US2642686A

US2642686A - Interchangeable letter sign

Info

Publication number: US2642686A
Application number: US87092A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack W E Simpson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-04-12
Filing date: 1949-04-12
Publication date: 1953-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-23

Description

June 23, 1953 J. w. E. SIMPSON 2,642,685

- INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER SIGN Filed April 12, 1 949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. J3me W5. J/MPsa/v Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,642,686

INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER SIGN Jack W. E. Simpson, Richmond, Va. I Application April 12, 1949, Serial No. 87,092

1 Claim. (01. 40-443) This invention relates to a sign and supporting means therefor and a method of locating and mountingthe same.

Three dimensional signs have come into quite general use in recent years because of their obvious impressive and striking appearance as distinguished from conventional signs painted on fiat surfaces. These signs have been largely of two general types, namely, track mounted and free standing. The former embodies supporting tracks or brackets extending throughout the length of the sign to which the individual letters or other characters are secured. These tracks can be readily mounted horizontally or in other desired positions according to the nature of the sign-andsimplify themounting and supporting of the letters or other characters. The tracks, of course, are visible, and are inclined to detract somewhat from the sign as well as to add to the cost thereof.

Free standing signs, of course, are capable of use only where there is a supporting ledge or other surface over which the sign characters may be arranged. The proper alignment and general arrangement of the sign characters also involves no particular problem in free standing signs, it being relatively easy, for example, to support all of the sign characters the same distance above a horizontal ledge so that the characters are properly aligned.

The use of individually mounted sign characters is highly desirable for two reasons. first place, the supporting means thereforoan be made substantially invisible, thus adding to the attractiveness of the sign. In the second place, the supporting devices for individually supported sign characters are cheaper to manufacture and easier to handle than the supporting means for track mounted-signs. "However, the use of individually supported sign characters introduces a substantial difliculty in the proper locating of the sign characters, it being necessary to individually locate each sign character, which cannot readily be done by the average mechanic.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel third type of three dimensional sign, namely, individually mounted sign characters, each of which has itsown-supporting means associated therewith. v 1

A further object is to provide a highly simplified type of sign or sign character supporting means which may be quickly and economically placed in position and Whereinthe sign characters are readily removable for the purpose of Inthe V curatelyspotted by the use of a simple template.

A further object is to provide a novel sign character mounting of the type referred to wherein the -dislodgementof the sign characters is prevented while at the same time permit ing easy removal of'the characters.

A further object is to provide a novel method or laying out the arrangement of the characters of a sign relative to each other to facilitate the application of the sign adjacent the surface with respect to which it is to be supported.

A further object is to provide a novel'method 0f the character referred to wherein a template for determining the mounting of the Sign characters may be shipped along with the latter and the supporting means therefor, and wherein the acter and supporting means therefor shown in its mounted-position with respect to a supporting surface,

Figure 2. is a sectional view taken vertically parallel to and just rearwardly of the sign character, the latter being shown in construction lines,

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 2, I

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of one of the hangers, Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of a template adapted for use with the particular character shown in Figures 1 and 2 for spotting the supporting means,

Figure 6 is a plan view of a work table showing one step in themethod of laying out the complete sign template, Figure 'I is a similar view showing the template completed,

Figure 8 is a face view of the sign template arranged in'position onthe sign supporting surface, a sign to be mounted being indicated in broken lines on the template, and

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the work table showing the sign template and an individual character template in working position thereon.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral iii designates a sign character shown in the present instance as the letter R, It will be obvious, of course, that the mounting means described below is applicable to any letter, number, or other sign character. In accordance with conventional practice in this type of sign, the charactersare relatively thick and preferably formed of a series of wood laminations I I (Figure 3) the letters being out from plywood having waterproof bonding between the laminations. Obviously, the characters may be made of plastic or any other suitable material.

plates the inclusion in such package of a template through the use of which the completed Si n may be quickly and accurately placed in pos t o In this connection, it is pointed out that in.

, The present invention eliminates all diiiiculties of At a plurality of spaced points-on the back face I of each character is arranged a plurality of character to limit the threaded depth of penetrationof the threaded ends l4 into the character so that the downturned inner ends IS on each hanger will lie in a common vertical plane Dar-'- allel to the plane of the rear face of the character.

Each downturned end I'Sis adapted for insertion in .an opening l8 formed in the horizontal arm of a small angular supporting bracket 9. The vertical arm of each bracket is apertured as at for the insertion of a wood screw 2! or any other suitable securing element.

