Improvements in Apparatus for Displaying Advertisements and for similar purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar.,
1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Displaying Advertisements and
for similar purposes.
We, FRANK MIHILL JOHNSON, Gentleman, and MONTAGUE HERBERT CHURCHILL
SHANN, Engineer, both of 61, Chancery Lane, County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for displaying advertisements, for
exhibiting goods, and for similar purposes, and comprises the following
features:-
A band of transparent material or an open web to which the advertisements
or goods can be attached or upon which they can be displayed is driven inter-
mittently so as to display the advertisements or goods one at a time. The band
is wound upon two rollers, one or both of which is driven and they or their axles
are coupled together by toothed wheels of sufficient size to engage with each
other and rotate at the same speed. These rollers are by preference arranged
at or towards the centre of the machine, and the band is led over two guide
rollers so that when it is wound off one roller it is wound on to the other. One
of the guide rollers is adjustable conveniently by means of a cord or equivalent
passing over pulleys and controlled by helical or other spring, sliding bearings
being provided for the roller and one of the spring tightening devices applied to
each end.
Each of the band rollers is provided with a recess and a packing piece by which
the end of the band may be secured to the roller.
The driving may be conveniently effected by means of a bevel wheel upon the
end of one of the hand rollers engaging with a corresponding wheel upon another
shaft driven in any convenient manner by an electric or other motor.
The mechanism is enclosed in a case having a window of glass or opening
through which the band or the objects can be seen.
The band may travel in a horizontal or vertical plane; in the arrangement
above described we are assuming that the band is vertical so that the band rollers
will be horizontal and the bevel wheel shaft will be vertical. For driving pur-
poses this shaft may be provided with another bevel wheel engaging a correspond-
ing wheel upon a horizontal shaft connected for the purpose of imparting inter-
mittent motion to the band from a motor which is constantly running by the
following mechanism.
The last described horizontal shaft is driven by a toothed pinion carrying a
wiper which extends beyond the radius of the pinion. The pinion is driven by a
mutilated toothed wheel or larger diameter having teeth upon approximately only
one half of its periphery; at each end of the geared portion a pin projects which
as the wheel rotates engages with the previously mentioned wiper. There is
also a detent plate having in its periphery a notch with bevel entrance sides with
which engages a spring' detent also bevelled so as to freely enter the notch and

page_text: correctly adjust the shaft with the wiper projecting into the path of the pre-
viously mentioned pins upon the mutilated wheel.
This mechanism is provided so as to ensure the proper registration of the band
and the proper engagement of the mutilated wheel with the pinion. The gearing
may be so arranged that the detent plate revolves a definite number of times
during the exhibition of any one advertisement, or there may be a series of
notches in the detent plate.
For the purpose of reversing the motor, the shaft which carries the mutilated
wheel also carries a pinion which engages with a toothed wheel, ring, or disc
provided with a number of pins which in turn engage with a lever secured upon
a shaft which carries loose upon it the reversing switch, which has
upon it a quadrantal extension slotted to receive a pin carried upon an arm
or segment fixed upon the same shaft, and controlled by a spring which according
to the position of the shaft lies upon one or the other side of its axial line, thus
holding the shaft in one of its two extreme position. The switch engages 'with
stops at either of its extreme positions.
The operation is that when one of the pins engages with the first mentioned
lever it carries it with it and turns the shaft, but without moving the switch
until the pin has reached the other end of its slot when it carries the switch
with it; the pin carrying segment, as it turns with the shaft, carries the spring
across the axis of the shaft before its pin reaches the other end of the slot in
the switch arm, so that the spring coming into play carries the segment and its
pin over to its other extreme limit and the pin being at the end of the slot in
the switch arm carries that also with it so that the movement of the switch is
prompt, complete and final, and prompt break of the one contact and make of the
next is effected.
This mechanism may be employed for reversing where motors other than
electric ones are used.
An alternative arrangement for the wiper and pins of the mutilated wheel
would be something after the nature of the Geneva stop commonly employed in
watches to prevent over-winding. In this case the pinion would be provided
with a plate, the working face of which would be recessed to the arc of a circle
so as to fit a blank circular segment upon the mutilated wheel, the effect being
substantially that already described.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Apparatus for Displaying Advertisements and
for similar purposes.
