US2598954A

US2598954A - Display motor

Info

Publication number: US2598954A
Application number: US176588A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sheldon M Wengel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-07-29
Filing date: 1950-07-29
Publication date: 1952-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 1969-06-03

Description

June 3, 1952 s. M. WENGEL DISPLAY MOTOR Filed July 29 1950 INVENTOR.

She/don M. Wengel www,

Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT ortica DISPLAY MOTO-R Sheldon M. Wengel, Reedsburg, Wist.

Application July. 29, 1950, Serial No. 176,588

lThis invention` relates to improvements in display motors intended primarily for actuating a display device, such as. kone used for advertising purposes, wherein a movable part is given a continuing oscillatory movement by theY operation of ther motor.

The. principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient device which may be constructed at small cost and which will operate continuously without attention and without objectionable. noise. More particularly, the invention comprises an oscillatory device adapted to be moved by the intermittent energization of a solenoid which repels a magnet forming its core or armature so that repeated impulses are im,- parted to the device in response to its own movements. The improved display motor is capable of being operated upon a dry cell battery or the like and is so constructed that its operation may be conveniently discontinued by the simple operation of removing the battery. Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various features of construction, arrangement and mode of operation which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment is illustrated. In'the drawings,

Figure l shows a partial front elevation of a type of a displayv device having a movable part adapted to be oscillated by the display motor of the 'present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved display motor of the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged end elevation of the motor illustrated in Fig. 2-With a portion of the display device illustratedin Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view taken on the line del of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the circuit connections of the operatingparis 0f the display motor illustrated lin Figs. 2, 3 and el.

Display motors of the type to which the present invention relates are adapted to be employed in injunction with display cards used. .for advertising purposes, `such as the card IEI shown in Fig. l which has depicted thereon a representation of two wrestlers II and I2. The upper part oi the body 0i the Wrestler Il and the body of the Wrestler l2 are formed on a sheet of cardboard which isseparate from `that of the cardboard lo this movable vsheet I3 is adapted to be mounted upon an oscillatory devise Susi! as the shaftof a display motor.

11 Claims. (Cl. 172-126) The improved display motor of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 whereit is shown as comprising two lJ-shaped frame members Ill and l5. One frame member I4 has its arms Illa. directed downwardly. and apertures hib and Mc these arms are, adapted t0 be snapped into engagement with the usual contact terminals at the end of a d ry cell battery I6. The transverse wall 14d of the frame member I4 is secured tol the transverse wall ld of the member I5 which is arranged Wthits arms lia extending vertically in planes which are transverse t0 the planes. 0f the arms Illa, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. A shaft Il is. journals@ in the upper ends 0f the arms 15a and has one end reversely bent to form a loop Ila wnieh is adapted to be snapped into engagement with a suitable fastening device at the rear of the card I3 so that when the shaft Il is oscillated in its bearings a corresponding oscillatory movement will be imparted to the card I3 which bears the representations of the wrestler I2 and the upper partof the body of the wrestler II. A U-shaped metal clip I8 extends across the top ends of the arms I5a and the downturned ends I8a of this clip are apertured for engagement by the shaft I1, thus forming an electric connection between the opposite arms Ia. A plate 20 formed of lead or the like is attached to the shaft l1 beneath the clip I8 to serve as a counterweight for the card I3 which is to be os.- cillated by the shaft. This counterweight 29 has upwardly extending ears 29a. which are apertured for engagement by the shaft I1 and it is otherwise secured as hereinafter described.

A solenoid 22 is seated upon the back wall ld of the frame member I5 between the parallel arms I5a. This solenoid comprises a central spool 22a. formed of insulating material, end plates 22h which are also formed of insulating material, and the winding 22e. The aperture 2 which extends through the spool 22a is adapted to receive an arcuate actuating member 23 which may be formed of eopper wireor the like and which comprises a semicircular. portion 23a connected to inwardly extending arms 23h having their inner extremities soldered or otherwise secured to the shaft I1 and to the counterweight 29. The counterweight is preferably provided with flanges 2Gb which are bent upwardly on opposite sides of the arms 23h of the actuating member for holding the parts more securely7 in assembled relation. Thus, the actuating member 23 is free to oscillate through the central bore of the spool 2,211. of the solenoid in response to the oscillations of the shaft I1,

central portion of the arcuate part 23d of the actuating member 23 is substantially straight as shown at 23e and this part has mounted thereon the permanently magnetized core 25 of the solenoid 22. This core might be formed of iron or other magnetizable material but much better results are obtained if it is formed as a permanent magnet, preferably a magnet formed of a suitable metal alloy, such as an alloy known to the trade as Alnico V, marketed by the Indiana Steel Products Company of Chicago, Illinois, which consists of 8 parts of aluminum, 14 parts of nickel, 24 parts of cobalt, 3 parts of copper, and the remaining 51 parts of iron. When the solenoid 22 is energized, the magnetized core 25 is repelled endwise, thus causing the actuating member 23 to impart an oscillatory movement to the shaft I1 whereby a corresponding movement of the card I3 is effected.

