US1971391A - Display device - Google Patents

Description

C. E. BILTON DISPLAY DEVICE Aug. 28, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1931 c. E. BILTON 1,971,391

' DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR W A T? NE 1:

Aug. 28, 1934.

IIIIII;IlIII"ItIIIIIIIIIII;IIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Aug. 28, 1934 tensor DISPLAY DEVICE Clarence E. Bilton, Wocdhaven, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Motion Displays line, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 16, 1931, Serial No. 58l,387

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display devices. One object of the invention is to provide a novel and attractive portable means for displaying articles of merchandise in windows and elsewhere. Another object is the provision of a rotatable display device, the rotating movement thereof being periodic and intermittent. In other words, the device during rotation makes a fraction of a turn, then remains stationary for an interval, and then continues its rotation. Still another object of the invention is to provide a turntable device which operates with little power, and is further provided with means for illuminating the objects to be dis- 5 played and additional means for plugging in merchandise electri ally operated to be displayed or for furnishing additional illumination.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View showing the display device made in accordance with this invention, part of the table and part of the glass of the tower being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section showing details of the drive from the motor to the turntable, the mounting and support for the turntable and the method of extending the electrical connections through the central spindle to the display tower.

The invention is intended to be used to display merchandise in a most attractive manner and consists generally in the provision of a portable device consisting of a'turntable and a central illuminating tower, or hollow casing, with means for supporting the turntable in a manner to permit it to revolve with little friction, and with mechanism for driving the turntable to cause it to rotate for a quarter of a turn, to stand still for a period of time, and to rotate another fraction of a turn, so that merchandise to be disi played thereon may be moved to attract the eye and may remain stationary to permit its inspection before a successive article is displayed. The turntable rotates about a fixed central spindle upon a tripod support and is driven by an electric motor and suitable gearing; connections being provided through the central spindle to an electric bulb or other electric illuminating means associated with the tower. There is provided a simple compact and portable construction for effecting the above objects.

Referring now, more particularly to the drawings, a base 10 is provided for supporting the driving mechanism for a turntable 11 having an illuminated hollow casing or tower l2 thereon. On the base 10 the motor 13 is resiliently sup- 5 ported by springs 14, which method of support eliminates unnecessary vibration. The motor drives by a belt 15 a pulley 16 on a wormshaft 1'7 journaled in a supporting element 18, which element forms, in conjunction with a second 0 supporting element 19 an integral part of a mount or frame 20 for the turntable 11. The supporting elements 18 and 19 and hence the mount 20, are suitably secured to the base 10 at 18 and 19 The wormshaft 17 is provided with a worm 17 which drives a gear 21 fixed on a shaft 22 journaled in a bearing 23 in the frame 20. On the upper end of the shaft 22 is mounted a crank 24 having a pin 25 which engages with slots 26 in a driven member or Geneva wheel 27, fastened by screws or other suitable means to the table 11, from which it is spaced by a washer 27 The mechanism just described forms in effect the well known Geneva movement.

The turntable 11 is provided on its underside with a bearing plate 23 having an integral central sleeve or bushing 29, the plate being secured to the table in any desired manner as by screws 39 or the like. The sleeve 2%) is adapted to rotate about a central fixed spindle 31 attached to the mount 20 by the bushing 31 The mount 20 is also provided with three equi-distaiitly spaced upstanding bearing retaining bosses or supports 32 adapted to support the weight of the table 11, thus reducing the friction on the central spindle 31 to a minimum. The bearings in these bosses may be of any desired type, although in practise it is preferred to employ oil pads which will offer enough resistance to prevent the overrunning of the table 11 when the motor is stopped.

The central spindle 31 is in the form of a hollow sleeve having an insulating core 33, through which extend conductors 34 and 35, attached at their lower ends to binding posts 36. for the motor and illuminating lights is supplied to these binding posts by conductors 37, and other conductors 38 supply current from the binding posts through switch 39 to the motor.

Conductor 34 is secured to a ring 40 attached to the upper end of insulating core 33, which ring is engaged by a brush 41 which conveys current to the lamps 42 and 43 furnishing exterior and interior illumination for the tower or casing 12. The conductor 35 has its upper end contacting a second brush 44 which completes the circuit through the lamps 42 and 43 as well as to supply current to sockets 45 near the base of the tower. These sockets 45 may be used for plugging in additional lights for illumination or for use with merchandise to be displayed which is electrically operated. The tower 12 may be fitted with transparent sides 46 and may be of any shape as desired. Thus it will be seen that when the display stand is connected to a source of electrical energy the direct connection of the lights and plugs of the tower therewith supplies the latter continuously with electric current, whereas the operation of the electric motor may be controlled at will by means of the switch 39. In other words, if it should be desirable to display an electrically operated article or an article to be illuminated, without having the display stand rotate, this may be accomplished by connecting the lead 37 to an electric socket and turning off the switch 39.

From the above description it is believed that the construction and operation of the device of the present invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art. The present device is simple, easy and inexpensive to manufacture. It is portable to permit placement thereof where desired and due to the specific arrangement of parts is compact.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a display device, a turntable adapted to be operated by means including a Geneva movement, said turntable being formed with a central opening, a bearing plate formed with a. central opening and secured to the underside of the turntable, and a Geneva Wheel formed with a central opening and secured to the bearing plate, the central openings of the turntable, bearing plate and Geneva wheel being in alinement with one another.

2. In a display device, a turntable adapted to be operated by means including 2. Geneva movement, said turntable being formed with a central opening, a bearing plate having a bushing formed integrally therewith, said bearing plate being secured to the underside of the turntable with the bushing formed thereon entered in the central opening in the turntable, and 9. Geneva wheel formed with a central opening and secured to the bearing plate with said opening in alinement with the opening through the bushing.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the Geneva wheel is secured to the bearing plate in spaced relation thereto.

CLARENCE E. BILTON.

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