Patent GB-454508-A (GB)
Title: An improved method of and apparatus for displaying rugs and the like
IPC: A47F7/16
Filed: 1935-04-01
Abstract: 454,508. Distant-control systems. GROVES, W. W., 30, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London.-(Shawmut Engineering Co. ; 195, Freeport Street, Boston, U.S.A.) April 1, 1935, No. 10090. [Class 40 (i)] [See also Group XVIII] In apparatus for storing and displaying rugs, carpets, linoleums, mattings, and the like, means are provided whereby any selected rug, &c., or any selected sequence of rugs, &c., can be brought into view by power means, and the motions of any rug &c., or group of rugs, &c., can be at any moment interrupted, reversed, or repeated. The rugs &c. are carried by sections any number of which up to, say, five, may be combined together in one main display frame 3, Fig. 3, having lateral supports and an arch to form a proscenium, with a low platform 2 in front to form a support for displaying the rugs &c., in their normal position of use. Each section carries a plurality of rug-holding units each consisting of a core 11 carrying intermediate flanges 14 between which wooden &c. bars 17 are mounted. Between adjacent flanges 14 are wound straps 20 supporting a carrier 19 to which are attached the rugs &c., one for each flanged reel 10, by means of fixed pins over which a pivoted guard is turned to retain the rugs, &c., Notches in the flanges 14 receive the carrier 19 when the rugs are wound on their unit. Each of the units 11 is driven by gear wheels 22, 34 and a sprocket 37 magnetically clutched to the shaft 35 carrying the wheel 34. All the sprockets 37 in one section are driven by a single chain 40, Fig. 3, tensioned by idle wheels 41 located between the units 11. Each magnetic clutch consists of a hollow drum 39, Fig. 8, keyed to the shaft 35, and containing the winding 45. When excited the drum 39 attracts a plate 52 carried by a disc 38 studs 53 extending from the sprocket 37, to allow of the disc 38 and sprocket 37 being axially movable relatively to one another. Current is conveyed to the winding 45 by way of brushes 49 bearing on ring contacts 46. A brake-band 42 tensioned by a weight 57 exerts a continuous retarding effect on the drum 39, and brings the unit quickly to rest when the clutch is de-magnetized. A spring- retracted pawl 58 holds the unit normally locked, and is raised by the attraction of a yoke 62 to the clutch when this is energized. The chains 40, one for each section, are driven by sprockets on shafts rotated by a coupling chain 77 which passes also around idler sprockets 80 and over and under drive sprockets 75, 76. The direction of travel of the chain 77 is determined by magnetic clutches which connect the sprockets 75, 76 to one or the other of two pinions 71, 72 rotated both in the same direction by a toothed wheel 69 driven from the motor 65 by a chain 66. In order to bring the rugs &c. to a horizontal position for display as in use a plurality of parallel narrow belts 90 are provided extending from rollers 92 at the rear of the apparatus to corresponding rollers at the front of the platform 2, which may be located above or below the sections. The rollers 92 are driven by chain-and-sprocket and pinion gearing from the shaft carrying the sprocket operating the chain 40 of the rearmost section. A change-speed gear, preferably of the sun-and-planet type, is provided on the gear shaft 99, and includes a unidirectional clutch and a solenoid actuated pawl detent, the gear effecting quick movement of the belts 90 in the forward direction, when the rugs &c. are falling, and a slower movement in the reverse direction, when they are being raised against gravity. A plurality of demountable guide rods hang one in front of and one behind each rug &c., to facilitate its turning the corner in passing on to and off the platform 2. These rods hang freely by suspension links from pivots and accommodate themselves to loops &c., in the rugs. The selector switch for bringing any desired rug &c., into view comprises a pointer which can be turned to indicate any one of a plurality of circularly arranged indices, and which, through its axial shaft, completes electric circuits between a ring 140, Fig. 20, and contacts 134 and also between a ring 139 and strips 141 corresponding in number to the number of sections. A ratchet wheel 138, Fig. 18, on the pointer shaft 136 is engaged by a pawl 155 to position the pointer. Pilot lights indicate when the main switch is in and whether a rug &c., is moving up or down. The rugs are displayed in a given sequence by an escapement 160, 162 actuated through a belt-crank by a solenoid 159, the horizontal arm of the bell-crank carrying a mercoid switch 163 at one end and an adjustable weight 164 at the other. Means are provided for preventing manual operation of the device while an automatic sequence is being displayed. The rugs are maintained in the outward display position by chains, &c., depending from the bars 19, which are of metal or have metal strips, the chains contacting with plates inlaid in the platform 2. A switch bar depressed by the weight of the rugs actuates a mercoid switch to stop the rug at the end of its return movement. The motion of the rug may be stopped at any point by a switch short-circuiting a generator, driven by the motor, through a lamp, the switch being mounted on the end of a flex so as to be portable, and being effective whether manually selective or full automatic action is in operation. In a modification the horizontal display platform 2 is built up of sections so as to be made of any size desired, and the tension of each belt can be adjusted by screw positioning of the belt roller. Also each rug has its own electric driving motor, any one of which can be put into action by a manually rotated switch. The drums carrying the rugs are preferably of openwork construction, the lower drums being of smaller diameter than the upper to give a more nearly equal speed of display for each rug.