Improvements in an Apparatus for Exhibiting Electric Signals, Advertisements. and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
Improvements in an Apparatus for Exhibiting Electric Signals,
Advertisements. and the like.
A communication from FREDERICK Y. DALZIEL, Gentleman, of 10, Rue Royale,
Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, Chartered Patent Agent, of 111, Hatton Garden, in
the City of London, 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: -
The present invention relates to a simple and practical apparatus for exhibiting
by means of electric incandescent lamps, signals, advertisements, and the like.
The apparatus is intended to exhibit on the sides of houses, etc., or in frames,
letters, numbers, signs and the like.
This result is obtained by lighting up all together, or consecutively a series
of incandescent electric lamps forming geometrical figures.
For this purpose each series of lamps is connected with a wire, which is itself
in contact with a contact drum. The letters are each formed of or cut of a
sheet of metal, which is a good conductor of electricity, each letter being pro-
vided with a series of projections and a series of reliefs, different in and peculiar
to cach letter
The contact drum is sub-divided into as many discs or portions as there are
pictures, words, or the like, and each disc is provided with a number of grooves
for the insertion of the blocks corresponding to the selected letters of the
alphabet or designs desired, these having been cut out of metal as described
above. All the contact wires of the pictures (each wire serving a series of lamps
as described above) are gathered together close to the contact drum and the Free
metal ends of these wires are brought in contact with the discs, which form sub-
divisions of the contact drum.
The blocks having been placed in the grooves, whenever the contact drum is
put in rotary motion by any force, as by hand, clockwork or motor, the said
blocks come consecutively in contact with the ends of the wires arranged in the
form of a comb, whereby it is rendered possible to light at will, in the said
pictures, those series of electric lamps which form the letters, signs or devices
required.
The invention will be readily understood by referring to the accompanying
drawings:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, which, by way of example, shows a crank, by
means of which is made to rotate, either the contact drum as a whole, or one of
the wheels forming part of the said electric contact drum, the electricity being
provided from any source.
Figure 2 is a lateral view showing the crank gearing.

page_text: Figure 3 is a lateral view showing the projections of a letter in contact with
the wires arranged in the form of a comb.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same contact of the letter in question.
Figure 5 represents, by way of example, a block letter or sign cut out of a
sheet of metal, clearly showing the grooves and notches for opening and closing
the electric circuit.
A series of incandescent electric lamps are arranged in regular or irregular
order on a frame or the like so that by means of the apparatus described any
letter or letters of the alphabet, number, or sign or design of any description,
can be displayed and rendered luminous.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the drawings.
A is the crank or handle by means of which, and the gearing B, the contact
drum is turned.
C represents one of the wheels or discs forming a part of the drum.
D is a plate with projections and recesses corresponding to a selected letter,
design, or sign.
E represents the ends of the wires coming from the lamps and arranged in
the form of combs.
F represents the wires connected directly to the frame.
M is the return wire for the electric current.
Suppose that it is intended to cause the letter to appear in one of the
pictures or frames. The projections selected to correspond to that letter are
cut out in a sheet of metal, preferably copper, as shown in Figure 5. The block
is then placed in one of the discs of the contact drum, as at 1, Figure 1, the
handle is turned until the ends of the corresponding contacts E, arranged in
the shape of combs, come in contact with the projections on the block.
Supposing that D is in contact with say 5 wires, these 5 wires correspond
in the picture with the series of lamps geometrically arranged to form in illu-
mination the letter O.
It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular
construction and arrangement described above. The contact drum may be
rotated by electricity or by clockwork or other motor of any description. The
sub-divisions of the drum, the number of wires in each picture, and the pictures,
letters, numbers signs or designs, may vary in number or in details of construc-
tion. The invention may be made to serve a great number of useful purposes,
the pictures and the arrangement for lighting up, which are the objects of the
present application, may serve any purpose such as showing signals in a port,
on vessels, light-houses, semaphores, optical telegraphs, and, especially, for all
kinds and means of publicity or advertising.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In apparatus for exhibiting electric signals, advertisements and the like
a plate or block of metal, forming a good conductor of electricity, provided with
reliefs and recesses corresponding to letters, numbers and signs, or designs, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In apparatus of the kind described, a drum provided with a series of metal
plates or blocks having projections corresponding to letters, numbers, signs,
or designs, substantially as described.
3. A contact drum sub-divided in a series of discs, each disc having a number
of grooves, each groove of which is destined to receive a plate, formed in the
manner described, for the purpose of forming contact with the corresponding
wires of a series of lamps arranged in a geometrical form and destined to produce
any number of pictures, signals or advertisements, substantially as described.
4. A contact drum, such as described, means for rotating same, and a series of
letter or like blocks held in grooves in said drum in combination with a series of

page_text: lamps and contact devices arranged between the lamp conductors and the drum
contact plates, substantially as described.
5. The complete apparatus for exhibiting electric signals advertisements and
the like substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of October 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.