US865356A - Display-sign. - Google Patents

Description

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5 INVENTOR PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. G. W. CARR.

DISPLAY SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED APR 25 1906 AT EsT. i 5H0 PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. G. W. CARR DISPLAY SIGN. APPLICATION FILED APR.25,1906.

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NVENTOR AT TE! ST.

51: 73/7 ATTY PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

CARR.

DISPLAY SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED 11.25, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

INVENTQR TEsT.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. CARR, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

DISPLAY-SIGN.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

' Application filed April 26,1906 Serialllo- 813,692.

To all whom. it may concem:

Be it known that l, GEORGE W. CARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Signs, and do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

My invention relates to display apparatus for advertisements and the like, all substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

'Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of several complete units constituting the full machine shown in 2.

Fig. 8 is a detail in p er spective of one of the display members in each unit. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation,

' other takes its place and so on through a succession or series of separate and repeated exhibitions. as long as the machine continues to operate, Now, with this general statement of the purpose and function of the machine it will be further observed in Fig. 1 that the field of display compasses the entire space within the border a'of' main frame A, and is constituted of a series of vertically disposed members which stand upright and are so closely related at their edges that, at the usual distanc'from 'the observer, and with an illuminated sign running across the same, the division lines are not noticeable, and thisis according to the 'plan of the 'invention. Furthermore, as will hereinafter fully appear, each apparatus comprises a series of two' or more unitary constituents which are practically complete in themselves and are operatively related to or with others of like construction to give the display field its desired width and according to the width desired ina given machine. For example, Fig. 2, shows a series-of tensuch unitary devices, and there may be more or fewer and of any desired or practical elevation. Each of said so-called units comprises a series of eight unitary display members B which are built in the shape of an equilateral triangle in cross section and have three equal sides, 1', 2 and 3.- Said sides arefirmly secured together along their edges and constitute a rigid structure which is especially wellscalculated for out of door work where .the machine is constantly exposed tothe elements and plain blades or vanes get wet and warp to such an extent frequently that they become unserviceable. Hence by uniting the three sides in one part I overcome all danger from warping and always keep the sides straight and smooth for display alinement. This also enables me to make signs of exceptional height,

whereby I can utilize space not ordinarily available for sign machines because, generally, they are planned more for width than elevation of display surface. All the several display-members B are alike in construction and operation, and all in a given series travel in the same orbit successively. The said members follow each other in prescribed order and with mechanical precision across the face of the machine and about their orbit after they retire from displayposition, and all three faces of each member are successively exposed as they traverse the front of the machine, as will presently appear.

, Main frame A is supplemented by upper and lower curved frame pieces D and E respectively, which describe a semi-circle intheir rear portion and come forward to frame A with straight sides or ends. Said curved pieces mark the orbit of travel of the display-members,

and rotatable carriers 0 and 0, above and below respectively, support said display-members in their rotary travel. Said carriers, 0 and G, are circular or disk shaped, and are supported upon and rotatable with central rotatable shaft F. Said shaft itself is intermittently rotatable at predetermined times according as display faces 1, 2 and 3 are to be turned successively forward, and the mechanism for this purpose is shown I outwardly in said slots when the. display-memberscome around to display position, Fig. 3, and especially the two outer members on the-display line in this figure. This is necessary to get the desired alinement of said three members on theface of the machine. Otherwise said shafts remain in the inner ends or extremities of said slots. Said links 6 arebeneath carrier C at the top of the machine and links 7 are pivoted on the top of carrier plate C and have rollers 10 on their ends outside of their engagement with shafts 5 and on which said shaft and the display member carried thereby rest and rotate. Now, in the travel of the display members in their orbit and in their alinement for display several other parts are employed, as for example, the triangular alining plate or device 12 on each shaft 5 near its upper end, the three fingered stars 14 on the lower. end of each of saidshafts, and the three fingered rotating star members 19 adapted to turn said members from face to face on the display field. Both said stars or three fingered partsare idle in the travel about the circuit or orbit of the display-members except in conjunction with the display position, but the triangular alining plates bear against a rim 15 supported by brackets 16 at intervals from frame member D, Fig. 9,

, and which serves to keep the display members in the shaft at each end, travels between the flat sided rim 15 and a guide member H which has straight sides h para lel to the straight sides of frame D and rim 15. .The straight side of the said parts directs each display memher by its shaft 5 to take its proper place on the dis-' play line and with room in advance thereof for the other two of said members, Fig. 5. To effect alinement as approach to the front is thus made star 14 wipes on pin 17 with the finger that has been on the outer circuit from the first and which corresponds to face 1 of the display member and whereby said face is alined. Then said star goes idle until the third display position is reached when as display member 3at the end of the line is being turned'anothe'r finger of said star wipes pin 18 and said member is thereby rotated to position for travel about its orbit. This action is repeated at both left and right of themachine as each member B comes successively to place. The tri-iinger star 19 is employed exclusively to turn the display members a third way around on the display field, and to this end said stars are adapted to reach through longitudinal slots in a fixed rail or piece J extending across the top of the machine and which is provided with webs 33 at regular intervals adapted to be engaged by said fingers to rotate the said members with each advance'movement of the said carriers. Said slotted rail or piece J serves for the several sets of display members or rotating units extending from side to side of the machine, and the operations in each unit or set of display members is the same in this and other particulars.

