US1904966A - Combined animated and changeable sign - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1933'. R. M. ANDERSON 1,904,955

COMBINED ANIMATED AND CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed Nov. 19, 1950 auoY inII/na "f" Patented Apr. 18, 1933 v UNrrv-laznA STA y i REN M. Annnason; oFcINcinNAVTI, onto'` y COMBINED ANIMA'i'fEnAND CHANGEA'BLE' sren k My invention lrela-tes to illuminated signs, and its object is to aiford an animationfor` changeable appearance in: such signs `by very Y. simple means economically4 produced` onaA 53 commercial scale, as well as,'by equally simi ple means, to make such a sign changeable as to a part of its display, so that theattractive-j ness of the animated sign may be had in a sign adapted to have part of its Vdisplay altered if); in accordance with changes in the business advertised, or for theY sake of variety, where-f by the animation and the changeability are mutually helpfultoward the general object of effective advertisement.

I accomplish the above objects.

panying drawing, in which-.-

Figurel is a front view of a sign stage of its operation;V 2% Fig 2 isa similar viewof the same-in its next stagevof operation;V L l, Y

Fig. 3 is -a diagrannnatichorizontal cross section affording a comprehensive disclosure l ofthe arrangement of the various elements ofy the sign, their respective parts of thedisplay `matter, and thelighting means,fthe` section being on a plane corresponding to that of theline 3-'3 ofFig-.2; w y 1. f Fig. 4L is a partial'vertioal section on: the plane of the line 144i o fFig. 2, with'thethick-L nesses of the elements and the displaymatter thereon much eXaggeratedfor clearness; f .i

' Fig. 5 is a rear view ofthe front displayV the material, is such as to'permit the Vpro-1 vision for changeability of part of the display i to'be--integralwith one ofthese elements.v if' element; l f Y I 35@ Fig.' 6 is a rear view of the rear display' element; Y j i i Fig. 7 is an enlarged front view ofthe lower portion of the front display element, parts i, being broken away and omitted for lack of 09' space;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryview of thesame,"

showing a modification; and,

Fig. 9 isV a similar View showing another' 'modification'.

4"- In my Patent No. 1,7 3.7 ,290, issued Novem#` ber 26, 1929, the example is that of a glass sign element having on or atitsf'rear' side color matter, preferably fused to the plate,"V vin patches of different colors or contrasting 5Q appearance, with'an additional patch atthe by .theV vice illustrated, for example, in the. accom@ A h "g patch as above describe-dlp; Thevariation,

one therefore, from my. priorI patent, is notfsuch Application led November 19, 1930. Serial Nol 496,686.

Ieaff-On Ofithose patches; ontrasting the one patch; so-,that a flasher at'the rear y, alternately causing the sign to be "seen Vfrom itsy light, or seen"'from Yreflected#lightl at 4the front," causesr intermittent appearance of thet appearing rst mentioned patches, producing` thei-llusion of animation. Myfpresent inVen-.;

` tion differsV frommy prior onejust described in having, fas one of the, first mentioned;

i additional matter-along `with the constantly patches, translucent sheet material of 'any' U .desired color, at the rear of transparent sheet" material bearing what answers `to the descriptionV of the` other' one of the Vfirst mc'entionedI patches, above;` the translucent sheet having on its `rear what corresponds to the additional y. i"

'as to depart from its principle, but is Adictated by the nature of use of my present' invention; Y, that of a store, showiwindow orfbill boardv display, or the like; whereas'the' ezampleV ern-A phasized in my prior patent is a ceramic 'prod-if uct intended for that kind of display best recognized as similar to; the filling station signs, and for which f is `,adapted and affords' an improvementydue to.' animation. In my;

present invention, .my sign,` of the-principle",l

just-described, is constructed,` preferably',fo"f

lighter materials, is produced lby painting on .i I'

printing the displays on the materials, and

translucency is attained by selecting a vtrans- .f lucent material forone ofy the elements; and;

