US2647848A - Lettering film - Google Patents

Description

4, 1953 o. J. DOUGLAS ETAL 2,647,848

LETTERING-FILMS Filed April 10, 1950 |0""" [NVENTORS DONALD J. DOUGLAS \j PHIL/P 1/. ALM u/sr J5 ROME D. 6/20 v5 A TTO/ENEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LETTERING FILM Application April 10, 1950, Serial No. 155,101

11 Claims.

This invention relates to lettering-films and to the application of such films, in the form of letters, designs and the like, to bare metal and other surfaces. The products of the invention have found particular utility in providing lettering and insignia for the bare metal exterior surfaces of airplanes and for the beaded surfaces of reflex-reflective roadside signs.

Of the previously available means for providing letters and insignia on metal and other surfaces, hand painting and stenciling are perhaps the best known. On metal, the process ordinarily involves extensive preliminary preparation of the surface, including cleaning and priming, followed by application and drying of the paint. The process is time-consuming, particularly since it must be frequently repeated. On glass-beaded reflexreflective signs, hand lettering has been the general rule. The time required for drying of the paint, added to the time required by the artist, makes this procedure slow and costly, particularly since the available paints do not hold up as long as the beaded surface, but must be replaced at least once during the useful outdoor life of the sign.

A particular shortcoming of hand painting methods is that many of the most weather-resistant coating materials do not lend themselves to such systems of application. Some of these materials form extremely viscous and stringy solutions at all useful concentrations. Others require special solvents which must be used under rigidly controlled conditions. Still other materials attain their full weather-resisting qualities only after being heat-treated at high temperatures. In most cases, some sort of priming orundercoating is required, since the most resistant coating materials do not readily adhere to metal, glass, or other surfaces.

One way which has previously been suggested for the rapid application of letters and insignia to various surfaces is by means of printed transfers or decalcomanias. One advantage of such procedure is that the printed material may be produced economically and with exact uniformity from sample to sample. These decals are ordinarily in the form of extremely thin printed films bonded to an overlapping carrier web, from which they are removable on moistening with water or other appropriate solvent. The thin film is then either floated" on to the work-surface, where it adheres by virtue of a soluble adhesive component, or is directly transferred to the work-piece after either the work-piece or the printed film is first coated with a thin layer of adhesive. Varnish is commonly employed in the latter case as the adhesive material. It forms a fully acceptable bond to many painted surfaces; however it does not adhere Well to glass or bare metal. Water-soluble adhesives are undesirable for outdoor application where prolonged weather-resistance is a requirement. Where a liquid adhesive is applied to the work-surface, such as a beaded sign, it invariably extends past the boundaries of the subsequently applied decal film, and thus interferes with reflex-reflection of the underlying beaded surfaces. Large areas, long stripes and the like are not conveniently applied by these prior art methods.

Decalcomanias are customarily prepared by screen-processing, or by direct printing, and these methods are no more applicable to many of the most desirable coating materials than is hand painting.

For these and other reasons, prior art preformed lettering films and decals have not been found satisfactory for such applications as the lettering of reflex-reflective beaded signs, striping of automobile bodies, and the marking of bare,

or sections of the film to bare metal, beaded.

signs, and other work-surfaces to provide weatli er-resistant, abrasion-resistant, long-wearing, firmly bonded letters and other insignia.

cannot be obtained by painting procedures since, in accordance, with the present invention, they are formed of non-paintable polymer material which makes possible the obtaining of the desired properties A related object is to provide The thus applied letters, etc., have a durability that a flexible and conformable lettering-film consisting of a weather-resistant decorative layer and a strong and highly adherent adhesive layer, supported on a temporary carrier web in position for direct application to the work-surface. A further object is the provision of such composite lettering-films in roll or stack form. the film and carrier web being of such nature that the stack may be stamped, sawed, or otherwise formed to provide a large number of letters: or insignia, and such that the individual letters or insignia, together with their individual lightly adherent carrier webs, may then be separated from the stack. The film is of a kind that can be directly applied to the work-surface to become firmly bonded thereto, and the carrier web can be removed without moistening or other treatment. I

Still another object is the provision of a supported composite lettering-filmhavinga decorative, highly weather-resistant formed of a film-forming polymer which in usefully concentrated olution is non-paintable by the ordinary methods of brushing and; screenprocessing.

