Patent GB-528470-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to illuminated display apparatus
IPC: G09F11/26
Filed: 1939-05-08
Abstract: 528,470. Moving signs. TADDONIO, J. May 8, 1939, No. 13697. [Classes 3 (i) and 3 (ii)] [Also in Group XXX] A sign comprising a display element and a light source is mounted on a support which is normally in a raised position forming the floor of an open-bottom housing having side walls with a viewing aperture and a weather-proof roof, but which can be lowered vertically from the housing to permit access to the parts of the sign. In the embodiment shown, the sign is mounted on. a support 25, Figs. 1, 2, carrying a protective casing 36 and supported in a housing 1, e.g. above a shop door, by cables, 17, 18, 19, 20 wrapped around a pair of drums 16 on a shaft 8 connected by gearing to an eletcric motor 13. The support 25 is positively locked against accidental displacement from the housing by a device at each side comprising a hook 33, Fig. 3, mounted on a shaft 26 on the support engaging a pin 28 on the housing. To allow the support to be lowered, an arm 29 on the shaft 26 is swung down by a hook or other manually actuable element so as to rock the shaft and disengage the latch from the pin 28. At the same time a lever 35a on the housing drops down until its pin 35 engages a notch 34 to hold the hook away from the pin 28. On the next upward movement of the support the end of the hook raises the lever 35a and the hook can then re-engage over the pin 28. Telescopic guide members Z<SP>1</SP>, Z<SP>2</SP>, Z3, Z<SP>4</SP> prevent swaying of the support, the members Z', Z<SP>4</SP> being secured to the housing and the support respectively. The support is provided with a partition W, on each side of which is arranged display matter in the form of cards 50, Fig. 12, bearing characters or the like supported in pockets formed in flexible endless belts 49 having their upper runs resting on glass plates 48, 48a illuminated by electric lamps 47, 47a. The belts are made up of two layers of material formed with a plurality of apertures whereby light from the lamps 47, 47a passes through the belts and the cards to form an image of the display matter in mirrors 79 which are viewed through windows 37a, 38a. The belts 49 pass round rollers 52, 52x, Fig. 12, and are fed forward by the rollers 52 which are driven through beltgearing by an electric motor on the support 25. The gearing is so arranged that the belts travel in opposite directions. As the belts pass downwardly over the rollers 52, they engage a fixed guide and fall on to an endless conveyer constituted by a plurality of endless belts 72. The inactive portion of the display carrier forms folds which are slowly moved along by the belts 72 to a guide by which it is directed towards the roller 52x. When the support 25 reaches its upper position, contact pins 80 on a vertically slidable support 82 urged upward by springs, engage sockets 84 fixed to the housing 1 to complete the circuit for the lamps 47, 47a and the driving motor of the display carrier. Simultaneously, a contact button 86 on a circuit breaking switch S is engaged by the top of the protective casing 36 to stop the motor 13.