US3570159A - Portrait device and method of making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES A PORTRAIT INDICIA FOR SECUREMENT TO INTERMENT MARKERS SUCH AS CEMETERY MARKERS, TOMBSTONES, AND SO FORTH. THE PORTRAIT DEVICE OF THE INVENTION INCLUDES A TRANSPARENT, ULTRAVIOLET-FILTER FACE, IS OF A PLASTIC SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION, AND IN A PREFERRED FORM OF THE INVENTION IS HERMETICALLY SEALED THROUGH A THERMOSEALING METHOD STEP APPLIED TO THE PERIPHERY OF THE DEVICE. BACKING THE PORTRAIT INCLUDED IN THE DEVICE IS A BACKGROUND LAYER HAVING A COLOR, CONTRASTING WITH THE PORTRAIT, TO GIVE A BACKGROUND TO THE PORTRAIT OF THE PERSON REPRESENTED. THE INCAPSULATED SANDWICH STRUCTURE IS SEALED TO THE INTERMENT MARKER OR STONE BY MEANS OF A SILICONE ADHESIVE, THE LATTER HAVING A CHARACTERISTIC OF SERVING BOTH AS A SEALING AGENT AND ALSO A RESILIENT BONDING AGENT.

Description

March 16, 1971 TRANSMITTANCE, PERCENT N A d? O O O R- H. BURGENER, JR., L

PORTRAIT DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 21, 1968 LTRAw'oLET VIi-IIBLE VIOLET BLUE VJOLE WAVELENGTH, MILLIMICRONS FIG. 4

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INVENTOR3 ROBERT H. BURGENER R NEWELL J. STEWART THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,570,159 PORTRAIT DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Robert Hugh Burgener, Jr., Salt Lake City, and Newell J. Stewart, Venice, Utah, assignors to Memorial Photo Service, Inc., Richfield, Utah Filed Aug. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 754,288 Int. Cl. G09f 19/00 US. Cl. 40--135 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention comprises a portrait indicia for securement to interment markers such as cemetery markers, tombstones, and so forth. The portrait device of the invention includes a transparent, ultraviolet-filter face, is of a plastic sandwich construction, and in a preferred form of the invention is hermetically sealed through a thermosealing method step applied to the periphery of the device. Backing the portrait included in the device is a background layer having a color, contrasting with the portrait, to give a background to the portrait of the person represented. The incapsulated sandwich structure is sealed to the interment marker or stone by means of a silicone adhesive, the latter having a characteristic of serving both as a sealing agent and also a resilient bonding agent.

The present invention relates to portrait devices for interment markers such as cemetery headstones, plates, and vaults and, more particularly, provides a new and improved portrait device which is hermetically and peripherally sealed, provides a transparent, ultraviolet-filter face plate and colored background plate, and includes a securement adhesive allowing for differences in coeflicients of thermal expansion of the materials of the device and the structure with which it is associated as well as sealing the device to the structure.

In the past, there has been a definite need of supplying for survivors of a deceased person, genealogists, and other interested persons, of actual portrait indicia devices which can be affixed to objects such as tombstones. This would supply visual information and as to the appearance of the deceased. While cemetery markers customarily supply the name and vital statistics of the individual involved. it would be of great comfort, as well as be informative, for the individuals pictorial representation to be included on the marker. Special photographic papers and printing proc esses have been developed to give prints and transparencies substantial longevity. However, even present print papers are not immune to the destruction, brittlement, and deterioration as caused by ultraviolet and blue-violet radiation emanating from the suns rays.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portrait device.

A further object is to provide a portrait device for cemetery markers such as tombstones, vaults, and so forth.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device which is hermetically sealed at its periphery.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device wherein an adhesive is not needed to secure the layers of the device together.

An additional object is to provide a new and improved portrait device and adhesive combination wherein the 3,570,159 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 r' CC adhesive, by contact with the periphery of the device and the recess of the tombstone used, will preclude moisture from entering in behind the device, thus sealing moisture out and yet allowing for a permanent bond of a flexible nature to allow for ambient temperature changes and differences in material as between the constituent portions of the device and the marker with which it is associated.

An additional object is to provide a new and improved portrait device wherein the face plate thereof is both transparent and also serves as an ultraviolet filter.

An additional object is to provide in a portrait device a transparent face attenuating light in the blue-violet region as well as eliminating ultraviolet passage through the face plate to a photographic representation backing the face plate.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device wherein a sealed sandwich structure is used, a front transparent face serving as an ultraviolet filter, a rear face serving as a background for the portrait, and the portrait contained therebetween.