By a non-paintable solution is meant a liquid which cannot be applied in a single application by brushing, spraying or. screen-processing to clean metal or wood surfaces to form on drying (without heat-treating) a permanently adherent, uniform, smooth-surfaced, durable and weatherresistant dried coating at least about one mil thick. Liquids which string. out badly and leave permanent ridges and irregularities on the surface of the coating are considered non-pai.ntable. Liquids which are so dilute that they require multiple applications to provide a one-mil dried coating are likewise considered non-paintable. Liquids whose air-dried films are easily peeled away from clean paintable surfaces on which formed are non-paintable. Ina general sense, to be paintable a solution must have properties of film formation, flow-out, adhesion to clean work-surfaces, and permanence on airdrying, closely analogous to those of oil or varnish base paints and enamels. We have found that most, if not all, of the more weather-resistant film-forming polymers, in solution form, are non-paintable by such definition, and these materials are not used by sign-painters;

The present invention accomplishes the above and other objects by providing a: productwhich will be more fully described later by means of a number of specific examples, and which is illustrated in the accompanying. drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective a pre-cut stack of letters,

Figure 2 is a section taken at 2-of Figure 1 showing adjacent portions of two layers of the stack of letters of Figure l but on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 3 i a sectional representation of a portion of the lettering film applied to a reflex-reflective beaded surface.

The construction of the lettering-film is represented in Figure 2, which shows in cross-section two consecutive layers of the film with attendant temporary carrier web as taken from the stack 28 of Figure l. The lettering-film it consists of a decorative weather-resistant and abrasion-resistant protective film layer l2 and non-tacky, heat or solvent activatible, water-proof, adhesive layer II. The weather-resistant layer is lightly adhered to one surface l lof the carrier web l3, the opposite surface [5- of which contacts the surface layer 4 adhesive layer I la of the next adjacent letteringfilm Eta in the stack.

The application of the film to a reflex-reflective beaded surface [6 is shown in Figure 3. In removing a ingle letter from the stack 23, separation occurs between the surface l5 of the carrier web l3 and the adhesive surface I la of lettering-film Illa. At the same time the film It remains attached to its carrier i3, and film 19a to its carrier [3a. The detachedsection, consisting of thefilm i0. and carrier i3, is then placed on the beaded surface with the adhesive layer M- contacting such surface, and i heated and pressed into full adhesive contact therewith.

The film I0 is necessarily flexible and easily deformable in order to conform to the beaded surface l6, andiif handled separately in the form of cut-out letters would be easily pulled out of shape and. would be difficult if not impossible to position accurately on the work-surface. The weather-resistant layer is, in some cases, somewhat tacky when heated, and has a tendency to adhere to many surfaces; such adhesion is avoided by thepresence of the treated carrier web. Hence it is desirable, particularly where heat-activation is to be. employed, that the lettering-film remain attached to the carrier until after it i bonded- The same relationships are generally true where the adhesive is solvent-activated. In some cases, however, as where the film is tobe applied asa long stripe along a curved line or in. a larger area over a work-surface having compound curves, the activating solvent is applied to the film while. in place on the carrier, and thefilm is then at least partially stripped from the car rier before applicationto the-work-piece.

Where the lettering-film, with itsattendant.

carrier web, is woundup in roll form, it will beapparent that the same general relationships between adjacent layers still apply. In such case, however, since the film and carrier remain as continuous webs in the roll and during unwind,- ing, there is less likelihood-of the temporary bond between film surface !2 and carrier surface it being broken, and hence the adhesion between adhesive surface Ha and carrier surface l-5-may safely be somewhat higherv thanv in the case of stacks of pre-cut letters as in Figure-1,

The adhesive relationship between the various surfaces within the stack 20 of Figure 1 is-critical to the successful removalof individual units from the stack and the subsequent successful removal of the carrier web from the-individual letter orother segment before orafter bonding tothe work-surface. Over-all adhesion must be sufficient to keep the individual units, together in the stack both before, during and after stamping or cutting into, a specific desired shape. The bond between adjacent units of, the structure must be, and remain, low enough so. that the.

