Improved Mechanism for Use in Exhibiting Pictures, Notices, Advertisements, or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1899 -Accepted, 24th Oct., 1899
Improved Mechanism for Use in Exhibiting Pictures, Notices,
Advertisements, or the like.
A communication from Messrs. FAURE & COMPANY, of Geneva, in the Republic
of Switzerland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The purpose of the mechanism which is the object of the present application
for patent is to displace periodically (at predetermined intervals of time) opposite
a suitable opening, a flexible ribbon or strip bearing for instance a series of
pictures or notices, alternately unrolling itself from a roller and rolling up upon
another, the said mechanism causing moreover each picture or notice to stop
during a predetermined time in front of the said opening, and reversing its
motion automatically when the ribbon has reached the end of its course.
In a casing provided with suitable openings there are disposed one or more
pairs of rollers to each of which are fixed the ends of a ribbon or strip having a
perforated border intended to gear with the carrier wheels of the mechanism."
The wheels are connected with one another by an endless perforated ribbon
transmitting to one of the wheels every motion of the other wheel. The shaft
of same carries a wheel engaging with a wheel fixed on a worm and a wheel
engaging with a gear-wheel actuated by the motive device, consisting of an
electric motor the shaft of which carries a worm engaging at same time in the
first wheel of the train of gearing and in the first wheel of a device for deter-
mining the length of the stoppages. The duration of the stoppages is determined
by the duration of one rotation of a wheel actuated by a worm formed upon
the shaft of the first wheel and consequently rotating at a speed proportioned
to the speed of the driving-shaft which may be predetermined at will. The
shaft of the second wheel carries a crank intended to move a bell-crank-lever
pivotted to the frame, and the said shaft also carries an eccentric cam intended
to move a second bell-crank lever also pivotted to the frame.
The first lever is intended to lift the arm of a bell-crank-lever pivotted to the
frame and bearing a counter-weight. The arm of said lever bears a tooth
intended to cause the stopping of the mechanism each time the worm and con-
sequently the wheel which rotates it, has made a predetermined number of turns
to which corresponds a predetermined length of ribbon displaced opposite the
opening in which appear the pictures or notices on said ribbon.
The second lever acted upon by the eccentric is intended to axially displace a
clutch coupling on the shaft upon which the upper wheel driven by the worn
is free. A pin working in a slot connects the clutch coupling to its shaft and
a flange of the coupling is engaged between suitable projections of the second
lever so as to be moved by same.

page_text: The hub of the upper wheel which is free on the shaft is provided with teeth
corresponding to the teeth of the clutch coupling, the same wheel having to turn
freely on the shaft during the stoppage of the ribbon, the length of said stoppage
being determined by the eccentric. A wheel which is also free on the shaft gears
with an intermediate- wheel which drives another wheel of the train of gearing
for rotating the ribbon.
Moreover the shaft bears a third gear wheel which is also free on said shaft
and gearing with a wheel secured upon the shaft of an intermediate pinion.
If the rotation of the last named shaft is caused by the third gear wheel and
its gear wheel it will take place in the inverse direction of the rotation caused
by the other three gear wheels, so that the ribbon will be unrolled either in one
direction or in the other. The direction of rotation of the shaft is determined
by the engagement of the clutch coupling either with the teeth of the one wheel
or with those of the other wheel on the same shaft, the said coupling being con-
nected to the shaft by a pin working in a longitudinal slot of the said coupling
which bears a flange engaged in a suitable slot of a coupling lever, which is
pivotted to the frame and the lower end of which forms a point disposed so as
to engage either in one or other of two notches or of a counter-weight-lever
pivotted to the frame.
The top of a vertical lever projects in rear of a horizontal disc the shaft of
which bears a worm-wheel engaged with the worm above mentioned. The disc
bears one its lower face an adjustable finger and on its upper face an adjustable
disc provided with a finger. The described gearings are so combined so that
the disc does not make a complete revolution during the whole unrolling of the
ribbon and the fingers are fixed to the disc in such a manner as to meet the
lever the one when the ribbon is completely unrolled in one direction, the other
when the said ribbon is completely unrolled in the reverse direction. Therefore
the lever is alternately oscillated now in one direction, now in the other by the
fingers and the counter weighted lever causes it to assume its extreme position
either in one direction or in the other as soon as the said fingers have brought it
somewhat beyond its middle position.
The coupling lever which has a slot in which engages the flange of the coupling
(as indicated above) bears a counter-weight and a projection which engages an
opening of the vertical lever in such a manner as to cause the displacement of
the coupling lever by the same taking place suddenly at the moment when the
vertical lever moves from its middle position to one of its extreme positions.
The apparatus works in the following manner:
The driving-shaft causes its connected wheels to rotate continuously in opposite
directions.
One wheel will turn without doing any work since it is not moved by the
coupling, but the other wheel moves its connecting wheel and consequently the
finger and the eccentric. The result is the lifting up of the arm by one of the
bell-crank-levers and the disengagement of the tooth out of the notch of the
disc. The driving-mechanism of the ribbon is then free to rotate, but its rotation
begins only at the moment when the other bell-crank-lever escaping from the
eccentric brings the coupling into engagement with the corresponding teeth of
the upper gear wheel. This wheel then moves the coupling and consequently its
shaft in a determined direction (depending on the direction of rotation of the
shaft of the motor). According as the point of the vertical lever is engaged in
one or other of the notches of the counter-weighted lever the rotation of the
coupling shaft produces the rotation of the intermediate shaft, and consequently
the rotation of the carrier wheel and the displacing of the ribbon either in one
direction or in the other.
"
While this motion takes place the "eccentric wheel goes on rotating and
its finger slips from the bell crank lever at the moment when the tooth is no
longer opposite the notch of the disc the bell-crank lever thereupon moving, so
that when the shaft has made a whole revolution, the tooth of the lever again

