Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Letters or Figures Intended to be used for Decorating or Advertising Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Letters or
Figures Intended to be used for Decorating or Advertising
Purposes.
I, FREDERIC WELTI-HEER, of Lausanne, in the Republic af Switzerland,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to an improved construction of letters or figures of any
style, shape or dimensions intended to be used either separately or in combination
one with another, for decorating or advertising purposes.
The said letters or figures consist essentially of a fixed portion or suitable
foundation which may be of any configuration and material, said fixed portion
being preferably shaped according to the form or configuration of the letter or
figure which is to be represented, and of several movable portions which are
connected to the said fixed portion or foundation by any suitable means for
instance by means of pivots, hinges or other similar connections, the several
movable portions being arranged to form the shape, configuration or style of the
letter to be represented, and made of a bright or glittering material, for instances
of small plates of bright sheet metal, provided or not with facets.
It will be easily understood that letters or figures constructed as above
described will be bright or will glitter when they are lit up either by the sun or
by any artificial light and that the said bright and glittering effect produced
will be considerably augmented as soon as a breeze causes the said movable
portions of the same to be moved or turned more or less on their pivots or
hinges.
Letters or figures as above described may be combined upon a support of any
suitable kind so as to form one or more words and the whole combination may
be fixed on the top or front of a house so as to be visible from a long distance,
the glittering effect of the movable portions of the letters forming the same
being easily distinguished by the eye at great distances.
I do not limit myself to any style of letters or figures nor to any material for
the construction of the same, and the fixed portion of the said letters or figures,
as well as the movable portions, may of course be coloured in any suitable colour
or combination of colours with a view of increasing the brightness or glittering
effect of same.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Letters or
Figures Intended to be used for Decorating or Advertising
Purposes.
I, FREDERIC WELTI-HEER, of Lausanne, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Manufacturer, 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:-
―
The invention relates to an improved construction of letters or figures of any
style, shape or dimensions intended to be used either separately or in combination
with each other, for decorating or advertising purposes..
The said letters or figures consist essentially of a fixed portion or suitable
foundation which may be of any desired configuration and material but preferably
shaped according to the form or configuration of the letter or device which is to
be represented, and of several movable portions connected to the said fixed
portion or foundation by any suitable means such as pivots, hinges or other
=similar_connections, the several movable portions being arranged to form the
shape or configuration of the said letter-or-device_and_made of a bright or
glittering material such as small plates of bright sheet metal, which may be
provided or not with facets.
The accompanying drawing shows by way of example one form of execution
of the invention:
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a front-elevation of a letter constructed according
to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line A-B of Fig. 1. showing one of the
movable portions in its normal position and the three remaining ones out of their
said normal position.
In the drawing, 1 is the foundation of sheet metal, shaped in the form of a
letter E and provided with projecting flanges 2. The said foundation 1 bears a
series of hooks to each of which is suspended a small sheet of bright metal or
ringlet 4. The same is so balanced as to normally remain in a perpendicular
position as shown, for the upper ringlet 4 in Fig. 2, but to be very easily swung
out of the said normal position by the wind, as shown for the three lower ringlets
in Fig. 2.
It will be easily understood that letters or figures constructed as above
described will be bright or will glitter when they are illuminated either by the
sun or by any artificial light and that the bright and glittering effect produced
will be considerably augmented when the movable portions of the same are
caused to swing or oscillate on their pivots or hinges by the wind so as to
produce a scintillating effect.
Letters or figures as above described may be combined upon a support of any
suitable kind so as to form one or more words and the whole combination may
be fixed to the top or front of a house so as to be visible from a long distance the
glittering effect of the movable portions of the letters forming the same, being
easily distinguished by the eye at a great distance.
I do not limit myself to any style of letters or figures nor to any material for
the construction of the same, and the fixed portion of the said letters or figures,
as well as the movable portions may of course be coloured in any suitable colour
or combination of colours with a view of increasing the brightness or glittering
effect of same,

page_text: 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:-
A letter, figure or other advertising or decorative device consisting of a base or
foundation upon which is arranged a number of movable parts composed of
bright or glittering material adapted to swing or oscillate so as to produce a
scintillating effect substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.