US1322175A - Card-displaying device - Google Patents

Description

J. E. BIRDSALL.

CARD DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPUCATION FILED NOV. 14. 1914.

I 175. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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ATTURNEY J. E. BiRDSALL.

CARD DISPLAYING DEVICE.

AgPucATmN FILED NOV. H, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES 0765 .Z/ffia INVENTUR ATTEIRNEY J. E. BIRDSALL.

CARD DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 19m.

1,322,175. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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" WITNESSES 5 17/1786 5. B/Mww V 'INVENTUR ATTORNEY 1. E. BIRDSALL.

CARD DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, I914.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. E. BIRDSALL.

CARD DISPLAYING. DEVICE.

APPLICATION'FILED Nov. 1.411914.

1 ,322, 1 7 Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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JAMES E. BIRDSALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, YENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DONALD CAMPBELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GARD-DISPLAYIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES E. BmDsALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Card-Displaying Device, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus in which fiat signs or cards are displayed successively; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a positive means for circulating the signs; second, to afford an adjustable control so that the mechanism may be caused to operate continuously, or at desired intervals; third, to provide a convenient means for setting the machine to operate at predetermined intervals, which may 'be regular or irregular and which may be readily changed from time to time; and,

fourth, to afford a simple method whereby the machine may be caused to operate irre spective of the pre-arranged intervals, by the operation of an independent automatic device.

I attain these objects} by the mechanism illustrated in the accon'ipanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with parts of the framework removed and showing the electrical and clock connections i fiagrammatically; Fig. 2, a top view of the machine as it appears after the removal of the signs and sign supporting parts; Fig. 3, a rear elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the ex terior mounted on an automatic shoe polishing machine, and showing in broken lines the oblique position of the interior mechanism; Fig. 5, a perspective detail view of the contact member to be attached to a clockhand; Fig. 6, a perspective detail view of the sign-earner engaging tooth; Fig. 7, a detail View from above showing operation of the sign-removing cams; Fig. 8, a view of a clock face with my attachment applied; and, Fig. 9, an elevation of the same showing parts in section.

Similar index characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I arrange the signs in upper, A, and under, B, tiers, inclined so that each exit end, 1 and 2, shall be lower than each entrance end, 3 and 4.. The display positions are at the exit end, 1, of the lower tier and the entrance end, 3, of the upper tier, opposite to each of which positions are openings or wmdows in the case, P, designated, J and K, Figs. 1 and 4.

The particular construction shown in Figs 1, 2 and 3, is designed to be mounted on the top of my automatic shoe-polishing machine, for which application for patent 1s now pending, (Serial No. 687,529, filed March 30, 1912), in an inclined position within the case (see Fig. 4) and, therefore, as the drawings show the machine standing horizontally and vertically, the upper tier appears horizontal. When, however, the frame carrying the mechanism and signs is installed in its normal oblique position, to facilitate the reading of the signs, the upper tier assumes a slant toward the rear, as mentioned above.

The upper tier is maintained by the support 6 and the lower by similar supports, 7 and 8, which latter, however, are turned up at the back so as to extend to the top, E, of the frame and form rear guards, 7 a and 8, for the signs. The signs are kept in alinement by the side rails (1 being previously inserted in holders, 0, which are metal frames adapted to easily receive and retain a card or thin sign, and provided at each upper corner with a tooth shaped lug 72 (see Fig. 6), adapted to be engaged and carried by a rotating worm.

These holders are in sequence raised in the front side of the frame by a pair of revolving screws or worm-shafts, 9 and 10, extending from the bottom of the framework, D, to the top thereof, E, in which they are journaled. The threaded or screw part of these shafts extends from the upper part of the exit end of the lower tier to the extreme top of the entrance end of the upper tier. Similarly, the signs are lowered by the action of the pair of worms, 11 and 12, at the rear of the tiers. The elevating worms rotate in opposite directions and the thread of one is right and the other left; likewise the lowering worms, 11 and 12, have contrary directions of rotation and reverse threads.

