Improved Letters, Figures, and Signboards for Facia or other Advertisements.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Letters, Figures, and Signboards for Facia or other
Advertisements.
:
"1
CHARLES JONES 24 Priory Street Great College Street Camden Town London
N.W. Sign and Glass Writer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The invention consists of a solid letter or figure or signboard to be used for
facias and advertisements of all descriptions.
I make the letter or figure as follows:-
1st. I make a mould from Statons plaster or any other suitable material; when
throughly dry 1 well soak this mould with a mixture of methylated spirits &
shellac, or any other resinous substance, which process hardens the plaster &
stops the suction to allow of the letter or figure when cast to be easily removed.
2nd. I then mix my composition viz., Statons or any other white or pink plaster
slagwool-and cocoanut fibre, in about equal quantities of each, then add sufficient
water to mix into a batter-after slightly oiling the mould pour in the liquid,
composition to about half fill the mould, then insert a piece of bent galvanized"
copper lead or zinc wire the shape of the mould then fill up with more composition
and allow time to harden.
Before the composition is throughly set, insert a sufficient number of tags or.
loops of suitable metal such as galvanized iron, copper, lead, or zinc, for the letter
or figure to be hung or fixed by.
When the letter or figure be sufficiently set, remove same from mould, & when
throughly dry coat over with size or any other suitable material to stop the suction,
which is then ready for painting or gilding as desired.
I make the signboards as follows: I bend a piece of galvanized rod or wire to,
the size or shape of the signboard required, across this I stretch meshed wire
netting I then float over this a layer of about of an inch in thickness of the
composition as before described, then apply a sheet of open canvas, and float
another layer of composition to form a smooth surface-scratch round the edges
with a stiff brush to form a key for the moulding or beading then apply the
composition round the edges to form the moulding to the desired pattern.
The basis of my improvements consists in the incorporation with the several
materials herin enumerated of galvanized or zinc wire or other ductile or tenacious.
substances in body of material employed, which are then less liable to disruption or
breakage.
Whereby if the articles be accidentally cracked they will not fall to pieces, but
retain their form although they may be in such a cracked state.
Open canvas may or may not be used for the body of letter figure or signboard.
$
CHARLES JONES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Letters, Figures, and Signboards for Facia or other
Advertisements.
I, CHARLES JONES, of Victoria Lodge, Brookfield Road, Victoria Park,..
London E., late of 24 Priory Street, Great College Street, Camden Town,
London N., Sign and Facia Writer 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 Firstly to the employment of a special composition of.

page_text: substances and materials, rendered into a plastic condition and moulded or cast
upon or around a framing or mesh of ductile metallic wires or strips, and canvas or
other textile fabric, in the formation of solid letters, figures, numerals or designs,
capable of being fixed to or upon ordinary wooden or other signboards, facias,
entablatures or other places of advertisement. Secondly-of a method and means
of forming moulds, wherein the said letters, figures, numerals or designs may be so
cast or moulded, and Thirdly-of a method and means of utilizing the same or
similar composition of materials and substances, moulded upon, or within a like
framing of metallic and other substances in the formation of portable signboards,
facias or entablatures upon which the said letters, figures, numerals
designs may be fixed, or formed in one casting therewith, the object of my said
invention being, that such letters, figures, numerals, designs, facias, signboards, or
entablatures, made and finished in the manner hereinafter explained, are more
lasting, less sensitive to atmospheric changes, and less liable to breakage and more
easily repaired when broken, and can be produced and sold at 50% less, than
such articles as have hitherto been made of wood or enamelled iron.
or
In carrying my invention into effect in so far as regards letters, figures, numerals,
or designs, I prepare a mould from Statons plaster, or plaster of Paris, or Roman
or Portland cement, or any suitable combination of these, or other like materials
and water which may be constructed in one piece or sections, according to the size
or other conditions of the letter, figure, numeral or design to he cast therein, and
this mould when set hard I render perfectly dry by exposing the same to a gentle
heat, after which the same is dipped or laid in a mixture composed of shellac or
other gum or resinous substance, dissolved, preferably to saturation, in methylated
spirit or wood naptha, and when removed therefrom, the said mould may be again
allowed to dry, and is then ready for use. The object of the said bath is to fill
all the pores of the mould so as to render the same impervious to humidity,
this being necessary to permit the easy removal of the letters or the like when cast
therein.
Whatever may be the shape, size or contour of the letter, figure, numeral or
design, the mould is constructed to produce, I roughly construct a skeleton of the
said letter, figure, numeral or design by twisting, folding or otherwise connecting
together strips, ribbons or wires of zinc, copper, lead or any suitable metalloid,
galvanized or otherwise, sufficiently ductile and tenacious for the purpose, with
which I may or may not incorporate strips of canvas or other textile fabric, in
such a manner, that each standard, arm, scroll or other extension of said letter,
figure, numeral or design may contain one or more sprigs of the said metal, or
metal and fabric interlaced or twisted together, to form a bone or interlining for
the same.
I prepare the composition of which the said letters, figures, numerals or designs
are to be formed, by intimately mixing together, in dry form, equal quantities, or
thereabouts, of Statons, or any other white or pink plaster, slag-wool, and coker-
nut fibre, and these I form into a plastic mass by the addition of a suitable quantity
of water. The before mentioned mould would then be oiled or otherwise greased,
internally, and the said plastic compound poured or otherwise placed therein until
half full or thereabouts, and upon this would then be placed, and slightly pressed
thereinto, the aforesaid metallic skeleton, when the mould would be filled up with
the plastic compound enclosing the said skeleton, and before this is thoroughly set,
suitable tags, loops or eyes would be pressed into or otherwise incorporated
therewith, so that these, extending in any direction therefrom may be used for
fixing the said letter or the like upon the board, facia, entablature or other place
as desired.
The letter or the like thus moulded, would, when set, be turned out of the mould,
and when quite dry and hard, would, if desired, be coated with size or other similar
material, and may then be painted or gilded, or both, in any color, or colors as the
taste or fancy may dictate, and nailed or otherwise fastened by means of the before
mentioned tags or their equivalents, to the signboard facia or other place desired.

