Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept,, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1900-Accepted, 14th July, 1900
I, HERBERT ERNEST SKINNER, of 13, The Royalty, Chester Road, Sunderland,
in the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for advertising purposes.
The apparatus is intended to represent the action of a rocket rising in the air,
and on exploding shews a shower of colored lights which are arranged so as to
form letters constituting the advertisement. For this purpose two methods may
be employed.
In the first method two endless bands are used, one carrying a representation
of the rocket, the other band, one or a series of advertisements. The rocket and
the advertisements are formed by perforations in the bands. The bands are made
of any suitable opaque material, and the perforations are covered with suitably
colored paper, cloth, silk, celluloid or other material that will permit the light
to pass through. The two bands are preferably enclosed in a casing, the front
of the casing having openings of suitable size and shape to permit the rocket and
advertisement to be seen by the spectator as they pass the openings. The
illumination is provided by oil, gas, electric or other lamp or lamps suitably
situated in or behind the casing. The bands are actuated by hand, clockwork,
electric motor, or other motive power, through suitable gearing. The band carry-
ing the rocket representation lies at a slight inclination to the vertical to repre-
sent the path of a rocket, the front of the band lying immediately behind the
corresponding opening in the front of the casing, and adapted to move upwards.
The band carrying the advertisements moves downwards in a vertical direction,
the distance between the bands being suitable to convey the required impression
to the spectator. The vertical band is provided with a shutter or flap, hinged at
the bottom behind each advertisement, and the casing is so constructed that the
shutter is kept pressed against the band until it comes opposite the opening in
the casing when it immediately falls back from the band and permits the light
to shine through the perforations in the band which are covered with the colored
material. As the band moves down the casing again closes the shutter. Instead
of a shutter being hinged to the band at each advertisement, it may be so fixed
to the casing that projections or catch pieces on the band will actuate it at the
proper time. The rocket band is continually moving but the other band has an
intermittent motion which is conveyed to it by the rocket band either through
gearing or by a striking arrangement which carries the vertical band through a
suitable distance for each revolution of the rocket band.
In the second method the movements are circular. Two revolving discs on the
same centre are placed behind the front of the casing which has suitable open-
ings in it as in the former method. One disc carries the rocket representation and
has a hole or opening in it to permit the advertisement to be seen on the disc
behind. The rocket disc has a uniform motion, while the advertisement disc

page_text: has an intermittent motion, only passing through a place equal to the distance
between two advertisements while the rocket disc makes one revolution.
In each method, the rocket is seen to rise, then die out, and immediately a
shower of colored or other lights is seen.
Doted the 15th love of Contructio
1000
Improved Apparatus for Advertising Purposes.
I, HERBERT ERNEST SKINNER, of 13, The Royalty, Chester Road, Sunderland,
in the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 an improved apparatus for advertising purposes.
The apparatus is intended to represent the action of a rocket rising in the air,
and on its appearing to explode shows a group or shower of colored lights which
are arranged so as to form letters constituting the advertisement.
purpose two methods may be employed.
For this
In the first method two endless bands are used, one carrying a representation
of the rocket, the other hand, one or a series of advertisements. The rocket and
the advertisements are formed by perforations in the bands. The bands are made
of any suitable opaque material, and the perforations are covered with suitably
colored paper, cloth, silk, celluloid or other material that will permit the light
to pass through. The two bands are preferally enclosed in a casing, the front
of the casing having openings of suitable size and shape to permit the rocket and
advertisement to be seen by the spectator as they pass the openings. The
illumination is provided by oil, gas, electric or other lamp or lamps suitably
situated in or behind the casing. The bands are actuated by hand, clockwork,
electric motor, or other motive power, through suitable gearing. The band carry-
ing the rocket representation lies at a slight inclination to the vertical to repre-
sent the path of a rocket, the front of the band lying immediately behind the
corresponding opening in the front of the casing, and adapted to move upwards,
The band carrying the advertisements moves downwards in a vertical direction.
the distance between the bands being suitable to convey the required impression
to the spectator. The vertical band is provided with a shutter or flap, hinged at
the bottom behind each advertisement, and the casing is so constructed that the
shutter is kept pressed against the band until it comes opposite the opening in
the casing when it immediately falls back from the band and permits the light
to shine through the perforations in the band which are covered with the colored
transparent material. As the band moves down the casing again closes the
shutter. Instead of several shutters being hinged to the band, at each advertise-
ment, one or more shutters may be attached to the casing and be operated by
means set in movement with the movement of the band, for example, a cam and
lever devices or projections or catch pieces on the band, which will actuate the
shutter or shutters at the proper time. The rocket band is continually moving,
but the other band may have an intermittent motion which is conveyed to it by
the rocket band either through gearing or by a striking arrangement which carries
the vertical band through a suitable distance for each revolution of the rocket
hand. I however prefer that both bands shall move continuously since the action
is thus simplified and the appearance is not substantially different.
In the second method the movements are circular. Two revolving discs on the

