US1842422A - Advertising and displaying machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26, 1932.

J. OS HEA I ADVERTISING AND DISPLAYING MAQHINE 4 sheetssh e et, 1

Filed Aug. 10, 1931 INVENTOR &

Jan. 26, 1932. QSHEA ADVERTISING AND DISPLAYING MACHINE 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W ma I I INVENTOR flares 015%ea,

ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1932. J. OSHEA 1,842,422

ADVERTISING AND DTSPLAY ING MACHINE 7 Filed Aug. 10, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3' Fag 1o nmTnlmul In mun INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1932. 1 J, QSHEA ADVERTISING AND DISPLAYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JAMES OSHEA, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN ADVERTISING AND DISPLAYING MACHINE Application filed August i0, 1921. Serial no. 556,149.

i The present invention pertains to a novel advertisement displaylng machine, or for displaying samples of wall paper, cloth, etc., and

has particular referenceto that type of machine wherein a number of advertising panels or .cards are consecutively exposed to View through an opening 01 pluralityof openings provided in an enclosing casing.

The primary object of the resentinvention is to provide a machine or displaying a number-of panels, signs, pictures, or cards having display or advertising matter on both faces thereof, whereby alternate sides of these present display device; 7 Fig; 2 1s a cross sectionalvlew taken along signs or cards may be exposed through a series of visibility openings provided in a caslng enclosing the machine. V

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide a device including a casing having an opening or openlngs therem across whlch carry ng means, entirely enclosed within said casing, carries traveling display panels, cards or similar devices and in a manner whereby such display devices remain stationary over a period of timewhile they are directly oppO- site the openings after-which theyare moved away from said openings and'reversed sothat theopposite side of each card is in turn ex posed through thesame opening or openings. The casing is suchthat the device may be placed at various advantageous points, as a.

stationary display device and operated .by

any suitable power device or may be used as r a portable displaying device by mountingthe same upon a motor vehicle in which case the? movable carrying mechanism may be operatedby any suitablepower take-off to the motor ofthe vehicle; i 1

Withthe above and other ends in view the inventionconsistsyin matters hereinafter set fbrt-h and more particularly pointed out, the appended claims, referencebeing had to" the accompanying 3 drawings-,1 in which Figure 1 1s a cross sectional the line2 2ofFig. 1;

Fig! 3 is a cross sectional view take theline3-3 ofFig. 1; a

Fig. 4 isa cross sectional view jtaken on the line of Fig. 1

connected plan of the 1 al ne Fig. 5 is a view-illustrating means ,for transferring thepanel or card to display the opposite side thereof i r Fig. 6 is a perspective detail, of one of the panelsor cards; and, j

' Fig; 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified constructionin which the enclosing casing is provided with a plurality of visibility openings and said carrier is arranged to display theseveralpanels therethrough.

Like characters of reference are employed throughoutto designate corresponding parts.

The numeral 1 indicates a substantially rectangular i casing having an opening or openings 2 formed in certainof the side walls thereof, the rear wall of thecasing being formed with an opening 3 that provides accessibility to the mechanism withinthe casing for the purpose of changing the panels or matter carried thereby andfor repairs or adj ustments of the mechanism,- this opening 3 being normally closed by a cover plate or door 4:. Rotatively mounted adjacent the corners of said casing are vertically disposed shafts 5, 6, 7 and 8, each shaft respectively having a pair of spaced sprockets or similar devices 9, 10, 11 and 12 mounted thereon. Mounted oneach of theshafts 5, 6, 7 and 8 between the gears 9, 10, 11 and 12 are rollers 13, 14;, 15 and 16, respectively;

