GB619299A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for displaying information for advertising or other purposes, for example, announcing - Google Patents

Abstract

619,299. Changing signs. HAMMOND, T., and CONNIES, S. Dec. 2, 1946, No. 35601. [Class 3(i)] A display apparatus comprises a screen having a number of legend-carrying windows and an aperture through which is visible in succession a number of legends carried by a continuously-driven member, together with means for illuminating one or more of the windows in accordance with the legend visible through the aperture. As shown in Fig. 1, a number of leaves 13 are pivotally mounted on two side plates 8 rotatably mounted on supports 5 fixed to the base 6 of a casing 1 and driven by an electric motor 15. The casing 1 has an aperture 2 through which the legends on the leaves 13 are visible in. succession and a number of legend-carrying windows 3 (not shown) and 4. The windows 3 are selectively illuminated. The window 4 is continuously illuminated. Inside the casing above the aperture 2 are a number of contact strips 21, Fig. 4, and one or more buffers 25 of rubber or rigid material. One pair of contacts may be used for each window 3. The leaves 13 carry contacts 18 each arranged to bridge one pair of contacts 21 to complete the lamp circuit for a window 3. As many contacts as necessary for the windows to be illuminated are carried by each leaf. In use, the side plates 8 are rotated anticlockwise, the leaves strike the stop 25 in turn and the contacts 18 complete the circuits for the windows 3 as required by the preceding leaf, then visible in the aperture. Each contact 18 is slidably mounted on its leaf 13 in a slot 20 and is retained by a pin 19. The leaves are detachably mounted in slots 14 in the side plate 8 and are retained by a slidable ring 10 provided with one or more slots 11 to register with a selected slot 14 when a leaf is to be removed. The ring is retained in position to close all the slots 14 by a screw 12. If desired, one side plate may have holes only. Bars to limit the angular travel of the leaves may be fitted between the side plates 8 so that positive pressure may aid the bridging of the contacts 21. In a modification, the contacts 18, 21 are omitted and a brush on one side plate 8 is arranged to move over a segmental ring on the casing wall. The lamps to illuminate the windows 3 are connected to the segments by plugs from outside the casing.