Improvements in the Manufacture of Letters, Tablets, or Signs for Show or Advertising Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
Improvements in the Manufacture of Letters, Tablets, or Signs
for Show or Advertising Purposes.
I, WILLIAM HEISTERMAN, of 57 Lyal Road, Bow, London, E., Artist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of letters, symbols, and tablets, or signs,
used for business and advertizing purposes, and it has for its object to provide
an effective and practically unbreakable medium for such letters and tablets or signs
which may either be made transparent or opaque, be gilt, silvered, blacked, or
coloured, or be so formed as to present various combinations of these effects.
Letters and symbols made according to my invention and intended to be
separately affixed to an ordinary window or other glass support are adapted to be
affixed either to the internal or the external surface and in the latter position they are
exempt from the effect of the heat and moisture of the interior atmosphere which is
liable to cause letters fixed to internal surfaces to slip out of place or become
detached.
Such letters or symbols are not acted on by the ordinary external atmosphere, may
be mounted on a tablet held in a frame supported in any suitable way, and when so
fixed no protecting glass is needed.
The invention consists in making the letters or symbols of opaque or transparent
sheet celluloid by moulding the material in the usual way upon dies of a shape to
produce letters or symbols presenting either convex or concave rounded or facetted
surfaces to view, the letters or symbols being surrounded by a plane margin whereby
they may be readily affixed to the surface on which they are to be mounted. The
surfaces of such letters which are presented to view would be gilt or otherwise
ornamented if the letters are intended to be wholly or partially opaque; when made
of transparent celluloid and surrounded by an opaque margin they are equally
effective whether viewed by reflected or transmitted light.
The invention also comprises the construction of a tablet by fixing such letters or
symbols to a sheet of celluloid between which and the letters, etc., a great variety of
contrasts of colour, decoration, opacity, and transparency, may be obtained. For
instance, such letters, etc., when fixed to the back of the supporting sheet or tablet
may be wholly or partially transparent and the sheet itself may be transparent where
the letters are affixed, so that they may be seen through it, the remainder of the
sheet being rendered opaque to form a ground which may either be plain or be
veined to represent marble, or otherwise ornamented.
The celluloid sheet may also be embossed or moulded to form a trade mark, symbol,
border, or other ornament, and the letters and symbols instead of being affixed to the
sheet may be formed directly therein by moulding.
Dated this 4th of Jul. 1905
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Letters, Tablets, or Signs
for Show or Advertising Purposes.
I, WILLIAM HEISTERMAN of "Lurline" Mycenæ Road Westcombe Park Black-
heath, late of 574 Lyal Road, Bow, London E. Artist do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-.
My invention relates to the manufacture of letters, symbols, and tablets or signs
used for business and advertising purposes, and it has for its object to provide an
effective and practically unbreakable medium for such letters or tablets or signs
which may either be inade transparent or opaque; be gilt, silvered blacked, or
coloured; or be so formed as to present various combinations of these effects.
Letters and symbols made according to my invention and intended to be seperately
affixed to an ordinary window or other glass support, are adapted to be affixed
either to the internal or external surface, and in the latter position they are exempt
from the effect of the heat and moisture of the interior atmosphere, which is liable
to cause letters so fixed to slip out of place; and yet they do not suffer in matter
of effect from those adapted for internal surfaces, and the object of this invention is
not only to produce a letter or symbol which shall at once present an attractive
appearance, but shall be as striking and effective at night as by day, which is a great
improvement over all other forms of letters now in use.
The invention consists of making the letters, numerals, or symbols of opaque or
transparent celluloid by moulding the material upon dies of a shape to produce letters
or symbols representing either concave or convex rounded or facetted surfaces
to view.
The letters or symbols I intend to make will be surrounded by a milled or
concavo-convex edge, whereby they may be readily affixed to the internal or
external surfaces on which they are to be mounted; and being extremely light in
weight, and the cement for fixing being pressed into the milled or concavo-convex
edge, it would give them a far greater security with less possible strain, insuring
them against the effects of moist internal atmospheres as well as to the inclemency
of outside exposure.
By forming the letters into angular or rounded concave or convex shapes, enables
me to utilize the said angular or rounded faces as hereafter more fully described and
specifically set forth in the claims.
Fig. 1 is a view shewing a letter fixed or cemented to the front of a transparent
surface; the edge of black representing the concavo-convex part cemented, therefore
opaque; and may be gilded, blacked, or colored, and the centre dotted part repre-
senting semi-transparent colorings; thus allowing artificial light from the interior of
the room or back of transparent body to illuminate it by night and yet being of itself
a letter to stand out prominent upon the glass surface by day.
Fig. 2 is a detached view of a letter shewing the milled or concavo-convex edge
which I make round the letters or symbols; and into which the cement is inserted,
and having its angled convexed sides gilded or colored leaving the front flat face
transparent; thus making the sides to stand out in bold prominence by day, and
the centre or flat transparent face to be seen by transmitted light by night.
Fig. 3 is a view showing a letter cemented to the back of a transparent sheet and
having its angled recessed or concaved sides transparent, and with its flat recessed
face gilded or colored; thus allowing the reflected light through the transparent
sheet covering to illuminate the gilded or colored flat recessed face by day; and the
transparent angled recessed sides allowing the internal light reflected from the room

page_text: or back of the letter to penetrate the aforesaid transparent sides and illuminate the
gilded, or colored flat recessed face by night.
