Improvements in and connected with Advertisement Frames adapted for use in Hotels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Advertisement Frames
adapted for use in Hotels.
We, ELIE BELZON, Engineer, and PAUL ROYER, Engineer, both of 41, Rue de
Trévise, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a system of advertising consisting of frames which are
divided into compartments for advertisements or notices, the same being placed in
the rooms of travellers' hotels and containing a time indicating clock preferably
arranged at the centre of said frame, and the mechanism and hands of which are
actuated by an electric current sent by an actuating clock situated in the office
of the hotel for example; said time indicating clock being capable of being con-
verted, at the will of a visitor, into an alarm, by means of a metallic pin which
is forced inward on the circumference of the dial face at the desired hour, and on
which pin a hand, in revolving, comes in contact and closes a circuit in order to
start an electrical striking mechanism which is placed in proximity. The objects of
this arrangement are to call the attention of travellers to the advertisements which
may be inserted in the frame, and which may be of interest to them, or to call
their attention to the time, or again to remind them of the necessity of rising at
a given hour.
The accompanying drawings represent the devices used in combination with
both the actuating clock mechanism and the time indicating clock which is placed
in each of the advertising frames.
Figure 1 shows the fittings employed in the actuating clock in order to
receive and transmit an electric current to each of the other clocks.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of one of the clocks which are placed in the advertising
frames, the ordinary dial and hands being removed.
Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a back view of the clock placed in the advertising frames, such view
showing the details of the dial-train.
Figure 6 is a view showing as an example, one form of a complete advertising
frame provided with advertisement compartments and carrying at the centre an
electric clock of which the dial alone is visible, together with the means for
actuating the optional alarm, all as will be hereinafter described.
The actuating clock y (Figure 1) carries upon the wheel Z (which is called an
edge-wheel") an electric contact P; we prefer to cause the regulator of this
actuating clock (which regulator may consist of a balance wheel and hair spring
similar to those used in watches) to make 18000 vibrations per hour, and may effect
this by means of a suitably proportioned wheel train (not shown), the inter-
mediate wheel Z of which makes twelve revolutions per hour. The arbor of such
intermediate wheel carries the contact P, which is formed with five wings or
branches, so that contact is made with the blade N once a minute. One of the..

page_text: poles of the battery is connected in any suitable manner with the wheel train of
the actuating clock y, so that the current passes from the intermediate wheel Z of
the latter to the five-winged contact P and thence once a minute to the blade N,
which is insulated from the body of the clock. From this insulated blade N
wires are led to one of the electric coils X of each of the clocks in the advertising
frames, and from the other coil of each clock wires lead to the second pole of the
battery, thus completing the circuit.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the rotation of the electric contact P
alternately opens and closes 'the circuit, by means of the flexible insulated blade N
which transmits the desired electricity to the electro-magnets X of the dial-train
of each advertising frame.
In said dial-train (Figures 3, 4 and 5) the pinion C of the ordinary minute hand
carries a ratchet wheel which is provided with sixty teeth. Said wheel marks
each minute through the impulse of a pivotting or oscillating piece s, the base of
which is provided with a spring tooth or pawl g, which at each oscillation of said
pieces, advances one of the teeth of ratchet wheel r, the latter in turn operating
the hour wheel h by the intermediary of pinion m.
When the circuit is closed by the actuating clock, the current passes by the
electro-magnets X. The soft iron armatures a, b, are strongly magnetized, and by
their attraction cause the piece s to oscillate, the pawl g of which advances one
of the teeth of wheel r as already stated.
Afterwards, the circuit' being opened by the breaking of the contact P, N, of
the actuating clock, the pieces is carried back to its original position by means of
spring f, until a fresh oscillation occurs at the next minute through the same
cause, and the same effects as before are then produced. A spring a retains the
minute wheel in the position to which it has been moved by the pawl g and
ratchet wheel r, by engaging in one of the teeth of such minute wheel after each
movement of same.
Beneath the dial the barrel of hour wheel carries a flexible hand or pointer v
which is not visible outside and which travels with and parallel to the hour hand,
this latter being visible on the dial. The invisible hand v has for its object to close
the circuit when it is necessary to actuate the bell of the alarm, and for this pur-
pose it is suitably connected (preferably through the wheel train by which it is
actuated) with a wire leading to one pole of the battery. The dial of the clock,
which is of insulating material, is provided with a metallic rim L to which is
connected a wire leading through the alarm mechanism to the other pole of the
battery. Said rim L is pierced with holes e which are arranged according to a
division in concordance with that of the hours and half-hours. When it is required
to fix the time for rising, the hole a which faces the selected hour, receives a
metallic pin o provided for the purpose and against which the flexible hand or
index abuts at the exact time; thus this latter by means of said pin o and
metallic rim L, sends the current to the electro-magnet of a striking mechanism
which is placed in proximity to the advertising frame, but which is not shown in
the drawing. The hand of the clock and the blade N of the actuating clock
are possessed of great flexibility, in order not to obstruct or retard the movement
of the apparatus with which they come in contact.
By means of the above described devices, the electric indication of the time in
each room and on every advertising frame, is automatically effected and without
the assistance of travellers, while the alarm cannot act effectively without the
desire or will of a traveller.
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. Advertising frames placed in the rooms of travellers' hotels, divided into
advertisement or notice compartments, and the centre of which is provided with

page_text: a clock actuated by an electric current proceeding from an actuating clock placed
in the office of the hotel, said clock indicating the time automatically and being
able at will, to operate an alarm placed in proximity, substantially as described
and shown.
2. In an actuating clock placed as hereinbefore described, an electric contact P
with a flexible blade N, for transmitting at each completed minute, an electric
current to the clock arranged in each advertising frame, as described.
3. In the clock of advertising frames, the electro-magnets ✗ receiving a
current forwarded by an actuating clock and magnetizing soft iron armatures
which by attraction at each minute cause the oscillation of a swinging piece s
which, by means of its pawl g at each oscillation advances one of the teeth of the
minute wheel r of said clock, thus imparting motion to the hands of same and at
same time causing the hand to revolve, the latter at the desired moment operating
the striking mechanism of the alarm, as described.
4. In the dial-train constituting the clock placed in advertising frames, the
movement actuated as herein before described by means of an electric current
sent at each minute to electro-magnets by an electric contact in an actuating clock;
the metallic rim L of the dial being pierced with holes e corresponding to the
divisions of said dial; the metallic pin o which, (being forced into one of the
holes e facing the selected hour) by the abutment of hand against same controls
the action of an electric striking mechanism placed in proximity, the whole being
combined with a view to call attention to advertisements, or notices inserted within
the advertisement frames, which are placed in the rooms of travellers' hotels, all
substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings and for the
purpose specified.
ת 'תווד
1000