Patent GB-401924-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to monogrammatic apparatus for displaying signs and pictures
IPC: G09G3/00
Filed: 1933-02-07
Abstract: 401,924. Electric switches. ROSENBERG, H., 7, Parkstrasse, Dahlem, Berlin. Feb. 7, 1933, Nos. 3749 and 3750. Convention dates, Feb. 9, 1932 and April 14, 1932. [Class 38 (v).] Apparatus for the production of moving signs by means of incandescent lamps on a universal lamp field is characterised by a series of contact panels preferably arranged on a cylinder, the contact panels having a plurality of contactsconnected to corresponding lamps of the lamp-field and co-operating with a continuously moving contact picture strip having electrically conducting and non-conducting surface parts representing the bright and dark places of a series of pictures to be shown on the lamp field, an abutment being provided against which the picture strip is applied by the contact panels, the abutment being preferably capable of accommodating upon it at any one time a length of the strip equal to that occupied by at least two pictures, switching means being provided for connecting up the successive contact panels to the lamps one at a time after a complete picture on the strip has been brought into contact with its co-operating contact panel and disconnecting the lamps again shortly before the picture moves away from the contact panel. As shown in Fig. 3, a cylinder 14 having a plurality of contact assemblies 15-18 arranged circumferentially thereon rotates about a shaft 13, a metal contact picture strip 4 being passed between the cylinder 14 and a trough-shaped abutment 8 against which the strip 4 is pressed by the contact pins 2 of the contact assemblies. The contact assemblies are radially movable and pressed against the opposite film picture by a cam 9 when the rear end 22 reaches the point 19 and lifts therefrom when its front end 23 reaches the point 20. A switch 10 in the lamp circuit controlled synchronously with the contact screen by a cam 11 on the shaft 13 closes the lamp circuit only during the period of pressing down of the contact panel. The withdrawl of the contact panels is effected by springs. In a modification the cylinder and contact-panels may be stationary and the picture strip 4 and abutment 8 rotatable round the cylinder. As shown in Fig. 9, the switch 10 may comprise a fixed arm 90 and a pivoted arm 91 acted on by a spring 93 which tends to keep contacts 94, 95, together, and carrying an insulated roller 96 co-operating with a cam disc 89. In a further modification the picture strip 4 may be arranged in the interior of the hollow cylinder and either the cylinder and contact panels or the picture strip and abutment may constitute the movable member. In a still further modification the contact-panels may be divided into two sections, one fixed which engages the picture strip and the other radially movable. In another modification the contact panels may not reciprocate, and the switching action is obtained by the provision of alternate picture areas and dead spots in the picture strip. The contact pairs may be mounted resiliently by forming the contact-panels of an elastic material such as rubber. The production of the picture strip may be effected by direct painting with an insulating medium on the metal, by engraving or intaglio-etching, or photographic means.