US2646639A - Animated display device - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1953 s T01-H 2,646,639

ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. l0, 1950 3 Shees--Sheevl l I S. TOTH ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE July 28, 1953 Filed Nov. 1o, 195o July 2s, 1953 s. TOTH v2,646,639

I ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE his AHorneg.

Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A 2,646,639 l ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE y Stephen Toth, Flushing, N.. Y., assigner to Shell Development Company, San. Francisco, Calif.,

a corporation of Delaware Application November' 10, 1950,- Se'ral No. 195,110'

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to animated display. devices wherein individual insignia are mounted for-movement and oscillation. Such devices are particularly useful in advertising, feature advertising and sales messages in the forms of one or more words or pictorial representations of the product container, human faces andgures, ani mals, insects, iiowers, etc., either in the form of cut-outs containing one or'more letters, Words, etc., or of written matter on a movable bodysuch as a 'small plaque..

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism for animated display devices that imparts an oscillatory or erratic movement to the individual insignia while or after said devicesmoved by an actuating device. A further object is to provide a device that is of extreme simplicity. Still another object is to provide an improved bill-board having a plurality of individually movable and oscillatabie insignia in fro-nt of the bill-board, the devices being provided with mechanism for intermittently raising and lowering the devices individually and successively `and causing the devices to oscillate independently. In summary, the above objects are achieved by mounting each insignia device in a separate re-v si'liel'it carrier, such as a combination of springs or a resilient arm that is given a support at one part thereof and has a movable part adapted for oscillatory movement, e. g., in a substantially vertical plane, and providing an actuating means', such as a shaft having cranksA or lift elements that engage the resilient carrier at a point away from the supported insignia device, preferably in succession, whereby the actuating device can impart movement Vto the insignia device while permittingthe latter to oscillate freely by fiexure of the part of the carrier between the insignia device and the point of engagement of the actuating vdevice with the carrier. In large devices, such as twenty-four sheet outdoor display billboards. the carrier comprises a slide that can oscillatevertically in a guide and to which the insignia device is fixed, the slide being provided With V a supporting resilient device, such `as a tension spring, which is fixed to a support, and with a second resilient device that' is connected in opposition to the first and is fixed to the actuating means. In smaller devices the resilient carrier may take Ythe form of a resilient arm extending outwardly from a support, the insignia device being secured to the outer end of the arm and the arm being supported, e. g., pivotally, toward the inner end thereof and being further engaged by the actuating means. near the inner end.

I In the embodiment using arms, the arms can `be suitably biased by any means to rotate inv one direction; itis preferred to rely on the forceof gravity by displacing thepvot axis either for wardly or rearwardly from the center of gravity of the arm and parts such as the insignia device, carried thereby, or by the springs, ete., and providing limit stop means for arresting the pivotal movement when each arm reaches a predetermined or normal positiony and the limit stop means being located a substantial distance in rear of the insignia device so that the latter will oscillate about a mean position by flexure of the resilient arm; in addition, actuating means are provided for intermittently displacing the several arms, preferably in succession, from their normal positions in any desired direction depending upon the bias and the disposition of the limit stop, and permitting the arms to return to their normal positions. It is preferred topermit the arm to remain in such normal positions an appreciable length of time suflicient to complete at least a plurality. of cycles of oscillations, but they may also be moved. pivotally during the oscillation. In the most convenient embodiment, to be described in detail, the arms are pivote'd rearwardly of the centers of gravity of the respective arms and supported insignia devices, so that the arms tend to pivot in directions tending to depress the front ends and insignia devices by force of gravity; moreover, the actuating means is preferably disposed forwardly of the pivot sup-e port and comprises cam devices provided, e. g.,

with one or more lift' iingers secured to a rotata.i ble power driven shaft for engagingthe under side of the arms and raising the arms from their normal positions during a part of the rotation of the shaft Aand releasing the arms to permit them to return rapidly to their normal positions.

Y oscillation of the insignia device being initiated by the inertia of the insignia device andthe arm tending to carry the front end. of the arm beyond the normal` position.

