US1219236A - License-sign for automobiles. - Google Patents

Description

. H. BREWSTER.

LICENSE SIGN FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATIQN HLED MAY 26, 1916.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY26. I9I6- 1,219,236 Patented Mar.13, 1917.

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ATTORNEYS" H. BREWSTER. LICENSE SIGN FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION men MAY 26. ms.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- I I MH/ENTUR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES 5 A r an on.

HENRY BREWSTER, OF YORK, NQ Y.

LICENSE-SIGN FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed May 26, 1916. Serial No. 100,104.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l. llhxnv Bnmvs'i'nn, a citizen of the Fluted States, and a resident of New York. in the county of New York and State of New York, have made certain new and useful Improvements in License Signs for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.-

My present invention relates generally to the license signs of automobiles, and more particularly to a rigid sign which may be plainly seen both in daylight and at night, my object being to provide a license sign by which imwarranted change of numbers or removal thereof in case of accident, overspecding or la\\'-brcaking expeditions may be entirely prevented.

In carrying out my invention I. preferably mount changeable letter carrying means withina lamp box in such manner that the letters may be plainly seen without a light in the day time and a light within the box at night, and in such manner that these numbers and other indicating features as to the home locality for instance of the machine may be held against disarrangeinent, removal or change within the box and in connection with a part thereof.

The means utilized in. carrying out my invention may be better understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a practical application of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a similar view illustrating my invention set into the rear portion of a vehicle.

Fig. .2 is a front elevation illustrating my invention removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken therethrough substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. d is a similar view taken therethrough substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the box cover and the interme' diate frame showing the connections therebetween.

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of one inner corner portion of the box cover.

Fig. 7 ,-is a detailed perspective view of the inner letter carrying frame.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the inner carry mg frame of the upper hood, and,

Fig. 9 is a detailed.perspective view of one of the license numbers. 7

Referring now to these figures, the license sign as proposedby my invention may be suitably mounted in connection with the rear portion of an alliomobile, for instance, in the position illus rated in Fig. 1, although it is to be understood that this position may be changed at will, as desired, and is probably necessary in connection with vehicles of different types.

Suitably mounted, my invention preferably comprises a lamp box 10, enerally rectangular in shape, and open at its front, the latter being closed by a skeleton'cover 11 hinged at its lower edge at 12 to the lower edge of the body adjacent its front opening, and having horizontally extending guides 1 in which are held the outer transparent windows 14 through which the letters, as l'iereinafter described, may be readily viewed.

The box 10 is provided with an inner rear reflector 1:"). and with interior lights eitherv at 16. or gas lights, as seen at 1 7,'the rays in either instance being directed forwardly by the reflector 15, so that such rays will in the night time pass through translucent glasses 18 and 19.

The cover 11 has flanged sides and ends 20, as best seen by reference to Figs. 5 and 0, and is provided with inwardly projecting lugs 21 adjacent its side fianges,.swivelly connected, as seen by reference to Fig. 6, and adapted for extension through "ertically slotted openings 23 in the side bars. 24 of an intermediate locking frame 25 with the said lugs 21 turned in vertical position.

The side bars 2 of the intermediate locking frame 25 are also provided with spaced lugs 26,. which are disposed in horizontal I positions, and the apertures of which lie in alinement with the apertures of lugs 21 when the latter are turned to horizontal position after passage through the slots 23. In this position of the parts, provision is thus made for the reception of vertical lockrods 27, one of which is plainly seen in Fig. 5, adapted to be extended through the several lugs 21 and 26 at each side of the cover 11 in order to securely hold the locking frame 25 in connection with the cover 11 and within the flanges 20 thereof, the locking rods 27 being preferably provided with apertures at their lower ends below the lowermost lug 26 to receive a seal v ure, having rearwardly and downwardly bent lugs 31 at its upper and lower ends for engagement with guides on the locking frame to be now described.

Each of the guides above referred to is in the form of a V-shaped ribconsisting of angularly bent strips of the material of the locking frame 2:), as indicated at 32 and particularly seen in Fig. 7, the guide ribs so formed projecting forwardly from the said locking frame along its upper and lower bars and along the upper and lower edges of its cross piece 29, the channels of the ribs being presented toward one another to form a guide for the translucent glasses l8 and 19 before described. Thus the ribs present outer ridges forming guides for receiving the lugs 31 of the license numbers 30, and at the same time constitute the'channels for holding the glasses, the guides of the lower section of the locking plate or frame receiving a. strip 33 which is provided with fancifully shaped cut-out portions 34 in which the glasses 19 are disposed so as to indicate the locality within a city or town where the automobile or vehicle is owned.