Vertically extending. shafts 17, 18 and 19, are rotatively mounted within the casing midway thereof between the shafts 6 and 7 at one side of the casing and the shafts 5 and 8 adjacent the opposite side of said casing, substantially in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and'are respectively provided with pairs of sprockets or similarmembers 20, 21 and 22 with rollers 23, 24c and 25 mounted upon said shafts between the sprockets of each pair. "Continuous chains-26 or other suitable flexible travelling conveying members are trained over the several sprockets or pulleys in a manner to extend across the casing from the sprockets 9 above and below the opening 2 to the sprockets 10, from which they extend to the sprocket 11 on the shaft 7 and are then doubled back in a parallel run to the sprockets 20 on the shaft 17 and thence in a third parallel run to the sprockets 21, and over the same to provide a fourth parallel run to the sprocket 22 and thence around said sprockets 22 and back in a fifth parallel run to the sprocket 12, from which they extend to the sprocket 9, or point of beginning, forming two continuousruns of chain within the casing, one near the top thereof above the plane of the upper end of the opening or openings 2 therein, and the other near the bottom of said casing below the. planeof the lower end of said opening or openings, with intermediate parallel runs, forming loops in the chains intermediate the side or main runs along the front and back walls of the casing and behind the runs extending across the end of the casing adjacent the opening 2 therein, to give extended length to the chains within the small space within the casing.

To cause the chains to travel over the several sprockets there is provided an electric motor indicated at 27 in Fig. 1, or other power device, connected by belt 27 to a pulley or wheel 28 which is keyed to a horizontal shaft 29. Upon the opposite end of said shaft 29 is mounted a bevel gear 30 in mesh with a bevel gear 31 keyed upon a short vertical shaft 32. On the upper end of said shaft 32 is mounted a mutilated gear 33, having gear teeth upon approximately one half of its periphery. This mutilated gear 33 is arranged to mesh with a second mutilated gear 34 which is devoid of teeth throughout a small portion of its periphery at two diametrically opposite points so that the gear 33 must make two complete revolutions in order to impart one revolution of the gear 34 which remains stationary during one half of each revolution of the gear 33. The gear 34 is secured to the hub 36 of a gear 35, both gears being secured upon the upper end of a short vertical shaft 37 mounted in a suitable bearing on the bottom of the casing. The gear 35 is ofcomparatively large diameter and meshes with a gear 38 secured to the upper end of a third short vertical shaft 39 having a gear 40 secured thereon in mesh with a gear 41 secured to the shaft 5.

The above described gear mechanism thus provides an intermittent drive between the motor 27 and the shaft 5, and as the shaft 5 drives, through the medium of the sprockets 9 and 10 thereon, the chains 26, those chains are intermittently driven and the present invention contemplates the attaching of display panels or cards to said chains in a manner whereby some of said display devices are held opposite of and are visible through said opening or openings 2 during the time said 7 chains are stationary, due to the lack of transmitted motion from one to the other of said mutilated gears 33 and 34.

The present chain arrangement provides for the attachment theretoof several display panels or cards, such as'illustrated in Fig. 6,

each comprising a flexible card or thin panel 42 preferably having advertising or other display matter on both sides thereof. At each end of each card or panel 42 is secured an elastic strip 43 extending across the full width of each card and the opposite edge of each elastic strip is secured between opposed lips 44 on a cross bar 45. On each end of each bar 45 is a bracket, each forming a socket 46, the axis of which lies in the longitudinal plane of the card and also formed each with a pair of open sockets 47 spaced laterally of and at opposite sides of said plane of the socket 46.

At regularly spaced intervals on the chains 26 are provided fingers 48 projecting laterally therefrom and said cards are carried by said chains, by placing'said cards between said chains with said fingers 48 received in said sockets 47 which project laterally be yond one side of said cards. These fingers 48 areso spaced on each chain that the elastic strips 43 on the ends of the cards will be slightly stretched when the fingers are engaged in the sockets and these strips thus provide sufficient tension to hold these fingers engaged in said sockets and the cards thus firmly held attached at their opposite ends, to the chains and under slight tension therebetween.

From the foregoing it becomes apparent that said panels or cards 42 are carried by and moved along with the intermittently driven chains 26 sothat they pass and are displayed through the opening or openings 2. The multilated gears 33 and 34 are so arranged and timed relative to the movement of said chains that the lapse in the travel of the chains occurs when one of the cards is directly opposite one of the openings 2. As described thus far, however, only one side of each card would be visible through said opening and the present invention further contemplates the reversing of each of the cards after they have passed said opening in order that the opposite side of the card may be displayed through that opening.