The invention. will be described more particu-i larly by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification andv showing certain illustrative embodiments thereof, where- 1n: I

Fig. 1 is a front elevation View of a bill-board embodying the invention;

Fig.` 2 is a rear elevation view of a portion of the device;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rear of a modied embodiment, parts being broken away;

Fig. is a vertical sectional view of the device of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 5 showing a modied construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1-3, the composite display device comprises an upright bill-board it suitably supported on a base Il. The bill-board' carries on the face thereof insignia to indicate an advertising or sales message that includes a plurality of movable insignia devices l2a, l2b and I2c, each device being a solid object bearing a literal or pictorial representation, here embodied by cut-outs of the individual letters B, U and Y and made of suitable material, such as wood, metal, plastic, etc. It is seen that the insignia devices are inv proximity to one another and bear representations related to the other devices to convey a message. The billboard carries a series of vertically-elongated openings i3 (see Fig. 3)`there being one opening behind each movable insignia, through which extend pins or bolts i4 by which the insignia devices are secured to corresponding, separately movable slides, only the slide l5 being shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each insigniaslide is mounted for vertical reciprocating vmovement'. in a guide comprising angles |611, l6b having a `pair of coplanar legs arranged to enter vertical slots in the sides of the slide l5 and having their outer legs fixed to any suitable support, such as vertical angles lla, lib, that are fixed to the bill-board.

The slide l5 is supported by a resilient carrier comprising a pair of resilient members acting in opposition. In this embodiment tension springs I8 and I9 are used as the resilient members. The upper end of the first spring I8 constitutes the supported part of the carrier and is secured to the support through a horizontal pin 2U carried by the angles l1, Ila and the lower end is xed to the slide l5 to afford vertical support thereto and urge it resiliently upward. The upper endof the second spring I9 is also xed to the slide i5 and the lower end thereof .is iixed to a metal collar 2| that is rotatably mounted on a crank oiset 22 of a crankshaft 23. The slide I5, together with the lower end of the upper spring and the upper end of the lower spring form the movable part of the carrier, and it is evident that the movable part,'together with the insignia device I2a, can oscillate freely by fleXure of the springs, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Each insignia device oscillatesup and down about a mean position (shown in solid lines) that is determined by the position of the lower end of the spring le. The crankshaft 23 may be driven continuously or ,intermittently by any suitable mechanism. In the embodiment shown, the shaft is driven by a belt drive assembly 24 from an electric motor 25 through a speed reducing gear assembly (not shown). The crankshaft 23 extends horizontally and parallel to the bill-board and has an oir-set for each movable insignia device. Thus, an oiset 22aI connected to a spring 190:, for actuating an adjoining insignia is shown in Fig. 2. These offsets are preferably at different angular orientations, whereby the lower ends of the springs I9 are moved out of phase with each other and the several movable insignia devices will move in succession instead of in unison. Thus, in- Fig.v l, the

' offsets-22 on one inch, giving two-inch strokes to` mean positions of the insignia devices, shown in solid lines, are at different elevations.

In operation, the oscillatory movement of the insignia devices can be made to exceed greatly the stroke of the crank offsets 22 by a suitable selection of spring stiffness. This magnification of the stroke of the crank stroke is a particular feature of the invention and is made possible by connecting the crank to the insignia device only through the resilient carrier, instead of directly to the insignia device or slide. By way of example, a typical installation, applied to a large, twentyfour 'sheet'outdoor billboard, the crank may have the lower ends of the springs I9; the slides i5 and insignia devices can be made to oscillate with vertical strokes as great as 24 inches. In such an installation the crankshaft 23 may, for example, be rotated at a speed of rev. per min. These dimensions, strokes and speed are, of course, merely illustrative, and it is possible to adapt the invention to use of relatively greater strokesv for the crank oiset and relatively smaller oscillatory movements.

Because the several movable insignia devices can all oscillate freely in their respective Acarriers, independently of each other, varying visual effects are produced that are effective in attract-V ing and holding the attention of an observer.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified form of the invention that is particularly intended for smaller advertising displays, suchas devices to be placed in shop windows, but which may also be employed for outdoor advertising. In this embodiment the display device comprises a front display panel or bill-board 30 which may have a part thereof recessed or set back as shown at 3l. rIhe device has an enclosure comprising a floor 32, a rear wall 33, a roof 34, and end walls 35 may optionally be provided and joined to the bill-board for housing the mechanism. The bill-board carries movable insignia to indicate an advertising or sales message. The movable insignia comprise a plurality of individually movable insignia devices 36a, 36h, etc., each device being a solid object bearing a literal or pictorial representation, here embodied by a plaque. These movable insignia devices are vertically movable upwardly from their normal positions as shown in solid lines for the insignia device 36a to a raised position. Further, each movable insignia device can oscillate upwards and downwards from the normal position thereof as indicated in dotted lines.