To shaft 10 (best seen in Fig. 2) is fixed a pinion 13 meshing with the intermediate gear 15 on shaft 15 which shaft also carries an intermittent pinion 17, adapted to alternately drive gear 19 on drive shaft 20 operated by worm wheel and worm on motor shaft 21. Similarly shaft 11 carries pinion 1a in mesh with gear 16 on shaft 16 to which is also fixed pinion 18 adapted to be driven and left idle by gear 19. The motor shaft, journaled in the thrust-box 22*, car ries a worm, 22, which operates the wormwheel 23 fast to the drive-shaft 20. This transmission imparts to shafts 10 and 11 the desired timing and direction of rotation. On each elevating worm-shaft, 9 and 10, is a bevel gear, 2 1 and 25, meshing with the bevels, 26 and 27, fixed on the transverse shaft, 28, journaled in standards 28 whereby the worm 9 is rotated at the same times as is the worm 10, but in a reverse direction as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 2.

Similarly, the lowering worm 12 is given a reverse rotation with relation to worm 11, by the bevel- gears 29 and 30 on these worm shafts, meshing, respectively with bevels 31 and 32 fixed on the rear transverse shaft 33, held in standards, 33 cast in the bottom, D, of the frame.

At that part ofeach worm where the helical thread starts, y, and that part, 00, where it terminates, the shaft portion or central cylindrical solid part is tapered to a sufliciently decreased diameter to permit of the entrance and egress of the tips of the engaging lugs, 72, of the sign-holders C. These lugs are formed similarly to a single tooth of a worm-wheel and are therefore concave on the face so as to embrace the cylindrical body portion of the worm and be thus retained in proper engagement, but by reducing the diameter of the center shaft portion as described I allow them to be freely passed into and out of mesh with the, worm at its extremities. At the upper termination of each elevating worm-thread, 9 and 10, adjacent to the reduced core just mentioned is fixed a throw-out cam, 34%, 35, adapted as it rotates with the worm and is brought into contact with lug 72, to gently, but very positively clear the helical thread of the lug and to urge the sign holder onto the inclined supports, and past the catching points of the upper tier retaining clips 4:6 and 41-7, secured to the framework and projecting into the line of travel of the signholders, as shown in'broken lines in Fig. 7 The lowering worms, 11 and 12, are provided with similar cams, 36 and 37 at their lower terminations.

Near the bottom of each receiving end of both tiers, between the worms, and extending beyond the plane defined by each pair, are the pressure springs, 66 and 67 in front, and 68 and 69 in rear, adapted to assist in transferring each sign to its supports. Anti-friction rollers, and 71, are ex-v tended transversely between corresponding ends of the supports, 5 and 6, against which the signs are held by the pressure springs until reaching the supports, they are urged over in synchronism with the action of the throw-out cams.

The intermittent drive gear, 19, is provided with a slot-cam, 38, adapted to impart one complete reciprocation longitudinally of the machine with each revolution. Slidably positioned through the standard 39, so as tobe thus acted upon by this cam, is a rod 39, having the roller cam-follower 10 depending therefrom and into the slot cam 38, and connected, at its other end, by a pin 11 through slots 42 to a vertical lever, 43, which is pivoted about centrally to lugs, 44, on the framework. The upper end of mediately a number of rollers, 44%, normally positioned directly back of the plane of the downward course of a sign, so as to be brought forward by the action of the lever 43 a sulficient distance to pass an imaginary line between the catching points of the lower pair of retaining springs, 46 and L7.

