Improved Means Applicable for Use in Operating Electrically Illuminated Signs, Advertising Media or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec.. 1898-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1899
:
Improved Means Applicable for Use in Operating Electrically
Illuminated Signs, Advertising Media or the like.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON BELL, of 69, Henry Road, West Bridgford, in the County of
Nottingham, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be.as
follows:-
:
This invention relates to means for operating electrically illuminated signs,
advertising media or the like; the objects being to simplify the construction of the
apparatus, as compared with that to which my previous application, No. 16,220 of
the 8th July, 1897 refers, to render its action more certain and to prevent
sparking upon the breaking of the electric circuit, and the cessation, of
illumination.
61
"
ד'
In carrying out my invention, I arrange in the electric circuit pertaining to the
lamps on the lamp-board, a reciprocating, and intermittingly rotating drum or
cylinder which, at each outward movement, operates a number of contact-makers
carried by a suitably constructed switch-board.
rectangular cross section and is furnished at each end with trunnions which are
The drum is preferably of
mounted in horizontal guides. To each trunnion is connected a thrust-bar furnished
at its opposite extremity with a roller which bears against the periphery of a cam
mounted on the main shaft, these bars being carried in guides and maintained in
working contact with the cams by ineans of springs.. It will be obvious that in
place of circumferential cams, grooved face cams may be employed and the springs
dispensed with. In either case, the cams are so formed as to advance the drum
laterally towards the switch-board, thus operating the contacts and maintaining the
electric circuit for the desired length of time, and ultimately to permit or cause the
drum to retreat, thus breaking the electric circuit upon the predetermined limit of
time for such exposure being reached. The drum is provided at each end with arms
or projections which engage with a tooth on one, arm of a weighted bell-crank
lever; the latter being pivoted in a support mounted upon a pin secured in the frame
of the machine. Thus, during the outward movement of the drum, the extremity
of one of the arms glides beneath the tooth on the arm of the bell-crank-lever and
passes the same, while, during the retreat of the drum, the said arm. is; held captive
by the tooth, and the drum is rotated a quarter of a revolution. The over-turning
of the drum is prevented by horizontal plates arranged at each end of the drum and
which are maintained in contact with the lower arms or projections by counter
veighted levers pivoted to the side frames; a pendant tail-piece on the said plates
entering a slot in the unweighted arm of each lever.
The drum is furnished-with cards of the Jacquard type, provided with perforations
rranged to accord with the particular contacts in the switch-board it is necessary to
perate in order to bring into view the group of lamps which pertain to the particular
evice to be illuminated. The unperforated portions of the cards serve as insulation
or those contacts which for the time being are not required to be operated. The
ards are preferably arranged upon a flexible carrier and in order to accurately
register" each card upon the face of the drum, the latter is furnished with a
TD 037

page_text: projection, or with projections, which engages, or engage, with perforations near
the ends of the cards. The drum may be constructed of any suitable conducting
metal; such as brass, copper, platinum or silver.
The switch-board is preferably arranged in a vertical plane, and is furnished with
as many contacts as there are lamps on the lamp-board. The contacts are each
constructed as follows:-Into the front of the switch-board is inserted a stud,
preferably formed of brass. The end of this stud which protrudes through the
back of the board is formed as a terminal for the lamp wire. The other end of
the stud carries a tubular casing or barrel in which works a plunger, the latter
being maintained at the outer end of the tube by means of a coiled spring. The
rod or tail of the plunger protrudes through the outer or fore end of the tube
and serves to make contact with the surface of the drum or card cylinder
wherever a perforation occurs in the card carried by such cylinder. If the
switch-board be constructed of metal, the studs inust be suitably insulated. The
plunger may be made of brass, copper, platinum or silver. The outer or fore
end of the tube may be supported by a perforated plate of suitable insulating
material.
29
With a view to preventing "sparking" upon the retreat of the drum or card
cylinder from the switch-board and the breaking of the electric circuit, I arrange
upen the cam or actuating shaft a "cut-out," same being timed to slightly
anticipate the breaking of the circuit by the release of the contact-makers. This
* cut-out may comprise a cam arranged in the main circuit and mounted upon
the before mentioned cam-shaft; the said cam being formed with a gap or
depression on its periphery furnished with a piece of non-conducting material.