Each depending end 16 has its lower extremity rounded as at 24 and vertically split as at 25. The purpose of this construction Wi1l1be referred to later. v

The supporting means for the sign characters is extremely simple in construction andeconomi cal to manufacture, and'the supporting elements for each letter may be located relative toeach other very easily in accordance with the practice,

, is provided preferably with an upper opening 27 and a pair of lower openings 28 corresponding in position to the desired location of the shanks [3 of the'hangers' l2, an'd also corresponding inarrangement to the desired locations of the fastene ing elements 2|, as furtherdescribed below. 'It will be obvious that each individual character is provided with a corresponding template, and the number and arrangement of the openings in each 7 plates 26 will be placed in position by a skilled sign mechanic with the'proper spacing between template will depend upon'the type and size of each character. At least three openings are em this character involved in the erection of the Sign.

' Referring to Figure 6, the numeral 32 desi nates awork table of substantial length on the top of which is fixed a positioning guide 33 having a horizontal flange 34 fixed to the top of t worktable. The positioning guide further in cludes an inwardly extending horizontal flange 35 spaced slightly above the surface of the table as clearly shown in Figure 9.

A sign template 38 of flexible material such as heavy paper is arranged on the table top in the manner shown in Figures 6, '7 and 9. The material for the sign template may be in roll formand a sufficient length of the material is unrolled, according to the approximate length of the sign, the strip torn from the roll preferably being sub stantially longer than necessary. .This sheet is arranged on the table top and one edge is slid beneath the flange 35. The free edge.39 of the positioning guide is straight and accordingly forms a straight edge for locatingthe bottom edges of the sign characters. In general, it may be stated that the totallength of a sign,- in inches,

will be the product of the height ofthe sign letters in inches and thenumber of letters in the sign. The sign outlined inFigure 6 contains five letters and assuming that the letters are six inches in height, the total length of the sign will be approximately thirty inches. This length, or any other length in accordance with particular conditions, having been determined, the template 38 will be marked with two vertical lines 40 and H. The

character template 26 for the first letter of the sign, "R. in this case, will be arranged with its left hand edge coincident with the line 48. A template 26 for the last letter, O in this case,

will be arranged with its right hand limit coincident with the line 4|. These templates will be vertically arranged with the bottoms thereof in contact with the edge 39, and the remaining temthe letters. These letters or other characters having been located, a suitable implement will be employed for punching openings 42 (Figure 7) in p the template sheet 38. After all of these openings have been punched fora given sign, the template is completed and ready for use. I

ing position against the back faces of the indi vidual character It, and marks are placed on the backsof the characters through the openings 2? and 2 8 to locate the centers for the shanks I3 of the hangers- Preferably, these marks are made with a pointed instrument to provide an indentation sufficiently deep to start the threads I4 when the hangers l2- are to be attached to the'characters. The hangers [2 may be attached to the characters at the factory, but preferably are placed in a bag or separate package to be shipped in the package or box' with the characters to make up the complete sign. In this way, the characters will not require nearly as much space The individual templates are placed in register and the resultant package 'willbe smaller and capable of shipment at'a minimum freight rate.

In the package or-box in which shipment is made, there will be included brackets i9 and fastening elements 2! at least equal in number to the number of hangers E2 to be, used cn the sign.

The package also will include the complete template 38, and the package as thus received by the local installer will contain everything necessary for completing the sign. h v

The package may be directly carried by themstaller to the building onwhich the sign is to be placed. The complete template 38 will be placed against the surface to carry the sign, for example against the brick wall indicated in Figure 8 by the numeral 45. The top or bottom edge of the complete template may be lined up with a horizontal mortar joint of a brick or similar masonry wall, or it may be otherwise arranged level if the sign is to be horizontal. The space between the lines 49 and All is then centered with respect to the space which is to carry the sign, or otherwise horizontally located. The complete template is then supported in position by any suitable means, and most conveniently by strips 36 of adhesive tape, as shown in Figure 8. A punch then may be used through each of the openings 42 to locate the centers to receive the fastening elements 2! for the brackets. In the case of a masonry wall, it will be necessary to use a suitable implement such as a stone drill to drill openings corresponding in position to the openings 52. These openings may be drilled with respect to all of the individual openings 42 before removing the complete template 38, or the positions of the openings may be marked with a center punch, whereupon the template 38 may be removed and openings drilled at the marked points. Where the sign is to be attached to a wood surface, it merely will be necessary to mark the surface through each opening 42, whereupon the template 38 may be pulled from the supporting surface.

