US2782540A - Illuminated display sign for windows - Google Patents

Description

Feb. .26, 1957 G. c. JACOBS ILLUMINATED DISPLAY SIGN FOR WINDOWS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1954 i| all 1in@ il I? V EN TOR. BY

G- C. JACOBS ILLUMINATED DISPLAY SIGN FOR WINDOWS F eb. 2.6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1954 Y NVENTOR.

,t/1w C www@ #77m y ATTORNEY/ United States Patent ILLUMINATED DISPLAY SIGN FOR WINDOWS Gilbert C. Jacobs, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Everbrite Electric Signs, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 19, 1954, Serial No. 450,865

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-132) This invention relates to improvements in illuminated display signs for windows.

It is common practice to provide illuminated display or advertising signs adapted to be mounted against the inner faces of store and shop windows. The usual mounting requires the illuminated sign to be depended from the ceiling relatively close thereto, with the front display panel of the sign in close adjacency to the inner face of the window pane and this presents a problem in respect to access to the interior of the sign for servicing, repairs and replacements, unless the entire sign is removed from its mounting. Service openings in the ends or top of the sign are not practical because of t he possible proximity of the sign, as mounted, to the ceiling and to the structure walls adjacent the ends of the sign.

With the above in mind it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the diilculties mentioned in connection with illuminated display signs for store windows by providing an illuminated display sign of the character described in which the front display panel lof the sign normally forms an acute angle with the plane of the window pane and is mounted in the sign frame for substantial swinging movement to and from the window pane to provide a bottom opening which affords substantial and convenient access to the interior of the sign for servicing.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an illuminated electric display sign for store windows a swingably mounted plastic front panel or face hinged to the frame along its upper margin in a novel manner which eliminates the necessity of holes or fittings in the plastic panel.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in associtation with the inner surface of a store window pane, a display sign including a frame in juxtaposition to the inner face of the window pane but having a front display panel normally inwardly downwardly inclined but swingable into a reverse position of inclination to readily provide an accessible bottom service lopening into the `interior of the sign frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a store window sign of the character described having a novel mounting for the sign ballast and electrical illuminating means, with a removable back cover plate to afford ready access to the ballast.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated display sign for windows which is of very simple construction, is convenient to install and service, which is neat, attractive and unique in appearance, and which i-s well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved illuminated display sign for windows, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front View of a store window showing the improved illuminated display sign mounted adjacent the inner surface of the window pane, a portion Iof the front panel of the sign being broken away to show the interior of the sign frame;

Fig. 2 is `a vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l and on a slightly larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the improved sign;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the sign, portions being broken away and shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken on line 5*5 of Fig. 2 with other portions broken away and in section.

The improved illuminated display sign, indicated generally by the numeral 8, is adapted to be mounted adjacent the inner face of the glass pane of a store or shop display window. The space rearwardly of the glass pane of a store display window is customarily an alcove closed in the front by the window pane 9 with vertical end walls or partitions lll and a ceiling 30. The illuminated display sign may be depended from the alcove ceiling 30 by any suitable means, as shown in Fig. 2, and `ordinarily may be relatively close to t-he ceiling and adjacent the inner face of the window pane 9. Due to the restrictive surroundings, the ends and top of the illuminated display sign, mounted as described in a store window, are inaccessible, but in display signs of the type under consideration it is necessary to provide convenient means of obtaining access to the interior of the sign for replacement of lights and other parts, servicing and cleaning. The present invention provides a structure in which a controlled service opening in the bott-om of the sign frame is arranged without complication of parts.

The illuminated sign includes an open boxdike frame of rectangular form having 4a top lil- 112 vertical ends 12 and a back 13. The latter, substantially midway between its upper and lower margins is dished inwardly to provide an angularly shaped pan 14 within the frame and within which is housed conventional ballasts 15 and on the exposed walls of which may be mounted supports for elongated suitably wired illuminating tubes or lamps 16. Removably bolted to the rear 13 of the frame so as to cover the open face of the pan 14 is a cover 17 which, when removed, permits ready access to the light ballasts 1S from the rear or back of the sign frame. Cooperating with the member 11 in forming the top of the frame is a complementary top portion 11 which underlaps the inner margin of the top portion 1l and is formed along its forward margin with a downwardly angled hook-like tongue 18, the lapping portions of the complementary top members 11 and il being held together by bolts 19. The front peripheral portions of the top member 11 and the ends i2 are outwardly flanged as at 20 and the vertical flanged portions of the ends carry rubber bumpers 2i to space and cushion the frame against the inner face of the window pane 9.

