US2151333A - Changeable exhibitor - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1939. J. ROBIN 2,151,333

CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed Oct. 19, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet l Zhwentor Jx-yc05' I, ROB/N Gttomeg March 21, 1939. I J oam I 2,151,333

' CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed Oct. 19, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor Jecoz Z. Ros/N (Ittorneg March 21, 1939.

J. I. ROBIN CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed Oct. 19, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 3 3m entor Gttorneg Patented Mar. 21, 1939 PATENT oFFIeE CHAN GEABLE EXHIBITOR Jacob I. Robin, New York, N. Y.,'assignor, by

mesne assignments, to International Mutoscope Reel Co. Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application October 19,

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to changeable exhibitors'and more particularly to illuminated rotary exhibitors operable by currents of air inducedbyheat, usually that generated by the illumination means.

In exhibitors of the type with which the present invention is primarily concerned the rotary element is usually in the form of a hollow cylinder suspended over the heating and illuminating means, such as an electric lamp, on a bearing positioned'above said lamp, and said cylinder is provided withvanes upon which the air currents impinge for rotating the cylinder. One object of theinvention is to direct the flow of air currents in such manner as to distribute the air as completely as possible over the vane surfaces substantially for the full length and width thereof whereby to improve the motive efficiency of the apparatus.

A further object is to provide means for obtaining an even flow of air whereby to obtain an improved and more reliable operation of the cylinder or other rotary element and to substantially reduce fluctuations in the speed of rotation of I the latter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an. improved bearing for the rotary element of the exhibitor.

utilized in the same frame and to provide for shipping of the cylinder forming parts of the rotary elements in flat form and capable of being readily formed into cylinders and assembled I with their companion vane disks.

Another object of the invention is to provide inconjunction with the rotary exhibitor, or separately, an electric flasher comprising constantly illuminated electrical light and mechanical means such as a rotary cylinder in the form of a shutter having light passagesfor alternately and periodioally concealing and exposing the light from said lamp.

'A yet further object of the invention is generally to improve the artrelating to rotary exhibitors of the-type referred to and to provide an s end thereof below openings 26.

1937, Serial No. 169,781

attractive exhibitor which is simple in construction and reliable and efiicient in operation.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary thereto will be fully understood from the following description and the accompanying illustrations of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a changeable exhibitor embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view in elevations of the exhibitor with the casing or cover removed;

Fig. 3a is a perspective view of the frame;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the device detached from the frame;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the part illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the rotary member;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'i-l of Fig. 6;

, Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a rear plan view of the cylinder forming element in flat condition;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line Ill-4O of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in elevation on the line lI-Il of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the changeable exhibitor It as illustrated in Fig. 1 is in the form of a fanciful simulation of a lighthouse tower but may be embodied in other forms and may otherwise be of different appear ance. Said tower comprises a sheet metal casing 12 open at its bottom and at its top and provided at said top with a cover l4 simulating the roof of the tower. Said cover I4 is removably supported on the top edge of easing E2 in spaced relation tosaid edge by a plurality of, here shown as three, short rods I6 for spacing said cover from the upper edge of easing l2 whereby to provide an air passage through the top of the case. A circular gallery simulating part or cat-Walk I8 composed-of sheet metal is secured to the outer surface of casing I2 adjacent the upper Light may be intermittently exposed or flashed through openings 20, as will hereinafter appear, for enhancing the lighthouse effect. The casing is provided with a main window opening 22 having a transparent cover 24 which may be composed of any suitable material such as glass, mica, Cellophane, etc. Casing l0 surrounds the exhibitor apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3 whereby to conceal the latter except at the window 22 through which the rotary cylinder is visible for observation.