For the purpose of energizing the solenoid 22 periodically, there is provided an electric circuit 2B, shown in Fig. 5, which includes the winding 22e of the solenoid, the battery I6, and two contacts 29 and ail. The contact 29 is in the form of a small metal plate secured to and depending from the underside of the counterweight 20, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. When the actuating member 23 and the magnet 25 are in their normal positions, the contact 29 overlaps slightly the upper end of the contact 30 which is in the form of a metal leaf spring having its lower end secured to a bracket 3| which is secured to an arm I5a of the frame member I5 and insulated therefrom by members 32. This contact spring is connected to one terminal of the winding 22o of the solenoid and the other end of the winding is connected to the terminal of the battery I6 as indicated diagrammatically at I6 in Fig. 5. The electric circuit represented by the conductor 26 in Fig. 5 is formed by the counterweight 20, the shaft Il, and the frame I5 so that when the two contacts 29 and 30 are engaged, the circuit is completed and an impulse is imparted to the actuating member 23 as a result of the reaction between the solenoid and the permanent mag net 25.

The contact spring 39 is of substantial length and is adapted to retain contact with the contact member 29 through a limited arc of travel of the member 29, whereupon the contact is broken, the solenoid is deenergized, and the permanent magnet 25 and the shaft I1 returned to their initial positions, whereupon the contact is again completed and new impulses imparted to the actuating member 23 and the shaft, thus moving the shaft and the display card I3 through a substantial angle in the opposite direction. For example, if the permanent magnet 25 is magnetized with the south pole thereof to the right and the north pole thereof to the left as seen in Fig. 4 and if the solenoid is wound so that energization thereof produces a south pole at the right end thereof and a north pole at the left end thereof, the respective poles of the magnet 25 and the solenoid 22 will repel each other. Consequently, the magnet 25 and the actuating member 23 will then swing in its arc of travel, for example, to the left. As soon as the south pole of the magnet passes the center of the solenoid 22, the north pole of the coil will then begin to attract the south pole of the magnet in order further to propel the magnet to the left. However, before the right end or south pole of the magnet reaches the left end or north pole of the solenoid in traveling to the left the contacts 29 and 30 will separate and interrupt the energizing circuit for ,the solenoid 22 to permit the magnet 25, due to its momentum, to continue swinging in its arc of travel to the left beyond the left end of the solenoid. After the peak of the left-hand swing or travel of the magnet 25 is reached, it starts its return swing to the right. After the center of the magnet 25 reaches the center of the solenoid. as it swings to the right, the

contacts

29 and 35 are reclosed in order to reenergize the solenoid. 22. By the time the solenoid is fully energized,` the momentum of the magnet 25 in swinging toward the right, carries the center thereof a slight distance to the right of the center of the solenoid. Consequently, the south and north poles of the permanent magnet 25 will now be repelled toward the right by the respective south and north poles of the solenoid 22. Also, as soon as the left or north pole of the magnet 25 passes the center of the solenoid 25 it will be further attracted by the right or south pole of the solenoid 22 in order further to propel the magnet toward the right. Before the north pole or left end of the magnet 25 reaches the south pole or right end of the solenoid 22 in its travel toward the right, the contacts 29 and 30 are again separated in order to interrupt the energizing circuit for the solenoid 22. This permits the magnet 25, due to its momentum, to swing in its arc of travel toward the right some distance beyond the right end of the solenoid. After the magnet 25 reaches the peak of the right end swing it starts its return swing toward the left whereby the above described cycle of operation is repeated. In this way, there is provided a self-operating device which continually makes and breaks contact and which continues in operation as long as the battery Iii supplies energy to the circuit.

One terminal 34 of the battery I6 is connected by a conductor 35 to a terminal of the solenoid winding 22e opposite that to which the leaf spring 30 is connected and the other terminal of the battery is connected to the frame I4 through the cup-shaped socket I4c. The frame I4 is somewhat resilient so that the battery I5 may be readily snapped into and out of engagement with the frame I4 and, when it is desired to stop the operation of the device, the battery I5 may be readily removed for that purpose.

