Improvements in or relating to Illuminated Advertising Mediums or Devices.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Illuminated Advertising Mediums
or Devices.
We, HARRY WILLIAM Cox, Photographer, of Park Row, Nottingham, and
CHARLES TOM TAYLOR, Electrical Engineer, of Heath End, Farnham, Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a machine for producing automatically any given
word, words or device on a combination of electric lamps erected for the purpose.
The machinery for producing the words & changes consists of a series of metallic
letters, devices or their reverses, fixed on a cylindrical drum of polygon type,
these metalic letters or devices being automatically brought into contact, in
rotation, with a series of metallic plungers or contacts, which are in direct &
independent connection with individual lamps; or we may use a cylindrical drum
with metallic letters, devices or their reverses fixed thereon, making contact with
a series of brushes or metallic contacts which are automatically put in direct
connection with the lamps.
Dated this 18th day of January 1898.
HARRY W. COX.
CHARLES TOM TAYLOR.
UOMI 1.11.1
Improvements in or relating to Illuminated Advertising Mediums
or Devices.
HARRY WILLIAM Cox, Photographer, of 49, Park Row, Nottingham, and
CHARLES TOM TAYLOR, of Heath End, Farnham, Surrey, 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 a machine for producing automatically any given
word, words, or devices on a combination or group of electric lamps. The
mechanism by which the lamps are selected to form the word, words, device or
devices comprises a series of metallic letters or devices or their reverses carried
by a drum and automatically brought into contact. in rotation with a series of
metallic plungers or contact brushes which are in direct and independent con-

page_text: nection with the electric lamps; or there may be used a drum with metallic letters
devices or their reverses fixed thereon making contact with a series of brushes or
metallic contacts which are automatically put in direct connection with the lamps.
In the accompanying drawings which are hereafter referred to in the detailed
description of the machine
Fig. is a side elevation of the selecting portion of the machine, the motor
driving the same being omitted.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the selecting portion of the machine, part of the
drum being broken to show the ratchet mechanism.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in elevation of part of the selecting drum showing
the selecting plates in position.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line A, A, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a section of the brush holding plate showing the relative positions of
the brush and selecting plate out of contact.
Fig. 6 is a section of the brush holding plate showing the relative positions of
the brush and selecting plate in contact.
Fig. 7 is a diagram referred to in explanation of the arrangement of the lamps
and the brushes.
Fig. 8 is a section showing a mercury contact cup, pusher, and selecting surface
with the electrical connection broken, and
Fig. 9 is a section showing a mercury contact cup, pusher, and selecting surface
with the electric circut completed.
The lamps used for the display of the selected advertisement are carried by any
suitable framework which is arranged according to the position it is to occupy.
On this frame the lamps are arranged in horizontal and vertical lines as repre-
sented by the circles in Fig. 7. One wire from each lamp is connected to the
main while the other wires are connected to brushes which are arranged in rows
corresponding exactly with the lamps. In the diagram the double circles
represent the lamps lit for the letters R and S and also the particular brushes
through which the connections are made.
The brushes shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6 consist of a flexible metallic end 1 which
is fastened to a shank 2, and this letter is fitted in the brush holding plate 3 and
insulated therefrom by insulating washers 4 and a sleeve 4ª. The ends of the
shanks 2 are provided with nuts 5 for holding them in the plate 3 and nuts 6 for
holding the coupling wires 7. The plate 3 is fastened at both ends to angle
pieces 8 Fig. 1 which are fitted to slide in guides formed on the standards 9,
adjusting screws 10 being provided for regulating the distance between the
brushes and the drum.
The plates 11 by which contact is made with the brushes are preferably metallic
and are made with raised portions 10 according to the sign, letter, or device to be
reproduced. The ends of the plates 11 are bent as shown in Fig. 4, to fit between
bars 12 which are shaped accordingly. These bars 12 are fixed to end pieces 1
and form frames which are fastened to wheels 14. The plates 11 can thus be
readily arranged to form any advertisement within the compass of the lamps, and
the frames easily removed from the wheels. Each frame is large enough to carry
sufficient contacts to light up the whole of the lamps and any one of the same.
