US2223409A - Edge lighted sign - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1940- L. J. DIXON EDGE LIGHTED SIGA Filed March 17, 1939 llllllllllllllllllfnlllllllnllllllllll llliflalli Patented Dec. 3, 194@ UNITED srrrss raam arr rsi 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements ln edge lighted signs and. it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly `pointed out in the appended claims. y'

o The signs with which the present invention is especially concerned, usually include a transparent panel with a grooved depiction upon one face thereof and a source of light along one edge of the panel.

m One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a sign of this lsind wherein the matter depicted shows up to a better advantage. which in the presence of external light at the front oi the' sign presents one eiect and which i in the absence ci such external'light presents another effect, whereby the attractiveness of the sign is materially increased. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign of this kind whereby the matter depicted Sii) may be made to appear in a more brilliantly lighted outline, and in any one oi' a number oi colors.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a sign of this kind that is of a simple construction for low cost production. is easy to keep clean and bright and is economical in current consumption for lighting purposes.

The above mentioned object of the invention as well as others, together with the advantages thereof will more fully appear as'the specifica tion proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an edge lighted sign embodying the preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the sign on a somewhat enlarged scale as taken on the line 2--2 or Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view on a im further enlarged scale .as taken on the line t--t of Fig. l.

Fig. i is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of the sign as taken on the line d-t of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a group of color boards that may be advantageously employed (Cl. dil-) extending Vfeet i2 which make a good hrm base for the sign as a whole.

On the rear face of the panel is an area it defined by a narrow groove it and which area. in this instance, is the outline of an automohile.` 5 Other narrow groove portions It are arranged in suitable relationv within said area to cooperate in outlining certain sub-areas representing the various parts of the body, such as hood, fenders. doors and windows, as well as the wheels and i@ bumpers as showny in Fig. 1. All of that area of the-rear face of the panel outside of the outline groove id dening the area it is rendered opaque preferably by the application of a sheet of white cardboard it. On certain portions i'i 15 of certain oi the sub-areas there are coatings iii. such for example as paint or material fused on,

as in ceramics-see Fig. 3. In this way an iritimate bond is provided and an eieetive light reective surface is obtained. The portions il] 2li are disposed within the sub-areas to represent interior portions of the body which are visible irorn the outside of the automobile through the windows. This arrangement better brings out the detail of the article depicted and of the vari- 25 ous parts thereof.

The grooves ifi and i5 are preferably unpolished and may be conveniently produced hy sandblasting as this leaves the walls oi said grooves with innumerable minute prismatic surfaces of 3d high light refractive or reflecting characteristics. This character of the wall surfaces of the grooves is best illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein said grooves appear in'cross section on an enlarged scale.

In the housing ii is'located a source or light 35 i9 for the bottom edge of the panel. Preferably said source oi light is an elongated tube light. To protect the top and side margins of the panel against breakage, as well as to prevent the escape of light rays out through said margins, they are n enclosed in a channel-lure binding strip 2t, preferably made of metal.

On the rear face of the panel. about its top and bottom margins, is an opaque spacing strip 2i and engaged against the rear race of said strip 45 is an opaque bacldng board 22 conveniently of metal to give rigidity to the structure. Under certain circumstances, part of the backing board is visible from the front of the sign, through the transparent parts of the area i3 within the out- 50 line groove it.

With the arrangement just described, there is provided a relatively narrow color board receiving chamber IM'between the panel and the back.

ing board.. Apart of the binding strip 2d associ- 55 ated with one end of the panelfhas a slit 25 there--` in, see Fig. i. 'I'his slit constitutes the entrance slit for the chamber 24 and whereby any desired one of a'. group of color background cards or boards 26, such as shown in Fig. 5, may be in- .serted into the chamber. When such a card or board has been inserted into the chamber 2d, it

is disposed to the front of the backing board and covers the same as well as the area. i3 outlined bythe groove itl and therefore it is the color of the inserted card or board which appears to the observer from the iront of the sign. The partsto the rear of the panel, outside of the outline groove id are secured in operative relation to the panel at a number of points 2l (see Figs. 1 and 4) in the following manner. y At said points 21,A alined holes are formed in the panel IB, the sheet I5, spacer 2| and-backing board and in said holes is a rubber bushing 28.

A bolt 29 passes through the said holes and a decorative washer eiect is arranged between the head of the bolt and the front face of the panel. A nut 3| is threaded on the bolt to engage the rear face of the backing board. When the 25 nuts 3| at said points are drawn up, the panel, opaquing sheet, spacer and backing board are drawn into relatively tight engagement so 'that there is no wavy appearance presented from the front of the sign.

40 come light-reilective but not to the extent of the grooves so that a two-tone eiect appears.

It is pointed out that in the presence of a source of light at the front of the sign, such as daylight or a source of artiiicial light directed 45 toward the front of the sign, the light rays therefrom penetrate the panel and will illuminate that background fooi' the area i3 as provided either by the front surface of the backboard or the front surface of the color board or card,

50 arranged 'in the chamber 2d. Thu., the appear;-

ance of the sign, to an observer at the front thereof, is one showing certain sub-areas in a color correspondingto the backgroundcolor as provided by either the backboard or a color board.

