Roll display device

A roll display device having a pair of roll mounting cylinders, an expandable frame rotatably mounting the cylinders at the ends of the frame and a base support for the frame. Each mounting cylinder has means for quickly clamping a roll end on it. Means are provided for rotating each mounting cylinder to wind or unwind a roll on or off it thus moving the roll, in either direction across the frame.

The present invention relates to an improved roll display device and, more 
particularly, to an improved roll display device of the type displaying a 
portion of a rolled-up map, blueprint, or similar article. 
Roll display devices of the above type are known as shown, for example, in 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,467,896 issued Sept. 11, 1923. O. Jovet inventor. This 
type of roll display device permits a large, rolled-up map or blueprint to 
be mechanically held in a partly unrolled position, particularly outdoors, 
so that a portion of it can be readily viewed. The display device frees 
the viewer's hands for other jobs and eliminates the awkward manual job of 
trying to hold a rolled-up map or blueprint, particularly in a wind, in a 
partly unrolled position. The display device is particularly useful since 
it employs an expandable frame which permits the display device to be 
stored in a small space. The expandable frame can be adjusted in length 
when being used so that larger or smaller portions of the roll can be 
viewed as desired. 
The known devices have disadvantages however. They cannot accommodate long 
rolls since no means are provided at each end of the expandable frame of 
the device for receiving rolled-up ends of the roll. Also, no means are 
provided at either, or both ends of the frame for mechanically rolling up 
or unrolling the roll so that it can be easily moved in either direction 
across the frame for viewing. Further, no means are provided for 
self-supporting the frame in a manner so it can be adjusted to a variety 
of viewing positions. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a roll 
display device having an expandable frame which can receive rolled-up ends 
of a roll at both ends of the frame. This permits very long rolls to be 
displayed. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a roll display device with 
means for rolling or unrolling a roll end at each end of the frame so that 
the roll to be displayed can be easily moved in either direction across 
the frame for viewing. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a support stand for the 
display device which includes means for adjusting the viewing position of 
the roll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide means for 
easily and positively attaching the ends of a roll on rotatable roll 
support members at each end of the frame. 
These objects are achieved with a roll display device comprising a pair of 
cylindrical roll mounting members, a longitudinally expandable frame 
having a lattice-work structure which frame carries the mounting members 
on its ends in substantially parallel rotation and a base support for the 
frame. 
The base support comprises means for mounting the frame at its center on 
the base support for rotational movement about two mutually perpendicular 
axes. 
Means are provided for attaching an end of the roll onto each mounting 
member. Each attaching means comprise a part cylindrical cover, means for 
hinging the cover to the mounting member and means for clamping the cover 
flush against the mounting member with a roll end between the cover and 
the mounting member. 
Means are also provided for rotatably mounting each mounting member on the 
frame. Each mounting means comprise a support member for connecting each 
mounting member to an end of the frame and a pair of axles carried at the 
ends of each support members for rotatably mounting the mounting member 
therebetween. 
Preferably, the device according to the present invention includes means 
for rotating each mounting member on its axle.

The roll display device 1 shown in FIG. 1, includes a pair of roll mounting 
members 3 carried by a frame 5. The frame 5 is extendable and is mounted 
at its approximate center to a frame support 7 which in turn is pivotably 
mounted to a display stand base 9. The roll mounting members 3 are each 
mounted to an end of frame 5 by a mounting support 11. The frame 5 
maintains the roll mounting members 3 in substantially parallel position 
at all times regardless of whether the frame is extended or collapsed. 
Each roll mounting member 3 includes means 13 for fastening an end of a 
roll "R" thereto. The roll is wound, by winding means 15, onto each 
mounting member 3 until the portion of the roll extending between the 
mounting members 3 and lying on top of the frame 5 is tight. The roll can 
then be moved across the frame 5, in either direction, by winding it up on 
one mounting member while simultaneously unwinding it off the other 
mounting member. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, each mounting member 3 comprises a cylindrical 
member 21 which is preferably tubular. Each end 23 of the cylindrical tube 
21 is closed by a cap 25 which fits tightly into the end of the tube 21. 
