US2539095A

US2539095A - Sign letter

Info

Publication number: US2539095A
Application number: US1784A
Authority: US
Inventors: John B Mcmath
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-01-12
Filing date: 1948-01-12
Publication date: 1951-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-23

Description

Jan. 23, 1951 J B, MCMAT'H 2,539,095

SIGN LETTER Filed Jan. l2, 1948 ci@ g /ff Vfw W 3mm 2 John B. MCA/10H7 www@ Patented jan. 23, 1951 UNITED `S'I`A'1`ES .PATEN T OFFICE A Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in sign letters and methods for producing the same.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved metal, fabricated letter particularly adapted to be coated with a glaze or vitreous material.

Another' object of the invention is to provide an improved method of fabricating and coating a sign letter wherein sharp bending of the sheet metal is avoided.

An important object of the invention is to provide a method and letter, whereby elec-tric spot welding maybe applied to join the parts and the welds substantially concealed; such a method and letter avoiding edge welds and providing smoother edge joints.

A further object of the `invention is to provide an improved method and letter which while including welding of the parts does not depend solely upon such Welding to hold the parts in their related positions.

Still another object of the invention Vis to provide a method and letter, whereby the raw edges of the sheets or strips are more adequately covered and protected and water leaks to the interior of the letter, are materially reduced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and letter, whereby expansion, shifting or distortion ofthe elements, during a high temperature coating, maybe compensated without rendering the letter commercially objectionable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and letter, whereby the letter is reinforced and is less likely to distort or lose its desired configuration, although sufficient thermal expansion and shifting is provided to compensate the reaction of the sheet metal when subjected to relatively high temperatures.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a block letter with the lower extremities in transverse section, made in accordance with the invention and prior to coating,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view through one of the sections or members of the uncoated letter, and

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a slightly modified letter.

By way of explanation and illustration of the invention, the letter R has been chosen with `the understanding that the invention is applicable to all letters, numerals and other block structures or shapes fabricated of sheet metal and generally coated with a nishing material, such as porcelain enamel or other vitreous or siliceous compositions, usually applied by baking or firing.

In the drawing, the numeral lil designates a block letter which is preferably formed of sheet metal. In general, each letter or shape includes, upright or vertical side walls l l, a bottom l2 and a countersunk or inset face or stroke piece or strip I3, each of which members or elements may be made in one or more pieces, according to the contours or configurations which are involved.

Usually the face strip I3 is made of a single piece of ilat sheet metal, properly cut or shaped to establish the desired contour or conguration and the bottom l2 is made likewise, except of greater width and length. The side walls Il are formed of one or more metal strips and where two or more strips are employed, their upright ends are abutted or joined so as to form continuous side walls. Since the side wall structure is the same, whether short or long or curved, a description of any one member will suice for all.

Each side wall section, a section being any one of the members, such as the loop A or the leg B, comprises an upright metal strip I-i having an inturned lateral or horizontal flange i5 along its bottom edge and a raw upper edge i8. The flanges l5 of opposite walls overlie the bottom l2, which latter has its outer edges terminating flush with the outer faces of the side walls and is secured to said flanges by bolts Il' or other fastenings.

The face strip is supported and secured by upright hanger strips i8, hanging fiat against the upper inner faces of the side strips it. Each hanger strip has a laterally directed flange 59 along its lower edge, such flanges being directed inwardly of the letter section and supporting the face strip E3, which has its longitudinal edges abutting or adjacent the hanger strips. The upper longitudinal edge portion of the hanger strip is bent or folded to form a longitudinal hanger 20, which has an inverted U-shape in cross-sec-1 tion, so as to hook on or snugly receive the upper edge it of the side strip I4.

The metal of the hanger is folded so that the space in the hanger is substantially the same in width as the strip Ul, whereby a relatively tight t of the strip in the hanger is had. rhis structure assures an eflicient joint and at the same time avoids bending the sheet metal upon itself and creating a bend score or a relatively sharp edge along the longitudinal top of the hanger, as well as not weakening the structure to the extent that would occur with a sharp bend. Further, the longitudinal top of the hanger being comparatively wider and more gradually curved, a better foundation for the coating, will be provided.

