GB2067331A

GB2067331A - Indicator device

Info

Publication number: GB2067331A
Application number: GB8040443A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Krone GmbH
Current assignee: ADC GmbH
Priority date: 1980-01-15
Filing date: 1980-12-17
Publication date: 1981-07-22
Also published as: AU6620881A

Abstract

As a carrier including a wheel portion 4 is rotated about a vertical axis, restraining members 8 restrain flip- boards 2 against movement about that axis while pivot shafts 3 of the latter are between angular positions A and B on the one hand and positions C and D on the other hand. When any one of the flip-boards is thus restrained, rotation of the carrier causes torsion coil springs 1 provided on said pivot shafts to become progressively tensioned. Upon movement from position B to position C, or from position D to position A, the energy thus stored in the springs causes the flip-board to flip-over, thereby relaxing the springs except for a residual amount of spring tension. Therefore, each spring is twice tensioned and twice relaxed during one complete revolution of the carrier. The device may indicate mineral oil prices or the time. Two such devices may be arranged back-to-back with the flip- boards moving across alternately. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Indicator device This invention relates to an indicator device, particularly to a large-size indicator device, e.g. for (mineral oil) prices of the type comprising a plurality of flip-boards each having a horizontal flip plane. It is an object of the invention, by appropriate design of the flip-over mechanism, to ensure in the simplest manner faultless operation of the device, simplicity of manufacture and an increase in serviceability.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the flip-boards are mounted on axes whereon cylindrical coil springs are arranged in housing wheels in such a manner that, in the course of rotation of the housing wheels through 360 , the cylindrical coil springs are turned twice and thereby tensioned and, by the flip-over action of the flip-boards, twice relaxed except for a residual amount of spring tension.

According to a section aspect of the present invention, an indicator device comprises a carrier rotatable about a rotation axis, a plurality of flipboards each of which is mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative thereto about a respective pivot axis spaced from and parallel to the rotation axis, restraining means arranged to restrain the flip-boards against movement about the rotation axis during part of the rotation of the carrier, and spring means associated with each flip-board and being resiliently charged by rotation of the carrier while said flip-board is retrained by the restraining means so that it flips over the flip-board when the latter is released by the restraining means, the spring means being relaxed by the flipping-over action of the flip-board, the arrangement being such that each spring means is twice resiliently charged and twice relaxed during a single revolution of the carrier about the rotation axis.

Preferably, the restraining means is arranged to restrain each flip-board when its pivot axis is in either of two ranges of angular positions about said rotation axis, such that each spring means flips over its associated flip-board when the pivot axis of the latter reaches the end of either of said ranges of angular positions.

Conveniently, each flip-board is mounted on the carrier by means of a pivot shaft, and the spring means comprises a torsion coil spring coiled around the pivot shaft. Most conveniently, the carrier includes a pair of axially opposed wheel portions upon which the flip-boards are pivotally mounted, and each spring has one end thereof secured to its associated flip-board and the other end thereof secured to one of said wheel portions. The wheel portions can have slots therein in which are received hooked portions of the springs, respectively.

Advantageously, the indicator device further comprises a motor operable to rotate the carrier.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view, partly broken away, of an indicator device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the indicator device; and Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part of the device shown in Figure 3.

The iilustrated indicator device comprises a carrier composed of a pair of opposed wheel portions 4 and 4a, mounted on a vertically disposed rotatable shaft 7, and a plurality of flip-boards 2 which are mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative thereto about respective pivot axes spaced from and parallel to the rotation axis of the shaft 7. More particularly, each flip-board 2 has two stub axles or shafts 3, 3a which are pivotally secured to the wheel portions 4, 4a respectively. Information to be display, for example mineral oil prices, is provided on the flip-board.

Coiled around each of the shafts 3 is a cylindrical or helical torsion spring 1, one end of the spring being received in a slot in the shaft 3, the other end thereof (which is hooked) being received in a slot 9 in the wheel portion 4, as shown to advantage in Figure 4. The inside diameter of the springs 1 is thus greater than the diameter of the shafts 3. Similar springs are provided around the shafts 3a, although these are not actually iilustrated.