We, FRANK MILL JOHNSON, Gentleman, and MONTAGUE HERBERT CHURCHILL
SILANN, Engineer, both of 61, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improved apparatus for displaying advertisements, for
exhibiting goods, and for similar purposes, and comprises the following
features:-
A band of transparent material or an open web to which the advertisements
or goods can be attached or upon which they can be displayed is driven inter

page_text: One
mittently so as to display the advertisements or goods one at a time. The band
is wound upon two rollers, one or both of which is driven and they or their axles
are coupled together by toothed wheels of sufficient size to engage with each
other and rotate at the same speed. These rollers are by preference arranged
at or towards the centre of the machine, and the band is led over two guide
rollers so that when it is wound off one roller it is wound on to the other.
of the guide rollers is adjustable conveniently, by means of a cord or equivalent
passing over pulleys and controlled by helical or other spring or by a weight sliding
bearings being provided for the roller and one of the tightening devices applied
to each end. Or when the rollers are placed horizontally, the bottom guide
roller may be provided with sliding bearings, and its own weight would then keep
the requisite tension on the band. The object of this arrangement is to ensure
the band being held in due tension across the display opening of the apparatus,
and to provide for slack caused by the periodic differential diameters of the
wound portions of the band.
Each of the band rollers is preferably provided with a recess and a packing
piece by which the end of the band may be secured to the roller, or any other
convenient means may be employed for this purpose.
The driving may be conveniently effected by means of a bevel wheel upon the
end or one or the nand rollers engaging with a corresponding wheel upon another
shaft driven in any convenient manner by an electric or other motor.
The mechanism is enclosed in a case having a window of glass or opening
through which the band or the objects thereon can be seen.
The band may travel in a horizontal or vertical plane; assuming that the band
is vertical the band rollers will be horizontal and the bevel wheel shaft will be ver-
tical. For driving purposes this shaft may be provided with another bevel wheel
engaging a corresponding wheel upon a horizontal shaft connected for the purpose
of imparting intermittent motion to the band from a motor which is constantly
running by the following mechanism.
The last described horizontal shaft is driven by a toothed pinion carrying a
wiper which extends beyond the radius of the pinion. The pinion is driven by a
mutilated toothed wheel or larger diameter having teeth upon approximately only
one half of its periphery; at each end of the geared portion a pin projects which
as the wheel rotates engages with the previously mentioned wiper. There is
also a detent plate having in its periphery a notch with bevel entrance sides with
which engages a spring detent also bevelled so as to freely enter the notch and
correctly adjust the shaft with the wiper projecting into the path of the pre-
viously mentioned pins upon the mutilated wheel.
This mechanism is provided so as to ensure the proper registration of the band
and the proper engagement of the mutilated wheel with the pinion, preventing
over running of the pinion. The gearing may be so arranged that the detent
plate revolves a definite number of times during the exhibition of any one
advertisement, or there may be a series of notches in the detent plate.
For the purpose of reversing the motor, the shaft which carries the mutilated
wheel also carries a pinion which engages with a toothed wheel, ring. or disc pro-
vided with a pin which engages with a lever or tappet secured upon a shaft which
carries loose upon it the reversing switch, which has upon it a quadrantal exten-
sion slotted to receive a pin carried upon an arm or segment fixed upon the same
shaft, and controlled by a spring which according to the position of the shaft lies
upon one or the other side of its axial line, thus holding the shaft in one of its
two extreme positions. The switch engages with stops at either of its extreme
positions.
It is evident that the arrangement of pin and slot may be reversed, the arm of
the loose switch lever carrying the pin and the slot formed in the fixed arm or
segment.
The operation is that when the pin engages with the first mentioned lever or
tappet it carries it with it and turns the shaft, but without moving the switch

page_text: until the pin on the rockshaft arm has reached the other end of its slot when it
carries the switch with it; the pin carrying segment, as it turns with the shaft,
carries the spring across the axis of the shaft before its pin reaches the other end
of the slot in the switch arm, so that the spring coming into play carries the
segment and its pin over to its other extreme limit and the pin being at the end
of the slot in the switch arm carries that also with it so that the movement of the
switch is prompt, complete and final, and prompt break of the one contact and
make of the next is effected.
Besides the fixed pin which may be removable, if desired, and is so placed on
the toothed wheel of the reversing gear, as to operate when the whole of the
band has been unwound from either roller, the wheel is preferably provided with
a number of holes, adapted to receive a second pin. These holes are so placed as
to correspond with each section of the band equal in length to the display open-
ing so that according to which hole: the second pin is placed in, one two or
more sections may be reciprocated at will across the opening, the rest of the
band not being unwound or displayed.
This mechanism may be employed for reversing where motors other than
electric ones are used.
