US1847534A - Luminous sign - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1932 NEUHUT ET AL 1,847,534

LUMINOUS' SIGN Filed Sept. 1, 192a P nama Mar. 1, 1932 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES EH11 N'EUE'UT AND FRIEDRICH PETROWITZ, F VIENNA, AUSTRIA; SAID PETBO'WITZ ASSIGNOR '10 SAID NEUHU'I Luminous sren Application filed September 1, 1928, Serial No. 303,596, and in Austria December 24, 1927.

This invention. relates to improvements in illumination or luminous sign.

The known gas-filled illumination tubes have proved a great success in connection with the illuminated announcements. The peculiareflect of the same essentially is based on the fact, that not a plain surface is the source of light but a quite round tubular surface which, in comparison to the width to be seen by the viewer; is of a far greater area,- so that the light radiates towards all sides with the same strength and with a peculiar luminescence, without causing a shadow to be seen from any place.

The present invention has for its object to attain the same effect in a novel, simpler and less expensive manner, generally this being attained in that the announcements to be illuminated, thus words, letters, numerals,

2o figures, designs and the like of any size and shape and consisting of artificial resin or any other transparent material, are produced in a plastic manner and are mounted on a convenient base in such a manner, that they extend beyond the same and, on being illuminated from the back, the light radiates equally without making or throwing any shadow in all directions and of the colouration of the material as employed, so that the viewer has so the impression, that the intensely illuminated signs are freely suspended in the air. The e ect is increased by suitable means or measures, which serve to prevent the luminous poweror the luminescence'of the used material and'the appearance of light-spaces within the plastic signs and to increase and difluse the light emitted by the source of light.

- Of course the similarity between the effect according to the present inventionand that of gas-filled tubes depends on the proper or correct 0 tical construction of the'signs.

Thus t epresent invention consists essentially in that designs or letters formed by strips of transparent material of full section are arranged in recesses of the opaque base of a light box so that they extend through said base to the outside of the light box.

, The outwardly extending part of the strips has a cylindrically curved uninterrupted sur-.

face and a source of light disposed behind the transparent, nontransparent or differently base radiates through the plastic signs only so that a kind of glowing plastic with an equal shadowless light is produced.

The base may consist of any convenient '55 coloured translucent material.

Incase a transparent plate is used, all places where signs'are not arranged have ,to

,be covered by a'body or opaque colour "or by a material which prevents the passage of the rays of light;

If nontransparent, plates are used, they have to bemade transparent at the places where the signs have to be disposed.

The signs can be arranged on the bedplates thus prepared in any desired manner, and also the kind of attachment of the signs to the base-plate can be carried out in different ways. According tothepresent invention the tubular or strip signsare fastened into the recesses of the base plate.

If desired, the individual signs may be cast in suitable recesses of the bed-plate or the bed-plate may be cast to the finished signs.

In this way illumination boards are produced in which the tubular or strip signs stand out of the bed-plate in a plastic man- Of course the tubularor strip-shape of the signs may be of any convenient construction. Favourable eflects are attained if the signs are of circular, lentil-shaped cross sectional area. Of course the signs may be of any other convenient cross sectional area,

provided they yield the optic appearance of a shadowless plastic glowing member. The

surface may be smooth, roughor ribbed or may be provided with suitable surface cuts. If desired hollowbodies or members may be inserted in the individual signs and the' same may be partly filled with any suitable liquid for instance alcohol, in order to produce a fluctuating effect of illumination by heating or boiling the liquid by means of the source of light arranged behind the bedplate. In order to further increase the effect of the intensely illuminated signs according to the present invention, means are provided which completely difl'use the light of the source of light and absolutely prevent a 19.

I able means.

wrong refraction of light and theformation of light-spaces within the signs. This 1s attained in that one or more plates, which difiuse the light, are arranged between the signs and the source of light.- However it is also of advantage to arrange a coat of transparent material on the backside of the sign or to render dull this backside by suit- The diffusion of the light can be efiected in a simple and effective way by interposing a frosted disk.