To a standard, 18, a vertical lever, 19, is pivoted near its lower end. The function of this lever is to carry a pawl, 50, which is pressed downwardly by a spring, 51, into engagement with any tooth, 52, of the ratchet wheel 53 and lies in position to be reciprocated, in a direction toward the ratchet wheel. by the action of the aforesaid rod, 39, and in the contrary direction by a spring 5 1. The ratchet wheel is fixed on the shaft 55, journaled in standards 56 and 57 from the base, D. Also fixed to this shaft is a disk, 58, having in its periphery a transverse notch, 59, adapted to receive a triangular lug, 60, secured upon a yieldable electric contact, 61, so as to press normally on the periphery of the disk and when the latter is rotated to automatically enter said notch as presented. A second spring contact, 62, is positioned substantially parallel with and adjacent to the former, 61, so as to be firmly pressed thereby and keep closed an electric circuit through the motor 21, when lug 60 is not within notch 59, but to be separated when the lug enters the notch, whereby said electric circuit is opened. A blocking cam, 73, is eccentrically pinioned by an adjusting screw, 73, to the disk, to afford a ready means of barring both sides of the notch 59, so as to prevent the entrance of the triangular lug therein and thus hinder the actuating current from being shut off. The contacts, 61 and 62, are mounted by non-conductors, 63, on the arm, 64. On the shaft 55 is also placed an adjustable starting arm, 65, by a slight motion of which the shaft may be turned enough to force the lug 60 out of notch, 59, and make the contact between 61 and 62, whereby the motor is started. Almost any ordinary this lever is bifurcated and carries inter- 77, of the clock,

clock may be utilized ranging the mechanism.

My attachment for the clock, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, consists principally of two members. The annular member, 74, is composed of hard rubber, vulcanized fiber or any other suitable non-conducting material, and is inlaid preferably flush with its face, with two concentric metallic rings, 75 and 76. As it is to be attached to the face or dial, 74"-,'it is purposely made somewhat thin or slender so as to lie beneath the hands. In the drawings it is shown secured by screws, 7 7, through the fiber into the dial.

Each metallic ring, 75, 76, is provided with a series of equidistant perforations arranged in a circle, 78, and adapted to receive and hold small contact plugs, 79. The number of perforations in the inner ring being equal to the number in the outer, the latter are spaced farther apart so that correspond ing perforations shall lie on the same radius and be covered by the minute hand at the same time. The plugs, 79, are all alike and therefore interchangeable among all the perforations, which are exactly the same in size and shape. These plugs are used in pairs, one on the outer and one on the inner ring, 011 the same radius. As the number of perforations may be made so as to allow for even more than one per minute, although I have shown but sixty, it will be seen that various arrangements and combinations as to timing are provided for. To the minute hand, 80, is attached at 81, the contact forming member, 82, so as to be loosely suspended longitudinally with the hand and radially with relation to the rings, 75 and 76, in such position as, by the progress of the hand, to make contact with both plugs in any and all pairs, and thus successively to close and open an electric actuating circuit connected to the rings and including the motor, 21.

The electrical connections, shown diagrammatically on Fig. 1, are as follows: The circuit starts, for instance, at pole 83 of the main switch, 83 and passes through the lead 84 to the motor 21, thence by lead 85 to the clock 74 the outer ring 75, and any plug or plugs, 79 inserted therein; the return is by lead 87 directly from the inner ring, 76, of the clock, and its attached plugs, 79 to the other pole, 86, of the main switch. Thus, when the switch, 83*, is closed the only break in the circuit through the motor is between the two rings 75 and 76. This break will, of course, be closed whenever the bridge 82 makes connection between a pair of plugs, 79 and 79 and current will flow so long as the contact is maintained. As the passage of the bridge 82 across a pair of plugs is relatively very short, it is necessary for the purpose of arpredetermined starting of the to maintain the closed circuit thus established for the requisite period of time to operate the mechanism to show the desired number this purpose, therefore, a shunt circuit is carried around the clock by one parallel lead, 88, from one clock lead, 85, to the spring contact 62, already described, and another lead in parallel, 89, from the other clock lead 87 to the other spring contact 62.

