US3900978A

US3900978A - Advertising sign

Info

Publication number: US3900978A
Application number: US437183A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Bryan Sloan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-01-28
Filing date: 1974-01-28
Publication date: 1975-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-26

Abstract

An advertising device includes a plate having a display, preferably a five pointed star, thereon. A pair of disks having openings approximating the shape of the star points are mounted for relative rotation about a common axis centered on the display. Means are provided for rotating the disks in opposite directions to move the openings into and out of registry whereby the display on the plate appears, disappears and reappears. Preferably, the means for rotating the disks comprises a slide mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the axis of the disks and connecting rods joining the slide to opposite portions on the periphery of the disks and to a drive wheel mounted on the common axis. The drive wheel is rotated via a V-belt by an electric motor.

Description

United States Patent [191 Sloan 1 ADVERTISING SIGN [75] Inventor: Robert Bryan Sloan, Austin, Tex.

[73] Assignees: Kenneth Ethridge, Abilene; Lee Roy Stacy, Mills, both of Tex. part interest to each [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [21] App]. No.: 437,183

[52] US. Cl. 40/30; 40/34; 40/132 F; 40/133 A [51] Int. Cl. G091 11/04 [58] Field of Search... 40/34, 132 G, 106.53, 133 R, 40/133 A, 133 B, 77,138,139, 61 R, 30, 33,

132 F, 132 G, 132 E; 74/51, 22 R; 46/47, 49; 240/101; 272/8 D [451 Aug. 26, 1975 322,260 12/1929 United Kingdom ..40/34 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Vance Y. Hum

Attorney, Agent, or FirmC1arence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 57 ABSTRACT An advertising device includes a plate having a display, preferably a five pointed star, thereon. A pair of disks having openings approximating the shape of the star points are, mounted for relative rotation about a common axis centered on the display. Means are provided for rotating the disks in opposite directions to move the openings into and out of registry whereby the display on the plate appears, disappears and reappears. Preferably, the means for rotating the disks comprises a slide mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the axis of the disks and connecting rods joining the slide to opposite portions on the periphery of the disks and to a drive wheel mounted on the common axis. The drive wheel is rotated via a V- belt by an electric motor.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ADVERTISING SIGN The present invention relates to advertising devices and, more particularly, to an eye-catching display device particularly useful for window advertising.

One object of the invention is to provide a device in which the display portion is covered and uncovered in a gradual, continuous and periodic manner such that the display appears, disappears and reappears in successive cycles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, eyecatching display device which focuses attention on the object on display.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an advertising device which utilizes oppositely oscillating disks having pre-desinged openings therein wherein the openings move into and pre-designed of registry to reveal, for short intervals, the object on display.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the portion of the advertising device in front of the display plate.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portion of the advertising device behind the display plate.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of the present invention wherein the disk openings are in registry to completely reveal the star display.

FIG. 5 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of the present invention wherein the disks have rotated to such an extent that the openings are only partially in registry.

FIG. 6 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of the present invention wherein the disks have rotated still further, such that the openings are almost totally out of registry.

Turning now to FIG. 1 there is shown generally at 10 the advertising sign or display device of the present invention. The device consists of a display plate 12 having the object, design or thing 14 to be displayed thereon. In FIG. 1 the object 14 is a design constituting the five points of a star. However, it will be appreciated that the display object can take any form or shape and can be any design or color. Alternatively, plate 12 can include a cut-out portion whereby display objects can be mounted in the plate, such as cigarette packages, illuminating lights and the like. Extending through plate 12 is a mounting and rotational axis 16 for the

rotatable disks

18, 20 which mount on axis 16 in front of display object 14. Each

plate

18, 20 has a

sleeve

22, 24 projecting from the front side thereof for rotatably mounting the plate on axis 16. The outer diameter of sleeve 24 is smaller than the inner diameter of sleeve 22 such that sleeve 24 telescopingly fits within sleeve 22 to permit disks l8 and 20 to be mounted close to one another. A setscrew 28 secures the sleeves on the axis. The

respective plates

18, 20 have

openings

30, 32 cut therein which openings move into and out of registry as the disks rotate through a predetermined arc in opposite directions. When the openings are in total registry, the object or design 14 is maximally revealed and fully visible. As the disks rotate in opposite directions, the openings move further and further out of registry until a point is reached near the end of their predetermined are when the object or design 14 is totally obscured by the disks, at which point the direction of rotation is reversed and the openings move more and more into registry. By cyclic repetition of this relative motion of the disks, the display appears, disappears and reappears in cyclic fashion attracting and focusing the viewers attention on the object of the display.

With reference to FIG. 2, one form of drive means for the

disks

18, 20 is shown, although it will be appreciated that other formsare likewise suitable. Mounted by a sleeve 31 and setscrew 33 on the portion of axis and aligned with a vertical diameter through disks l8,

20 and is connected to plate 12 by conventional fasteners 48. In one embodiment of the invention the drive ratio between drive wheel 34 and electric motor 36 is adjusted such that the drive wheel rotates at about four revolutions per minute. Rotation of drive wheel 36 causes corresponding reciprocal movement of slide 44 along bar 46 toward and away from axis 16. Connecting

rods

50 and 52 join disks l8 and 20, respectively, to slide 44. Lug 54 on the periphery of disk 18 and lug 56 on the periphery of disk 20 serve as the connecting points for

rods

50 and 52. Connection may be made via connecting means 58, such as clevises, on the ends of the rods.

