US2282079A

US2282079A - Light reflecting sign

Info

Publication number: US2282079A
Application number: US364765A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Morehead
Original assignee: SINCLAIR GLASS Co
Current assignee: SINCLAIR GLASS Co
Priority date: 1940-11-08
Filing date: 1940-11-08
Publication date: 1942-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 1959-05-05

Description

May 5, 1942. J. A. MOREHEAD LIGHT REFLECTING SIGN Filed Nov. 8, 1940 ZNVENTOR.

I .721/755 A- WEE/154D f v f A 7702M? K5 of light are so diffused that Patented May 5, 1942 LIGHT REFLECTIN G SIGN. James A. Morehead, Huntington, W. Va., assignor to Sinclair Glass Company, corporation of West Virginia Ceredo, W. Va., 3.

Application November 8, 1940, Serial No. 364,765

2 Claims.

This invention relates to signs and more specifically to improvements in glass signs provided with raised indicia on the forward face and a plurality of light reflecting elements on the rear face thereof.

In the type of signs employed heretofore, to indicate the address of a house or the name of a person residing therein, a source of artificial light has been disposed within or in back of the sign for illuminating the characters formed on the forward face thereof. With this type of sign it is essential that there be a continuous ray of light which not only is expensive but entails the replacement of burnt out light bulbs.

Furthermore, in signs having raised characters molded on one face with reflecting elements on the opposed face thereof, the raised characters or indici'a have been so formed as to present a blurred or hazy appearance when illuminated by a ray of light. This is especially true when an angular beam of light is directed upon a sign having a number of raised characters thereon, in that the reflected rays the sign may not be legible. The indiscernibleness of the sign results from the merging or flowing together of the oblique rays of light emanating from the different characters, thus a clear and concise outline of the sign is not obtainable.

The present invention is directed to a glass sign or plate having integrally formed on one face thereof raised characters or indicia which are provided with inclined sides that merge with the base of the sign. The inclined sides and base of the sign are covered with a substance that is impervious to rays of light, while the top surface of the raised indici'a is free to transmit rays of light directed thereupon. The opposed face of the sign has a recessed portion formed therein, that is complemental to the base of the raised indicia, and which is preferably pebbled with a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces. Thus, any ray of light directed toward the sign of the present invention will be reflected through the top surface of the raised indicia in such a manner as to present a clear outline of the indicia.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a light transmitting sign having raised indicia on the forward face thereof with an opaque coating covering all of the forward face except the outlined top of the indicia, while the rear face of the sign is pebbled with a plurality of light reflecting surfaces for reflecting 55 rays of light back through the top of said indicia.

Another object of, the invention is to provide a light reflecting structure embodying a pebbled surface on one side thereof and a raised indicia on the opposed side with an opaque coating covering the last named side and terminating at the edge of the raised indicia for reducing the net area of the outline of the in- To dicia while increasing the area of reflecting surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light reflecting structure comprising a plurality of plates having nonreflecting beveled side edges thereon with raised indicia formed on the forward face thereof, said nonreflecting beveled edgesadapted to overlap edges on adjacent plates and for absorbing any and all rays of light directed thereupon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light reflecting structure that is especially adapted for illumination from the side as that in which the structure is observed and which is neat in appearance, economic of man-- ufacture and easily assembled.

'- trated:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the sign embodied in the present invention showing a plurality of plates each having nonreflecting beveled edges thereon; a

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the sign showingthe raised indicia on the forward face with a light reflecting, pebbled recessed portion on the rear .face thereof, the section being taken on a plane indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the rear face of one of the plates of the sign disclosed in Fig. 1, showing the recess therein with a portion there of formed with light reflecting surfaces; and

Fig. 4 is a modification of one of the signs disclosed in Fig. 1, showing a metallic covering or mask extending over the forward face of the sign.

. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the Sign embodiesa plurality of separate rectangular glass plates Ill having parallel beveled side edges l l which are adapted to engage complemental surfaces provided on the adjacent plate or plates. A suit able holder, not shown, formed with channel shaped top and bottom edges is preferably employed for the assembling of the plates I with the beveled edges ll of adjacent plates overlapping one another. In certain instances it may be desirable to arrange the plates l0 within a vertical holder in which case the top and bottom edges of the plates may be beveled with the beveled top edge of one plate overlapping the beveled bottom edge of the adjacent plate.

The glass plates [0 have formed on one face thereof contemporaneous the molding thereof a raised character or indicia I2 which is provided with a flat top surface 13. The raised, indicia I2 are provided with inclined sides M, Fig. 2, which merge with the surface l3 and the forward face of the glass plate Ill, so that the net area of the top surface of the raised indicia is. materially reduced as compared with the area of the base of the indicia. Formed in the rear face l5 of each glass plate In there is a recessed portion [6 which is of complemental configuration to the base of the raised indicia l2. The recessed portion I6 is preferably pebbled with a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces l8 which are formed thereon contemporaneous the molding of the glass plate [0 and the raised indicia l2.

As shown in Fig. 2 the inclined sides M of the raised indicia, the forward and rear face-s and beveled edges ll of the glass plate III are covered with a coating 11 which is impervious to rays of light. The coating I! may be any opaque substance, such, as a paint, enamel, black japan or lacquer. The rear face [5 of the glass plate may be covered with the opaque coating l1, however, the coating of the forward face is deemed sufficient to prevent the penetration of light rays through the glass plate. The coating of the glass signs may be performed in a number of different ways. It will be observed that by whatever means the whole upper surface is covered, the outline of the raised indicia will be clearly formed by simply wiping the paint or the like from the top surface thereof prior to the drying or baking of the coated plates.

