US2275934A - Novelty sign - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1942. s, F, ARBUCKLE 2,275,934

NOVELTY SIGN Filed April 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l .k 7 INVENTOR zwuell firiuclla 42 4/ BY March 10, 1942. s. F; ARBUCKLE 2,275,934

NOVELTY S IGN Filed April 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11v VEN TOR 540711.22 7F flrlucile.

Tram/E155.

March 1942- s. F. ARBUCKLE 2,27 ,93

NOVELTY SIGN Filed April 9, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 iii-E INVENTOR Samuel Fflr/ zzrilg.

A TTORNE Y5- Patented Mar. 10, 1942 T FFHC NOVELTY SIGN Samuel F. Arbuckle, Highland Park, Mich., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to S. F. Arbuckle Management Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application April 9, 1937, Serial No. 135,845

2 Claims.

My invention relates to signs and particularly to a method of constructing signs which provides a predetermined area of reflected light.

A metal indicium for reflecting light in a predetermined area from reflecting surfaces which were formed thereon and joined by smooth curves has been described and claimed in the patent to G. H. Coulter and myself, No. 2,004,181, issued June 11, 1935, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this construction a sheet of material was preformed in dies or rolls to provide frusto pyramidal projections thereon, disposed in rows and joined by smooth curved surfaces. Light impinging from a source upon such reflecting surfaces was directed into a predetermined area to provide a band of light which was visible to the observer as he passed therethrough or to provide a visible band as the sign or the source of light was moved relative to the observer.

In practicing my present invention, I construct a sign from a sheet of pliable material covered with a metal foil which is shaped to have the reflecting surfaces, by passing the composite sheet through rolls or by pressing the sheet between a pair of dies. The entire sheet may be covered in this manner with the reflecting surfaces and may thereafter be formed into an indicium, or the indicium itself may be stamped from the sheet. Plastic material may be employed on which a sheet of foil is disposed and rolled or pressed to provide the proper reflecting contours to the foil surface. Sheets of the material may be formed on paper and provided in rolls which may be out into an indicium or which may have a sheet containing cutout portions disposed thereover to have the cutout portions reflecting. Signs for billboards may be constructed having the desired reflecting indicia thereon and furnished in rolls to be pasted directly to the face of the board.

The indicia having the reflecting surfaces made in this manner from foil may be coated with a waterproof lacquer so that the surfaces will retain their reflecting properties and may be employed out of doors. The foil may be stained to provide a color to the reflected light, and the sign may be suspended so that it will vibrate with a slight jar, or the agitation of the air, to cause the fluttering of the reflected light. The sign is preferably suspended in front of ablack background to have the support invisible.

Accordingly, the main objects of my invention are; to construct reflecting material from a sheet having a metal foil secured thereto and formed to provide reflecting surfaces; to form a sheet having a metal foil surface to provide reflecting impressions and depressions which reflect the impinging rays of light into a predetermined zone; to place a sheet of metal foil over a plastic substance and form the substance and foil into a plurality of reflecting surfaces which reflect light into a predetermined area; to apply a water-proof coating to a foil surface to permit the use of such surface out of doors; to stain the surface of a reflecting indicium to have the impinging white light reflected in the color of said stain; to form sheet material with reflecting surfaces and cover said surface with a mat having cutout portions through which the reflecting surfaces are visible; to provide a built-up sign from sheet material having indicia thereon, some of which are reflecting, to be used on the face of the billboard; to suspend an indicium on a support which permits vibration of said indicium; and in general to construct a sign or indicium having surfaces which reflect impinging light in a predetermined area, which may be employed in signs for indoorand outdoor use.

Other objects and features of novelty of my invention will be either specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of my invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an indicium having reflecting surfaces embodying features of my invention;

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a structure illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the line 2-2 thereof; I v

Fig. 3 illustrates one form of construction of the material employed in the indicium illustrated in Fig. 1;

.Fig. 4 illustrates another form which may be employed for constructing thev material upon which the reflecting surfaces are formed;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, showing another form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4 showing another form that my invention may assume;

Fig. '7 is a view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6, after an indicium is formed therein;

Fig. 8 is a view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7, after the mat about the formed indicium has been removed;

Fig. 9 is a view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 8 after the mat over the indicium has been removed;

Fig. 10 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 7, showing another form thereof;

