US1114267A

US1114267A - Illuminated changeable sign.

Info

Publication number: US1114267A
Application number: US77016513A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lenora H Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1913-05-27
Filing date: 1913-05-27
Publication date: 1914-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 1931-10-20

Description

L. H. JONES. ILLUMINATED CHANGEABLE SIGN. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27,1913.

1,1 14,267. Patented 001;.20, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

UNTED STA-Tias PATENT OFFICE.,

LENORA H. JONFS, 0F WICHITA, KANSAS.

ILLUMINATED CHANGEABLE SIGN.

Specication of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LENORA H. JONES, citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Changeable Signs, of which t-he following is a s ecicaton.

T is invention relates to illuminated signs, and .its object is to provide a simple and eiicient talking sign which is capable of a great variety of uses and can be arranged to show a large number of different words and sentences,v designs, pictur nd the like. I am aware that such results have been here.- tofore produced by means of banks of electric lamps controlled by rotary switches which close the circuits of different groups of lamps in succession so as to light up those necessar to show the desired letters or designs. y invention diers from these devices in thatno elaborate system of circuits is necessary, but only two perforated plates, one movable with respect to the other in lorderto Vbring certain' perforations into alinement and' permit light from a suitable source to shine through the alined perfora- 'tions,vthus producing in outline a letter,

' drawings, in whichword `or device.

In carrying my invention into practical effect, I pre erably make the front plate stationary, and arrange the rear plate to move relatively thereto, ypreferably in such -a manner as to revolve without rotation so `front plate, and by making perforations in said circles at suitable points, they will coincide With the holes in the front plate at certain points in the revolution of the rear plate, and thus permit the light to shineout.

The details of one embodiment of my invention are shown in the accompanying Figure l is a front elevation of the sign. Fig. 2 is a lrear elevation partly in section, taken on the line' 2-2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross section, taken on the line 3 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the operating mechanism. Fig. 5 shows-one of the plugs for shutting up those perforations that are not needed.1 Fig. 6, Fig. 7 and Fig.

8L are frnt elevations showing Ithe holes in thefront plate through which the light is Vtion following the word"So.

permitted to shine in producing the` Words Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application led Hay 27, 1913. Serial No. 770,165.

Itis so, and Fig. 9 shows a modified drivmechanism. he Workin able casing, w. ich has a front plate l containing a plurality of holes 2, regularly spaced apart in rows, and preferably provided with lenses as shown. In the drawing I have shown tive rows of nine holes each, but it is evident that the number is limited only by the size ofthe sign and the area of displacement oit the movable rearv plate 3. This lies close to the front plate and is provided with a plurality of perforations 4, which are seen to be arranged in small groups, one for .each of the holesI 2. The perforations in each group are arranged in a circle, as shown. In the drawings, each circle has four perforations 4, but it is evident that this number mayA be-increased up to eight, ten or even more, if the dimensions of the sign permit. The number of perforations determines the number of changes which can be made in one cycle of operations of the sign. Thus in the sign illusparts are inclosed in a suittrated, four changes are possible, but the to indicate the end of the sequence. Each small circle of perforations is complete, but those-perforations which are not needed to spellthe selected words can be blanked oil' by any suitable shutter, such as the stoppers 5. The rear plate shown in Fig. 2 has a proper number of perforations left open to enable it to spell the words It is so, in its three positions succeeding the one in which it is shown, which is thedark on blank posi- The arrangements of dark and light holes producing these words are shown respectively 1n Figs 6 7 and 8.

`The rear plate is suspended 1n any'suitable manner, as by means of the hangers 6 from crank pins 7 on two wheels 8 suitably- ]'ournaled on the studs 9 projecting -from the back '10 of the casing. In order to 'rotate Ythese Wheels synchronously, step by step,

eachV wheel is provided with 'a pawl and ratchet device, preferably consisting of four as an electric motor l'drivingby worm gearing a disk 16` carrying a wrist pin 17 connected by a pitman 18 to the rod 13. A

detent spring 19. bears against the underside of two of said pins to hold the wheels and rear plate steady during its periods of rest. As the motor slowly revolves the disk, the pawls will engage the pins on the wheels and give them a quarter revolution, the Wheels remaining stationary while the rod is being drawn back to enable the pawls to engage thenext pins. The pawls being pivoted will rise and slide over the pins when the rod is retracted after completing its actuating stroke. It is evident that other equivalent means could be substituted for the rod, pavvls and pins to eii'ect the intermittent rotation of the Wheels.