As three of said members come into line on the face of the machine they pass in front of the rigidly fixed frames H with the alining triangular plates 12 on shafts 5 resting edgewise against rail J, Fig. 3, and with'sai d shafts engaged by the front edge of frameH and by separate spring pressed latches 34. Latches 34 are connected by links 35 near their ends with frame H and have springs 36 at their adjacent ends pressing I filled, would leave a break between the units.

for each member B triangular plates 12 rigidly hold each member from individual rotation and a so aline all three members edge to edge to provide a continuous flat display field at the front of the machine.

The mechanism for rotating carrier shafts F and the display members 13 at intermittent intervals comprises a ratchet disk 40 at the bottom end of said shaft and a pawl 41 carried by a reciprocating bar 42 which is operatively connected with an arm 43 having a roller 44 engaged with grooved cam 44. Any suitable mechanism for performing this work may be employed, but I prefer the form shown because of its simplicity and positiveness of action and its adaptability to communicate rotation with a minimum of applied power. During the time carriers 0 and C are at rest and members B are alined for display, I prefer to lock shaft F against rotation, and to this end provide disk 40 with a series of radial slots 45 into which a pivoted stop 46 is adapted to fall and rest. As bar 42 carries pawl 41 forward for a new operating engagement with disk 40 step 46 is raised out of locking position by the inclined rib 47 on bar 42 engaging beneath side projection 48 on said stop 46. By thus locking disk 40'and shaft F at the time of alinement of the display members said members are themselves positively locked against rotation and they both hold a perfect line up until again released by releasing disk 40 and shaft F.

The several display members have solid ends 50 on which the sides or faces-thereof are secured and which serve as means of engagement with the shafts 5 pro- .jecting through said ends.

It will be seen in Fig. 3, particularly, that the tri or multi-sided display members of the several unitary mechanisms shown thereing are so disposed in relation 'to each other that the alined members of all the groups or series come close together and make a perfectly fiat smooth and closely filledvdisplay surface, Fig. 1. To do this the three facing members in each group really occupy a width relatively wider than the cross section of the group and overlap at each side the intervening spaces of the groups or units, and which, if not thus It will also be noticed that each display member is rotated individually four times including its entrance into the display column, its rotation therein to display all three of its sides before leaving the column, and finally its tiurn part way around to leave the column.

What I claim is:-

1. In a display machine, a multi-sided display member and a shaft central thereof on which said member. is mounted, in combination with rotatably mounted carriers having open slots engaging the ends of said shaft, a guide way for said shafts having a straight portion adapted to provide a straight travel for the exhibition of the different sides of said member, and means for independently rotat-v way for said shafts partly circular and partly straight and means providing rotation of said members during their travels about said straight portion of the guide-way.

3. In a display machinefa plurality of multisided display members and rotatable carriers therefor having open slots about their edges, andmeans to mount said members on said carriers comprising a shaft for each member enplay members.

gaged at its ends in the slots in said carriers, and a link for each shaft top'and bottom pivoted on said carriers concentrically with said slots.

4. In a display machine, a plurality of independently rotatable display members and a central shaft on which each member is mounted, and rotatable carriers at the ends of said members having slots in which said shafts are engaged, combined with a circular guide'way having a straight front portion also engaged by said shafts, and means to independently rotate said members in said slots during the travel of said shafts in said straight portion of the guideway.

5. In a display machine, a plurality of multlsideddisplay members adapted to rotate independently and having axles projecting beyond their ends, slotted carriers engaging said axles and links connecting said axles plvotally withsaid carriers.

6. In a display machine, a plurality of multislded dis-l play members and shafts through said members, rotatable carriers having curved slots open at their outer ends, and engagingpsaid shafts and links pivoted on said carriers and engaging said shafts, the lower of said links having rollers resting onethe carrier.

7. A display machine having a series of independently rotatable multi-sided display members, an orbit of travel for the said members comprising an alining portion, with parallel sides, means to carry said display members about said orbit comprising top and bottom slotted carriers and devices to aline a plurality of members in the same series on the front of the machine between said parallel sides.

8. In a display machine, a plurality of multisided display members having flat sides at an angle to each other, rotatable disk shaped carriers having substantially radial slots in which said members are rotatabiy mounted, and a guide for said members having a circular rear portion and substantially parallel side portions and a straightdisplay line for said members between said sides of the guide member.

