IMPROVEMENTS IN ILLUMINATED SIGNS OR LAMPS FOR DAY OR NIGHT USE
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Jack at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 17th March 1879.
ROBERT JACK, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Joiner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ILLUMINATED SIGNS OR LAMPS FOR DAY OR NIGHT
USE."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of that class
of illuminated signs or lamps, the lettering or designs upon which are so formed
that they are strikingly effective either in daylight or with gas-light at night, and
they are much stronger and safer against breakage than those illuminated signs or
lamps heretofore in use.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consists in forming the sides of the
sign or lamp (when made in the box or case shape to contain the light) of sheet
metal, with the lettering or design produced by perforations, and preferably set into
a skeleton framework of wood or other equivalent to give the sign or lamp strength
and durability, with any desired shape of top and bottom, of metal or other material,
the roof being fitted with ordinary ventilators for the escape of the vitiated air or
products of combustion of the gas or oil, the air for supporting combustion being
admitted through orifices in the sides, end, or bottom, as desired. The outside of
the case or sides of the lamp or sign are painted and ornamented as usual with any
letters or design desired, so that they may be distinct and attractive in daylight, and
the outline or whole body of the letters or design being shown by perforations in
the metal they are strikingly effective by night when gas is lit within. These small
perforations may be formed in any convenient manner, and they may be either
round or polygonal in outline. At the back of each of these perforated metal plates
is fitted a sheet of coloured glass, or the glass may have different transparent colours
painted upon it in divisions; or separate pieces of coloured glass of any desired
sizes may be so fitted to take in or cover the full outline or whole perforated
surface, or of one or more of the letters or parts of the design in order to produce
very pleasing and striking coloured effects by gas light, the colours showing brightly
through the perforations, and rendering the name or design clearly visible from a
considerable distance. Immediately behind the coloured glass is preferably fitted
another plain transparent sheet of glass for the purpose of preventing the former
from getting tarnished or obscured by the smoke or waste products of combustion
of the gas or oil; the exposed surface of this glass would thus be easily cleaned
when required. Either or both of these thicknesses of glass may be secured in

page_text: position in their seats in the framing by an inwardly projecting part of the
metal framing, which is bent over to overlap the edges of the glass, and thus
hold the sheets together; or other equivalents may be used which would prevent
the smoke or dust from the lamp getting in between the thicknesses of glass.
It will be understood that when this Invention is to be applied to signs for
placing in or in front of windows, the top of shop doors, or other places where a
light may shine through it from within, instead of being made of the box or lamp
shape, one single side frame is used, the perforated metal plate being towards the
street, and having the coloured sheet of glass behind it, fitted as before described,
and with or without the second sheet of glass, as in many cases this may be dis-
pensed with where the sign is placed in front of the ordinary window or other
glass. It will also be understood that these signs or lamps may be of any ornamented
design externally, or any desired shape, and the gas or other illuminating agent
may be supplied thereto by pipes or other convenient manner, and they may be
suspended to the building, or fitted in front thereof by iron straps or rods, or set
on pillars or posts, as may be desired, the essential feature of the Invention being
the use of the perforated metal plate and of the transparent coloured glass behind,
and with or without a second sheet of glass for protecting the coloured glass, sub-
stantially as described.