The front and bottom of the sign frame is adapted to be normally closed by a translucent display panel, preferably formed from a sheet of plastic material in the general form of an L with a front face 22 and an integral bottom 23, the latter at its inner free extremity being downwardly flanged as at 23. The front or face portion 22 forms an obtuse angie with the bottom portion 23 of the translucent display panel and in the normal closed position `of said panel within the frame the face portion 22 of the panel inclines downwardly rearwardly with respect to the pane of the window Iand is offset inwardly from the front margins of the frame.

It is normally difficult to apply hardware to plastic material and it is not desirable to mar or weaken such plastic material by the provision of bolt holes. Therefore, to eliminate the necessity of hardware or hinges applied to the upper margin of the panel 22 its upper edge is formed with a hooking ange 24 which hingedly engages the complementary hooking flange 1.8 on the top member 11' under an elongated detent 25 in the top 11 which will prevent undesirable disengagement of the hooking flanges 18 and 24.

A plate Z6 is secured to the lower exterior portion of the back wall 13 of the frame and the same is provided with. a forwardly directed upwardly opening hooking flange 26 to lockingly engage the downturned extremity 23' of the bottom portion of the panel, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. By removal of the bolts 27, or other securing means, the plate 26 may be lowered or removed to disengage its portion 26 from the liange 23 of the panel, in which event the panel may be hingedly swung from its normally closed position illustrated to the broken line position of Fig. 2 wherein. the lower margin of the face portion 22 of the panel abuts the inner surface of the glass pane 9 which limits the forward swinging movement of the panel. However, due to the mounting of the panel within the frame and the inclination of the face portion thereof, said panel may be swung through a substantial angle to open position, thus providing a service opening in the bottom of the sign frame whereby access tothe interior of the frame is conveniently accomplished without the necessity of removing the sign from its mounting or in any manner disassembling substantial structural portions of the sign frame.

ln service, the improved illuminated display sign may be mounted within a window of a store or shop in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The front face 22 of the panel may, of course, carry suitable advertising indicia or pictorial representations which are displayed through the store window when the interior of the sign frame is illuminated by the tubes or lamps 16.

The improved sign comprises a minimum of easily assembled parts and presents a neat, attractive and unique appearance. Moreover the interior of the sign is cornpletely accessible for servicing through the simple expedient of hingedly swinging the panel toward the window pane which is permitted by the construction and mounting of the panel and its inclined face. The integral housing for the ballasts is simple and ready access to the ballastsl is afforded by the removable rear plate 17. The improved illuminated display sign for windows is well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1, An illuminatable display sign for mounting adjacent the inner face of a window pane, comprising a box-like frame with illuminating means therewithin, the display sign also having a display panel to be visible throughout an adjacent window pane, said panel including a at face forming the front of the frame and an integralrearward extension forming the bottom of the frame, said panel normally completely closing the front and bottom of the frame, complementary hook means formed on tnc forward top portion of the [rame and the upper margin of the panel to hingedlyl mount the panel on the frame ina manner soothat thc tace of the panel, iny its normal closed position relative to the frame, forms a downwardly spreading` acute angle with the face of an adjacent window pane, and. means releasably securing the lower portion of the panel to the frame, the panel, whenV said securing means is released, being hingedly movable to bring its lower margin into substantial engagement with an. adjacent window pane with the panel extension being swung free of portions of the bottom of the trame to thereby provide a bottom service opening into the interior of the illuminated display sign frame.

2. An illuminatable display sign for mounting adjacent the inner face of a window parte7 comprising a boxlike frame open at its front and bottom portions, the display sign also having an L-shaped display panel to be visible through the window pane and normally cornpletely closing the front and bottom portions of the frame, means hingedly mounting the upper margin of the panel to the frame in a manner so that the face of the panel is downwardly inwardly inclined relatiye to the pane,V the panel being hingedly movable toward an adjacent window pane to swing the lower portion of the panel to an inclined position free of the bottom of the frame and thus provide a bottom service opening into the interior of the illuminated display sign frame, a portion of the rear of the frame being dished into the frame to provide aballast housing, electrical illuminating means within the frame adjacent said ballast housing, and a removable plate on the rear of the frame over said ballast housing.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,668,799 Bergan May 8, 1928 1,812,919 Balder July 7, 1931 2,336,016 layne et al. Dec. 7, 1943 2,465,034 Peters Mar. 22, 1949 2,507,350 Russell May 9, 1950 2,588,545 Lawrence Mar. 11, 1952 2,626,473 Howenstine I an. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS4 287,571 Great Britain Jan. 3l, 1929 708,302 Great Britain May 5, 1954

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