The oor carries a support 31 to which resilient arms 38a-38e, which may be made of stiff wire, are secured by retaining members 39, set back from the front edge of the support. Each arm has a transverse support part 40 at the rear serving as a pivot axis or spindle and the following parts forwardly of the pivot: a rst part Mextending substantially horizontally to a shoulder 42; a second part 43 extending upwardly from the shoulder; and a longer, third part 44 extending forwardly from top of the second part through one of the vertical slots 45o-45e in the billboard. Each movable insignia device is secured to the front of one of the arms in front of the billboard for support by the respective arm and movement therewith. The front edge of the support forms a limit stop at 46 against which the iirst part 4l of each arm rests when the arm is in the lower, normal position thereof. It is evident that, in view of the long distance between the stop 45 and the insignia device the latter will oscillate below .and above the normal position by exureof the resilient arm when the arm is dropped from a raised position to the normal position.

' For actuating the arms there are provided a horizontal shaft 41 extending transversely to the arms and beneath them, substantially parallel to the bill-board and near the shoulders 42; the shaft'is journalled in bracket supports 43a and 48h carried by the support. At each arm there is a cam device liga-4de, having` a plurality of lift fingers or abutments 50 that are secured for rotation with the shaft and are elongated axially with respect to the shaft and are disposed to engage the first parts 4| of the arms just in rear of the shoulders 42 uponrotation of the shaft in the clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 5 to lift the arms; the shaft is located so that the abut-- ments will move forwardly of the shoulders when the arms are raised upon continued rotation of the shaft, permitting the arms to drop by gravity to their normal positions. Any convenient number of lift abutments, e. g., four, may be used, and these should be preferably spaced angularly about the shaft so that the arms will not be engaged by a succeeding lift abutment.

It is, however, also possible to permit the arm to drop onto the succeeding lift abutment, by a closer spacing of the abutments .as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the lift abutment serves as the limit stop means, and the insignia device will oscillate about a gradually moving mean position. Thus,fthe shaft lll carries six ngcrs 5 l, the shaft being closer to the resilient arms and the angular interval being small enough so that the arm is supported by one finger at all times except while dropping from raised position. This causes the insignia devices to be moved continuously, as in the embodiment of Figs. 1-3.

lThe shaft All may be rotated by any suitable mechanism. In the embodiment shown this comprises a crank arm 52, formed by bending the endof the shaft, and located to be engaged by a pin 53 on a driving arm 5d which is xed to the shaft of a small electric motor 55 having a speed reduction gearing (not shown).

The cam devices G9a-49e for the several arms are preferably oriented differently on the shaft ll'l` so that the arms are not raised in unison but are moved in succession, to cause the movable insignia devices to move independently of each other, thereby causing varying visual effects. Hence the drive elements, constituted by the Afingers` 5t and 5l, are connected to the shaft `il, which is a common movable member, in different phase relations to engage the respective arms recurrently and successively. lThe visual effect created by the movable insigna devices, moving simultaneously and in different directions, i. e., the effect of multiple oscillation, is effective in attracting and holding the attention of an observer.

I claim as my invention:

1. Mechanism for an animated display device comprising, in combination: a support structure; avertical guide; an insignia device mounted for .reciprocating movement in said slide a resilient carrier for said insignia device comprising rst resilient means interconnected between said support structure and slide and affording upward support to the insignia device and second resilient means connected to said slide to urge said insignia device downwardly, whereby said insignia device can oscillate freely along said guide 4by ilexure of said first and second resilient means; and actuating means mounted on said support structure and connected to said second resilient means at a part thereof away from the insignia device for alternately increasing and decreasing the downward force of the second resilient means, whereby the insignia device can be moved vertically by said actuating means and is free to oscillate vertically independently of the movement of the actuating means.