page_text: same centre are placed behind the front of the casing which has suitable open-
ings in it as in the former method. One disc carries the rocket representation and
has a hole or opening in it to permit the advertisement to be seen on the dise
behind. The rocket disc has a uniform motion, while the advertisement disc
can have a continuous or an intermittent motion, only passing through a space
equal to the distance between two advertisements while the rocket disc makes one
revolution.
In each method, the rocket is seen to rise, then die out, and immediately an
apparent shower of colored or other lights is seen.
In order that my invention may be more readily carried into practice the
accompanying drawings illustrate the first of the said methods which is that pre-
ferred.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of case showing the openings or windows therein,
Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the front of casing removed showing the bands,
Fig. 3 is a side elevation with side of casing removed and showing hinged shutters
on the vertical band, Fig. 4 is a similar view corresponding to Fig. 3, but shewing
a single shutter attached to the casing. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of an alternative
arrangement of vertical band, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5. A is the
casing, B indicates a window or opening in casing to shew the rocket repre-
sentation, C a window or opening in the casing to shew the advertisement, Dis
the rocket band with perforations at the proper place to represent a rocket in its
flight, E is a band having advertisements F represents hinged shutters or flaps,
G is a fillet acting as a light excluder at the sides of opening C, H H are guide
rollers for shutters F. J is a spindle carrying top pulley for band D). K is a spindle
for top pulley Q for band E, L is a spindle for bottom pulley for band D, and M
is a spindle for the bottom pulley P of band E. N and O are toothed wheels for
proportioning the relative speeds of bands D and E. When a single shutter F
is used as in Fig. 4, R is a cam on spindle M for operating the shutter F through
rod S and lever T pivotted at U. S is a guide for rod S. V (Fi. 5 and 6) is a
spring blind shutter which coils on roller X, and W is a shutter connected to
roller Y by cords C and has a certain range of movement regulated by stops.
Z are side strips of leather or other material and 71 cross pieces of thin wood.
iron, or other material forming together with strips Z a skeleton band to which
the advertisements can be fixed, the wide spaces between the cross pieces being
for advertisements and the narrow spaces covered with blanks. a are catch hooks
on bands Z. represent lights for shewing through perforations or transparent
places in bands D and E. These perforations are not shown on the drawing.
In Figs. 5 and 6 where spring blinds are used. the blinds are worked by means
of the catch hooks a. These are fixed to bands Z at the bottom of each advertise-
ment and on passing down the front catch the blind at the bottom and draw
it down over the face of the advertisement to a given distance when the catch
piece is released by any suitable device, preferably attached to or made in the
fillet G, which allows the blind to spring up again revealing the advertisement.
On passing further down the catches a engage with blind W and take it down
a given distance when the blind W is also allowed to spring up suddenly and cover
the advertisement. The actuating power can be conveyed through the spindle M.
B may have wires etc. crossing it to heighten the dazzling effect of the rocket:
fillets are placed on each side of opening B inside the casing to exclude any side
light passing between band and casing.
The construction of the second method will be apparent with the help of the
foregoing description without special illustration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for advertising purposes the combination of two bands or
equivalent movable screens with lighting devices and operative movements in

page_text: such a manner that they represent the appearance of the flight and bursting of a
rocket, the latter display representing an advertisement.
2. The construction of apparatus for the purpose set forth, substantially
according to the specification hereinbefore given and with reference to the an-
nexed drawings.
Dated this 13th day of June 1900
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London.