US3563835A

US3563835A - Stained glass assembly

Info

Publication number: US3563835A
Application number: US851619A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Nussbaum; Berney Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-08-20
Filing date: 1969-08-20
Publication date: 1971-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-16

Abstract

AN ASSEMBLY OF STAINED GLASS PIECES HAVING THE TRADITIONAL HAND-CRAFTED APPEARANCE OF INDIVIDUAL LEADING ABOUT EACH PIECE, SUCH APPEARANCE BEING SIMULATED BY A BASE DELINEATED INTO SHAPED AREAS BY FLAT STRIPS, THOSE STRIPS OF THE COVER EVEN CONTAINING MOCK SOLDERING DEPOSITS. THIS RESULTS IN A REALISTIC HAND-CRAFTED APPEARANCE WHICH NORMALLY IS OBTAINABLE ONLY AFTER TEDIOUS EFFORT BUT WHICH IS ACTUALLY OBTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT INVENTION IN A FACILITATED, SIMPLE PROCEDURE.

Description

United States Patent Oifice 3,563,835 STAINED GLA S ASSEMBLY John Nussbaum, 6505 79th St., Middle Village, N.Y.

11379, and Berney Harris III, 348 E. 78th St., New

York, NY. 10021 Filed Aug. 20, 1969, Ser. No. 851,619 Int. Cl. B44f 1/08 US. Cl. 16118 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An assembly of stained glass pieces having the traditional hand-crafted appearance of individual leading about each piece, such appearance being simulated by a base delineated into shaped areas by flat strips, those strips of the cover even containing mock soldering deposits. This results in a realistic hand-crafted appearance which normally is obtainable only after tedious effort but which is actually obtained in accordance with the present invention in a facilitated, simple procedure.

The present invention relates to the handling and assembling of stained glass, and more particularly to improvements in achieving a stained glass assembly while retaining a commercially desirable, traditional hand-crafted appearance in the completed assembly.

The esthetic appeal of stained glass has resulted in the extensive use of this material for religious window construction, art objects, and'similar uses. As generally understood, the different shapes of stained glass are first wrapped in lead stripping which is soft enough to conform in shape to the contour of the glass and then the wrapped pieces are soldered together into a final assembly. Not only does the final assembly display the beauty of the stained glass but the use of leading over the many years has additionally provided a characteristic and distinctive hand-crafted appearance to the resulting product. Prior to the present invention, it has not been possible to modernize the handling and preparation of the stained glass into useful, esthetic objects without significantly detracting from its characteristic and distinctive appearance.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved stained glass assembly having a construction and procedure for assembling overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a stained glass assembly which, on general inspection, is similar to stained glass objects which are prepared by the conventional, tedious method.

A stained glass assembly demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes use of a base and cover which cooperate to bound an internal compartment in which the various pieces of stained glass are positioned and effectively held in place. The cover in addition to being attached to the base by being soldered along confronting portions of the rims of the cover and base also has mock solder deposits at strategic locations on its outwardly facing surface which effectively gives a simulated appearance of a hand-crafted stained glass assembly.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a base member of the assembly hereof, in which portions of the glass havev been omitted to better illustrate structural features of the base member;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cover member of the assembly hereof;

3,563,835 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 FIG. 3 is a partial plan view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which stained glass shapes are positioned within the base member hereof;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, in section taken along line 44 of FIG. 3, illustrating further structural features which facilitate the assembly of the stained glass shapes within the base member;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, in section, taken along line 55 of FIG. 2, illustrating structural features of the cover member;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the completed stained glass assembly; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, in section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing further structural features of the assembly.

Reference is now made to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 6 which illustrates a completed stained glass assembly, generally designated 10, in accordance with the present invention. The individual parts of assembly 10 include different shapes of stained glass, as exemplified by the two different sizes of

arcuate shapes

12 and 14 and the central glass panel 16 having a surface ornamentation thereon, in addition to the traditional coloration which characterizes stained glass. Assembly 10 also includes holding means for the stained glass shapes which, in accordance with the present invention, accurately simulates conventional leading which usually is placed about the border of the stained glass pieces. In the illustrated embodiment, this holding means consists of a peripheral rim 18, which of course, bounds the operative extent or area of the assembly. Supported in an extending position internally of the rim 18 are different sizes of glass-supporting strips, individually and collectively designated 20, which delineate the whole of the operative area bounded by the rim 18 into different shaped areas corresponding to the shapes of the

stained glass pieces

12, 14 and 16.