2. Mechanism for an animated display device comprising, in combination: a vertical guide; a slide for said guide; an insignia device carried by said slide; a i'lrst tension spring having the upper end thereof fixed with respect to the guide and the lower end thereof secured to said slide; crankshaft beneath the slide; a second tension spring having the upper end thereof secured to said slide and the lower end thereof secured to an eccentric part of the crankshaft; and means for rotating said crankshaft, whereby said slide and insignia device will be moved vertically as said crankshaft is rotated and said slide and insignia device can oscillate freely independently ofthe movement of the crankshaft.

3. Mechanism for an animated display device comprising, in combination: a support; a plural'- ity of resilient insignia carrier arms extending forwardly from the support and mounted thereon for pivotal movementin a substantially vertical plane, each of said carrier arms having a first part extending forwardly substantially horizontally from the pivotal support, a second part extending upwardly from the first part to provide a shoulder at the forward end of the first part, and a third part extending forwardly from the second part; an insignia device xed to the front end of the third part of each carrier arm for movement therewith; limit stop means on said support spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from the movable insignia device for engaging said carrier arms and limiting the downward movement of the forward part of the carrier arms to predetermined positions, whereby the movable insignia devices can oscillate vertically by resilient flexure of the carrier arms when the arms are brought into engagement with the stop means; a horizontal shaft beneath and transverse to the carrier arm located near to said shoulder; one or more lift ngers on said shaft at each arm disposed to engage the under side of the first part of the arm rearwardly of said shoulder upon rotation of the shaft in a given direction thereby to raise the forward part of the arm pivotally from said predetermined position and, upon continued rotation of the shaft inthe same direction, to slide forwardly along the arm beyond the shoulder to permit the arm to return to said normal position, said ngers for the different arms being disposed in different angular relations to the shaft so as to move the respective arms in succession; and means for continuously rotating said shaft in said given direction.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the limit stop means is stationary and is located between said shoulder and the pivotal support of the carrier arm.

5. Mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the shaft has a plurality of angularly displaced lift fingers for each arm, the lingers being closely spaced in that the iirst part of the arm engages a succeeding arm upon being released by a preceding arm, that said succeed-ing arm being the limit stop means.

6. An animated display device comprising, in combination: a support; a plurality of resilient insignia carrier arms` pivotally mounted to said support forv individual pivotal. movements substantially vertical planes, each carrier' arm extending forwardly from the pivotal support thereof and biased to rotate toward a predetermined position; an insignia device fixed to a forward part of each carrier arm for support thereby and vertical movement therewith, said insignia. devices being in proximity to one another and each having a representation related to the others to convey a message; limit stop means spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from the movable insignia devices for limiting the pivotal movements of the carrier arms to said predetermined positions thereof, whereby each movable `insignia devices can oscillate vertically by resilient flexure of the respective carrier arm when the arm is in engagement with the stop means; and actuating means for imparting movements to said insignia devices including cam devices mounted on said support and disposed to engage the respective carrier arms at parts thereof spaced from the insignia devices to displace said arms recurrently and pivotally, said -cam devices being disposed in different phase relations to engage the several arms in succession, from their predetermined positions and releasing them for return to said positions.

7. An animated display device comprising, in combination: an upright bill-board; a plurality lof openings in said bill-board; a plurality of resilient insignia carrier arms pivotally supported for individual pivotal movements about a common horizontal axis in rear of and substantially parallel to said bill-board, each carrier arm extending forwardly from the pivotal support thereof through one of said openings and being -biased to move to a normal position; movable insignia in front of the bill-board comprising a separate movable insignia device fixed to the front end of each resilient carrier arm for support thereby and movement therewith; limit stop means for said carrier arms spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from said movable insignia devices for limiting the pivotal movement of the front ends of the carrier arms to said normal positions, whereby each movable insignia device can oscillate vertically by resilient iiexure of the respective carrier arm when the arm is brought into engagement with the stop means; a horizontal shaft in rear of the bill-board eX- tending transversely to said carrier arms and having a plurality of rotatable cam means fixed thereto, there being one cam for each carrier arm, disposed to engage the respective arm to cause pivotal movement of the forward part thereof from said normal position upon rotation of the shaft in a given direction and to release the respective carrier arm for return to said normal position upon continued rotation of the shaft in the same direction, said rotatable cam means being connected to said shaft at different orientations whereby at least some of said movable insignia devices will move in succession; and means for continuously rotating said shaft in the said given direction.

