US2082612A

US2082612A - Advertising clock

Info

Publication number: US2082612A
Application number: US106593A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bourquin Edgar
Original assignee: WARREN TELECHRON CO
Current assignee: WARREN TELECHRON CO
Priority date: 1936-10-20
Filing date: 1936-10-20
Publication date: 1937-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1954-06-01

Description

June 1, 1937. E. BOURQUIN' ADVERTISING CLOCK Filed on. 20; 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .w Lu Z mwflm e m w Q A. II S June 1, 1937. E. BOURQUI N 2,032,612

ADVERTISING CLOCK Filed 0m. '20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y inventor Edgar Bou quin,

His Attorney.

Patented Juno 1, 1937 2.082.812. anvaa'nsma cnoox cam- Bourquln, Framingham, Mm. llqlgnor to.

Warren Telechron Company, a corporation of Application October 20, 1936, Serial No. 108,593

'IClaims.

My invention relates to clocks .which are equipped with motion-display facilities driven by the clockwork. Such a clock maybe used as an advertising device, as a clock particularly adapt- 5 ed for children, as an amusement-display clock,

etc.

In carrying my invention intoefiect, 1 pro- 1 vide, in addition to an ordinary time-telling clock, motion-display means driven by the clock- 19 work. The motion-display screen may be driven continuously or intermittently and may display advertising matter, pictures, etc. I have found that attractive motion-display means may be driven by the ordinary electric clock motor with 5 the clock mechanism without interfering with clock accuracy and at little additional cost to the clock. 1

The features or my'invention which are believed to he novel and patentable will be pointed go out in the claims appended hereto. For a better understanding of my invention, reference. is i made in the following description to the accompanying drawings, Fig.1 of which represents a :iace view of a childrens nursery clock; Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the screen elements that make up the motion-display feature of the clock shown in Fig. i; Fig. 3'i1lustrates a driving mechanism suitable for the clock and motiondisplay screen of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates an 30 intermittent motion drive feature that may be I incorporated in a drive train, such as shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 illustrates a. single lost motion driving connection by the use of which a variety of motion-display efiect's may be had; and Fig. 6 35 and Fig. 7 illustrate face views of the same advertising clock with its display screen in difierent rotary positions. The display screen of this clock is unbalanced and is driven by the lostmotion device shown in Fig. 5 such that, at 40 times, it has a pendulum motion.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have hereshown a structure which includes an ordinary timetelling clock, the dial of which is shown atl0,

the hour hand at I i, and the minute hand at i2. .15 The clock dial plate, which'is stationary, has an annular extension l3 surrounding the clock dial, which forms a background for the motion-display ieatures. This background plate may have pictures or reading matter thereon as a part of '50 the display scheme. In the example illustrated,

'I have provided a picture of a building thereon at it to represent a railway .station. Fastened to a fast-moving shaft l5 and coveringthe front of the clock dial and plate I3 is -35 a light-weight disk It which may be made of celluloid or other suitable material. The disk It may be and preferably. is of transparent material in order that the clock dial and hands may be seen through its central window portion. If

60 an opaque material is used, the central window will be cut therein except for. thin supporting spokestl'iat do not obscure the clock dial and hands. The outer annular portion of disk It has suitable pictures or lettering thereon, dc-' pending upon the display desired. In the children's clock represented, the annular display portion of disk it carries a representation of a railway train I! on its track.

Spaced from the display disk and covering the front of the casing containing the clock and display features is a stationary glass crystal l8 through which the clock dial may be seen. That annular portion of crystal I8 surrounding the clock dial may be made partially nontransp'arout by paint, as indicated by the crss-hatched portion thereof. As the display disk It revolves, the display ll thereon is alternately hidden by the painted portion of crystal I8, is exposed to view through thetransparent sector thereof, and, hence, the train has the appearance of going through a tunnel when it passes from view and of going past a railway station when exposed to view. Since the disk on which the train is paint- -ed is transparent, the train appears to be selfpropelled. The track for the train may be painted on the back ground plate H or on the revolving disk It since the track is a circle and appears stationary in any event. I

In the example shown, the display disk i6 revolves counterclockwise. I have found it feasible to revolvedisk I8 at a rate of four revolutions per second intimed relation with the clock. While no particular rate of rotation is important, itis generally desirable to make it an even fraction of a second so as to give the effect of vigorous motion and also be able conveniently to use the display disk for short interval timing purposes. One may also tell at a glanceif the clock is stopped or running.

