US1519076A - Changeable sign exhibitor - Google Patents

Description

Dec 9, 1924; 1,519,076 E. D- WEED CHANGEABLE SIGN EXHIBITOR Filed May 1'7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

EDWARD D. WEED, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

CHANGEABLE SIGN EXHEBITOR.

Application filed May 17, 1922.

. a web which is wound on the reels and carries the sign to be successively displayed.

The prinary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved changeable sign exhibitor particularly adapted for use on street cars and controlled by the operator as through means of a push button. for causing the signs to be displayed in succession. It should be understood, however, that my improvements are not limited to this particular use, namely for street and station signs, but that they are adapted for exhibiting cards, pictures, and signs of any description and for any purpose.

My invention also contemplates the provision of novel mechanism for controlling the feed of the web, and also for reversing the feed, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

A further object is to provide an electrically operated and controlled mechanism of the character described comprising such few parts and novel arrangement thereof as to enable production at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a changeable sign exhibitor embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the exhibitor taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detailed face view of the motor control switch;

Fig. 6 is a view showing one end of the web;

Serial No. 561,618

Fig. 7 is a view of one end of the reel,

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram showing the electric circuit; and

Fi 9 is a cross-sectional view thru the upper reel.

My improvements may be supported on any suitable frame structure, and I prefer to mount them upon and within a casing. so that the exhibitor is portable and may be placed in any suitable or desirable position for exhibit purposes. In the present instance, this casing is in the form of a box like structure designated generally by 11. the front of which has a hinged door 19 provided with a window 13 through which the sign is exhibited.

lVithin this casing I mount an upper and a lower reel 14 and 15, respectively, upon and between which is wound a web 16 which carries on one face a series of signs, such for example as street signs. Each reel is removably mounted and adapted to be inde pendently driven for the purpose of winding the web first on one reel and then on the other. to feed the signs in succession in one direction and then in the reverse direction. In the present instance, a drive shaft 1'? is provided for driving the reel 14 in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. and a drive shaft 18 is provided for driving the reel 15 in a clockwise direction. Automatically controlled mechanism is provided for operating each of said drive shafts to reverse the feed of the web, as will be presently described, and other automatic control means is provided for intermittently driving either reel. as the case may be, in step by step movements. to move the signs in succession past the exhibit window, this control mechanism being put into operation at the will of the operator each time it is desired to effect a change of signs.

As an illustration of suitable mechanism for driving the reel drive shafts 17 and 18 each intermittently in opposite directions, I have provided an electric motor 19 in con stant driving connection through the agency of gears 21. with a clutch shaft 22, and a driving train between the clutch shaft and each of the driving shafts 17 and 18. One of these driving trains comprises a spur gear 23 loose on the shaft 22 and meshing with a companion gear 24: fixed to the shaft 18, andthe other comprises a sprocket gear 25 loose ontheshaft 22 and connected by means of the sprocket chain 26 with a clutch element 28 splined or keyed to the shaft 22 is adapted by clutch engagement of either the gear or 25, to drive either the upper or lower reel as the case may be, it being observed that the reels will be driven in opposite directions by reason of reversal of the direction of drive effected by the gears 23 and 211-. The clutch shifter fork 29 is adapted to be shifted by any suitable mechanism controlled by t'ccd of the-web as will be explained iercinafter, and in the present instance solenoids and 32 are employed, the core bar 33 of which is connected directly to the shifter 29.

The means for controlling the reversing clutch element. 28 from the web 16 will now be described. It will first be observed that each end of the web 16 is fixed to one of the reels and is cut away as at 3-4 as shown in Fig. 6. A controller for each reel is provided adapted to normally engage the surface of the web and to be actuated by the break in the continuity thereof, caused by the opening 3%. Each controller when so actuated, will energize one of the solenoids above mentioned, for the purpose of throwing the clutch element 28 and reversing the winding of the web. In

the present instance, these controllers consist of electric switches each having a mov-- able element normally in contact with the The switch for the reel 14 comprises web. a contact maker 35 equipped with a roller 36 and mounted to slide radially with respectto the reel, as shown in Fig. 3. An expansion spring 3'? urges said contact mater upwardly so that the roller 36 will be normally urged against the web and will be moved into the depression 38 in the reel 14; when said recess is exposed by the opening in the web. By-this movement the sWitCll element on will make electrical contact with the terminal 41, thereby closing an electric .ircuit, as shown in Fig. 8, and energizing the solenoid 31 which throws the clutch element 28 to the right and establishes driving connection between the shaft 22 and the reel 14., so that the latter will. be rewound when the motor 19 is energized. as will be explained later. The controller for rewinding the reel 15 is similar in construction and operation to that described with reference to the reel 14:, and includes the fixed and movable terminals 4-2 and 4-3, respectively, which by contact are adapted to energize the solenoid 32.. This controller will also be actuated by a break in the continuity-of the web and will enter a depression 44: in the reel 15, thereby bringing the terminals 42 and l3into electrical contact.