page_text: meeting the notch of the disc, the counterweight may fall again in order to
engage the said tooth in the said notch and again stop the mechanism. In
falling down the counter-weight strikes the horizontal arm of the second bell
crank lever and thereby causes the disconnection of the coupling sleeve. Then
the finger again lifts up the counter-weight.
During each of the operations causing the unrolling and longitudinal displace-
ment of a determined length of the ribbon, the worm makes one revolution and
accordingly causes a determined partial revolution of the horizontal wheel and
of its tappets or fingers.
When the whole length of the ribbon is unrolled from one roller and rolled
up on the other, one of said fingers comes into contact with the vertical lever
and causes a reversing of motion by displacing the coupling sleeve. The same
operation then takes place in a reverse direction.
Dated this 24th day of October 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Mechanism for Use in Exhibiting Pictures, Notices,
Advertisements, or the like.
A communication from Messrs. FAURE & COMPANY, of Geneva, in the Republic
of Switzerland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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:
--
The purpose of the mechanism which is the object of the present application
for patent is to displace periodically (at predetermined intervals of time) opposite
a suitable opening, a flexible ribbon or strip bearing for instance a series of
pictures or notices, alternately unrolling itself from a roller and rolling up 'upon
another, the said mechanism causing moreover each picture or notice to stop
during a predetermined time in front of the said opening, and reversing its
motion automatically when the ribbon has reached the end of its course.
In the annexed drawing,
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side view of the mechanism for causing the progressive motion of
the ribbon bearing the pictures, notices, advertisements or the like and causing
the reversing of motion.
In a casing provided with suitable openings there is disposed one pair of
rollers to which are fixed the ends of a ribbon or strip having a perforated border
intended to gear either with the wheel H or with the wheel I of the mechanism.
These wheels H and I are connected with one another by an endless perforated
ribbon h transmitting to the wheel H the motion of the wheel I. The shaft i
of same carries a wheel I' engaging with a wheel k fixed on a worm K and a
wheel I engaging with a gear-wheel L actutaed by the motive device which may
consist of an electric motor M the shaft of which carries a worm m, engaging at
same time the first wheel N of the train of gearing and the first wheel O of a
device for determining the length of the stoppages. The duration of the stoppages
is determined by the duration of one rotation of the wheel 01 actuated by a

page_text: worm formed upon the shaft o' of the first wheel O and consequently rotating
at a speed proportioned to the speed of the driving shaft m which may be pre-
determined at will. The shaft of the wheel O carries a crank o intended to
move a bell-crank-lever P (Fig. 2) pivotted at p to the frame, and the said shaft
also carries an eccentric cam 03 intended to move a second bell-crank-lever P
pivotted at p¹, to the frame.
The lever P is intended to lift the arm q' of a bell-crank-lever pivotted at q
to the frame and bearing a counter-weight Q (Fig. 1). The arm q of said lever
bears a tooth 3 intended to cause the stopping of the mechanism each time the
worm K and consequently the wheel I which rotates it, has made a predetermined
number of turns to which corresponds a predetermined length of ribbon dis-
placed opposite the opening in which appear the pictures or notices on said
ribbon.
The lever Pacted upon by the cam 03 is intended to axially displace a clutch
coupling n' on the shaft n upon which the wheel N is mounted freely. A pin n²
working in a slot connects the clutch coupling n' to its shaft n and a flange n³
of the coupling n' is engaged between suitable projections (not shown) of the
lever P so as to be moved by the same. The weight of the lever is so arranged
that the said lever P¹ normally tends to engage the coupling n¹ without the
help of a spring.
The hub of the wheel N which is free on the shaft n, is provided with teeth
corresponding to the teeth of the clutch coupling, the said wheel N having to
turn freely on the shaft n during the stoppage of the ribbon, the length of said
stoppage being determined by the cam 03. A wheel N₁ which is also free on the
shaft n gears with an intermediate wheel N2 which drives another wheel N³ of
the train of gearing.
Moreover the shaft n carries a third gear-wheel N which is also free on said
shaft and gears with a wheel N secured like N3, upon the shaft L' of the
pinion L.
If the rotation of the shaft L' is caused by the wheels N³, N it will take place
in the inverse direction of the rotation caused by the wheels N¹ N2 N3, so that
the ribbon will be unrolled either in one direction or in the other. The direction
of rotation of the shaft L is determined by the engagement of the clutch coup-
ling at either with the teeth of the wheel N or with those of the wheel N5, the
said coupling n being connected to the shaft n by a pin n working in a longi-
tudinal slot of the said coupling which bears a flange n engaged in a suitable
slot of a coupling lever U, the lower portion of which is bent round to the left
as shown in Figure 1 and forked so as to form the said slot into which the
flange n' is engaged. The lever U is pivotted at to the frame. Another lever R
is also pivoted at u to the frame, the pin being thus the pivot both of the
lever U and of lever R, and the lower end of the said lever R forms a point R' dis-
posed so as to engage either in the notch S¹, or in the notch S2 of a counter-
weight-lever S pivotted at s to the frame.
The top of the lever R projects in rear of a horizontal disc T, the shaft t of
which bears a worm-wheel T₁ engaging with the worm K above mentioned. The
disc T bears on its lower face an adjustable finger t¹ and on its upper face an
adjustable disc 2 provided with a finger . The described gearings are so com-
bined that the disc T does not make a complete revolution during the whole
unrolling of the ribbon E2 and the fingers t¹ and t² are arranged on the disc T
in such a manner as to meet the lever R, the one when the ribbon E2 is com-
pletely unrolled in one direction, the other when the said ribbon E² is com-
pletely unrolled in the reverse direction. Therefore the lever R is alternately
oscillated now in one direction, now in the other by the fingers t¹ or 3 and the
lever S causes it to assume its extreme position either in one direction or in the
other as soon as the said fingers t¹ or 3 have brought it somewhat beyond its
middle position.
The lever U which has a slot in which engages the flange n' of the coupling n*,