An alternative arrangement for the wiper and pins of the mutilated wheel
would be something after the nature of the Geneva stop commonly employed in
watches to prevent over-winding. In this case the pinion would be provided
with a plate, the working face of which would be recessed to the arc of a circle
so as to fit a blank circular segment upon the mutilated wheel, the effect being
substantially that already described.
An apparatus constructed according to this invention is shown in the accom-
panying drawings, of which
Figure 1 is a side view part broken away;
Figure 2 is a front elevation with parts removed;
Figure 3 is a front elevation, and
Figure 4 a plan of part of the gearing and reversing mechanism.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The apparatus is enclosed in a suitably shaped casing, having a backboard A,
and front A, in which is the display opening A², preferably protected by glass
as shown at A³.
Two rollers BB preferably of relatively large diameter and placed conveni-
ently in the middle of the apparatus are carried on axles or pins B2 B3 in bearings
in brackets A secured to the backboard A, and are positively geared together by
gear wheels 134 135 so as to rotate at the same speed. One object in this latter
arrangement is to prevent back lash. If desired an idle wheel may be interposed
between the two gear wheels of the rollers so as to rotate them in the same
direction and in place of gear wheels, friction wheels may be employed.
Each end of the travelling band C is fixed respectively to one of the rollers BB
by means of a recess and packing piece B, and are wound round them so that
when the rollers are rotated the band is wound on to the one and unwound from
the other roller.
From each roller B B the band C is led off over two guide rollers 11 which
holil it flat in front of the display opening A³.
The guide rollers DD¹ are carried in bearings in brackets A5 A6 secured to
the backboard A, and one of the rollers, in this case the top one D, is provided
with sliding bearings 12, so as to put yielding tension on the band C and com-
pensate for variations in the length of the unwound portion of the same owing
to the differential diameters of its wound portions at various stages of its travel.
The requisite tension is conveniently supplied by means of a cord D3 led over
pulleys D and fastened to the bracket A4 by a spring D5. Any convenient means
may be employed for instance the spring might be replaced by a weight, or 'the
sliding bearing might be arranged on the lower roller D¹, and its weight adjusted
to give the necessary tension.

page_text: Guide rods Do may if desired be provided to further support the band C, secured
in the free ends of the brackets At
The geared rollers BB may be conveniently driven by means of a bevel
wheel B on the pin or axle of the roller B', gearing with a bevel wheel E¹ on
a vertical shaft E.
The vertical shaft E is driven through a bevel wheel E2 on its lower end, which
gears with a bevel wheel F' on a horizontal shaft F.
The shaft is driven by a pinion F2, and on the pinion F2 or shaft Fis
a wiper F3 extending beyond the radius of the pitch of the pinion F².
This pinion F is driven by a large gear wheel G having only a portion of the
rim provided with teeth, and at each end of the geared portion is a pin G¹ project-
ing so as to engage with the wiper F3.
The number of teeth on the wheel G must be sufficient to operate the pinion 12
so as to give sufficient travel to the band C, to remove one complete display
section from before the display opening and place the next in position and the
proportion between the toothed portion of the circumference of the wheel G,
and the plain portion will depend on the period of time it is desired to keep each
display section on view.
In order to provide for the proper registration of the band C, and also to ensure
that the geared segment of the wheel G shall always engage correctly with the
pinion F2 a cam or notched plate H is provided on the shaft F which carries the
pinion F2.
Into a notch H' in the cam plate H, a jack-in-the-box spring H2 forces a
plunger or detent H³, the notch H¹ being so shaped that whilst the spring pres-
sure is sufficient for the detent H³ to prevent over riding, it will be forced out of
the notch when the plate H is mechanically driven.
The gearing should be so arranged that the cam plate H revolves a definite
number of times otherwise a series of notches must be provided around the plate.
The mutilated wheel G is carried on a shaft G2, which also carries a pinion G³
gearing with a large wheel I on an idle shaft I. The pinion G and wheel I are
geared so that the wheel I will make one complete revolution during the travel
of the whole length of the band C in one direction. Around the wheel I, near
its periphery are a series of evenly pitched holes I² corresponding in number to
the number of separate display sections of the band C.
Into the one of the holes 12 which corresponds with the completion of one com-
plete travel of the band across the display opening, is fixed either perinanently
or adjustably a pin I³.
A tappet K on one end of a rocking-shaft K extends across the path of the
holes I, and consequently engages the pin 13 at one period of the revolution of
the wheel I.
