US2061030A

US2061030A - Sign changing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2061030A
Application number: US740599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry C Heath
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-08-20
Filing date: 1934-08-20
Publication date: 1936-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1953-11-17

Description

Nov. 17, 1936. H. c. HEATH v 2,061,030

SIGN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l REF IGEELT R f INVENTOR. HARRY C. HEATH BY ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 17, 1936. H. c. HEATH 2,061,030

S IGN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4, 3

2 INVENTOR.

HARRY C. HEATH Z a r ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,061,030 SIGN CHANGING APPARATUS Harry G. Heath, Oakland, Calif. Application August 20, 1934, Serial No. 740,599 10 Claims. (Cl. 40-36) This invention relates to automatic sign-chang supported in a suitable frame-work is which is ing apparatus as used in stores, waiting rooms, mounted on the base! and carries all of the oper etc., as well as in outdoor advertising, and the obative mechanism. jects of the invention are to provide a simple Frame I 8 rises almost to the top of the cabinet mechanism which will change the signs one after and carries another pair of sprockets l9 at its 5 another, work silently, effectively, and not get upper end to take the endless chains 4 driven by out of order. Other advantages of the invention the lower sprockets ll, but there is no throughwill appear in the following description and acshaft on the upper sprockets as they are rotatably companying drawings. carried on suitable stub shafts, bolts or spindles 10 In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective View 2| projecting inwardly from the frame, as the 10 of the apparatus with the outer casing omitted space between the sprockets must be kept clear and portions of the construction broken away to for the passage of the signs. better reveal the mechanism. The sign plates 2 as of Fig. 4 are preferably of Fig. 2 is a vertical side view of the mechanism rectangular sheets of metal with a horizontal rod with the forward side of the cabinet and frame- 3 along the upper edge projecting a short dis- 15 work omitted, also with portions shown in section, tance at each side, are hung vertically in pack and part of the driving gears dotted to show their formation by means of their projecting rods enrelativeposition. gaging over the upper edges of side plates 22 at F 3 i an n a ed fragmen ary cross section opposite sides of the frame is and which upper of Fig. 2 as seen from the line 3-3 thereof. edges 22 form rails which are slanted downwardi 4 is a front V e in u ed ca e OW I 1y toward the viewing opening 6 so that as the one of the sign bodies or plates used in the apparaforward sign is removed the remaining signs will tus. slide down by gravity and forward so that the 5 is an e lar ed deta w n e next will be in place to be engaged by the chains ner in which the chain engages a sign to remove and removed.

25 it from viewing position. To thus successively engage the signs, devices B y rib d the inv n i n mpri 5 take the form of blocks of about a quarter of met arranged to pp a p a y 0 p an inch in thickness fixed to the chains in con- Of vertieally arranged- Sign p t s 2 ach S fronting relation at an aligned point and prop d t t upp nd by a rod 3 p j ti at vided with inwardly opening notches 23 into 30 pp pp Corners of the Sign and a P Of which the ends of the rods 3 are adapted to fall endless chains or belts 4 traveling vertically at as, the chain slowly ascends. This action is best pp ends f t cabinet and pr vi d w h indicated in Fig. 5 wherein the leading end of the devices 5 to p p the forward Sign, lift t p block 5 is shown as well tapered off as at 5 so the Viewing Opening 5 0f h Cabinet, Carry it as to always get in front of the first pair of sign over the other signs and deposit it in the rear of pins 3, The chains may move outward to blocks them, so that the next one is successively exposed 5 over pin 3 and are resiliently forced back by through the Viewing p spring leaves 24 to which blocks of good piano I a aware that apparatus heretofore usedgrade of felt 25 are attached and the tension of Operated broadly in the ebovemanner, but the which blocks against the chains may be deter- 40 constructional points involved and which make mined by adjusting Screws 26. The rear Sides of the present apparatus successful are believed to the forward Strands of chain are preferably be guided by blocks of piano felt 21 carried on much The cabinet I may be of any material and is st1ffer leaf springs 28. This arrangement kills preferably mounted on a base 1 in which a driving an noise in Operation. 45

