US1244959A

US1244959A - Electrically-illuminated advertising device.

Info

Publication number: US1244959A
Application number: US6271615A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey Conover
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1915-11-22
Filing date: 1915-11-22
Publication date: 1917-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1934-10-30

Description

. H. CONOVER.

ELECTRICALLY'ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION Fl LED NOV. 22. 1915.

1,244,959. Patented Oct. 30,1917.

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ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE;

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

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HARVEY CONOVER, QI. QHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIQALLY-ILLUMIIflAT-IZD- ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

Application filed November 2 2 1915. Serial No. 62,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY CoNovER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Illuminated Advertising Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electrically illuminated advertising devices and consists of the matters hereinafter de-. scribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which includes a stage provided with suitable backgrounds, foregrounds and intermediate grounds' in one or more of which is 'shown the advertlslng matter and in combination therewith, an automatic, electrically controlled, illuminating device for illuminating the several grounds of-the picture appearing upon the stage so as ,to represent changing conditions in lighting from-day to night or vice versa, as from day through dusk to night and from night through dawn to day.

An advertising device of this kind, by reason of the changing features of the scene disclosed upon the stage is calculated to attract and arrest immediate attention and thus forcibly direct the observer to the matters that are being advertised.

The advantages of my improved device will appear more clearly as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of my improved advertising device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same on a smaller scale, in a plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the illuminating lamps and the flasher mechanism for controlling the on and off periods of said lamps.

Referring now to that embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings :5 indicates a box-like open front casing supported upon upright members 6 which are braced and held erect by the brace bars 7. Said casing is also supported at its bottom upon forwardly extendmg horizontal members 8,'which are attached at their inner ends to the uprights 6 and which are braced at their outer ends by the brace bars 9. The casing 5 comprises closed

end walls

10, 10, a closed rear wall '12, a transparent top wall13 and a closed bottom wall 14.' To the open front of said casing is fixed a finishmg frame 11. The rear wall 12 engages against the uprights 6 and the bottom wall 14 rests upon the forwardly extending members 8 of the supporting structure hereinbefore mentioned.

Spaced apart from the front to the rear of the casing are provided a plurality of scenic grounds of which the rear wall 12 of the casing forms the background, and which, in this particular instance, has depicted upon it a mountain scene. 15 indicates the foreground member which is made of a suitably cut out piece of sheet metal located in a vertical position adjacent the open front wall 11 of the casing. This foreground member is supported upon the bottom wall 14 0f the casing and as illustrated depicts a roadway and an automobile thereupon, having head and

tail lights

15 and 15 respectively.- 16 and 16 indicate intermediate scenic ground members which depict a roadside fence with accompanying foliage and a woods or forest scene respectively. Should it bezdesired, the name and price of the device to be advertised may also be displayed in the plane of one of the intermediate scenic grounds as is illustrated at 17. As illustrated, this advertisin matter is displayed in a skeletonized form 1n the plane of the intermediate ground 16 and is suspended from the top wall of the casing by means of wires .18, 18. 19, 20, 21, 22 indicate rows of elec trically illuminated differently colored lamps, there preferably being a row of lamps associated with each scenic ground member used in the device. Said lamps are provided with associated reflectors, 19, 20,

21, 22, which direct the light downwardly upon the scenes, said reflectors and associated lamps being supported on transversely arranged bars 23 which are attached to the front and rear walls of the casin near its top in such a manner that said lig ts or reflectors are obscured from the view of the observer.

In carrying out the scheme of color illumination for'this particular advertising device, that row of lamps 19 adjacent the back ground 12 have green bulbs, the remaining rows of lights having red, yellow-amber andclear or white bulbs respectively. In the wiring of the said lamps one terminal of each lamp in each row is connected to a line wire 24. connected in turn to a main feed wire 25. The other terminal in each lamp in each row is connected to