individual units may be separated from the stackwithout. disturbing. the relationshipv between. the.

film and carrier web components of such units, and without delaminating or otherwise interfering with either component. The bond between.

the two component portionsof each unit must,.on

the other hand, be sufficiently high toovercome:

the pull applied in separating the adjacent units, but must be readily broken when it becomes necessary to strip the carrier web from the decorative film, again without delamination or disruption of the film or carrier.v

These several qualifications are attained, and the several objects of the invention accomplished, by means which will now be described in terms of specific but non-limitative examples.

EzrampZeI The carrier web consists of heavy flat paper,

for example having a ream weight of 70 lbs. The paper is coated or sized on one side (the 'face side of the finished web, corresponding to the surface M of Figure 2) with a plasticized heat-advancing amino-aldehyde resin face-size, and on the back side (surface E5 of Figure 2) with a polyethylene resin back-size. Heating of the coated web cures the amino-aldehyde resin and fuses the polyethylene resin into a continuous layer.

The face-size comprises an amino-aldehyde resin solution which is prepared as follows, all parts being by weight unless otherwise specified. To 1000 parts of 37% formaldehyde solution, add concentrated ammonium hydroxide to a pl-I of 7-8. Add 240 parts of urea, and heat the mixture in a suitable kettle at 85 C. for -55 minutes or until the urea is all dissolved. Apply a vacuum and drop the temperature to -60 C., and then add 592 parts of n-butyl alcohol, parts petroleum xylol (or xylol) and 6 parts of orthophosphoric acid. Continue heating and distilling under vacuum, removing the water but returning the organic solvent to the batch. When no more water comes over, cautiously distill out a portion of the solvent, to produce a viscous, clear solution containing about 53% by weight of residual solids as determined by heating a weighed 2-3 gram sample in an open dish at an oven temperature of C. for two hours and weighing the residue. This solution is diluted with n-butyl alcohol to 50% solids content for use. Beetle Resin 227-8 is a commercially available example of such a resin solution, containing 50% of a urea-formaldehyde-butyI alcohol resin in a mixture of three parts of butanol and two parts of Xylol. For best results these resins should have a turbidity value of about 93-98, where turbidity value is the percentage of xylol in a solution brought just to turbidity at 25 C. by adding further xylol to a solution of 10 grams of the 50% resin solution in 75 ml. of xylol.

One part of castor oil is "added to two parts of the resin solution described above, and, shortly before coating, 60 ml. of a 50% solution in butyl alcohol of an acid 'alkyl ester of phosphoric acid is added to each 5 gallons of solution as a catalyst.

The solution is applied to the paper at a wet weight of about 10-13 grains per 25 sq. in., and dried for 10-15 minutes in an oven heated to about 275 F.

The backsize is next applied, and consists of about 6-15 grains per 24 sq. in. of a solution of one part polyethylene resin in two parts of xylol. The coated web is thenheated for about 5 minutes in an oven at 300" E, which completes the cure of the face coat and fuses the back coat into a continuous structure.

In each case, some of the solution penetrates and 'impregnates the paper, but suiiicientsolution remains on the surface to provide apsmooth glossy finish.

The lettering-film is cast from solution directly on to the face side of the carrier web, and in two layers.

The first layer, which becomes the decorative weather-resistant surface film exposed to view in the completed lettered sign, is a pigmented n-butyl methacrylate polymer. The solution is prepared by milling carbon-black pigment into the polymer on a rubber mill, separately dissolving the mill base master-batch and additional polymer in xylol, and combining the two solutions on a paint .mill in the proportions of 97.5 parts total polymer and 2.5 parts pigment. About 20- 24 grains per 24 sq. in of a solution containing 4.5% solids is applied, by means of a spreader bar, in a uniform smooth layer over the face side of the carrier web and dried at moderate tem-, peratures, to provide a decorative layer about one to two mils thick. In general, the thickness of this decorative layer should be at least about one mil, and preferably at least about 1 mils, in order that the lettering-film will not be perforated and torn when pressed on to glass beaded or other irregular surfaces.