page_text: (as indicated above) bears a counter-weight U' and a projection u¹ which engages
an opening of the lever R in such a manner as to cause the displacement of
the lever U by the same taking place suddenly at the moment when the lever R
moves from its middle position to one of its extreme positions. The said middle
position is shown in Figure 2 but the parts do not stop in the said position as
will be seen from the following description of the working of the apparatus.
The apparatus works in the following manner:
The driving-shaft m causes the wheels N and O to rotate continuously in
opposite directions.
Supposing the wheels O and 0₁ to be in the position indicated in Figure 2, one
wheel N will turn without doing any work since it is not moved by the coupling,
but the other wheel O moves the wheel O' and consequently the finger 02 and the
cam 03. The result is the lifting up of the arm g' by the lever P and the dis-
engagement of the tooth 3 out of the notch of the disc k. The driving mechanism
of the ribbon E2 is then free to rotate, but its rotation begins only at the
moment when the lever P¹ escaping from the cam 03 brings the coupling n' into
engagement with the corresponding teeth of the wheel N. This wheel N then
moves the coupling n¹ and consequently its shaft n in a determined direction
(depending on the direction of rotation of the shaft m of the motor). According
as the point R' of the lever R is engaged in the notch S1 or S2 of the lever S
the rotation of the shaft a produces the rotation of the shaft L' and consequently
the rotation of the wheel I and the displacing of the ribbon E2, either in one
direction or in the other.
While this motion takes place, the wheel O¹ goes on rotating and its finger 08
slips from the lever P at the moment when the tooth is no longer opposite
the notch of the disc k, the lever P takes again the position of Figure 2, so that
when the shaft K has made a whole revolution, the tooth 3 of the lever q² again
meeting the notch of the disc k, the counter weight Q may fall again in order
to engage the said tooth 3 in the said notch and again stop the mechanism. In
falling down the counter weight Q strikes the horizontal arm of the lever P¹
and thereby causes the disconnection of the sleeve n'. Then the finger () 2 again
lifts up the counter weight Q.
During each of the operations causing the unrolling and longitudinal displace-
ment of a determined length of the ribbon E2, the worm K' makes one revolution
and accordingly causes a determined partial revolution of the wheel T¹ and
of fingers and 3. When the whole length of the ribbon is unrolled from one
roller and rolled upon the other, one of said fingers or comes into contact
with the lever R and causes a reversing of motion by displacing the coupling
sleeve n. The same operation then takes place in a reverse direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Mechanism for periodically displacing a flexible band bearing a series of
pictures, notices or the like characterised by the combination of a motor the
shaft of which moves continuously on the one hand, by means of suitable gear-
ings, a shaft carrying cams or fingers such as 02 03, engaging bell crank-levers
adapted to lift a counter-weighted stopping-lever, as q, and on the other hand
a shaft which, by means of suitable coupling-sleeves causes the shaft carrying
the driving wheels of the flexible ribbon, to be alternately rotated in one direction
by means of a series of intermediate wheels or in the opposite direction by means
of other wheels, the axial displacement of one of the coupling sleeves being
caused by suitable projections on one of the bell-crank-levers and the axial dis-
placement of the other coupling-sleeve being caused by a rocking-lever, such
as R, acted upon by fingers of a disc, such as T, in combination with a rocking-
lever, such as U, engaging a counter-weighted-lever, such as S, substantially as
described.

page_text: 2. The complete mechanism for use in exhibiting pictures, notices, advertise-
ments or the like substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
.