US3690013A

US3690013A - Guide for application of letters or the like to plates

Info

Publication number: US3690013A
Application number: US99114A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel Leptrone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-12-17
Filing date: 1970-12-17
Publication date: 1972-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-12

Abstract

A guide structure provides means to locate a plurality of individually formed letters on a sign plate, uniformly spaced relative to edges of the plate and from one another. One guide abutment positions a side edge of the plate and a second guide abutment spaced from the plate and parallel to the first guide locates one end of each letter. A sliding guide moves normal to the plate guide and cooperates with a scale to indicate lateral spacing of the letters.

Description

United States Patent Leptrone Sept. 12, 1972 GUIDE FOR APPLICATION OF LETTERS OR THE LIKE TO PLATES Inventor: Samuel Leptrone, deceased, late of 1737 Robinhood Lane, Clearwater,

Fla. 33516, Vivian M. Leptrone, administratrix Filed: Dec. 17, 1970 Appl. No.: 99,114

US. Cl ..33/184.5, 33/1846, 33/174 R Int. Cl. ..B41b 1/00 Field of Search ..40/125 A; 33/1845, 184.6

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/1936 Betts ..33/l84.5

Primary Examiner-Leonard Forman Assistant Examiner-Paul G. Foldes Attorney-Watts, Hoffmann, Fisher-& Heinke [5 7] ABSTRACT 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures u. fl l l S m||||||||m11m 4O 1 4 :51- h T I mum}; T, Z

I4 22 IB I6 15 35 PATENTEBSEPIZIHIZ 3,890,013

INVENTOR. SAMUEL LEPTRONE ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has become common practice to sell rectangular blank plates, similar to automobile license plates, to which selected individually formed letters and numbers, which may vary in dimensions, may be attached. Such plates with attached letters may be used for name or initial plates and are frequently affixed to. automobiles, buildings, offices, etc. The blank plates and letter and numeral units are sold separately and the purchaser cements or otherwise attaches the letter or number units to the plates as desired. The purchaser has a problem of accurately aligning and spacing the letters horizontally and vertically on the plate so as to provide a neat and attractive sign plate,

THE PRESENT INVENTION An object of the present invention is the provision of guide means by which individually formed letters or numbers may be conveniently located on a rectangular plate and the like in proper alignment and uniformly spaced for attachment to the plate.

In carrying out the invention, a backing surface, is provided by a panel for supporting a rectangular plate to which individual letter forms are to be attached, plate abutment means on the panel are engaged by one side edge of the plate, and an elongated letter guide member extends over the plate and parallel to the plate abutment and is adapted to be engaged by letter forms resting on the plate so as to uniformly space the letters from the side edges of the plate, and means to shift the relative spacing of the plate abutment and the letter abutment laterally so as to provide proper spacing of letters of different heights relative to the side edges of the plate.

A further object of the invention is the provision of guide means of the character just described including a guide member extending at right angles to the guide abutted by the letters, and including means to shift the guide member along the letter guide, and scale means cooperating with the guide member to indicate a number of space units between the guide member and one end of the plate.

THE DESCRIPTION Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational plan view of a lettering guide and measuring device for applying letters to a name plate in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a spacer member.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred form of the invention is shown incorporated in a measuring and guide device for positioning letter or number units L on a name plate P. The device comprises a rectangular panel 11 which may be located on a bench or table top convenient for a person to manipulate the name plate P and letter units L on the panel.

A box-like structure 12 is located along the left-hand end of the panel 11 and one side wall 13 thereof provides an abutment adapted to be engaged by the lefthand end edge of the plate Presting on the panel. The

box 12 can be used for storage of accessories for use in cementing letter units L to the plate P.

A plate abutment 14 is attached to the panel 11 and Y extends at a right angle from the lower portion of the side 13 of the box 12. The abutment .14 extends beyond the right-hand end of the name plates contemplated to be used in connection with the device 10. The plate abutment 14 comprises a guide bar 15 attached tothe panel 11 and having a straight edge 16 which lies at to the side 13 of the box 12. The guide bar 15 includes a ledge portion 17 which extends substantially over and beyond the upper and lower side edges of the bar. The upper edge of the ledge 17 includes a straight edge 18 which is parallel to the edge 16. The ledge 17, extending towards the upper edge of the panel 11, as viewed' in FIG. 1, forms one side of a slot 20, the bottom wall of which is formed by the edge 16 of the bar 15 proper. The lower ledge portion 17 projects beyond the lower edge of the guide bar 15 proper andforrns the upper wall of a slot 21. The opposite side of the slot 21 is formed by the panel 11 and the edge 22, of the bar 15, which extends parallel to the edge 16.

