US2699618A - Ornamental device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1955 N. J. sTuPr-:LL

ORNAMENTAL DEVICE Filed sept. 21, 195o V yIMI/ENTQR /Vmum JJM/WZL United States Patent C ORNAMENTAL DEVICE Norman J. Stupell, New York, N. Y., assignor to Signa- Craft, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 21, 1950, Serial No. 185,943

3 Claims. (Cl. 402) The present invention relates generally to ornamental devices and more particularly to ornamental nameplates and monogram plates which may be adhered to'articles such as ladies handbags, luggage, articles of Jewelry, automobile car doors and the like.

The attempts which have been made to personalize articles of this kind heretofore have consisted by and large in applying metal initials to the surfaces sought to be decorated. Sometimes metal prongs are provided on the back of the initials; they are mounted by forcing the prongs through the material to be decorated and .then flattening them down to secure the initials 1n position. More often a dry cement is applied to the back of the monogram which must be softened and made adhesive by solvents. Both processes have proven slow and cumbersome; the former necessitates the piercing of the leather or other goods in connection with which the decorative device is used, while the latter requires that the user keep on hand a separate solvent. ln many cases, the solvent has an adverse chemical effect on the nisli of the surface to which the monogram is applied, precluding the user from removing the initial without damage to the article on which it was mounted.

The present invention contemplates a nameplate or monogram plate which may be applied to almost any kind of a flat or slightly curved surface quickly and easily. No tools or solvents of any kind are required for the application. The plates may be removed as readily as they are applied; the finish of the article will not be dulled or disgured, even after the plates have been put on and taken olf repeatedly.

The name and monogram plates are attractive in ap pearance and tend to personalize the various articles to which they may be adhered. They are simple to manu' facture and are packaged in transparent envelopes which serve both to protect and to display them.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental device which may be adhered to a flat or slightly curved surface by simply pressing it firmly against the surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental device which may be applied to an article without the use of solvents or tools of any kind and which may be removed without marring the finish of a surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which serves both to ornament and to identify the article to which it is applied.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a decorative frame to which ornamental monogram plates may be adhered.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive decorative device which is rugged in construction and capable of withstanding numerous applications and removals.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

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Fig. l is a front elevational View of an ornamental device in the form of a nameplate;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the nameplate illustrating the manner in which the protective covering may be removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the device adhered to a planar surface;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational View of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a side View of the device shown in Fig. 5;

F Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of tig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. l0 is a front elevational view showing monogram plates mounted on the frame shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. ll is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. l2 is a front elevational View of still another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring again to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l and 3, there is shown a plate member 1 having an outer face 2 bearing a decorative name or design 3. Although a proper name is illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that any desired word or symbol could be applied to the member l. For example, the device could be ornamented with surnames, serial numbers, organization or club names, or with merely arbitrary and fanciful designs.

The inner face of the plate member is provided with adhesive means. ln the preferred form a fabric or strip of cloth material 4 s coated with adhesive 5 on both sides. rl`he adhesive could be applied directly to the inner face of the plate member, however. The adhesive means is preferably not extended to the outermost edges of the plate member; a portion 6 adjacent the edges is left uncovered. Thus, the adhesive does not tend to squeeze out around the sides of the plate when pressure is applied to it during its application against a surface. ln addition, the space thereby provided between the plate and the surface to which it is adhered facilitates prying oil the plate for removal. Any one of the so called wet adhesives may be used, but a water insoluble rubber adhesive is preferred. These agents retain their stickiness almost indefinitely and do not require the application of solvents before ilse, as do the dry adhesives or cements.

ln order to protect the adhesive means and to permit convenient handling of the device, a layer of protective material 7 is releasably bonded to the adhesive 5. Referring to Fig. 2, the layer preferably comprises two pieces of loosely-woven gauze 3 and 9 which are stuck onto the wet adhesive; when the ornamental device is to be applied to an article, the pieces of gauze are peeled cfr" as shown, exposing the adhesive surface 5.

The device may be packaged in a transparent envelope of cellophane or similar material. When displayed on a counter the naine or symbol on the plate will be easily visible to the customer through the envelope.

The plate member l is preferably slightly arcuate in vertical cross-sectiong its outer face is convex and its inner face concave. Because of the degree of curvature, its characteristics of adherence to curved surfaces are very good. Because of the peculiar construction employed whereby adhesive means are n-ot applied to the peripheral portions of the inner face, the plate, although curved, adheres firmly to planar surfaces as well. This is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings Where a device is shown mounted on a planar surface lt); The plate may be formed from sheet metal of substantial thickness so that it tends to retain its curvature even when pressed firmly against a plane surface. A plate .020 inch thick has been found satisfactory. Although metal is preferied the device may be formed from any substantially rigid material.

The ornamental devices disclosed herein are particularly appropriate for use on articles such as ladies handbags, car doors, compacts, and the like. Very often these articles have curved faces to which a at decorative plate would not adhere; the arcuate configuration of the present plate, however, enables it to form a secure face contact with the surface to which it is applied. The ability of this ornamental device to be mounted in either planar or curved surfaces is one of its most useful characteristics.

