Improvements in or relating to Electrically Illuminated Advertise- ments or Signs.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899
Improvements in or relating to Electrically Illuminated Advertise-
ments or Signs.
We, HERMAN TRIPP, Sign-Writer and Manufacturer, of 111 Fifth Avenue,
GEORGE EDWARD STEPHENSON, Electrical Engineer, of 55, Dearborn Street, and
WILLIAM CHARLES CHRISTIAN LARTZ, Merchant, of 381-385, Wabash Avenue,
all of Chicago, in the County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
The object of our invention is to construct an electric-light sign in which
the letters can be readily and quickly changed and repairs easily made; and the
invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described an l
claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the front of the
sign, showing a single letter in position; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section ou line 2
of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3 an end elevation; Fig. 4
an enlarged plan view of a letter with the outer shell or covering removed, show-
ing the conductors and arrangement of lamp sockets; and Fig. 5 an enlarged
detail in section on line 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.
In carrying out our improvement, we use a frame or backing A made of wood,
iron, or other suitable material, and of the desired width and length for the
sign. This frame or backing is provided with slots a, two slots being used for
each line of letters, which slots may extend the full length if desired. Con-
ductors B and B' for the positive and negative currents are located in line with
the slots, and each conductor is incased by a shell or covering C, made of
galvanized iron or other suitable material. Each conductor is properly insulated
at the end of its shell or casing C by insulators b, and suitably supported within
its shell or casing by arms or standards c.
Each letter is preferably formed in a telescopic manner having an inner shell
or casing D and an outer shell or covering D₁ fitting over the inner shell, so
that by the removal of the outer covering or shell the electric connections are
accessible for repairs or other attention.
Each letter is provided with fusing plugs, one for each conductor, each plug
consisting of an inner portion E, having spring arms e which clamp around or
over the conductor to furnish contact, and an outer portion F carrying a fusible
material, which portion can be in the form of a screw-threaded plug or push
plug, or other suitable construction, which can be entered through the outer
shell or cover and be engaged with the inner portion of the fuse to furnish
the contact for the circuit.
Each letter is provided with the requisite number of electric sockets G for
the reception of incandescent light H. The shape of the shell or casing conforms
to the shape of the letter desired, and each letter is provided with the requisite
number of electric sockets to give the desired outline for the letter through the

page_text: incandescent lights. Each letter has within the inner shell or casing the wiring d
running from socket to socket, and a connection f running from the fusing plug
to a socket, so as to complete the circuit when the two parts of the fusing plug
are in contact.
Each letter is provided with individual fuses so constructed or arranged that
each letter has control of its own current and is independently accessible in case
of any defect in the current, or otherwise, so as to enable repairs to be made-
all that is necessary being to break the contact of the fuse by withdrawing the
outer portion thereof which shuts off the current to the lights. The fusing plugs
also act as a safeguard in case of an excess of current or any short-circuiting
which would produce a high voltage that would cause injurious effects, as any
increase of the voltage over the amount which the fusing material would stand
at once destroys the fuse and breaks the circuit shutting off the current from
the letter.
The contacts formed with the clamp portion enable a ready changing of the
letters to be made, as a letter can be removed from its place by taking hold of
the shell or casing and pulling or withdrawing the clamp from the conductors
and removing the letter. This enables the letters to be readily changed, and
the same board to be employed for different signs as desired.
While we have described our invention with more or less minuteness as regards
details, we do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed
out in the claims. On the contrary, we contemplate changes in form, construction
and arrangement, the omission of parts and use of equivalents, as circumstances
may suggest or render expedient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a backing consisting of sections
provided with slots, conductors in line with the slots, and letters provided with
contacts passing through the slots and securing the letters to the backing and
conductors, substantially as described.
2. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a slotted backing, conductors
in line with the slots of the backing, a casing for each conductor, and removable
letters having contacts clamping the letters to the conductors and backing, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a letter, a fuse individual to
the letter, and an inner or rearward extension from the fuse terminating in
a clamp to engage with an electric conductor and attach the letter to the conductor
and complete an electric circuit by the placing of the letter in position, sub-
stantially as described.
4. In an electric-light sign letter, the combination of a casing having a bottom
and side walls forming the contour or outline of the desired letter, a series of
sockets attached to the bottom and projecting to the plane of the front of the
casing and adapted to receive in the projected ends incandescent electric lights,
a fuse for the negative and a fuse for the positive current, the outer end of each
fuse projecting beyond the plane of the front of the casing, a system of wiring
within the casing connecting the sockets and fuses, an inner or rearward exten-
sion from each fuse terminating in a clamp to engage with an electric conductor
for the clamp to attach the letter in place and complete an electric circuit for
the series of incandescent lights of the letter, and a cover for the front of the
casing having holes for the projecting ends of the sockets and fuses, substantially
as described.
5. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a slotted back, a positive and
negative conductor at the rear of the back, detachable letters for the front of
the back, cach letter having a positive and negative contact, each contact adapted
to pass through a slot and furnish the means for securing the letter in place

page_text: and each contact extending from a fuse in the letter, whereby the engagement
of the contacts with the conductors completes an independent electric circuit for
each letter enabling each letter to be independently removable without disarrange-
ment of the circuit of the remaining letters, substantially as described.
6. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a letter having a positive and
negative fuse and a rearward extension of each fuse constituting a means for
connecting the letter to the conductors and at the same time securing and holding
the letter in position, and a slotted back receiving on the front the letter for
the rearward extensions of the fuse to pass through the slots of the back and
hold the letter in place by the attachment of the fuse extensions to the conductors,
substantially as described.
7. In an electric-light sign, the combination of a letter, a positive and a
negative fuse individual to the letter, an inner or rearward extension of each
fuse, and spring arms for each extension furnishing a clamp for attachment of
the letter to the conductors and completing an electric circuit for the letter by
the act of securing the letter in place, substantially as described.
T
T
1 1
001
1
AJ
1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.