9. In.a display machine, a series of operativeiy connected independently rotatable display members having each a shaft projecting centrally through its ends, means to rotate said members in circuit comprising carriers having open slots engagingat the ends of said shafts, and means to aline two or more of said members at the same time, said means comprising an alining space having parallel walls confining the shafts of said members front and rear at both ends.

10. In a display machine, a plurality of multisideddisplay members and rotatable carriers therefor having open slots about their edges, shafts carrying said display members and engaged in said slots, an orbit for said members having parallel walls top and bottom engaged by the ends ofsaid shafts and constituting the display line of the machine, and means to cause said shafts to follow each other along said walls and to rotate about their axis as they travel forward.

11. In a display machine,'a set of independently mounted display members and carriers at the ends of said members whereby they are moved in their orbit together, link connections between said members and said carriers and means to move a given number of said members at a time into display alinement.

12. In a display machine, a suitable frame having circular rear portions top and bottom and a straight display line at its front, a set of carriers centrally mounted in respect to said circular portions of the frame and provided with a series of radial curved open slots in their edges, and a series of independently rotatable display members anounted in the saidslots in said carriers and adapted to travel for display members straight at the front and circular at the rear, in combination with a series of display members vertically disposed in said orbit, means to carry said members about said orbit together and means to ro tate said members separately in said straight portion comprising separate engaging devices for each of said dis- 14. 1;; a display machine, a main frame having rigid curved rear portions and straight front portions, rotatable carriers concentric with said curved portions and a shaft on which said carriers are mounted, and a series of multifaced display members mounted on said carriers and adapted to be alined in groups'of three'successively by said straight front portions. I

15. In a display machine, a unitary mechanism comprising a series of centrally pivoted multl-slded display members and means to rotate all said members in unison, in combination with means to aline three several of said members at the same time in a display line comprising guide frames at the ends of said members constructed to move said members outward as the display line is approached.

16. In a display machine, a unitary mechanism com prising a series of mnltisided display members, centrally pivoted, and means operatively connecting said members. in combination with means to aline a plurality of said members at the same time comprising a straight alining wall, devices adapted to rotate thesaid members axially and means to carry said members forward in a straight line as they rotate.

17. In a display machine, a unitary-mechanism comprising a series of independently pivoted display members and means to rotate said members in unison about a common center, in combination with means to-aline thre several of said series of members at a time in the display field, said alined members having a greater joint width than a cross section of the mechanism of which they constitute a part.

18. In a display machine, a series oLmulti-sided display members operatively united, slotted carriers for said members, means to aline'a plurality 0 said members at the same time, means to cause said members to traversetbe display line successively and to rotate from one display position to another, and means to make a positive alinement of said several members after each rotation.

19. In a display machine, aplurality of unitary members and a shaft about which saidmembers are adapted to rotate, carriers for said members having open slots, shafts in said members engaged in said slots and guides top and bottom engaging said shafts outward from the inner portions of said slots.

20. In a display machine, a plurality of rotatable display members having shafts, carriers with open slots engaging said shafts, an orbit for said members having top erse the display line successively from side to side and to turn each member a third of the Way round three several times to complete their successive alinements.

22. In a display machine, a series of vertically disposed multisided display members, positively. actuated carriers for rotating said members in unison, mechanism for independently rotating each member, and means to bring three of said members-into facial alinement at the same time, said means comprising devices to move the outer of said three members outward in their carriers.

23. In a display machine, a series of rotatable display members and shafts in their centers carrying the same, a fixed circuit in whichsaid members are adaptedto travel, upper and lower circular carriers having open slots engaging the ends of said shafts, means to aline a plurality o f said members at the same time, edge to edge, and means to lock said members against rotation while in alinement.

24. In a display machine, rotatable displayed members operatively connected about a common axis, mechanism to rotate said members into alining position and means to lock said mechanism, in combination with slotted carriers for said members and means to move said members in said slots to aline the same.

- 251. In a display machine, a series of rotatable display ends of said shafts and adaptedto move said members into alining position during the period of display.

26. In a display machine, a series of rotatable display members operatively connected and an orbit for said members having a straight alining portion at its front in which the said members are adapted to travel successively, said straight portion constructed'to be occupied by a plurality of said members at the same time, and means to simultaneously turn said members axially in said straight alining portion.

27. In a display machine, a central shaft and carriers fixed thereon having curved open slots about their edges, ineombination with display members having each a shaft mounted in corresponding' slots in said carriers, and means for separately alining and rotating said display members in the place of display.

28. In a display machine, a set of rotatable carriers, display members having shafts operatively engaged by said carriers and said shafts having each an angular device fixed to one end thereof, and a wall engaged by said device adapted to prevent the rotation thereof and keep the corresponding display member in a given line of travel.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence -of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. CARR. Witnesses:

R. B. Mosnn, E. M. FISHER.

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