The invention will be more clearly understood from a description of the operation of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-6. The display object 14 in this embodiment is a vanishing star. Specifically, shown on plate 12 are the five points of the star which may be colored, painted, embossed or otherwise applied. Axis 16 is at the center of the star. The

openings

30, 32 in

disks

18, 20 each approximate the shape of a star point but are slightly larger. Specifically, the openings 32 in disk 20 are formed wider than the star points along the right side of the openings as they appear to the viewer of the display (clockwise side). The openings 30 on disk 18 are formed wider than the star points along the left side of the openings as they appear to the viewer of the display (counter-clockwise side). Desirably, the openings 30 on disk 18 are the exact reverse of the openings 32 on disk 20.

In operation, electric motor 36 rotates drive wheel 34 which in turn causes slide 44 to reciprocate. If the device is assumed to commence operation with the disks -18, 20 in their fully opened position, i.e., with slide 44 in its uppermost position and with the star 14 fully visible as shown in FIG. 4, then upon downward movement of slide 44,

disks

18 and 20 are caused to rotate in opposite directions with

lugs

54 and 56 slowly moving closer to one another. As the disks rotate,

openings

30 and 32 move progressively out of registry and more and more of the star points are hidden from view (FIG. 5) until the star points are almost totally obscured (FIG. 6) and then are finally totally hidden. At the point where the star points are totally hidden, corresponding to the lowermost position of slide 44, the rotation of wheel 34 causes slide 44 to begin upward movement,

once again causing the

disks

18, 20 to rotate in opposite directions (the lugs moving away from one another). As the disks rotate, the openings therein again move into registry and the star points become more and more visible until they are totally visible. it will be appreciated that since the

openings

32 and 34 are cut larger than the star points, the star points are totally visible for an extended interval of the relative disk rotation.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, which is offered merely as illustrative of and not as limiting the present invention, each

disk

18 and 20 rotates through a predetermined arc of 16 degrees from a fully closed I (i.e. openings totally out of registry) to a fully open position (openings totally in registry). To more fully appreciate the relative positions of the lugs on the disks,

7 reference is had to FIG. 4 where the 360 of a circle are each encompassing 90 of the circle. The point is at N with E representing 90, S representing 180 and W 1 representing 270 of rotation in a clockwise direction.

Lug 54 on disk 18 is located at a point 5345 left of or clockwise from the intersection of the disk periphery with the vertical diameter i.e., 5345 toward W from S. Lug 56 is located at a point 5345 right of or counterclockwise from the same intersection, i.e. 5345 toward E from S. The relative size of the device to accomplish the desired rotation is based upon the distance from the center of the star to the center of the

lugs

54 or 56 designated as D. The lowermost position of slide 44 on bar 46 is 2.5 D below the axis 16.

Rods

50 and 52 are 1.732 D in length. Lug 42 on wheel 46 is 0.2367 D from the axis 16 and rod 40 is 1.9796 D in length.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications can be. made without actually departing .from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, all modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: I v 1. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined arcs, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate, and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions.

2. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display is a design.

3. An advertising device, 'as claimed in claim 1,

comprises a drive wheel mounted coaxially with said disks, third connecting means joining said drive wheel to said slide means and means for rotating said drive wheel.

6. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means for rotating said drive wheel is an electric motor operatively connected to said drive wheel.

7. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive wheel is mounted on the side of said plate remote from said disks.

8. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5,

' wherein said first and second connecting means conwherein said common axis extends perpendicularly through the center of said display.

4. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for oscillating said disks comprises slide means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said axis, first and second connecting means joining said slide means to laterally opposite portions of said disks and means for reciprocating said slide means.

5. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for reciprocating said slide means nect to the periphery of said disks.

9. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first connecting means connects to the periphery of one of said disks at a point in the 180 to 270 quadrant of said disk and said second connecting means connects to the periphery of the other said disk at a point in the to 180 quadrant of said disk.

10. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said connecting means are rigid elongated members.

11. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second connecting means are connected to said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the periphery of said disks.

12. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said disks includes a sleeve projecting from the center thereof for mounting on said common axis' and said sleeve on said disk adjacent said plate telescopingly fits within said sleeve on said other disk.

13. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said disks oscillate through equal predetermined arcs of less than 90.

14. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined substantially equal arcs of less than 90, said common axis extending perpendicularly through the center of said display, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions, said means comprising slide means mounted for reciprocation toward and away froin said common axis, first and second rigid connecting means joining said slide means to the periphery of each of said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the periphery of said disks, and means for reciprocating said slide means.

15. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display is the five points of a star.

16. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 15, wherein each said disk contains five openings therein, each said opening approximating the shape of a star point.

17. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16, wherein each said opening is slightly larger than a star point.

18. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16,

wherein one said disk is the reverse of said other disk.

Claims

1. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined arcs, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate, and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions.

3. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said common axis extends perpendicularly through the center of said display.

5. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 4, wHerein said means for reciprocating said slide means comprises a drive wheel mounted coaxially with said disks, third connecting means joining said drive wheel to said slide means and means for rotating said drive wheel.

8. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second connecting means connect to the periphery of said disks.

9. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first connecting means connects to the periphery of one of said disks at a point in the 180* to 270* quadrant of said disk and said second connecting means connects to the periphery of the other said disk at a point in the 90* to 180* quadrant of said disk.

12. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said disks includes a sleeve projecting from the center thereof for mounting on said common axis and said sleeve on said disk adjacent said plate telescopingly fits within said sleeve on said other disk.

13. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said disks oscillate through equal predetermined arcs of less than 90* .

14. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined substantially equal arcs of less than 90*, said common axis extending perpendicularly through the center of said display, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions, said means comprising slide means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said common axis, first and second rigid connecting means joining said slide means to the periphery of each of said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the periphery of said disks, and means for reciprocating said slide means.

18. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16, wherein one said disk is the reverse of said other disk.