Each tube 21 has a part cylindrical cover 27 extending over a major 
portion of its length. The cover 27 is hinged along one edge 29 to the 
tube 21 by a flexible hinge 31 which can extend the length of the cover 
27. The hinge 31 is fastened to the outer surfaces of the tube 21 and 
cover 27 by suitable means and is substantially parallel to the axis of 
tube 21. The cover 27 is concentric to tube 21 when closed thereon and 
covers approximately half of the tube. 
Means are provided for clamping the cover 27 against the tube 21 to 
sandwich an end of the roll "R" between said cover 27 and tube 21 when 
mounting the roll on the tube. These clamping means comprise a clamping 
ring 35 at each end of tube 21. Each ring 35 has a tapered central bore 
37. The small end of the bore is located at the end 39 of the ring 35 
which is nearest the cap 25 at each end of the tube 21. When placing the 
end of the roll "R" under the cover 27, the rings 35 are located on the 
tube 21 adjacent the caps 25 at each end of the tube, clear of the cover 
27. After, the cover 27 is moved to sandwich the roll end between it and 
tube 21, the rings 35 are moved inwardly from the caps 25 onto the cover 
27 at each end to wedge the cover 27 tight against the roll end and the 
tube 21 and to thus firmly hold the roll end in place. The outer surface 
of the rings 35 can be scored to provide a good gripping surface when the 
rings are grasped to be moved between locked and unlocked positions. 
Each tube 21 is mounted on each mounting support 11 so that it can rotate 
about its longitudinal axis. Each mounting support 11 comprises an 
angle-shaped member having a pair of flanges 45 and 47 perpendicular to 
each other. One flange 45 is used to connect the support 11 to the frame 5 
as will be described. The other flange 47 has an extension from each end 
which is bent at right angles part way along its length to provide 
supports 51 for mounting the tube 21. The supports 51 are substantially 
parallel and the tube 21 is mounted between the supports 51 parallel to 
the flanges 45 and 47. A short axle 53 is mounted perpendicularly in each 
support 51. The axles 53 extend toward each other and both have pointed 
ends 55. The pointed ends 55 of the axles 53 fit in corresponding conical 
depressions 57 formed in the center of the caps 25 closing the ends 23 of 
the tube 21. The upper axle 53A as shown in FIG. 4, is movably mounted in 
support 51A. For this purpose, a portion of axle 53A is threaded, and this 
threaded portion is screwed through a tapped hole in the support 51A. A 
locking nut 59 is provided on the threaded portion of the axle 53A which 
nut screws against the support 51A through a washer 61 adjacent the 
support 51A, to lock the axle 53A in any desired position. The axle 53A 
has an enlarged head 63 opposite its pointed end 55A by means of which the 
axle can be moved relative to the support 51A. 
The lower axle 53B is rotatably mounted in the lower support 51B. A washer 
65, fixed onto the axle 53B and lying on top of the support 51B limits 
longitudinally movement of the axle 53B relative to the support 51B. A 
circular brake pad 67 is mounted on the bottom side of the support 51B 
with screws 69. The axle 53B passes freely through the center of the pad 
67. An arm 71 is fixedly attached at one end to the bottom end 73 of the 
axle 53B. A handle 75, parallel to the axle 53B, but offset therefrom, is 
attached to the other end of the arm 71. The handle 75 is fixed to the arm 
71 by a bolt 77 threaded through the handle and through a threaded hole in 
the other end of the arm 71. The bolt 77 which extends through the handle 
and arm up to the brake pad 67, can be screwed toward or away from the 
brake pad 67. A circular clutch plate 81 is fixed to the axle 53B adjacent 
its pointed end 55B. The axle 53B passes through the center of plate 81. A 
clutch bolt 83 parallel to, but offset from, axle 53B is screwed through a 
threaded hole in plate 81. The end 85 of bolt 83 is pointed and it fits in 
a corresponding conical depression 87 in the cap 25, offset from the 
depression 57B. 
