Abstract: An illuminated sign is comprised of single piece molded plastic front, intermediate and rear frame members which are substantially coextensive with the width of the sign. All of the characters are formed on the intermediate frame member and they fit into a front frame which serves not only as a support but as a means for masking those parts of the intermediate frame which connect between characters, for example, and which should not be illuminated. The sign is hingedly mounted to a fixed support member which, in turn, supports fluorescent tubes which run along the length of the sign for illuminating the characters to make them visible at night as well as during the daytime. The sign swings down on its hinges to its normal readable position wherein it is secured to the support member by means of quarter-turn fasteners which effectuate a seal for compressing a gasket which is interposed between the sign and the supporting structure.

Abstract: A handle for operating a beverage tap has an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to it. an electronic control circuit is mounted in the handle and lead wires run out of the handle from said control circuit to a source of electric power. A switch closes when the handle is tilted to activate the control circuit and the control circuit responds by energizing the LEDs and causing them to scintillate in a predetermined sequence.

Abstract: A tambour-type sign has carrier bars hinged together to form a closed loop. The bars provide for inserting strips which display information. Pin and socket elements are formed on opposite edges of each carrier bar for the pin of one to engage in the socket of the next one to form a hinge. The loop is translated on a ring gear having internal teeth and a periphery in which there are equiangularly spaced apart grooves into which the sockets on the hinges register as a chain would on a sprocket. The ring gear is journaled for rotation on a bearing member exemplified by a square having four walls, the corners of which are segments of a circle whose diameter is equal to the diameter between the tips of the ring gear teeth. This drive structure is mounted on the laterally spaced apart support members so as to support the loop at both ends of the carrier bars. There are spaced apart pinions fixed on the cross shaft which engage with the respective ring gears. The shaft is motor driven.

Abstract: A sign has slat panels mounted for sliding laterally on one side of a base plate and bars having cam followers mounted on the other side. Each bar has a pin, some of which project through slats in the bars and all of which project through slots in the base plate to terminate in a hole in the panels, respectively for driving the panels laterally in response to sequential lateral shifting of the bars. A first driven gear has axially extending cam pins of increasingly greater lengths to engage successive followers and shift the bars and panels to present a series of pictures. A second commonly driven gear has one cam pin which orbits in the opposite direction for periodically engaging all followers simultaneously and driving said bars back to initial position to start a new display cycle.

Abstract: A device for displaying the names of items and their prices uses a generally planar panel that has pairs of parallel tracks on its rear side and parallel guide channels on its front side. There is an elongated aperture in the panel between each pair of tracks and guide channels. Strips bearing printed item names and other information are inserted in the channels. The strips have variable numbers of either apertured or transparent windows aligned with the aperture. A tape carrier for tapes bearing indicia such as numerals for composing prices that are displayed through the windows is engageable with the rear tracks by means of its inherent flexure property. Divider members engage the carrier with a snap action and they create channels in conjunction with the carrier surface for guiding and restraining the edges of the tapes against all but longitudinal movements.

Abstract: The segments of several 7-segment character displays are defined by elongated light distributors in the form of slots or a series of holes which are in a panel. A large area light source is located on the rear side of the panel. Rotatable opaque disks are interposed between the light source and characters. Each disk has an array of holes for transmitting light to predetermined ones of light pipes which lead to slot segments in one embodiment and which lead to the holes that define segments in another embodiment. When a disk is rotated, different groups of holes in the disks become aligned consecutively with the light pipes where they are used or with the panel holes to thereby illuminate selected character segments so they define a sequence of characters such as the numbers zero to nine. In a digital clock application, a synchronous motor drives a first disk in angular steps to define minutes at their rate of occurrence.

Abstract: A sign board comprises an opaque front plate interfacing with a translucent or reflective back plate. Slots in the front plate define the segments of 7-segment characters. Shutters are slideable within the interface to selectively open and close slots for defining individual characters. Means are provided for retaining the shutters in open and closed positions.