The methacrylate polymer solution is viscous and stringy. When spread with a brush, it strings badly, leaving a rough anduneven surface which does not flow out on standing, The dried film does not adhere well to such surfaces as wood, clean metal, glass, or painted wood, but may be peeled away with very little effort. Such a polymer is therefore, in solution form, considered to be non-paintable. However the polymer is very much more resist-ant to weathering and abrasion than such paintable materials as oil paints, varnish base enamels and nitrocellulose lacquers. For example, a beaded reflexreflective outdoor sign lettered with the composite lettering-film here described was still in excellent condition after four years, whereas a similar sign lettered with a high quality black ename1 required re-lettering after only two years. Again, a portion of the lettering-film adhered to a metal panel was still glossy after one pass with a sand blast, and was only slightly roughened after 36 passes, whereas a conventionally applied finish consisting of one prime coat and two surface coats'of baked alkyd resin enamel on a metal panel was completely removed in less than 36 passes, badly penetrated in 1'0 passes, and nonglossy after only one pass 01' the sand blast.

The final layer'consists of the heat or solvent activatible adhesive. The solution employed consists of 100 parts of rubbery butadiene-a-crylonitrile copolymer, 10 parts of zinc oxide, 50 parts Vinsol. Ester Gum (glycerol ester of gasolineinsoluble resinous extract of pine wood), 50 parts heat-advancing 100% phenol-formaldehyde resin compatible with the copolymer, and 7.8 parts of dibutyl phthalate, in 400 parts methyl ethyl ketone. About 30-34 grains per 24 sq. in. of this solution is applied over the dried n-butyl methacrylate film, and dried at moderate temperatures. The resulting surface is temporarily activated at F. to a condition in which it aggressively adheres under pressure to metal, glass, and other surfaces. The total thickness of the two layers is about 3-4 mils.

The composite product may then be wound into rolls or cut into sheets and arranged in stacks, and is ready for use. The stacked sheets may simultaneously becut into units representnalc te js r th i si n a b u h afiew na aermse- 7. or in other ways. The individual units remain together in the stack under ordinary handling, but may be easily removed when required. 'During removal, the film remains attached to the treated face side of the carrier web, with the adhesive surface exposed and ready for activation and application to a work-surface. The film may be firmly and permanently bonded to bare metal surfaces, reflex-reflective beaded surfaces, painted or lacquered surfaces, etc. by pressing thereagainst at a pressure of not more than about -l5 lbs. per sq. in. and at a temperature of about 200 F. The carrier web is then readily stripped from the film, preferably by a sharp jerking motion, leaving the glossy black decorative letter in firmly bonded position on the worksurface.

As an alternative means of bonding the film, the adhesive surface may be activated by lightly moistening with a slow-drying solvent such as cyclohexanone, and by then pressing the activated' film in place and removing the carrierweb. The solvent gradually escapes, and the film remains firmly bonded. For this method, the presence of the carrier web during brush or swab application of the solvent is particularly desirable.

Bonded to the lean but unprimed bare metal exterior surface of an airplane, such films show remarkable weather-resistance and abrasion resistance, remaining well bonded and attractive in appearance long after conventional painted areas have deteriorated.

Example 2 This example employs a different face size coating for the carrier web but is otherwise identical with Example 1.

The face size solution consists of a mixture of 27.3 parts of a 55% solution of an amino-aldehyde-alcohol resin and 142 parts of a 60% solution in a volatile aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent of a drying-oil-modified, glycerol phthalate alkyd resin. The amino-aldehyde-alcohol resin was prepared from melamine, formaldehyde and butyl alcohol by methods substantially identical to those used for the urea-aldehyde-alcohol resin of Example 1. An organic acid phosphate was employed as the catalyst in the solution as applied.

Erample 3 In place of the alkyd resin of Example 2, a slower curing heat-setting oil-modified alkyd resin was used, in this case With the urea-formaldehyde-butanol resin of Example 1, in providing the face size coating of the carrier Web. The proportions were 128.6 parts of a 70% solution of the alkyd resin and parts of a 50% solution of.

the amino-aldehyde-alcohol resin.

