US2500106A

US2500106A - Animated display

Info

Publication number: US2500106A
Application number: US680999A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julian R Wehr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-07-02
Filing date: 1946-07-02
Publication date: 1950-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 1967-03-07

Description

March 79 1950 J. R. WEHR ANIMATED DISPLAY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 2, 1946 INVENTOR. JUL mv A? MEHR BY March 7, 1950 J. R. wEHR ANIMATED DISPLAY Filed July 2, 194s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INWTUR. JUL/mv K, 5H@ BY M W Patented Mar. 7, 1950 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in animated displays.

More particularly, the invention proposes an animated displayed which is characterized by an yillustrated front sheet mounted upon a casing and having one or more openings. A back sheet is reciprocally mounted upon the back of the iront sheet and is associated with drive means by which it may be reciprocated. One or more illustrated pieces are disposed upon the front of the front sheet and are connected with the back sheet with one or more arms Which pass through the openings in the front sheet in such a way as to support lthe illustrated pieces. When 'the back sheet reciprocates the illustrated pieces ywill oscillate through a predetermined path.

It is an object of this invention to reciprocally mount the back sheet upon the back of the front sheet in a certain Way. A block is mounted on the back of the front sheet and is provided with eyelets through which a rod slidably passes which is connected with and supports the back sheet.

It is a further object of this invention to so construct the arms and openings in the front sheet as to reduce to a minimum frictional resistance the pivoting of the arms, so that a small sized electric motor may be used to operate the animated display. It is proposed to construct the arms in an exceptionally simple manner.

It is a further object of this invention to mount the means for reciprocating the back sheet within the casing, and to mount all other portions of the animated display upon the illustrated iront sheet. With this construction it is a simple matter to remove the illustrated front sheet and replace it with a similar illustrated front sheet embodying a different display.

Another object of this invention is the construction of Ia device as described which is simple and durable and Which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and the advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a. material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of an animated display constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary enlarged detailed View of a portion of Fig, 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section-al View taken on the line /iof Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The animated display, in accordance with this invention, includes a casing I0 in the form of a box or other form having side walls II and a top wall I2. The top wall I2 is hingedly supported with a hinge I3 so that it may be raised and lowered like a hinged cover. The side walls II are formed with vertical grooves It opposed to each other. An illustrated front sheet I5 is mounted on said casing I0 by having its side edges slidably engaged in the grooves I4. When the top wall I2 is pivoted open then it is possible to mo-ve the illustrated front sheet I5 upwards and out of the casing.

The illustrated front sheet I5 is provided with an illustration I6 covering the subject matter of the display. This illustration I6 is painted or imprinted on the front of the front sheet I5. The illustration IG has-associated with it one or more illustrated and moveable pieces I'I, I8, and I 9 :which are disposed to the front face oi the front sheet I5 and by which the animated display may be given motion. A back sheet 2B is reciprocally mounted on the back of the front sheet I5.

The back sheet 20 is supported by a horizontal rod ZI which is connected with the back sheet 20 by having its end portions 22 engaged through openings in the back sheet 20. The rod 2I is slidably supported by engagingthrough several eye screws 23 which are mounted upon a block or strip of wood 2l! attached upon the back face of the front sheet I5. With this construction the back sheet 20 is free to be reciprocated right and left.

The illustrated front sheet I5 is formed with openings 26, 2'I and 28 located directly behind the illustrated pieces I 1, I8 and I9 respectively. These openings are substantially of triangular form and have apexes at the bottom. They have diverging sides. The tops of these openings are arcuate. The illustrated piece I 'I is supported by a sheet material arm 30 which has one end portion 3| .attached to the back of the illustrated piece I'I by which the illustrated piece is supported. The end portion 3I connects with a section 32 which extends through the opening 25 and which connects With a downwardly extending section 33 which in turn passes through an opening 34 in the back sheet 20. The illustrated piece I8 is supported by a sheet material arm 35. This arm has lan end portion 355 attached to the back of the illustrated piece I3. The end portion 36 connects with a section 3'! which passes through the opening 2i and which connects with a section 38 passing through an opening 39 formed in the back sheet 20. The illustrated piece i9 is supported by a sheet material arm 4B. This arm 4G has an end portion 4| attached 'to the back of the illustrated piece I9. The end portion 4| connects with a section 42 extending through an opening 28 and connecting with a section 43 Which passes through an opening 44 formed in the back sheet 20.

The section 32 of the arm 30 rests edgevvise in the bottom apex of the opening 26 forming a fulcrum for the arm by which the illustrated piece l? is pivotally supported. The section 3'! of the arm rests edgewise in the bottom apex of the opening 2'.' forming a fulcrum for the arm 135 by which the illustrated piece i8 is pivotally supported, 'I'he section 42 of the arm 40 rests edgevvise in the bottom apex of the opening 28 by which the arm 43 is fulcruined and the illustrated piece i9 is pivotally supported. The diverging sides of the openings 2d, 2'! and 28 limit pivoting of the arm sections 32, 3'.' and 42, respectively.

