Improvements in Signs.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th D:c., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signs.
I, ABRAHAM B. GEHMAN, of 245 Broadway New York, in the County of
New York, and State of New York, United States of America, Salesman, 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
Specification:
This invention involves a new process of, and apparatus for producing signs;
and it also involves an apparatus consisting of a water and air reservoir, pipes
communicating therewith, by means of which the same may be filled with water,
and with water under pressure, and a sign or signs composed of hollow tubes, which
are also in communication with said reservoir and through which the water and air
are forced under pressure, in such manner that the water passes through said pipes
in drops of globules which are separated by similar bodies of air, and with this
and other objects in view, the invention comprises the method or process
hereinafter described, and the apparatus by which the same is carried into
effect.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following Specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which ;-
Fig. 1, is a front side view of my improved apparatus, a portion of the casing
being removed.
Fig. 2, a rear view thereof, part of the casing being removed; and,
Fig. 3, is a section on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 1.
In the practice of my invention, I provide a casing which is oblong in form, and
comprises a back A, sides B, and end pieces C, together with a hinged front, which
is not shown, and arranged within said casing, and approximately nearer one end
than the other, is a vertical plate D, by means of which the front portion of the
casing is divided into two compartments E, and F, the latter of which is smaller
than the former and within the former compartment E, is arranged a mirror G,
which entirely fills or divides the chamber E, longitudinally thereof.
Within the smaller end chamber F, is placed a reservoir or receptacle H, which
is rectangular in form, and which is provided near the top with a cross plate or
partition, by which the receptacle or reservoir is divided into separate compartments,
and the main portion thereof, below the said cross plate or partition h, is adapted
to receive air and water under pressure in about equal portions, and that portion
above said partition or plate h, is adapted to receive water alone, as hereinafter
described.
Communicating with the reservoir or receptacle H, through the inner side
thereof, are four pipes K, L, M, and N, each of which is provided with the usual
valve O, and the pipe K, is provided with a flexible tubing k, with which an air
pump, not shown, is adapted to be connected, and the pipe L, is extended inwardly
and downwardly to near the bottom of the reservoir or receptacle H, as shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the pipe M, also projects into said reservoir or receptacle
as is also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the pipes L and M, are placed in
communication outside of said receptacle by means of a pipe R, and this pipe R, is
in communication with a pipe S, which communicates with an angular pipe T which
extends forward through the mirror G, near the centre of the inner end thereof,
and is carried upward to near the top of the casing, then along below the top of
casing as shown at T, then downwardly near the end thereof, as shown at T 2, to

page_text: near the middle of said mirror where it again passes backwardly through the same,
as shown at R, and is then brought forward again by means of a coupling piece R¹,
shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is carried forward through the mirror as shown at R 2,
Fig. 1, and then down near the adjacent end as shown at R 3, and then along the
lower side thereof, near the side of the casing, as shown at R 4, and then upwardly
near the inner end of the mirror as shown at R 5, where it passes backwardly
through the mirror as shown at R 6, where it communicates with a bow pipe R 7,
by means of which it communicates with the letter "s," of the word "sign," shown
in Figs. 1 and 2. The letters of the word, are composed of glass tubes placed in
front of the mirror as will be readily understood, and each letter is placed in
communication by means of the bow tubes R7 R8, R 9, and U, which are shown
in Figs. 2 and 3, and the tubes T, TI, and T 2, and R 3, R 4, and R 5, are also
composed of glass, and are also placed in front of the mirror in the same manner
as the letters which compose the word "sign," and the tubes at the back of the
mirror by which communication between the letters and the other tubes at the
front thereof, is made may be composed of rubber, metal or other preferred
material.
The last letter of the word "sign," is in communication with a tube W, which
extends along the back of the mirror and into the chamber or receptacle, above the
partition plate h, of the main reservoir or receptacle H, as clearly shown in each of
the figures of the drawing.
