Patent ID: 6038799
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: G09F,Y10T

Abstract:
An indexing system for changeable signs comprising, in combination, a plurality of transmissions mounted in side-by-side relationship, each transmission including first and second sides, a drive shaft having an axis of rotation and an angular override during ceasing rotation, a shaft input end located on said first side of said transmission and a shaft output end located on said second side of said transmission, a sign support shaft rotatably mounted on each transmission supporting a plurality of sign vanes and having a length transverse to the associated drive shaft and having a circular gear having teeth, a partial index gear mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith engaging with said circular gear during each rotation of said drive shaft producing a predetermined partial rotation of said sign support shaft determined by the number of sign vanes mounted on said sign support shaft, said sign vanes supported on said sign support shaft each having a selectively visible indicia face visible during each partial rotation of said sign support shaft, a first coupling mounted on said drive shaft input end, a second coupling mounted on said drive shaft output end, said first coupling of a given transmission being in driven engagement with said second coupling of an adjacent transmission and said second coupling of said given transmission being in driving engagement with said first coupling of the other adjacent transmission, and means affixing said first and second couplings mounted on a common drive shaft to produce an effective drive shaft angular difference of .alpha..degree. between adjacent transmissions wherein ##EQU3## where N.G. is the number of transmissions used in the changeable sign, N.F. is the number of sign vanes mounted on a common sign support shaft and M is the angular over ride of said drive shaft each time it is stopped.