From what has been said it is obvious that, the main switch 83 being closed, and the clock running, just as soon as the minute hand passes over a set of plugs, as at 11:15 in Fig. 8, the circuit through the motor 21 will be closed and the machine will start. The cam 38 will thus be rotated so to reciprocate the rod 39 and impart a push to the lever 49, causing the pawl to carry the ratchetwheel 53 around the distance of one tooth, and forcing the triangular lug out of notch 59, whereupon the shunt circuit through leads 88 and 89 will be closed be tween contacts 61 and 62. The motor will therefore continue to run until the ratchet wheel 53, and the accompanying disk, 58, have completed one revolution, irrespective of the breaking of the contact between plugs 79 and 79 by the movement of the bridge 82, on the clock hand. At the completion of one revolution of the disk 58 the lug 60 enters notch 59, and the stops.

Assuming the tiers to be properly sup plied with sign-carriers and the gearing to be in the positions shown in Fig. 2, the operation of my device is as follows: The motor, whether started by the clock reaching 11:15 or by a slight touch to the arm 65, being started, the teeth in drive gear 19 begin to mesh with and to rotate the pinion 17, which through gear 15 and pinion 13 rotates the elevating worm shaft 10, and this, through bevel gears 25, 27, 26 and 24, reversely rotates its corresponding worm 9. As soon as these worms commence to rotate the foremost sign on the lower tier having its lugs, 72, held within the threads of the worms by the spring retainers 46, will coinmence to rise. It will continue its upward course until it has been brought opposite to the receiving end of the upper tier, A, whereupon the two throw-out cams, 34 and 35, will press the sign from engagement with the worms and in conjunction with the two pressure springs, 66 and 67, deposit it on supports, 5 and 6, with its upper portion held in position by the catching points of the retaining springs or clips, 46 and 47. The pressure of this ejection of the sign is transmitted through the entire tier, forcing all the signs along the slender supports 5 and 6 between the guard rails C and cans ing lugs 72 on the extreme rearmost sign to pass into the threads of the lowering worms of signs, by auxiliary means. For

motor consequently 11 and 12. Just as this stage is reached the teeth in gear 19 leave those of pinion 17 and the rotation of the elevating worms ceases. Matters rest thus until the teeth in gear 19 progress to and engage pinion 18 and, by action of gears 16 and 14, cause the rotation of worm 11, and, through the bevel chain, 29, 31, 32 and 30, the reverse rotation of worm 12. The rotation of these worms gently lowers the rearmost upper sign just "forced into engagement until it reaches the receiving end of the lower tier, when it is, as in the case of the rising sign just' described, treated by the cams, 86 and 37, and springs 68 and 69, so as to be deposited on the lower supports, 7 and 8. By reason of the angle at which I tilt backward the entire mechanism, as shown in Fig. a, to most suitably apply it to my shoe polishing machine, 1 find it expedient to use auxiliary means to insure the proper progress of the lower tier of signs. Therefore, just about the time that the teeth in the intermittent drive gear, 19, are leaving the pinion 18, the eccentric section of the slot-cam 38 reaches the roller lO whereby lever 43, through the action of rod 39, is slowly moved about on its pivot, 44, so as to press against the rear of the sign just lowered and to "force it along the supports so as to securely deposit it behind the catching points oi? the lower clips, l6

-and 47 By this operation the present foremost sign, originally the second, on the lower tier has been pushed forward so as to bring and hold its lugs, 7.1, properly wi-hin the threads of the worms 9 and 10, to be raised when these worms once again start to rotate. It will be seen that the display pause for each sign is largely dependent upon the proportion of blank periphery on the intermittent gear, which aifords a very convenient and simple means of timing. By a mere substitution oi gears of different proportions for gears 19, 1 1 and 15, almost any range can be produced.

