US1168084A - Illuminated sign. - Google Patents

Description

-mvrmn s'rnrrns PATENT orr es.

HARRY F. LfiWENSTEIN, OF WASHINGTON, DI S'IRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNDR OF ONE- HALF TO HUGH S. HILL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. V

.ILLUMINATED SIGN.

I v Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patentefl Jan 1916.

Application filed October 17, 1914. Serial No. 867,101.

To all whom/it may o'ncei'n:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. LiiWENsTnIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at A new and useful improvements in illuminated signs, and has for its object to provide s device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby any selected one of a pair of designs upon a cover plate for a lamp box may be illuminated or displayed to the exclusion of the other design, even though said designs, may have overlapping portions.

' A further object of the invention is to. provide an illuminated sign of this character which is very simple and compact in its construction and is well adapted for use for general advertising purposes, as a rear end signal upon vehicles, as a traffic. signalat street; intersections, or for other signaling purposes. A still which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, which'can be easily operated from a distance, and'which admits of the designs being superposed upon each other so as to economize in space and'elimijnate the necessity of providing an independent space or'area'for each design which it may be desired'to use;

. With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combina- I 'tions and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description 'proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

la-r view of the frontof a lamp box, showing a possible arrangement of transparencies'for For a full understanding of the invention, reference is'to' behad to the following description and accompanying drawing, in

which 'Figure 1 is a plan view of the front of a :lamp box constructed in accordance with the invention and showing a possible ar- 'rangemcnt oftransparcnt jewels for display- 50 ing either of the words Right or Left together with an arrow which may be caused to p'ointin either direction. F1g. 2 is as1midisplaying either of the words Pass 'or direction.

Stop, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lamp box with the cover removed-showing the arrangement of} lamps therein tpgthm with the switch for operating-thesa'nicq' Qorresponding and like parts are referred to in the followlng description and indicated in all the views ofthe drawing by, thc s anw reference characters.

The operation of the device is based upol, the fact that where lights of complement-d colors are used the rays from either one oi the lights will pass through a cor responi'l ingly colored transparency or anuncolored thus be placed, upon the same plate, thmre portions of the plate ccnunon to both designs being provided with uncolored transparent cies through which either color of light will. pass, while the remaining portions of the 'two designs are formed with respective transparencies colored to correspond lwith I o the colors of the complemental lights-3f further object .of the invention is to provide an illuminated signal device Referringto Eig. l, the numeral l desigtnates the cover of a lamp box, said cover being formed of any suitable opaque materii'tl and being provided with a series of openings adapted to receive the usual jewels or lenses 2 and arranged so that either of the'words Right or Left may be displayed in con-- nection with an, arrow pointing in either The two Words Right and Left ar'e superposed directly upon each other and those portions of the letters of the two Words which are. common to each other are formed by uncolored jewels orleii ses 2. In a similar manner the body portion ofthc double headed arrow which is arranged under the words Right and Left is formed of the uncolored jewels 2". The complemental colors red and green may be used, and those portions of the design which are peculiar to the letters of the word Right are formed by the green colored jewels 2, while those portions of the-design which are peculiar to the letters of-the wordiLeft are formed by the red colored jewels 2. In a similar manner, the green colored jewels 2 are used to form the head at the right hand end of the I arrow," "while the red colored efthand end of thearrow:

The opaque plate 1 with the transparen 17a Zl'lliifilfi as previously described be employed as tho cover for as is shown by Fig. cl'llll this lamp box is a pair of s and 6, the lamp being co to give a light or the green hghiywil'l pass tho uncolorecl transparencies or r m .4 l

and (the red ironspui'encies 2, but

abso. )erl transpuronci 2.

. ping clesigns foamed by the green ni'cncics 2* will thus be suppresscrl i is 'usecl, although {chat culnz ales 1 which is formed by a comhinel ion of "she uncclored transparencies cncl :rcrl transparencies will be'illuminaterl in the, crrnngemcnt shown by Fig. 1, secri that when the i'edlight is Woici will be illuminated in the im'ow illuminated in red so as to :.he loft. in :2. similar munnei' e green light 6 is used, the rays of will pass through the uncolorccl but Will be absorbed in passing h, transparencies 2% This will in ciispisiying the Word Right in gi'con io 'cthci" with s. green-arrow poincing ihc Fl: 1'7. I w