Working against the periphery of this cam is a spring contact arranged in the
lamp circuit. When this contact arrives at the gap in the periphery of the
cam, the electric circuit is interrupted, the contact resting for a time on the piece
of non-conducting material.
Improved Means Applicable for Use in Operating Electrically
Illuminated Signs, Advertising Media or the like.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON BELL, of 64, Loughborough Road, Nottingham, formerly of
69, Henry Road, West Bridgford, in the County of Nottingham, Gentleman, 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
stateinent:
This invention relates to means for operating electrically illuminated signs,
advertising media or the like; the objects being to simplify the construction of the
apparatus, as compared with that described in the Specification filed in pursuance of
my application for Letters Patent dated 8th July, 1897, No. 16,220, to render its
action more certain and to prevent "sparking" upon the making and breaking of the
electric circuit.
Apparatus constructed according to my present invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, whereof.....
Fig 1 is a side elevation.
:

page_text: ig. 2a corresponding plan and
Fig. 3 an elevation looking from the right-hand end of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section on the line x-x in Fig. 3 showing the means
for effecting the cut-out.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the contact-makers pertaining to the
"switch-board and whereby each lamp is operated.
In carrying out my invention, I arrange in the electric circuit horizontally recipro-
cating and intermittingly rotating drum or cylinder A which, at each forward
movement, operates a number of contact-makers B carried by a suitably constructed
switch-board C. The drum A is preferably of rectangular cross section and is carried
at each end by trunnions & a which are mounted in horizontal guides D D. To each
trunnion is connected a thrust-bar & furnished at its opposite extremity with a roller
which works in the groove e of the face cam E keyed on the main shaft F, these
bars being carried in guides (2 d². Or the rollers d may each be caused to bear
against a circumferential cam mounted on the main shaft, springs being employed to
effect their return movement. The cams E E are so formed as to advance the drum 'A
towards the switch-board C and thus to operate the contacts B, the drum being then
held in that position so as to maintain the electric circuit for the desired length of
time. The cams ultimately cause or permit the drum to retreat thus breaking the
electric circuit upon the predetermined limit of time for such exposure being
reached. The drum is provided at each end with arms or projections a¹ a¹ a¹ à¹
which engage with a tooth g on one arm of a weighted bell-crank lever G, the latter
being pivoted in a support g¹ mounted upon the guides D D or upon a pin secured
in the frame of the machine. Thus, during the outward movement of the drum, the
extremity of one of the arms a¹ glides beneath the tooth g of the bell-crank lever G
and passes the same; while, during the retreat of the drum, the said arm is held
captive by the tooth, and the drùm is rotated a quarter of a revolution. The over-
turning of the drum is prevented by horizontal plates H H arranged at each end of
the drum and maintained in contact with the lower arms a¹ a¹ by counter weighted
levers I I pivoted to the side frames; a pendant tail-piece h on each plate entering a
slot in the unweighted arm of each lever.
It is preferable that only one face of the drum be in the electric circuit at one
time, and to this end the drum is constructed in the following manner :-Upon a
foundation A° of insulating material is secured the contact plates A* A* A* A*, whence
depend the contact pieces A¹ A¹ A¹ A¹, hereinafter inore particularly referred to. By
these means, the contact plates A* are entirely insulated from the other parts of the
machine. The drum is furnished with cards K of the Jacquard type provided with
perforations arranged to accord with the particular contacts in the switch-board it is
necessary to operate in order to bring into operation the group of lamps which pertain
to the particular device to be illuminated. The unperforated portions of the cards
serve as insulation for those contacts which for the time being are required to be
inoperative. The cards are preferably arranged upon a flexible carrier, and in order
to accurately "register" each card upon the face of the drum, the latter is furnished
with projections a² which engage with perforations near the ends of the cards. The
contact-plates of the drum may be constructed of any suitable conducting metal, such
as brass, copper, platinum or silver.