A further object is to provide a method for hermetically sealing a portrait including sandwich structure together at its periphery.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cemetery marker incorporating the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation, principally in section, of the portrait device shown in FIG. 1 and illustrates the method by which the device may be hermetically sealed at its circumferential periphery.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the portrait device of the invention, illustrating a likeness of the person whose portrait is contained within the sandwich portrait structure.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the transmissivity curve of the transparent, ultraviolet-filter face plate of the sandwich-construction portrait device.

In FIG. 1 interment marker 10 is shown to be provided with indicia 11 identifying the deceased as to vital statistics. The marker 10 also includes a recess aperture 12 into which is fixedly deposited a portrait device 13, further identifying the deceased. Portrait device 13 includes a photograph 14 backed by a background plate 15 and faced by a transparent face plate 16. Background plate 15, while color-coded to be blue, may be any desired background color so as to offer a color relief or background to the portrait used. Face plate 16 is of a special charac ter. It is not only transparent, but also is of a type to filter out oncoming ultraviolet radiation. It will be observed that despite the marked development in photographic print papers which has occurred in recent years, all photographic print papers, to the inventors knowledge, are susceptible to deterioration in the presence of ultraviolet through blue-violet radiation. By all means the face plate 16, the inventors have found, should filter out at least 50% and preferably in excess of of all oncoming ultraviolet radiation, i.e. 380 millimicrons wavelength and shorter. Indeed, some slight damage may be caused to presently manufactured print papers by the presence of violet and blue-violet radiation in the 380-420 millimicron 3 region. Accordingly, the attenuation curve should break sharply downwardly proximate the upper end of this region.

The inventors have discovered a unique material known in the art as Plexiglas UF-l, which serves ideally as such an ultraviolet filter. The term ultraviolet filter shall be generically used herein to refer to all transparent face plate materials which filter out ultraviolet light. A specific ultraviolet filter, as intended in the present invention, filters out in excess of 90% of all ultraviolet light shorter than 380 millimicrons in wavelength, and further, filters out at least a portion of oncoming radiation in the violet and blue-violet region of 380-420 millimicron wavelength.

Experimentation with such material as above described has revealed that such material will retard substantially the onset of embrittlement and physical deterioration of photographic exhibits where such deterioration is caused mainly by ultraviolet radiation.

The transmissivity curve, see FIG. 4, of face plate 16 when fabricated from Plexiglas UF-1 indicates satisfaction of the requirements as hereinabove set forth.

FIG. 2 illustrates a manner of construction of the device which is preferred. In the invention it will be noted that no adhesive need be employed in providing a hermetically sealed unit incorporating the novel face plate '16 as above described. FIG. 2' indicates an apparatus by which the method of the invention may be performed in fabricating the device. In the construction in FIG. 2, motor 17 includes an output shaft 18 having pulley wheel 19' fixedly keyed thereto. Standard V-belt 20 intercouples pulley 19 with pulley 21, the latter being keyed by key 22 to shaft 23. Shaft 23 passes through a bushing 24 of upstanding support 25. Shaft 23 is pinned by pin 26 to race 27 of thrust bearing 28. The opposite race 29 is disposed securely against structure 25. Pressure plate 30 includes a central portion 31 which is spot welded or otherwise fixedly secured to shaft 23.

Pressure plate 34 includes a central portion 35 which is fixedly secured to shaft 36 in a conventional manner. Shaft 36 passed through bushing 37 the latter of which is pressed into upstanding structure 38. The end 39 of shaft 36 is turned down at 40 to serve as a spring guide for spring 41. The latter is seated into seat 42 of spring housing 43. Housing 43 may be secured as by welding or other conventional means to the upstanding structure 38. A thrust bearing 44 is included and provides for the revolvement of shaft 36. Shaft 36 will respond to the revolvement of concentric shaft 23, the latter being driven through V-belt by motor 17. A heating element 45 includes an I electrical circuit 46 therewithin which is exteriorly powered through plug 47. Heating element 45 may be a copper or other heat conductor which is applied to the periphery of device 13. If desired, a central shaft 48 may be aflixed to heating element 45, with the shaft 48 being journaled by bushing 49 to base structure 50. The latter is welded at 51 or otherwise secured to base structure 52. A spring 53 is interposed between and engages base structure and heating element 45 so as to urgingly thrust the latter against the periphery of device 13.

