US2062094A - Sign - Google Patents

Description

, F. E. KIP

Nov. 24, 1936.

SIGN

Filed Aug. 31, 1934 INVENTOR, Fagan/ E. /F

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGN Frederic E. Kip, Montclair, r1.1. Application August' 31, 1934, Serial iNo. 742,344

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in signs and particularly to illuminated or luminous signs.

Y 'I'he principal general object of the present in- 5 vention is to provide means for forming letters,

numerals or other flguresof a plurality of lndividual parts or sections each provided with light reflecting elements, whereby when the letters or numerals are built up or formed, the same will be visible by day, and when a beam of light is projected on the sign, the reflectors ln their alined or assembled relation will be illuminated to exhibit the letters or numerals in the dark.

Another object of the invention is to effect clear 1,-, formation of the illuminated letters or numerals by so arranging the reflectors on the sections as to provide for alinement of the reflectors along vertical and horizontal or other intersecting lines, when the sections are assembled.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, I have shown the invention applied to one form of sign of the interchangeable sectional letter type, wherein the sections of which the letters or numbers are formed are provided with means to detachably hold them in place in assembled relation.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sign of the type above mentioned showing my invention applied thereto;

\ Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the sections.

of the numerals or letters shown in Fig. 1 showing a modification of my invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2 showing further modifications of my invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 showing another modicatlon. A 40 In Fig. 1 the numeral Sidesignates the sides of the frame, and on which the sign stands. I have shown two similar frames hinged together" at their tops in known manner, so that the sign is provided with two opposite faces. This, however, 45 is not essential to the invention. Between the sides 6 are a plurality of transverse equally spaced rods 1 and channel members 8, which latter receive the upper and lower ends of U-shaped plates 8. The rods 1 extend through the sides of the plates 9, and the sides of the plates are slightly spaced to provide slots ID therebetween. Above and below the channel members 8 and between the sides 6 there may be provided panels I I to receive advertising indicia or the like.

u The letters are formed from a plurality of sec-v tions or elements designated generally by the numeral I2, each being U-shaped and provided at predetermined points on its sides I3 with bayonet slots I4 to engage the rods 1 when 'the sides I3 are inserted through the slots III, as 5 shown in Fig. 1. These sections may be of any l desired 'color to contrast with the background, y and I have illustrated them as being red by the lining thereon in Fig. l. In building up the letters or numerals, one starts 'with the lowermost 10 sections and lbuilds upwardly by inserting the sides I3 through the slots I0 and engaging the bayonet slots I4 With the rods 1.

The above construction of lsign is purely illustrative, as I may use any construction of detach- '15 able, interchangeable sectional letter signs in practicing `my invention.

My invention resides inthe provision of re*-` flecting or illuminating elements mounted in the front or face of the elements I2. I have shown a single substantially circular reflector or prism I5 of appreciable size mountedy centrally in vthe front of each of the sections I2 forming the numeral I6. Each reector may be secured in place by stamping out of the wall. prongs or channels I6' to receive the inner ends of the reflectors, and of course-if desired, the refiectors may be cemented to the prongs or channels I6'.f` In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 5 where a reflector or prism of ap` 30 preciable size is mounted substantially centrally in each of the sections I2, the reflectors or prisms,. when the letters or numerals are formed by assembling the sections I2, are alined horizontally and vertically in the parts of the various letters or numerals. For instance, it will be noticed that the topmost'and the three lowermost reflectors in the numeral I are in horizontal alinement. while the intermediate reflectors are in vertical alinement with one of the topmost and one of the 40 i lowermost reflectors, so that when a beam of light is projected on the reflectors, the numeral I will stand out illuminated against the base of the sign. The same is true of the numeral 6 forming part of I6, wherein the reflectors are in both horizontal and vertical alinement. It should be obvious without illustrating the various letters of the alphabet and all of the numerals I to 9, that the sections may be so arranged on the sign as to form various combinations oi numbers or letters o as desired. This is particularly valuable in con-I nection with signs at gasoline filling stations, for instance, where the prices'change frequently, and where motorists driving along the road at u In Figs. 1 and 5, 20

into the station.