A motor 6 is connected to the shaft 7 and is operable to rotate the carrier in the direction of arrow E in Figure 3. During part of this rotation, restraining members 8 engage end stops 2a on the flip-boards 2 to restrain the boards from movement about the rotation axis of the shaft 7. More specifically, as shown in Figure 3 the fiip-boards are so restrained when their pivot axes are in a range of angular positions Ato B on the one hand and Cto D on the other hand about said rotation axis. When each flip-board 2 is thus restrained, rotation of the carrier progressively tensions the respective torsion coil springs 1 as the flip-board pivot axis moves from position A to position B, and from position C to position D.When the pivot axis moves from position B to position C, or from position D to position A, the stored el energy in the springs causes the flip-board 2 to flip over, thereby relaxing the springs except for a residual spring tension. In this manner, the springs 1 are twice tensioned and twice relaxed during one complete revolution of the carrier, and functionally reliable flip-over action of the flip-boards 2 is achieved by the elastic energy built up in the springs.

Since the rotation axis of the shaft 7 is vertical, the boards 2 flip in a horizontal plane.

In a modified arrangement (not illustrated), two of the above-described devices are provided in back-toback relation so that a display can be provided on both sides. In order to make such an arrangement fairly slim, the flip-boards of the two devices are arranged to flip over alternately.

The indicator device in accordance with the invention is suited for indicating any kind of data, e.g.

prices, the time.

1. A large-size indicator device, e.g. for (mineral oil) prices, comprising a plurality of flip-boards each having a horizontal flip plane, the flip-boards being

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Indicator device This invention relates to an indicator device, particularly to a large-size indicator device, e.g. for (mineral oil) prices of the type comprising a plurality of flip-boards each having a horizontal flip plane. It is an object of the invention, by appropriate design of the flip-over mechanism, to ensure in the simplest manner faultless operation of the device, simplicity of manufacture and an increase in serviceability. According to one aspect of the present invention, the flip-boards are mounted on axes whereon cylindrical coil springs are arranged in housing wheels in such a manner that, in the course of rotation of the housing wheels through 360 , the cylindrical coil springs are turned twice and thereby tensioned and, by the flip-over action of the flip-boards, twice relaxed except for a residual amount of spring tension. According to a section aspect of the present invention, an indicator device comprises a carrier rotatable about a rotation axis, a plurality of flipboards each of which is mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative thereto about a respective pivot axis spaced from and parallel to the rotation axis, restraining means arranged to restrain the flip-boards against movement about the rotation axis during part of the rotation of the carrier, and spring means associated with each flip-board and being resiliently charged by rotation of the carrier while said flip-board is retrained by the restraining means so that it flips over the flip-board when the latter is released by the restraining means, the spring means being relaxed by the flipping-over action of the flip-board, the arrangement being such that each spring means is twice resiliently charged and twice relaxed during a single revolution of the carrier about the rotation axis. Preferably, the restraining means is arranged to restrain each flip-board when its pivot axis is in either of two ranges of angular positions about said rotation axis, such that each spring means flips over its associated flip-board when the pivot axis of the latter reaches the end of either of said ranges of angular positions. Conveniently, each flip-board is mounted on the carrier by means of a pivot shaft, and the spring means comprises a torsion coil spring coiled around the pivot shaft. Most conveniently, the carrier includes a pair of axially opposed wheel portions upon which the flip-boards are pivotally mounted, and each spring has one end thereof secured to its associated flip-board and the other end thereof secured to one of said wheel portions. The wheel portions can have slots therein in which are received hooked portions of the springs, respectively. Advantageously, the indicator device further comprises a motor operable to rotate the carrier. The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view, partly broken away, of an indicator device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the indicator device; and Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part of the device shown in Figure 3. The iilustrated indicator device comprises a carrier composed of a pair of opposed wheel portions 4 and 4a, mounted on a vertically disposed rotatable shaft 7, and a plurality of flip-boards 2 which are mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative thereto about respective pivot axes spaced from and parallel to the rotation axis of the shaft 7. More particularly, each flip-board 2 has two stub axles or shafts 3, 3a which are pivotally secured to the wheel portions 4, 4a respectively. Information to be display, for example mineral oil prices, is provided on the flip-board. Coiled around each of the shafts 3 is a cylindrical or helical torsion spring 1, one end of the spring being received in a slot in the shaft 3, the other end thereof (which is hooked) being received in a slot 9 in the wheel portion 4, as shown to advantage in Figure 4. The inside diameter of the springs 1 is thus greater than the diameter of the shafts 3. Similar springs are provided around the shafts 3a, although these are not actually iilustrated. A motor 6 is connected to the shaft 7 and is operable to rotate the carrier in the direction of arrow E in Figure 3. During part of this rotation, restraining members 8 engage end stops 2a on the flip-boards 2 to restrain the boards from movement about the rotation axis of the shaft 7. More specifically, as shown in Figure 3 the fiip-boards are so restrained when their pivot axes are in a range of angular positions Ato B on the one hand and Cto D on the other hand about said rotation axis. When each flip-board 2 is thus restrained, rotation of the carrier progressively tensions the respective torsion coil springs 1 as the flip-board pivot axis moves from position A to position B, and from position C to position D.When the pivot axis moves from position B to position C, or from position D to position A, the stored el energy in the springs causes the flip-board 2 to flip over, thereby relaxing the springs except for a residual spring tension. In this manner, the springs 1 are twice tensioned and twice relaxed during one complete revolution of the carrier, and functionally reliable flip-over action of the flip-boards 2 is achieved by the elastic energy built up in the springs. Since the rotation axis of the shaft 7 is vertical, the boards 2 flip in a horizontal plane. In a modified arrangement (not illustrated), two of the above-described devices are provided in back-toback relation so that a display can be provided on both sides. In order to make such an arrangement fairly slim, the flip-boards of the two devices are arranged to flip over alternately. The indicator device in accordance with the invention is suited for indicating any kind of data, e.g. prices, the time. CLAIMS