Fig. 11 is a view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, with a decorative coating applied thereto;

Fig. 12 is a viewof the structure illustrated in Fig. 11, after the mat and coating has been removed from the indicium;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the complete sign illustrated in part in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of structure, showing a further application of my invention to signs;

Fig. 15 is a View of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. l, showing a further form thereof;

Fig. 16 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 15, showing a further form which my invention may assume;

Fig. 17 is a view in side elevation of a sign and a method of mounting embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of structure, showing a modified form which my invention may assume;

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 18, taken on the line Iii-19 thereof;

Fig. 20 is a sectional View of the structure illustrated in Fig. 18, taken on the line 28-40 thereof;

Fig. 21 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 18, showing a modified form thereof;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 21, taken on the line 22--22 thereof;

Fig. 23 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 21, showing a further form thereof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 23, taken on the line 24-44 thereof;

Fig. 25 is a plan view of a billboard upon which an indicium embodying my invention may be secured;

Fig. 26 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 25, taken on the line 2626 thereof;

Fig. 27 is a view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 26 after reflecting surfaces have been formed thereon;

Fig. 28 is a view of a portion of the billboard illustrated in Fig. 24 with reflecting indicium secured thereto;

Fig. 29 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2'7 showing a modified form thereof, and

Fig. 30 is a view of an indicium suspended before a black background to provide a novel 1ighting effect thereto embodying a further feature of my invention.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated an indicium forme as the letter R, having its surfaces reflecting in a manner conforming to that set forth and claimed in my above mentioned patent. Rows 3i] and 3| of arcuate shape form reflecting surfaces 38 which are flattened at the top providing rounded apices 36. Light from a source impinging upon the surfaces is reflected in overlapping bands in a zone of predetermined width and breadth; The area of the zone is regulated by the size and height of the arcuate surfaces forming the rows 36 and 3! and may be varied in width and breadth. Preferably the width of the area is of greater dimension than the height, otherwise a material amount of the impinging rays would be reflected over the head of an observer. As an observer moves through such an area, the reflected light will encompass the observer and provide a panoramic effect simultaneously to the indicia. Similarly if the indicium or the source of light is moved, the same panoramic effect will obtain relative to the observer. In this manner, a series of the indicia will reflect simultaneously into the common zone and the entire indicia will be visible to the observer who is within the zone. When straight prisms or similar fiat surfaces are employed without being joined by smooth curved surfaces, light is reflected as from flat surfaces and concentration or continuous band is thereby provided. Indicia with such reflecting surfaces, illuminated from a single source would not reflect light into a predetermined area and only portions of the indicia would be'visible to an observer.v When such structures are used, a plurality of sources of light are usually employed in an attempt to provide illumination of the entire indicia.

While in the above mentioned patent the indicia were formed in metal through a stamping or rolling process, the present method extends the invention by forming the illuminated areas in various other materials. Applicant has par ticularly in mind the fabrication of an indicium from materials such as paper or cardboard having a thin metal foil disposed thereon. The assembled sheet is provided with the reflecting areas by rolls or by dies in a pressing operation.

In Figs. 2 and 1, I have illustrated a section of the material embodying a cardboard 35 having a layer of adhesive 38 thereon which retains a layer of foil 31 secured to the cardboard, the foil having a water-proofing layer 38 which may be colored or transparent lacquer. The cardboard 35 is constructed of fibers in such a manner as to receive and retain the impression from a roller or die to produce the undulation therein, preferably of a shape and form as specified hereinabove. In Fig. 4, I have illustrated the assembled material before the forming operation which resulted in the structure illustrated in Fig. 2. The indicium made from the material will refiect light into a predetermined area and will be protected from tarnishing by the water-proofing layer 38 so that the fabricated material may be employed out of doors.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated the layer of adhesive 36 securing the layer of foil 38 to a backing element 33 of paper, all of which form a thin paper-like assembly which may be provided in rolls from which indicia may be cut or stamped. Such rolls may be'employed to cover an area such as the walls of a room, a ceiling, the face of a billboard or the like. It is to be understood that the material in Fig. 3 is pressed between dies or rolls to provide undulation in the surfaces, preferably of the shape above pointed out.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a further form which my invention may assume, that of disposing a layer of plastic material 4| on the siu'face of abacking element 42,which may be paper, cardboard, the face of a billboard or building, and dispose thereover a layer of the metal foil 37. By employing a pressing or rolling operation to produce the undulation 33 in the assembly, the material M will assume the shape of such undulations and will then hardento provide a support to the foil 31. A layer of protective coating 38 may bethen disposed over the surface of the foil to protect it'against'the weather and provide a surface which may be readily cleaned.

