US1373384A

US1373384A - Changeable exhibitor

Info

Publication number: US1373384A
Application number: US393297A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Greer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-07-01
Filing date: 1920-07-01
Publication date: 1921-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1938-03-29

Description

J. A. GREER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1920.

1,373,384. Patented Mar. 29,1921

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J. A. GREE'R. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY [,1920- Patented 29, 1921. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTORNE Y.

J. A. GHEER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1920.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORNEY.

J. A. GREER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. I920.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

1 3 MN Om I N V EN TOR. fa/z/rfl freer. BY

A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. GREER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN A. GREEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and ltate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Changeable Exhibitors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrically actuated, changeable exhibitor having a web wound from one reel to another and reversed automatically for bringing the advertising or other sections thereof successively into view at a display opening or window in the casing in which the partsare contained.

Among the objects of my invention are, first, to improve the construction of devices of the kind mentioned; second, to provide an improved form of switch mechanism for stopping the web at )redetermined intervals to properly display the sections thereof, and, third, to provide a slower rotating switch for automatically reversingthe direction of the web at predetermined points in its lengtlnsuch switch having sections in the reverse order so constructed that the'web may be reversed at any desireo point in its length, say after a certain number of sections have been displayed.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is front view of a changeable exhibitor constructed in accordance with my inventiom'the outer casing being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and front views, re spectively, of a detail of construction to be hereinafter described;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are side views of the electri V cally actuated clutch mechanism for one of the reels, the clutch being shown moved into position to disconnect the reel from its live spindle in Fig. 6, and in position connecting said parts in Fig. 7

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are perspective, sectional, and bottom plan views, respectively, showing the contact fingers associated with the movable web;

Figs. 12 and 13 are side elevational and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 393,297.

longitudinal sectional views, respectively, of one of the sets of solenoids for operating the clutch mechanism; 7

Fig. 14 is a View of the rotating switch of the stopping mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the rotating switch of the reversing mechanism;

Fig. 16 is a developed view of the said switch; and

Figs. 17 and 18 are sectionalviews, the former taken on line 1717 of Fig. 14, and the latter on line 1818 f Fig. 17.

The changeable exhibitor of my invention has a base member 1 forming the back wall of a casing in which the parts are located.

Vertical brackets

2, 2, are fixed to the back 1 and between them extend two reels 3, 3, carrying a web 4. Extending between the

brackets

2, 2, are two guide rollers 5, 6, one above and the other below the reels. The web 4 extends from the reels between these rollers and thus has a vertical portion back of a transparent strip or glass plate 7 at the front of the casing, and through which the sections of the web are displayed.

Each reel 3 has one end engaged with a dead spindle 8 and the other end loosely engaged with a live spindle 9. The device includes an electric'motor 10 having on its armature shaft 11 a worm 12 in mesh with a worm gear 13 fixed on a shaft 14 journaled in

hangers

15, 15, on a plate 16 secured t one of the brackets 2 by screws 17, as shown. The shaft 14 extends inside of the bracket 2 toward the reel 3 and has fixed thereto a gear pinion 18 in mesh with gear wheel 19 fixed on the live spindle 9 of the lower reel 3. The gear wheel 19 meshes with a wheel 20 of the same diameter fixed on the live spindle 9 of the upper reel 3, and when the motor 10 is rotated the

gear wheels

19, 20, and live spindles are turned in opposite directions, so that when one reel is clutched to its spindle it will be the winding reel.

The clutch mechanism for each reel consists of a sleeve 21 loosely and slidably mounted on the associated live spindle 9 and having a groove 22 engaged by the forked end of a yoke 23 secured to a shift rod 24. Fixed to the spindle 9.1's a ratchet wheel 25 engaged by a pawl 26 pivoted on the end of the reel 3, as shown in Fig. 8. A spring 27, carried by the reel 3, acts to force the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel 25 for connecting the reel and spindle 9. To raise the pawl 26 out of engagement and 18.

with the ratchet wheel 25 to disconnect the reel from its spindle 9, the sleeve 21 is provided with a radial flange 28, which when moved under the end 29 of the pawl raises and holds it out of engagement with said ratchet wheel.