The device may be quickly and readily applied to an article without the use of tools or extrinsic aids of any kind. The user merely peels off the protective layer 7 and presses the adhesive-coated surface of the plate member firmly against the face of the article to be decorated. Pressure need not be maintained; the device will adhere instantly. If a water-insoluble adhesive is used, the device will remain bonded to the surface regardless of the effect of heat or rain. It has proven rugged and durable when mounted on car doors, forl example, where it is constantly exposed to the elements.

If it is desired to remove an ornamental device of the type described, it may be pried off. Although the wet adhesive used forms a strong bond between the contacting surfaces, it does not permanently unite them. As a result a surface from which a device has been removed is neither marred, discolored nor dulled. This is particularly important when it is considered that heretofore decorative names and monograms have been applied to articles either by riveting or by the use of metal prongs which are inserted through the material of the article or by the use of dry cement which had to be brushed with solvent before application. The first two methods require the user to put holes in the surface to be decorated, the last requires the use of a cement and solvent which form a permanent union with the face of the article. Neither kind of device could be removed without disfigurement of the areas on which they had been mounted.

After it has been once removed from a surface, an ornamental device of the type disclosed need not be discarded. It can be used again on another article without further processing.

Fig. shows a modified form of the invention wherein the ornamental device comprises a small plate member 1' of generally square configuration. The outer face 2 may be decorated with a monogram 3', although a number or fanciful symbol may also appear thereon. The principle of adhesion of the alternative form is substantially the same as that already described; the inner face of the member is provided with a fabric 4 coated with adhesive 5 on both sides and a layer of protective material 7 is releasably secured to the adhesive.

Unlike the larger plate device shown in Fig. 1, however, plate member 1' does not have an arcuate cross section throughout its width. Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that while the member 1 has an arcuate cross section along the lines 7--7 and 8-8 of' Fig. 5, peripheral edges 11 are not curved but are vertically extending. As a resulta concave pocket is created in the inner surface of the member. When an ornamental device of this construction is applied to a flat surface and pressed firmly against it, a slight vacuum is created in the pocket thus formed, increasing the resistance of the device to removal therefrom. In addition, the adhering qualities of the device when applied to curved surfaces are enhanced by the construction disclosed above. The plate member 1 may also be pack* aged and sold in a transparent envelope 12.

A pleasing effect may be achieved by mounting one or more of the monogram plates 1 on a frame device of the type illustrated in Fig. 9. The frame device is adhered to a surface in the same way as the plate devices already discussed. It comprises an outer face 1l having raised peripheral edges 13 and an inner face coated with adhesive means 5". Secured to the adhesive means is a removable protective layer 7. The raised edges 13 provide an attractive border for the monogram and protect the edges of the adhered monogram plates. As shown in Fig. 11, the edges 13 extend rearwardly to a position just short Vof the innermost adhesive surface 5".

In operation the frame is adhered to the surface desired in the usual manner and then monogram plate members are similarly adhered to the outer face 1" of the frame, as shown in Fig. 10. In this way, a set of initials or a series of numerals can be mounted in a single unit. It is to be understood that the frame shown in Fig. 9 is for purposes of illustration and that it could be enlarged or diminished in size to accommodate various numbers of monogram plates in various groupings. A modified frame is shown in Fig. 12, wherein raised partition strips 14, formed integrally with the frame, cooperate with the frame raised peripheral edges 13 to divide the frame into a series of individual recesses 15 in which monograms may be mounted.

It will be seen that the above invention provides an ornamental device which may be applied to` an article quickly and conveniently. It does not harm the surface to which it is adhered and may be removed without marring the surface in any way. The device is adapted to decorate both curved and plane surfaces. It is impervious to the loosening effect of water. Further, itis of a rigid construction capable of withstanding rough usage both before and after application.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter hereinis to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A decorative device comprising an imperforate relatively rigid plate arcuate in cross section, a layer of adhesive coating of the stay-wet type on the concave face of said plate, the edges of said layer being spaced slightly inwardly from the edges of the plate whereby narrow marginal areas of said face of the plate are left uncoated and said layer haing a thickness extending beyond a flat plane including the edges of said face of the plate, a layer of protective sheet material overlying and releasably secured to said adhesive layer whereby, on removal of said layer of protective sheet material, said coated face of the plate may be adhesively secured to a fiat or curved surface with the edges of said adhesive layer engaged with said surface and the adjacent edges of the plate being disposed relatively close to said surface.

2. A decorative device asV claimed in claim 1 in which the plate is substantially rectangular in plan and is of arcuate cross section in one dimension only.

3. A decorative device as claimed in claim 1 in which the plate is substantially rectangular in plan and is of arcuate cross section in two right angularly related dimensions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,230 Stringer Dec. 26, 1916 1,623,693 Logan Apr. 5, 1927 1,636,075 Rosenberg July 19, 1927 1,770,186 Veneman July 8, 1930 1,942,240 Chernow Jan. 2, 1934 2,030,135 Carpenter Feb. l1, 1936 2,093,598 Clark Sept. 21, 1937 2,510,331 Crosby June 6, 1950

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