The back sheet 2Q is associated with means by which it may be reoiprocated. This means includes an electric motor mounted Within the casing IG and provided with a bevel pinion 5I meshing with a bevel gear 52 mounted on a shaft 53 rotatively supported in standards 54 mounted within the casing HJ. The shaft 53 is provided with adisc 55. A connecting rod 55 is pivotally eccentrically connected with the disc 55 and connects with the back sheet 26. The back sheet 2) is formed With an opening 5l having several radiating cuts 58 'through Which the headed end 59 of the connecting rod 55 is engaged. Because of this construction the headed end 59 of the connecting rod 56 may be pulled out of the opening 5l, whenever desired, to disconnect the back sheet 20 from the reciprocating means, When thus disconnected the front illustrated sheet i5 is free to be removed and replaced.

The operation of the animated display may be understood from the following Rotations from the electric motor 50 will be transmitted to the disc 55 Which in turn will reciprocate the connecting rod 56 and the back sheet 2d. When the back sheet 28 reciprocates the inner ends of the

arms

30, 35 and i0 will be oscillated. Oscillation of these arms will oscillate the illustrated pieces i1, 8 and i9 and give the animated display motion. When desired the connecting rod 5B may bedisconnected from the back sheet 20 and then the top wall I2 may be pivoted upwards and the illustrated front sheet l5 slid up and removed from the casing lll. It may be replaced with another similar illustrated front sheet With parts corresponding With back sheet 20 and the means for supporting said back sheet 2G. In this way the display of the animated display may be changed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modications coming within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

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

l. An animated display, comprising a casing, an illustrated front sheet vertically mounted on said casing and having an opening, a back sheet reciprocally mounted upon the back of said front sheet, means for reciprocating said back sheet, an illustrated piece disposed upon the front of said front sheet, and an arm connected with said illustrated piece and passing through and having a bearing portion in said opening for supporting said illustrated piece and vhaving an inner end connected with said back sheet for 'moving said illustrated piece during reciprocation of said back sheet, said back sheet being re'ciprocally mounted on said front sheet by means of a rod connected with and supporting said backsheet, a block mounted on the baci: of said front sheet, and said rod being slidably connected with said'block.

2. An animated display, comprising a casing, an illustrated front sheet vertically mounted on saidcasing and having an opening, a back sheet reciprocally mounted upon .the back of said front sheet, means for reciprocating said baci; sheet, an illustrated piece disposed upon the front of said iront sheet, and an arm connected with said illustrated piece and passina through and having a bearing portion in said opening for supporting said illustrated piece and having an inner end connected with said back sheet for moving said illustrated piece during recprocation of said back sheet, said back sheet being reciprocally mounted on said front sheet by means of a rod connected with and supporting said back sheet, a block mounted on baci; of said front sheet, and said rod being slidably connected with said block by engaging through eyelets mounted on said block.

3, In a device of the class described having a vertically mounted front sheet and an illustrated piece disposed upon the front of said front sheet and Ysupported with an arm passing through an opening in said front sheet, means for moving said arm for moving said illustrated piece, comprising a back sheet to the back of said front sheet and in a plane parallel to the plane of said front sheet and provided with an opening into and through which said arm engages in order to move said arm when said back sheet is moved in a plane parallel to said front sheet, and a strip mounted on the back of said front sheet, said back sheet being slidably connected with said strip to slide in a plane parallel to said front sheet for-supporting said backv sheet to move 1ongitudinally back and forth in its plane in order that said back 'sheet may be reciprocated for moving said arm.

4. In an animated display, an illustrated front sheet having an opening of substantially triangular form positioned with an apex at the bottom between diverging sides,lan illustrated piece disposed to the front of said front sheet, and a sheet material arm having an end portion attached to said illustrated piece and a section extending through said opening at right angles in the plane of said front sheet and resting edgewise in said bottom apex forming a fulcrum for said sheet material arm by which said illustrated piece is pivotally supported within said opening.

5. In an animated display, an illustrated front 2,500,106 5 sheet having an opening of substantially trian- REFERENCES CITED gular form poltlongd Wtth an apex at the pot' The following references are of record in the' tom between dlverging sides, an illustrated piece me of this patent, disposed to the front of said front sheet, and a sheet material arm having an end portion at- UNITED STATES PATENTS Cil tached to said illustrated piece and a section ex- Number Name Date tending through said opening at right angles to 1,557 125 Wiehn Oct 13l 1925 the plane of said front sheet and resting edge- 2 053351 Stengel. Sept. 8, 1936 Wise in Said bottom apex forming a fulcrum for 2 1921763 Wehr Man 5) 1940 said sheet material arm by which said illustrated l0 piece is pvotally supported within said opening, and the diverging sides of said opening limiting pivoting of said sheet material arm.

JULIAN R. WEI-1R.