As illustrated in Fig. 3a the apparatus comprises a frame 28. Said frame comprises a base consisting, as here shown of cross strips 28 having down-turned. end portions 39 to which ledge members 32 are welded. The bottom edge of easing l2 rests upon said ledge members for holding said casing above the top of the support on. which the exhibitor is positioned to provide an air passage at the bottom of the. casing completely therearound. The side of the frame: comprises. as here shown a vertically inclined strip 34 welded at its lower end to one of the base strips 28, and an inverted U-shaped strip 36 welded at its lower ends to the other of said base strips. Strip 34 is provided with a horizontally extended portion 38 which crosses the closed end 48 of member 36 and is welded thereto. The frame thus provided is rigid and stable and yet is of light weight. A U-shaped frame member comprising a metal strip 42 having lower and upper refiexed portions 44 and 65 respectively is secured to the base of frame 26 by fastening lower end portion 44 to the intermediate part of one of, strips 28. A similar frame member 46 is similarly secured to the top of. frame 26.

A. sheet metal shield 48 is welded to strip 42 in position to partially surround electric; lamp and air heater 58. Said lamp is mounted in socket 52 secured in any suitable way to the base of the frame. Sheet metal disk 52' is: secured to the upper reflexed portion 45 of strip 42 above shield 48. It will beobserved that shield 48 is approximately semi-cylindrical and thatdisk 52 has a smaller diameter than that of the cylinder to which shield 48 is contoured thereby providing a passage 54 at the upper end of said cylinder; A metal spindle 58 projects upwardly throughstrip portion 48 and disk 52' and is. ad.- justably secured in position by a nut 58 which engages the screw threaded portion of said spindle. Said spindle has an upper pointed end 68 on which the inverted cup bearing 82, composed preferably of glass, is engaged for supporting the rotary exhibit member 64. The assembly illustrated in Fig. 4 and just described is dupiicated at the top of frame 26, but on a smaller scale, the parts of said assembly being substantially the same as that just described in connection with Fig. 4 and therefore designated by the same reference numerals with the letter :1 added to each of said numerals.

The rotary exhibitor member 64 comprises a cylinder 88 open at its lower end and attached at its upper end to the sheet metal rim 68 of the vaned sheet metal motive disk member 10. Disk ill is provided with a central aperture 12 through which cup bearing 62 projects, and the marginal portion of said disk adjacent said aperture rests on a peripheral flange 14 formed on bearing member 62, whereby to rotatably support ex.- hibitor 84 on the pointed end 68 of spindle 56. An important feature of the invention resides in forming the spindle 58 and the cup bearing 82 of materials having the same degree of hardness. For this purpose spindle 58 is made of steel tempered so that pointed end. 60 has the same degree of hardness as glass cup 62, whereby the tendency of the pointed end of the spindle to form a depression in the contiguous surface of the cup bearing or conversely the tendency of the cup bearing by engagement with the pointed end of the spindle to dull said pointed end is sub- 2,151,sss

stantially decreased, if not entirely eliminated whereby to provide anti-friction bearing of long life.