motor 8 is housed and which is preferably a worm v Above plates 22 and aligned therewith are two gear reductlon motor as mdlcated Suspended similar plates 29 which are shaped along their on springs 9 from supports l0, and has its slow s eed shaft ll connectedb means of an desired outer edges to follow the path of travel the p y y notches 23 in blocks 5 so that as a sign is picked style of flexible coupling l2 to an extension drive shaft I3 extending to the side of the cabinet and Ofi the from of the Pack the Pins 3 W111 be fitted with a pinion l4 engaging a large gear l5 tained in the notches of the blocks until they ride on a sprocket shaft l6 extending across the botdownward on the rear run of the chains and meet tom of the cabinet and carrying at both outer an open slot 30 left between the upper and lower e dsa chain sp e aft b i g rotatably plates and into which the pins 3 fall by gravity due to the weight of the sign, and urge all of the suspended signs forward on the rails 22'.

To prevent displacement of the pins 3 during the transfer of the sign small angle iron guides are arranged along the outer sides of both runs of chain as at 3| and 32, and to guard against the sign in transit (2') being lowered upon the upper edges of the pack of signs, small guards 33 are secured to plat-es 29 and leaf springs 34 and secured to the forward margins of the frame in a manner to bear on the two vertical margins of the sign plates and resiliently force them rearward. Also small rollers are provided at 35 to hold the sign plates forward until they are raised high enough to clear the guards 33 under the action of the springs.

In order to permit removal or changing of the sign plates the back of the cabinet may be left open or provided with a door 36 hinged as at 31, and the signs may be conveniently lifted in single file up the rear line of the chains and over the upper ends of angle irons 32, it being merely necessary to see that the blocks or lugs 5 are not disposed along the rear run.

While I show but one set of carrying lugs for transferring the signs, it is evident that any desired number may be used, and that the time of exposure of the signs to the viewing aperture 6 will be correspondingly shortened. However, with one set of lugs any desired duration of exposure may be had by proper selection of motor speeds and gear ratios.

In Fig. 2 the drive pinion and gear l4 and l! are partially drawn to show their position relative to adjacent parts.

Attention is directed to the fact that in suspending the pack of sign plates in the manner indicated, the suspension rods being encircled by the sheet metal make a combined thickness which creates a space 38 between each sign so that they do not contact, and hence are not dragged across one another in transferring them, but may be run indefinitely without injury, and hence may consist of matter 39 printed or painted directly on the sheet metal or cardboard plates, or paper prints pasted on. If of cardboard the sign plates may have the upper rods or pins 3 secured in place in any convenient manner. While the thickness created at the upper ends of the signs will cause them to hang with the space 38 between adjacent signs, I also score the opposite lateral margins of each sign thereby producing vertical parallel rearwardly projecting ribs 40 on each sign, which ribs slidably engage the thickness at the top edge of the adjacent sign at two spaced points when the front or exposed sign is drawn upward by the chain, thereby reducing the friction of the sliding sign to the minimum and protecting the printed surface of the sign against defacement. These same ribs are formed on metal holders for cardboard signs, the ribs normally bearing against the forward face of the lateral folded card-retaining margins of the metal holder of the adjacent sign.

Also, while I show a pair of chains to carry the signs over to the rear of the pack, it is evident that perforated belts would operate the same and are therefore to be included in my use of the word chains in the appended claims.

Having thus described my improved construction in an automatic sign-changing apparatus, what I claim is:

1. In a sign-changing apparatus, a plurality of sign plates each provided with projecting pins at its upper corners, rails upon which the signs are suspended vertically one behind the other, said signs formed to touch at their upper edges only and hang clear of one another, and means for picking the signs one at a time from one side of the pack by engagement with said pins lifting the signs, and depositing same successively at the other side of the pack, said means including a pair of endless traveling chains provided with devices for engaging the pins, rollers against which the margins of the sign roll, and a spring acting on the sign successively to force them toward the opposite side of the pack when past the rollers.

