US2674821A - Illuminated numeral sign - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1954 F. sHElNBART ILLUMINATED NUMERAL SIGN @Filed March 9, 1949 JNVENTOR. n SHEANBART HARRY F.

Fm. A ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 13,1954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates, as indicated, to illuminated numeral signs.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a sign of the character described, which is neat and attractive in appearance, and which can be manufactured in commercially desirable quantities at low cost, and from readily available materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign of the character described, which consists of a minimum number of easily assembled parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign of the character described, which is readily adapted for installation in and around entrance doorways, with a minimum expenditure of effort and time, and without the necessity of drilling holes in or otherwise marring or defacing the residence or other structure on which the Sign is to be used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sign of the character described, in which the numerals are interchangeable, and which, as a whole, is rust and corrosion proof, is fireproof, and can be easily cleaned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an illuminated numeral sign embodying the principal features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the sign, with portions thereof removed to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modification of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, the illuminated numeral sign will be seen to comprise a housing, generally indicated by reference numeral I, made in a single piece from an opaque plastic, and consisting of a top 2, ends 3 and 4, back 5 and front 6, the intersecting edges of these component parts of the housing being smoothly rounded at their exterior surfaces, as at 'I.

The front 6 of the housing is provided with spaced openings 3, of generally rectangular form, through which the numerals 3 forming the house number may be easily seen. These numerals may either be painted on rectangular plates IB of a translucent plastic, or may be formed integrally with the plates or may be embedded in the plates. 1n any event, the plates, by preference, will be of a light color or white, andthe numerals, of a dark color in sharp contrast to the plate, and opaque, a solid black being most desirable.

The openings 8 will preferably be deiined at the corners with gusset-like portions I I, so as to permit the width of the ribs I2 between the openings 8 to be reduced as'much as possibleto provide greater visibility, while retaining adequate strength for the front of the housing.

The front 5, in the molding process, will desirably be molded to provide vertically-extending recesses or grooves I3, which are closed at their upper ends by the top 2, but left open at their lower ends, to permit insertion of the plates I0 into the recesses by a sliding movement.

After all of the numerals constituting the house number have been thus inserted, they are retained in position by means of a closure plate I4. The housing, in the molding process, is desirably molded to provide longitudinally-extending recesses or grooves I5, which are closed at one end by the end 3, Fig. 4, but left open at their opposite ends to permit insertion of the closure plate I4 by a sliding movement. The end 3 is also provided with a recess or groove I5 (Fig. 3), which is coplanar with the grooves I5 and receives the end of the plate I4.

The plate I4 thus serves not only to retain the plates I0, but alsoas a bottom for the housing.

The closure plate I4 may either be made of an opague plastic, such as that from which the housing is molded, or of a translucent or transparent plastic, so as to permit light rays to shine therethrough and illuminate the front steps or entrance areaway of the home.

The top 2 of the housing is provided with a central opening I6 (Fig. 3) for the flange Il of a porcelain retainer member I8, which is threadedly secured to a metallic bulb socket I9 which depends from a porcelain cap 20. The cap 2t! carries a short length 2I of electric wiring cord to which a plug 22 is attached. The cap 20 serves also to clamp to the upper surface of the top 2 of the housing the base flange 23 of an adaptor 24, which may be attached to a portion of the lamp housing which is usually suspended over the entrance doorway of a residence, or at the side of the entrance doorway. The plug 22 is utilized for attachment to the lamp socket of said lamp housing, and the socket i9 is adapted to receive a lamp bulb for illuminating the sign numbers.

If desired, the adaptor may be mounted on the back 5 of the housing, instead of on the top, as when the sign is to be mounted on a fixture which projects directly from a Vertical wall surface. Inthe latter event, the adaptor 24 may, in some instances, be dispensed with, and the cap 29 disposed in the wall opening, after removal of the xture. It will also be desirable, in the latter case, to provide the back 5 with spaced openings for screws, whereby the sign may be attached directly to a vertical wall surface.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modification of the invention, in which the housing is molded to provide inwardly extending ribs 2l at all four corners thereof, which ribs extend the full height of the housing. These ribs have threaded openings 25 in their lower ends, for the reception of screws 26 which serve to secure a bottom closure plate I4 to the housing. This plate functions in the same manner as the plate I4, that is to say, it not only retains the plates I9 in position, but also acts as a bottom for the housing.

It is understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An illuminated numeral sign of the character described, comprising a housing consisting of a top, front wall, back and ends, said front wall having spaced openings, said front Wall being also provided with vertically extending grooves adacent said openings, numeral bearing plates slidably received in said grooves through the bottoms of said grooves, said plates being visible through said openings, said numeral bearing plates being slidable by gravity from said grooves, ii unsupported, and a closure plate removably secured to said housing and constituting a bottom for said housing, said closure plate retaining said numeral bearing plates in said grooves and against possibility of sliding out of said grooves, said closure plate being slidable relatively to said housing and being removable endwise from the housing.

2. A Sign, as defined in claim 1, in which said front wall, back and one end wall are provided with grooves for receiving said closure plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 933,946 Stafford Feb. 14, 1911 997,960 Briggs July 15, 1911 1,5044328 De Beamer Aug. 5, 1924 1,568,630 Shearer Jan. 5, 1926 1,866,135 Spiel July 5, 1932 1,898,463 Nulsen Feb. 21, 1933 2,976,081 Gottlieb Apr. 6, 1937 2,099,446 Lockert Nov. 16, 1937 2,137,106 Baldauf Nov. 15, 1938 2,319,621 McLaughlin' May 18, 1943

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