In accordance with the present invention provision is made for adjusting the speed of rotation of'cylinder 64. For this important purpose disk 10 is provided with a plurality of radially extending vanes which may be disposed in different angular relations as indicated for example in Fig. 8 from which it will be noted that a vane 16a has a different angular position than other vanes 16. The construction of disk it), however, is such that vane 16a and an additional number of similar vanes may be adjusted to other angular positions. For this purpose said disk is composed of bendable sheet metal and several of the vanes, say the vanes 18a are left free from attachment to rim. 68 while the other vanes, say the vanes. 16, are attached at their outer ends to said rim. It will be readily understood that the angular position of vanes a, may be adjusted by twisting them at their line of juncture with the intermediate central. disk portion 18 and that by reason of the soft and bendable qualities of the metal of which the disk is constructed said vanes remain in adjusted position. It will be understood that the speed of rotation of cylinder 84 may thus be regulated since the air current which impinges on vanes Itatends to rotate the cylindrical member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation effected by the air currents which strike the other vanes H5.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings, the cylindrical member 85 will now be described in greater detail. As here shown said member is composed of suitable sheet material, such as paper, and comprises an outer layer 88 which is preferably opaque-and an inner light permeable layer 82, which is preferably translucent but which may be transparent if desired. Layer 88 is provided with letter or other openings as indicated at 84, 86, and 88 through which the light from lamp 50 may pass for illuminating the letter or other openings. Strips 92 of reticulated or open mesh sheet fabric may be secured to the inner face of layer 80 over the openings therein, as clearly shown in Fig. 11. This is primarily for the purpose of diffusing the light which passes through said openings and also for the purpose ofholding portions of said layer 88 in position at said openings which may be required in connection with the openings for certain letters, where a part of the letter as, for example, the central part of the letter A, is completely separated from the edge of layer 88 which defines the remaining portion of such letter. Strips 92 may be secured to layer 86 in any suitable manner as by an adhesive. It will be understood that layer 80 maybe composed of panel sections 94 of different colors, said sections being secured together at overlapping adjacent marginal edge portions thereof. Inner layer 82 may be composed of light permeable material such as parchmentized paper or oiled paper and may be composedof sections one for each panel section 94 of outer layer 80. The panel sections of layer 82 are preferably somewhat narrower than the companion panel sections 94 and said inner layer or inner panel sections are secured to the inner surface of said outer layer along longitudinally spaced lines indicated at' 96 in Fig, 9, preferably by means of an adhesive, whereby the composite layer while generally flat tends to curl into a cylindrical formation. Soft and pliable thin metal strips 98 are disposed at the opposite "side edges'of member 66 and extend longitudinally of the latter in which position they are held by and folded over portions I of outer layer 80 (Fig; These metal strips are readily bent into cylindrical formation and tend to hold member 66 in such formation and furthermore facilitatereforming of members 66 in the event of deformation thereof. Thus member 66 may be readily formed into a cylinder from the initial.- ly fiat composite laminated -material just described and may be readily attached to motive disk 'Hl'either' permanently or removably by any suitable means as for example by an adhesive or such fastening elements as rivets, paper clips, staples, etc. The removable attachment of said cylindrical member to its companion motive disk is preferred and for this purpose it is merely necessary to clip the opposite marginal end portions I02 of member 66 together in overlapping relation by means of paper clips which may also be utilized for fastening said cylindrical member to rim 68 'of disk 10, two or three at spaced points as indicated at llle'in Fig. 3.

The operation of the exhibitor embodying the present invention and as described above is believed to be obvious. It will be noticed that in the flow of air induced by the heat of the lamp the current of air is guided upwardly by member 48 toward motive disk ill for a substantial peripheral portion of said disk and its companion cylindrical member 66 and that disk 52' substantially prevents direct flow of the current of air to the intermediate portion E8 of disk 10 and cooperates with member 48 to direct the current of air against the vanes of the disk for substantially the fulllength ofv the latter whereby to increase the torque which effects rotation of the disk. Member 48 is preferably painted black thereby absorbing some of the heat radiated by the lamp 5!] with minimum reflection of light and further to radiate some of the absorbed heat and thereby to contribute to the flow of air and to induce 'a -more even flow than can be obtained merely by the heating of the air solely by lamp 50, This arrangement tends to reduce if not to entirely eliminate fluctuations in the flow of air induced by the heating thereof as it passes throughcylinder 64 for action upon motive disk Upper cylinder 64a is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated openings or slits I06 with the result that as cylinder 64a rotatesabout lamp 50a there is obtained an effect' similarxto that of an electric flasher, or in other words, an 'eifect similar to that which is obtained by a flasher lamp by intermittently pass ing current through the lamp as under the control of a thermally responsive switch device which periodically makes and breaks the circuit through the lamp. As here shown, the flasher provided at the upper part of the casing l2 may I be used per se or in conjunction with the exhibitor 64 visible through casing opening 22, and conversely said last mentioned exhibitor may be utilized without the flasher provided by cylinder Thus it is seen that the construction herein shown and described is well adapted to accomany particular purpose for which the invention may be adapted. It will also be understood that any suitable material may be utilized instead of metal in various parts of the apparatus, as for example in the casing, spindle for the bearing, heat absorber and radiator, etc., as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the construction herein shown or described except as may be required by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator comprising a coated metal member heated by said lamp and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casin a frame within said casing comprising a base, means for supporting said heat absorber comprising a member carrying said absorber and upstanding from said base, and a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air rotating said member.

2. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator heated by said lamp and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said heat absorber and radiator comprising a sheet metal member partially surrounding said lamp and extending in the direction of air flow, and means at one end of said sheet metal member cooperating therewith for directing the current of air to said motive element.

3. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator heated by said lamp and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof, in the casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said motive element comprising a in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, and a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said heat absorber and radiator comprising a sheet metal member at least partially surrounding said lamp and positioned between the latter and the wall of said cylindrical memher and extending longitudinally of the latter, said sheet metal member being coated with black paint.

5. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator heated by said lamp and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said motive element comprising a disk disposed at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical member and provided with radially extending vanes, said heat absorber and radiator comprising a sheet metal member partially surrounding said lamp and positioned between the latter and the wall of said cylindrical member and extending longitudinally of the latter, and a disk in the line of air flow between the lamp and said motive disk for substantially preventing the flow of air directly to the central portion of said motive disk and cooperating with said sheet metal member to direct the air current against said vanes over a substantial length thereof.

6. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a frame within said casing, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, and a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said casing having an opening and said cylindrical member having a translucent wall portion and arranged to rotate about said lamp and past said opening for exposure of said wall portion to view as it rotates past said opening, said frame comprising a plurality of vertical strips disposed in spaced relation, and means carried by said strips for supporting said casing.

7. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said members and means for supporting said cylindrical member for rotation comprising a spindle having a pointed end and a bearing in engagement with the pointed end of the spindle, said bearing having substantially the same degree of hardness as said pointed end of the spindle. V

8. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, a lamp associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said members and means for supporting said cylindrical member for rotation comprising a metal spindle having a pointed end and a cup-shaped bearing in engagement with the pointed end of the spindle, said bearing having substantially the same degree of hardness as said pointed end of the spindle.

' 9. In a'changeable exhibitor of the class described in which a cylindrical member is rotated by a current of air, said cylindrical member comprising an initially flat layer of suitable sheet material bent into cylindrical form and provided with a soft and pliable metal strip secured thereto for facilitating the formation of said mem her from said flat layer into its cylindrical form.

10. In a changeable exhibitor of the class described in which a cylindrical member is rotated by a current of air, said cylindrical member comprising in initially substantially flat form an outer layer of suitable sheet material and an inner layer secured to said outer layer at longitudinally spaced points, said inner layer between said points being shorter than said outer layer between the same points whereby said layers tend to curl about an axis disposed at the inner sides thereof. V

11. In a changeable exhibitor of the class described in which a cylindrical member is rotated by a current of air, said cylindrical member comprising an initially fiat layer of suitable sheet material bent into cylindrical form, said layer having openings therethrough and a strip of re-' ticulated sheet material disposed over said openings.

12. In a changeable exhibitor of the class described in which a cylindrical member is rotated by a current of air, said cylindrical member comprising an initially flat layer of suitable sheet material bent intocylindrical form, said layer having openings therethrough, a strip of reticulated sheet material disposed over said openings and a layer of light-permeable material secured to the inner surface of said first layer over said openings.

13. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, means associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator composed of metal coated with black paint heated by said heating means and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, and a member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively. connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member.

14:. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, means associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator heated by said heating means and in turn also heating the air in said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, a member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said heat absorber and radiator comprising a member partially surrounding said heating means and extending in the direction of air flow, and means at one end of said last mentioned member cooperating therewith for directing the current of air to said motive element.

' 15. A changeable exhibitor comprising a casing providing a passage for the flow of air, means associated with said casing to heat the air for inducing the flow thereof in said casing, a heat absorber and radiator heated by said heating means and in turn also heating the air in, said casing and thereby at least partially inducing the flow thereof in the casing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said casing and having a motive element operatively connected thereto and responsive to said flow of air for rotating said member, said motive element comprising a disk disposed at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical member and provided with radially extending vanes, said heat absorber and radiator comprising a metal member coated with black 10 paint and partially surrounding said heating means and positioned between the latter and the Wall of said cylindrical member and extending longitudinally of the latter, a member supporting said radiator and provided with a part extending transversely thereof beyond the end of the latter which is nearer said motive element, and a disk carried by said last mentioned part for directing the current of air to the vanes of said motive element.

JACOB I. ROBIN.

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