Improvements in Enamelled Metal Letters and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 13th Apr., 1889
RESERVE
Improvements in Enamelled Metal Letters and the like.
I, JAMES WILLING, of No. 70, St. Martin's Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Advertising Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in enamelled metal letters and the like.
In a former specification No. 13784 1887 I have described an invention according
to which the metal blanks are made with a flat flange along their outer edge for the
purpose of preventing loss of enamel during the process of firing. The faces of the
letters are also described in the said specification as convex.
Now, according to my present invention, I make the face of the letter with a ridge
along the centre of each limb, from which the face slopes downwards on each sido to
the aforesaid flange.
The top of the ridge may be sharp, flat, convex, or concave, as may be desired; and
the sloping sides set at any convenient angle with each other according as to the
amount of side surface required.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, JAMES WILLING, of No. 70, St. Martin's Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Advertising Contractor, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in stamped or hollowed' metal letters, such as
are used, or adapted to be used, commercially for signs, addresses, advertisements,
notices, and other cognate uses.
In the specification of a former patent for improvements in metal letters, viz.,
No. 13784, October 11th, 1887, I have described an improvement in the manufacture
of onamelled letters, which improvement has particular reference to the act or process of
enamelling. This improvement provides against the loss of enamel-material during
the process of firing, but stops short of any provision for increasing the eye-catching
power of the letters.
With reference to this eye-catching power, I have to point out that as letters are,
as a matter of practice and convenience, generally fixed flat upon a shop front, works'
wall, office window, and so forth, and as the surfaces upon which the lotters are so
fixed are in planes parallel with the traffic, the majority of signs and notices are
practically non-effective in the direction of impressing the memory, or attracting the
expenditure, of individuals passing along the street, more especially the pedestrian on
the side walk.
and
Now, according to my present invention, I increase the eye-catching power,
therefore the practical utility of sign letters stamped or hollowed out of sheet metal,
by making their limbs and serifs with two sloping faces meeting at an angle of more
or less.acuteness according to circumstances. But my invention does not confine me
to the making the said sloped sides meet at an actual angle, in other words, in an
actual ridge-line, inasmuch as the said line may be replaced by a surface of any
contour adapted to reflect the incident light rays in as noticeable a manner as may be
practicable.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now proceed to describe it in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as
part of this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a plan of a capital letter N made according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line A-B of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line C-D of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of an inverted capital K.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional illustrations of variant shapes of the letter limbs.
Referring to Fig. 1, 6 is the flange which is fully described in the above mentioned
specification. The face of the letter is, instead of convex as described in the said
specification, constituted by two planes a a meeting in a ridge c. This construction is
followed through every limb and serif of the letters.

page_text: In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, this ridge is shewn as angular, but I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to this, inasmuch as the line or ridge c may
be replaced by a groove d of any suitable dimension.
With reference to the size of the angle made by the meeting of the sides a a, I
have shown it as one of about 90°, but it may be varied as may be desirable or
practicable. If a deep letter, i.e., ono of considerable projection, measuring from back
to front as along the line dc of Fig. 3, is used, it follows that that side a upon which
the eye of the said individual upon the side walk will light will be in a plane proper
for impressing his memory or judgement through the medium of his eyes.
It is of course obvious that the nature of the visible surface of the letters is of
considerable importance. My invention does not restrict me to any particular surface-
finish, for I may finish letters in enamel, colour, leaf-metal, or any other material,
preference naturally being given to one of strong reflecting or eye-attracting power.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that my present invention is not confined to
enamelled letters; and that therefore when a letter is not to be enamelled, tho
flange will not be required, and therefore not be used.
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. In metal letters and signs, the combination of sides and ridge, as set forth.
2. In metal letters and signs, the combination of sides, ridge, and flange, as set forth.
3. In metal letters and signs the combination of enamelled, or other, surface and
sides, as set forth.