# US 4,392,306 A · Letterguide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,392,306 A - Document ID: US4392306A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/268,582 - Filed: 1981-05-29 - Granted: 1983-07-12 - Earliest claimed: 1980-06-09 - Inventors: George A. Johnstone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392306A ## CPC - B43L 13/208: {letters, numbers, symbols (lettering devices B43L13/004)} - B43L: ARTICLES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING UPON; {WRITING OR DRAWING AIDS;} ACCESSORIES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING (workshop equipment for marking-out work B25H7/00; teaching hand-writing or drawing G09B11/00) ## Abstract A letter forming stencil for use in signwriting or the like comprises a substantially rectangular plate having two apertures formed therethrough and having a separate corner forming piece or pieces, the stencil in use being placed on the surface upon which it is desired to form letters and the outline of the letter being traced thereon, the length of various lines comprising the letter being judged against indication means and spaced around the perimeter of the plate and the corners of the letter being formed with the aid of corner forming pieces. The corner forming pieces may comprise any one of (a) quadrants pivotably located adjacent each corner of the plate, and being pivotable so as to extend over the perimeter of the plate, (b) a T shaped piece able to be pivotably located centrally on the plate, the arms of the T shaped piece extending over the perimeter of two corners of the plate, (c) a separate piece having a number of corners formed thereon or (d) alternate round or square shaped corners formed in the plate, the plate being moved in order to position the corners as desired on the letter outline. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stencil comprising a substantially rectangular plate and a corner forming piece wherein the substantially rectangular plate consists of two regions of substantially equal surface area, each of said regions having an aperture located substantially centrally within the region, the substantially rectangular plate being provided with indication means proximal to its perimeter, wherein, at least one corner formed by the intersection of any two sides of the perimeter of the plate is a radiused corner and wherein the corner forming piece may be pivotally mounted on the rectangular plate and has at least one right angle corner formed on its perimeter such that one of the said radiused corner(s) of the said plate may have one of the said right angle corner(s) of the corner forming piece substantially superimposed thereover so as to form a right angle corner thereon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A stencil as claimed in claim 1 wherein said corner forming piece has a plurality of substantially right angle corners formed on its perimeter so that any one of the said at least one radiused corner(s) of the said substantially rectangular plate may have at least one of the right angle corners of the corner forming piece substantially superimposed thereover so as to form a right angle corner thereon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A stencil as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one corner formed by the intersection of any two sides of the perimeter of the said plate is radiused corner, and wherein the corner forming piece comprises a plate having a right angle corner in its perimeter, said corner forming piece being pivotably mounted adjacent the said radiused corner such that said corner forming piece may be pivoted to a first position wherein no portion of said corner forming piece extends beyond the perimeter of said plate, and to a second position wherein the said right angle corner of said corner forming piece is substantially superimposed over said radiused corner of said plate so as to form a right angle corner thereon. ### Claim 4 The stencil as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said indication means comprises a series of notches spaced about the said perimeter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2) The stencil as claimed in any one of claims 1-2 wherein said apertures are provided with indication means proximal to the perimeter thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2) The stencil as claimed in any one of claims 1-2 wherein any one or more of said plates or said corner forming means is provided with a curved slot therethrough, positioned so as to assist in forming a curved portion of a letter or numeral. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2) The stencil as claimed in any one of claim 1-2 wherein any one or more of said plates or said corner forming means is provided with a hole therethrough to assist in forming a portion of a letter or numeral. ### Claim 8 A stencil comprising a substantially rectangular plate and a plurality of corner forming pieces wherein the substantially rectangular plate consists of two regions of substantially equal surface area, each of said regions having an aperture located substantially centrally within the region, the substantially rectangular plate being provided with indication means proximal to its perimeter wherein the corners formed by the intersection of the sides of the perimeter of the said plate are radiused corners, and wherein each corner forming piece comprises a plate having a right angle corner in its perimeter, one said corner forming piece being pivotably mounted adjacent each said radiused corner such that each said corner forming piece may be pivoted to a first position wherein no portion of the corner forming piece extends beyond the perimeter of said plate, and to a second position wherein the said right angle corner of said corner forming piece is substantially superimposed over said radiused corner of said plate so as to form a right angle corner thereon.