Also in Fig. 1 I have shown some of the sections I2 provided with smaller reectors I'I arranged to permit the formation of fractions. These smaller reflectors may be inserted and secured in the face of the sections in the manner shown in Fig. or by any other suitable means.

It is not essential to the practice of the invention to provide reflectors ofthe exact character and mounted in the exact positions of those shown in Fig. 1, because as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6,other arrangements and shapes of reflectors may be made and provided.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that threerelatively small reflectors I8 are shown mounted in the front of one of the sections I2 and alined horizontally thereacross. This section of course would be used to form one of the horizontal parts of a letter or numeral, due to the fact that the reectors are arranged transversely across the section. Obviously on other sections reflectors I8 could be alined in a vertical plane, so as to form a vertical part of a letter or numeral. This feature is illusrated clearly in connection with the modification of Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3 a rectangular relatively long reflector I9 is mounted transversely across the front of one of the sections`I2 and may be held in place in the same manner as the reflector of Figs. 1 and 5.

Under the modifications of Figs. 2-3, the numerals or letters would be built up in the same manner explained in connection with the illustrationfFig. 1 selecting those sections which have the reflectors arranged transversely thereacross to form horizontal parts of the numerals or letters and those sections which have the reflectors arranged longitudinally thereof to form vertical parts of the letters.

In Fig. 4 the reflector 20 is ofthe same length as the section I2', extending fromgtop to bottom thereof, and being set in a groove orchannel 2| which also extends from top to bottom of the section and being stamped or otherwise forined -as a part of the section, when the sections are made of metal.-

In Fig. 6, the section I2 has the entire front depressed with a. portion thereof folded' down against the side I3 as. at 22, forming a recess of the same size as the reflector 23 which covers substantially the entire face of the section. Ob-

viously, a reflector 20 such as that shown in Fig. 4 could .be set in the section I2 to extend substantially all the way thereacross, to form a substantia'lly solid or continuous luminous letter or numeral.

With reflectors arranged as shown and' described in connection with Figs. 2-4, it is neces- .color as that of the sections.

2,062,094 night will see the price illuminated before driving sary to select particular sections in building up numerals or letters, whereas under the arrangements of Figs. 1 and 6, all of the reflectors are adapted for use either as parts of the vertical or horizontal portions of numerals or letters; and under the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the luminous letter is solid with the unnoticeable exception of the slight spaces formed by the folds 22 between the horizontally arranged sections.

Of course the sections, under the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5 will be painted or colored to contrast with the backgroundon which they are mounted, and I prefer to have the reiectors formed of substantially the same For instance, as mentioned above, ythe sections are illustrated as reflectors, or if the sections were yellow or orange, for instance, I would use reflectors of a corresponding color so that the appearance of the sign would be substantially uniform in daylight. However, the reflectors need not be glass prisms, so far as the invention is concerned, and need not necessarily match thek color of the sections, as IV may use metal foil protected by a glass or other transparent covering instead of glass prisms as reflectors. Under the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the reflector may be of any color, since they forml the entire letter visible both in daylight and at night when a beam of light is projected thereon.

I also wish it to be understood that it is not material to the invention how the sections or elef ments forming the letters are attached to the supporting surface or background ofthe sign, nor of whatV material they are made, but only that the reflectors be provided'in such a manner as to permit formation of various numerals and/or letters and be properly alined both in vertical and horizontal planes to clearly exhibit the letters or numerals bothV in daylight and by reflection in luminous form at night.

A sign comprising a pluralityv of elements adapted to vbe assembled to form numerals or letters, a support'for said elements presenting afsubstantially solid background'means to hold said elements in assembled relation on said support and permitting said elements to be interchanged and rearranged to form various numerals or letters, and light reflectors on the fronts of said elements and arrangedso as to be alined in horizontal and vertical planesto form and exhibit the particular letters or numerals formed by the elements when abeam of light is projected onthe sign, said reflectors on some of the elements being arranged transversely thereof and on otherelements being arranged longitudinally thereof.

FREDERIC E. KIP.

, being red; insuch case I would prefer to use red

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