Improvements in Electric Light Display Systems for Use as Signs, or for Advertising or similar Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act.
being date of first Foreign Application (in 18th July, 1895
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 19th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct, 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 19th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct, 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
Improvements in Electric Light Display Systems for Use as Signs,
or for Advertising or similar Purposes.
1. JONATHAN EDWARDS WOODBRIDGE of No 311 East 3rd Street, Duluth,
in the County of St. Loms and State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly descubed and ascertained in and by
the following statement.
My invention relates to a device for producing letters, words, characters and
designs of light, and for changing the delineations at please, the same to be
employed for purposes of signs, advertising and public notices and similai uses in
conspicuous places
In carrying out my invention I employ a display-board studded with a large
number of electric lamps that are to be lighted in groups, each group representing
a letter of a word or name, a character or a design Each lamp is connected to
one maju-line wire and to an eles tio-magnetic switch, and each magnetic switch is
in turn connected to the other main-line wuc, and a hand switch is employed in one
main-line wine As each magnetic switch is operated by the depression of its
amature, a remit including one lamp is established which lights said lamp, the
armature being held by the magnet and the lamp remaining lighted until the
circuit is broken by opening the hand switch. This operation can be performed
with every lamp on the display-board, the lamps being lighted at pleasure in
groups representing the letters of a word or words or characters on ornamental
designs Any desired means may be employed for bringing the electro-maguetic
witches into action, but I prete and usually employ a writing board consisting of
backing of insulating material upon which are a multiplicity of metal disks or
contacts, agreeing in number with the magnetic switches and lamps and in airange-
ment corresponding with the lamps A wire extends from each metal disk or
contact to the magnetic switch connected to the lamp of corresponding position,
and a line extends from one of the main lines to a band operated metal pencil o
stylus. The metal pencil o stylus is diawn across the laces of the metal discs o
contacts in outlining letters designs or characters, and the disks touched determine
the lamps in the lighted groups. The pencil or stylus as it touches each successive
disk establishes a encuit that draws down the armature of the magnetic switches
successively and closes the cucults through the corresponding lamps.
In the diawings,
Figure 1, is a diagrammatic view illustrating my invention.
dian
+io ………. ll the duosDAJO anu aumulate quami

page_text: mvention appre
LU
ig is a diagrammatic view instrating my
wire system.
Fig 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modification in the airangement of
the parts, and
Fig 5 is a side elevation of a way of mechanically operating the magnetic
switch.
A represents a portion of a display-board studded with a large number or
multiplicity of incandescent electric lamps a The board may be of any size and
contain any desued number of lamps, according to the requirements to be fulfilled,
and they are preferably aanged in rows.
Biepresents a number of electio-magnetic switches which are preferably secured
to a board or fame and agreeing in number al position with the electric lamps
Any kind of electro-magnetic switch may be employed, but I profer and have
shown the same as constructed with a helix e, an iron core d, an insulated screw d',
an non fiame e, and a screw e', passing through and attaching the magnet to the
supporting board, a pivoted non amature, on the frame e, and a bick stop
sciew, a contractile spring 2 and a wire 4 from the fiamme e to the wire
helix c.
Wies 5 connect each magnetic switch B with a lamp a of cone-ponding
position and wiles 9 connect the lamps with a main line 10 A mun line 20, in
which is a switch 3, is connected to each magnet at its insulated screw d' by
weg 7.
The armatures my each be mechanically depressed to contact with the cores d
to complete circuits between the mun lines 10 and 20 through the wires 9, lamps a,
wires 3, helices c, wires 4, fi ames e, amatures, cores d, screws d', and wiles 7 to
light the lamps. The magnetic switches are to be operated in groups as desired to
produce letters, words, names, characters designs in light upon the display-
board of lamps, and the lights will remain lighted until by the opening and
successive closing of the hand switch 3 or equivalent means all are turned off
simultaneously, preparatory to making other letters, words, characters of designs
of light
I prefer to operate the magnetic switches B in a more convenient and expeditious
manner than by a mechanical depression of the aimatures f, as shown in Fig. 5.
This accomplish by means of a winting-bond C, Figs 1 and 4, consisting of a
backing of insulating material, on which are a multiplicity of metal disks of
contacts b, agreeing in number and mangement with the meaudesent electric'
lamps a From each metal disk or contact & extends a wire 12 to the screw e of
the magnetic switch of the corresponding lamp.
A wie 15 extends from the main line 20 to a metal pencil or stylus 14, having
an insulated handle so na to be moved by hand This metal pencil or stylus 14 18
drawn over the faces of the metal disks or contacts to outline and produce in light
letters in spelling words on names or designs or characters, and the respective discs of
contacts touched thereby determine which lamps are to be lighted. As the pencil
touches each disk ba local cicuit is established from the line wire 20 through the
wire 15, pencil 14, disk b, wne 12, screw ', fiame e wne 4, helix c, wire 5,
lamp a, wne 9 to line wire 10 which lights the lamp, and the helix draws down
the amature of the magnetic switch, and in so doing the encunt is established
from the wie 5 of the lamp though the helix e, une 4, tame e,'armature f, cored,
screw d, wire 7 to the line 20 and the lamp is kept burning until the switch 3 is
opened and the circuit broken, which puts out all the lumps' at once and bicaks
each individual lamp cu cunt at the armatures so that any new word, design, &c.,
may be alter ward made in light
It is obvious that with large boards the lamps may be divided mito sections, each
operated by a separate throwing out switch, so as to obviate the necessity of putting
out all the lights at once
In the diawings, Fig. 3, I have shown the application of my invention to the
three-wne system, such as is so generally eniployed in large'citics
In this system

