Improvements in and relating to Advertising Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900
[Communicated from abroad by THE EUROPEAN AUTOMOBILE ADVERTISING
COMPANY, of Saco, Maine, having its principal place of business, at 53,
State Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America].
Improvements in and relating to Advertising Apparatus.
I, GEORGE HARRISON, Chartered Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co.,
of 11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to a display apparatus and is herein shown as embodied
in a portable apparatus, which may be self-propelling.
In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, a box or case, preferably
rectangular in form, is mounted upon uprights or posts supported by the body
of a vehicle. The box or case is provided with transparent sides or windows,
with which co-operate movable curtains or surfaces preferably having on them
advertisements to be displayed.
The advertisements on the curtain may and preferably will be arranged thereon
to leave a blank space, and the box or case may and preferably will contain within
it, substantially parallel to the sides or windows of the said case or box, surfaces
having on them advertisements which co-operate with the advertisements on the
curtains, when the latter are moved opposite the glass sides or windows of the box 1
or case.
The movable advertisement-bearing surfaces or curtains, in accordance with
this invention, are moved by mechanism, which automatically operates the same
to display the advertisement on the curtain and to remove the same from view.
The box or case may and preferably will contain within it a
lamp or other
medium for furnishing light at night-time. The box or case is preferably set
diagonally with relation to the body of the vehicle, so that the advertisements
may be more advantageously displayed.
These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claim at
the end of this specification.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portable display apparatus embodying this
invention.
Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the
left.
Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section of the vehicle on an enlarged scale to be
referred to.
Fig. 5, a horizontal sectional detail of the vehicle, on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 6, a vertical sectional detail on an enlarged scale of the box or case.
Din S71

page_text: Fig. 7, a top or plan view of the box or case shown in Fig. 6 with the cover
and lamp removed.
Fig. 8, a sectional detail of the box or case to be referred to.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11, details to be referred to.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a represents the body of a vehicle, said
body being mounted on axles b, c, having suitable wheels d.
The vehicle a as herein shown is substantially oblong in shape, and near its
corners has erected upon it four uprights or posts e, which support a platform f
upon which rests the bottom 9 of a box or case h, provided with a removable
cover i.
The box or case his preferably set diagonally with relation to the vehicle,
that is, a line diagonally through said box or case is coincident or substantially
coincident with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as shown in Figs. 1 to 3
inclusive.
The box or case h contains within it one or more movable surfaces j, herein
shown as four in number, and preferably said surfaces are made in the form of
curtains secured to spring-actuated rollers k after the manner or ordinary curtains.
The curtains are arranged parallel to the sides of the box or case, which are
provided as shown with glass windows m. The rollers are journaled in suitable
fixtures n attached to the inner side of the box (see Fig. 7), and the curtains are
adapted to be drawn into line with the glass windows by cords, chains or other
flexible connections o, each of which, as shown, has one end secured by a clamp p
to the bottom of the box and passed over rollers or wheels q, r, mounted at the
opposite ends of the curtain stick s, thence under a roller or wheel and extended
toward the center of the box or case, where it is secured to a drum on a spindle
or upright shaft v.
Rotation of the drum in one direction winds up the cords o and draws the cur-
tains into line with the windows in the box or case, and rotation of said drum in
the opposite direction unwinds the cords and permits the spring-actuated rollers
to wind the curtains on them. The drum u may be rotated as herein shown, by
a motor mechanism, which is herein represented in Figs. 4 and 5, as an electric
motor 7, supported within the body of the vehicle and having its armature shaft 2
provided with a worm 3, in mesh with a worm gear 4 on a shaft 5 suitably sup-
ported, and provided with a pinion 6, which meshes with a gear 7 on a shaft 8,
having fast to it a cam disk 9, which engages a roller 10, on a lever 12, pivoted
at 13 to a support 14, and having its free end, joined by a connecting rod 15,
to a crank 16 on an upright shaft 17, herein shown as extended through one of
the posts e, which is hollow. The shaft 17 extends into the chamber 20 formed
between the bottom g of the box or case and the platform f, and has fast on it a
crank or arm 21 provided with a gear segment 22, which meshes with a pinion 23
fast on the drum shaft v. The electric motor / may be driven by a storage
battery 24 of any suitable make and the current may be controlled by a suitable
switch, not shown, as it may be of any ordinary or well-known construction.
The lever 12 as shown is held in engagement with the periphery of the cam
disk 9 by the springs of the curtain rollers, and the said lever is oscillated during
each revolution of said disk, which oscillation of the lever 12 produces oscillation
of the segmental gear 22 and drum u.
By reference to Fig. 7, it will be seen that movement of the segmental gear 22
in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 will wind the cords on the drum and
thereby draw the curtains so as to display an advertisement on them, and that the
movement of the drum in the opposite direction, effected in the present instance
by the springs of the curtain rollers and which is permitted by the cam 9, unwinds
the cords, thus allowing the curtains to be wound upon their rollers and thereby
withdrawing from view the advertisements on them. The advertisements on the
curtains are thus periodically or intermittently displayed and withdrawn from
view by reverse movements of the curtains, effected from a motor mechanism
having a shaft which rotates in one direction. The operation of the curtains to