Example 4 Ethyl methacrylate polymer was substituted for the n-butyl methacrylate polymer film of the previous examples, with any of a wide variety of pigments being added to provide appropriate color and opacity. Thus, white films were made with titanium dioxide pigment; cadmium selenide and toluidine red pigments provided red films. The particular pigment employed was not observed to have any eifect on the operation of the film. The film is improved when about one-fifth of the ethyl methacrylate polymer is replaced by n-butyl methacrylate polymer.

Mixtures of equal parts of normal butyl methacrylate and isobutyl methacrylate polymers, copolymers of equal parts of n-butyl and isobutyl methacrylates, copolymers of methyl methacrylate and Z-ethylbutyl acrylate, and other mixtures and copolymers having similar hardness values, non-tacky characteristics, etc., have also been substituted for the methacrylate polymer'of Examples l--3.

As with the specific methacrylate polymer of Example 1, these several polymers, copolymers, and mixtures of polymers form non-paintable solutions and cannot effectively be applied by conventional means. However, the polymers are particularly appropriate for use in our novel lettering-film structure, for several reasons. They are outstandingly weather-resistant and abrasion resistant, and retain their smooth, glossy appearance after years of outside exposure. They are also resistant to the solvents employed in the adhesive coating, and do not swell or wrinkle when the adhesive solution is applied during preparation of the supported composite film product.

Example 5 While the specific adhesive described in Example 1 is found to give superior results over a wide range of conditions and is much preferred, nevertheless other adhesive compositions have given good results in a number of' applications. Adhesivesbasedonrubberybutadiene-acrylonitrile polymers and on polychloroprene rubber, in combination with compatible reactive phenolaldehyde resin, and on butadiene-styrene rubbery polymers as well as crude rubber in combination with oil-soluble heat-advancing phenolaldehyde resins, have been so used. One specific example consists essentially of a blend of parts of polychloroprene, 75 parts of heat-advancing 106% phenol-formaldehyde resin, and 25 parts of hard coumarone-indene resin, applied from solution in 350 parts of toluol.

Polyethylene has been used on the carrier web as both face size and back size, in place of the carrier-web structure of Example 1. Films of polyethylene have also been used as the carrier web. In such cases, it is believed that the required differential in adherency. within the stack of sheets is obtained because of the fact that the decorative film. layer I2 is applied to the carrier web from solution, while the adhesive layer H is. pre-dried before it contacts the carrier web.

Cellophane films may be used as carrier webs where theback side of the film is coated with a suitable low-adhesion backsize, the solventdeposited methacrylate films in particular being lightly adherent. to, but readily removed from, the cellophane surface. One advantage of such a construction is the extremely smooth, polished surface obtained on the lettering-film.

Example 6 In this example, a copolymer of equal parts of n-butyl and isobutyl methacrylates was used as the face-size, and polyethylene as the backsize, of the carrier web. The decorative film was constituted of a pigmented heat-curing mixture of alkyd and amino-aldehyde resins, 1.8 mils thick, cured for one hour at 200 F. An adhesive film as in Example 1 completed the structure.

The alkyd resin was a condensation product of phthalic anhydride 35 percent, castor oil fatty acids 45 percent, and glycerine, reacted to an acid number of 4-6, and analyzing 64-66 percent solids in xylol. The amino-aldehyde'resin 9 was a condensation product of melamine, formaldehyde and butyl alcohol, dissolved in a mixture of butyl alcohol and Xylol to a solids content of 55 percent. The two resin solutions were mixed in the ratio of 80:20, with 47 parts of bronze pigment being added.

When completely dry, the lettering-film remained on the carrier web when taken from the roll or stack, but the carrier could be easily stripped away when necessary. The decorative surface was smooth and lustrous. When the same composition was spread in a film and airdried, it did not harden sufficiently, and the surface Was dull in appearance.