Abstract: A method of making three-dimensional simulated stained glass objects from resins. A sheet of resin having the ornamental pattern of the object printed on it is preformed substantially to the shape of the object. The preform is inserted in an injection mold for being reinforced on one side or another with a thicker resin layer. Mounting flanges, bosses, ribs, interlocking joints and other mating configurations are formed with the reinforcing layer to enable combining a molded three-dimensional section with other three-dimensional sections to form more complex objects. The printing on the flat resin sheet is pre-distorted, as required, so that when it is formed to the contours of the object the printing will assume a proper undistorted form.

Abstract: A method of making three-dimensional simulated stained glass objects from resins. A sheet of resin having the ornamental pattern of the object printed on it is preformed substantially to the shape of the object. The preform is inserted in an injection mold for being reinforced on one side or another with a thicker resin layer. Mounting flanges, bosses, ribs, interlocking joints and other mating configurations are formed with the reinforcing layer to enable combining a molded three-dimensional section with other three-dimensional sections to form more complex objects. The printing on the flat resin sheet is pre-distorted, as required, so that when it is formed to the contours of the object the printing will assume a proper undistorted form.

Abstract: In a display device, a precoiled plastic tape bearing informational indicia runs over a back-up surface to present the front side of the tape for observation and for manual access to enable translating the tape. The tape also runs over stationary pins which allow the tape to coil when translated in one direction. Opposed ends of the tape are provided with apertures which are entered by the pins when one end portion of the tape is nearly uncoiled so that further translation and complete uncoiling of the tape is prevented. The tape end portion is automatically disengaged from the pins by the inherent coil forming stress in the tape when reverse translation is initiated.

Abstract: An opaque face plate has arrays of openings which are arranged to depict numerals when light is transmitted through predetermined openings. A plurality of back plates are slideably mounted behind the face plate, each back plate having an array of light passages, some of which are elongated slots, and said light passages being arranged to coact with face plate openings to form numerals. Some of the face plate openings are arranged in upright line formation, and the slots are inclined at a relatively small acute angle with respect to said upright lines. Each back plate is slideable in a direction defined by the direction of the inclined slots, and is moved back and forth in intermittent steps along its path of movement to cause the numerals to change in accordance with the time of day.

Abstract: An opaque face plate has arrays of openings which are each arranged to form numerals when light is transmitted through a predetermined selection of openings. A plurality of opaque back plates are movably mounted behind the face plate, each back plate having an array of openings positioned to coact with face plate openings to form different numerals depending upon the position of movement of the back plate. Each back plate is driven in an orbital path in a plane parallel to the plane of the face plate by means which includes a slot in the back plate, and cam means coacting with said slot.

Abstract: Two panels each having an opaque background with an array of transparent dots therein are superimposed in front of a light source. The array of transparent dots in one panel is arranged to form a rectangular grid while the transparent dots in the other panel are positioned along the diagonal lines of the rectangular grid. Three transparent dots are positioned along the diagonal line between diagonally opposite pairs of transparent dots on the rectangular grid. The transparent dots along the diagonal lines are arranged to form three separate patterns, each of which may be a letter, a word or group of words, a picture, or a design. One of the panels is periodically reciprocated along the diagonal lines relative to the other panel, which causes the three separate patterns to be illuminated in sequence, each illuminated pattern being extinguished before the next pattern is illuminated.

Abstract: A plurality of elongated opaque holders with elongated openings therein are removably connected together at their longitudinal edges by light excluding joints, there being a light source behind the interconnected holders. Opaque strips bearing translucent indicia are removably connected to the holders over the openings. The indicia may specify items of merchandise. Pre-curled plastic film tapes bearing numbers are movably mounted at one end of each opaque strip to display the price for the item. The pre-curled tapes are mounted behind holder portions having window openings through which the numbers are visible and through which the pre-curled tapes can be manually contacted to conveniently change the prices.