2. In a sign-changing apparatus, a pair of confronting slanted tracks, a plurality of sign plates with laterally projecting pins at their upper corners suspended by the pins resting on the tracks and all tending to move toward the lower ends of the tracks, a pair of vertically disposed endless chains respectively at opposite ends of the suspended pack of sign plates, lugs on the chains arranged and adapted to engage the pins of the lowermost sign and carry it up and over the pack for deposit on the tracks at the rear thereof, and means resiliently urging the chains toward said lowermost sign for engaging said pins.

3. In a sign-changing apparatus, a pair of confronting slanted tracks, a plurality of sign plates with laterally projecting pins at their upper corners suspended by the pins resting on the tracks and all tending to move toward the lower ends of the tracks, a pair of vertically disposed endless chains respectively at opposite ends of the suspended pack of sign plates, lugs on the chains arranged and adapted to engage the pins of the lowermost sign and carry it up and over the pack for deposit on the tracks at the rear thereof, and means including blocks of felt resiliently urging the chains toward said lowermost sign for engaging said pins.

4. In a construction as specified in claim 3, resilient devices bearing upon the opposite sides of the chains in opposed relation to said means.

5. In a sign-changing apparatus of the character described, a frame, a pack of sign plates provided each with projecting pins at its upper margin suspended on said frame one in back of the other, a pair of vertically disposed endless chains at opposite ends respectively of the pack of sign plates, sprockets over which said chains run, means for actuating the sprockets to drive the chains, a pair of lugs on said chains provided with notches to receive the pins of the signs and carry the signs one at a time from the face of the pack to the back of the pack, and means for resiliently urging the chains in direction to insure engagement of the notches with said pins.

6. In a sign-changing apparatus of the character described, a frame, a pack of sign plates provided each with projecting pins at its upper margin suspended on said frame one in back of the other, a pair of vertically disposed endless chains at opposite ends respectively of the pack of sign plates, sprockets over which said chains run, means for actuating the sprockets todrive the chains, a pair of lugs on said chains provided with notches to receive the pins of the signs and carry the signs one at a time from the face of the pack to the back of the pack, means for resiliently urging the chains in direction to insure engagement of the notches with said pins, and guides following the path of travel of the chains holding the pins within said notches until in place at the back of the pack.

7. In a sign-changing apparatus, a generally horizontally extending row of substantially rectangular vertically disposed sign plates each formed adjacent the opposite corners of a horizontal edge with an increased thickness and each plate being provided with a generally vertically extending rib at each lateral margin arranged and adapted to slidably engage the thickened portion at the opposite corners of the adjacent plate upon the end plate, the row being moved vertically to expose a side of the adjacent plate, and means for successively moving the end plate of the row vertically to expose a side of the adjacent plate.

8. In a sign changing apparatus a plurality of sign plates having lateral projections at their upper corners, means for supporting said plates from said projections in a generally horizontally extending row, means for successively engaging the projections of each plate for successively lifting the plates from one end of the row and for carrying the lifted plates over the top of the row to a position at the opposite end of said row, means above said row of plates arranged and adapted to yieldably engage each plate upon its being lifted from the row and to urge the lower end of said plate toward said opposite end of the row independently of normal movement of the upper end of the plate during movement of the plate across the row.

9. In a construction as defined in claim 8, guide means adjacent said opposite end of the row positioned to engage each of said successively lifted plates during the movement of each plate across the row for guiding each of said plates to a position at said opposite end of the row.

10. In a sign changing apparatus a plurality of sign plates having lateral projections at their upper ends formed for swingingly supporting said plates from said projections, means for supporting said plates from said projections, means for successively engaging the projections of each plate formed to swingingly suspend said plates from said projections and for successively lifting the plates from one end of the row and for carry- -ing the lifted plates over the top of the row to a position at the opposite end of said row, means above the row of plates arranged and adapted to cause each of the lifted plates to swing on said projections from said projection engaging means in the direction of said opposite end of the row for positioning the lower edge of each successively lifted plate adjacent said opposite end of the row in advance of said plate being carried by said projection engaging means. to said opposite end of the row.

HARRY C. HEATH.