wires

26,27, 28, 29, each one of which leads to an associated flasher brush 26*, 27, 28, 29*, respectively. Each brush is adapted for wiping contact with the periphery of an associated flasher disk 30, 31, 32, 33, for a purpose presently to be described. Said disks are fixed upon a rotative shaft 34: driven by a motor (not shown). 35 indicates a circuit feed disk fixed to said shaft at one end thereof and associated with said disk is a brush 36 operatively connected to the other main feed wire 25 Each disk 30, 31, 32, 33 has a part of its periphery insulated so that during the rotation of said disk each row of lamps controlled by the associated disk will have an on and off period of illumination. The relative arrangement of the insulated peripheral part of each disk to theconducting part of each disk is such that during the rotation of the shaft 34, the brush 26 associated with the row 19 of green lights through the associated wire 26 will engage the conducting part of the disk 30 and complete the circuit to this row of lights which willthen have an on period. This illumination is reflected upon the back ground 12 on which the mountain scenery is depicted, and thus simulates the usual greenish haze of the early dawn or first break of day. The brush 27 a controlling the circuit to the row of red lights (during the rotation of the shaft 34), next engages the. conducting part of its associated disk so as to complete the circuit for its associated row of lights, which cast their redreflection upon the intermediate ground 16, said red reflection mingling with the green reflection already ,on. This gives the impression to the observer of the approaching day in the far distance. Next in order in a like manner the row of yellow lamps are brought into circuit so that the harmonious intermixing of the various colors will signify the fast approaching da light. The row of white lights are next in order to be brought into circuit and as soon as this is accomplished, the brushes controlling the other rows of lights willthen be engaged in wiping contact upon the insulated portions of their associated disks and the circuit to them being thus interrupted, said lights will be extinguished and the row of white or clear lights will illuminate the interior of thecasing to simulate full daylight. Soon 'the brush controlling the circuit to the white or clear lights will engage the insulated part of the periphery of its associated disk and they will be extinguished andthe whole of the casing will be in darkness to simulate nightfall.

In a short time the circuit is again completed to the row of green lights as before described and the cycle of lighting effects again completed.

As illustrated, the device is shown as being used to advertise an automobile, and to further carry out the realism of the device I have so arranged the various circuits and flasher-disks, so that when all of-the rows of lights are extinguished to simulate the darkness of night, the head and tail lights 15" and 15" respectively of the automobile forming part of the foreground, are caused to be brought into circuit and illuminted and upon the approach of the com letion of the circuit for the row of green lights, said head and tail lights are extinguished and this is brought about in the following manner.

Fixed to the end of the shaft 34adja cent the disk 33 is provided another disk 40, which, like the other disks before delated. 41 indicates a brush adapted for Wiping contact with said disk. Said brush is connected to one terminal of a. lamp in each head and tail light before described, by means of a linewire 42. The other terminals of the lamps in said head and tail lights are connected to the line wire 25 by means of a Wire 43. The relative arrangement of the insulated periphery part of the disk 40 to the adjacent disk 33 is such that as the brush 29* associated with said last mentioned disk is caused to enga e the insulating periphery thereof, the rush 41 is then in wiping engagement with the conductive periphery part of its associated disk and completes the circuit therethrough. The head and tail lightsare thus illuminated, presenting to the observer the appearance of an automobile as it would naturally appear at night with its head and tail lights illuminated. This last named disk is so arranged with respect to the disk controlling the roW of green lights 19 that the head and tail lights 15" and 15 respectively, will be extinguished at approximately the same .time as the said reen lights are brought into circuit as be in described.

A knife switch 46 is interposed in the

main feed wires

25, 25, respectively, so as to interrupt or close the said main feed wire whenever desired.

The device may be used as a day sign as well as a night sign, as will be readily apparent, for the reason that the transparent top wall and open front wall will permit the ready entrance of light and the whole device will then appear as a picture with a. shadow box effect.

As will be apparent, any desired number or kinds of scenic ounds as well as desired color scheme of llghtin effects, may be used to meet different conditions for the article to be advertised; Hence I do not scribed, has a part of its periphery insu- '10 -arranged parallelwith the said 'back Wall wish to limit myself to the exact construc- I tion and arrangement of lighting eifects as has been hereinbefore described.

I, claim as my invention An advertising device comprising in combination, an open front box, having side,

, bottom, back. and top walls forming a stage,

the bacl; torial representation to constitute a back Wall being provided with a picground, means providing upright members and upon which are depicted matter comprising a foreground, intermediate ground and the like, one or more of said grounds having depicted upon it the subject matter of the advertisement, electric lamps arranged in rows near said top wall, parallel to and for illuminating the several grounds, said lamps being of various colors, electric circuits for the various lamps, and a switching device automatically controlled, adapted to throw the lamps successively in circuit to produce theefiect of changing lights on the general scene depicted by the several fore, back and intermediate grounds of the picture depicted.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afliX my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 16th day of November, A. D. 1915.

HARVEY CONOVER.

Witnesses:

'1. H. ALrREDs, KARL W. DOLL.