8. An animated display device comprising, in combination: an upright bill-board; a plurality of openings in said bill-board; a plurality of resilient insignia carrier arms pivotally supported for individual pivotal movements about a common horizontal axis in rear of and substantially parallel to said bill-board, each carrier arm extending forwardly from the pivotal support thereof in rear of the center of gravity of the carrier arm and parts carried thereby through one of said openings to move by. gravity to a normal position with thefront end thereof depressed; movable insignia in front of the bill-board comprising a separate movable insignia devicel xed to the front end of each resilient carrier arm for support thereby and movement therewith; limit stop means for said arms spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from said movable insignia devices for limiting the downward pivotal movement of the front ends of the carrier arms to said normal positions, whereby each movable insignia device can oscillate vertically by resilient flexure of the respective carrier arm when the arm is brought into engagement with the stop means; a horizontal shaft in rear of the bill-board extending transversely to said carrier arms and having a plurality of rotatable lift abutments fixed thereto, there being at least one lift abutment for each carrier arm, disposed to engage the respective carrier arm to cause pivotal movement of the forward part thereof upwardly from said normal position upon rotation of the shaft in a given direction and to release the respective carrier arm to drop to said normal position upon continued rotation of the shaft in the same direction, said rotatable lift abutments being connected to said shaft at different orientations whereby at least some of said movable insignia devices will move in succession; and means for continuously rotating said shaft in the said given direction.

9. An animated display device comprising, in combination: a support; a plurality of insignia carriers each of which has a supported part secured to the support, at least one resilient part. and a part movable with respect to said support upon iiexure of said resilient part; an insignia device secured to each carrier at the movable part thereof for independent oscillations of the several insignia devices with respect to said support by exure of the respective resilient parts of the carriers, said insignia devices being in proximity to one another and each bearing a representation related to the others to convey a message; and actuating means for imparting movement to said insignia devices including a common movable member mounted on said support and a plurality of drive elements operatively connected to said movable member in different phase relations to be recurrently and successively moved thereby relatively to said support, said drive elements vbeing disposed to engage the respective carriers at parts thereon spaced from the insignia devices by resilient parts of the carriers, whereby each insignia device is free to oscillate independently of said recurrent motions.

10. The display device according to claim 9 wherein the movable member is a rotatable shaft having the said drive elements connected thereto for movements in accordance with the angular position of the shaft, the drive elements for different carriers being connected in different angular relations to the shaft so as to move said parts of the carriers in succession.

l combination: an upright bill-board; a plurality of vertically elongated openings in said bill-board; a support in rear of the bill-board; a plurality of insignia carriers, one for each of said openings, each carrier having a supported part secured to the support at a fixed location on the support, at least one resilient part, and a part at the respective opening that is movable substantially vertically upon iiexure of saidresilient part; an insignia device in front of the bill-board at each opening therein and secured to the movable part of the insignia carrier thereat through the respective opening for independent, substantially vertical movements of the several insignia devices with respect to said support and bill-board by iiexure of the resilient parts of the several carriers; and actuating means for imparting substantially Vertical movements to said insignia devices including a common movable member on 10 the support and a plurality of drive elements connected to said movable member and connected thereto in diierent phase relations to be recurrently, successively and vertically moved thereby, said drive elements being disposed to engage the respective carriers at parts thereon separated from the insignia devices by resilient parts of the carriers to permit free oscillations of the insignia devices independently of the motions of the drive elements. Y

' STEPHEN TOTH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSr Number Name Date Re. 10,014 Grah Jan. 24, 1882 225,889 Stow Mar. 23, 1,880 360,900 OBrien Apr. 12, 1887 2,027,981 Jensen Jan. 14, 1936 2,184,675 Kehm Dec. 26, 1939 2,302,524 Borregard Nov. 17, 1942 2,363,438 Popper Nov. 21, 1944 2,546,227 Leonard Mar. 27, 1951

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