The arm I5a of the upper frame member I5 adjacent to the fitting I'Ia which is provided on the shaft, is provided with two metal clips 55 which are riveted to the arm I5a at their upper ends and which have their outer ends spaced therefrom so that they may receive on their inner sides, between their offset portions and the arm I5a,"the body portion of the card I0, as shown in Fig. 3. The clips 35 are passed into engagement with the card I0 by being inserted through apertures IIla which are formed in the card. By this arrangement, the display motor may be readily attached to a display card associated with the part which is to be oscillated.

In order to prevent excessive vibration of the contact spring 30 and the excessive noise which sometimes accompanies such Vibration, a small sheet of felt 36 or the like is slitted longitudinally as shown at 36a and engaged by the leaf spring between its xed support and the upper free end thereof, as illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. It has been found that this sheet of felt which bears against an arm I5a of the frame I5 at its upper end and against the top of the solenoid at its lower end iseifective in preventing undue vibration of the contact spring so that the oscillatory device operates with a minimum of noise.

It will be apparent that the duration ofthe energization of the solenoid and the amount of power exerted thereby in applying impulses to the permanent magnetic core may be regulated by varying the length of eitherl of the contacts 29 or 30, in order to vary the length of time they remain in contact.` When the spring 30 is flexed to a predetermined extent the end of the spring snaps under the end of the contact 2S and then occupies a position on the other side thereof upon the return stroke of the actuating member 23. In this way the solenoid repels the magnet in both directions with the same force with two impulses for each cycle.

Although one form of the invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various other embodiments which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A' display motor comprising, a pivotally mounted member adapted to be oscillated, an actuating member connected to said pivotally mounted member, a permanent magnet mounted on said actuating member, a solenoid surrounding said magnet for oscillating said magnet by alternately repelling the same in opposite directions in response to successive energizations of said solenoid, an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid, and means including a single pair of contacts for closing said circuit each time said permanent magnet passes through the same predetermined point in its oscillatory movement through said solenoid, whereby said solenoid is successively energized to alternately repel said magnet in first and second directions away therefrom.

2. A display motor comprising, a pivotally mounted member adapted to be oscillated, an actuating member connected to said pivotally mounted member, a permanent magnet mounted on said actuating member, a solenoid surrounding said magnet for controlling oscillatory movement of said permanent magnet each time it passes through said solenoid, a rst contact movable with said pivotally mounted member, a second contact adapted to be temporarily engaged by said first contact each time said magnet passes through a predetermined point of said solenoid during oscillatory movement, and an electric circuit for completing an energizing circuit for said solenoid to control said oscillatory movement of said magnet each time said contacts are temporarily engaged.

3. A display motor comprising, a pivotally mounted member adapted to be oscillated, an actuating member connected to said pivotally mounted member, a permanent magnet mounted on said actuating member, a solenoid surrounding said magnet for controlling oscillatory movement of said permanent magnet each time said magnet passes through said solenoid, a first contact movable with said pivotally mounted member, a second contact in the form of a leaf spring fixed at one end and having its free end positioned to be engaged by said first contact each time said magnet passes through a predetermined point of said solenoid and to move therewith through a predetermined path of travel of said magnet before said first contact is separated therefrom, a battery, and an electric circuit including said contacts and said battery for energizing said solenoid to control said oscillatory movement of said permanent magnet during the time interval said contacts are engaged.

4. A display motor comprising, a pivotally mounted member adapted to be oscillated, an actuating member connected to said pivotally mounted member, a permanent magnet mounted on said actuating member, a solenoid surrounding said magnet for controlling oscillatory movement of said permanent magnet each time said magnet passes through said solenoid, a first contact movable with said pivotally mounted member, a second contact in the form of a leaf spring fixed at one end and having its free end positioned to be engaged by said first contact eachtime said magnet passes through a predetermined point of said solenoid and to move therewith through a predetermined path of travel of said magnet before said first contactis separated therefrom, a battery, an electric circuit including said contacts and said battery for energizing said solenoid during the time interval said contacts are engaged, and means for damping the vibrations of said second contact.

5. The combination in a display motor, of a U- shaped bracket, a shaft journaled in the arms of said bracket, means for connecting said shaft with a member to be oscillated, a solenoid having its spool extending transversely to the axis of said shaft, an actuating member transversely secured to said shaft, a permanent magnet supported within said spool by said actuating member `and adapted to be repelled from said spool by magnetic repulsion to oscillate said shaft each time said solenoid is energized, a first contact, a second contact secured to said shaft for momentarily engaging said second contact each time said magnet passes through the center of said spool in opposite directions, and an electrical circuit including said first and second contacts for momentarily energizing said solenoid each time said'first and second contacts are closed in order to generate suiiicient magnetism to propel said permanent magnet.