In order to fasten the parts in position, spot welding is employed. Spot welds are applied at the points indicated by the numerals 2| and 22, respectively. It will be observed that these welds are not applied at the edges of any of the strips or parts. The welds 2l are between the fiat bottom of the face strip I3 and the flanges i9, while the welds 22 are between the fiat medial portion of each hanger strip i8 and the side strip i4. The welds are spaced longitudinal of the correlated parts.

From the foregoing it is obvious that when the letter is subjected to baking or firing heat, of the order of 1300 to 1600 F., thermal expansion may take place and even though some of the welds break loose, the parts would remain in place due to the construction. t would be possible in some instances to omit the welds 22 and depend upon other fasteners or the clamping engagement of the hanger 20 over the edge i6 to hold the parts together.

When the fabrication of the letter is completed, said letter is coated in the usual manner with porcelain enamel or other vitreous or siliceous compositions and then fired or baked. The hanger strip I8 provides a rigid reinforcing alongl the contours of the letter and makes ele-c ric spot welding practical. rThe flanges I5 provide adequate supports for the face strip i3, which latter is, in no instance, entirely dependent upon the welds to hold it in place. Due to the structure, the welds may be spaced at greater distances than would otherwise be necessary and thus, the number of welds for a given letter is f greatly reduced. By placing the welds at points spaced from the edges and between the iiat surfaces of strips or pieces, such welds are substantially concealed and do not mar the edges of said strips or pieces.

In Fig. 3, a slightly modified construction is shown and includes an identical bottom 23 and stroke or face strip 2.@ and similar side walls 25 and hanger strips 25. Inturned flanges 2l are formed along the lower longitudinal edge portion of the side walls 2:'2 so as to overlie the bottom 23, while the hanger strips 26 have similar flangesvZS for supporting 'the stroke 2. A hanger 29, similar to the hanger is formed on each side wall by bending its upper longitudinal edge portion upon itself. The upper edge portion of the strip 2E engages within the hanger 29. The parts may be welded together in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with similar elements in the other figures of the drawings.

The foregoingdescription of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a block letter including, a pair of side walls disposed in spaced relationship each having at least one raw edge, separate hanger strips engaged on the raw edges of the side walls overhanging the inner faces of said walls, inwardly directed flanges along the inner longitudinal portions of the hanger'strips, a face piece tting between the hanger strips and engaging the flanges, spaced fastenings between the face piece and the flanges, and a continuous vitreous coating uniting the hanger strip with the side walls and with the face piece and extending over the walls, the face piece and the hanger strips.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a block letter including, a pair of side walls disposed in spaced relationship, separate hanger strips engaged with the side wall and overhanging the inner faces of said walls, inwardly directed flanges along the inner longitudinal portions of the hanger strips, a face piece tting between the hanger strips and engaging the flanges, spaced fastenings between the face piece and the anges and between the hanger strips and the side walls, and a continuous vitreous coating uniting the hanger strip with the side walls and with the face piece and extending over the walls, the face piece and the hanger strips.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of, a face piece having opposed raw edges, side wall pieces bounding the raw edges of the face piece and having raw edges, hanger strips hung on the raw edges of the side wall v pieces therebetween and having supports for the face piece, whereby said face piece is supported between the hanger strips, the face piece being inset with respect to the raw edges of the side wall pieces, electric spot welds between the face piece and the hanger supports, said welds being spaced from each other and spaced from the edges of the face piece and the strip.

4. A device of the class described including, oppositely spaced side walls each having at least one raw edge, hanger strips each having along one longitudinal margin an inverted U-shaped hanger engaged over the raw edge of one of the side walls, a face strip disposed between the hanger strips inwardly of the hangers thereof, supports for the face strip carried by the hanger strips, spot welds between the face strip and the hanger supports, other spot welds between the hanger strips and the side walls, and a continuous vitreous coating extending over the side walls and the strips.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, with inwardly directed flanges along the longitudinal edge portions of the side walls opposite their raw edges, and a bottom strip secured to side wall flanges.

JOHN B. MCMATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 10,871 Weller et al Oct. 15, 1878 2,070,478 Fortunato et al. Feb. 9, 1937 2,141,955 Lang Dec. 27, 1938