Fpr operating each clutch device are two

alined solenoids

30, 31, as shown in Figs. 1, 12 and 13- These solenoids are held in place by clips 32 on a base plate 33 secured to the back 1 as shown. The core or armature 34 is in the form of a rod, as shown in Fig.13, and is connected at one end with the shift rod 24. When one solenoid is energized the other is deenergized, and when the one 31 is energized the rod 34 is moved to operate the clutch and disconnect the reel from its spindle 9. lVhen the other solenoid is energized, the rod 34 is moved in the opposite direction and connects the reel with its spindle 9. This is done automatically at predetermined intervals for stopping the web after a display section has been brought.

to view at the window and allow the web to remain stationary for a length of time to display such section.

Journaled in the plate 16 is a vertical shaft 35 having at its lower end a wori wheel 36 in mesh with a worm 37 on the shaft 14, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. 1 Fixed on this shaft 35 adjacent its upper end is a rotary switch member 38, made of insulating material and upon which bear a plural ity of spring controlled contact lingers or brushes 39, and 41, each pivoted on a binding post 42 secured to the plate 16. T he switch member 38 has an annular commutator ring 43. against which the finger bears, while the finger 40 bears against the surface of said member 38.; This surface.

is raised at one point in its circumference and thus makes the member somewhat camshaped, as shown in- Figs. 14 and 18. The linger 41'bears against a ring 45 interrupted at the cam projection, as shown in Fig. This provides a gap 45 bridged by the insulating material of which the member made and breaks the circuit through finger 41, in the manner to be presently described. At this cam projection there is a bar 46 set in the member and in contact with the edge of the ring 45, asshown in Figs. 4, 14, 17 This bar is connected with the outer ring 43 by a conductor strip 47- To reverse the direction of the web 4 I provide another rotary switch member 48' projecting contact segments or

blades

56, 57, arranged in sets with one set laterally spaced apart from the other set, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16; the segments of each set have the same peripheral length, are also spaced apart circumferentially or endwise a distance slightly greater than the length of a blade, so that there is a blade of one set opposite the space between blades in the other set, as shown in Fig. 16. Thus the brush 52, while being wide enough to be in the path of movement of both sets of blades, will only contact with one at a time,'one moving out of contact just before the follow ing one of the other set moves in. The segments 56 of one set engage the ring 54, while the segments 57 of the other engage the ring 55, there being a portion of the member 43 between the two sets to insulate them from each other. The path of the current, when the middle brush 52 is in contact with one segment, is through such parts and the assoiated ring and not through the other ring and its segments; thus when the finger 5 is in contact with one of the segments 56, the web will be moved in one direction, but when in contact with one 01" the other segments 57 the web will move in the opposite direction. The peripheral length of the segment 56 is proportionate to the length of the web or the number of successive sections into which the web is divided, an d the rate of rotation 01 the switch member 4 is slower than the other switch member 153 and is such that the brush 52 stays in 0011- 100 tact with one segment or blade until all of the display sections for that segment have been successively brought to View at the window 7. When that happens, the se ment 56 moves out or" contact with the brush 105 and the iollowing segment 5'? moves under and into contact with the brush 52, thus reversing the web, and allowing the web to run in the opposite direction to the same extent before being reversed again. cycle ofoperations repeats as long as the motor is rotater and the web reversed after a display of its sections. This reversing mechanism may be set to reverse the web at any predetermined point in its length, that is, it the full length of theweb is divided into a given number of display sections, the web may be reversed at the end of the dis play of all of those sections, by, putting on a switch member 48 having segments of the length to accomplish this, this member being clamped to the gear wheel 49 a nut or like part (Fig. 4). Should it be desired to exhibit a lesser number of those sections, the first mentioned member 48 would be replaced by one with segments or'blades having a peripheral length for that purpose. Current is supplied by a generator or a battery 59,- as shownin Fig. 1, and from which leads a wire 60 connected to the brush This 110 39. The other Wire 61 leads to magnet 31 of the lower reel 3. A wire 62 connects wire 61 with the magnet 30 of said lower reel. A wire 63 leads from said magnet to the finger 51. A wire 64 connects the finger 53 with the magnet 30 of the upper reel. A wire 65 connects the magnet 30 of the lower reel with wire 62. The motor 10 is connected to the wires 60 and 61 by wires 66 and 67, respectively.

