US2967366A

US2967366A - Name plate assembly

Info

Publication number: US2967366A
Application number: US805829A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto F Colbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-04-13
Filing date: 1959-04-13
Publication date: 1961-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1978-01-10

Description

Jan. 10, 1961 o. F. COLBERT 2,967,366

NAME PLATE ASSEMBLY Filed April 13, 1959 INVENTOR 0770 F C04 55?? BY Q United States Patent NAME PLATE ASSEMBLY Otto F. Colbert, 339 N. Pickering Ave., Whittier, Calif.

Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,629

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-140) This invention relates to a name plate assembly and has for an object to provide a frame provided with a complement of name-designating letters and with novel and improved means for retaining assembly of said frame and letters.

Another object of the invention is to provide friction means for holding a frame backing in letter-retaining position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a name plate that combines inter-engaging means on the frame and letters thereof to retain the letters against displacement in the plane of the frame, and a friction-held backing member to retain rearwardly insertable letters in the frame, thereby providing an integrated assembly 'of frame, letters and backing. i

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes, preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a broken rear view of a name plate according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is an exploded fragmentary sectional view showing details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification.

The present name plate assembly comprises a preferably die-cast frame 5, a complement of letters 6 mounted in said frame, and a backing member 7 to close the back and form a background for the letters. As can be seen,

the device illustrated embodies means 8 for retaining the letters 6 in the frame against lateral shifting after being placed in adjusted position, and means 9 frictionally holding the backing 7 on the frame 5 and retaining the letters 6 against rearward displacement.

The frame 5 comprises ends 10 that are connected, top and bottom, by elongated frame sides 11 to leave the frame with a rectangular opening 12. Said sides 11, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, are formed to have rearwardly-facing rabbets 13 that extend for the entire length of said sides 11. The ends 10 are provided with holes 14 that are countersunk on the outer side for fastener screws that hold the name plate in operative position, as on a wall.

The letters 6 are also preferably die-cast and are of a vertical size to span the height of the frame opening 12, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Said letters are preferice 2 ably of the thickness of the frame ledges 15 or slightly thicker (see Fig. 2). At the opposite ends' of each letter 6 is integrally provided a cleat 16 that extends rearwardly from the letter and outwardly to provide letter-locating engagement with the ledges 15. Thus, the letters together with the cleats 16 thereof have a total thickness 'black finish on the face 20 thereof.

equal to the thickness of the frame 11. It will be clear, then, that a letter with its cleats 16 against the rear faces of the ledges 15 will have the rear faces'17 of said cleats flush or substantially flush with the rear faces 18 of the frame and the rear faces of the letters 6 will be forwardly spaced from the faces :17 and 18.

Regardless of the form of the different letters, the upper and lower cleats 16 are similar in that they extend longitudinally to be approximately at least equal to the width of the letters and preferably somewhat longer, as may be seen in Fig. 1. The letters and their cleats are connected and rendered strong by braces or fins 19 integrally cast with the letters and cleats. seen, said cleats substantially fill the rabbets 13 of the frame for the longitudinal extent of said cleats. The backing 7 comprises a non-metallic plate coinciding in length and height dimensions with the frame 5 and apertured in register with the holes 14. If, for example, the frame and letters were given a polished gold color, a good contrasting background for the letters would be provided by giving said backing 7 a glossy The opposite face of said backing may be dull or otherwise treated. It

-will be seen that the letters are retained in placein the frame by said backing when the latter is placed fiatwise against the rear face 18 of the frame. It will also be seen that the letters themselves are forwardly spaced from the backing, as indicated at 21. A form-retaining yet flexible plastic may be used to form the backing sheet 7.

The means 8 is shown as a series of teeth 22 formed in each frame side 11 and opening as a series of serrations on the rabbets 13. The depth of these preferably triangular teeth is less than the depth of the rabbets, although the same may be formed to the depth of the rabbets. Said teeth 22 define a series of triangular and equally spaced recesses 23, as can best be seen in Fig. l, and the same are in register on opposite sides of the frame opening 12.

Said means 8 further includes triangular projections 24, at least two, on the cleats 16 of each letter, the same being designed to fit two spaced triangular grooves or recesses 23 as illustrated in Fig. I. Said projections 24 are preferably shallower than are the recesses 23, as can be seen from Fig. 2, assuring flatwise contact of the cleats 16 with the ledges 15 and a flush condition at the back of the frame so that the sheet 7 may lie flat against the frame.

It will be clear that, once located in the frame 5, the letters 6 have a definite position from which they cannot shift longitudinally. Any adjustment of position entails rearward displacement of the letters to engage the projections 24 with other recesses 23.

The means 9 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as cast round projections 25 extending from the rear face :18 of the frame and a registering set of holes 26 in the backing sheet 7 of a size to snugly fit said projections to produce friction suflicient to retain assembly of frame 5 and sheet 7. It will be clear that a snap-on engagement is all that is entailed and the assembly may be retained until such time that the name plate is secured in operative position on a wall. The modification of Fig. 4 shows that in addition to or instead of the studs 25 and holes 26, each hole 14 may be provided with a rearwardly ex tending collar 27 and the sheet 7 with a hole to be frictionally fitted by said collar. of course, holes 26 agd As can be 2 may be slightly undersize of the studs or collar over whi'cili they engage, afienaeacebeia 'piscea sa'yremai the plastic material of the slieet.

While the foregoing specification illustrates and dc: scribes what I now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out my'inventiomthe' construction is, of course; subject to modification without departingfrorn the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not desire to restrict the invention to the particular form'of-com s'truction illustrated and described, but desireto cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus describedmy invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters 'Patent' isz' 1. A name plate assembly comprising'a rectangular frame, a complement of letters disposed in'the frame opening with the front faces of the frame and letters substantially flush, the frame being thicker than the letters to form a space between the rear face of the frame and the rear faces of the letters, means integral with the frame and letters to adjustably hold the latter in the frame against longitudinal shifting in the frame, said'latter means on the letters having rear faces that are rearward of the rear faces of the letters and flush with the rear face of the frame, a non-metallic backing sheet coextensive dimensionally with the frame and in flatwise position against the rear face of the frame and engaged with the rear faces of Ietter-hOIding'means cif the letters, and friction means connecting said backing sheet and theframe. i ",2. A name plate assembly according to claim 1, the friction means comprising rearward projections ,on the framefthe backing shee't haying holes tightly receiving said projections. i "3. A name plate assembly according to. claim 1 in which the frame, along the sides thereof, is provided with r'eai'wa'rdly facing'rabbets and the letter-holding means on the letters is disposed in said rabbets, said means thereby, being clear of the frame opening.

4. In a name plate assembly, a rectangular frame having elongated longitudinal sides, a rearwardly facing rabbet along each said side and opening on the frame opening, a series of similar projections along the rear of the mentioned frame side, the same defining a series of similar recesses, said teeth and' recesses being shallower than the depth 'of the rabbets, an elementadapted to span the opening in the frame between said longitudinal frame sides with the fro'nt facesof the frame and element flush, a rearwardly offset cleat on each end of said element of a thickness similar to the depth of the rabbets and fitting into said rabbets with the rear faces of the frame and the cleats flush, and at least two projections on each said cleat and engaged in longitudinally spaced recesses above mentioned, the rear faces of said project ions being flush with therear faces of the cleats, and the thickness of said projections being less than the depth of the recesses whereby clearance between the bottoms of the recesses and the projections results, and a baclging member in flush engagement with thereai" faces of the frame, cleats and extensions of said cleats and in spaced relation to the rear face of the mentioned element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UN ED S ATE A N S