The mechanism for reversing the cards to display the other side after one side has been shown, includes a pair of vertically disposed rotatable shafts 49 and 50 extending from top to bottom. of the casing 1 and are mounted at their ends in suitable bearings on said top and bottom. On the shaft 49 is mounted agear 51 which is devoid of teeth at three points, as at 52, and this gear meshes with the above described mutilated gear 33 so that every complete revolution of the gear 33 causes one third of a revolution of the gear 51 and shaft 49. A bevelled gear 53 on the shaft 49 is in mesh with a bevelled gear 54 on a horizontal shaft 55 mounted in suitable bearings on the bottom of said casing and having a bevelled gear 56 on its opposite end in mesh with a bevelled gear 57 on said vertical shaft 50 adjacent the end a of the casing opposite that at which the shaft 49 is located, so that saidshafts 49 and 50 are geared together to rotate simultaneously- 1 in opposite dlrections, it being obvious that the mutilated gears 33 and 51 cause said shaftsto be intermittentlyrotatedr Brackets 58 (see Fig. 2) are mounted on the 16 top and bottom walls of the casing adjacent the shaft 49 and rotatably support short shafts 59 projecting downwardly from the casing top and upwardly from its bottom, said short shafts having gears 60 secured thereon to turn therewith andto mesh with large gears 61 mounted on the shaft 49. (See Fig. 4). Similar brackets 62 are mounted on-the top and bottom walls of the casing 1 adjacent the shaft 50 and form bearing supports for short shafts 6 3 similar to the shaft 59 and have gears 64 to mesh with large gears 65 on said shaft 50. On the lower ends ofthe shafts 59 and 63, are. cranks 66 and 67, which cranks have downwardly projecting fingers 68 and 69, respectively.

The shafts 59 and 63' are so positioned by the brackets 58 and 62 thatthey extend vertically and are located exactly half way be tween the two parallel runs ofthe chains 26 extending from the gears 21 to the gears 22, and from the gears 22 back to the gears 12, and when saidchains carry one of the cards along one ofthese runs, to a point where the sockets 46 at each end of the card, are directly opposite the centers of the shafts 59 and 63 with certain other of the cards located opposite the openings 2 and the chains and cards are stopped for an interval in their travel or during one half of arevolution' of the gear 33, the gear 33 not driving the gear 34 during this interval but is at thisjtime in mesh with and driving the mutilated gear 51 so that said gear 51 will make one third of a complete revolution during this interval. This partial rotation of the gear 51 causes partial rotation of the shafts 49 and 50 and also the gears 61 and 65, which rotation of said gears61 and 65 causes one complete revolution ofthe gears 60 and 64 and the cranks 66 and 67 due to the proper proportionin of the gears 60 and 64 relative to the said gears 61 and 65.

As the cranks 66 and 67 are rotated during the period of rest in the travel ofsaid chains, 1 a r they will engage in certain of the sockets 47 atthe opposite ends of this particular card as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, and continu ing rotation in opposite directions, they stretch the elastic members 43, and thereby disengage the sockets 46 from the fingers 48 on the chains 26. These cranks further conopposite run of the chain betweenthe gears to said chain butwith the opposite surface of the card nearest to the outside surfaceof the chain or ina reversed position upon the chain, so that when it again passes said opening in the casing, its side opposite to that previously displayed will be shown.

In order to prevent sagging or distortion of theconveyor chains or members 26 between the sprockets 21 and 22 and the sprockets 22 and 12 during theabove described operation, guide bars 68' are provided to support and hold these runs of the chain against sagging so that the fingers 68 and 69 of the cranks 66 and 6? will surely engage within the sockets 47 during rotation of said cranks, and so that the pins 48 will not become disengaged from the sockets 46 except when so disengaged by said cranks, and further, so that saidpins 48 on the opposite run, will always he in position to engage the sockets 46 when the-card or panel is transferred by said cranks, from one. run to the other of the chain.

