US2092154A - Advertising device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 7, 1937. P. F. GODFREY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 2 2 flm/ n I 6 5 2 32 2. I 4

X 8 4 Mg 1 HF 4 9 2 92 1" T\ /L 7. 3 U I H i? 5 .w V/W 7 M2 M x F M 7/ W w 3 Q Q 2 Sept. 7, 1937. P. F. GODFREY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED ST'EES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING DEVICE Applicationseptember 9, 1936, Serial No. 99,917 In Great Britain September 18, 1935 23 Claims.

This invention relates to an'advertising device of the kind in which a series of separate plates, frames or the like bearing information or representations is employed, the plates or the like heing automatically presented .in succession to a window in the housing of the device.

The objects of the invention is to provide a device of the kind aforesaid which is more simple I I in construction and more certain and efiicient in 1 operation than devices of this kind hitherto proposed.

The invention comprises the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacement, and means for enabling the other end of the plate to move, during or immediately after the said displacement, in a path extending transversely across the endless guide track.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the housing of an advertising device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in the direction of the arrow A on the line 2-2 of the device illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, looking in the direction of the arrow B, on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of an advertising device constructed in accordance with the present invention but with the housing of the device removed.

Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9 are views illustrating the various positions of the mechanism as a plate is moved from one end position of the series to the other end position thereof.

- Referring to the drawings, a hollow rectangular housing I is provided at one side with a window 2 through which the plates, frames or the like bearing advertising or indicating matter y preferably on each side thereof, and which are automatically moved opposite the window, can be observed. Mounted upon the top of the housing I is a turret 3 in which an electric motor is housed, the motor being operatively connected r to the mechanism disposed within the housing I in such a manner as to constitute the drive for the said mechanism. This motor is driven by any suitable source of electrical energy.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, a spindle 5 connected to the electric motor disposed in the turret 3 is arranged to drive a pinion wheel 6 through the medium of a worm wheel I. The pinion wheel 6 is connected to a shaft 8 carried in bearings, one formed in a bracket 9 and the other in one of a pair of side members I0 and II. The shaft 8 is provide-d at the end mounted in the side member IE! with a pinion wheel I2 arranged in mesh with a pinion wheel I3 which is secured to a shaft I4 also carried in bearings formed in the side members I0 and II. The shaft I l carries at both ends thereof pinion wheels I5 and it which are arranged in mesh with gear wheels I? and I8. The gear wheels I! and I8 are carried upon stub axles secured in bosses I9 and 20 formed in the side members I0 and II and the said stub axles are arranged to support at their free ends guide members 2I and 22 hereinafter more particularly described. The guide members 2| and 22 are provided with circumferential tracks 23 (Fig. 3) arranged to receive laterally extending pins 24, 25, 26 and 21 disposed upon each display plate X of a series of plates upon which information may be arranged.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings in which the mechanism disposed upon one side of the device and duplicated upon the other is illustrated in connection with a device operating with ten plates, it will be observed that the circumferentially arranged tracks 23 in the guide members 2I and 22 follow a circular path for the major portion of their extent but near the position in which the individual plates are disposed adjacent to the window 2 of the housing I the path is distorted towards the centre of the guide members 2| and 22 for the purpose hereinafter more specifically defined. Further each of the guide members 2! and 22 is provided with a slot 28 in the form of a chord to the circumferentially arranged track 23, this slot being arranged to form a path across the width of the guide member for a purpose also more particularly referred to hereinafter. Mounted upon each of the guide members 2I and 22 is an arm 29 secured at one end to a pin 30 which extends through a bearing in the guide member and carries at the other end thereof a lever 3! which is arranged to engage with a cam 32 the design and purpose of which will also be hereinafter more particularly described.

Connected to the lever 3| is a tension spring 33 which normally tends to draw the lever 3I and the arm 29 in a direction away from the window 2 of the housing I. Mounted at the beginning of the path where the track in the guide member departs from its circular shape there is provided a leaf spring 34 and mounted near that end of to move under the track where it again resumes its circular configuration is a spring 35.

Carried upon the peripheral inner sides of the gear wheels I7 and 53 are conveyors 36 which are arranged and shaped so as to move in the circular path of the tracks formed in the guide members 28 and 22 and carry with them the pins of that plate which is so disposed that the lowermost pins thereof are located in the said track.

A slot or opening 37 is formed in the outer wall of the track of each of the guide members so as to permit the laterally extending pins of the plates hereinbefore referred to, to be placed into and removed from the said tracks.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the motor in the turret 3 is set in motion it will be observed that the gear wheels H and i8 will be rotated and will carry with them the conveyors 35 which, as they pass the end 39 of the transverse slot 28 in the guide members 2| and 22, will engage with the pins 26 and 21 of the plate X and carry the plate downwardly in a circular path. The conveyors 35 in moving forward the plate X displace the pins 24 and from engagement with the springs 35 which normally hold the plate X in an upright position in front of the window 2 of the housing l.

Further movement of the plate X will be best understood by reference to Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 5 shows the plate X just as it has been moved out of the vertical position in front of the window 2 in the housing I. As the conveyors 36 move the plate X in a circular path, so the cams 32 fixed concentrically to gear wheels ii and i8 hold the arms 29 adjacent to the tenth plate of the series but as the conveyors 36 continue their movement it will be observed that the arms 29 move away from the tenth plate of the series so as to permit the plate which is being moved by the conveyors 36 and raise the remainder of the series of plates which are still disposed in a substantially vertical position and pivot them about their uppermost pins 24 and 25 and so permit the displaced plate to continue in its circular path as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. After the displaced plate has been moved a predetermined distance the nine remaining plates tend to move back into their upright positions and are assisted in this movement by the arms 29 which due to the shape of the earns 32 move towards the window 2 of the housing I a greater distance than that which they have been displaced in the reverse direction because they have now to move nine plates into their correct positions whereas previously they had to hold ten plates in their correct position.

After the displaced plate X has become disengaged from the lower end of the leading plate of the remainder of the series, it is maintained in its circular path by guide springs M? which restrain any tendency of the plate to leave the circular path through which it is being moved. The conveyors 35 continue to move the pins 26 and 27 along the circular tracks for a predetermined distance, that is, into the position illustrated in Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings whereupon the cams 32 release the levers 3| and permit the arms 29 to swing, under the influence of the springs 33 into the circular tracks 23. It will be observed however that the arms 29 do not move across the tracks 23 until the conveyor 36 has moved the pins 26 and 2? beyond the points at which the arms 29 move across the tracks. The conveyors 36 continue to move the pins 26 and 21 in a circular path until the pins 24 and 25 are brought adjacent to the slots 28 whereupon the pins 24 and 25 move under gravity down the transverse slots 28 formed in the guide members 2! and 22, after which the cams 32 again engage With the levers 3i and move the arms 29 across the guide members 2! and 22 and bring the displaced plate X against the end plate of the series and at the same time ensures that the leading plate of the series is properly located in the tracks 23 to ensure that when the conveyors 36 come to the position shown in Fig. 3 they will engage with the pins 26 and 21 of the next plate of the series.

By shaping the arms 29 at their free ends so as to conform to the curvature of the tracks 23 the said arms ensure that each plate when it reaches the position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings will move across the transverse slots 28 formed in the guide members 28 and 22 although in actual practice it is found that normally the plate moves under gravity and without the assistance of the arms 29.

The springs 34 with which the pins 26 and 2'! engage when they reach the position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings ensure that the plate will pivot at this position to enable the pins 25 and 26 to move transversely across the guide members 2| and 22. After the pins 26 and 21 have been moved beyond the springs 34 they become disengaged from the conveyors due to the formation of the track at this point and automatically fall down the distorted path of the track and so the plate takes up its position at the back of the series. The distorted path of the track is arranged to merge into the circular path hereinbefore referred to just prior to the point Where the conveyor engages with the lowermost pins of the next succeeding plate. The springs 35 are arranged to ensure that the leading plate of the series is held in the distorted path of the tracks 23 in a substantially vertical direction in front of the window 2 in the housing I and in a yielding manner so that when the conveyors 36 engage with the pins 26 and 21 of the leading plate, the upper pins 22 and 25 will disengage with the springs 35 and permit the plate to be moved to the rear of the series.

Mounted at the front of the housing I, for example at the face thereof is a lamp 4| which is arranged to illuminate the plates X as they are presented to the window 2 of the said housing.

that with a device conwith the mechanism hereinbefore described, a plate during its movement from one end of the series of plates to the other end thereof is reversed so that when it is progressively moved through the series to the position where it is disposed in front of the window 2 of the housing I, it presents the opposite face to that which was presented in the corresponding preceding position of the said plate.

Each plate can thus carry two distinct forms of information or representation one upon each side thereof. and by arranging the plates to be shown in the manner hereinbefore described, it will be apparent that ten plates can serve for the exhibition of twenty different advertisements.