To rotatably mount each tube 21 between the axles 53A and 53B, the top axle 
53A is moved outwardly away from the axle 53B. Tube 21 is then mounted on 
the pointed end 55B of the bottom axle 53B, and its upper end is 
positioned under the pointed end 55A of the top axle 53A. Top axle 53A is 
then screwed down to move its pointed end 55A into the conical depression 
57A in the top cap 25 of tube 21. The tube 21 can now freely rotate about 
aligned axles 53A and 53B. To positively rotate the tube 21, the clutch 
bolt 83 is screwed inwardly to place its pointed end 85 in the conical 
depression 87. When the handle 75 is rotated about the axis of the axle 
53B, the axle 53B (via arm 71), the clutch plate 81, the bolt 83 and the 
tube 21 (via the connection of the bolt 83 to the bottom cap 25) are all 
rotated. The handle 75 can be rotated in either direction about the axle 
53A to wind a roll on or off tube 21. To prevent inadvertent rotation of 
the tube 21, the brake bolt 77 can be screwed inwardly, in the arm 71, to 
have its inner end 91 abut the brake pad 67 and thus frictionally "lock" 
the tube 21 in a desired position. 
The expandable frame 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 comprises a first set of 
bars 101 crossing and overlying a second set of bars 103 in a lattice-work 
type structure also known as lazy-tongs structure. Where each bar 101 
cross bars 103 it is pivotably connected thereto with a pivot pin 105. The 
bars 101 and 103 preferably comprise shallow channel members the webs 107 
and 109 of which abut. 
Each end of the frame 5 is attached to the flange 45 on support 11, as is 
shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Each end of the frame 5 is attached at its center 
111 and its corners 113A and 113B to the flange 45. The center 111, formed 
by the ends of two bars 101A and 103A, is pivotably connected with a bolt 
115 fixed to the center of flange 45. The top corner 113A, formed by the 
end of a bar 101B is pivotably connected by a bolt 117 to the flange 45 
above the fixed bolt 115. The bottom corner 113B, formed by the end of a 
bar 103B, is pivotably connected by a bolt 119 to the flange 45 below the 
fixed bolt 115. Both bolts 117 and 119 are slidably mounted in 
longitudinal slots 121 and 123 in the flange 45, one slot 121 being above 
the fixed bolt 115 while the other slot 123 is below the bolt 115. With 
bolts 117 and 119 slidable in slots 121 and 123, on both ends of the 
frame, the frame can be expanded or collapsed to provide a mounting area 
of desired size between the tubes 21 for receiving the portion of roll "R" 
to be viewed. 
Means are provided to lock the frame 5 in a desired expanded position. 
These means, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, include a locking plate 131, 
pivotably connected at one end to one of the corner bolts 117 and 
pivotably connected at its other end to a locking bolt 133. The plate 131 
rides on the flange 45 and the locking bolt 133 passes through the slot 
121. The locking bolt 133 passes through a spacer 135 on the back of the 
flange 45 and a wing nut 137 is threaded onto the bolt 133 against a 
washer 139 adjacent the spacer 135 which is preferably made of resilient 
material. When the wing nut 137 is loosened, the bolt 117, and the other 
bolts 117 and 119 are free to travel in the slots 121 and 123. Thus the 
frame can be expanded or collapsed. When the wing nut 137 is tightened, 
the bolts 117 and 119 on both sides of frame 5 cannot move in the slots 
121 and 123 and the frame is locked in position. 
If desired, the bolts 117 and 119 can be detachably connected to the frame 
5 with wing nuts 141 so that the supports 11 can be readily removed. As 
shown in FIG. 5, a spacer 143 is provided on the bolts 117 and 119 between 
the flange 45 and bars 101 and 103. A bracket 145 is fixed to the web 107 
and 109 of each bar 101 and 103 adjacent each bolt 117 and 119, offset to 
be level with the flanges 147 of the bars. The bolts 117 and 119 pass 
through the brackets 145 which act as a spacer for the channel shaped bars 
101 and 103. 