page_text: It may be desirable in some cases that the said letters, figures, numerals or
designs may be fixed to or upon some stone or cement entablature or other place
or places of advertisement, in which case I may, when moulding the said letters or
the like roughen the backs of the same during the casting, so that these may be
fastened by cement or the like upon the face of the said stone or cement surface,
the said roughing of the back being to form a key for the cement employed in
fixing the same.
In carrying my invention into effect in the construction of signboards, portable
facias, entablatures and the like, I form a metallic frame, preferably, of galvanized
wire or rod, of the size and shape it is desired the said signboard or the like shall
be, and upon this I stretch a lacing or meshing of the metallic wires, ribbons or
strips before mentioned, and this when finished may be laid upon any suitable flat
surface, preferably of metal, and the same plastic compound as that described for
preparing letters or the like, floated or otherwise placed thereon until covered, and
upon this may then be laid a sheet or a number of strips of canvas or other textile
fabric having an open mesh, and upon this is placed another layer of the plastic
composition, which operation may be repeated as many times as necessary to form
the thickness desired, or this may be for only so much as will form half the
thickness of the signboard, facia or entablature being made, the second half being
formed by turning over the first half when sufficiently set to permit this, and
repeating the canvas and composition process upon the other side. Before the
mass becomes set and hard I make diagonally, scratches, cuts or indents therein,
near the edges of either or both sides of the signboard or the like, which form a
key for any pattern of moulding or beading that I may desire to run and mould
thereon, according to the type or style of board, facia or entablature required, and
this when set and perfectly dry may be sized and painted in the same manner as
that before described in reference to the letters, and the said letters, figures,
numerals or designs may then be fastened thereto by pegs, pins, or the like and the
advertisement fashioned as desired.
Or I may arrange that the said letters or the like, may be incorporated with the
plastic mass of the board, facia or entablature during the making or moulding
thereof in the manner described, that is to say, the final layer of composition
having been floated or otherwise placed thereon, and while in a plastic condition,
the already moulded but unpainted letters, figures, numerals or designs, or any
desired combination thereof, may be placed thereon and slightly embedded therein,
which will ensure that the letters or the like will be as firmly fixed therein and
thereon, as if they formed part of the same casting. The whole may, when set
and dry, be coated with size, and painted or decorated in the manner previous
mentioned.
By any of these means or any suitable combination thereof, I am enabled to
prepare, and fix in any position, any and all kinds or styles of letters, figures or
numerals, or any design or designs in the construction of advertisements, that are
less liable to breakage, or to be affected by change of temperature than such
articles as have hitherto been prepared from wood, and at far less cost of
production, as skilled labour would not be needed in the herein described method
and means of moulding the same, and should the said letters, signboards or the like
at any time become cracked, through variation in the quality of the materials used,
or from other causes, the same, unlike wood when split, would not gape or part, by
reason of the binding and tenacious properties of the metallic and fabric interlacing
forming the interior thereof, and the elastic or ductile properties of same also
preventing absolute breakage should the articles so prepared be accidentally dropped
or brought into violent contact with some hard substance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
In combination, the employment of any suitable plaster or cement, slag-wool and

page_text: cokernut fibre, in the proportions stated or thereabouts, and the herein described
method and means of moulding or otherwise forming, letters, figures, numerals,
designs, signboards, facias, entablatures and the like, therewith and therefrom,
mounted upon or surrounding an interlacing or mesh composed of wires, strips or
ribbons of any suitable ductile and tenacious metal or metalloid, galvanized or
otherwise, and with or without the use of strips or sheets, or both, of canvas
or other textile fabric, intermixed therewith, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described.
o
Dated this 16th day of March 1893.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.