US717758A - Sign-illuminator. - Google Patents

Description

` No. '717,758. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

- J. H. McMULLIN. r

SIGN ILLUMINATOR.

` APPLIOATION'FILED MAY 2, 1902,

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MCMULLIN, 'OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SiGN-iLLUMiNATOR.

SPECIFICATION formng part of Letters ?atent No. 717,'758, dated January 6, 1903. Application filed May 2, 1902. Serial No. 10 5 ,644. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may cancer-n,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MCMULLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at "Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Illuminators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a sign-illnminator or a device for illuminating signs and other objects, and is designed particularly to be used on street-cars, and particularly on the top or roof of a street-car to iliuninate the signs ordinarily carried on the ends' or sides of the car.

The object bf my invention is to provide an improved electrio sign-illu minator of simple and inexpensive Construction to be rigidly attached in front of the sign or object to be illuminated to throw a light thereon and ny invention consists in certain novei features of construction of my sign-iiluminator, as will be hereinafter fully described.

erably made of Referring to the drawngs, Figur-e 1 is a perspective View of one end of the roof portion of a street-car of any ordinary Construction, showing my sign-illuninator attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a front view of my sign-illuminator shown in Fig. l, detachedylooking in the direction of arrow a, same figure. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3, Fig. '2, looking in the direction of arrow b, same figure; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4 4:, Fig. 2. Figs. 2, 3, and 4: are shown on an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the top or roof portion of one endof a street-car, which may be of any ordinary Construction.

2 is a revoluble sign of ordinary Construction supported at each end on a stand 3, secured to the roof portion 1.

My sign-illuminator 4: is shown in this instance attached upon the end of the roof portion l in front of the sign 2 and with its outer edge extending slightly beyond the edge of the root, as shown in Fig. 1.

My illuminator 4: has the body portion pref cast metal in, one piece, with The open side has preferably which are slightly inclined making the one side open. straight edges, from the center toward the ends,

illuminator of slightly-angular shape in the tion, as shown in direction of its length', or diverging from the center toward the ends, as shown in Fig. 1, on its open side. The open side of the illuminator 4 has, preferably at its central portion, a bar i', extending between its upper and lower edges, which acts as a brace The rear or closed side ot' the illuminator 4: i

is preferably of rounded shape in cross-sec Fig. 3, and the top and bottom of the iiluminator are slightly inclined from the center toward the ends, as shown in Fig. 2.

The open side of, my illuminator 4 is preferably made with longitudinal grooves 4" in its upper and lower ed ges to receive the edges of the panes of gia-ss 5 or other transparent material, p s ferably two in number, which are removable and are inserted from the ends of the sign-illuminator 4 and are held at their outer ends in this instance by a. pivoted catch 6, secured to the end of the body of the illuminator by a screw 7 and adapted to be turned up to engage the end of the pane of glass 5 after it has been inserted in the grooves 4" to hold it in position, as shown in Fig. 3.

To hold the inner ends of the panes of giass 5 in place, I may use a removable bar 16, extendingin front of the bar 4', with its ends extending into notches or recesses in the upper and lower edges of the open side of the illuminator 4:, said har 16 being Secured to the bar a' by bolts 17 and nuts18. (See Fig.4.)

The inner surface of the body of the iliu minator 4: may be painted white or otherwise treated to produce a reflecting-surface.

Secured within each end of the body of the illuminator 4: is in this instance an electric bulh 8, connected with circuit-wires 9 in any weil-known way.

On the under side of the body of the illuminator 4, and preferably made integral therewith, are two projections or lugs 10, having holes therein for screws 11, which secure the illuninator 4: rigidly to the roof portion 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

I preferably combine With my sign-illuminator 4 two guide-hooks 12 for the trolleycord 13 to prevent the cord from getting out of place. The hooks 12 are preferably Secured upon the top of the body of the illuminator a by screws 142 or otherwise.

IOO

My illnninator-sign, as above stated, has the body portion thereof made in one piece and is preferably of cast metal; but it may be made of sheet metal or of any other suitable material, as leather-board, if preferred. The lights or eiectric bulbs are Secured within the bodyof the iiln minator at each end thereof.

My sign-iliri minator is preferably attached to the end of a car, with the closed body portion extending beyond the end, so as to serve for a support and hearing-surface for the trolley-rope, as shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of my improvements in sign-illuminators for street-cars, 850., Will he readiiy appreciated by those skilled in the art. Being made in one piece and rigidly secured to the roof of the car, there is nothing to work loose or rattie or get out of order. The guide-books for the troiley-rope, combined with my iliuminator, do away With any other guide ordinariiy empioyed for the trolley-rope.

It will be nnderstood that the details of Construction of my improvements in signilluninators may be varied, if desired, and it may be attached to the roof at the side of the car to iiluminate the side signs as weil as at the end of the car, and it may also be used for any other illuminating purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sign-illuminator comprising a body portion made from a single piece of material with one open side, the edges of said side being straight and inclined from the center toward the ends, and guide-hooks secnred to the body portion on opposite sides of the center thereof to guide and engage the trolleycord to hold the same in position, substantiaily as described.

2. A sign-illuminator, comprising a body portion made from a single piece of material with one side open, the edges of said side being straight and inclined from the center toward the ends, electric lights or bulbs Secured within the body portion and projeeting toward each other from the ends thereof, means for securing said illuminator in position on the car With the body of the illuminator projecting over the edge of the car, and guidehooks Secured to the iiluminator on opposite sides of the 'center thereof and having their open portions facing each other to thereby act as guides for a trolley-cord.

J. H. MCMULLIN.

Witnesses:

J. C. DEWEY, M. HAAS.

Images