As generally understood, in a. conventional stained glass assembly, the different irregularly shaped pieces of stained glass are individually wrapped in a strip of lead, the lead being soft enough to be hand-conformed in shape to the contour of the glass piece. After these stained glass pieces are so Wrapped, they are joined into an assembly by the soldering of confronting edges of the leading about the glass pieces. In accordance with the present invention, the tedious task of soldering the individually wrapped pieces of stained glass has been eliminated but,. for appearances sake, simulated soldering at the junctures of the various strips 20, as exemplary by juncture 22, nevertheless contains a solder deposit 24 which effectively provides the traditional hand-crafted appearance to the assembly 10. Also avoided by the assembly 10 is the tedious task of individually wrapping each of the stained glass pieces with leading, all as will now be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be understood that assembly 10 includes a base member 26 which, in turn, has an L-shaped rim 28 consisting, as best shown in FIG. 4, of an intersecting vertical wall -30 and a horizontal wall 32. The

walls

30, 32 thus cooperate to define a corner or seat 34- accommodating the outer edge of the arcuate shaped outer stained glass pieces, such as the previously noted

pieces

12, 14. Formel as an integral part of the base 26, in addition to the rim 28, and actually being supported therefrom in an extended position into the interior of the rim 28, are base glass support strips individually and collectively designated 36. Rim 28 and strips 36- respectively correspond in pattern and arrangement with rim 18 and strips 20, but the formed in on the base member 26 while the latter is on another member of the assembly 10 which soon will be described. In any event, as just noted the pattern and arrangement of the strips 3 36 and rim 28 is such that they provide the same delineated areas which correspond in size and extent to the shapes of the various

stained glass pieces

12, 14, 16.

As best shown in FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the strips 36 include an upstanding dividing wall or construction 38 which actually separates the different delineated areas. In select portions of the strips 36 the dividing walls 38 have recesses 40 on opposite sides so that the entire dividing wall or construction 38 is actually not in contact with the confronting or facing edges of the glass pieces, such as facing edges 42, 44 of

glass pieces

12, 14 respectively.

Returning to consideration of FIG. 1, it will be noted that dividing walls 38 are at various spaced locations along the glass-supporting strips 36 and, consequently, are effective in confining the various shaped pieces of stained glass in correspondingly shaped delineated areas within the operative area of the assembly 10. To this end, as best shown in FIG. 3, the dividing wall portions 38 are advantageously located in the medial area of the glasssupporting strips 36 so that each of the wall portions 38 cooperates with the glass-supporting strips to define corners or seats, like previously noted seat 34, into which the glass edges are readily accommodated.

From the foregoing description of the base member 26, is should be readily appreciated that this member efiiciently functions to accommodate in the various delineated areas correspondingly shaped stained glass pieces. Placement of the shaped pieces within the specific areas results in the positioned stained glass pieces being supported along their periphery in corners or seats 34 respectively formed along the base rim 28 and along the upstanding walls 38 attached to the strips 36.

After placement of the stained glass pieces within the base member 26, assembly 110 is completed by attachment of a cover member, generally designated 46, to the base member. Cover 46 is shown in FIG. 2. It also is shown in FIG. 6 and was previously referred to in conjunction with the description of the rim 18, strips 20, and solder deposits 24. The attachment of the cover 46 to the base member 26 is achieved along confronting portions of the underside of the peripheral portion of cover 46 with the upper end of the base vertical wall 30. This is more particularly shown in FIG. 7 in which soldering 48 is illustrated as the preferred technique of achieving connection of the cover 46 to the base member 26 to confine the stained glass shapes in place in their correspondingly shaped delineated areas. Since the cover 46 and base 26 are preferably fabricated of lead, and assembly 10 includes soldering 48 and mock solder deposits 24, assembly 10 has a desirable simulated hand-crafted appearance.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. A stained glass assembly comprising, in combination: a base having an outer L-shaped rim bounding the operative area of said assembly, glass-support strips attached about said rim in an extended position within said operative area effective to delineate said area into selected. shapes, and upstanding dividing wall means located along the medial area of said glass-support strips; stained glass in plural selected shapes having an operative supported position in said delineated shaped areas on said rim and said glass-support strips; and a cover having a rim and an attached interior strip pattern conforming in size and configuration to that of said base attached along confronting portions of the rims of said base and cover over said stained glass shapes positioned Within said base, whereby said stained glass shapes are confined in place between said base and cover in correspondingly shaped delineated areas.

2. A stained glass assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said base and said cover are fabricated of lead and the attachment therebetween is achieved by soldering.

3. A stained glass assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said upstanding dividing Wall means consists of plural, discontinuous wall portions spaced along said glasssupport strips.

4. A stained glass assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein selected wall portions are recessed along opposite sides to minimize contact thereof with confronting edges of said stained glass shapes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 274,948 4/1883 La Farge 161-37 3,247,046 4/1966 Fazekas 1615 3,420,730 1/1969 Ellefson 161-38 PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.