US1623086A - Illuminated ornamental device - Google Patents

Description

1927' R. w. BOCK ILLUMINATED ORNIfHENTAL DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1925 Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES RICHARD W. BOCK, OF RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS.

ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTAL DEVICE.

Application filed September 2, 1925. Serial No. 54,044.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device, Fig

2 being a medial vertical section through the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 being in face view a fragmentary enlargement of parts 5 surrounding one of the light openings, and Fig. 4. being an enlarged sectional view through parts defining a preferred form of one of the light openings. J

The device in question will ordinarily take 0 the form of a tree, shrubbery or a similar object of nature. In the one illustrated, the tree form represents an evergreen, and, being coated at appropriate places with a white sparkling substance, would readily be accepted or. known a representation of a Christmas tree. It may be in various sizes and may have such other shapes as is suitable and appropriate to the particular object represented. It will ordinarily be made of hardened plastic material, for instance plaster of Paris, and when in a form similar to that illustrated, and in various other forms also, it may be made in flexible molds according to practices well understood.

The object is to provide an ornamental device of such kind and character which will not only be pleasing to the eye with respect to its outer configuration, but which, when illuminated, will produce the very unusual effect of being decorated with glowing elements. The effect in question is to be distinguished from such as would obtain if an object having a hollow interior with a source of light therein contained mere perforations in its side walls, in which case rays of light would emanate through such openings but without producing the desired glow which through my experimentations and study I have been able to obtain by the provisions disclosed herein.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the body 10 has a hollow interior 11 which is narrow at the top and gradually widens downwardly and that there is a bottom wall 12 having a central opening at 13 adapted to encompass for ready removability the upstanding stem 14 of the base 15, there being a shoulder at 16 whereby the body 10 will be supported in its normal and upright position by the base.v The lamp socket 17 is rigid with the base, and the conduit wires 18 provide a source of current for the bulb 19 which is the source of the interior illumination. This source of light 19 is preferably close to the bottom of the device and will ordinarily be so arranged, especially in thebody, but whereby, rather, the light issuing through the side wall openings will be reflected from the white or otherwise reflecting inner surface of the hollow body.

A considerable number of openings 22 are formed through the side walls of the body in scattered-about relation and from top to bottom. These openings are preferably somewhat irregular in shape and lead through the wall from the inside outwardly preferably on diverging lines. It will be noted that the body conformation shown produces a plurality of projecting ledges or more fiat or more horizontal ring-like sur faces at 23, and that the openings 22 are shown as merging into these ledges 23.

A highly advantageous construction of the openings 22 and their relation to the ledges 23 respectively is well shownin the enlarged view of Fig. 4, in which it will be noted that the ledge is concave adjacent to the opening 22, the upper wall 24 widening out away from the wall 23 while there is an adjacent side wall, projection or elevation 25 either defined by the thickness of the wall of the body 10 or by some irregular projection on the ledge or issuing from the body wall, all to the effect that there are reflecting areas adjacent to the openings 22 in such arrangement that light issuing through the opening 22 strikes these walls and is diifused and in some instances reflected back and forth before issuing to the eye of the observer, and thus giving the result of illuminating various irregular surfaces at and about the opening as 22 and producing at these areas a peculiar and highly attractive glow.

The bulb 19 may be of plain white glass but is preferably of colored or stained glass, for instance ruby or green. When the ruby light is employed areas about the openings 22 glow with a soft red light fading into delicate pinks at the margins, and when a green bulb is used there is a pale green glow at and about these apertures diffused into lighter shades.

It is not essential that the ledge formation be employed although that is preferable since it provides relatively large areas adjacent to the openings 22 capable of reflecting and diii'using the light rays and producing a better effect than where such rearations for iniitatingsnoware on the market. This coating is applied so as to enter the openings 22 and to cover the reflecting areas about them respectively.

Other parts of the tree-like object such as the outer walls 2% beginning at about an of Fig. 4, are colored green, preferably by a shinycoating such as is obtainable with what is known as green bronze paint, and

giving the device a pleasing snow-coated tree effect. The white coating may be omitted, but with some lossof brilliancy of effect, unless some other sparkling and reflecting material be used.

When the ob ect is illuminated interiorly the rays issuing from the bulb strike the inner side walls and are reflected back and forth from its reflecting surface until the interior is all aglow, and some of these rays issuing through the openings 22 play upon the reflecting and difliusing surfaces about the opening with the result that the illuminated'object appears to be decorated from top to bottom with elements producing a diffused glow as distinguished from a bright light, which glow is irregular in outline and fades awayinto lighter shades and finally to nothingness atits periphery andproduces an unusually attractive effect which, so far as "I am aware, has never hitherto been attained.

The uses of the object are entirely for ornamental purposes, as in homes, display windows of stores, etc.

I contemplate as being within the present invention such variations, changes and modifications of what is herein specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A decorative object of opaque material having a hollow interior and having outer surfaces of irregular shape forming hollows andrecesses thereinand projections thereupon extending outwardly ad acent :to the respective *reeesses and cooperating to define the recesses, the walls of the ob ect having openings therethrough leading tothe hollow interior, said openings being located in such hollows and recesses respectively, a source of light within the hollow interior, and means for supporting the object in-its normal position, the arrangement of said openings beingsuch that the glow from thehollow interior is diffused by the walls defining'the openings respectively and by outer surfaces ofithe projections adjacent thereto to produce glowing areaat and about the openings.

As an article of manufacture, an ornamental object formed of hardened plastic material in the general shape of and representinga tree, shrubbery or the like, and having outwardly extending parts forming recessed portions, and representing hollows,

recesses and projections of aitree, shrubbery or like object, the object having a hollow interior, means for supporting the object in upright position, and illuminating means withinthe hollow interior, the walls forming'the hollow interior having a materially large number of spaced-apart openings tl'ierethrough, said openings being at such recessed portions and through which the glow from the interior issues, areas about said openings respectively and in the path of reflected lightrays frorn the hollow interior being covered with a. sparkling material.

RICHARD w. BOOK.

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