The rear plate, being hung from the crank pins on the wheels, partakes of their movement, so that each point thereon is thus moved in a circle of the same diameter as that described by Vsaid crank pins, which corresponds with the circles in which the perforations 4 are grouped. During each period of rest, one of the perforations in each of the small circles will register with its hole in the front plate, and if there is no stopper in said perforation, the light from a row -of electric lamps 20 will shine out through said perforation and hole. The back of the casing can be painted White or provided with a reflecting surface,.such as white paint, so as to intensify the light passv ing outJ through the holes in the front plate.

Now let the perfor-ations in the rear plate be designated by the reference letters a, b, c, d, similar perforations in each circle being designated by the same letter. Suppose all the perforations lettered a are in alinement with theholes in the front plate, and that all the a perforations are closed except those shown as left open in `Fig. 2. Under these circumstances, the Word It will be seen by any one looking at the front plate, the word being outlined by thelight coming through the holes 2 which are alined with the open perforations a., Lei; the motor be started, and reciprocate the rod so as to cause a quarter revolution of the Wheels and a shift of the rear plate to a position in which all the b perforations will aline with the holes in the front plate. With all the b perforations closed except those shown open in Fig. 2 the observer will see the word Isv shining through the front plate. The rear plate rests in this position until the motor causes the rod to shift it another quarter revolution in its circle of movement. This brings all the c perforations in line with the holes in the front plate, and if only those perforations are left open which appear in Fig. 2, the Word So will be seen. The next actuation of the plate brings it to the position shown in Fig. 2 in which. all the d perforations aline with the holes in the front plate. As allthese perforations are closed, no effect will be produced in this position of the rear plate, but the interval of rest between the last word So and the repetition of the word It will be three times as long as between the other \vords,'wl1ich makes it easier for an observer to determine the beginning and ending of the sentence.

By opening the proper perforations in the rear plate any other Words of two letters may be shown, or some Adesign or designs may be substituted for the words, if desired. If a three times interval between the Words is not desired, some of the d. perforations may be utilized to spell a fourth word; or all the d perforations might be thrown open at the end of the three Word sentence. The change from one sentence to another can be quickly effected by shifting the stoppers or other closing devices 'which control the passage of light through the perforations in the rear plate.

By a slight modification of the driving mechanism the rear plate can be caused to move continuously instead of intermittingly; in Which case it can be used to display designs having parts which apparently are in motion. Such a modification is indicated in Fig. 9 where'the Wheels 8 are provided with sprocket; teeth and are engaged by an endless chain belt 22 driven by a sprocket 23 geared to the motor.

It is thus apparent that by simple devices I have produced a tallcing sign capable of a vast variety of changes, which entirely avoids the necessity for an expensive and lcomplicated rotary switch for lighting and extinguishing electric lamps; a sign which is comparatively cheap to build, and which can' be easily. operated and kept in repair. It can be used as a street sign, or in shop Windows.

Colored effects may be obtained by using colored lenses in the holes 2 or byproviding colored transparent shutters 24 for Vclosing said holes in place of the Stoppers, as shown in the lower part of 5, the shutter being a frame pivoted to the plate 3 adjacent to the hole and carrying a transparent colored center portion which will register with said hole when said shutter is swung over it.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent; in the United States is:-

1 An illuminated sign comprising two relatively movable plates, one provided with arfplurality of holes, and the other provided with perforations arranged in a plurality of simllar groups, means for closing any one or more of said perforations at will, and means for causing corresponding perforations in the several groups to come simultaneously into alinement with the holes in the first named late. el

2. An illuminated sign Y comprising stationary plate provided with a plurality of holes, a movable plate adjacent Vthereto 3. An illuminated and provided with perforations arranged in a plurality of similar groups, one group for each of the holes in the stationarylate, and means for giving said movable p ate a revolving movement to bring said perforations successively intoalinement with sai d holes.

n comprising a front plate provided irligth a plurality of holes efllially spaced apart, a rear plate adjacent t ereto and provided with a. plurality of similar groups of perforations equally i `spaced apart in circles of the same diameter,

and means for giving .said rear plate a revolving motion in a circle of the same di- 15 ameter as the groups.

4. An illuminated sign comprising a stationary plate provided with a plurality of holes, a movable late arran ed adjacent thereto and provid with per orations arranged in circles of the same diameter, and means for giv ing said movable plate anintermittent revolving motion, to bring said perforations successively into alinement with said holes, and to allow an interval of reist between every two positions of said p ate.

In testimon whereof I aix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

LENORAA H. JONES. Witnesses:

GEO. H. BURNS, M. S. C. Momn'rr.