US1650875A - Electric sign - Google Patents

Description

J. E. LONG ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Jan. 30, 1926 Nov. 29, 192 7.

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JUHN E. LUNG, 01E MULTNOMAH, OREGON.

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Application filed January 30, 1926. Serial No. 84,926.

The improvements now contemplated are to provide a series of circuit breakers along one side of the perforated paper tape, which will function to break the circuit, and extinguish the lamps in case the tape breaks. also to provide one or more series of circuit con trols along the opposite border of the tape which will function to cause a dash or spot light to be directed toward objects which may be referred to in the sign display, or to control any other ap aratus which it may be desired to operate in connection with the main light display. These objects, as well as other advantages, ll attain by the construc tion, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereo Fig. T is a front elevation of the device with parts in section and somewhat diagrammatic.

Fig. llll is a plan view of the bottom of the receptacle showing wire terminals.

Fig. HT is a transverse View of the device in Fig. l with parts in section. i

Fig. TV is a plan view of part of a paper tape, showing perforations therein arranged in characters to control lamp circuits to display lamps and other controls in related arrangement. I

Like characters refer to like parts in the views.

There is a frame l of insulating material. Within the frame a common terminal plate 2 is secured, the same being provided with sockets to receive electrical lamps of common type with one terminal thereof in contact with the plate. Lamps 3 are shown in the plate. A circuit wire 4 extends from the plate 2 and is connected oppositely as will be later described. The lamps are positionedin the plate to allow a light display of them in character and design arrangement. Below the lamp frame is a quadrilateral trough formed receptacle 5 of insulating material, supported on standards 6 in horizontal position. The bottom of the receptacle has orifices 7 arranged in positions correspondingly related to the lamps in place on the plate 2. Wires 8 extend from the respective lamp terminals, opposed to those having the plate contact, to and through the related orifices 7 until the free ends are flush with the upper surface. of the receptacle bottom and are there rigidly secured to form electrical contacts. A perforated tape 9 of nonconducting material extends in sliding engagement along the bottom of the receptacle, passing about rollers 10-11, within and without the receptacle, arranged to allow the tape to move in an endless strip flush with the bottom of the receptacle. Mechanism 12 is provided to rotate the roller 11 and draw the tape as stated and illustrated. The tape has perforations. arranged in characters or designs, as for example those shown in Fig. TV at 14, and in relation to the wire terminals in the bottom of the receptacle and hence also in relation to the lamps in place on the display board. A grid 15 is positioned in the receptacle to engage the tape and cause it to slide snugly along the bottom and prevent it from buckling. Within the receptacle a bath of mercury 16 is placed. which rests upon the tape. retained there by the receptacle walls. A circuit wire 17 has its free end immersed in the mercury and extends therefrom to a connection with one terminal of a battery 18. From the opposing terminal of the battery a circuit wire 19 extends to and through a circuit breaker 20. having a solenoid 21 of common type. From the circuit breaker a wire 22 extends to a connection with the plate wire 4. Within the re ceptacle, at one side of the series of orifices 7 and in parallel alignment with same is a series of like orifices 23 in the bottom, spaced a convenient distance apart. Conducting wires 24 have one terminal in these orifices, flush with the receptacle bottom, their opposing ends are connected with'a common wire 25. From the wire 25 a connected circuit wire 26 extends to and about the solenoid 21 and to a connection with the wire 4 at 27. The portion at the tape which passes over the terminals in the orifices 23 is unperforated. In the bottom of the receptacle on-the opposite side of the lamp terminal orifices and in parallel alignment with their series are a third and fourth series of like orifices 2829, spaced a pre-determined distance apart. Conducting wires 30-31, respectlvely, having one terminal in these orifices flush with the bottom of the receptacle, extend from there to a connection with any pther auxil iaryapparatus terminal which it is deslr till till

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' cury to pass below v 27 to be broken. Briefly,

to operate together with the lamp display, for example a switch to cause a ash light of different colors, a spot light, an apparatus to rotate or move an object under these mentioned lights, etc. From a connection withthe wire 22 at the position 27 a return circuit wire 32 extends to a convenient opposing connection terminal of the auxiliary apparatus, whatever it may be. The tape 9 has perforations 33-34'respectively in alignment with the terminals in the orifices 28-29 or slots as at 35 may be provided. These perforations or slots are spaced a pre-determined distance apart. There may be one or more of the series of wire terminals as in the orifices 28-29 and a corresponding number of tape perforations as at 33 34. If the tape breaks or buckles so as to allow merit and engage the terminals of the wires 24, the solenoid 21 is actuated, causing the circuit beyond the point the improvement upon my rior apparatus resides in this circuit brea ing control of the lamps and in the added circuits to control the operation of auxiliary apparatus.