In Figs. 6, '7, 8 and 9, I have shown another form which my invention may assume. In this instance a backing element 42 of metal, cardboard, paper or the like, has a layer of foil 31 secured thereto or secured over plastic material 4| thereon by an adhesive 36. A sheet of material, such as paper 43, is then secured to the foil by an adhesive 44 which is preferably latex or similar substance which permits the sheet 43 to be removed from the foil surface without destroying the reflecting properties of the surface. This assembled structure is then formed to have reflecting surfaces over predetermined areas preferably in the form of an indicium either by forming the backing element as in Fig. 2 or from the hardenable substance 41 as explained relative to Fig. 5. Paint, ink or the like is then applied to the surface to provide a decoration and/or additional indicium thereto.

When an indicium is stamped in the assembled element, the sheet material 43 is preferably sheared at the edge of the indicium and the border material about the indicium is removed. Paint may then be sprayed over the foil surface and the remaining portion of the sheet material 43 covering the indicium. The layer of paper 43 may be removed thereafter from the indicium having the reflecting areas and the latex or other material adhering thereto may be removed by a solvent. The resulting sign is illustrated in Fig. 9 wherein the area 45 about the indicium 46 has been sprayed with paint leaving the indicium 46 reflecting.

InFigs. 10, 11 and 12, I have shown a similar construction wherein the paint 4? is sprayed over the entire sheet 43. The portion of the sheet over I the indicium 45 is then removed to uncover the reflecting surface of the indicium. It is to be understood that the reflecting surfaces 46, which are exposed after the paper 43 has been removed, may be lacquered or otherwise protected from the elements.

In Figs. 13 and 1'7, I have illustrated a sign 56 having a plurality of indicia 5| embossed thereon. The base 52 of the sign is preferably made of cardboard such as 35 having the indicia 5| pressed outwardly therefrom with the foil reflecting surface disposed thereover. The base 52 exposed about the indicia 5| may be the front surface of the cardboard with the foil removed, or may be any surface as above described relative to Figs. 6 to 12 inclusive. It is also within the purview of my invention to provide a backing element or base plate 53 of metal, as illustrated in Fig. 14. The indicium 54 may also be of metal having its back surfaces coated with a suitable adhesive for securing the indicium to the base plate 53..

In Fig. 15, I have illustrated a backing element 55 which may be ofcardboard, metal or paper having a decorated face 60, on the surface of which the indicium of foil or metal 56 is secured by an adhesive material 36. The material 36 may be a hardenable plastic substance which, through a pressing or rolling operation i deformed to have the reflecting areas 33 formed on the surface of the indicium.

In Fig. 16, I have shown a similar structure to that illustrated in Fig. 15 with the exception that the layer 38 of water-proofing material has been disposed over the metal foil. This layer may be placed upon the foil before or after the pressing or rolling operation to form the reflecting areas,

and it is to be understood that a sheetof Cellophane may be secured to the foil to provide the necessary protective coating.

Referring again to Fig. 17, I have illustrated the sign 50 as being mounted on a plurality of springs 51 to provide vibration for the sign, Any vibration of the support for the spring causes a vibration of the sign and a resulting flicker to the reflected light which attracts the eye of an observer. Positive means such as a motor, fan or the like may be employed to provide the desired vibration to the sign to attract an observers attention.

In Figs. 18, 19 and 20, I have shown another form which my reflecting areas may assume. A plurality of semi-spherical segments 58 are formed in a sheet of material in a manner'as above described. The segments 58 present smooth arcuate faces for receiving and reflecting light. From left to right as viewed in the fig ure, the segments 58 have an arcuate form 59 which are joined by a concave arcuate portion 6|. All of the impinging rays falling upon the arcuate surfaces 59 and 6| will be reflected into a zone of predetermined width providing a continuous band of light therein. In viewing the formations 58 from top to bottom of the sheet as illustrated in Fig. 20, the end portions 62 are truncated, having the sides disposed perpendicularly and joined with a surface 63 to provide reflecting areas which direct the impinging rays of light into a zone of less breadth than the width produced by the longer arcuate surfaces 59 as Viewed in Fig, 19. As a result, the height of the area in which the reflecting rays are directed is materially less than the width thereof. In this manner the reflected light will be disposed in a rectangular area providing a greater length of vision to a passing observer while retaining the same intensity by eliminating the wasted reflected rays which would otherwise pass over the observers head.