Example 7 The carrier web of Example 1 was first coated on the face side with a solution of three parts of a vinyl chloride polymer resin and 2.33 parts of bronze pigment in 17 parts of eyclohexanone, and the film cured for minutes at 150 F. The film was 1.4 mils thick. It was then coated with adhesive as in Example 6.

The vinyl chloride polymer was a product of the copolymerization of about 95 parts of vinyl chloride and 5 parts of diethyl fumarate. It is soluble in strong solvents, e. g. cyclohexanone, only to the extent indicated, and produces a viscous solution which can be spread with a knife in a thick layer but which is non-paintable by brushing, spraying, or screen-processing methods.

Having described various embodiments of our invention for purposes of illustration, but without intent to be limited thereto, what we claim is as follows:

1. A composite supported lettering-film structure as herein described, adapted for storing and for forming into desired shapes while in stack form, with subsequent ready removal 01" individual units therefrom, said structure comprising a thin, flexible and conformable lettering-film temporarily mounted on a unitary carrier sheet, the lettering-film consisting of (l) a decorative weather-resistant film, at least one mil thick, of non-paintable organic polymer material selected from the class consisting of methacrylate polymers vinyl chloride polymers, and a heat-cured blend of alkyd resin and aminoaldehyde resin; and. permanently bonded to one surface of said film, (2) a layer of normally nontacky waterproof adhesive selected from the class consisting of heat-activatible and solventactivatible adhesives and comprising a rubbery polymeric base, a compatible heat-advancing phenol-aldehyde resin, and a compatible thermoplastic tackifier resin; the carrier sheet being temporarily adhered to the other surface of said decorative film and dry-strippable therefrom; said carrier sheet comprising a flexible sheet material each surface of which constitutes a smooth continuous film of a polymer selected from the class consisting of thermoset plasticized amino-aldehyde resin, polyethylene, cellulosic polymer, and methacrylate polymer; the elements of the structure being selected such that the adhesion at normal temperatures of the decorative film to the adjacent surface of the carrier sheet is greater than the adhesion of the adhesive layer to the opposite surface of the carrier sheet.

2. Article of claim 1 in which the surface of the carrier sheet opposite the surface temporarily adhered to the decorative constitutes a continuous film of polyethylene.

3. Article'of claim 1 in which the decorative film is formed of non-paintable material con sisting of a methacrylate polymer.

4. Article of. claim 3 in which the adhesive layer comprises a blend of rubbery butadieneacrylonitrile polymer and tackifier resins including a compatible heat-advancing phenol-formaldehyde resin, said adhesive being temporarily aggressively tacky at ISO-200 F.

5. Article of claim 1' wherein: the decorative= film is formed of non-paintable methacrylate polymer; the adhesive layer, is temporarily ag.-.

gressively'tackyat 180-200" F. and comprises a blend .of rubbery butadiene-acrylonitrile polymer and 'ta'ckifier resins including a compatible heat-advancing 100% phenol-formaldehyde resin; the surface of the carrier sheet temporarily adhered to the decorative film constitutes a continuous film of a thermoset plasticized aminoaldehyde resin; and the opposite surface of the carrier sheet constitutes a continuous film of polyethylene.

6. An article having a surface and, firmly adherently bonded thereto, a decorative and highly weather-resistant lettering-film as defined in claim 1.

7. An article having a. beaded reflex-reflective surface at least partially covered and made nonreflex-reflective by an adherently bonded lettering-film as defined in claim 1.

8. An article having a smooth bare metal surface at least partially covered by an adherently bonded lettering-film as defined in claim 1.

9. An article having a painted surface at least partially covered by an adherently bonded lettering-film as defined in claim 1.

10. A plurality of the composite supported lettering-film structure members of claim 1 in stack form, the adhesive layer of each interior lettering-film of said stack being adhered to the adjacent surface of the carrier sheet of the adjoining member with an adhesion value suflicient to maintain the members removably in stack form, but less than the adhesion value between the decorative film and the adjacent surface of its carrier sheet.