In order to impart to the sign the correct appearance of a self-illuminating tube or strip it is frequently of advantage to shade oil the tone of colour of the transparent signs by interposing between the latter and the source of light suitably coloured plates or coats of transparent material. 'In this way'also the colours of the signs may be varied according to requirement and any desired colour-eifect may be produced, for also irising luminous colours. The same effect can be produced also by using coloured incandescent lamps.

Peculiar effects can be obtained also by using two or multi-coloured masses or mate rials for producing the signs.

Of course the plates or disks above mentioned and serving for diffusing the light can be employed also as base of the'desired colouration. I

The intensity of the source of light can be increased by the provision of suitable refiectors.

I showing that the Some modes of carrying out the present invention are illustrated by way of example on the accompanying sheets of drawings in which Fig. 1 shows an broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in vertical section,

illuminated sign partly outwar y from the plane of the bed-plate. Figs. 3 to 6 show by way of example lummous signs of dilferent cross-sectional areas.

Fig. 7 shows a light diflusing disk inserted between the source of illumination and the illuminated letter or character.

As shown in Fig. 1, the illuminated or luminous sign consists of a casing, mounted on a frame 1 and'the walls 4, 4 of which serve as bed-plates for the signs to be attached at both sides.

- invention, the bed-plate 4.- is further provided with a recess, into which can be removably fitted a sample of merchandise to illuminated object extends a fraction of the costs of filled luminous tubes, particularly in view of to the present which the lettering of the sign has reference. In this way the announcement and the orig inal article itself can be arranged on the board.

The sign 5 can be secured to the bed-plate 4 in different ways. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the sign or strip, extending beyond the bed-plate, is provided with a dovetailed extension at its back, which serves for the attachment to the bed-plate. Of course also signs Without this extension can be fixed in a most simple manner above the recesses or mounted on the bed-plate or inserted in recesses or cemented to the latter or secured to the same in any convenient manner.

In order to increase the luminous effect of l the individual signs, further for producing particular colour-efl'ects as well as for covering the source of light and for preventing a wrong refraction of light and the formation of light-spaces Withinthe plastic sign, the light diffusing colored plates are individually or in suitable combination arranged between the signs 5 and the source of light 2.

A further effect is attained when using signs provided with a hollow insertion 6 filled with a liquid 7, for instance alcohol. The alcohol evaporates owing to the heat emitted by the source of light and the vapours thereby produced give the appearance of a fluctuating light.

The shapes of the signs as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 are given by way of example only and as direction for the correct construction ofthe signs. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the signs 5 are of tubular shape and substantially freely suspended above the bedplate 4:, which permits the passage of the rays of light only below the sign 5.

The signs 5 are sunk into a bed-plate which is provided with suitable recesses and does not permit the passage of the rays of light. In Fig. 3 ,the sign Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the signs are of semi-circular shape, in Fig. 7 the sign is lentil shaped.

By a suitable choice and composition of the above means it is possible to produce the character of the used material renders is of circular shape, in I luminous announcements of any convenient size in the shape of glowing plastlc members,

possible announcements of any desired colour or combination of colours and shapes, as well as the use of intermittent light or other consecutive luminous effects, the latter being tubes. ing to the present invention amount. only to a plant wit-h gas the necessity of alternating current which is notalways at dispo l, d therefore cables an have to be laid over long distances. Further the expensive' arrangement of high -tension impossible-in the case of gas-filled luminous The costs of a luminous board accord-- transformers is dispensed with. In the luminous sign according to the present invention the danger connected with the use of high-frequenc current is dispensed With and the sign can e placed in operation by any kind of current by means of a simple plug.

We claim A luminous sign comprising a closed light box with a substantially opaque bed-plate, a source of light -on one side of said bed-plate, light diffusing members between the bedplate and the source of light, designs or letters in recesses of said bed-plate-formed from strips of transparent material of full section, extending through said bed-plate to the outside of the light boX, the outwardly extending part of the strips having a substantially cylindrically curved uninterrupted surface so as to give the appearance of selfluminous tubes with an equal and shadowless light.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

EMIL NEUHUT. v FRIEDRICH PETBOWITZ.

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