In operation, the receptacle or reservoir H, is partially filled with water, and air
is then forced thereinto by means of an air pump not shown, through the tube K,
the valves O in the pipes L, M, and N, being closed. After the required amount of
air has been forced into the reservoir or receptacle the valve O, in the pipe K, is
closed and the valves O, in the pipes L and M, are opened, and the water and air
together, under pressure will pass through the pipe R, and through the pipe S,
and through the pipes T, T' and T 2, and R2, R3, R 4, and R 5, and into and
through the letters of the word "sign," beginning with the letter "s," as will be
readily understood, and after passing through the letters, the water is discharged
through the pipe W, into the reservoir or receptacle above the partition h, from
which it may be again discharged into the main portion of said reservoir or
receptacle through the pipe N, and this operation may be repeated as often as
desired or whenever it becomes necessary to refill the reservoir or receptacle H.
When the proportions of the water and air within the reservoir or receptacle are
properly adjusted, said elements will pass through the glass tubes which compose
the word "sign," and the other tubes in front of the inirror in small globules,
the globules of air separating each globule of water, and this operation is very
rapid and the result is very attractive and interesting. It will be understood that
any word may be substituted for the word "sign," and that any desired form,
kind, or class of a sign may be thus constructed and my invention is not limited to
the construction of the apparatus herein shown and described, and I therefore
reserve the right to make all such alterations therein, and modifications thereof, as
fairly come within the scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method described, of producing signs, which consists in forcing water and
air under pressure through a sign composed of glass tubes, arranged in front of a
mirror, substantially as shown and described.
2. The method herein described for producing signs, which consists in forcing
air and water under pressure, through glass tubes arranged in front of a mirror,
and through signs which are also composed of glass tubes and arranged in front of
the mirror, substantially as shown and described.
3. In an apparatus for producing signs, the combination of a reservoir or
receptacle adapted to receive air and water under pressure, a mirror arranged

page_text: adjacent thereto, and a sign or signs comprising letters or other characters which
are composed of glass tubes, which are placed in communication and through which
the water and air under pressure are adapted to be passed, substantially as shown
and described.
4. In an apparatus for producing signs, the combination of a reservoir or
receptacle adapted to receive air and water under pressure, a mirror arranged
adjacent thereto, two tubes which communicate with said reservoir or receptacle
and which are also placed in communication outside thereof, and a sign or signs
composed of letters or other characters arranged in front of said mirror, said letters
or characters being composed of glass tubes, and each of said letters or characters
being placed in communication at the back of the mirror by means of tubes and
said communicating tubes being also placed in communication with the tubes
which communicate with the reservoir or receptacle, substantially as shown and
described.
5. In an apparatus for producing signs, the combination of a reservoir or
receptacle adapted to receive air and water under pressure, a mirror arranged
adjacent thereto, two tubes which communicate with said reservoir or receptacle
and which are also placed in communication outside thereof, and a sign or signs
composed of letters or other characters arranged in front of said mirror, and said
letters or characters being composed of glass tubes, and each of said letters or
characters being placed in communication at the back of the mirror by means of
tubes and said communicating tubes being also placed in communication with the
tubes which communicate with the reservoir or receptacle, and said letters or
characters being also in communication with the tube which communicates with a
receptacle at the top of the air and water reservoir or receptacle, substantially as
shown and described.
6. In an apparatus for producing signs, the combination of a reservoir or
receptacle adapted to receive air and water under pressure, a mirror arranged
adjacent thereto, two tubes which communicate with said reservoir or receptacle
and which are also placed in communication outside thereof, and a sign or signs
composed of letters or other characters arranged in front of said mirror, said letters
or characters being composed of glass tubes, and each of said letters or characters
being placed in communication at the back of the mirror by means of tubes and
said communicating tubes being also placed in communication with the tubes which
communicate with the air and water reservoir or receptacle, and said letters or
characters being also in communication with a tube which communicates with a
receptacle at the top of the air and water reservoir or receptacle, and means for
filling the water and air reservoir or receptacle with water and air under pressure,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 16th day of December 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.