As a result of the foregoing step, the surface to support the sign will bear a mark or opening to receive each of the fastening elements 2|. It is not even necessary for the operator to bear in mind what sign characters are to be placed in position, it merely being necessary for him to ap ply a fastening element 2| through the aperture 20 of a bracket l9 and screw or otherwise secure the fastening element to the supporting structure at each mark. When this has been done, there will be a bracket arranged exactly in the correct location to receive a depending end of a hanger I2 secured to the proper letter,

It will be apparent that the marks, dents, or openings made in the back faces of the letters at the factory will exactly coincide in arrangement with the openings marked by means of the template 38. An operator will then attach one of the hangers to each of the marks on each letter, whereupon the sign is ready for assembly. In the present case, the three hangers attached to the letter R will exactly coincide with the first three marked openings in the supporting structure, starting from the left in Figure 8. The operator will merely place the lower extremities of the depending ends it of the hangers for the letter R over the apertures it of the corresponding brackets and move the letter directly downwardly. Each hanger will then engage its bracket as shown in Figure 3. The. same procedure is followed for each of the letters and regardless of the positions of the hangers on each letter, the. proper brackets will be correctly placed to receive the depending ends of the hangers.

Thus it will be" apparent that practically all measurements are eliminated from the 'work of the installer, it"merely being necessary to place the template 38 as a single entity in the proper position on the supporting surface. Regardless of the number of letters or characters on'the sign, the exact location for the brackets [9 will be readily determinable without any skill on the part of the installer. Obviously, the letters of the sign need not be horizontally arranged, nor need the sign be limited to a single line of letters or characters. Almost without regard to the type of sign, a single template 38 serves to locate all of the component parts of the sign. If desired, of course, a sheet template 38 may be used for each individual word of any other group of characters forming part of the finished sign. The present invention thus renders it practicable to make any sign complete at a central factory and to ship it as a packaged unit with all of the articles necessary for the complete location and erection of the sign by relatively unskilled labor, it being unnecessary for the installer to understand anything about the arranging of the sign elements in order to perform a perfect job of installation. The present invention thus permits the economical manufactureo-f signs at a central plant on a real production basis, thus permitting the effecting of economies in manufacture. Moreover, the simple elements employed for supporting the characters likewise facilitate economical manufacture, and the supporting elements being arranged rearwardly of the sign characters permit the use of a sign in which the supporting means is substantially invisible.

It requires a direct lifting force to remove any letter or character from its supporting means. To positively prevent accidental dislodgement, the split ends of the hangers are spread slightly as shown in Figure 2 so that the lower extremities of the ends It are slightly larger in one transverse dimension than the diameter of each opening l8. Thus the sign characters are positively prevented from becoming accidentally dislodged.

However, if it is desired'to remove the sign characters, forexample for the purpose of repainting them or painting the supporting surface over which they are arranged, a reasonable exertion of upward force .will dislodge each sign character. The characters are readily replaceable in the manner previouslyv described, the rounding of the extremities of the depending ends l6 facilitating the insertion of the ends 16 in the apertures I8 of the brackets.

I claim:

In a sign including a three dimensional character formed of penetrable material, the improvement comprising a plurality of hangers fixed to the rear side of ,said character, each hanger having a horizontal threaded end threaded into said character from the rear side thereof, a collar spaced from such end to each hanger to limit the depth of penetration of said threaded end into said character, each hanger having its opposite end depending substantially vertically at a point spaced from said collar, the distance from the collar to the depending end of each hanger being identical whereby, when all of said'hangers are threaded into said character with the collars thereof contacting with the rear face of said character, all of said depending ends will lie in a single vertical plane, and brackets corresponding in number and arrangement to said hangers and secured against the supporting structure, each bracket having a horizontalportion provided with a vertical opening to receive the depending end of one of said hangers,.each such depending end being split to be spread to prevent upward displacement of said character except by the use of force, and each such depending end being rounded at its lower extremity whereby, after said depending ends have been 10 removed from said openings, said rounded ends while seated in said openings, upon the applica- 8' 7 tion of downward vertcial force, will contract said split ends for're-insertion in said openings.

JACK W. E. SIMPSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 842,933 Bement Feb. 5, 1907 947,377 De Puy Jan. 25, 1910 1,822,265 Babcock' Sept. 8, 1931 2,284,626 Adler June 2, 1942