Fig. 2 ows another possible combination of trnnsp rencies by means of which either of tho WOHlS Pass or Shop may be illluninziteil While the other Word is sup pressed. ,Thonunicral 3 is anopa-que plate similar to the plate 1 and having suifiable hm parencies therein. The transparencies :nc uncolored and are common to both of the'ivoriis Pass and Stop. The transpnrcncics 3 are colored green and are g'nircncies 5 c are red and peculiar to the Word Sloop will thus be obvious that when the real Eight 5 is used nho worcl Stop will be ilhuninuteo in red, since the red light will through the uncolorecl transparencies obsorbecl in g througl'i the green transparencies 3'. In a. similar manner when the green light 6 is used the Word Pass Will be illuminated in green, since the green light will pass ihmughthe uncolored transparencies 3*" and the green transparencies 3 but x-will'be absorbed in passing through thorerl imnspai'cncies 3. in a similar manner any nwo Words or 'clesigns may be superposed upon each other and thoseportions Which are con'nnon to 'nhe two Words or designs formed by nncolorocl transparencies While Zhose porfiions which are peculiar to the 1' =i'. are formed by transparcm we as red. lighl; While iqhe lamp green light"... Either he red light from ihe lcmp fa' th ough um uncolorccl Erunspurcnin inssirn throu h tho lhe portions of the ncics 2 the green transparen,

peculiar to the Word Pass, While the trans F and tho rod transparencies 3, but will be "cies of complemcntal colors. With this arrungemeni; e "light of one of ljhe compile menial colors will cause one of the designs no be illuminated to the exclusion of izhcfirsc design. By thus superposing fshe designs upon each other a very compact arrange- .meni is produced and the necessity of hav ing several separate words or designs upon he same plate is eliminated. 'lhisis on scli'nntnge in many cases, sinc e'othci'wise ii, would be necessary-to use an objcctionably largo plate or to make the several words or designs so small as not to he readilyyclis lingtushell at a distance. I

Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the electric lights 5 and 6, and in the present instance a. Wire -7 1s shown as leading from one of the terminals oi each oi vthe lamps to -a suitable source of electric" supply suchns the baiterics 14. The other ficrminuls of the two lumps 5 and 6 are connected by the respective wires 9- nnd'fl tothc contacts 11 and 10 of a suitable switch. The switch lever 12 is; connected by .a wire 13 to the bii tteries 14 and is adapted" to be swung into engagement 'with either of the contact men hers 10 orll so to illuminate either of the lamps 5 orb. H

The design shown by Fig. l is Well nclapb cd for use as a. rear end! signal forvjchicles for the purpose of indicating thatlhe driycr oi the vehicle intends to turn right or to the left. The lamp box wouldlbc mounted upon the rear end of the Vehicle and could be readily controlled by 2i small electric switch arranged upon the sleei'ing either to, the

Wheel. or in any other position most con venient to the driver. The design. shown by Fig. 2 is Well adapted for use as u traffic signal at street intersections since either of the Words Pass or Stop may befclisplayecl to indicate Whether the trailic'moving along one of the streets is to pass or slop." Havmg thus described the im'entionand desire to secure" designs being transparent to both form's of light rays While those portions of thc trans 'p arencics peculiar to the individual designs are respectively opaque to one form of the light rays and'transparent to the'other" of the light rays.

2. An illuminated sign including scleclive means for producing light rays of com plemehtal colorsancl an opaque cover plate having overlapping designs formed thereon by transparencies, those portions oi the transparencies WhiClI are common to both designs. being uncolored while: those portions of the transparencies which are pecul iar to the individual-designs have the commental color. v

' 3.- An illuminated sign including means plemental colors of the light rays so. that,

either one of the designs may be illuminated to the exclusion of the other'design by pro-.

ducing light rays of the proper complefor producing light rays of complemental colors, and a cover plate having transparent designs thereon of the same complemental colors of the light rays so that either one of the designs may be illuminated to the exclusion of the other design by producing light rays of the proper complemental color.

' 4. An-illuminated sign including means for producin two forms of light rays of a complementa nature, and a cover plate provided with overlapping designs, those portions of the designs which are common being affected in the same manner by both forms of light rays, while those portlons of the designs which are individual are affected in different manners by "light rays.

illuminated sign including means transparent the two forms of for producing two forms of light rays of a complemental nature, and'a cover plate pro vided with overlapping designs, those portions of the designs which are common bemg when illuminated by one form of the light,

rays, and clearly visible when illuminated by the other form of light rays.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY F. LGWENSTEIN;

Witnesses:

JAMES H. MARR, G. E. RUFF. I

transparent to both forms of light rays,- while those portions of the designs which I are individual are respectively opaque to x

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