The wheels 14 are fixed upon a shaft 15 which is fitted to rotate in bearings 16 on
the standards 17, and in the machine shown the wheels are designed to carry
twelve frames.
The wheels with the frames, hereafter referred to as the drum, is rotated inter-
mittently by ratchet mechanism, comprising a lever 18, which is fulcrumed at 19,
and provided with a pawl 20, which is held in gear with the ratchet wheel 21, by
a spring 22. The lever also is provided with a nose 23, and is moved in one
direction by a cam 24, on a shaft 25, which is coupled by worm gearing 26, to a
motor shaft 27, or it may be driven by gearing or other means from any con-
venient source of power. The nose 23 of the lever 18 is held in contact with the

page_text: cam 24 by means of a weight 28, which is coupled thereto by a cord 29, and is
sufficiently heavy to rotate the drum when the nose 23 is clear of the top point of
the cam 24, this being arranged to admit of the rapid movement of the drum and
change of the advertisement.
There is also a stop pawl 30 and second ratchet wheel 33. The pawl 30 is
pivotted at 32 and is held in gear with the wheel 33 by a spring 31 and just
previous to the rotation of the drum, the pawl 30 is moved out of gear by a
piece 34 on the cam 24 coming into contact with a lever 35 attached to the
pawl 30.
The flange of one, or both, wheels 14 is fitted with as many contact plates 36 as
there are frames on the drum, and between such plates there are pieces 37 of
vulcanite or other non-conducting material. The connection for the current is
made by a brush 38 which is carried by an arm 39 from the standard 17, or any
other form of main switch may be used.
When the plates 11 with the projections 10 are made of wood or other non-
conducting material the brushes are replaced by plungers 40 Fig 8 and 9. These
plungers are fitted to slide in holes in a plate 41 and their bevelled ends 42 in
slots in a plate 43 to prevent them turning while they are normally held in their
highest position by springs 44. The circuit is completed by pressing the plungers
into a mercury cup 45 or by means of spring pins carried by the plate 46.
In the machine here described the lamps being coupled to the brushes and the
plates 11 placed on the frame to form the desired advertisement the motor is
started. This rotates the cam 24 and pushes back the lever 18 until its pawl
engages with the next tooth of the wheel 21. At the same time the pawl 30 is
disengaged from the wheel 33 and the highest part of the cam having passed the
nose 23, the weight 28 comes into action and rotates the drum. As this moves
the contact piece 36 passes from under the brush 38 and all the lighted lamps are
extinguished but are relighted immediately the next piece 36 comes into contact
with the brush 38 by which time the lamps to be lit will have been selected by
the raised portion of the plates 10 coming into contact with the brushes in the
plates 3.
In a modified machine working with plunger and plates of a non-conducting
material, the plates are made as already discribed with raised portions correspond-
ing to the lamps to be lit, and are carried by an intermittently rotating drum.
Instead however of bevelling the ends of the plungers they are left square and
the drum or the plunger plates are raised and lowered to make and break the
electric connection by cams, cranks or the like actuated by an electric motor or
from other convenient source of power.
of
Previous to this invention advertisements have been displayed on a group
lamps by selection certain lamps to form the advertisement, but such lamps have
been selected, or it has been proposed to make such selection by particular
methods of grouping the lamps, by hand selection, or automatically by a jacquard
or jacquard mechanism, and the principle involved in the display of an advertise-
ment on a group of lamps, and in the automatic selection of the required lamps
is hereby disclaimed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, subject to
the above disclaimer that what I claim is:-
-
1. In an electrical advertising machine the use of plates with raised portions
which correspond with the lamps to be lit and are carried by an intermittently
rotating drum substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
2. An electrical advertising machine with plates with raised portions which
correspond with the lamps to be lit, an intermittently rotating drum and brushes,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. An electrical advertising machine with plates with raised portions which
correspond with the lamps to be lit, an intermittently rotating drum and plungers.
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
D
1
.
1000