Adjacent the top and bottom of each opening2 in the casing, are mounted plates 69 havingilongitudinal slots 7 0 formed therein, extending parallel with the adjacent runs of the chains 26; At one end, the slots are curved to correspond with the curvature of the chain as it passes over sprockets 9 and 10, and the-opposite ends of said slots are extended so that the space between the chains and slots becomes greater as the chain rounds the. sprocketslO and 11. Adjacent the ends of the slots that are nearest the sprockets, is mounted a roll screen 71 on a roller 72 which is provided with a coiled spring 78 which normally tends to wind the screen on the on the chains 26 are rigidly secured fingers i 8 extending transversely of the chains to en gage the cross bars 74 on the screen T1, during the travel of said chains and draw the screen across the opening 2 saidfingers being withdrawn from engagement with said cross bar as that portion of the chains carrying saidfingers passes around the sprocket, thus permitting the spring to quickly roll the screen andwithdraw it from across the openlng. i i

In operation, the cover plate 4 is removed and the cards or panels hooked upon the fingers 48 and as the chains 26 are propelled along, the cards are carried past the openings 2. The geartiming mechanism is operated by the mutilated gear 33 so that the cards remain stationary for a period of time while they are directly opposite the openings. While the cards are coming into view through any of the openings 2, the above described screen is adapted to hide the card until it is entirely opposite the opening 2.; This is accomplished by the arms 7 that are oositioned a short distance in front of'the ngers 48 that carry the forward edge of the advertising card. As the card is carried along, the arms precede the forward edge of the card and engage the cross bar 74 and force it along the slots 70, thereby unrolling the screen 71 from the roller 7 2 and winding the spring 73. As the arm 75 passes the end of the slot 70 the cross bar Tet is released and the spring re-rolls the screen on the roller, and therefore it is impossible to see the card through the opening 2 until the card is in a position where it is visible in its entirety and where it is held stationary during the period of rest of the chains caused by the mutilated gear arrangement. I

In the construction shown in Figure 1, there are three openings 2 through which the advertising cards may be displayed, the enclosing casing 1 being of rectangular outline, but it will be understood that any number of openings may be provided, as shown in Fig. 7 wherein by arranging the sprockets 76 adjacent each corner angle and doubling the chain back as at 77 to the start of the parallel runs 7 8. Obviously the runs of the carriers 'or chains may extend in a horizontal direction as shown, or in a vertical directionand the driving and transfer mechanisms may be panels transferred therefrom to other parts of the continuous carrier or conveyor formed by such chains or cables.

Although speclfic embodlments of the present invention have been illustrated and described it is to be understood that various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a travelling conveyor supported to extend adjacent said opening, members projecting from said conveyor, display panels having open sockets to detachably receive said members on said conveyor, resilient means for detachably holding said sockets on said panels engaged with said members, and means for imparting a travelling movement to said conveyor.

2. In a machine of the character described, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, travelling conveyor members supported in said casing to travel across adjacent opposite edges of said opening, members proj ecting from each o'f'said conveyor members, display panels detachably engaged at opposite'ends with said projecting members of said conveyor members, resilient means exerting a force in a direction transversely of said conveyor members and longitudinally of said panels to detachably hold said panels engaged with said members, and means for imparting a travelling movement to said conveyor members. a

3. In a machine of the character described, a casing having an. opening in a wall there of, continuous conveyor members supported in said casing with parallel runs extending transversely of said opening adjacent opposite edges thereof, means in said casing-for directing and supporting said conveyor members, flexible panels carried by and movable with said conveyor members past said opening in said casing, means at opposite ends of each panel to detachably engage said conveyor members, means associated with each panel for exerting a yielding force tending to shorten its over-all length and detachably hold said means at the, opposite ends of each panel engaged with said conveyor members, and means for imparting a simultaneous travelling movement to said cpnveyor members.

4. In a machine of the character described, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a pair of continuous conveyor members in said casing with parallel runs extending transversely of said opening adjacent opposite edges thereof, means in said casing for directing and supporting said conveyor members, flexible panels to extend across between said runs of said conveyor members, means at each end of each panel providing open sockets, means on said conveyor members to engage within said sockets and detachably hold said panels attached to said conveyor members, and means for imparting a simultaneous travelling movement to said conveyor members.

