US3027667A - Animated display sign - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1962 Filed March 26, 1959 F. DRUECK, JR

ANIMATED DISPLAY SIGN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ira/W fleoi raecificlx April 1962 F DRUECK, JR 3,027,667

ANIMATED DISPLAY SIGN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1959 I I-cz/er-zzbr Had fire; @635, c)!

Gabi r280 April 3, 1962 F. DRUECK, JR 3,027,667

ANIMATED DISPLAY SIGN Filed March 26, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ra JET/sci pruficie, c/r

United States Patent 3,li27,bh7 Patented Apr. 3, 1%62 3,027,667 ANMATEI) DISPLAY SIGN Fred Drueclr, Jr., 4941 W. Henderson, Chicago, Ill. Filed Mar. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 802,090 8 Claims. (Cl. 40-104) The present invention relates to an animated display, and more particularly to that character of display which employs a moving page or panel or plurality of such pages or panels to fold back and forth like the pages of a book or magazine. More particularly, the invention contemplates such a display as is susceptible of manufacture by stamping and packaging in knock-down form.

Animated displays have been produced for various advertisers employing various constructions in order to attract the prospective customers attention in public gathering places, railroad stations, bus depots, store windows, and the like. Most of these animated displays are relatively expensive to build and are single purpose items.

The present invention has as one of its principal objects the development of an animated display which is susceptible of volume manufacture from out paperboard, and yet which is sufliciently durable to give trouble-free operation throughout its anticipated usable lifetime.

Another object of the invention is to provide the amimated display with pages for turning which can be removed and replaced with other pages having different advertising material or printed indicia.

Still another object of the invention is to furnish an animated display device with a power drive which can be removed when the useful advertisement life of the display is terminated and inserted in another display device thereby reducing the cost of successive display devices to the irreducible minimum.

Still a further object of the invention is to furnish an animated display with turning pages in which the time relation between the turning of the various pages can be selectively controlled by the manufacturer to the particular display work involved for each advertising program.

An even further object of the invention is to provide a construction for an animated display out of cut paperboard which is sturdy, dependable and attractive.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of one embodiment shown for illustrative purposes in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the illustrative animated display showing the left hand page as it is being turned over to fold on top of the right hand page.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the animated display shown in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the animated display shown in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective partially broken, exploded view of the drive mechanism of the animated display device shown in FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the motor drive illustrating in phantom lines the successive positions of the drive.

FIGURE 6 is a partially broken, partially diagrammatic view of the drive mechanism shown when two pages are folded atop each other.

FIGURE 7 is a view successive to FIG. 6 showing one of the pages at its mid-point in folding.

FIGURE 8 is a view successive to FIG. 7 with the first page reversely folded and the second page at its mid-point in folding.

FIGURE 9 is a view successive to FIG. 8 showing both pages fully reversely folded from the condition shown in FIG. 6.

FIGURE 10 is a partially broken, enlarged perspective of an upper rear corner of a page showing the relationship between the hinge support and cam follower tab.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged perspective, partially broken view of a laminated page construction showing a reinforced hinge tab and page back.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective rear view of a modified embodiment in which the drive mechanism and mounting construction employs three pages rather than the two page device illustrated in detail in FIGS. 1 through 11.

The advantageous features contemplated by the invention will be best understood in the light of a description of an operative unit. In FIG. 1 there is shown an animated display unit 19 which includes a display board 11 and a pair of page inserts 12. The display board 11 is attached to a stand 14 which is the support unit for the entire animated display 10. When. supplied with a battery-operated power unit (as will be described hereinafter) the page inserts 12 move sequentially from left to right and then right to left, so that with two page inserts, four separate advertising displays may be flashed for the viewer to see.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the display board 11 is provided with a frame-like border 15 which is formed by folding the perimeter of the display board and inserting locking tabs 16 into pre-formed slots 13. The stand 14 is similarly formed with a back portion 19 and side portions 20. The side portions 20 are locked together by means of a back panel 21 having locking tabs 22 its end portions which make the locking slots 24 in the stand sides 20. The stand back 19 is secured to the display board 11 by glue or other suitable attachment means.

Each page insert 12 is provided with a hinge hook 25 at two separate locations which are proportioned to be engaged in the hinge hook slots 26. In addition, as will be seen in greater detail in FIG. 10, a single cam follower tab 28 is provided as an extension from the rear of each page insert 12. To provide for best support, the cam follower tabs 28 are advantageously positioned at mid-points between the hinge hooks 25. A cam follower slot 29 is provided through the display board back 11 and the stand back 19 (see FIG. 4). In this manner the page inserts 12 may be readily attached and removed from the display board 11 with the cam follower tabs and hinge hooks engaging their respective slots by means of insertion at an upper position and then lowering until the hinge hook jaw 27 hooks over the lower edge of the hinge hook slot 26.

Turning now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that a cam arm 39 is provided to actuate the page inserts 12 by means of the sequential engagement of the cam follower tabs 28 with the cam lobes 31. The cam arm is pivoted at its lower end by a pivot pin which passes though a pivot pin hole in the lower portion of the pivot arm 30 and the stand back 19 and may advantageously be riveted or otherwise secured at its far end where it penetrates through the display board 11. The cam arm 30 is pie-shaped with an arcuate enlarged upper edge 35 which is retained by the pivot arm retainer 36. The pivot arm retainer 36 is a U-shaped member having a pair of support legs 38 which are secured to support leg backs 39 which are in turn fastened to the stand back 19 thereby defining a pivot retaining slot 40 between the lower extremity of the pivot arm retainer and the stand back 19. When the arcuate upper portion 35 of the pivot arm 30 is secured within the pivot arm retainer slot, the cam arm 30 reciprocates about the axis defined by the pivot pin and drives the page inserts 12.

The cam arm drive mechanism 41 (see FIG. 5) includes a drive mechanism mounting stand 42 with an upper reversely pent portion 44 terminating in a mounting tab 45. The lower portion of the stand 42 similarly terminates in a mounting tab 46. Both the upper and lower mounting tabs 45, 46 engage a drive mechanism mounting slot 48. The mounting slot 48 is defined bya drive mechanism mounting slot cover 49 secured to backing pieces 50, the backing pieces 50 being secured as by gluing to the back 19 of the display stand and the mounting slot back 49.

FIG. discloses in greater detail the power unit which, as pointed out above, is supported by a drive mechanism mounting stand 42 to the rear face of which the battery box 50 is secured. A pair of flash light batteries 51 are slipped within the battery box 5% and power a small electric motor 52 to which a rotating motor drive arm 54 is attached. The motor drive arm has a mounting hole 55 to which the drive link 56 is coupled. The drive link 56 has an offset bend 58 in its end portion which permits it to be slipped in and out of engagement with the motor drive arm 54 through the mounting hole 55. As the motor drive arm 54 rotates, a reciprocating motion is imparted to its opposite end which terminates in a female fastener 59. The female fastener 59 is engaged by snapping it onto the male fastener 60 which in turn is fixed to a mid-position of the cam arm 30. As a result, the cam arm drive mechanism 41 can be engaged with any display unit by merely slipping the mounting tabs 45, 46 into the drive mechanism mounting slots 48 and then snapping the drive link fastener 59 onto the cam arm fastener 60. When the batteries are connected the cam arm 30 begins to reciprocate to a pre-determined speed governed by the selection of the motor 52 and its speed reducing gears (not shown).

The cam arm 30 has a cam lobe cut out portion 61 which is flanked by the cam lobes 31. A lower hinge hook cut out portion 62 is provided so that the lower hinge books 25 do not interfere with the travel of the cam arm 30 during its reciprocation.

The actual operation of the drive mechanism is illustrated sequentially in FIGS. 6 through 9 inclusive, at the upper portion of which is diagrammatically illustrated the relative positions of the page inserts 12. In FIG. 6 the two pages are atop each other at the left hand portion of the display unit as viewed from the rear. In this configuration, the cam follower tabs 28 are parallel and relatively fiat with the back of the cam arm 30. As the cam arm 30 begins its swing to the left, 'as shown in FIG. 7', the upper cam lobe 31 engages the upper cam follower tab 28' and moves the corresponding page in- Sert-12 to the straight fore and aft position as diagrammed. It will be noted that the hinge hook cut out portion preeludes physical interference between the page insert hinge hook 25 and the cam arm 30.

As the cam arm 30 proceeds to its furthest position to the left as shown in FIG. 8 the upper cam follower tab 28 is flattened rearwardly and its corresponding page insert 12 flattened against the front of the display unit. The lower cam lobe 31 then engages, the lower cam follower tab 28 and moves its corresponding page insert to the straight fore and aft position as shown diagrammatically at the top of FIG. 8. In this position, the page insert hinge hook 25 in the upper most position flattens in a relationship parallel to the upper cam follower tab 28 and the lower hinge hook 25 is in a straight fore and aft position still having adequate clearance supplied by the hinge hook cut out 62.

Finally the condition seen in FIG. 9 is reached which is the opposite of that shown in FIG. 6 in that both page inserts have been completely turned. As the drive link 56 commences its travel to the right the mirror image of the action shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 occurs. Throughout the entire cycle the cam arm 30 is subjected to various pressures which are met by the body strength of the cam arm 3% reinforced by the cam arm body side flanges 64.

It will be readily appreciated that a wide variety of timing sequences can be achieved by varying the position and configuration of the cam lobe 31 and varying the stroke as well as speedof reciprocation of the drive link 56. In larger units, or units which will be intended for longer usage, an alternative reinforced page insert construction of the character shown in FIG. 11 may be employed. In the alternative page insert construction, the page insert body portion is made up of two laminations 65 which diverge at their ends 66 to accommodate there between a hinge hook and tab member 68.

FIG. 12 illustrates further modification of the animated display unit 10 where three pages with three cam follower tabs 28 are engaged by oifset groups of three cam lobes 31. It is contemplated that various multiples of page inserts may be used within the scope of the present invention, limited only by the available strength requirements of the material used.

In review it will be seen that an animated display unit 10 has been disclosed and described which can be inexpensively fabricated from cut paperboard. Despite the employment of relatively inexpensive materials, the unit presents a picture of stability and has proved itself sufficiently durable to operate continuously throughout a several-week advertising campaign. The power unit 41 may be transferred from a discarded display unit to a new one by means of a snap fastener which also serves to journal the drive link 56. Different drive links may be readily inserted into the motor drive arm 54 depending upon the construction of the particular display unit.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of the animated display sign as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification, and appended claims.

I claim:

1. An animated display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment to the display board, hinge means sequentially staggered on the page inserts, second hinge means on said display board. whereby the page inserts are removably and hingedly secured to the display board for turning to simulate page turning, cam follower means extending from each page insert of sufficient rigidity to turn the page insert about its hinged attachment when actuated, a cam arm pivotally supported by the display board, staggered cam means on the cam arm to sequentially engage the respective cam follower means when the cam arm is pivoted. and drive means connected to the cam arm to provide for reciprocatingly pivoting the cam arm about its pivotal connection to the display board in response to which the page inserts are sequentially turned first in one direction and then in the opposite direction by intermittently applying turning forces from opposite directions to each of the cam follower means from the respective cam means.

2. An animated display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment-to the display board, sequentially staggered hinge means on each of said page inserts, second hinge means on said display board whereby the page inserts are removably and hingedly secured to the display board for turning to simulate page turning, a cam follower tab extending from each page insert of sufiicient rigidity to turn the page insert on its hinged attachment when actuated, a cam arm pivoted at one end to the rear of the display board and having a cam lobe open portion spaced from its pivot and adapted to receive the page insert cam follower tabs, lobes on the cam lobe open portion to sequentially engage each of the cam follower tabs when the cam arm is pivoted, and drive means at. the rear of the display board connected to the cam arm to provide for reciprocatingly pivoting the cam arm about its pivotal connection to the display board whereby the page inserts are sequentially turned.

3. An animated display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment to the display board, each of said page inserts having sequentially staggered hinge hooks, means defining hinge hook slots in said display board whereby the page inserts are removably and hingedly secured to the display board for turning to simulate page turning, a cam follower tab extending from each page insert of sufficient rigidity to turn the page insert on its hinged attachment when actuated, a cam arm pivoted at one end to the display board having a cam lobe open portion spaced from its pivot and adapted to receive the page insert cam follower tabs, staggered first and second groups of opposed lobes defining opposite sides of the cam lobe open portion, each group of lobes to alternately sequentially engage the cam follower tabs when the cam arm is pivoted, and drive means connected to the cam arm to provide for recip rocatingly pivoting the cam arm about its pivotal connection to the display board whereby the page inserts are sequentially turned first all in one direction in response to sequential engagement of each of the cam follower tabs by a selected lobe in the first group of lobes and then all in the opposite direction in response to sequential engagement of each cam follower tab by an opposed lobe in the second group of lobes.

4. An animated display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment to the display board, each of said page inserts having sequentially staggered hinge hooks, means defining hinge hook slots in said display board whereby the page inserts are removably and hingedly secured to the display board for turning to simulate page turning, a cam follower tab extending from each page insert of sufficient rigidity to turn the page insert on its hinged attachment when ac tuated, a cam arm pivoted at one end to the rear of the display board having a cam lobe open portion above its pivot and adapted to receive the page insert cam follower tabs, opposed lobes on the cam insert open portion to sequentially engage the cam follower tabs when the cam arm is pivoted, a motor on the display board, said motor driving motor arm, and a link removably secured to said motor arm and the cam arm whereby the cam arm is reciprocatingly pivoted by the motor and thereby sequentially turns the pages.

5. In an animated display of the character defined in claim 4, a motor mounting stand, said stand having a downwardly extending mounting tab, and a mounting pocket on the display board proportioned to receive the mounting tab whereby the motor can be removed from the display by detaching the drive link and lifting the mounting tab out of the mounting pocket.

6. An animated paperboard display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment to the display board, each of said page inserts having sequentially staggered hinge hooks, means defining hinge hook slots in said display board whereby the page inserts are removably and hingedly secured to the display board for turning to stimulate page turning, cam follower tabs extending from each page insert of sufficient rigidity to turn the page insert on its hinged attachment when actuated, a cam arm pivoted at its lower end to the rear of the display board having a cam lobe open portion above its pivot and adapted to receive the page insert cam follower tabs, a cam arm retainer secured to the display board to support the cam arm at its upper end, opposed lobes on the cam insert open portion to sequentially engage the cam follower tabs when the cam sheet is pivoted, and drive means at the rear of the display board connected to the cam arm to provide for reciprocatingly pivoting the cam arm about its pivotal connection to the display board whereby the page inserts are sequentially turned.

7. An animated paperboard display comprising, in combination, a display stand, a display board mounted on said display stand, an overlap portion where the display stand and display board are laminated together, page inserts, each page insert having a pair of spaced hinge hooks, a cam follower tab on each page insert intermediate the hinge hooks, means defining a plurality of alined slots in the overlap portion to receive the hinge hooks and cam follower tabs, a cam arm having a pivoted mount to the overlap portion at its lower end, a cam arm retainer secured to the overlap portion and constraining the cam arm against rearward deflection, a cam lobe cut-out in the cam arm positioned to overlie the slot through which the cam followers extend, cam lobes in opposed vertically staggered relation in the cam lobe slot, a drive motor, a drive arm secured to the drive motor for rotation and having a drive link hole near its free end, a drive link having an offset end portion for removable attachment to the drive arm through its end hole, a snap fastener at the end opposite the offset end of the drive link, snap fastener coupling means on the cam arm, a motor mounting stand to which the motor is secured, tabs on the motor mounting stand, pockets on the rear of the overlap portion to receive the motor mounting stand tabs whereby the motor is secured to the stand in position to be coupled with the cam arm by the drive link whereby the cam arm is reciprocated thereby sequentially turning the page inserts.

8. An animated display comprising, in combination, a display board, page inserts for attachment to the display board, hinge means on the page inserts, second hinge means on said display board whereby the page insert hinge means engage the display board hinge means thereby removably and hingedly securing said page inserts to the display board for turning to simulate page turning, a single cam follower extending from each page insert of sufl-icient rigidity to turn the page insert about its hinge attachment when actuated, a cam arm pivoted to the display board, cam means on the cam arm to sequentially engage each cam follower when the cam arm is pivoted, and drive means connected to the cam arm to provide for reciprocating the cam arm about the pivotal connection to the display board whereby the page inserts are sequentially turned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images