page_text: display the advertisements thereon and then withdraw them from view is auto-
matic as above described, requiring no attention on the part of the driver of the
vehicle, and this is one of the features of this invention. The curtains may be
transparent or translucent or opaque in whole or in part, and the advertisements
may be arranged thereon so as to leave a blank space, and the box or case may
contain glass or other surfaces 32 arranged parallel to the sides of the box or
case and behind the curtains as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 9.
The surfaces 32 may have printed, painted, or otherwise affixed thereon an
advertisement, or the said surfaces may be left blank.
The advertisement may be displayed in the day-time, and is also especially
adapted for display at night-time, a suitable light being placed in the box or case.
In the present instance, the box or case is represented as provided with an oil
lamp 33 having its fount 34 fitted upon a stem or post 35 erected from a cross
bar 36 secured to posts 37 erected upon the bottom of said box or case.
The box or case, as above stated, is provided with a removable cover or top i,
through which projects an outlet pipe 40 for the products of combustion of the
lamp. In Fig. 7, the cords for the curtains shown in end view are omitted to
avoid confusion in the drawing.
The vehicle may be an automobile or it may be drawn by horses, or in any
other suitable manner, or it may be stationary. In the present instance, it is
shown with a depression or cavity 41 (see Figs. 4 and 5) in which the driver sits
and directs the vehicle by the steering handle 42.
The platform f is preterably provided with side extensions 43 to support the
parts of the box or case, which project over the sides of the vehicle.
By diagonally arranging the box or case with relation to the longitudinal axis
of the vehicle, the advertisements are more effectively presented and a side of the
box or case can be seen for a longer time by a person standing on the sidewalk
of a street through which the vehicle is passing, thereby rendering the apparatus
more effective for advertising purposes.
It is preferred to pass the vertical shaft 17 through one of the posts or uprights,
but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect So also, it may be
preferred to use an electric motor as the motive mechanism for operating the
curtains, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as a motor
mechanism operated by other means may be employed.
Furthermore, it is preferred to use the advertisement bearing surfaces 32,
but it is not desired to restrict the invention to their use. While the diagonal
arangement of the advertising box or case is preferred, it is not desired to limit
the invention in this respect, as the said box or case may set square with relation
to the vehicle.
The box or case h constitutes a preferred form of supporting frame for the
advertisement bearing surfaces. The curtains j may and preferably will be pro-
vided with advertisements arranged thereon to leave a blank space which co-
operates with an advertisement on the stationary surface 33 behind it, but it is
not desired to limit the invention to this particular arrangement or to the curtain
having an advertisement on it, as the advertisement on the curtain may be
omitted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
sention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, viz-a
vehicle, a supporting frame erected upon the same, a plurality of movable sur-
faces having advertisements thereon carried by said supporting frame and visible
from outside of said vehicle, a motor mechanism carried by said vehicle and
deriving its power independent of the movement of the vehicle, means to connect
said movable surfaces with said motor mechanism to automatically move said
surfaces independent of the movement of the said vehicle and in one direction to

page_text: display the advertisements thereon, and to permit said surfaces to be moved in
the opposite direction to withdraw said advertisement from view, and means to
effect movement of the said surfaces in said opposite direction, while the said
motor mechanism continues to run in the same direction, substantially as described.
2. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, viz:-
vehicle, a supporting frame erected upon the same and provided with a movable
surface visible from outside of the said vehicle, a co-operating surface carried by
said frame in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the first mentioned
surface and provided with an advertisement, a motor mechanism carried by said
vehicle and deriving its power independent of the movement of the vehicle, and
an oscillating or reciprocating mechanism actuated by said motor mechanism and
connected to said movable surface to automatically move the same alternately in
opposite directions with relation to said co-operating surface independent of the
movement of the vehicle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, viz:-a
vehicle, a supporting frame erected upon the same and provided with a movable
surface visible from outside of said vehicle, and a motor mechanism carried by
said vehicle and deriving its power independent of the movement of the vehicle,
and an oscillating or reciprocating mechanism actuated by said motor mechanism
and connected to said movable surface to automatically and continuously operate
said surface alternately in opposite directions independent of the movement of
the vehicle and of the operator thereon after said motor mechanism is set in
operation, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, viz:-a
vehicle provided with uprights or posts, a box or case supported on said uprights,
a movable surface within said box or case, mechanism within said box or case to
which said curtain is connected, a motor mechanism carried by said vehicle out-
side of said box or case, and intermediate mechanism connecting said motor
mechanism with the mechanism within said box or case, for the purpose specified.
5. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, riz:-a
vehicle provided with uprights or posts, one of which is hollow, a box or case
supported on said posts and provided with a movable surface or curtain, mechanism
within said box or case to which said curtain is connected, a motor mechanism
carried by said vehicle, and intermediate mechanism connecting the said motor
mechanism with the mechanism in said box, a part of said intermediate mechanism
being extended through said hollow post or upright, substantially as described.
6. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, ri-a
vehicle, a box or case erected upon the same and provided with a movable surface
or curtain and with a surface behind said curtain, one or both of said surfaces
having an advertisement thereon, mechanism within the said box or case to which
said curtain is connected, a motor mechanism carried by said vehicle, and mechan-
ism intermediate of said motor mechanism and the mechanism within the said
box or case to connect the same and permit the curtain to be automatically
operated alternately in opposite directions, substantially as described.
7. A display apparatus comprising the following instrumentalities, viz:—a
vehicle provided with posts or uprights erected thereon, a box or case supported
on said posts and arranged diagonally with relation to said vehicle, windows in
said box or case, movable surfaces within said box or case and co-operating with
said windows, and means to move said surfaces with relation to said windows, to
automatically and alternately move said surfaces into and out of opposition with
said windows, substantially as described.
8. A display apparatus comprising a vehicle having a substantially oblong body
portion, uprights or posts erected upon said body portion, a normally closed box or
case supported on said posts and arranged diagonally with relation to said body
portion, said box or case having a window, a movable surface within said box or
case and co-operating with said window, an oscillating or reciprocating mechanism
connected to said surface, means to move said mechanism in one direction, and

page_text: means to move said mechanism in the reverse direction, whereby the said movable
surface is automatically and alternately moved with relation to said window,
substantially as described.
Dated this day of December 199.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.