5. In a machine of'the character described, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a pair of continuous conveyor members in said casing with parallel runs extending transversely of said opening adjacent opposite edges thereof, means in said casing for di recting and supporting said conveyor members, flexible panels to extend across between said runs'of said conveyor members, means at each end of each panel providing open sockets, means on said conveyor members to engage within said sockets and detachably hold said panels attached to said'conveyor members, means carried by each panel for yieldingly and detachably holding said means on said conveyors engaged in said sockets on said panels, and means for imparting simultaneous travelling movement to said conveyor members.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of spaced apart continuous members.

conveyor members, means for supporting and directing said members, fingers projecting the combination of spaced apart continuous conveyor members, means for supporting and directing said members, fingers projecting from said conveyor members, flexible panels adapted to extend across from one to the other of said conveyor members and to be carried thereby, open socket members secured to saidpanels at each end of each panel to receive said fingers, yieldable means for detachably holding said socket members engaged with said fingers, means for causing a travelling movement of said conveyor members, and means operated in timed relation to the travelling movement of said conveyor members for disengaging'said socket members from said fingers and removing said panels, one at a time, from said conveyor 8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a conveyor comprising a pairof continuous members supported in said casing for travelling movement across opposite edges of said opening and having portions of said conveyor directed to form a pair of spaced apart runs, panels carried by said conveyor and extending across between the membersthereof, transfer means mounted between said runs of said conveyor and adapted to disengage said panels from one run of said conveyor and carry the disengaged panel across to the other run and engage it therewith, means for actuating said conveyor to cause a travelling movement thereof and for actuating said transfer means.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a conveyor comprising a pair of continuous members supported in said casing for travelling movement across opposite edges of said opening and having portions of said conveyor directed to form a pair of spaced apart runs, flexible panels carried by said conveyor and extending across between the members thereof and detachably attached at their ends to said members, and transfer means mounted between said runs of said conveyor and adapted to disengage said panels from one run of said conveyor and carry the disengaged panel across to the other runand engage it therewith, means for actuating said conveyor to cause a travelling movement thereof, and means for actuating said transfer means in timed relation to the travel of said conveyor.

' 10; In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a continuous conveyor supported in said casing to extend adjacent said opening, panels movable with said conveyor across said opening in one direction only, means for imparting anintermittent travelling movement to said conveyor in one direction only, a screen movable with said conveyor across said opening-in said casing simultaneously with and during the movement of each panel across said opening, and means for retracting said screen from across said opening when each panel is stopped and held by said conveyor in a position to cover said opening, whereby each panel-isconcealed from view through said openingduring its traveling movement and is displayedby the withdrawal of said screen, when said panel comes to rest.

"11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of-a casing having an openingin a wall thereof, a continuous conveyorsupported in said casing to extend adjacent said opening, panels detachably engaged and movable with said conveyor across said opening, means for imparting an intermittent travelling movement to said conveyor in one direction only, a screen detachably engaged with said conveyor and movable across said opening in said casing simultaneously with the movement of each panel across said opening, and means for releasing said screen from said conveyor and retracting said screen from across said opening when each panel has been moved to a position covering said opening and come to rest, said means for imparting intermittent movement to said conveyor being arranged to stop said conveyor with one of said panels in position opposite said opening.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a continuous conveyor supported in said casing to extend adjacent said opening, panels detachably engaged and movable with said conveyor across said opening, means for imparting an intermittent travelling movement to said conveyor in one direction only, a screen movable across said opening in said casing simultaneously with the movement of each panel across said opening, means on said conveyor for engaging and moving said screen across said opening simultaneously with the movement of each panel across said opening, means for releasing said means on said conveyor from engagement with said screen when said pane] comes to rest opposite said opening, and. means for retracting said screen from across Ill) said opening when released by said means on said conveyor to display said panel through said opening while said panel is held stationary during the intermission in the move- 5 ment thereof and of said conveyor.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rectangular casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a plurality of flexible panels, a shaft mounted 1 in bearings adjacent each corner of said casing, a continuous conveyor to which said panels are attached, members on said shafts over which said conveyor passes, rotatable members adjacent opposite ends of the cas- '1 ing intermediate the runs of said conveyor extending along opposite walls of said casing and over which intermediate members said conveyor is passed to form a plurality of intermediate runs of said conveyor, and gearas ing for transmitting motion to certain of said shafts for rotating said members over which said conveyor is trained and N [ha i id conveyor, said gearing including multilated gears for transmitting an intermittent travelling motion to said conveyor to stop the same each time a panel is brought directly opposite said opening in the casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

J AMES OSHEA.

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