US1118765A - Electrical sign. - Google Patents

Description

T. S. HASTINGS.

ELECTRICAL SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1913.

1,1 18,765, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SIIEETSSHEET 1.

EA gbflnomtoz PS-Hastings.

T. S. HASTINGS.

ELECTRICAL SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29,191.").

1, 1 1 8,765. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Illlllllljllll Flwuemtoz T.5.Ha5tinqs' TRUMAN S. HASTINGS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

/ ELECTRICAL SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24., 1914.

Application filed May 29, 1913. Serial No. 770,557.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN S. HASTINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric signs having changeable illuminated letters, particularly that type in which a field of light units is provided, to be energized in any desired order at will, and adapted to be used to represent line drawings of script in process of formation. I am familiar with such construction for this purpose as illustrated in the Patent N 0. 1,040,417 5, and the one numbered 546,799, and it is an object to give a construction and method whereby the practicability of such a display will be further increased.

An important object is-to enable the very close spacing of the contact units on a master board from which the display field ma be controlled by means of a 'encil brus manipulated in the same way t at an ordi-- nary drawing lead pencil would be.

It is a further important purpose to enable the control of a light circuit by an electro-magnetic circuit maker and breaker, in such a way that liability of heating of a small magnet by a sustained current required for its operation is obviated.

An important attainment of the invention is'the facilitation of a correction, which may be made with certainty without the necessity for cutting out any but the particular lights improperly lit, the operating pencil being applicable to use as the correcting agent without the manipulation of any switches or cutouts.

Additional objects and advantages will appear, some being apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in wh1ch'- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the lighting circuits, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the actuating circuits for the circuit breakers, Fig. 3 is a detail of the switch in the lighting circuit at the circuit breakers.

There is illustrated diagrammatically a. section of a sign 10 comprising a multiplicity of lam units 11 arranged in orderly series very c osel; spaced together, the construction of Wl'llCh may be readily understood by those versed in the art, so that the actual mechanical construction of the sign and the mounting for the lights, etc., is not illustrated. Equal numbers of the lights are connected at one side with the positive and negative leads 12 and 13 of the generators l4 and 15, the negative and positive leads 16 and 17 are connected to the neutral '18 of the usual three wire circuit. In a suitable situation, a corresponding series of switch units 19 are mounted, including each a switch 20 one terminal of each switch being connected to the neutral, while the other is connected by one of the branch wires 21 to a respective lamp 11, at the side opposite that on which the lamp is connected with the generator lead 16 or 17 as the case may be. Thus when the switch is closed, the particular lamp to which it is connected is energized.

A master board 22 is provided, having contacts each connected by a direct actuating wire 23 to one end of the winding of the magnet 24 of the unit 19 arranged to energize'a lamp 11 corresponding in position on the board or field of the sign 10 with the position of the particular contact on the master board. The details of the mechanical construction of the board not being a part of this invention are not illustrated, and will be understood readily by those versed in the art. It is desirable, however that the board have a perfectly smooth face, and that the contacts be set flush'therein and also smoothly v finished, so that the brush pencil may slip easily thereon. It is also considered desirable that the board and contacts be made of dark material, and the surface of the board and contacts covered before each operation of the device with a coating of chalk, or some other light colored material suitable for the purpose, whereby when the pencil is moved over the face of the board, visible lines will I be made forming a record of what is on the sign.

The construction of the pencil is very simple, and comprises merely a cylinder 26 of some non-conducting material provided at respective ends with contact portions of suitable form, the first named bein connected with the negative terminal of a battery 28 and the other being connected to the positive terminal of the battery by wires 29 leading from the side of the pencil near the middle, as indicated. These con tacts may be of any desired form, for the purposes in view and'may consist of a small bunch of wi res, by which broad lines may be produced in the letters represented, by slight pressure, or any other suitable device may be employed as a brush contact. 'The contact 27 is utilized to illuminate the sign.

