 62.

The space between the plates 58 of the end members 2| provides a passage for the projecting upper ends of the channel members M so as to permit the sockets iii to engage the upper edge of the panel 45 and support thelight chamber 2|. Thus, in this construction also the light chamber may be raised from its normal position upon the upper edge portion of the glass panel to the position as indicated in Fig. 8 so as to permit ready cleaning of the upper edge of the panel 45. So also the cover 56 may be readily removed to permit access to the interior of the light chamber 20' to permit replacement of the light bulb in the sockets Ill.

The construction of the invention permits the top edge of the glass panel to be cleaned as frequently as required and the light bulbs to be replaced without dismantling or unhanging the sign. Inasmuch as the light chamber may be readily removed from the glass panel these two parts may be separately packed for shipment and easily assembled for use and the danger of breakage during transit is greatly reduced.

I claim:

1. An edge illuminated sign comprising a transparent panel, a frame provided with a slot to receive the top edge of the panel and adapted to 0 rest upon said panel solely by the action of gravity, said frame having a pair of vertical passages communicating with said slot, a socket for an electric light bulb carried by said frame, and means for suspending said panel from above said frame including a pair of members secured to said panel and projecting through said slot into said passages whereby said members serve as guides permitting said frame to be raised oil said panel topermit the top edge of the latter to be maintained free from light obstructing material.

2. An edge illuminated sign comprising a transparent panel, a frame provided with a slot to receive the top edge of the panel and adapted to rest upon said panel solely by the action of gravity, said frame having a pair of vertical passages communicating with said slot, a socket for an electric light bulb carried by said frame, and means for suspending said panel from above said frame including a pair of members secured to said panel and projecting through said slot into said passages whereby said members serve as guides permitting said frame to be raised off said panel to permit the top edge of the latter to be amaintained free from light obstructing material, said frame having a top cover movable to permit access to said bulb when said frame is resting upon the top edge of said panel.

THOMAS J. D. FULLER, JR.

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