Letter and number kits and the process of preparing same

Abstract

A letter and number kit for use in preparing signs or names and addresses including street numbers. The kit consists of a packet of thin metal plates, each having upper and lower longitudinally and transversely extending score lines to provide segments having a blank on one or both faces or a letter, number, or punctuation mark on one or both faces of each segment. The number of letters in the kit may be varied. Primary letters of the alphabet which are used more frequently than other letters are present in the kit in a greater number than secondary letters which in turn are present in the kit in a greater number than tertiary letters. For instance, in comparatively large kits from approximately eight to eleven of each of the primary letters, from six to seven of each of the secondary letters and from approximately two to five of each of the tertiary letters may be present. Means including special blades are provided to respectively cut upper and lower transversely and longitudinally extending indentations or score lines to divide the plate into rectangularly-shaped segments. In both operations, blades having opposed tapered cutting edges may be provided in both the upper and lower dies of the press for separately cutting both the longitudinally and the transverse score lines on indentations and while the press is set to provide oppositely disposed upper and lower score lines in the thin metal blades, stops are provided in the lower bed of the press to prevent the blades from severing the thin metal plates, thus limiting the depth of the opposed score lines or indentations of the blades. Circular blades having tapered peripheries may also be arranged in opposed relation on a driving and a driven shaft or on driving shafts to provide upper and lower score lines or indentations in each of the metal plates.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A kit for use in preparing signs including a plurality of thin .Iadd.relatively rigid .Iaddend.metal plates of substantial uniform thickness, each having longitudinal and transverse upper and lower score lines arranged in opposed relation to each other and dividing each of the plates into a plurality of rectangularly-shaped segments, each of which segments have a blank face or have printed thereon a letter, numeral, or punctuation mark and in which the depth of each of the opposed upper and lower score lines are limited to such an extent that thin connecting links of metal extend between segments on each plate which links have sufficient strength to hold the segments together but which are thin enough so that individual segments may be snapped from the plate without forming burrs or rough edges. 
     
     
       2. A kit as defined in claim 1 in which many of the segments have primary letters of the alphabet formed thereon, others have secondary letters of the alphabet formed thereon, and still others have tertiary letters of the alphabet formed thereon, and in which the number of segments that have primary letters formed thereon exceeds the number of segments that have secondary letters formed thereon, and the number of segments that have secondary letters formed thereon is greater than the number of segments having tertiary letters formed thereon. 
     
     
       3. A kit is defined in claim 2 in which each primary letter of the alphabet is printed on a sufficient number of segments to provide from approximately eight to eleven segments, each of which have the same primary letter thereon, from six to seven segments, each of which have the same secondary letter of the alphabet thereon, and from approximately two to five segments, each of which has the same tertiary letter of the alphabet formed thereon. 
     
     
       4. A kit as defined in claim 3 in which many of the segments have a primary letter formed on one face and a secondary or tertiary letter on its opposite face. 
     
     
       5. A kit as defined in claim 1 in which each of the metal plates of the kit has a thickness ranging up to approximately 0.016 of an inch and in which each of the opposed score lines has converging tapered faces. 
     
     
       6. A kit as defined in claim 5 in which the thickness of the metal between opposed score lines on each plate may range from approximately 0.001 to 0.004 of an inch depending upon the thickness of the metal. 
     
     
       7. In the method of preparing plates for use in a letter and number kit, the steps which comprise forming spaced numerals, letters, punctuation marks or blanks, or a mixture of two or more of such characters in longitudinal and transverse rows on a thin .Iadd.relatively rigid .Iaddend.metal plate of substantially uniform thickness and forcing upper and lower opposing blades, each having converging outer faces into engagement with the plate between the longitudinal and vertical rows to a sufficient extent to provide thin metal connecting links between adjacent segments on the plate that have sufficient strength to hold the segments together but each of which links is thin enough so that individual segments may be snapped from the plate without forming rough edges or burrs. 
     
     
       8. The opposed method as defined in claim 7 in which the score lines are first cut into the thin metal plate in the spaces between the transverse rows of letters, numerals, blanks, punctuation marks, or mixtures thereof and then in the space between the longitudinal rows of letters, numerals, punctuation marks, or blanks, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. The method of preparing a plate as defined in claim 7 for use in a letter and number kit which comprises forming spaced numbers, letters, punctuation marks, or blanks, or a mixture of two or more of them, in longitudinal and transverse rows extending opposite to each other on both the upper and lower sides of a thin metal plate having a substantially uniform thickness ranging up to approximately 0.016 of an inch, forcing upper and lower oppositely disposed blades, each having converging faces into scoring engagement with the plate to provide thin connecting links of metal having a thickness ranging from approximately 0.001 to 0.004 of an inch between adjacent segments depending upon the thickness of the metal and which have sufficient strength to hold the segments together but which are thin enough so that individual segments may be snapped from the plate without forming rough edges or burrs. 
     
     
       10. The method as defined in claim 7 in which score lines are first cut into the thin metal plate in the spaces between the longitudinal rows of letters, numerals, punctuation marks, or mixtures thereof on both sides of the plate, and then in the spaces between the transverse rows of letters, numerals, punctuation marks, or blanks, or a mixture thereof, on both sides of the plate.