US2262930A - Illuminated instrument dial and the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov; 18, 1941. R. GAsPER f 2,262,930

*y ILLUMINATED INSTRUMENT DIAL AND THE LIKE Filed'auly 1, v1940 7 'I M I Le/sl'er. da' el;

INVENT Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,262,930 -nLUMINA'rEn ms'rnUMnN'r DIAL AND rm: una

' Lesmn. Gasp", chicago, m. Application July 1, 1940, seran No. 343,421 e (ci. 4o1am 3 Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to the decorating of glass and other transparent materials, particularly for such uses as clock dials, radio dials, instrument dials, signs and the like, and as to certain features is a continuation in part o! Patent 2,207,585 of July 9, 1940.

Special objects of the invention are to create characters will be easily readable under either daylight or artiiicial illumination.

Additional objects and the novel features of invention by which all such objects'are attained will appear or are set forth in the following specification.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification, several different'l embo'diments of the invention are illustrated but, as will appear, theactual structure may be modified and changed in various ways all within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed. l

Fig. 1 is a lace view of a panel of glass or like material decorated to constitute one embodiment of the invention. p

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of another form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view as on line 6 4 of Fig. 3, illustrating edge lighting of the same.

Fig. 5 is a face view and Fig. 6 a sectionas on line 6--6 of Fig. 5, illustrating another form of the invention.

' than the front figure to be visible through the in the various normal positions from which the designs may be viewed, a considerable portion of the design at the rear will be visible through the intervening glass or other medium. appearing through the glass as part of and Joined with the figure at the iront.

Generally, the back figure is enough larger glass, about the edges of the front ilgure. Ihis provides a sense of perspective when looked at from directly in front at a normal viewing distance and when viewed from diierent angular positions, makes the figure appear as though extending solidly from front to back through the intervening transparent material.

In the rst form. of the invention shown, l'ligs.` l

1 and 2, the smaller design on the front of the transporting medium is lighter in color or appearance and the corresponding larger design onv the back is darker or more opaque in character. 'I'his produces the effect indicated in Fig. 1 of a light faced character with darkly outlined spreading side edges extending through to the back oi the panel.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate further that if deA sired, a background I0, may be provided about the ilgures on the back of the panel. This background m'ay be in contrast with the back figures,

that is, either darker or lighter. In the illustration, the back iigures 9 are represented as fully opaque or solid black and the background I0, as lighter in shade and less opaque or translucent, but this relation may be reversed and otherwise varied.

The particular relations may depend to some extent on the manner in which the article is to be illuminated, that is, whether it is planned for simply daylight illumination or Whether it is to front or back lighted, or projected lighting, or edge lighting is to be employed. Also conditions and relations may be controlled to some extent by the character of the panel.

In the several views, l designates a sheet or Y layer of so-called transparent material such as glass, or one of the plastics. for instance, Celluloid, Pyralin, Cellophane, Vinylite, Lucite and the like.

The decorative characters, which may be letters, numerals or other representations are made up of a design 8, on the face ,of the transparent sheet and a correspondingly shaped design 9, on or at the back of the same sheet and in register with the design on the face.

In the present disclosure, the design on the back is larger than that on the front, so that Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a case in point. In

this embodiment, the panel is ordinary cornmercial glass of the kind having a greenish cast and illumination is effected by edge lighting atv a rearwardly 'enlarging luminous greenish mass between the design on the frontand the design on the back, or the eifect of a dark front figure with a pale green rearwardly extending divergentI border. v

The edge lighted comercial greenish glass provides inherently a method of coloring which is useful where a greenish tint is desirable or not objectionable. Where other coloring is required, a water White glass may be used such as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. Desired coloring may be projected through the glass in such instance by 'applying an edge coating of color at Il and,

shining the edge light Il, through that. Such lighting may be variedby using a colored lamp or lamps such as represented at Ilal in Fig. 5; In this view, with an orange colored edge coating il, and a red lamp Ila, with dark front figures I2 and translucent white back figures I3, the figures appear dark, surrounded by pale orange red rims extending rearwardly with an enlarging effect and with the figures as a whole apparently suspended in a reddish appearing medium. The glass or other transparent medium maybe flat or curved or prismatic, according to purpose or effects desired. While referred to as transparent, it will be appreciated that the degree of relative transparency may vary. depending on the particular kind of material or. the quality or character of material employed forthe panel. The figures or designs may be applied in dierent ways, depending on use and purpose of the articles.

Whatis claimed is: l. As a new article of manufacture, a layer of transparent material, designs of corresponding outline in registration at the front and back of said transparent layer, said designs being of contrasting shades and the design at the front being lighter in shade and substantially translucent, the design at the back being darker in shade and substantially opaque and said design at the back being larger in outline than the design at the front.

2. As 'a new article of manufacture, a single layer of transparent material, designs of corre sponding outline in registration at the front and back of said layer of transparent material, said designs being of contrasting shades and the designs at the'back being of larger outline than those at the front and means for edge lighting said layer of transparent material.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a single I layer of transparent material, designs of corresponding outline in registration at the front and back of said layer of transparent material, said designs being of contrasting shades and the de' signs at the back being of larger outline than those at the front, means for edge lighting said layer of transparent material, said material having an inherent color tint and said designs on 4the back being 'of a character to absorb said color tint from said edge lighting.

l1;.rss'iER R. GASPER.

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