It will now be seen that when the mechanism to rotate the roller 11 is started, the roller draws the endless tape through the mercury bath, the terminals in the bottom registering with the tape perforations at pro-determined times. The design or character perforations admit the mercury connecting element to contact with theterminals, at 7 below the tape which will close the circuit and cause related lamps 3 to be illuminated in sequence as the tape prograsses until the whole of the characters or esigns thus arranged upon a given portion of the tape are pro nated lamps on the thus progresses, should it break, that portion moving forward has but a short distunes to travel, when the nearest terminal duced by related, illumi- 23 will be uncovered and the mercury enter into contact with it closing a circuit through the wires' 24-2526-22, which actuates the solenoid 21 and operates the circuit breaker to break the circuit of the wire 4 at 27 and thus extinguish the lamps and prevent them from being lighted bycircuits through the terminals 7 and at the same time break the circuit for the auxiliary apparatus. The terminal series 28 and 29 are connected by wires 30 and 31 with one terminal respectively of any one or more apparatus which it is desired to have operated in connection with the lamp display field, such as a spot light, for example. The wire 32 extends from the wire 22 at the point 27 to the opposite terminal of such apparatus. It will now be seen that the tape perforations 33 and 34 are arranged in sequence to admit the mercury at pre-determined times to a connection which will operate the auxiliary field above. As the tape apparatus referred to. These perforations ma also be slots, to extend the time in which such apparatus is operated, as for example the slot 35. It is obvious that as any of the tape perforations or slot-s pass beyond the terminals, the circuits are broken and the apparatus ceases to operate. The object of the independent apparatus, for an example, is to display some notice on the lamp field, such as, Special to-day, and following this, one apparatus having a spot light might be operated to illuminate an object on a revolving pedestal to which the notice is desired to call attention in a show window. A second apparatus to rotate the pedestal slowly could be operated by use of the other independent circuit. The lamp illumination and auxiliary apparatus can be synchronized accurately with my device to produce results described and a great variety of other combinations for display advertising purposes. The improvements described are new and useful and are easily and economically adaptable to my prior device. Likewise the automatic circuit breaker is new and useful as it will prevent the entire lamp field illumination. and auxiliary apparatus operating at a loss when the tape breaks or buckles and fails to work in t e manner intended.

I claim-- 1. In an electric sign device provided with a receptacle of insulating material with a horizontal bottom and a centrally disposed plurality of terminals flush with the upper bottom surface, a battery in connection therewith, a liquid terminal upon the receptacle bottom, also a tape of non-conducting material having a plurality of a rtures registrable with said central terminals, adapted to close and break main circuits between the terminals, the battery and the li uid terminal; 'the combination of the ollowing elements; a like single, circuit breaking terminal in the receptacle bottom in a line parallel with the central terminals, a tape of the kind first described having its unperforated margin slidable over said single terminal, a circuit breaker positioned on the main circuit of the device adjacent to a batte a wire extending from said single termina to a connection on the main circuit with the breaker, and a wire extending from the liquid terminal to the opposing terminal of a battery, said elements eing ada ted to break the main circuit through the reaker and automaticall close a short circuit through said sing e terminal when the tape breaks or buckles and allows the liquid terminal to make contact with the single terminal. "J

2. In an electric sign device provided with a receptacle of insulating material with a horizontal bottom and a centrally disposed plurality of terminals flush with the upper neaaara bottom surface, a battery in connection therewith, a liquirl terminal upon the receptacle bottom, also a tape of non-conducting material having a plurality of apertures registrable with said central terminals, adapted to close and break main circuits between the terminals the battery'and the liquid terminal; the combination of the tollowirig elements; a series of like circuit breaking terminals in the receptacle bottom along a line parallel with the central ones, a tape of the kind first described having its unperltorated margin sliolable over said parallel terminals, a circuit breaker positioned on ing from the liquid terminal to the opposing terminal of a battery, said elements being adapted to break the main circuit through the breaker and automaticall close a short circuit through said parallel terminals when the tape breaks or buckles andl allows the liquiol terminal to contact with the parallel terminals.

JUHN E. LONG.

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