Bearing against the lower guide roller 6 is a contact finger 68 mounted on a cross-bar 69, which extends between the

brackets

2, 2. This finger. 68 is constantly in contact with the roller 6, this being live as it is in the circuit of the device. The finger 68 bears against that portion of the roller beyond one of the side edges'ot the web at, as shown in Figs. 1, 9 and 11. The web 1 is divided lengthwise into a plurality of advertising or display sections, preferably of uniform height, and between the sections are transversely arranged, elongated apertures or slots 70, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. These slots are arranged centrally of the web and co5perating with them is a contact finger 71 on the rod 69. The free end of the finger 71 is split to provide a plurality of resilient tongues 72 adapted to engage the roller 6 through the apertures 7 0 when the parts register for that purpose. By providing the tongues 72 there is a certainty of having contact made even though the web may shift laterally and cause the slots to move partially out of alinement with the finger 71. The contact finger 68 is connected by a wire 73 with the finger 41, while the contact finger 71 is connected by a wire 74 with a brush 75 01" the magnets for the lower reel, as shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 13, the armature rod 34 of each set of magnets is surrounded by a sleeve 76 of insulating material having between its ends a contact ring 77 for the brush 75. To the other terminal 78 (Fig. 1) of the brush 75 is connected a wire 79, which leads to one of the terminals of the magnet 31 of the set. The other terminal of the upper magnet 31 is connected by a wire 80 to the wire 61. The brushes 75 of the two sets of magnets are connected by a wire 81.

T Vhen the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the upper reel 3 is clutched to the gear wheel 20, and the motor 10 on being rotated winds the web 4 on the upper reel, the lower reel being disconnected from the gear wheel 19 and being loose to turn as the web unwinds therefrom. The solenoid 31 of the lower reel is maintained energized through the rotary switch mechanism 18 to hold the lower reel unclutched from the gear wheel 19 during the entire time that web is wound on the upper reel. When a display section is brought into view at the window 7 the web is stopped by being disconnected from the gear wheel 20. This happens by the finger 71 engaging the roller 6 through the slot 70 and, completing the circuit through

wire

74 and 81, energizes the solenoid 31 of the upper reel and operates the clutch to disconnect that reel from the continuously rotating gear wheel 20. This moves the ring 77 (Fig. 13) out of contact with the brush 75 and breaks the circuit through the solenoid 31 to deenergize it. The web 4: remains stationary until the finger 40 drops over the cam projection of the me -iber 38. The finger 10 in dropping wipes past and momentarily contacts with the bar 46, which, being connected with the ring 13, completes the circuit through the

fingers

39 and 10 and causes a flow of current through the wire 6 1, finger 52, segment 57, ring 55, finger 53, wire 64, and into the other solenoid 30, energizing it and clutching the upper reel to the gear train. At about the same time the finger 11 drops over this cam projection and comes into contact with the fiber portion 15 in the gap in the ring 15, thus breaking the circuit through the roller 6, so that the circuit will be broken before the brush 75 and contact ring 77 of the upper set of solenoids are brought in contact and thus prevent reenergizing of the solenoid 31 and prematurely throwing the clutch. After these parts are in contact, the finger 41 moves of the fiber surface 15 on to the ring 415 to complete the circuit through the roller 6, when the next slot in the web registers with the contact finger 71.

This cycle of events repeats each time a display section is brought opposite the window 7 and the web stopped intermittently for the purpose stated. When the web has been wound on the upper reel to an extent that it has been displayed the switch member 48 has been rotated sur'liciently to cause the segment 57 which was in contact with the finger 52 to move out of contact therewith and contact with the following segment 56, energizing the solenoid 31 of the upper reel to hold it unclutched from the gear train, and allow the solenoids of the lower reel to now be actuated through the switch mechanism 38 to clutch and unclutch the lower reel to and from the gear train, at the intervals noted, to wind the web on that reel, and dis play the sections over a ain, but in the reverse order, the gear train and the direction of movement of the web reversed.

