Improvements in Illuminated Signs and Similar Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896
COLL
1005
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Illuminated Signs and Similar Devices.
L EGERTON GOOLDEN PULFORD, of 15, Moorfields, in the City of Liverpool,
Engineer and Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of illuminated signs and
similar devices.
In constructing a business sign according to this invention, I form the letters or
devices of the sign, by cutting slots or apertures in the front of a case which
contains the illuminating medium. The front of the case-with the exception
of such slotted or perforated letters or devices-being opaque, the light from the
interior of the case passes through such perforated letters only.
I pack or fill or partially fill the slotted letters or devices with prisms, spangles,
or pieces of clear glass or other transparent material.
The interior of the case may be lighted by gas, oil, or electricity, or other
illuminant, but I prefer to employ clear glass electric incandescent lamps.
The case is divided into compartments, one for each letter or device and
corresponding in size thereto, the dividing walls of the compartments being formed
of mirrors.
In each compartment I dispose a lamp, and, behind the lamp, a reflector.
Around each lamp I cause a glass cylinder to revolve. Such cylinders are of
size to suit the size of letter or device to be illuminated, and are made up of strips
of glass of different colours, so that as the cylinders are revolved, lights of different
colours are projected through the prism or spangle filled slotted letters in the
front of the case, whereby letters are exhibited composed of scintillations of light
constantly changing in colour, similar to the spectrum.
The
The cylinders of the sign may be rotated simultaneously by a spindle carrying
india rubber friction wheels which bear upon the frames of the cylinders; and in
order to adjust the cylinders up to their friction wheels, the gallery or other part
on which they are pivotted may be raised or lowered by a screw adjusting device.
Such spindle may be driven by clockwork, electro-motor, or other means.
cylinders may however be rotated by toothed wheels, belt pulleys, or other gear.
When incandescent electric lamps are employed as the illuminating medium, I
may use in conjunction with the sign an automatically operated switch device,
whereby the individual letters or devices of the sign are successively illuminated
and simultaneously extinguished.
1900
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.),
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Illuminated Signs and Similar Devices.
I, EGERTON GOOLDEN PULFORD, of 15, Moorfields, Liverpool, Engineer, and
Electrician, 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 an improved construction of illuminated signs and
similar devices.
or
In constructing a business sign according to this invention, I form the letters or
devices of the sign by cutting slots or apertures in the front of a case which
contains the illuminating medium. The front of the case being-with the excep-
tion of such slotted or perforated letters or devices opaque, light from an
illuminant within the case shines through such perforated apertures only. I
pack or fill up or partially fill up the slotted letters or devices with prisms, spangles,
other irregularly formed pieces of clear glass or other prismatic
and transparent medium. In some cases I border such transparent
letters or devices with semi-transparent material, such as strips of coloured glass,
and I prefer to arrange these so that the transparency of the letters is gradually
shaded into the opacity of the ground or case front. The interior of the case may
be lighted by gas, oil, electricity, or other illuminant but by preference I employ
electricity in the form of clear glass incandescent electric lamps. By preference
I divide the case into compartments of corresponding size, the dividing walls of
the compartments being preferably formed of or provided with mirrors, and I
arrange the front of the case in sections, one for each compartment, so that they
are interchangeable, and may be replaced by other sections bearing different
letters, to form a fresh announcement. I dispose one or more lamps in each
compartment, and around each lamp or group of ramps I cause a cylinder of glass
or other transparent material to revolve simultaneously, alternately, or inter-
mittently, by means of worm wheel, tooth wheel, chain, friction, belt, or other
gearing, driven by clockwork, electro-motor, or other means. The said cylinders
may be all of one size, or may be of size to suit the width of letter or device to be
illuminated, and are built up of strips of glass or other transparent material of
different colours, so that as the cylinders revolve, lights of different colours are
Projected through the prism or spangle filled slotted letters in the front of the
case, with a scintillating and spectroscopic effect.
In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a front view, Figure 2 a cross
section, and Figure 3a sectional plan of a business sign according to this
invention.
a designates the case, the opaque front thereof, and c. the letters cut therein.
are mirrors or nartitions, dividing the case into compartments, in each of which
is mounted a cylinder e. Inside each cylinder is disposed an incandescent electric
lamp and a reflector g. The cylinders e are caused to revolve by the spindle h,
worms i and worm wheels ¹, the latter being fixed on the spindles of the cylinders.
The spindle h is provided with a speed pulley h and may be driven by clockwork
cr electro-motor disposed within the case or by other suitable means.
Instead of employing one lamp and cylinder for each letter and compartment
I may employ two or more lamps and cylinders for, each letter.
In some cases the front of the case is in sections, one for each letter, cach section
heing arranged to ship into grooves in the case front, so that they may be inter-
changed or replaced by other sections to form another name or announcement.
Figure 4 shews a letter filled with prisms having a rectangular base, and

page_text: Figure 5 shews the same letter filled with prisms having a hexagonal base. In
Figure 6 is shown a letter in which the clear glass prisms are bordered by
strips of coloured glass or other material. The depth of colour in these strips
may be graduated, so that the transparency of the prisms is gradually softened
into the opacity of the front b. It will be understood that prisms of various forms
may be employed, and they may be secured in the slots or apertures forming the
letters or devices by wires or by attaching their edges to the sides of the slots by
clips, glazing bars, or other well known means which do not require a description.
Thus, Figure 7 shews the slotted letters enclosed by sheets of clear glass, ', placed
back and front and forming pockets, into which loose prisms may be poured or
otherwise filled in.
Figure 8 shews a cylinder e drawn to a larger scale, Figure 9 shewing the
method of arranging the coloured strips of which it is composed. The cylinder
is built up of strips of glass or other transparent material, e, secured in a metallic
frame. The strips el are differently coloured so that lights of different colours
are projected through the prismatic letters or devices as the cylinder e revolves.
In most cases the cylinders e will revolve continuously and simultaneously, but in
other cases they will revolve intermittently, and some cylinders may revolve
quicker than others. Where all the cylinders revolve at the same speed, I may
arranged the coloured strips thereof so that the same colour appears through each
letter seriatim from one end of the sign to the other. Thus a wave of red will poss
along the sign, followed by a wave of white, and then a wave of blue, or other
sequences of colours will be shewn in the same manner. The cylinders e may
revolve upon ball bearings.
Instead of dividing the case a into compartments and disposing a cylinder e in
cach compartment I may employ an endless band or curtain formed of strips of
differently coloured glass or other transparent material, which is caused to revolve
on vertical rollers at each corner of the case a, the front portion of the band being
arranged to travel along between the lamps f and the prism filled letters c.
When electric incandescent lamps are employed as the illuminating medium,
I may use in conjunction with the sign an automatically operated switch device
whereby the individual letters or devices of the sign are successively illuminated,
and simultaneously extinguished.
I am aware that revolving transparent cylinders have heretofore been employed
in illuminated signs, and also that such signs have been partitioned off into spaces
containing electric lamps, and I lay no claim to these things in themselves."
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:
In combination, a sign or device consisting of letters or devices formed by aper-
tures made in an opaque or semi-opaque mount and filled or partially filled with
transparent prisms or pieces of glass or other transparent material of a prismatic
nature, an illuminating medium in rear of said prism filled letters or devices,
whereby light is transmitted through said prisms spectroscopically and emerges
therefrom in scintillations, and a travelling transparent cylinder or curtain bearing
different colours, which passes between said illuminating medium and prism filled
letters, whereby different coloured lights are projected through said prisms, in
manner and with the effects hereinabove described.
DL: 10th or of October 1897
J. A. COUBROUGH.
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.),
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.