In placing the license numbers upon the locking frame 25, they are moved upon the guides 32 from the ends thereof with the locking frame detached from the cover 11, the locking frame being then inserted in the cover and locked by the means previously described, and may be then sealed so as to prevent unwarranted changing. removal or shifting of the numbers in case the owner of the car desires to avoid identification. after accident, over speeding and the like.

The upper portion of the box 10, which latter may be-built in to the rear portion of an automobile, as indicated in Fig. 1*, is preferably provided with an opening 35 located at a point substantially centrally of its ends and opening into an upper centrally disposed hood 36 having end walls 37, the upper edge of the cover 11 and the upper wall of the box 10 having relatively engaging catches 38 at opposite sides of the hood 36 and as seen by reference to Fig. 2, where- I ception of a slide 44, suitably cut out, letnipulation of the license numbers, through by the cover 11 may be held in position over the front opening of the box in use, and at the same time permit of access to the nterior of the box for the purpose of changing, regulating or repairing the light giving elements therein.

The front of the hood 36 is in the form of a cover 39 secured to the'uppei' edge of the cover 11 at a point centrally of its upper flange 20 and therefore movable with the cover when the latter is opened or closed, the said cover 39 of the hood having outer guides 40 for the reception of the transparent glass 41 and having an inner frame 42- provided with forward guides 43 for the retered or otherwise fashioned to show the state in which the license number is granted and the year of its grant, as forinstance plainly seen in Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that I provide an. arrangement which will materially aid the public in identifying automobiles after accident, law breaking expeditions, and in cases of over speeding, by preventing umshifting, changing or removal thereof to avoid identification, and which will permit the authorities granting the licenses to adjust and seal the inner locking frame as pro vided by my invention, so as to thereafter promptly identify not only any car by its particular number, but also, by means of the indicating plate 33, the locality in which it is owned and from which it originates.

It is of course to be understood that the incandescent lamps 16 may be lighted from the electric system of the car, in connection with which the license sign is utilized, and that the gas tips 17 may be lighted'from the acetylene system in case the electrical ignitlon is nota-vailable for this purpose.

It is also to be observed from a comparison of Figs, 1 and 1, that the box 10 may be positioned in any desired manner in con nection with the automobile or vehicle with which it is used, and either attached there to as shown in Fig. 1, or formed as a part thereof as shown in Fig. 1, it being a consideration of course, that the license sign disposed in either manner shall be plainly exhibited. a

By referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the end walls of the hood 36 are provided with apertures, and with a manually adjustable internal disk 45 also apertured and rotatable whereby to register its apertures with those of th end walls of the hood when gas is utilized, in order to provide for egress of the products of combustion.

I claim 1. In an automobile license holder, the combination of a lamp box having a front provided with a window and with inwardly projecting swiveled and apertured' lugs, license numbers adjacent said window, a locking frame within ,the light box for connection with the said cover to prevent undetected removal of the license numbers, and having vertical slots to receive the said lugs of the cover, and horizontally'apertured lugs to aline with the lugs of the cover when the latter are turned to horizontal positions, locking rods extending through the apertures of the alined lugs of the cover and the locking frame, and means for securing the rods against removal.

2. The combination with a lamp box having a cover provided with windows, of a frame disposed within the said cover, a translucent plate carried by said frame, license numbers having lugs also carried by the frame, and means'thereby to lock the frame'within the said cover against removal, said frame having at its forward portion guides receiving; the said translucent plate and also forming means for engagement by the lugs of the license numbers to support the said numbers between the translucentplate and the windows of the'box,

3. The combination with a holder, of a frame within the holder, means for sealing the frame in connection with the holder against unwarranted removal, license numbers, and means carried by the frame for supporting the said license numbers between the same and a portion of the holder whereby to prevent removal of the numbers While the frame is locked in position, said sealing means includinga locking member connecting the frame and box, and a seal normally preventing removal of said locking member whereby to obviate undetected manipulation of the license plates.

4. The combination with a lamp box having a forward drop cover and an upper opening, of a hood arranged above the opening and including an inclined upper Wall and a forward cover attached to and carried by the cover of the box, outer guides carried by the said covers for the reception-of translparent plates, and number carrying frames within the said covers for the purpose described.

' 5. The combination with a lamp box having a hinged cover, of a number carrying frame within the cover having slots, means for locking the'said number carrying frame to the cover, said means including apertured lugscarried by the cover and the said frame,

the rod.

HENRY BREWSTER.

the lugs of the cover projecting through the

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