On the other end of the rocking-shaft K is an arm or plate K2 having a pin K³
which engages in a slot L2 in a quadrant shaped arm L' of a lever L pivotted loose
on the rocking-shaft. K; the other arm L³ of the lever L is connected to any
reversing arrangement of the motor operating the apparatus; preferably to the
switch of an electric motor. A strong spring M fastened by one end to the arm K2
and by the other to a convenient portion of the framing, is arranged to hold the
plate K under strong tension on either side of the axis of the rocking-shaft K.
Two stops L L are provided to limit the movements of the lever L.
The length of the slot L is such that when the lever arm is against either of
these stops, and the shaft K is rocked the pin K³ of the arm K2 does not com-
mence to move the lever L until the spring M has been brought to the opposite
side of the rocking-shaft axis, hence the movement of the lever L is sudden and
definite and is caused by the spring M and not by the movement of the pin I³
of the wheel I.
The object of this device is to cause the switch (when an electric motor is
employed) to be promptly and completely moved from one contact to the other
and ensure the positive reversal of the band when it is at the end of its travel

page_text: The operation is as follows:-
As the wheel I-rotates, the pin I engages the tappet K and rocks the shaft K,
moving the spring controlled arm K until the spring passes the axial line of the
shatt, the slot in the lever arm L' allowing this movement of the arm and spring
without any movement being imparted to the lever. The spring now suddenly
completes the rocking of the shait, and the pin K being brought to the end of the
slot the lever is suddenly thrown from one to the other of the stops L L operating
the switch or other reversing gear.
As described above the arrangement would only reverse at the end of one com-
plete travel of the whole band across the display opening. By placing a second
pin in any one of the free holes I³ it is evident that the travel of the band would
be reversed when one or any desired number of sections, starting from either end
of the band, has been displayed according to the holes in which the second pin
is placed. Or by placing two pins beside the fixed pin in the proper holes any
section or sections in the middle portion of the band may be displayed and the end
sections left wound.
The motor can be geared in any convenient manner to the segmental wheel G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is-
1. In an apparatus for displaying advertisements and the like, in which a band
is wound upon two rollers, the direct gearing together of these rollers by wheels
such as B 1 Figure 1 or by wheels such as B B and an idle wheel for the pur-
pose of preventing back lash.
2. In a display apparatus having an intermittently travelling band, the com-
bination with two intergeared rollers of a driving mechanism comprising a
mutilated wheel, such as G, a projecting pin such as G¹ at each end of the toothed
portion, a wiper such as 13 in the path of said pins secured on to a pinion gear-
ing with the mutilated wheel, a notched plate such as H secured on the pinion
shaft, a yielding tension detent such as H2 H3 and gearing connecting the pinion
shaft with the rollers substantially as described.
3. In a display apparatus having an intermittent travelling band the combina-
"tion with the driving mechanism of a notched disk and a yielding tension detent
for the purpose described.
4. In a display apparatus the combination with a travelling band wound upon
two rollers of a guide roller having sliding bearings, and means for applying
yielding tension to allow the said guide roller to compensate for differential
diameters of the two portions of wound band.
5. In a display apparatus having a travelling band the combination with the
driving mechanism of an automatic reversing mechanism which can be set to
operate at any desired one of certain fixed points of the band's travel.
6. In a display apparatus having a travelling band and two rollers for holding
and winding the same the combination with gear for revolving said rollers of an
automatic reversing mechanism comprising a wheel revolved by said gear and
having a series of holes, corresponding in number to the display sections of the
travelling band, one or two pins adapted to be fixed in said holes, a tappet in
the path of the pins and means for operating the sudden reversal of the roller
revolving gear set in operation by the movement of the said tappet.
7. In a display apparatus the employment of a reversing mechanism compris-
ing a rocking shaft such as K, a tappet such as K¹, a plate or arm such as K a
lever such as L and a spring such as M, all combined and operating substan-
tially as described.
8. In a display apparatus having a travelling band and two rollers for holding
and winding the same, the combination with gear for revolving said rollers of an
automatic reversing mechanism comprising a rocking-shaft, a lever pivotted
thereon and a spring controlled arm or plate fixed thereon, one arm of the lever

page_text: and the said plate being engaged together by a pin and a slot, the other arm of
the lever being operatively connected with a switch or other reversing gear and
means to partially rotate the rocking-shaft to bring the tension on the spring con-
trolled plate to bear from one side to the opposite side of the rocking-shaft axis,
so as to suddenly vibrate the lever and operate its connected reversing gear.
9. In a display apparatus the motion reversing gear substantially as described.
10. The complete display apparatus substantially as described or as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
FRANK M. JOHNSON,
MONTAGUE SHANN,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.