The circuit making and breaking units each comprise anelectromagnet 2i mounted upon a suitable insulator support 30, upon which is resiliently mo-unted'the armature bar to move into respectivevoups 36 of a mercury; switch. 20,'-the"cups bein formed ina' block 31 normally spaced from, but arranged to move toward the magnet when energized. The positive electrode of the battery is connected by wire 24ft' directly with one end of the winding of the magnet opposite its connection with the master board 22. llhe armature is connected with the negativete-rminal of the battery direct by a wire. 31 and on the support there is a resistance and contact 32 arranged to beengaged .by a screw 33 in the armature when the armature is actuated by the magnet. i This contact and resistanee 32 is connected by wire 32 with thetsame end ofthe magnet winding as the respective contact of thelmaster board. lhus when the contact 27 isengaged with a contact in. the master board acircuit is completed through a magnet, which, drawing the armature down will complete an independentv circuit directly to the battery.

carried thereby in a suitable manner there isa switch yoke 35,having two arms arranged 3;? of suitable material. he cups are partly filled with. mercury 38, and on the mercury there is a body of oil39, suficient to fill the cups when the arms ofthe yoke are fully engaged therein. The depth of the oil exceeds thatoit the mercury, asshown, but this proportion isnotarbitrary. By having the mercury at the same, level; in each cup and the arms of theyokearranged to engage the mercury simultaneously, sparking is practically eliminated, and a good contact efiected net isrample'forits operation. v 7 It will be seen-that a very small amount of currentwill be required, to operate the devices, so that there needbe ,no danger. of

overheating otthe'gm'agnets no matter] how.

long they are energized, and the lighting circuit will have no'edect on' the controlling circuit; l[t will be appreciated that -"with a low voltage current, as well as onevwith a very low.amperage,. vvhich maybe .used to control. the light circuits, the contacts on withoutqtrictiomzso thate very small mago magnets, a masterboard havlng contacts the "master board may be "very closely spaced, without objectionable sparking or possibility of dangerous shock in using the pencil, and the liability of accidental operation of lights connected with contacts on the board 22 beyond the path of the pencil is also eliminated. In order to quickly clear or darken the entire sign, putting out any lights that may be lit thereon, a simple switch 40 is provided in the direct circuit from the battery to the magnets, the openingfof which. releases all armatures and opens all switches 20. The low voltage here involved makes sparking practically m'l and the lights of the signh'aving individual switches 20', they will all be cut out without sparking and without requiring power or attention.

In the event that an error is made in the writingfiofa, displa it will appear on the master board, and y inverting the pencil 26 and rubbing'the'contact, 2'; over those on the board 22 in-the area of the inadvertent lines, a short circuit is made in the respective energizing (circuits outside the magnets, causing; the'release of their armatures and breaking of the. particular lamp circuits, and leaving all other lights undisturbed. This is of great advantage, and v the positiveness with which the. correction may be made, aswell as the obviation of the necessity for putting out all lights and beginning the display all over, will eatly increase the desirability of this met 0d of I,

displayingadvertisements.

If it is desired touse very ,small'lamps so; that the breadth ofthe lines drawn will be represented by, say, three li hts, the pencil may be providedwith a brus formed of a bunch of wiresdl engaged in the end, as shown in Fig. 5.

What is claimed is: 7

1. A device of the character. described comprising a multiplicity ofjhigh potential lamp circuits, individual circuit breakers therein, respective resilient means tending to hold the breakers in open position; a corresponding number of electric magnets, armatures connected to respective circuit breakers for closing, and movable by the magnets when energized I to close the breakers, a source oi: low potential cur rent, a direct connection between one pole thereof and one terminal of each of the thereon each electrically connected with the other terminal of respective magnets, a normally open by circuit from the last named terminal of the magnets to the pole of the last named pole for engagement with the contacts'to initially energize the maets,

and a similar brush member connected with the first named pole for short circuiting the by circuits individually, as described.

2. In a device of the class described a multiplicity of lamp circuits, electromagnetic circu t makers and breakers for, and tending to break the circuits individually, separate circuits for energizing the breakers comprising a normally open circuit including a contact, a pencil, a brush at one end thereof for closing the circuit as described, a by circuit adapted to be closed by operation of the breakers to close the lamp circuits and a brush at the opposite end of said pencil of opposite potential from the first for engagement with said contact to short circuit the by circuit.

3. A system of electrical distribution including a high potential circuit, a switch for breaking the circuit comprising an in lation therewith,'manually operable means to energize the magnet, means operable under closin of the switch to energize the magnet, an means to short circuit said last named energizing means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' TRUMAN S. HASTINGS. Witnesses Jorm W. EISMAN, Gnonen J. FINN.

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