In Figs. 21 and 22, I have illustrated a plurality of arcuate surfaces which are joined together to provide rows of convex and concave reflecting areas. The material disposed between the dies and pressed therebetween will provide the sinuous form. The area of reflected light from such surfaces may be controlled by properly selecting the radius of the arc and relating the radius to the height of the are 66. By reducing the radius or the height of the are or both, the area of reflected light is likewise reduced and a greater concentration of the impinging rays of light is reflected into the area selected. I have in mind employing arcs having a radius as small as 1 6 of an inch or less and having a height of are less than 3 g of an inch. It is to be understood however that larger radius and heights of arc may be employed for the larger signs.

In Figs. 23 and 24, I have shown a further form which my invention may assume, that of employing concave arcuate surfaces 69 which are joined by convexly shaped portions H. These may .be disposed adjacent to each other as illustrated in 23 or may be spaced to increase the effective reflecting'area of the surfaces H by increasing the arc thereof. Whenever the are H is increased to equal that of the arc 69, surfaces as above described relative to Figs. 20 and 21 will then be provided. In any of the figures it is to be understood that the pressing or rolling operation may be preformed directly on a metal sheet or on the fabricated sheet more specifically pointed out hereinabove.

In Fig. 25, I have illustrated a billboard or other similar sign 13 having a central portion 14 which is to be provided with indicia which reflect light in accordance with my invention. InFig. 26, I have illustrated a paper backing element 15 covered with foil 16 having reflecting areas 33 which is secured to the face of the board by paste in a well known manner. The foil having the reflecting surfaces is preferably waterproofed with Cellophane, lacquer or other protective material so as to retain its brilliancy under changing atmospheric conditions. Itis to be understood, however, that when desirable the lacquer may be applied to the face of the letters after the roll of material has been secured to the board face.

In Figs. 27, 28 and 29, I have showna further form which my invention may assume, that of applying the hardenable plastic :material 43 to the face of the board and applying the foil directly thereover and through a pressing or, preferably, a rolling operation form the plastic material and foil into reflecting areas 33. Blanked out sheets 11 may then be placed over the foil and a protective layer 18 of Cellophane, varnish, I

lacquer or the like then applied over the ass'embled elements. Separate indicium such as the letters D, O, D, G, E, and the'like may be provided flat and pasted or otherwise secured to the face of the sign or billboard. Indicia or a single indicium may be provided also in rolls and applied to the billboard or sign in a well known manner.

Referring to Fig. 30 I have shown a further novel arrangement of my indicium. A reflecting may be provided to cause the indicium to swing on its support and thereby provide a twinkling light which will immediately attract an cbservers attention.

In all of the various constructions, it is to be understood that the fabricated elements may be provided in sheets to the trade to be employed on the walls or ceiling of rooms and the like, to cut into indicium or to be covered by a sheet having blanked out indicia. The reflecting areas may be water-proofed by a transparent substance such as lacquer, Cellophane or the like and coloring matter may be added thereto to provide colored reflected light to an observer. The indicium formed in this manner has the desirable feature of reflecting all of the impinging light rays into a restricted area which has been predetermined.

While I have described and illustrated various embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to thos skilled in the art that various changes, emissions, additions, and substitutions may be made th'erein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. A reflecting element including, in combination, a base member, a plastic substance on the surface of said base member, a foil sheet disposed on said plastic substance, a plurality of embossed areas formed in said foil and plastic substance, and a transparent protective coating on said embossed foil areas.

2. A reflecting element including, in combination,,a base member, a plastic substance on the surface of the base member, a foil sheet disposed on said lastic substance, an opaque mat applied to said foil, embossed areas in the shape of an indicium formed in said assembled mat, foil, and plastic material, the portion of the mat covering said indicium being removed to expose the embossed foil areas in the shape of said indicium. SAMUEL F. ARBUCKLE.

Images