lVhile I have shown and described in de- 1 thereby, a live spindle for each reel, a motor,

a gear train connecting the motor with said live spindles for driving the latter in opposite directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel, a pair of solenoids for each clutch mechanism, a switch mechanism operated by the gear train and in circuit with the solenoids for energizing one of them at a time to hold the associated clutch mechanismin position with its reel disconnected from its spindle during the winding of the web on the other reel, another switch mechanism also in said circuit and driven by said gear train for intermittently energizing the other set of solenoids for actuating the clutch mechanism. of the winding reel for connecting and disconnecting the same to and from its live spindle at predetermined intervals, and means in said circuit and controlled by the movement of the web "for making and breaking the circuit alternately through the solenoids oi the winding reel.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby,a live spindle for each reel, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said live spindles for driving the latter in opposite directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel, a pair of solenoids for each clutch mechanism, a switch mechanism in circuit with said solenoids and driven by the gear train for intermittently energizing the solenoids of the'winding reel for actuating the clutch mechanism thereof for connecting and disconnecting the winding reel to and from its spindle at predetermined intervals, means in said circuit and controlled by the movement. of the web for making and breaking the circuit alternately through the solenoids or" the winding reel, and another switch mechanism also in said circuit and rotated by the gear train at a rate of speed slower than the first mentioned switch mechanism' for energizing one of the solenoids of the other reel for holding the clutch mechanism thereof in position disconnecting that reel from the associated spindle during the winding-of the web on the winding reel, and to energize the corresponding solenoid of the other reel at predetermined intervals to reverse the direction of the web.

8. In a device of the character described,

the combination of two reels, a web carried.

thereby, a live spindle for each reel, eiec trically actuated clutch means for each reel for connect ng and disconnecting the same to and from its spindle, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said spindles for rotating the latter in opposite directions, means in circuit with said clutch means and controlled by the movement of the web for making and breaking the circuit through the clutch means of the winding reel, and rotary switch mechanism driven by the gear train and in said circuit and having segmental contact members of peripheral lengths proportionateto the length of the web for reversing the action of said clutch means to change the direction of the move ment of the web at predetermined points in its length.

a. In a device of the character described, the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby, a live spindle for eachreel, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said live spindles for driving the latter in oppo site directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel, a pair of solenoids "for each clutch mechanism, a switch mechanism operated by the gear train and in circuitwith the solenoids for energizing one of them at time to hold the associated clutch mechanism in position with its. reel disconnected from its spindle during the winding of the web on the other reel, another switch mechanism also in said circuit and driven by said train for intermittently energizing the other set of solenoids for actuating the clutch mechanism or the winding reel for connecting and disconnecting the same to and from its live spindle at predetermineo intervals,

said last named switch m chanism having means to deenergize the solenoid used to move the clutch to disengage the winning reel from its spindle immediately after the completion oi such movement to permit the other solenoid when energized to actuate the the clutch for connecting the winding reel to its spindle.

5. In a device or" the character described, the'coinbination or two reels, a web carried thereby, a live spindle for each reel,-electrically actuated clutch means for each reel for'connecting and disconnecting the same to and from its spindle, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said spindles for rotating the latter in opposite directions,"

means in circuit withsaid clutch'means and controlled by the movement of the web for making and breaking the circuit through the clutch means of the winding reel, and rotary switch mechanism driven'by the gear train. and in said circuit and having segmental contact members or peripheral lengths proportionate to the length of the web reversing the action of said clutch means to change the direction of the movement of the web at predetermined points in its length,