It will be appreciated that with the mechanism hereinbefore described the conveyors 36 could be arranged to engage with one of the sets of pins 24, 25 or 26, 27 and move the plate in a circular path so that the other set of pins moves into the transverse slots 28 extending across guide members 2! and 22 and thereafter the first-mentioned set of pins would be moved almost through a complete circle so that upon the next display of the plate the same face will be directed towards the window 2 of the housing I as was displayed at the previous presentation. Such an arrangement could be provided in such cases where it was found advantageous that only one side of a. plate should be presented to the window 2.

It will be appreciated that with such an arrangement the transverse slots 28 extending across the guide members 2! and 22 would be of different configuration to the transverse slots 28 illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Further the cams 32 would be of. different designs to the cam illustrated, in view of the fact that the arms 29 would have to be moved into the position shown in Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings prior to the pins 26 and 21 reaching the transverse slots 28 and would have to be moved away from the tracks 23 in the guide members 2! and 22 to permit the pins 24 and 25 to continue their circular path after the pins 26 and 21 had moved into the transverse slots 28 extending across the guide members 2! and 22 but the shape of the slots and the cams hereinbefore referred to are merely a question of design and would present no difficulty to anyone skilled in the art.

The present invention thus provides an advertising device which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation. Moreover it enables a highly efficient display or indicating apparatus to be confined within a comparatively small space thus permitting the device to be constructed of such a size that it can be mounted with ease within a taxicab or other vehicle so as to advise the occupants of various information, for example announcements indicating different theatres, the performances which are being conducted there and the time at which the performances commence. Alternatively the apparatus may be so mounted on the vehicle that it can be observed by pedestrians or the occupants of. other vehicles.

It will be further appreciated that the above invention is applicable to automatic coin machines in which a series of photographs are presented in succession to a window upon the insertion of a coin. It will be apparent that one modification of the present invention is particularly suitable to such a machine where compactness together with the possibility of presenting as many pictures as possible constitutes an essential feature. It will be observed that according to the present invention, where previously only ten photographs could be presented by ten plates now by the aid of the present invention twenty photographs can be presented by this number of plates. However the invention is not limited to the above described applications as it may be put to a variety of other uses.

While the description and drawings illustrate a device having ten plates it will be appreciated that a lesser or greater number of plates may be used with but a slight modification in the shape of cam piece 32. The invention is not limited to the example described as subordinate details of construction may be varied to suit difierent requirements.

I claim:-

1. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a seriesof plates each bearing advertising matter on both sides to the other end of. the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate relatively to the other end thereof throughout the said displacement to invert said plate, and means for enabling the other end of the plate to move, during the said displacement, in a path extending transversely across the endless guide track.

2. In an advertising device of the kind specified the combination of a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter on both sides to the other end of the series, a substantially circular guide track for guiding one end of the plate relatively to the other end thereof throughout the said displacement to invert said plate, and means for enabling theother end of the plate to move, during the said displacement, in a path extending transversely across the endless guide track.

3. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of. plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacement and for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the said displacement and means for enabling the said other end to move, during a different part of the said displacement, in a path extending transversely across the guide track.

4. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter on both sides to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacement and for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the said displacement, and means for enabling the said other end to move, during a different part of the said displacement in a path extending transversely across the guide track, whereby the plate is reversed during its displacement from one end of the series to the other.

5. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of an endless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, means associated with one end of the plate for enabling the said end to be guided in the guide track throughout the said displacement, means associated with the other end of the plate for enabling the said other end to be guided in the track during part at least of the said displacement, and means for enabling the said other end to move in a path extending transversely across the track during a difierent part of the said displacement.

6. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of an endless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter on both sides to the other end of the series, means associated with one end of the plate for enabling the said end to be guided in the guide track throughout the said displacement, means associated with the other end of the plate for enabling the said other end to be guided in the track during part at least of the said displacement, and means for enabling the said other end to move in a path extending transversely across the track during a different part of the said displacement, whereby the plate is reversed during its displacement from one end of the series to the other.

'7. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of an endless guide track, a conveyor movable adjacent said track for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, a'projection at or near one end of said plate for enabling said end to be guided by the track throughout the said displacement, a projection at the other end of the plate for enabling the said other end to be guided by the track during part at least of the said displacement, and gaps in the track for enabling the projection on the said other end to move out of the track in a direction transversely across the track.

- 8. An advertising device comprising the combination of a pair of guide members spaced laterally from one another and provided with tracks which follow a substantially circular path, said tracks being arranged to receive pins which extend'laterally from a series of plates constructed to extend between the said guide members, and a pair of conveyors one associated with each of said guide members and operable to move relatively thereto in'such a manner as to engage with the lateral pins at one edge of the plate which are disposed one in each of said tracks so as to move the pins so'engaged through an arc of a circle whilst permitting the corresponding pins at the opposite edge of the plate, to move transversely across the guide members after the said pins have moved through a predetermined arc of the said circular path.

9. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the leading plate of a series is yieldingly held from the uppermost edge thereof in a substantially vertical position with the pins, disposed at the lowermost edge thereof, arranged in the said circular tracks, the conveyors being operable in such a manner that at each complete rotation thereof they engage with the lowermost pins of the leading plate of the series and move the said plate by the said pins through an arc of a circle into a position where the lowermost pins are brought into substantially the same position as the uppermost pins occupied prior to their displacement whereas the uppermost pins have been permitted to swing about the lowermost pins in a direction transversely to the said guide members so that the plate rests in a substantially vertical position with the respective faces of the plate directed in the opposite sense to that in which they occupied prior to the said displacement.

10. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conveyors are carried by suitably driven'gear wheels mounted concentrically with the tracks of the said guide members.

11. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of arms, one mounted upon each guide member and operable by cams, are movable to permit one pair of pins of a plate to'move transversely across the said guide members and thereafter to move 'into engagement with the said pins to feed the plates into the said vertical position in which each of the said plates is eventually disposed in front of a Window mounted in the housing of the said device.

12. In an advertising device, the combination of an endless guide track, and a conveyor arranged to engage an end plate of a series of plates to displace the same to the other end of the series, one end of the said plate being positively guided by the said endless track throughout the displacement of the plate by the conveyor and the other end of the plate being moved, during a part at least of the said displacement, along a path which extends transversely across the said endless track, the ends of'the plate being arranged to traverse the said paths in such an order that the plate is reversed during the displacement thereof by the conveyor from one end of the series to the other.

13. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacement and for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the said displacement, and means for directing the other end of the plate out of the endless track in a direction extending transversely across the said track.

14. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacement and for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the said displacement, means for enabling the said other end to move during a different part of the said displacement in a path extending transversely across the guide tracks, and means situated at the rear end of the series of plates for compressing the said plates together.

15. In an advertising device, the combination of a series of plates each bearing advertising matter arranged one behind the other, yieldable means for engaging one end of the foremost plate and for supporting the said plate in the display position, and conveyor means for engaging the other end of the said plate to move the first mentioned end thereof past the yieldable means and displace the plate to the rear end of the series so as to expose the next succeeding plate.

16. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of arms, one mounted upon each guide member and operable by cams, are movable to permit one pair of pins of a plate to move transversely across the said guide member and thereafter to move into engagement with the said pins to feed the plates into the said vertical position in which each of the said plates is eventually disposed in front of a window mounted in the housing of the said device, said cams being arranged to move said arms a predetermined distance to ensure that the whole series of plates is disposed correctly with respect to the conveyors and subsequently to ensure that the series of plates, less the end plate which has been displaced, is moved a distance sufficient to ensure that the leading plate of the remaining plates is fed into the path of the conveyor.

17. In a device of the kind specified, a series of substantially rigid plates each bearing displays on both sides thereof and provided with a pair of engagingelements, and means: for displacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series to occupy an inverted position thereat, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elements for movement in a predetermined endless path, and means for controlling movement of the other element with respect to the first mentioned element to effect inversion of the plate.

18. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearing displays on both sides thereof and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elements in a closed path relative to' the other of said elements throughout the said displacement to invert said plate, and means for enabling said other element to move, during said displacement, in a path extending transversely across said closed path.

19. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearing displays on both sides thereof and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elements in a circular path throughout said displacement to invert said plate, and means for enabling the other element to move,

during said displacement, in a path extending transversely across said circular path.

20. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearing displays and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elements in a closed path throughout said displacement, and for guiding the other of said elements during part of said displacement, and means for enabling said other element to move, during a different part of said displacement, in a path extending transversely across said closed path.

21. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of means for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guide track for guiding one of a pair of engaging elements, disposed at at least one edge of the plate throughout the displacement of the plate and for guiding the other of said elements during part of the said displacement, and means for enabling the said other element to move during a different part of the said displacement in a path extending transversely across the guide track.

22. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of an endless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series, a pair of engaging elements disposed at at least one edge of the plate, one of said elements being guided by the track throughout the displacement of the plate and the other element being guided by the track during part of said displacement, and means for enabling said other element to move in a path extending transversely across the track during a different part of said displacement.

23. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearing displays and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elements in a closed path throughout said displacement, and for guiding the other of said elements during part of said displacement, and means for enabling said other element to move, during a different part of said displacement, in a path extending transversely across said closed path, the relative movements of said element serving to invert the plate during its displacement from one end of the series to the other.

PERCY FREDERICK GODFREY.

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