The frame 5 is fixedly mounted at its center, between its ends, to the 
frame support 7. The frame support 7 has a support strap 151 with a flat, 
relatively long, central portion 153 and short offset end portions 155. 
The top surface of the end portions 155 lie in substantially the same 
plane as the top surfaces of the flanges 45. The strap end portions 155 
serve to support the roll between supports 11. They also serve as handles 
for positioning the frame 5 relative to its base support, as will be seen 
hereinafter. The central strap portion 153 has a pair of longitudinal 
slots 157, one on either side of a central hole (not shown). The central 
hole receives the central pivot pin 105A of the frame, which pin 105A is 
slightly longer than the other pins 105 so as to extend through the strap 
151. The pin 105A fixed the frame 5 to the strap 151. The central upper 
and lower pivot pins 105B, 105C extend through the slots 157 in the strap 
151 and also serve to fix the frame 5 to the strap 151. Pins 105B and 105C 
have a length equal to the length of pin 105A. The pins 105B, 105C are 
free to move in the slots 157 as the frame 5 is expanded or collapsed. 
The frame support 7 include a central brace in the form of a channel member 
161 attached to the back of the central portion 153 of the strap 151 by 
its flanges as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. A mounting block 163 is rotatably 
attached with a bolt 165 to the center of the frame support 7. The block 
163 is attached to the back of the channel 161 with the bolt 165 which 
passes through the web 167 of the channel 161. 
The block 163 is also pivotably mounted to the base 9. The base 9 includes 
a base support 171 having a pair of upstanding ears 173 between which the 
block 163 is mounted. A bolt 175 pivotably connects the block 163 to the 
ears 173. The bolt 175 is located just above the bolt 165 and 
perpendicular to it. Both bolts 165 and 175 have ring nuts 177 and 179 
respectively by means of which they can be tightened. The bolt 165, when 
loosened, permits the frame 5 to be rotated, relative to the base support 
171, about a first axis A--A. The bolt 175, when loosened, permits the 
frame 5 to be rotated, relative to the base support 171, about a second 
axis B--B which is perpendicular to the axis A--A. Thus the position of 
the portion of the roll being viewed can be easily adjusted. 
The base support 171 includes means at or near its bottom end 191 by which 
means the support 171 can be clamped onto a fixed support, such as the 
edge of a desk or table top. The clamping means can comprise a first 
horizontal clamping bracket 193 fixed to the back of base support 171 
above bottom end 191. A second horizontal clamping bracket 195 is fixed to 
the back of the base support adjacent bottom end 191 under the first 
bracket 193. A pair of clamping bolts 197 are threaded up through holes in 
the second bracket 195 toward the first bracket 193. The bolts 197 serve 
to clamp a table or desk edge against the first bracket 193 to mount the 
display device 1. 
The base 9 also includes a telescoping stand 201 with legs 203 so that the 
display device 1 may be self-supporting. The telescoping stand 201 
comprise a fist tubular member 205 projecting down from the bottom end 191 
of base support 171 and a second matching tubular member 207 extending up 
from a bracket 209 from which the legs 203 extend outwardly and 
downwardly. A telescoping member 211 is fixedly mounted in the top end of 
tubular member 207 with a portion projecting up therefrom to 
telescopically slide into the bottom end of the tubular member 205. A 
clamp 213 is mounted on first tubular member 205 at its bottom end 215. 
When the clamp 213 is loosened, the first tubular member 205, and the 
attached frame 5, can be moved along telescoping member 211, to adjust the 
height of the display stand 1. The clamp 213 is tightened to lock the 
stand at the desired height. 
If desired, the display device 1 can be provided with flexible backing 
means 225. The flexible backing means 225 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 
comprises a film 227 of plastic material which is wound on tubes 21 and 
stretched between them across the frame 5. The roll "R" is then placed on 
the film 227 and wound on the rolls. The film 227 serves both as a backing 
light-shade for the roll, which is often necessary when using blue prints 
or the like, and as a backing layer providing some material support so 
that the roll can be written or marked on if desired.