page_text: there is a positive main wie 25, a negative main wire 30, and a neutral main wite 3>
coupled to two dynamos D D¹ in the usual manner The electic lamps of the
display-board are connected by wires 9 mm groups, alternately to the main + and
wes 25 30, and the electio-magnetic switches B₁ are all connectel by wires 7
to the neutral wie 35 and by wues 5 to the lamps They may be operated
mechanically or as herembefore described by a whiting-board C₁ and stylus or
pencil.
In Fig. 4 l'have shown a modification of my invention, the obpet of which is to
light the electric lamps in the manner herein before described, but only dimly, or
with a small amount of light, which, with a ground or coloured globe is pitically
visible, and afterwards by means of a switch to flash the entne word name,
design or character brightly into vision all at once This is accomplished by
employing a main wire 22 and an auxiliary wire 27 with the display-board A of
lamps a connected to the wne 27. The wues 22 and 27 are connected by a hand
adjustable resistance 23 through which and the wne 27 the urent passes to the
lamps during the period of tracing or writing out the letters, characteis or design,
the hand switch 24 being open. After the letters, &c. are dimly witten out
the hand switch 24 is closed to flash all the lamps at once to view and show the
entue word, character or design. The hand switch 28 is to be opened to put the
lights all out The witing board is to be employed when desired in this as in
the other arrangements shown, and I prefer to employ a lamp in the wire from the
main wire 22 to the pencil or stylus
In Fig 4 wnes 15 connect the lamps a to the frames of the electro-magnetic
switches B, and the main wire 20 is connected by wies 17 to the helices, and the
helices in turn to the insulated screws of the cores, the wies 42 from the disks of
the writing board going to the insulated screws of the core, so that the currents
through the helices from the waiting board will diaw down the armatures and
establish the permanent circuits to the lamps through said armatures.
I have shown in Fig. 5 a means for operating the electro-magnetic switches by
hand, which a stem 47 is connected to the amature 13. aud a button 18 upon
the stem is in ar opening in a surface board 19, the surface of the button projecting
slightly, so that when the finger is passed over the surface of the board the buttons
will be depressed and the circuits through the amatures closed. If the buttons 18
and stems 47 are of metal, the amatures can be depressed by the electrical action
produced by a wine bush connected in the encuit and drawn over the buttons by
hand in a manner similar to the operation of the stylus or peuci 14 and similarly
connected to a main line wire.
Having now particularly descubed and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is.
First The combination with a display board having a multiplicity of electric
lamps, of electro-magnetic switches one for each lamp and cut connections
through each lamp and its electro-magnetic switch and means for closing each of
the circuits whereby the cuenit that is closed through any lamp is maintained by
the magnet holding switch, and a hand switch in the main cucuit to turn off the
cient and extinguish the lamps and break the cucuits at the switches, substantially
as specified.
Second. The combination with a display board having a multiplicity of electric
lamps, of electro-maguetic switches and encuit connections through each lamp and
its electro-magnetic switch whereby the circuit that is closed through any lamp is
maintained by the magnet holding switch, and a hand switch in the main cucuit to
turn off the cnient and extinguish the lamps and break the cncuts at the
switches, a writing board with contacts corresponding in number and position to
the lamps, branch en enit connectious to the contacts and a stylus circuit close and
flexible connections thereto for actuating the switches electrically, substantially as
specified.

page_text: Thud. The combination with a display board having a multipheity of electric
lamps, of electro-maguetic switches and cucut connections through each lamp and
1 electro-magnetic switch whereby the current that is closed through any lamp
is maintained by the magnet holding switch, and a hand switch in the main circuit
to turn off the current and extinguish the lamps and break the circuits at the
switches, a resistance in the main citeit for lessening the current to the lamps and
a switch for short circuiting such resistance, substantially as specified.
Fourth. The combination with a display board having a multiplicity of electric
lamps, of electro-magnets one for each lamp, circuit connections passing through
the armatures and cores for causing the armatures to act as switches, branch
cucuits from the magnets and a cucuit closing stylus for energizing the electro-
mugnets and closing their switches, substantially as specified
Fifth. The combination with a display boaid having a multiplicity of electic
lamps, of electio-magnetic switches corresponding in number and position to the
lamps, cucuit connections through each lamp and its corresponding electro-
magnetic switch, means for depressing the aimatures of any desued number of sajd
electro-magnetic switches to complete a permanent electric circuit through said
electro-magnetic switches and lamps to light the lamps, which cucuits are
mamtamed by the magnets holding the switch armature, and a band switch in the
main en cut to turn off the cmient and extinguish all the lamps at once and
break the currents at the respective switches, substantially as specified,
Dated this 10th day of Datohar 1905
BREWER & SON,
Loudon and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.