I have chosen a simple example illustrating animation o f angureand intermittentv displayof reading matter; the twostages beingV transparent element l is viewed from-V the front by exterior lighting, displaying the rep-VA i resentation 2 .of amans head and shoulders, l and above this'reading matter 3 and-below ing of suitable translucentcolorksuch as paint, ink 'or the like,`on,the rearfof thesheet orjelernent'l. jIt isfthis` sheet that bearsethe changeable readingmatterlland 5, in a man- V ,0U

ner afterward to be described@i,`

this reading matter 3', allof which is a coat-1 as" 7) .heid to therme l Figf2 shown the 'same vviewed lighting, Which latter now becomes vrelatively 5 of l1ttle-efect,so that the saluting hand Got the" manl is represented, and the` additional.

Y* readingV matter 7, Y atjtle l right of @the .-gure,

also appears-ffV Yf ;-,z- Y As all of he displayfrnaterial,except.the changeable :matter 4- andl-is on theibaksll Y the sign elements, it is, in "-.both Fig-v '11 'zand Y ying inlboth'stages'being lrepresented b'ylong Y. dorm/11119111 Figa thesaaaiqaanyappealing;

ing matter isrepresented by very short dots.

,all'yacalled,` celluloid; this material being Y,yreadily-obtainable'ina great variety-01:' colors, 30" and either transparent. or tra'r'islucent.k f )The intermittent.rear-Lli'ghtingis Vobtained by-an'incande'scentlampl9 (Fig.-3) Withthe s'vvitchYflO,14 Which-represents v some, lautomatic ,device, such-.as the Well knownthermally actthe strips -14'and15cutfrom Vthe same sheets l y elements. are lshovvn 1n Figsig and 6', YWhere all display mattergis -Y indicatedin full lines, except thechangeable .matter4and*5,'YWhich is on the front-ofthe 46"'element1 as beorel-me'ntioned-4 :The element i llvvill `be :seen to bear merely YWhat isv seen the'stage Vof Figplwhen thesignis lighted fromv the exteriorfronly and .the element-8.,

i `which is understood to be'translucent Whereas i the elementl istransparent, is seen to have on Y Y its backlthe VhandY, the readingmatter7,as*

f Jwell assmalldetails 2 ofthe featuresofthe man, which, as isWell-known by Yfa'rtists,"?1nay V.be arranged to falter the expression ofthe face Y vfof theman, as for exampletothe moresmiling expressioninFig` 2' 'as compared with'.

f' Y Thechangea-ble matter 4 and 'ylconsistsot l sepa-ratev transparent` letters v11 and12 l(Fig.Y-* n of the element 1 bysmalljv tabs 13f`formed by cutting'the' element"landrv` V bending the' small ,portions left atta''ched,by

the cuts; these' tabs`13 Whichihoild the lletters f Whereas/the tabs 13 of the 'lower line'-v are Y esemicircular, In Figi the tabslf are of' 1 YapproXirriatel'y. oblong lshape the,v el'ongatiorrY?AV Y e being VYin {the 'horizontal direction of `'the read` l 'y ing-matter; and i'nYFig.9instea'djo'f-theYtabs, Y l Y'j65 'the'elementll" is Ynot cut,but strips 14fandf15- `Forr this reason, the 'tabs 13, 13Yor 1o t l V'I'Jr'o'videdsat frequent intervals, preferably as F1g52, indicated by dotted lines thaty appear-- v It Will beunderstood, hoWever',1thati-n eitherVV stage, A,the actual appearance Wouldf-beullV Alines and shades as in any sign; andthat'zthe l colors llnaylbe,black andwhite, or shadefslfof` 216? gray, asYA Well* as the other colors,` so longas'.iv 'Y v theycontra-st with the colorof thetranslucenb rear'element 8,A which may be ofrany desiredv color answering to therequirements as toV con- Y, "trast, just mentionedA Also, the ffront ele- 25Jment1may be of any desired-color, so long as itis transparent. 'The most suitable material for both elements is'y'flonite,Y or, 'as itiisv usul outvfrom'theielement-L Alsouniformity in 1`Yangd'2, andare held betWeentWo clear trans- Y are attached tothe front of thesheet, aboveV and below, made of the same transparent material as is the element 17. In any ofy these examples, the letters or other characters, asV the letters 11 of the upper line 4, or the letters and figures 12 of the lower line 5, or the letters 11 Yof Fig; 8,7orthe`letters11. of `Fig9,l1ave Y l I suchwoftheir edge portionsslipped behind the l v tabsv or strips as maybe presented'therefor..

