US2243764A

US2243764A - Ornament

Info

Publication number: US2243764A
Application number: US342147A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Wilber B Miles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-06-24
Filing date: 1940-06-24
Publication date: 1941-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-27

Description

May 27,1941. w. B. MILES,- JR

ORNAMENT Filed June 24, 1940 2:222:22:IIZIIJ- ATTORNEYS WITNESS Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,243,764 ORNAMENT Wilber 3-. Miles, J12; Milesburg, Pa. Application June 24, 1940, seal No. 342,147 2 Claims. (c1. 41- 10') The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ornaments and more particularly to ornaments to be used in the decoration of a Christmas tree.

Anobject of the invention is to provide an ornament in simulation of a star having a multiplicity of simulated rays; projecting from the body of the star, the star. body and rays. having been coated with a luminous substance so as to be readily visible in a darkened room.

Another object, of the invention resides in the provision of an ornament having the above characteristics in which novel means is provided for supporting the radially projecting simulating rays.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ornament in simulation of a star having radiant qualities but which does not rel-y upon electrical means for operation thereby rendering the ornament useful in various localities where electricity is not available. I

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be here inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingd-rawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. H

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing whereinv like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an ornamental star embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof illustrating one means of supporting the radially extending rays from the star body.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of a modified form of means for supporting the radially extending rays,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the modified form 7 shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a further modified form of the invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the form of the invention shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the ornament which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 simulates a star and includes a body H from which project the star points I2. The body H may be formed of paper, wood, metal or other desirable material and is preferably formed by a stamping process. The front face of the body is coated with aluminous substance l3 of the type which will fluoresce when exposed to light rays, it being understood that the luminous substance absorbs the light and that the brilliance thereof when viewed in" the dark depends upon theamount of light exposure and the brilliance of thelight It is a feature of the present invention to have a multiplicity of members extendingradially of the body to depict lightv rays.- such as wouldbe seen emanating from a star. One form of the invention comprises the use of a meta-blinks disc l4 attached. to. the rear face of the star body I l and held thereon by means of a screw or the like l5; The disc M isformed with a plurality of diverging recesses, l6 of a size to retain the light ray depicting members I-l, said members radiating from the central portion; of the rear faceof the body as more clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. As more particularly shown in Figure 1- of thedrawing, the ray members ll are of unequal length and are also coated with a luminous substance 1-3 of the type present on the body I;|. During the fabrication of the ornament, it is preferred that the ray members I! be coated with unequal amounts of luminous substance and; light treatment, for rendering certain of the my members more fluorescent than others which will materially add to the attractiveness of the ornament. h v

It will also be observed in Figure 1 of the drawing that there is an absence of the luminous mixture at the spaces marked B between the edge of the star bod'y and outward along each ray member. This absence of the luminous mixture makes the rays appear to be independent of or separate from the star body itself when viewed in a darkened room.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, there is shown a modified form of means for attaching the ray members to the star body, said means comprising a disc l9 having a multiplicity of openings 20 communicating with the peripheral surface of the disc l9 and extending radially from the center thereof. The disc I9 is attached by means of a screw or the like to the central portion of the rear face of the star body and the ray members are held within the openings 2'!) for radial projection from said disc.

In Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing, the body of the star-shaped formation is indicated by the reference numeral 2! and it will be noted that said body is formed with a plurality of openings 22 for receiving the ray members and for supporting the same radially of the body. In this form of the invention, the ray members are supported without the use of auxiliary means such as the discs previously described.

As afore indicated, the body H and ray members ll are coated with a luminous mixture and said mixture may consist of 19 parts of luminous calcium sulphide, 4% parts of barium sulphate, 18 parts of varnish and a coloring matter added thereto such as French ultramarine color, cobalt color, violet lake color, zinc oxide, barium chromate, and realgar. The above proportions are by weight and the coloring material used depends upon the color desired for the finished ornament. Like other luminous objects, the ornament i is exposed to light and then displayed in a darkened room or the like. It has been found in'actual practice that if the ornament is exposed to light for approximately or 20 seconds and then observed in a darkened room, it will not be immediately visible but within a very short time it begins to appear and gradually increases in brilliance. If exposed to light for two or three minutes, it becomes almost immediately visible in the dark. However, the action or movement of the simulated star is best observed when it is not too bright or when a position is taken a sufficient distance from the star so that it appears to be slightly dimmed. Then by looking directly at the star body and then to the left of the star for a distance equal to its width, then to the right of the star for an equal distance, then back to the body of the star, it will be observed that the rays begin to apparently move with the side rays moving upwardly and downwardly and the upper and lower rays appearing and fading out alternately and that light sometimes appears to leap from beyond the ends of the members. While this action is going on, if the eyes are permitted to return to the star proper, it will be observed that sometimes the star itself will have seemed to disappear and at other times ithas reappeared. This optical illusion is caused by the manner of applying the luminous mixture to the ornament as well as the amount of light exposure, after coating,

It is preferred, although not essential, that the points 23 and 24 of the star body ll be longer than the other three points of the star. It is this feature which makes the light appear at times to leap beyond the actual ends of the ray members.

Unequality of light treatment also aids the action of the star as, for instance, when the body of the star is exposed to the close up glare of a flashlight or the like for a few moments andthe ray members treated in the same manner, but irregularly and unequally on each member, certain of the ray members are caused to appear more luminous than other of the ray members.

An ornament as embodied in the present invention has numerous uses but particularly as a novelty for Christmas trees. When used as an ornament for the tree and with the tree in a darkened room, it is readily apparent that the brilliance of the ornament would be visible to anyone entering the room. By treating the ornament at different times with varying amounts of light or by making different arrangements of ray members in the holder, different actions of the star can be obtained affording endless entertainment in the home.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornament of the character described comprising, a substantially star-shaped body, the front face thereof being coated with a luminous substance, a disc attached to the rear face of said body, a plurality of members projecting radially of said body and supported within said disc, said members being coated with a luminous substance, whereby said body and members will appear illuminated in a darkened room with said members giving the appearance of rays radiating from the star body.

2. An ornament of the character described comprising, a substantially star-shaped body, the front face thereof being coated with a luminous substance, a disc attached to the rear face of said body, a plurality of members projecting radially of said body and supported within said disc, a portion only of said members being coated with a luminous substance with the area of said members adjacent the-edges of said body being free of coating whereby said body and members will appear illuminated in a darkened room with said members giving the appearance of rays radiating from the star body.

WILBER B. MILES, JR.