Fig. 3 illustrates the drive train for the display clock of Figs. '1 and 2. In-such drive, I! represents an electric clock motor preferably of the self-starting synchronous variety. .Between its rotor, not seen, and its terminal pinion 20 is av casing 2| containing suitable speed-reducing gearing. Pinion 20 shaft l to which the display disk It is secured. Such gearing will be selected to drive disk l8 at the desired rate and in the desired direction of rotation. i f

The minute-hand shaft 23, which is hollow and concentric with shaft i5, is driven from the motor I! through a slip friction clutch at 24, gear 24 comprising a portion of such clutch, and

gears

25, 26, 21, 28, 29, 22, and 20.. Such gearing'will, of course, be selected to drive the minute hand at one revolution per hour in a clockwise direction. The hollow hour-hand shaft 80, concentric with the minute-hand shaft, is driven from the latter through the usual back gear train repmeshes with a gear 22 on I. will be driven continuously when the clock is running.

In some cases, an'intermittent motion of the display disk may be desired. In such cases, I may substitute for the pinion 20, Fig. 3, a pinion 31, Fig. 4, having some of its teeth missing, meshing with gear 88 to take the place of

gear

22, 18. 3.

The terminal speed of the motor pinion will be somewhat faster with the intermittent motion arrangement and such changes as may be necessary will be made in the gearing to the clock hands to advance them at a time-keeping rate. If the clock hands are also driven through the lost motion device, their motion will also be intermittent but it will not be noticeable or objectionable so long as the intermittent motion does not interferewith the timing accuracy of the driving motor, In Figs. 5, 6, and '7, 3! represents the secondhand shaft of an ordinary synchronous motor- I driven clock. I have not shown the remainder of the clock-driving mechanism since no change is required therein from that which is customarily used. Such second-hand shaft is concentric with the hollow hour and minute-hand shafts as is the shaft ll of Fig. 3. The second-hand shaft II has a driving dog III secured thereto, which dog may comprise the second-hand of the clock.

The outer end of the shaft 39 supports a lightweight display disk I, which is free to turn on shaft II but which has a driving pin 42 extending from the rear of its hub member 43 so as to be, engaged by dog ll. Disk ll is made of or has its central portion made of transparent material so that, when in front of the clock dial as shown in Figs. 8 and 'l, the clock dial and hands may be seen therethrough. Disk II has its cen- 45 ter of gravity to one side of its axis of rotation. This may be caused by an ofl-center weight at-' tached to its back side or by an extra thickness of material on one side of its center. In any event, when free to do so. disk ll may rotate freely on shaft ll, oscillate like a pendulum, and

finally come to'rest with its heavy side down- The outer annular portion of this display disk II has painted thereon any suitable display material, such as advertising matter, and the stationary covering bezel or crystal I! may be painted to correspond. In the example shown, the glass beael is painted the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 with a transparent sector uppermost. In the example shown, the display Cl is arranged for advertising high grade merchandise such as goes. Its outer annular display section may be opaque or transparent and. if transparent, addltional display material may bepainted on 16 t muonary background as in Figs. 1 and 2.

As illustrated, the disp ay disk 4| has painted on the half shown uppermost in Fig. 6, the words High Grade separated by the picture of a "Ihe other half, shown uppermost in Fig.7,illustrates footwear and the word "Merchandise I Disposition of tisthatw itwillassumeduetogravitywhen torotate to that position, when the c ock the dispiaydisk ll in m 7' is running, dog ll will engage drive pin 12 and rotate disk ll from the position shown in Flg.'7 to that shown in Fig. 6. This will be a relatively slow steady motion in a clockwise direction requirlng one-half minute if, as assumed, shaft II is the second-hand shaft of an ordinary clock. The truck shown on this disk will thus have the appearance of being driven slowly up a high grade. When the disk ll reaches the position shown in Fig. 6 with its weighted part uppermost corresponding to the position of the truck displayed thereon, it will very shortly become overbalanced and start to rotate more rapidly in a clockwise direction due to gravity, its driving pin 42 moving away from dog 40. Its motion will be accentuated until it returns through the position shown in Fig. '7 and then it will oscillate like a pendulum, finally coming to rest in the position shown in Fig. 7. It will then remain at rest a short while, perhaps one-fourth of a minute, until dog 40 catches up with drive pin 42 and the cycle of motion just described will be repeated. Thus, we have a variety of different motion-display conditions varying from a condition of standstill to a slow forward movement, a rapid forward movement, and a varying oscillatory movement.

The simulatidn climbing up a high grade and its acceleration on a down grade emphasizes the advertising words v "High Grade.

During the oscillatory movement which immediately follows, the different goods, footwear in this instance, pictured on the disk bob up and down and are alternately hidden and displayed to view.

This attractive advertising device is made possible. without any change in the ordinary clock mechanism slmplyby adding the display disk to the second-hand shaft as described and providing a suitable clock bezel IS. The movable display disk also times the minutes like a second hand and shows from a distance'whe'ther or not the clock is in operation.