.. The motor which drives the shaft-.22 and consequently the reels, through the agency of, the 'Inechanismabove described," is adaptsprocket pear 27 tired to the shaft 17. A ed to be put into operation at the will of the operator, thereby revolving either one reel or the other, according to the position of the clutch element 28 and causing the sign-carrying web to be advanced to exhibit a sign in the window 18. This operation is performed by the operator closing the motor circuit by means of a suitable switch, such as a push button switch 4:5. The motor circult, the lead wires of which are designated generally by 4C6 and 4:7, and the solenoid circuit, the lead wires of which are designated generally by 48 and 4.9, are each connected through the agency of a cut-out switch 51 with a suitable source of electric current indicated by the battery 52. A light bulb (is suitably positioned for illuminating the sign is in series with the mo tor and solenoid circuits and will be con stantly lighted while the switch 51 is closed.

1'11 the wiring diagram, Fig. '8, the switch 54- represents diagrammatically the single 1 e arm :11 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and likewise designated by 54. A suitable s ning 55 tends to close this knife switch, and the latter is adapted to be opened by an automatic control device which will now be described. This control device is operated by the web for the purpose of opening the switch when the web has traveled a predetermined distance. It comprises a friction surface roller 56 mounted on a carriage 57. in turn freely slidable on fixed guides Thisroller carries a cam 59 having a raised portion 61 adapted to operate a cam-follower 62, which is connected by means of a link 68 with the knife ot the switch The friction roller 56 engages the back of the web 16 and for the purpose of insuring frictional contact therewith. an additional roller 64; is provided at the front of the web. this roller being carried by the frame slidable-on theguides 58. Both frames or can'iages 57 and 65 are urged together by contractile springs 66 so that the rollers will grip the interposed web. As a result of the foregoing, and assuming that the web has been put in motion in either direction. the raised portion 61 of the cam will be moved from under the fol lower 62, allowing theknife switch 54- to close, thereby closing the motor circuit and continuing the feed of the web. When the web has advanced a lineal distance equal to the circumference of the roller 56, the raised portion 61 of the cam will ride un der the follower 62 and openthe switch 54, thus shutting off the motor and stopping the feed of the web. For, the purpose of instantly stopping the reels and drive mechanism after the motor current I has been shut o'tti have provided a suitable friction brake for each reel, consisting in the present instance of a friction disk 67 pressed by a spring 68 against the retractable reel-supporting spindle 69. This spindle 69 engaged in a socket and slot 71 in the end of the reel is supported at one end by a retractable spindle 69 and at its opposite end by a fixed driving spindle 72. It follows that the reels are interchangeable and reversible end for end.

The operation is as follows: Referring to Fig. 8, this shows the switch 51 closed, the switch 5 open, and the clutch element connecting the motor with the driving train leading to the reel. 14, this being the position of the parts shown in the other figures. Inasmuch as the motor circuit is open, the reels are at a standstill. When the operator desires to exhibit the next succeeding sign, he presses the push button 45, thereby closing the motor circuit and driving the reel 14 in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3. This will cause the upwardly moving web to revolve the roller 56 and close the switch 54. as described above. The motor circuit remains closed and the web will. be advanced until the cam portion 61 opens the circuit and stops the feed of the web as already described. This cycle of operations will be repeated, the operator closing the motor circuit by means of the switch each time it is desired to exhibit a new sign. hen all of the signs have been exhibited, by upward travel of the web, the feed of the latter will be automatically reversed by the action of. the controller 42 which energizes the solenoid 32 and causes the clutch element 28 to connect the motor with the driving train leading to the reel 15. Vhen the switch 4.5 is now closed, the web will. be advanced in the opposite direction to position the next succeeding sign in the exhibit wndow.

it will be manifest that a changeable exhibitor of this character is especially desirable and suitable for exhibiting street or station signs in street cars and other public carriers, since by showing the signs in succession during the feeding of the web in. each direction, the signs will be shown 1n order both going and returning over a given route. It should be understood however, that my invention is not limited to this paricular use, but is of general application a changeable exhibitor for showing cards, pictures and signs of various descriptions. It should likewise be understood that the wiring diagram shown is simply for purpose of illustration for properly co-ordinating the several parts and instrumentalities employed; and while I have shown a single working embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that considerable change might be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invenion as explained in the appended claims:

I claim:

A changeable exhibitor of the character described comprising in combination a pair of reels, a web wound on said reels and adapted to feed from one to the other by rotation thereof, a reel-driving shaft coaxial with each reel, an electric motor, a clutch shaft parallel with one of said reel-driving shafts and in constant driving connection with the motor, a pair of spaced clutch elements loose on said clutch shaft, one of said clutch elements being in constant driving connection with one of said reel-driving shafts and the other in constant driving connection with the other reel-driving shaft, a clutch element splined on said clutch shaft and adapted to be shifted into engagement with either of the first mentioned clutch elements. clutch-shifter lever. a pair of solcnoids. a core bar therefor connected to said clutch lever, means a ctuatcd by the web for causing the motor to operate intermittently for predetermined periods, and means actuated on the unwinding of each reel for energizing one of the solenoids for throwing the movable clutch element to its opposite position. whereby to reverse the drive of the reels when either one has been unwound.

EDWARD D. lVEED.

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