Fig. 4 is a view shewing a letter with a transparent or semi-transparent centre;
the edge being cemented to the back of the glass support would therefore be opaque
and may be gilded or colored, and the glass or transparent sheet may be transparent
where the letters are affixed, so that they may be seen through it, the remainder of
the transparent sheet being painted or rendered opaque, to form a ground which may
either be plain or veined, to represent marble or otherwise ornamented; thereby
allowing the letters to be seen through the glass covering by day, and the same to be
illuminated by internal light reflected from within by night.
Figs. 5 & 6 are cross sections, concave in form of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale;
having transparent sides A and opaque centre B or semi-transparent sides C, and
opaque centre D shewing-e.g.-concavo-convex edge for fixing.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale being concave in form
having transparent rounded face with concavo-convex edge for fixing.
Figs. 8 & 9 are cross sections on an enlarged scale of Fig. 2 concave in form
having opaque sides F and semi-transparent centre G or opaque sides H and trans-
parent centre J with e.g. concavo-convex edge for fixing.
Fig. 10 is a detached prospective view of the front or obverse side of a letter
concaved or recessed in form as indicated in Fig. 3 with transparent, semi-trans-
parent or opaque parts, as shewn in sections 5-6-8 & 9 with a milled or concavo-
convex edge left round the front or obverse side for readily & securely cementing,
to glass or other support.
Fig. 11 is a detached prospective view of the front or obverse side of a letter
convexed or rounded in form with transparent or semi-transparent face as in
section 7-with concavo-convex edge, e.g. left round the said transparent or semi-
transparent face for readily and securely cementing to glass or other support.
Fig. 12 is a detached perspective view of the front or obverse side of a letter
convexed or projecting in form, having transparent, opaque or semi-opaque parts as
shewn in sections 5, 6, 8 & 9, with concavo-convex edge; round said side, and
recessed correspondingly on its back or reverse side, for securely fixing or cementing
to the glass or other transparent support.
The invention also comprises the construction of a swing or hanging sign or
tablet, by fixing such letters or symbols made according to my invention to a sheet
of colored or transparent sheet of celluloid, as represented by Fig. 13. This would
have the effect of making a practically unbreakable show sign and would therefore
be far superior to those now in use which are made of glass surfaces.
The celluloid sheet may also be embossed or moulded to form a separate trade
mark, symbol, border, or other ornament, and the letters and symbols in such cases
may be formed direct therein by moulding; with transparent, opaque and semi-
opaque parts intervening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. An improved sign-letter or symbol of the class herein specified formed
convexed or concaved in its front or obverse side as set forth.
2nd. A sign letter or symbol formed convexed or concaved in its front or obverse
side and having transparent or semi-transparent face with a concavo-convex edge
round said face, for receiving cement for fixing as set forth.
3rd. An improved sign-letter or symbol formed concaved on its front or obverse
side as set forth.
4th. An improved sign-letter or symbol formed concaved on its front or obverse
side and raised correspondingly on its back or reverse side as set forth.
5th. An improved sign letter or symbol formed concaved or convexed on its front
or obverse side and with an attaching milled or concavo-convex edge on said side as
set forth.

page_text: 6th. An improved sign-letter or symbol formed concaved or convexed on its front
or obverse side, and with an attaching, milled (concavo-convex) edge on said side,
and raised or recessed correspondingly on its back or reverse side as set forth.
7th. A sign letter or symbol formed convexed, domed shaped in cross section of
its body, the said domed or raised face being on its front or obverse side as set forth.
8th. A sign letter or symbol formed mound shaped in cross section of its body,
with the raised angular face being on its front or obverse side as set forth.
9th. A sign letter or symbol formed inflexed shaped in cross section of its body,
the said recess, being on its front or obverse side as set forth.
10th. A sign letter or symbol formed trench shaped in cross section of its body,
with the recessed angular face being on its front or obverse side as set forth.
11th. A sign letter or symbol formed convexed or raised, having said raised face
rounded or domed in form, the said rounded face being of semi-opaque colorings and
with a concavo convex or milled attaching edge surrounding said semi-opaque face as
set forth.
12th. A sign letter or symbol formed convexed or raised and being angular on its
front or obverse sides viz.-mound shaped the said angles being transparent, opaque
or semi-opaque gilded, painted, or otherwise ornamented, with milled or concavo-
convex attaching edge surrounding said angular sides for fixing; and being concaved
or recessed on its back or reverse side as set forth.
13th. A sign letter or symbol formed concave or recessed having said recessed
face inflexed in form, the said recessed face being transparent and with a concavo-
convex attaching edge surrounding said transparent face for fixing and being
convexed or domed on its back or reverse side as set forth.
14th. A sign letter or symbol formed concave (trench shaped) or recessed having
said recessed angular face transparent, with its flat concave or recessed face gilded or
colored thus allowing reflected light to penetrate said transparent angular face, and
illuminate the said gilded or colored flat recessed face, and having attaching milled
concavo-convex-edge surrounding said transparent angular face, to receive cement
for holding the sign-letter or symbol in position, and being convexed or raised on
its back or reverse side as set forth.
15th. A sign or advertisement composed of letters or symbols formed convexed or
concave in their front or obverse side and secured thereat on the inner or outer side
of a sheet of transparent or colored opaque celluloid or glass pane, by a milled or
concavo-convex edge to receive cement for fixing as set forth.
Dated this 31st day of March 1896.
WILLIAM HEISTERMAN.