The examples given of my motion-display mechanism and the nature of the display are intended to be illustrative. A variety of modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the scheme shown in Fig. 1 may be combined with that shown in Fig. 6 by simply extending the fast-moving shaft ll, adding a second motion-display disk which is free to turn thereon, and employing the lost motion driving connection shown in Fig. 5 between the two display disks. Contrasting and changing color schemes may readily be had by painting different portions of a rotary disk in different colors or a section thereof a different color from the background, and leaving a transparent sector in the rotary disk. Ah additional display disk may be secured to and may rotate with the hour or the minute-hand shaft or with both to obtain changes in the background eflect. Changes in the color or intensityof lighting effect of the display may be readily obtained by providing a lamp for general illumination of the display and clock dials as indicated at 4, Fig. 1, arranged to reflect its light downward through a translucent color screen 46, Fig. 2, about the outer edge of the revolving display disk It. The color screen 4' may vary in color and in degree of transparency from point to point about the disk and thus, as it revolves with the display dish. 'gfilcolor of light and light intensi tion the disphy In accordance with theprdvisionsofthepatbt of the action of a truck slowly see ers so statutes, l, have described the principle oi eper etion of my invention together with the swarm tus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but if desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention rosy be car-= ried out by other meoos.

ll claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Retest oi the United States 1o In combination with a clock having so elec c driving motor, s clocleoperatins mecham driven by such motor, o, clocs dial, a display rctatively mounted st the center of and in i-"o'ot of the clock diol and heving central viewing window through which the clock dial may seen and en eooulor display portion surroundlag such. window, means tor driving said display rotary cycle of movement timed reletioh to said ole at not lee" them one revolution per minute, a stationery crystoi for said clock spaced ol-hsviog transparent sections through i be ingthe display and having o central tronsporeot portion through which the clock dial may be seen, and e, sector-=shaped transparent portion through which is exposed a sector of the annular display portion of the display disk.

3.1m combination with a clock, an electric motor for driving said clock, a, stationary plate having a clock dial at its center and an annular portion surrounding said dial serving as a background for a display, a disk rotatlvely mounted at the center of said clock dial and spaced therefrom and covering the front of said stationary plate, means for driving said disk from said motor so as to give ita cycle of movement in timed relation with saldclock at not less than one revolution per minute, said disk being made of transparent material and having display features inscribed on an annular portion thereof opposite the annular background portion of said plate, and a stationary glass crystal spaced from 60 and covering the front of said disk through which the clock dial and display features of said disk.

and background plate may be seen as said disk is rotated,

4. In combination, a. clock, an electric motor for driving said clock, a. clock dial, hour and minute hands driven by said motor over said dial, a display disk rotatlvely mounted at the center of and in front of said clock dial, said disk having a, central window through which the clock dial and hands may be seen and an annular portion surrounding said dial on which display features from said motor so to give the disk 2,

1 end covering the front or? sold ore inscribed, as lost motion driving connection between said motor and display dish through which said disk is driven so as to give the disk o. cycle of intermittent rotary movement in timed relation with said clock and at are averoge rate of not less than one revolution per minute, sod e crystal spaced from and covering the front of said display dish, said crystal having central transparent portion through which the clock, may be seen and o sectomshaped trenspareot portion through which the enouler portion of said display dish rosy be seen as said dials, revolves.

o. In combination with o clock, on electric motor for driving sold clock, a clock dial therefor, e display disk rototively mounted the center of said dial and in foot thereof, moons for drlv lug said display disk from said motor at on over:- sge rate of not less then one revolution per minute, sold disk having or window in semi portion through which the clock dial may be seen end so annular portion surrounding said clocls dial on which dlspley features are llll scribed, a stationery glass covering for the front of said clock through whlcl'l the clock dial and dist: may be seen, a lemp secured adioseht the edge of said display for illuminstl .g the display disk and elect: dial, screen cbolwcter elves.

lug motor therefor, a ole-cs. to Mid motor:

' me eehter a rate hot i er mioute, o display all ototively mounted on sold shaft in from of said oral, sold dish having it ceotrel window section through which clock dial may be seen and an annular section surrounding said clock dial on which display fea tures are inscribed, and a lost motion driving con= section between said shaft and display disk, said display disk having its center of gravity on one side of its axis of rotation whereby, due to such lost motion driving connection, it is rotated at the same rate as said shaft for a portion of a revolution, rotates faster than said shaft due to gravity for another portion of a. revolution, and then has an oscillatory rotary movement.

7. In combination with a clock including an electric motor for driving said clock and a. clock dial, a transparent display disk rotatlvely mounted in front of said clock dial and having an annular portion extending beyond and surrounding said dial, a glass crystal covering said dial and display disk having a. transparent central window for displaying said clock dial and a transparent sector through which a. section of the annular portion of said display disk may beseen, and means connecting said display disk in driving relation with said motor such that, when the clock EDGAR BOURQUIN.