As one sign changes with each revolution of gear 19, and as ratchet wheel 53 turns the distance, as the machine is shown in these drawings, of one tooth in the same time, it is plain that as many signs will be shown during one complete operation of the machine as there are teeth in the ratchet wheel. If, however, it should be desired to show but one-half, one third, etc., of the signs, instead of a sign for every tooth 52, the adjustable stop, 90, under the horizontal lug 19 of the pawl lever 49, may be so set that spring 5 1- will hold the said lever over and nearer to the end of the slidable rod 39, so that the pawl will engage a tooth or two, etc., nearer to front, and so that contact be tween the rod and the lever will occur earlier, and the pawl thus carry wheel an increased distance. If, on the otherhand, it be intended that the machine the ratchet.

shall automatically operate continuously until purposely stopped, the blocking cam 73 is readily turned to cover the opposite extremes of notch 59 so as to prevent lug 60 from entering and opening the circuit as already described.

When the machine is to be operated in conjunction with some other mechanical device, as is the case in its use by me in connection with my shoe polishing machine, so as to be operated simultaneously therewith, irrespective of the operation caused by the clock and in addition thereto, a rod, link, or any other suitable connection (not shown) is made between the adjustable arm 65, and a convenient movable member of? the cooperating machine. By the arrangement shown-on Fig. 8, the clock starts the signs circulating every fifteen minutes, the running of the signs consumes about six minutes, so that there is an idle interval of about six minutes, unless a user of the shoe polishing machine intervenes. In this event the introduction of the coin and starting of the shoe polishing machine, raises a rod and gives the arm 65 just enough turn to throw out lug 60 and close the circuit at 61 and 62.

As the prime object of my invention is to advertise, this very efiective method of securing a reader for the signs, which may be employed in conjunction with weighing machines, electric shocking machines, in fact, with any of the numerous and varied coin controlled and other devices so popular now in catching the attention of the general public, is one of its valuable and novel features.

For the purpose of illustrating my inven tion I have shown in the drawings the form at present preferred by me, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that my invention is not to be limited to the precise arrangement and or ganization herein shown and described, and that I hereby reserve the right to re-organice and re-arrange these instrumentalities within the scope oi the claims.

I am aware that the system of circulating signs from tier to tier is not novel and that patents have been issued for inventions for this purpose, and, therefore, I do not claim such a system broadly, but, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged in tiers, a pair of worm shafts adjacent to each end of said tiers, lugs on said signs adapted to be engaged by said worms so as to move said signs by the rotation of said worms, means to engage said lugs and said worms, means comprising one convolution of each worm more deeply out than the others and a cam extending therefrom, to

disengage said lugs from said worms and means to rotate said worm shafts.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, an inclined rack, signs yieldably ranked thereon, reciprocable rollers adapted to press forward a sign at the rear of said rack so as to advance the rank along said rack and thereby move the foremost sign therefrom, and means to reciprocate said rollers.

3. In a device of the character described,

in combination, movable signs supported edgewise in tiers, a pair of worms, one right and one left, at each end of each tier and extending between the tiers, means to rotate said worms in reverse directions, lugs on said signs adapted to be engaged by said worms, means, comprising one convolution of each worm more deeply out than v the others and a cam extending therefrom, for disengaging said lugs from said worms, and moving said signs away from said worms and onto said tiers at the instant of said disengagement.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged edgewise in tiers on slender supports, pairs of worms, one right and one left in each pair, adapted to rotate in reverse directions between corresponding ends of said tiers, means to so rotate said worms, lugs on said signs adapted to be engaged by said worms, means for engaging and disengaging said lugs and said Worms, springs adjacent to said worms adapted to transfer said signs away therefrom and onto said supports, transverse rollers between said supports to facilitate such transfer, and means to cause said pairs of worms to rotate intermittently.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged edgewise in tiers on slender supports, pairs of worms, one right and one left in each pair, adapted to rotate in reverse directions between corresponding ends of said tiers, means to so rotate said worms, lugs on said signs adapted to be engaged by said worms, means for engaging and lugs and said worms, means for moving said signs away from said worms and into said tiers at the instant of disengagement, means to rotate one pair of worms during the intermission of rotation of the other pair, and means to adjust the timing of said intermissions.

6. In a device of the character described a conveying member comprising a shaft,- a portion thereof having screw threads, some of said threads being deeper than others, and a cam originating at one of said deeper threads and extending beyond the circumference of said shaft.

