US768179A - Sign. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904,

Hui 768 179.

J'. HOTOHNER.

SIGN.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904.

NO MODEL.

FIE-l..

' UNITED STATES Patented August 23 1904;

PATENT OEEIcE.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 768,179, dated August 23, 1904.

Application filed February 15, 1904. Serial No. 193.702- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HOTOHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Provi deuce, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs; and I- do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in signs, and more particularly in sign letters or characters and the means forv securing them upon the slgn-board or background.

One of the objects of my invention is to i provide a fastening means for the sign letters or characters which will hold them away at a distance from the sign-board or other backgroun so as to cause present an attractive and novel appearance.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fastening means of this character which will permit the letters or characters to be readily attached to and detached from the background or sign-board without injury to the letters and which when the letters are applied will be entirely hidden from view.

Another object of my invention is toimprove and simplifythe construction of de; vices of this character, and thereby render them more attractive and durable in use and less expensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis aperspeotive view of a portion of a sign-board with one of my improved letters secured thereto in accordance with my invention. Fig.

before the same is 2 is a sectional view through the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the holding devices applied to the sign-board or base. Fig. 4 represents several detail sectional'views through letters or characters of them to throw a nat -ural shadow upon the sign-board, and thereby slightly-different forms from that shown in the other'figures of the drawings;

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 denotes a sign-board or base which may be of any suitable material and constructed in any desired manner.

. 2denotes my improved letters or characters, and 3' denotes my improved means for fastening the said letters or characters upon the said sign-board. The letters or characters 2 are hollow and open at their backs, as shown, being molded, cast, stamped, or otherwise formed of metal, rubber, fiber, glass, or. any other material which when finished has a smooth hardened surface.

While Ido not confine myself to the use of any particular material, I prefer to employ vulcanized fiber, rubber, or any plastic material capable of being molded and pressed and which is very light in weight, durable, and when hardened has a smooth finished surface capable of being gilded or otherwise ornamented without requiring painting or other treatment. In cross-section the letters or characters may be of any desired configuration. Their fronts tare preferably made flat, angular, or curved, as indicated in Fig. 4:, and their sides 5 are formed at suitable intervals with pairs of openlngs or apertures 6, into pared to give it sufiicient spring or resiliency to retain the letters or characters 2. The retaining-tongues 7 are formed, preferably, by cutting the outer ends of the right-angularshaped portions 9 and bending a portion outwardly, as shown. The curved central portion of each fastener is formed at its center with two openings or apertures 10, through which a staple 11 or any other suitable fastening device is passed to secure it to the signboard or base 1, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. These fasteners 3 are secured upon the signthe fastening devices 3 boardat intervals corresponding to the intervals or spaces between the pairs of openings 6 in the sides 5 of the sign letters or characters.

The manner in which the letters or characters are applied to and removed from the fastener after the latter have been secured to the sign-board will be readily seen upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. When it is desired to attach the letters or characters, the ends of the fasteners are bent up one at a time until the tongues? spring into the openings 6, and when it is desired to remove them the ends of the fasteners are pressed inwardly until the tongues 7 are disengaged from said openings 6. It will be observed that owing to the shape of the fasteners 2 the letters will be held firmly'and securely at a distance from the sign-board or background, and the means of attachment of the letters will be almost entirely hidden.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated but one letter or character, that being the letter L, but it will be understood that letters, numerals, symbols, and characters of any description may be similarly attached to a background or base. It will be further understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the use and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fastener for sign letters or characters comprising a spring-bow, and means for securing the ends of the bow under tension to a sign, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a support, a bow secured intermediate its ends to the support, and a sign letter or character secured to the ends of the bow and held by the bow spaced from the support, substantially as described.

8. In combination, "a hollow raised sign letter or character and a fastener therefor comprising a spring-bow sprung into the sign and fastened at its ends thereto, substantially as described. 4

4s. A fastener for sign letters or characters consisting of a strip or plate of spring metal having a curved central portion formed with apertures and having right-angular-shaped portions at each end, the outer ends of said right-angular-shaped portions having bent retaining-tongues, substantially as described.

5. The combinationof a support, a sign letter or character, and a bow fastened intermediate of its ends to the support and at its ends to the sign letter or character, the said intermediate portion of the bow projecting beyond said letter or character to hold the same spaced from said support, substantially as described.

6. A hollow raised sign letter or character having a fastener-spring therein and secured thereto, substantially as described.

7. A hollow raised sign letter or character having an attaching-flange, a spring-bow having rearwardly-bent ends bearing against said flange, and means for fastening the bent ends of the bow to said flange, whereby the bow is doubly secured by its spring action and the fastenings, substantially as described.

8. A sign letter or character having attaching portions, a spring-bow having its ends bearing with pressure against said attaching portions, and means for securing said attaching portions to the ends of the bow, substantially as described.

9. A sign-fastener comprising a springbow, and means for attaching a sign to the ends of the bow, substantially as described.

10. A sign letter or character having attaching portions, and a spring-bow having its end portions sprung into engagement with said attaching portions, whereby the bow is held under tension, and means for attaching the ends of the bow to said attaching portions, substantially as described.

11. A sign-fastener comprising a bow having attaching ends outwardly and rearward] y bent, and means for attaching the rearwardlybent portions of the ends of the bow to a sign, substantially as described.

12. A sign-fastener comprising a bow having attaching ends outwardly and rearwardly bout, the rearwardly-bent portions of the ends of the bow being provided with retainingtongucs to hold the same in engagement with a sign, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OSEPII IIOTU llNlClt.

Witnesses:

C. L. \NYGaN'r, C. H. HAVEN.

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