1. A large-size indicator device, e.g. for (mineral oil) prices, comprising a plurality of flip-boards each having a horizontal flip plane, the flip-boards being mounted on axes whereon cylindrical coil springs are arranged in housing wheels in such a manner that, in the course of rotation of the housing wheels through 360 , the cylindrical coil springs are turned twice and thereby tensioned and, by the flip-over action of the flip-boards, twice telaxed except for a residual amount of spring tension.

2 An indicator device comprising a carrier rotatable about a rotation axis, a plurality of flip-boards each of which is mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative thereto about a respective pivot axis spaced from and parallel to the rotation axis, restraining means arranged to restrain the flipboards against movement about the rotation axis during part of the rotation of the carrier, and spring means associated with each flip-board and being resiliently charged by rotation of the carrier while said flip-board is restrained by the restraining means so that it flips over the flip-board when the latter is released by the restraining means, the spring means being relaxed by the flipping-over action of the flip-board, the arrangement being such that each spring means is twice resiliently charged and twice relaxed during a single revolution of the carrier about the rotation axis.

3. An indicator device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the restraining means is arranged to restrain each flip-board when its pivot axis is in either of two ranges of angular positions about said rotation axis, such that each spring means flips over its associated flip-board when the pivot axis of the latter reaches the end of either of said ranges of angular positions.

4. An indicator device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein each flip-board is mounted on the carrier by means of a pivot shaft, and the spring means comprises a torsion coil spring coiled around the pivot shaft.

5. An indicator device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the carrier includes a pair of axially opposed wheel portions upon which the flip-boards are pivotally mounted, and each spring has one end thereof secured to its associated flip-board and the other end thereof secured to one of said wheel portions.

6. An indicator device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the wheel portions have slots therein in which are received hooked portions of the springs, respectively.

7. An indicator device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, further comprising a motor operable to rotate the carrier.

8. An indicator device substantially as hereinbe fore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.