7. In a device of the character described, a conveying member comprising a shaft, a P t on thereof hevins rew th the disengaging said first and last of said threads being deeper than the intermediate threads and a cam originating at one of said deeper threads and extending beyond the circumference of said shaft.

8. In a device of the character described, conveying means comprising a pair of rotatable shafts, a portion of each shaft having screw threads, some of said threads in each shaft being deeper than others, a cam originating at one of said deeper threads in each shaft and extending beyond the circumference thereof, and means to rotate said shafts.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged edgewise on upper and lower supports, conveyer worms at one end to elevate said signs serially, conveyer worms at the other end to lower said signs serially, means on said signs to adapt them to be engaged and moved by said worms, means to engage and disengage said signs and said worms and to progress the former along said supports from end to end, means to rotate the worms at each end intermittently, but at the same times and in reverse directions, and means to cause the worms at either end to pause while those at the other end are rotating.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, an inclined rack, signs yieldably stacked thereon, reciprocable rollers adapted to press forward a sign at the rear of the signs so as to advance the entire stack along the said rack and thereby move the foremost sign therefrom, a rotating cam, and intermediate means between said cam and said rollers to cause the latter to reciprocate.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged in tiers, means to move said signs in a vertical direction, from tier to tier, and to move the same in a relatively horizontal direction from end to end of each tier, a ratchet wheel having as many teeth as there are signs on both tiers, means for turning said ratchet wheel the distance of one tooth with the transfer of each sign, adjustable means for varying the number of teeth of said ratchet wheel advanced with the transfer of each sign, and means actuated by said ratchet wheel to stop all motion of the parts upon the completion ofone revolution.

12. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged in tiers, means to move said signs in a vertical direction from tier to tier, and to move the same in a relatively horizontal direction from end to end of each tier, a ratchet wheel having teeth corresponding in number to the entire number of signs, means for partially turning said ratchet wheel varying distances as desired with the rogress of each sign, a disk adapted to rotate in conformity With said ratchet Wheel, a

disk.

13. In a device of the character described, conveying means comprising a pair of rotable shafts, a portion of each shaft having screw threads, the first and last of said threads in each shaft being deeper than the intermediate threads, a cam originating at one of said deeper threads in each shaft and extending beyond the circumference thereof and means to rotate said shafts.

14. In a device of the character described, conveying means comprising a pair of rotable shafts, a portion of one shaft having right screw threads, a portion of the other shaft having left SCIGW threads, some threads in each shaft being deeper than others, a cam originating at one of said deeper threads in each shaft and extending beyond the circumference thereof and means to rotate said shafts in reverse. direction.

15. In a device .of the character described, conveying means comprising a pair of rotable shafts, a portion of one shaft having right screw threads, a portion of the other shaft having left screw threads, the first and last of said threads in each shaft being deeper than the intermediate threads, at

cam originating at one of said deeper threads in each shaft and extending beyond the circumference thereof, and means to r0- tate said shafts in reverse directions.

16. In a device of the character described, in combination, movable signs arranged in tiers, means to move said signs in a vertical. direction from tier to tier and to move the same in a relatively horizontal direction from end to end of each tier, a ratchet Wheel having teeth corresponding in number to the entire number of signs, means for partially turning said ratchet Wheel varying distances, as desired, with the progress of each sign, a disk adapted to rotate in conformity With said ratchet Wheel a motor to operate the device, a switch in the circuit through said motor adapted to be closed and opened by each revolution of said disk, a clock-actuated switch also in said circuit adapted to start said motor at predetermined intervals vvhereby the rotation of said disk is originated, and, an adjustable'lever connected with said disk whereby its rota tion may be originated by the operation of a separately actuated apparatus between said predetermined intervals so as to operate the card displaying mechanism in combination With said separately actuated apparatus.

JAMES E. BIRDSALL. lVitnesses AUGUSTINE C. IVIETZINGER, MARY LAWLER.

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