In the use of the light reflecting sign a plurality of the coated glass plates Ill is secured in a suitable holder or frame with contiguous beveled edges ll disposed in intimate engagement as shown in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the forward face of the plates H3, with the exception of the top surface 13, is impervious to light, the only portion of a beam of light susceptible of being transmitted through the glass plate will be directed through the top surface 13 of the raised indicia whereupon it will strike the reflecting surfaces l8. Upon striking the reflecting surfaces IS the rays of light will be reflected back through the top surface I3 of the raised indicia, thus the only light visible to the eye of the observer will emanate from said surface.

As disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, the reflecting surfaces iii are of hemispherical shape. However, it will be readily apparent that the recessed portion l6 may have formed therein light reflecting surfaces of any suitable configuration, such as spherical, ellipsoidal or of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,123,969 to Roy R. Wiley.

The coating of the inclined sides M of the raised indicia with an opaque substance limits the area of diffusion of the reflected rays to the area of the top surface 13 of the raised character or indicia. Thus, the indicia formed on the glass plates will be presented in a clear and concise outline, in that, the coated inclined sides will prevent the sign from having a blurred or hazy appearance which might otherwise result from the flowing together of oblique reflected rays from adjacent indicia. However, if an oblique ray of light is directed upon the sign, a portion of the light will pass under the inclined surface of the raised indicia on the side thereof opposite to that from which the light is directed. By providing the recessed portion IE of the rear face of the plate with a pebbled surface equivalent to the base of the indicia and preferably of a greater area than the top surface thereof, the oblique rays of light flowing through the top surface It will strike the surfaces l8 and be reflected back through the top surface l3 and thus present the indicia in clear outline. This is due to the inclined sides I4 which increase the net area of the reflecting surface 18 while limiting the net area of the top surface of the indicia, thus materially aiding the reflecting qualities of the sign for outlining the raised characters or indicia on the plates 10.

By coating the beveled edges 1 l with an opaque substance the rays of light directed upon the sign are prevented from flowing between adjacent plates thereof, thus the opacity of the sign is maintained in all areas with the exception of the top surface l3 and the reflecting qualities of the sign are not impaired.

The beveling of the edges of the plates l0 greatly facilitates their being assembled within a frame or holder, and the overlapping of the edges of adjacent plates provides for a true and snug fit therebetween. Furthermore, the plates Ill are so formed that a sign may be so arranged that the plates will be disposed back to back, thus rendering the sign legible from either side Without the light reflecting qualities of any of the plates being impaired.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the glass sign or plate I!) has a metallic covering or mask 20 enveloping the forward face and beveled side edges II thereof. The outline of the raised indicia I2 is preferably cut or stamped into the metallic covering in any suitable manner and the top and bottom edges of the covering are preferably flanged or formed with tangs there'- on for attachment to the glass sign or plate Hi. In the cutting or stamping of the metallic covering 20, to produce the outline of the indicia I2 therein, upwardly extending flanges 22 are formed thereon which are adapted to engage the inclined sides M of the raised indicia. The flanges 22 terminate at the edge of the top surface 13 of the indicia so that the net area of the top surface thereof is materially reduced as compared with the area of the base of the indicia. It will be readily apparent that the metallic covering or mask 20 may extend over the rear face I5 of the glass plate Ill, however, the covering of the forward face is deemed sufiicient to prevent the penetration of light rays.

In assembling the modified form of the glass sign or plate In the metallic covering or mask 20 has the outline of the indicia formed therein preferably by a cutting or stamping operation. Subsequent the cutting operation the covering 20 is shaped, in any suitable manner such as by a punch press operation, to form the beveled side edges and flanges 22, while the top and bottom edges thereof are flanged or provided with tangs. The glass plate I0 is then disposed under the metallic covering 20 with the upwardly extending flanges 22 engaging the inclined sides M of the raised indicia l2. Thus with the metallic covering or mask 20 disposed on the glass plate It) a protective shield is provided therefor and the possibility of the plate being broken or damaged is materially reduced. The upwardly extending flanges 22 will prevent oblique reflected rays of light from flowing from the sign so that all reflected rays will be directed through the top surface of the raised indicia and thus present the glass sign in a clear and concise outline.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

Iclaim:

1. A light reflector structure embodying a plate of transparent material, raised indicia formed on the forward face of said plate, inclined sides provided on said indicia, the rear face of said plate having a recessed portion therein complemental to the base of the raised indicia, a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces formed on said plate in the recessed portion, an opaque coating covering the forward face of said plate and terminating at the top of said inclined sides, said light reflecting surfaces disposed under the inclined sides adapted to reflect oblique rays of light transmitted through the top surface of said indicia to increase the area of refleeting surface with respect to the net area of the top surface of the indicia.

2. A sign, embodying a plate of transparent material, beveled edges provided thereon, raised indicia formed on the forward face of said plate, the rear face of said plate having a recessed portion therein complemental to the base of the raised indicia, a plurality of contiguously related light reflecting projections formed on said plate within the recessed portion, an opaque coating covering the beveled edges and forward face of said plate and terminating at the edge of the top surface of the raised indicia, a second plate of transparent material having raised indicia formed on the forward face thereof, one of said beveled edges adapted to engage a complemental surface formed on said second sheet to restrain rays of light from passing therebetween.

JAMES A. MOREHEAD.