In operation, the portrait device 13 is placed in a sandwich construction and is inserted between the two pressure plates 30 and 34. Spring 41 applies pressure to the sandwich construction of device 13, and motor 17, in causing shaft 23 to revolve, will revolve the device .13 and shaft 36 as well. Again, spring 41 compresses the sandwich structure tightly together. The spring construction may be varied and the pressure applied thereby or by equivalent means may be either uniform or of progressive, pressureincreasing nature. The equipment may be modified to accommodate the materials desired.

As to the remaining components of device 13, background plate 15 may also be Plexiglas or other plastic material, is color-coded as blue as shown to provide a blue background, but may be any color, shade or hue as desired. The portrait is preferably cut at or near the outline of the head or bust of the person represented, this so that the color of the background plate 15 surrounds the portrait.

During revolvement of device 13 about its central axis by motor 17, the heating element 45 is continuously applied to the periphery of the device and power supplied plug 47. In this manner the heating device 45 heats and causes a fusion at the periphery of the device of the two plates, namely background plate 15 and face plate 17. It will be observed that the thickness of photograph 14 in FIG. 2 is exaggerated, and in practice will be very much thinner than that illustrated. Hence, there will be no problem in producing a complete lateral fusion of the peripheral surfaces of background plate 15 and face plate '16. Additionally, it will be noted that the heat supply eliminates the necessity of an adhesive being used, and further, hermetically seals the structure at the periphery and without chancing scorching of the photograph at its edges. It is well known that Plexiglas, for example, is a good insulator relative to heat transmission. Sealing of the plates at their periphery chances substantially no possible damage to the enclosed photograph. The temperature of the heating element or heating device 45 will be chosen to accommodate the plastic being used. While Plexiglas is desired for both plates, it is important to recognize that other materials may be used equally as Well; but face plate 16 should serve as an ultraviolet filter.

To secure the portrait device to an interment marker such as a stone, see FIG. 1, it is important to use silicone adhesive about the periphery of the device. Recommended is the silicone adhesive known to the trade as General Electric Adhesive RTV108. Such adhesive, and this is characteristic of silicone adhesives in general, remain elastic and perform both as a sealing and as an adhesive to bond the plastic device to the stone. Customary manufacturers recommendations for primers, as required for certain contact surfaces, should be followed. In FIG. 1 the adhesive A is illustrated as aflixing the portrait device '13 to the interment marker 10.

What is provided in the invention, therefore, is a sandwich structure device which by its nature serves ideally as a portrait device for interment markers. Ultraviolet radiation from the suns rays are filtered out by the transparent face plate 16 of the device. A background layer is applied, not only to encase the structure, but also to supply a background color for the enclosed portrait. The two plates are preferably sealed together by a heating device, thereby providing for a thermosealed, hermetically-sealed unit. This is preferably accomplished through a peripheral heat scaling to fusion temperature of the peripheries of the backing plate and face plate incorporated in the device. The portrait device thus insures durability, satisfactory viewability, and relative permanence.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. An interment portrait device including, in combination, a transparent, ultraviolet-filter plastic face plate, a plastic backing plate, both of said plates having flat interior surfaces and congruent peripheries, and portrait means interposed between fiat interior surface of said face plate and said backing plate, said face plate being thermopressure sealed solely at its outer periphery to said backing plate and encasing said portrait means therebetween.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said backing plate is differentiated in color from that of said portrait means, said backing plate being viewable through said face plate about said portrait means.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said face plate is composed of material having a light transmissivity curve characteristic falling below 50% of full transmis- 311,724 2/ 1885 Crockett 4()124.5 sion in the ultraviolet wavelength region at and below 466,074 '12/ 1891 Hunt 40124.5 380 millimicrons. 955,720 4/ 1910 Thomas 40124.S

4. Structure according to claim 3 wherein said face 3,043,709 7/1962 Amborski 3501X plate is composed of material having a light transmissivity curve characteristic falling from a percentage greater than 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 80% at 420 millirnicrons to a percentage less than 10% 306,684 2/1929 Great Britain 40--154 at 380 millimicrons.

R f C t d ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner e erences l e 10 .J. CONTRERA ,A UNITED STATES PATENTS W S Ssstant Exammer 1,946,033 2/1934 Potter 40 124.5 U.S. c1. X.R. 3,438,159 4/1969 Bergener 40-124.5X 40-1245

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