The switch-board is preferably arranged in a vertical plane, and is furnished with as
many contacts as there are lamps on the lamp-board. The contacts B are each
constructed as follows:-In the face of the switch-board C is inserted a stud b,
preferably formed of brass. The end 6 of this stud which protrudes through the
back of the board is formed as a terminal for the lamp wire. The other end of the
stud carries a tubular casing or barrel 62 in which works a plunger 3, the latter being
maintained at the outer end of the tube by means of a coiled spring 64. The rod or
tail 63 of the plunger protrudes through the outer or fore end of the tube b² and
serves to make contact with the surface of the drum or card cylinder A wherever a
perforation occurs in the card K carried by such cylinder. If the switch-board C be
constructed of metal, the studs must be suitably iusulated. In the construction

page_text: illustrated, the switch-board is made of slate.
The plunger may be made of brass,
copper, platinum or silver. The outer or fore end of the tube b2 may. be supported
by a perforated plate C₁ of suitable insulating material.
With a view to preventing "sparking" upon the breaking of the electric circuit
owing to the retreat of the drum or card cylinder A from the contacts B on the
switch-board C, I arrange upon the cam- or actuating-shaft Fa "cut-out", saine
being timed to slightly anticipate the breaking of the circuit caused by the drum
retreating from the contact-makers B. This "cut-out" may comprise a disc or cam.
arranged in the main circuit and mounted upon the before mentioned cam-shaft; the
said cam being formed with a gap or depression in its periphery furnished with a
piece of non-conducting material. In the construction illustrated, the disc or cam is
formed of wood or other suitable non-conducting material and comprises two
flanges upon which are respectively secured the metal rings the latter being
electrically connected by means of metal strips . The ring is formed with an
opening or gap, the material of the disc being cut away to correspond. Working
against rings on the periphery of each of the flanges is a spring contact or
brush M M arranged in the main circuit. These brushes are mounted in carriers m m¹
supported in the standards m m. The latter are mounted on insulating material m",
the carriers being also insulated from their standards. When the gap arrives at
the brush M, the electric circuit is interrupted, the brush or contact resting for a
time on the non-conducting material of which the main portion of the cam is
composed.
When setting up the machine for working, the main conductor N, from the source
of electric energy, is brought to, the terminal m³ of the brush M'; a similar con-
ductor N being led from the terminal mt of the brush M. This latter wire is divided
at N, the two branches N2N2 being led to the spring contact-makers A" A². Each
wire B from the contacts B is led to a lamp on the lamp-board, the several lamps
being. connected to a common return. It will thus be seen that the electric current,
upon entering the machine at M', passes to the brush M, then through the branch
wires NN, contact-makers A2 A2, and one of the plates A to the contacts or pushes B;
the current thereupon operating those lamps on the lamp-board whereof the corre-
sponding pushes or contacts B have been depressed by the forward thrust of the
drum A and are in contact therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The herein described means for operating electrically illuminated signs, adver-
tising media or the like, same comprising a horizontally reciprocating and inter-
mittingly rotating drum or cylinder arranged in the lamp circuit and having each
face formed as an insulated plate of conducting metal or material in conjunction with
a series of jacquard cards of insulating material and a series of switches or pushes
severally connected with the lamps on the lamp-board and arranged on a vertically
disposed switch-board; a "cut-out" being so arranged as to effect the interruption
of current prior to the breaking of contact between the drum and switches.
2. In apparatus for use in operating electrically illuminated signs, advertising
media or the like, the employment of a contact-maker constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. For use in operating electrically illuminated signs, advertising media or the
like, the combination, with a drun or cylinder A, guides D, cams E, thrust
bars d, of a switch-board C furnished with switches B, all arranged to operate
substantially as set forth.
4. For preventing "sparking" upon the breaking of contact between the drum
and the switches, the employment of a << cut-out," such as L, substantially as
described.
5. Apparatus for working electrically illuminated signs, advertising media or the
like, wherein the current enters the machine through a "cut-out," passes thence to
spring contacts for making electrical connection with only one face of the drum at a

page_text: time and then through the series of switches or contacts to the lamps, the current
ultimately returning to the source of electrical energy.
6. For employment in operating electrically illuminated signs, advertising media
or the like, apparatus constructed or operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
Chartered Patent Agent, Clun House, Surrey Street, London, W.C.,