Improvements in and in Means for Advertising and Displaying Designs or Announcements.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1897
Ou
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in Means for Advertising and Displaying
Designs or Announcements.
I, JOHN FRANCIS O'BRIEN, of 56, Basinghall Street, in the City of London;
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in and in means for advertising,
and has for object to provide an illuminated advertising device with an alternating
action which, whilst being effective in displaying the advertisement by night (by
alternate illumination and obscuration) will be more conveniently and economically
set up and maintained than by using the electric light as now employed.
In carrying my invention into effect there is to be employed an object-board or
display-screen with piercings therein following the outlines of the design (letters
or otherwise) which have or has to be displayed. Behind said screen is a gas
burner or other permanent illuminant that may be obscured intermittently, whether
by "turning-down" the light or by interposing a screen between same and the
object-board or display-screen. Combined with the piercings of the display
screen and the illuminant are reflectors supported on carriers and projecting out-
ward from the back of the display-screen. A framing or box, which may be
made in any style of cabinet fitting or as may be desired, is arranged to support
the display-screen, preferably made of sheet metal which lends itself readily for
cutting away and providing openings or piercings through which the light of the
illuminant will be thrown. At the same time that piercings are provided in the
display-screen-when said screen is of sheet metal,-the partially cut-away
portions are bent back so as to project horizontally on the inside face of the display-
screen. In this manner there are provided a series of carriers or supports designed
to carry reflector-pieces of looking-glass or the like, one piece above and the other
below the said supports, so that the rays of light will be projected upwards and
downward and add to the brilliancy and uniformness of the general illuminating
effect. To give alternating illumination, a cross-bar to the gas-burner is provided,
to which chains or the like are attached to alternately turn the tap on and off. A
wheel, which by a quadrantal motion given from any suitable mechanism or device,
a make-and-break armature, or other
such as clock-work or electricity actuating
means as convenient, may be provided to rock the said cross-bar in order to effect
the turning on and off of the light. This may also be effected by a pendulating
motion working through a quadrant or cam and connected by rod or link with
the tap.

page_text: Improvements in and.in Means for Advertising and Displaying
Designs or Announcements.
I, JOHN FRANCIS O'BRIEN, of 56, Basinghall Street, London, E.C., Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and 'in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to certain improvements in, and in means for advertising
or displaying designs, and has for object to provide an illuminated advertising or
show device, which, whilst being effective in displaying the advertisement or the
like in the day time, will by night show brilliantly and in a manner attractive to
the eye by alternate illumination and obscuration, and will be more conveniently
and economically set up and maintained than by using either the electric or other
light in the manner now customary.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the present
specification,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an advertising device constructed according to my
invention and showing a painted day sign and therein certain piercings or aper-
tures, behind which reflectors are to be arranged in a manner hereinafter more
fully described.
Fig. 2 represents a rear view of the same device, the back board being removed.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section along the line. x y Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shows two reflectors in position on the carrier, and a method of securing
said reflectors to the holders.
Like letters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures of the
drawing.
In carrying out my invention there is to be employed an object board or display-
screen A with piercings a therein, following the outline of or forming the letters
or other design which have to be displayed. Behind the screen are arranged a
suitable number of gas burners or other permanent illuminants that may be
obscured intermittently by turning down the light or interposing a screen between
the same and the object-board or display-screen. The said illuminants are
marked B in the drawings.
In combination with the piercings a of the display-screen and the illuminants B
there are to be employed a series of reflectors 6 supported by and mounted on
carriers a¹ and projecting outward from the back of the display-screen into a frame
or box C which may be constructed in any suitable manner and be arranged to
support the display-screen and protect the illuminants from the weather. The
said display-screen A is preferably made of sheet metal, which lends itself readily
for cutting away for the purpose of providing the openings or piercings a through
which the light of the illuminants B will be thrown by the reflectors b. At the
same time that the piercings are provided in the display-screen, when said screen
is made of sheet metal, in the most convenient shape, but preferably triangular,
(as shown in detail in Fig. 4) the partially cut away parts of the sheet metal are
bent back into the framing or box C so as to project at any suitable angle on the
inside face of the display-screen. In this manner there are provided a series of
carriers or supports a designed to carry the reflectors b, one above and one below
each carrier, (Fig. 4). The reflectors 6 may be pieces of looking glass, or may be
made of other material, and be secured to the carriers a¹ by means of clamps c,
as suggested in Fig. 4, or in any other convenient manner. The light issuing

page_text: from the illuminants B will be reflected upward and downward, whereby the
brilliancy and uniformity of the illuminating effect will be greatly increased.
To produce the alternating illumination and obscuration, a mechanism or clock-
work is provided to effect the turning-on and turning-off of the light, or any other
convenient means, such as electric make-and-break armature or the like may be
employed for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
In illuminated advertising or display devices, a display screen perforated in a
manner hereinbefore described, in combination with a series of reflectors, con-
structed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
CAMBIE & WINCKELSETT,
For the Applicant.