A guide bar 23 attached to the face of the upper portion of the panel 11, extends parallel to and is coextensive with the bar 15. The guide bar 23 is formed with an upwardly projecting ledge 24 which cooperates with the panel 11 to form a slot 25. The bottom wall 26 of the slot 25 is straight and extends parallel with the wall 22 of the slot 21. A rectangular recess 27 is formed longitudinally inside the guide bar 23 and is open at the right-hand end, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The

slots

21 and 25 slidingly receive inwardly projecting

lugs

30,31 formed on the bottom and top ends of a vertical guide member 32, respectively. The

lugs

30,31 cooperate with the walls of the

slots

21,25, respectively, for guiding the member 32 along the

guide bars

15 and 23 and normal to the

edges

16 and 18. The portion of the member 32 intermediate the

lugs

30,31 is supported above the plate P and the letters L on the plate. The opposite longitudinal edges of the member 32 form sight guides for spacing letters on a plate positioned by the edge 16. To assist in spacing letters by the guide member 32, a suitable scale 34 is provided along the top face of the ledge 17. Preferably, the right-hand ends of the

slots

21 and 25 are closed by

end members

35,36, respectively, to prevent removal of the guide member 32.

The plate P can be positioned on the panel 11 with its lower edge extended into the slot 20, beneath the edge 18 of the ledge 17 and engaging edge 16. The individual letters L may then be placed on the plate with the bottom edges thereof resting on the edge 18. The space between the

edges

16 and 18 is selected so that when the plate P engages the edge 16, letters of a given height and resting on the edge 18 will be spaced equally from the top and bottom edges of the plate. If letters of a greater height are used, the spacing between the edge 18 and the lower edge of the plate P can be reduced by inserting a spacer bar 40 into the slot 20 against the bottom wall 16 thereof. The upper edge 41 of the spacer bar 40 then forms a guide abutment for positioning the plate P relative to the letter guide edge 18.

An additional spacing of the plate and the letter guide edge 18 can be effected by a second spacer bar 42 which is similar to the bar 40 but having a different width. The bar 42 is used in the same manner as described with reference to the bar 40.

When not in use to space the plate P from the guide edge 16, the

spacer bars

40,42 can be stored in the recess 27.

In use, the plate P is positioned on the panel 11 with the lower edge resting against the guide edge 16 of the slot 20, or against one or the

other spacer bars

40,42 as the case may be. The appropriate letters L are positioned on the plate P with the bottom edges resting on the edge 18. By use of the guide bar 32, in conjunction with the scale 34, the uniform spacings of the letters from the ends of the plate and from one another are readily effected. The letters may then be cemented to the plate in the positions determined by the guide device.

I claim:

1. A guide structure for positioning letter units on a rectangular plate comprising, a panel providing a flat surface to support the plate; first abutment means extending along said panel surface and adapted to be engaged by one end edge of the plate resting on the panel; second abutment means on said surface of said panel comprising a bar attached to said panel and having one side edge extending normal to said first abutment means and forming an abutment for engagement by a side edge of the plate for locating the plate on said panel, a ledge integral with said bar and projecting beyond said one side edge of said bar and extending above said surface of said panels, the projected edge of said ledge being parallel to said one side edge of said bar, said ledge being spaced from said panel surface at least the thickness of the plate, said projected edge of said ledge forming a guide engageable by letter units positioned on the plate; an elongated guide member positioned to extend transversely of and over said panel surface and disposed normal to said projected edge of said ledge; and means to slidingly position said elongated guide member for movement along said panel integral with said guide member adjacent opposite ends thereof and projecting into said slots, respectively, and cooperating with the sides of the respective slots to guide the movement of said elongated guide member.

Claims

1. A guide structure for positioning letter units on a rectangular plate comprising, a panel providing a flat surface to support the plate; first abutment means extending along said panel surface and adapted to be engaged by one end edge of the plate resting on the panel; second abutment means on said surface of said panel comprising a bar attached to said panel and having one side edge extending normal to said first abutment means and forming an abutment for engagement by a side edge of the plate for locating the plate on said panel, a ledge integral with said bar and projecting beyond said one side edge of said bar and extending above said surface of said panels, the projected edge of said ledge being parallel to said one side edge of said bar, said ledge being spaced from said panel surface at least the thickness of the plate, said projected edge of said ledge forming a guide engageable by letter units positioned on the plate; an elongated guide member positioned to extend transversely of and over said panel surface and disposed normal to said projected edge of said ledge; and means to slidingly position said elongated guide member for movement along said panel and said bar and above the plate on said panel, the last mentioned means comprising means forming two outwardly facing slots along two opposite sides of said panel and extending parallel to said bar, and two lugs integral with said guide member adjacent opposite ends thereof and projecting into said slots, respectively, and cooperating with the sides of the respective slots to guide the movement of said elongated guide member.