Improvements in Advertising Mirrors.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Advertising Mirrors.
I, CHARLES FRANCIS STEELE, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., of 20 Endsleigh Gardens, in
the County of London, Physician and Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to mirrors intended for advertising purposes and provides
a mirror so constructed and arranged in combination with a light that when the
light is on, the advertisement intended to be displayed is seen in the mirror while
when the light is out, the advertisement disappears and the mirror then presents
the appearance of an ordinary mirror.
For the purposes of my invention I preferably employ a thin mirror and one that
has a thin protective coating to the reflecting surface at the back. I apply to the
back of the mirror an opaque sheet having the advertisement cut out of it in
the form of a stencil; or instead of employing such a sheet I form the stencil on the
back of the mirror by black paper for example or by paint applied to the mirror.
Behind the mirror is a box impervious to light, the mirror forming the front wall
of the box, and within the box is a suitable light preferably a glow lamp or several
such lamps the current to which can be turned on and off as required. When
the light is on, it will shine through the open parts of the stencil or equivalent
device at the back of the mirror which device will be seen as an illuminated design
from the front. But when the light is out, the design will disappear and the
mirror will present the appearance of an ordinary mirror.
The current to the lamps can be turned on and off by any suitable automatically
acting device at intervals."

page_text: .
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to mirrors intended for advertising purposes and is
designed to provide an arrangement of transparent or translucent mirror in
combination with a stencil and an electric lamp or lamps, or other artificial light,
such that when the said lamp or lamps are alight, the advertisement intended to
be displayed is seen in the mirror, while when the lamp or lamps are extinguished,
the advertisement disappears and the mirror then presents the appearance of an
ordinary mirror.
For the purposes of my invention I preferably employ a thin mirror and one that
has a thin protective coating applied to the reflecting surface at the back. I
apply to the back of the mirror an opaque sheet having the advertisement cut
out of it in the form of a stencil; or instead of employing such a sheet I form the
stencil on the back of the mirror by black paper for example or by paint applied
to the mirror. Behind the mirror is a box impervious to light, the mirror forming
the front wall of the box, and within the box is a suitable source of light preferably
an electric glow lamp or several such lamps the electric current to which can be
turned on and off as required. When the current is on, the light will shine.
through the open parts of the stencil or equivalent device at the back of the mirror
which, device will be seen as an illuminated design from the front. But when
the current is turned off the design will disappear and the mirror will present the
appearance of an ordinary mirror.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same by aid of the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved advertising mirror as it appears when
the lamps are lighted and
Figure 2 is a transverse section thereof.
a is the mirror proper which is formed of glass either thinly platinized or
otherwise provided with a very thin reflecting coating. The mirror is also
provided with a very thin protective coating, so as to render it translucent and to
permit the light to penetrate it from behind. is an opaque stencil sheet such as
referred to having the advertisement, in this case for example the word "Electric,"
cut therein. cc are the electric lamps by which the advertisement is illuminated
and d is a sheet of linen or other suitable material for diffusing the light. e lis
the light tight outer box or casing of the advertisement. The electric current of
the lamps can be turned on and off at intervals by any suitable automatic device.
Owing to the extreme thinness of the reflecting coating or silvering of the
mirror, the light from the lamps striking the same through the apertures in the
stencil displays the word or device cut in the stencil in a luminous and attractive
form upon a dark background. When the lamps are turned out the stencil plate
is entirely hidden behind the mirror which then has the appearance and serves
the purpose of an ordinary mirror.
In some cases I may rule fine lines very closely together upon the coating of the
mirror in order to render the same more translucent. These lines are so fine that
they do not perceptibly alter the appearance of the mirror when viewed in the
ordinary manner with a front light, but they materially assist the illumination of
the mirror from behind.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A mirror for advertising purposes having a stencil at the rear thereof in
combination with means for illuminating such stencil from behind, substantially
as described.
2. My improved advertising mirror constructed substantially as hereinbefore

page_text: described with reference to the accompanying drawing and for the purpose
pecified.
Doted this 11th day of Santambar 1807
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant