US3109250A

US3109250A - Toy display mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3109250A
Application number: US845940A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hill Harry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-10-12
Filing date: 1959-10-12
Publication date: 1963-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-05

Description

Nov. 5, 1963 H. HILL 3,109,250

TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I 2 INVENTOR.

HARRY HILL ATTORNEY SfSheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR. HARRY HILL ATTORNEY H. HILL TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Nov. 5, 1963 Filed Oct. 12, 1959 Nov; 5, 1963 HILL 3,109,250

TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet z 23 26 as ffas 28 37 7 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

INVENTOR HARRY HILL AT ORNEY United States Patent 3,109,250 TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Harry Hill, 8470 Clara Bell Drive, Arvada, Colo. Filed Get. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 845,940 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-41) The present invention relates to a display mechanism for serially presenting the panels of a strip film or paper roll and, more particularly, to a toy display mechanism.

It is an object of this invention to provide electromechanical means for presenting the panels of a scroll member or strip film in such manner that pictures or reading materials presented on the panels can be read by the observer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure and mechanism which will simulate a television presentation so that the interest of children and observers will be directed to the successive panels introduced before a field of view defined by the TV simulating structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide electromechanical drive means for moving a strip film or scroll type graphic presentation pasta field of view.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drive mechanism for moving a strip film or scroll member past a viewing window that includes a winding apparatus adapted to change the exposed side of said scroll.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the appended description and drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective View showing the general appearance of a preferred embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 2'is a plan view showing operative features of a winding and rewind mechanism,

FIG. 3 is an elevation in partial section showing a modified form of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing an alternate usage for the mechanism of the preferred embodiment,

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation showing a revised struc ture as necessary to provide for the vertical movement of the strip film or scroll,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation through an embodiment of this invention taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram for one embodiment of the invention. 7 V

Briefly stated, the present invention provides a structure adapted to support and contain a mechanism for rotating a pair of spool members so that a strip film or scroll may be wound thereon for movement from one spool to another along a path which exposes one side of the strip to view through a viewing opening in an enclosing structure. Electromechanical drive means is provided for rotating and controlling the movement of said spools and strip member so that graphic representations and items of reading material imprinted on the strip may be successively brought to a position of view through said opening. Rewinding apparatus is provided for proper scroll storage, and distinctive guide means are arranged to change the side of the scroll that is to be exposed on the receiving spool.

The detailed features of embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the elements of a first embodiment of the invention are shown. Here it will be noted that the inventor provides an enclosing structure 11 of general rectangular shape with

side walls

12 and 13 and a front wall 14. As shown, the front wall provides an opening or viewing window 16 which is surrounded by a decorative frame 17. The front wall 14 further provides support for a plurality of simulated adjusting buttons 18 as well as for simulated or

operational knobs

19 and 29. A lid 21 is provided so that the interior of the structure may be opened to 36 may be easily disengaged to expose all of the members view and for servicing. Legs 22 are aflixed to carry out the TV appearance.

Within the structure .11 a pair of

winding spools

23 and 24 are mounted for free rotational movement about the

vertical shafts

26 and 27 respectively. The spools provide a pulley type of recess at their upper ends adapted to receive and guide a hand drive member 28. This band drive member 28 passes over each of the pulley segments of the

spools

23 and 24 and is likewise passed around a drive pulley 29. The drive pulley 29 is connected to a gear system 31 so that the pinion gear 32 on a small electric motor 33 may cause rotation of the gears 31 and of the pulley 29. Rotation of the pulley 29 and of the

spools

23 and 24 causes movement of a scroll or strip member 34 from one spool to the other. Since the strip member 34 is threaded in front of a guide plate 35 and past the opening or vie-wing window '16, any materials printed on the exterior side of the strip member will be moved into position of view through the opening or viewing window 16. When the strip memlber 34 is a strip film or a paper scroll having items of intelligence or graphic display imprinted thereon, movement of the strip member 34 results in the serial display of such illustrations through the opening or viewing window 16.

In the simplified embodiment of the invention shown a spacer bar assembly 36 which includes a cross bar 37 and a web bar 38 is provided to hold the

shafts

26 and 27 and pulley 29 in adjusted spaced position. If it is desired to remove the

spools

23 and 24 or if the scroll or strip'member 34 is to be changed, the spacer assembly for removal.

In order to move the strip member 34 past the opening or viewing window 16, rotation of the motor 33 is governed and regulated by actuation of push button contacts. When used as :a toy, it is contemplated that a dry cell battery type of power source will be used. This power source may be connected electrically to control knobs 19 and 20 in order to direct the rotation of the motor in either the forward or reverse direction or, as shown, an auxiliary power pack 41 may be provided. This type of power pack, which is commercially available, contains the necessary dry cell batteries. 1

The

separate push buttons

39 and 40 of the power pack 41 may be actuated to induce or reverse the flow of current through the motor 33. With this arrangement the pushing of a "button 3-? or 40 will cause rotation of the motor to move the strip member past the viewing window 16 in a fixed direction, asdesired. It is intended that pushing of the other button will reverse the winding direction for the strip member 34 either for rewinding purposes or for returning the strip member to an earlier panel presentation. In the use of the device a child will be able to read separate panels one after the other to follow the story or information being presented by the scroll or strip member 34.

An alternate arrangement in which the control knobs 19 and 20. on the TV type enclosing structure 11 are interconnected to a dry cell battery 42 disposed within the structure 11 is shown in FIG. 3. In this figure an illustrated panel is shown on the strip member 34.

FIG. 4 is intended to show a different and novel reeving and winding pattern especially adaptable to use where the strip member 34 is of paper with the illustrations being presented in serial panels. With this reeving arrangement of the drive belt 28, the

spools

23 and 24 will be rotated in opposite directions. Further, since the strip member 34 is wound about the spool 24 in reverse direction, the illustrations that have been exhibited will be moved to the inside face of the strip member as it is wound about the spool 24. For this reason the

spools

23 and 24 may be removed and interchanged in position after a first run, and a successive rer-unnin-g of the spools and of the strip member will then expose the other side of the strip member and the different illustrations that may be printed thereon. Double usage of the strip member results so that separate stories or a continued story may be presented in this manner on opposite sides of a single strip member. Further, the mechanical interest of the child user will be enhanced in making the proper arrangement of the drive belt reeving and of the strip member threading. Since the invention when used as a toy will be primarily for the purpose of entertaining instruction, this arrangement is of special benefit. That this additional function is possible through use of the same physical elements is of special advantage.

An alternate arrangement is shown in FIG. 5, in which the spools are disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. In this arrangement similar parts have been given identical numbers to emphasize the similarity of structure. Operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to that previously described. Likewise, the rewinding feature of FIG. 4 may be incorporated in this arrangement.

FIGURE 6 is provided to show the vertical arrangement of drive elements within the display structure 11. Here the arrangement by which the

spools

23 and 24 are held in position and apart from each other by the spacer bar assembly 36 is shown. The positioning of the motor 33 so that it may drive the

spools

23 and 24 is also shown.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic illustration of the type of electrical circuit that may be used in connection with embodiments of this invention. The elements which are shown by conventional symbols include the motor 33 and the battery 42, which may be alternately and selectively interconnected by separate positioning of a doublepull double-throw switch. In the previously described embodiments of the invention the

push buttons

39 and 40 of the power pack 41 or the control knobs 19 and 20 are alternate means which maybe used to complete the circuit through one or the other of the separate pairs of contacts of the double-pull double-throw switch.

While separate embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that the invention will be adaptable to various modifications and changes. While described in connection with the use of a mechanism as a toy, it should be further obvious that the mechanism has potential uses for the display of various items of intelligence that may be imprinted on the strip member. Accordingly, mechanisms coming within the scope of the hereunto appended claim may be used for the presentation of recipes, strip film images and various types of educational and instructional illustrations.

All such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the hereunto appended claim are deemed to be a part of this invention.

I claim:

A toy display mechanism comprising an enclosing frame structure inclusive of front and side Walls, said front wall of said structure further providing a viewing opening, winding spools disposed within said dame structure on opposite sides of said viewing opening, a strip scroll member adapted to be wound about said winding spools, panel illustrations on said strip scroll arranged to present related items of intelligence in serial order, guide means within said structure defining a pathway for the movement of said strip scroll member past the viewing opening to serially expose the panels of said scroll to the observers view, a curved surface on said guide means for selectively directing said strip scroll member in clockwise and counter-clockwise direction about the strip scroll receiving winding spool, a motor drive unit, a drive mechanism connected to said motor, a spacer bar assembly providing bearing support for said winding spools I and drive mechanism for holding said winding spools and drive mechanism in spaced operative arrangement with said winding spools being easily removable when it is desired to change the strip scroll member, an elastic band drive member interconnecting said drive mechanism and winding spools for holding said items and spacer bar assembly in operative arrangement for rotating said spools, electrical control means for selectively rotating said motor, drive mechanism and winding spools in -forward or reverse direction as desired, said guide means,

curved surface thereon, winding spools and elastic band i drive member being cooperatively adapted for different strip scroll winding patterns and band drive reeving patterns whereby said strip scroll may be wound on the receiving winding spool with the exposed suiiace and the panel illustrations thereon disposed inwardly so that reuse of said spool will expose the outer surface thereof.