US2065872A - Sign - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1936 w. s. ROCKWELL 2,065,872

- SIGN Filed 001;. 26, 1934 2 Sheeis-Sfieet l Dec. 29, 19 36. w. s. ROCKWELL 29651872 SIGN Filgd Oct. 26, 1934 asn ets-sfie t 2 33, I @1117, M0 O'ZLLZZ Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES FATE @FFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to signs and particularly to signs formed of self-hardening plastic material, such as concrete, cement and other similar substances. While signs constructed in accordance with the present invention are especially suitable for roadways, pavements and the like, they may also be used in other places, such, for example, as on the sides and tops of buildings of any description or on bill-boards.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means whereby a sign may be easily and quickly formed of two or more self-hardening plastic materials having distinguishing characteristics, such, for example, as color, one of the plastic materials constituting the desired symbol and the other surrounding it.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing a woven wire backing which is adapted to be embedded in self-hardening plastic material to which is secured wire defining the outline of a symbol and constituting a form for receiving self-hardening plastic material having a difierent characteristic than that in which the woven wire is embedded.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating different embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the woven wire backing to which wire defining the outline of the symbol is secured.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the completed sign as applied to a finished roadway.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a plan View of a sign similar to the one illustrated in Figure 2 but employing wire for defining a symbol of somewhat different cross sectional shape.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the woven wire backing to which is secured a wire defining a form for a symbol, such as a straight band.

Figure 7 is a plan View showing the structure of Figure 6 embodied in a roadway.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure '7.

Referring in detail to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 thereof, I indicates the wire backing comprising a plurality of wires which are preferably woven to provide a wire mesh or fabric. The size of the mesh for each particular sign will, of course, depend upon the size of the Sign, small signs preferably having a wire backing of close or small mesh and large signs having a comparatively large mesh backing. Secured to the wire backing is wire 2 of larger gauge than that of the backing which is bent to define the outline of the desired symbol. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the symbol is the word STOP. Some of the letters of this word, such as S and T may, as shown, be respectively formed from single pieces of wire properly bent, while letters such as O and P can be most conveniently formed by a plurality of properly bent wires. The wires defining each letter of the symbol are secured in the desired positions to the backing preferably by electric welding, although it will be readily appreciated that other means may be employed for connecting the large gauge wire to the backing. The wires defining the outline of the required symbol being of comparatively large gauge constitute forms for a self-hardening plastic material 3, such as concrete, cement or the like. The plastic material within the form is made substantially flush with the upper Surface thereof and, in order that the symbol defined by the form will be distinguishable from the self-hardening material i surrounding it, the latter is preferably of a contrasting color. The plastic material 4 is also substantially flush with the upper edge of the form or forms defining the symbol and, while it may, in the case of a roadway, be of the same color and character as that of the roadway, it may be desirable to have the plastic material forming the symbol of the same character as that of the roadway and to have the plastic material immediately surrounding the symbol of a contrasting color, such, for instance, as red. This may be accomplished by enclosing the forms defining the symbol within a border formed by a suitably bent wire or rod 5 of the same gauge as that defining the form, which in itself provides a form for receiving the plastic material surrounding the forms of the symbol.

A sign of this character is particularly adaptable to finished or completed roadways, since it may be applied thereto by merely placing on the roadway wire backing to which wire defining the outline of the desired symbol has been secured and subsequently inserting self-hardening plastic material of one color within the forms defining the symbol and a self-hardening plastic material of a different color within the space between the forms of the symbol and the border wire 5.

' Additional self-hardening plastic material, which may be of the same character as that of the roadway, may be applied around the border wire 5, as shown at 6, to provide the sign with a feather edge. To secure a very firm bond between the roadway and the plastic material of the sign in which the wire backing thereof is embedded and thus to firmly anchor the sign to the roadway, it is desirable to thoroughly clean the surface of the roadway to which the sign is applied and then it may be painted with a mixture of cement and water of the consistency of a thick cream, which should be kept damp until substantially all of the plastic material of the sign has been applied. In many cases, however, where the roadway or other surface to which the sign is to be applied is comparatively clean, the bond between the sign and the surface to which it is to be fixed is effectively obtained by at least one of the plastic materials constituting the sign, which readily passes downwardly through the interstices of the woven wire backing and contacts the surface to which the structure is applied. In this manner, the backing is securely locked in the plastic, serving as a reinforcement thereof, and the plastic effectively forms a bond between the sign and the roadway or other surface. 7

Figures 4 to 8, inclusive, illustrate other embodiments of the invention. Figures 4 and 5 show a wire 1 of square cross section secured to a wire backing 8. The wire I is bent to define ,the outline of a rectangular area, such as the safety zones provided for pedestrians in some roadways and it constitutes a form for receiving plastic material of a color contrasting with that of adjacent material. This sign is shown in conjunction with a completed roadway and it is applied thereto in'substantially the same manner as the one illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive,

only differing from the latter in that the wire constituting the form is of different cross sectional shape. e

In. Figure 6, a'woven wire backing 9 is shown to which is secured a suitably bent wire or rod I0 defining the outline of a band or line, which is customarily used to define traffic lanes in many roadways. The wire [0 constitutes a form for self-hardening plastic material of a different character than-portions of the roadway imrnediately adjacent thereto. The wire backing 9 and form it are incorporated in the roadway as the latter is being built and the upper edge of the wire Iii, constituting the form, is flush with the upper surface of the roadway; In this form of the invention, the wire or rod I0 is shown as being of substantially rectangular shape in cross I 1. A sign including a flexible open mesh backing adapted to be embedded in self-hardening plastic material, the interstices of the backing being of a size as to permit the plastic material to pass therethrough, and wire of rod-like form defining the outline of a symbol secured to said backing, said wire being of such cross sectional area as to project a sufficient distance from the adjacent face of the backing to' provide a form for retaining self-hardening plastic material of a different color than that in which the backing is adapted to be embedded.

2. A sign including a woven wire backing adapted to be embedded in self-hardening plastic material and wire of larger gauge than the woven wire welded to said backing, said larger gauge wire defining the outline of a symbol and constituting a form for" receiving plastic material of different character than that in which said backing is embedded.

3. A sign including a woven wire backing, wire of larger gauge than the woven wire secured to said backing, said larger gauge wire defining the outline of a symbol and constituting a form, selfhardening plastic material withinsaid'form, and self-hardening plastic material surrounding said form and embedding said backing, said plastic materials being of different color and the upper edge of the form being substantially flush with adjacent portions of said plastic materials.

4. A sign for a completed roadway including a woven wire backing supported on the upper sur face of the roadway, wire of larger gauge thanthe woven wire secured to said backing and extending upwardly therefrom, said larger gauge wire defining the outline of a symbol and constituting a form, self-hardening. plastic material. within said form, and self-hardening plastic ma-

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