55 Therefore, by changing the color board or card, demonstrations of `the automobile in kdifferent color effects may be readily made. If desired, matter 32 referring to the article depicted by the groove Hi and the groove ,portions i5 may be @o placed upon the front face of the cardboard I6,

,and which matter in this instance represents the y i name of the automobile shown, see Fig. l.

When the sign is viewed from the front in'xthe absence of daylight or the artificial light before 65 mentionedand solely lighted by the edge lighting source of light, a very different appearance is presented to the observer. UnderI such conditions, the automobile appears as at nightVi. e. the body and area outside the outline has an 70 absence of color but has its outlines such as doors, fenders, etc.,brilliantlydelned by the edge lighted grooves. Certain areas Il having the coating I8, however, are relatively bright as compared to other areas `not having the coating i8 thereon. In the example given, the effect is substantially that oi' a vehicle with a brightly lighted interior.

The matter 32 before referred to, carried by the cardboard I6 in Fig. 1, will appear or become visible inthe presence of external light and will disappear or become invisible when the sign is 5 edge lighted only. n

Thus the sign is indeed eiective not only as a daytime sign but also as a night time sign. The appearance presented by the sign is so unique and striking that it is dimcult to convey a true l0 word picture thereof. The matter depicted has a two-tone appearance that is very attractive and holds the attention of the pasersby. The sign is simple in construction, and is easy to keep clean and is economical in current consumption. 15

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto 20 except 'as may be specically set forth in the appended claims. l i

I claim as my invention:

1. An edge lighted sign embodying therein a panel of transparent material having front and 25 rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of desired shape, means providing a source of light along at least one edge portion of the panel, and means providing a surface ad- $0 jacent the rear face of the panel and including an area' of desired color within the outline formed by said groove portions whereby one effeet is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another effect is presented to the observer when there is externa light.

2. An edge lighted sign embodying therein a panel of transparent material having front and rear faces, there being relatively narrow 40 groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of desired shape, means providing material bonded to certain areas of the rear face of the panel Within said outline formed by said groove portions, and means providing a surface adjacent the rearface of the panel and including an area of desired color within said outline formed by said groove por` tion, whereby one effect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another eiect is presented to the observer when there is external light.

3. An edge lighted sign embodying therein a panel of transparent material having front and rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear faceof the panel arranged in an outline of desired shape, means providing a source of light along at least one edge portion of the panel, and a plurality of members each adapted for arrangement to the rear of the panel and each having 4a colored area von at least one race thereof adapted to be disclosed through cerv tain portions of the panel within the outline as formed by said groove portions and whereby one eiiect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another eiect is presierlted to the observer when there is external 4. An edge lighted `sign embodying therein a panel of transparent materialvhaving front and rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of desired shape, means providing a source of light along at least one edge of the panel, means providing an opaque backing member arranged rearwardly of the rear face of the panel so as to provide a space therebetween, and means insertable into said space and providing a surface adjacent the rear face ot the panel and including an area of desired color within the outline defined by said groove portions whereby one eect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another effect is presented to the observer when there is external light.

5. An edge lighted sign" embodying therein a panel of transparent material having front and rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of desired shape, means providing a source of light along at least one edge of the panel, means providing an opaque backing member arranged rearwardly oi the panel so as to provide a space therebetween. means providing material bonded' to certain areas of the rear face of the panel within said outline formed by said grooveV portions, and means insertable into said space and providing a surface adjacent the rear v face` of the panel and including an area of de'- sired color within the outline defined by said groove portions whereby .one eiect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another effect is presented to the ob.

server when thereis external light.v

6. An edge lighted sign embodying therein a panel of transparent material having iront and rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of the desired shape, means on the rear face of the panel for opaquing that part oi said race outside oi said outline, means providing a source oi light along at least one edge portion of the panel. and means providing a surface to the rear oi said opaquing means and including an area of desired color within the outline formed by said groove portions whereby one eiect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another effect is presented to the observer when there is external light.

7. An edge lighted sign vembodying therein a panel of transparent material having :iront and rear faces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of the desired shape, means on the rear face ofthe panel for opaquing that part of said face outside of said outline, means providing material bonded to certain areas of' the rear face of the panel within the outline formed by said groove portions, means providing a source of light along at least one edge portion oi the panel, means providing a. surface to the rear of said opaquing means-and including an area of desired color within the outline formed by said groove portions' and whereby one eect is presented to the observer when the sign is edge lighted only and another eect is presented to the'bserver When there is external light.

8. An edge lighted sign embodying therein a panel of transparent material having front and rear vfaces, there being relatively narrow groove portions in the rear face of the panel arranged in an outline of the desired shape, means on the rear face of the panel for opaquing that part of said face outside of, said outline, means providing a sourceof light along at' leastone edge of the panel, .a member arranged to the rear of said opaquing means and coacting therewith in forming a space therebetween, and means insertable into said space and including an area oi desired color within the outline formed by said groove portion.

LOUIS J. DIXON.

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