' said switch mechanism including an annular to and from its spindle, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said spindles for rotating the latter 'in opposite directions, means in circuit with said clutch means and controlled by the movement of the web for making and breaking the circuit through the clutch means of the winding reel, and rotary switch mechanism driven by the gear train and in said circuit for reversing the action of said clutch means to change the direction of movement of the web at predetermined points in its length, said switch mechanism comprising an annular member of insulating material connected with one of the gear wheels in the gear train, two commutator rings carried by said member and insulated from each other, two sets of segmental contact blades fixed to said member and projecting radially outward therefrom, with the blades of each set having the same peripheral length and spaced apart endwise a dis-' tance slightly greater than the length of a blade, said sets of blades being laterally spaced apart and insulated from each other by said member and arranged with the blades of one set opposite the spaces between the blades of the other set and electrically connected with associated rings, and three contact fingers, one for each ring and bearing constantly against the same, and the third finger being wide enough to extend into the path of movement of the blades and to bear against only one blade at a time.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby v a live spindle loosely engaged with one reel, a motor, a gear train connecting said spindle with said motor for turning said spindle in one direction, a clutch mechanism between said spindle and its associated reel for connecting and disconnecting said reel to and from said spindle, a pair of solenoids having a common armature connected with said clutch mechanism for operating the same, and a make and break mechanism in circuit with said solenoids to alternately energize the same, including a rotary switch driven by the gear train comprising an annular member of insulating material, and having a cam projection with one face flat and substantially radial, two commutation rings carried by said member with one annular and unbroken and the other extending over said cam projection and there split to provide a gap the base of said projection, and three contact fingers, one for each ring and bearing against the same, and the third bearing against the surface of said member between the other two, and a conductor strip in the fiat face of said cam projection and connected with the unbroken ring and with one end of the split ring and in the path of movement of the middle contact finger when the same drops over said cam projection for momentarily completing the circuit through one of the solenoids and said rings.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a web carrying reel, mot-or driven spindle loosely engaged with said reel, a clutch mechanism between said spindle and reel, comprising a sleeve slidably and loosely mounted on said spindle, a ratchet wheel fixed to said spindle, a spring pressed pawl on said reel to engage said ratchet wheel to connect said reel to said spindle, said sleeve having a flange, which when the sleeve is moved toward aid reel engages under said pawl to lift the same out of engagement with said ratchet wheel to disconnect said reel from said spindle, and web controlled, electrically actuated means to move said sleeve back and forth at pre determined intervals to connect and disconnect saic reel to and from said spindle.

9. In device of the character described, the combination of a web carrying reel, a motor driven spindle loosely engaged with said reel, a clutch mechanism between said spindle and reel, comprising a sleeve slidably and loosely mounted on said spindle, a ratchet wheel fixed to said spindle, a spring pressed pawl on said reel to engage said ratchet wheel to connect said reel to said spindle, said sleeve having a flange, which when the sleeve is moved toward said reel engages under said pawl to lift the same out of engagement with said ratchet wheel to disconnect said reel from said spindle, apair of solenoids having a common armature connected to said sleeve for moving the same back and forth at predetermined intervals to connect and disconnect said reel to and from said spindle, and web controlled, electrically actuated means in circuit wit-h said solenoids for alternately energizing said solenoids to operate said clutch mechanism.

10. In a device of the character described,

, the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby, a live spindle loosely engaged with one reel, a. motor, a gear train connecting said spindle with said motor for turning said spindle in one direction, a clutch mech anism between said spindle and its associated reel for connecting and disconnecting said reel to and from said spindle, a pair of solenoids having a common armature connected with said clutch mechanism for op era ing the same, and a make and break mechanism in circuit with said solenoids to alternately energize the same, including a guide roller in said circuit and over which the web moves, a series of slots in said web and elongated transversely thereof and spaced apart lengthwise of the same, a flat spring contact finger bearing against said web at said roller to engage the same through said slots, said finger having the contact end thereof cut to provide a plurality of tongues so that at least one of which will engage the roller through a slot in case theweb shifts laterally to bring a slot partially out of complete register with said finger, and another contact finger bearing constantly against said roller beyond one edge of said Web. 11'. In a device of the character described, the combination of tWo web carrying reels, a motor connected with said reels by means for turning the reels in opposite directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel for connecting and disconnecting the same to and from said motor, means for operating each clutch mechanism, comprising a pair of sole noids, an armature therefor in the form of a 9th day 01": June,

rod extending through the solenoids and movable endwise by the same and connected with the clutch mechanism, a sleeve of insulating material fixed to said rod between the solenoids, a contact ring carried by said sleeve, a contact member in circuit with said solenoids bearing against said sleeve and in the path of movement of said ring, and a make and break mechanism in said circuit and controlled by the movement of the web to alternately energize said solenoids.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afliX my signature this A. D. 1920. I

JOHN A. GREEK,