6. 'I'he combination in a display motor, of a U-shaped bracket, a shaft journaled in the arms of said bracket, means for connecting said shaft with a member to be oscillated, a solenoid secured between the arms of said bracket and having a central aperture directed transversely to the axis of said shaft, an actuating member' transversely secured to said shaft, a leaf spring fixed at one end and extending toward said shaft, a contact fixed on said shaft for te. porarily engaging said leaf spring each time said shaft is oscillated, a battery, an electric circuit including said leaf spring and said contact and said battery for energizing said solenoid to generate a magnetic force, and a permanent magnet secured to said actuating member for longitudinal movement through said aperture in opposite directions to control said oscillations of said shaft, said magnetic force generated by said solenoid repelling said permanent magnet alternately in opposite directions in response to successive energizations of said solenoid.

'7. The combination in a display motor, of a U-shaped bracket, a shaft journaled in the arms of said bracket, means for connecting said shaft with a member to be oscillated, a solenoid secured between the arms of said bracket and having a central aperture directed transversely to the axis of said shaft, an actuating member transversely secured to said shaft, a leaf spring fixed at one end and extending toward said shaft, a contact fixed on said shaft for temporarily engaging said leaf spring each time said shaft is oscillated, a battery, an electric circuit including said leaf spring and said contact and said battery for energizing said solenoid to generate a magnetic force, a permanent magnet secured on said actuating member for longitudinal movement through said aperture in opposite directions to control said oscillations of said shaft, said `magnetic force generated by said solenoid repelling said magnet in said opposite directions in response to successive energizations of said solenoid, and a strip of nonmetallic material engaged by said leaf spring between its ends to dampen the vibration thereof.

8. A direct current motor comprising, in combination, a solenoid having a central opening therethrough, a permanent magnet mounted for oscillatory movement through said solenoid opening, a direct current circuit for energizing said solenoid, energization of said solenoid when said magnet is moving in a first direction and when the center of said magnet is at the approximate center of said solenoid producing a force that repels and then attracts said magnet further in said first direction and energization of said solenoid when said magnet is moving in a second direction and when the center of said magnet is at the approximate center of said solenoid producing a force that repels and then attracts said magnet in said second direction, and contact means controlled each time the center of said magnet is moved in either direction through the approximate center of said solenoid for closing said circuit and con trolled each time the center of said magnet is moved in either direction somewhat beyond the approximate center of said solenoid for opening said circuit.

9. A. direct current motor comprising, in combination, a frame member for said motor including two upstanding spaced apart plates, a solenoid supported between said upstanding plates and having an aperture therethrough, a shaft supported .between said plates for oscillatory rotary movement, an actuating member secured to said shaft between said plates, a permanent magnet secured to said actuating member and adapted to swing through said aperture in opposite directions, a contact secured to one of said plates, a battery, a clamp securing said battery to said frame member, a rst circuit including in series one terminal of said battery and said solenoid and said contact, a second circuit including in series another terminal of said battery and said clamp and said frame and said shaft, and means controlled by oscillatory movement of said shaft for momentarily interconnecting said first and second circuits to momentarily energize said solenoid each time said permanent magnet swings through the aperture in said solenoid in either direction, momentary energization of said solenoid producing a force that propels said magnet away from said solenoid in a first direction when said magnet is moving in said first direction and momentary energization of said solenoid producing a force that propels said magnet away from said solenoid in a second direction when said magnet is moving in said second direction, said movement of said magnet alternately in said rst and second directions controlling said actuating member to oscillate said shaft.

10. A direct current motor comprising, in combination, a solenoid having a central opening therethrough, a pivotal shaft, a permanent magnet connected to said shaft for swinging movement in opposite directions through the opening in said solenoid, a direct current circuit for energizing said solenoid, and contact means controlled each time the center of said magnet swings through the center of said solenoid for completing said circuit and for then interrupting said circuit as soon as the center of said magnet reaches a predetermined point beyond the center of said solenoid, said energizations of said solenoid generating a repelling force to propel said magnet away from said solenoid in the same direction that said magnet is swinging through said solenoid.

11. The combination set forth in ciaim 8, wherein said permanent magnet and said energized solenoid are arranged with like magnetic poles at corresponding ends thereof.

SHELDON M. 'vi/'ENGEL REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 671,660 Schmelz Apr. 9, 1901 1,893,025 Gregory Jan. 3, 1933 2,109,953 Bates Mar. 1, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 35,885 Austria Jan. 25, 1009