US2796687A

US2796687A - Display device

Info

Publication number: US2796687A
Application number: US548955A
Authority: US
Inventors: Baumgarth John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-11-25
Filing date: 1955-11-25
Publication date: 1957-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1974-06-25

Description

June 25, 1 957 J. BAUMGARTH DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1955 United States atent DISPLAY DEVICE John Baumgarth, Melrose Park, Ill.

Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 548,955

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-120) The present invention relates generally to display devices and more particularly to desk calendars.

The usual novelty desk calendar has a disadvantage in that its lightness and general construction renders it liable to be knocked over and off the desk supporting it. For that reason, small simple desk calendars have not achieved a high degree of popularity despite the convenience that they unquestionably afiord. A more practical construction for a novelty desk calendar has recently been devised which includes a pair of rockers and a weight bar that is displaced upwardly whenever the device is rocked on its rockers. The weight bar incidentally gives the device sufficient weight so that it is not easily knocked around and ofi the desk, and the construction is such that the unit always returns to an upright position on rockers whenever it is knocked down. This latter feature also imparts play appeal to the novelty which enhances its value as an advertising medium, it being usual to carry an advertising message on the device in addition to the calendar information.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved display device of the type described immediately above which is constructed to incorporate the above-described features in a rugged yet graceful assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved display device that may be constructed simply and economically and which requires a minimum of extraneous components.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a display device of the type described above which includes a plastic plate-like body portion with disc-like rockers at each end, and in which a weight rod that holds the body portion upright is totally supported by and encased in a plastic pocket that may be made integral with the body portion, thus achieving an economy in the plastic production.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forth with particularity in the claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view actual size representation of the display device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2; and

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the unit on a somewhatreduced scale.

The invention provides a display device which comprises a plate-like body portion, with first and second disc-like members affixed to the body portion at opposite ends thereof in spaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane of the body portion. The disc-like members each extend a certain distance beyond an edge of the body portion to form rockers for the device. An

elongated tubular supporting member is affixed to the edge of the body portion, and this member has a diameter less than the certain distance. And, a weight rod is enclosed in and supported by the supporting member to maintain the body portion essentially in an upright p07 sition.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the display device of the present invention includes a plate-like body portion 10 which is composed of any suitable plastic material. The calendar pad 11 is mounted on the body portion 10 on a pair of

plastic pins

12 and 13 formed integral with the body portion. The body portion may also include a panel area 14 on which any suitable advertising message may be inscribed or otherwise supported.

The body portion 10 has first and second disc-

like members

15 and 16 formed integral therewith at opposite ends of the body portion and composed of plastic material. The disc-

like members

15 and 16 are in spaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane of the body portion. These disc-like members extend a certain distance beyond the lower edge of the body portion 10 so as to form rockers for the device.

A plastic elongated tubular supporting member 17 is formed integral with the lower edge of the body portion 19 and extends from one disc-

like member

15, 16 to the other; and the supporting member 17 has a diameter that is less than the distance the disc-like members extend beyond the lower edge. A relatively heavy metallic weight rod 18 is completely enclosed and supported by the supporting member 17 and the weight rod extends the length of the supporting member.

It can be seen that Whenever the device is knocked down so that the body portion 10 is in a horizontal position, the weight rod 18 is lifted up from the supporting surface and the pull of gravity on the weight rod returns the body portion 10 to an essentially upright position. It

is usual to position the weight rod so that the body portion is inclined slightly to the vertical for convenience in reading the information on the face of that portion.

Applicants improved construction produces a rugged and graceful display device having the desirable features sufiicient weight so that it cannot easily be knocked around, and the novelty appeal of returning to an upright position whenever it is knocked down. When placed on a desk or other supporting surface, it is not subject to the annoyance of being easily knocked over or ofi the supporting surface. Indeed, apart from its feature of maintaining an upright position, it has sufiicient weight additionally to function as a paperweight. The unit is conveniently formed of an integral plastic construction for economy in manufacturing and graceful appearance.

It is usual and convenient to construct the device of the invention of polystyrene, and standard injection molding techniques can be used. The weight rod is conveniently held in the mold cavity during the molding operation by magnetic means.

The invention provides therefore, a display device that can be conveniently and cheaply made, and which has a high utility and novelty appeal.

I claim:

1. A display device including in combination a platelike body portion of plastic material, first and second disc-like plastic members formed integral with said body portion at opposite ends thereof in spaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane of said body portion, said disc-like members each extending a certain distance beyond an edge of said body portion to form rockers for the device, a plastic elongated tubular supporting member formed integral with said edge of said body portion extending from one of said disc-like members to the other and having a diameter less than said certain disjacent to said tubular supporting member and between .7

said disc-like members,-and a'relatively heavy metallic weight rod enclosed andsupported entirely by said supporting member and extending the length of said supporting member, said weight rod tending to maintain said body portion in anes sentially upright position.

2. A display device including in combination, a vertically extending plate-like body portion of plastic material, first and second disc-like plastic members formed integrally with said body portionat opposite ends there of in spaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane" of s'a'idlbody portion, said body portion extending substantially diametrically'across said disc-like members and having an upper edge extending a substantial distance above the upper edgeportion of said disc-like members and having a. lower edge terminating adjacent tot the lower edge portion of said disc-like members, with said disc-likemembers forming rockers for the device, aplastic elongatedrtubular' member formed integral with said lower edge of said body portion and integral Withand extending from one of said disc-like members to the other and having a diameter less than the distance between said lower edge of said body portion and the lower edge portion of said disc-like members, a calendar pad secured to said body portion adjacent to said tubular member and between said disc-like members, and a relatively heavy metallic Weight rod enclosed in and supported entirely by said tubular member and extending the length of said tubular member, said Weight rod tending to maintain said body portion in an essentially upright position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Webb June 6, 1899 Lewis Aug. 28, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 13,-1898