ql/ .Y Y are'` closely as Willnotl unduly weaken the struc- 'tjureef thel nement V1, so fha a sussen@ number offedge portions of each character will be tersfm'aybef brought ltoualong thev line, in'V accordance vvithfthe ,desired l adjusting 'f and spacing of thefcharacters.l'V lThe element-landv Y the changeable'charactersWill be understood;`

l V85. f `The elongation of the tabs `alonglthe lineof Y j' Y display,in`lFig.v8', insures ampleholdingconl* tact Withl'the variously placed characters; Y

to be actually of very thin material.;V

and in Fig.;9 the vcontinuous'strips-14 and 15 of course Aprovide.contact anywhere' AWithin' the range 'ofthe display. Thetabs 13,513 or 13f are preferable to thel strips 14 and 15,

hoW'eveU-'inzthat they aremoreeconomically produced; being integral with4V 'and Worked transparency of. theelement landthe'tabs is better insured than WhereAseparatejpiecesV are attached. 1 Such attachment, with cement v suchras is used for such materials, vand' With asthe element 1, WillalloW practicable unirr formityin transparency and. color. V lUsually Vtheelement'l and'its -tabsor strips are clear,

leaving .the licolor :effects to the translucent element 8. :The display'matter, including the removable. and changeable characters 11,12, 11,Y or .11 t ,"Which latter are preferably trans; k

parent, alsolmay be ofl any desired' colors.` V.By havinguniform transparenc'yfandl colorV Y offtlle element Y1 or 1'.: and the tabs or s'trip5, 1 110 Y' Ythelatter.arepractically'invisible in thedisv-ff"A play, `either f-fronr front exterior. 'or rear interiorf'lighting. The illustrations ;-in Figs. , l 7, 8 and 9 do not show this eect, as they are` made to show `theconstructiom :rather than, thel effect, .Which is more as shown inFigsY land 2, -withrespect to the changeable char-f aoters. BynhavingV the tabs otproperl close spacing they-serve to Y1hold..the characters properly at any required spacing, as is evident l1 *20 l Y The assemblageoithesignisfrbest'seen l l in Fig.,-4,; where the! elements and displayjjj` matter are numbered toYcorrespondjWith Figs'. Y,

parent glass'plates 1G and 17, Whicllare` held Vtogether by a VJframe 1,8.'Which may. be opened i 7oY l..

mayoccurfin practicalland Y.130V n wish to be understood as being limited to` therefore, while I have specifically described preferred examples of my invention, I do not Y parent element, sets of display matter contrasting with said translucent element, one set of which is infront and the other set of which is in back of said translucent element,

at least part of one of said sets being removably mounted on one of said elements whereby it is changeable, and means for intermittently illuminating the rear of said elements and display matter.

2. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent element behind said transparent element, sets of display matter con-' trasting withsaid translucent element, one set of which is in front and the other set of which is in back of said translucent element, at least part of the front set being removable and changeable,and means for intermittently illuminating at the rear of said elements and display matter.

3; A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent element behind said transparent element, sets of display matter contrasting with said translucent element, one set of which is in Jfrontand the other set of which is in back of said translucentvelement, at least part of the front set being removably mounted upon saidV transparent element whereby it is changeable, and means for in- Y termittently illuminating at the rear of said` elements and display matter.

4. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent element behind said transparent element, sets of display matter contrasting with said translucent element, one set of which is in front and the other set of which is in back of said translucent element, at least part of the front set being removably mounted on thefront of said transparent element whereby itis readily accessible and changeable, and means for intermittently illuminating at the rear of said elements and display matter.

5. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent element behind said transparent element, sets of display matter con-` trasting with said translucent element, one set of which is in front and the other set of which is in back of said translucent element, said transparent element having engaging means uniformly transparent with said element,at least part of the front set ofdisplay matter being removablyv held by'said engaging means whereby it is changeable, and means for intermittentlyv illuminating at the rear of said elements and display matter.

6. A sign comprising a transparent ,element and a translucent element behind said trans- 5 parent element, sets of display matter contrasting with said translucent elementfcne set` of which is: in frontand the otherseto Y which is back' odi said translucent element, said` transparent element havingl at its ront engaging :means uniformly.' transparent with said element, at least partei"y the front 'set'of A displaymatterbeing removably held bysaid engagingmeans on saidufront, of saidtranse e' parent element, whereby said part lof saidV display matter is changeable, and means for intermittently'illuminating atthe rear of saidv elements and display matten* 7. @A sign comprising: a thin resilient trans-l parent element and a translucent element juxtaposed tol said'- transparent element, sets of disp-lay matter contrastingy with 'sa-id translucent element, one set in front and the otherV set'inback of said translucent element, said held b-y said engaging means wherebyv itis:

changeable, and meanstforintermittently illuminating atthe rear of said elements and said I dispay matter.

8. A sign comprising two juxtaposedelei ments, one transparent and the other translucent, sets of display matter contrasting with said translucent element, one set in front and the other set in back of said translucent element, said transparent elementhaving engag-y ing means uniormlytransparent with said transparent element, at least part ofv one of v said sets of display matter being removably` held by said engaging means whereb it `is changeable, and means for intermittent y illuj minating at the rear of said elements and said display matter. w

9. A signlcomprising a relatively thin resilient transparent sheet having substantially parallel rows 4of tabs integral with and uni-v formly transparent with said sheet, the tabs in each row projecting toward the otherro'w,

display matter removably and y changeablyY held by said tabs, and illuminatingmreans at l the rear ofsaid display matter.

10. A sign comprising a relatively thin resilient transparent sheet, engagingmeans on saidl sheet uniformly transparent, with said sheet, display matter removably and changeably held by said engaging means relatively thick transparent plates between which said sheet and said display matter are held, separable means for supporting said plates, permitting access to said display matmav no Y

iis

ter, and illuminating means at the rear of .said display matter. y

l1. A sign comprising a relativelyV thin resilient transparent sheet having substantially parallel rows of tabs integral with and uni-V formly transparent with said sheet, thetabs in each row projecting toward the other row, display matter removably and changeably held by said tabs, a translucent element uXtaposedft said sheet, sets Y'ofV display matteri Y f vcontrasting.with said; translueent element, f i

one set in front of and the other set in back Y l osaidtranslucent element, means for holde Y 154 ingisaidtransparent sheet, lsaid..removably Y held" display matterfand said translucent ele-y ment .closely together, and-means for interv lmittently:illuminating at the rear of szanilk translucentele'ment.

'1 U; V*112. -Asignco1nprisng two juxtaposed -rel- 'gfatively thin sheets, one transparent and the Y other translucent, setsofdisplay matter eontrasting withsaidtranslucentsheet,` one set Y on said transparent element fer displayalonei SI5 by light fromV the front of'saidsheets, and the other set inbael of said translucent sheet for K' displaylwithnsaidone setby light from'the f rear of, said .,slleets',y relativelythick transTk parent platesjbetweenfwhich said sheets and;

' ,2G j'(jrlisplay, matter are" held, means for supportingv 'i said plates', and means for intermittently supply'ngzfsaid light from the rear of said sheets,

" K AVlispla'f matte'r anni:Y plates.. 1

f RENMLANDERsON j' mi Y

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