11. A unitary package of lettering-film having a plurality of juxtaposed composite layers lightly and removably adherently bonded together, each of said composite layers consisting of a thin, flexible and conformable continuous letteringfllm temporarily mounted on, and substantially coterminous with, a flexible carrier sheet; said lettering-film comprising (1) a decorative weather-resistant film, at least one mil thick, of non-paintable organic polymer material selected from the class consisting of methacrylate polymers, vinyl chloride polymers, and a heatcured blend of alkyd resin and amino-aldehyde resin; and, permanently bonded to one surface of said film, (2) a layer of normally non-tacky waterproof adhesive selected from the class consisting of heat-activatible and solvent-activatible adhesives and comprising a rubbery polymeric base and a compatible heat-advancing phenolaldehyde resin; said carrier sheet being temporarily adhered to the other surface of said decorative film and dry-strippable therefrom, and comprising a flexible sheet material each surface of which constitutes a smooth continuous film of a flexible waterproof film-forming polymer selected from the class consisting of thermoset plasticized amino-aldehyde resin, polyethylene, 'cellulosic polymer, and methacrylate polymer; and said unitary package being 11 12 further characterized in that the adhesive bond References Cited in the file of this patent at normal 36111119612111.1165 between the decorative 'UNITED STATES PATENTS film and the ad acent surface of the carrier sheet within one said composite layer of said package Number Name Date is greater than the bond between the adhesive 5 2,275,957 101 1942 layer and the opposing surface of the carrier 2,353,717 FranmsFt a1 July 1944 sheet of the next adjacent composite layer of 2,383,884 Palmqulst 1945 said package, to a degree permitting removal of 2394301 Lajws 12, 1946 the outermost of said composite layers from said 21558304 Wlttgren July 1951 package. without disruption of the temporary 10 bond between the carrier-sheet and. the weatherresistant. .film of said outermost composite layer.

DONALD J. DOUGLAS. PHILIP V. PALMQUIST;

JEROME D. GROVE. 15 i

Claims (1)

1. A COMPOSITE SUPPORTED LETTERING-FILM STRUCTURE AS HEREIN DESCRIBED, ADAPTED FOR STORING AND FOR FORMING INTO DESIRED SHAPES WHILE IN STACK FORM, WITH SUBSEQUENT READY REMOVAL OF INDIVIDUAL UNITS THEREFROM, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING A THIN, FLEXIBLE AND CONFORMABLE LETTERING-FILM TEMPORARILY MOUNTED ON A UNITARY CARRIER SHEET, THE LETTERING-FILM CONSISTING OF (1) A DECORATIVE WEATHER-RESISTANT FILM, AT LEAST ONE MIL THICK, OF "NON-PAINTABLE" ORGANIC POLYMER MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF METHACRYLATE POLYMERS VINYL CHLORIDE POLYMERS, AND A HEAT-CURED BLEND OF ALKYLD RESIN AND AMINOALDEHYDE RESIN; AND, PERMANENTLY BONDED TO ONE SURFACE OF SAID FILM, (2) A LAYER OF NORMALLY NONTACKY WATERPROOF ADHESIVE SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HEAT-ACTIVATIBLE AND SOLVENTACTIVATIBLE ADHESIVES AND COMPRISING A RUBBERY POLYMERIC BASE, A COMPATIBLE HEAT-ADVANCING PHENOL-ALDEHYDE RESIN, AND A COMPATIBLE THERMOPLASTIC TACKIFIER RESIN; THE CARRIER SHEET BEING TEMPORARILY ADHERED TO THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID DECORATIVE FILM AND DRY-STRIPPABLE THEREFORM; SAID CARRIER SHEET COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL EACH SURFACE OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A SMOOTH CONTINUOUS FILM OF A POLYMER SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THERMOSET PLASTICIZED AMINO-ALDEHYDE RESIN, POLYETHYLENE, CELLULOSIC POLYMER, AND METHACRYLATE POLYMER; THE ELEMENTS OF THE STRUCTURE BEING SELECTED SUCH THAT THE ADHESION AT NORMAL TEMPERATURES OF THE DECORATIVE FILM TO THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE CARRIER SHEET IS GREATER THAN THE ADHESION OF THE ADHESIVE LAYER TO THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF THE CARRIER SHEET.

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