Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Advertising and like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Advertising and like
purposes.
I, JOIN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR, of 198, The Grove, Hammersmith,
in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of apparatus suitable for adver
tising and like purposes whereby with an apparatus of comparatively small
dimensions a large number of advertisements, pictorial devices or other repre-
For this
sentations can be displayed in a consecutive and automatic manner.
purpose the letters, devices or the like (hereinafter referred to as letters) to be
used in forming the words, pictorial devices or other representations to be
exhibited (hereinafter referred to as words) are formed on strips of material
that are moved endways through suitable connecting mechanism by the action
of pins of a determined length and arrangement secured to a movable body that
is set in operation at predetermined intervals by a suitable motor, the arrangement
being such that when the body is operated the pins will act to quickly move the strips
endways so as to bring opposite an opening or openings in the front of the appa-
ratus the proper letters on adjacent bands to form the word or words it is desired
to exhibit and which are held in a position to be seen for a short time after which
the body is again set in motion, and a fresh set of pins brought into position to
operate the strips and produce a different word or set of words, these actions being
repeated a great many times.
As will be obvious apparatus to act in the manner described can be constructed
in various forms.
The pins may conveniently be fixed in a rotary barrel so that they and the
barrel somewhat resemble the pin barrel of a musical box or barrel organ, the
barrel being arranged to be rotated in an intermittent or step by step manner
and bring rows of pins thereon successively into contact with levers for moving
the strips through suitable mechanism endways to the desired extent to bring
the proper letter thereon into position to be seen.
In one arrangement of apparatus according to this invention the pin barrel is
arranged horizontally within a casing in the front wall of which is a slot, opening
or glazed aperture through which the advertisements to be exhibited can be seen.
The strips carrying the letters are arranged parallel with one another behind the
front wall of the casing and each of them is secured at its ends to the peripheries
of two drums arranged respectively at the upper and lower parts of the casing
and one of which is provided with a coiled spring so as to constitute it a spring
drum, each set of drums, the upper and the lower, being mounted on a suitably
supported shaft that is common to the series and on which the several drums can
rotate independently of each other. The barrel is provided all around its
periphery with longitudinal rows of pins arranged in longitudinal groups each of

page_text: which may conveniently comprise five pins, the pins of successive groups and of
each group being arranged to project to a predetermined length according to the
letter to which it corresponds. To the boss of each of the upper drums is con-
nected by a flexible connector to one end of a lever that is fulcrummed at its other
end upon a suitable support and is provided with an arm that projects into the
path of one of the pins of each longitudinal group of pins, the arrangement being
such that each time a pin of a group is brought into contact with the arm of the
lever, it operates the lever and cause it through the flexible connection to rotate
the corresponding upper drum and unwind the strip from the lower drum against
the action of the spring and wind it upon the upper drum, the extent of move-
ment of the strip and the particular letter left exposed at the front of the casing
when the barrel is arrested, depending upon the length of the pin. When the
barrel has been rotated in a step by step manner through a complete revolution
it is moved endways so as to bring into operation at the next rotation of the barrel
the next pin in the successive groups of pins, these new pins being of a length
to produce a new combination of words.
Mechanism of various kinds may be employed for rotating the pin barrel in an
intermittent or step by step manner, for moving the barrel endways in one
direction for a short distance after each complete rotation so as to bring a different
pin in each group into operation, and for moving the drum endways back into
its original position after being rotated a number of times corresponding to the
number of pins in each longitudinal group of pins.
According to one arrangement the pin drum is rotated by a spindle driven from
a spring drum through suitable toothed gearing. Connected to this gearing and
driven therefrom is a wheel provided with pins or projections that are successively
arrested by a spring detent consisting it may be of a spring bolt arranged to slide
in fixed bearings and the spring of which tends to hold the bolt in the path of
the pins. In conjunction with this spring bolt there is provided a lever operated
and controlled by a reciprocating bar which, when moved in one direction,
causes the lever to withdraw the spring detent and allow the spring drum to
partly rotate the pin barrel, and when moved in the opposite direction releases
the lever and allows the spring detent to move back into its locking position
and arrest the action of the spring drum and stop the pin drum. The recipro-
cating bar may be stepped and moved in a direction to withdraw the spring
detent by a weight arranged to descend within a vessel from which the air can
only escape slowly after the manner of a dash pot, the bar and weight being
moved in the opposite direction by a wheel driven from the spring drum and
gearing with a rack connected to the bar. To allow the rack to be thrown into
gear with the toothed wheel when it reaches the upper end of its travel and to be
disengaged from the wheel at the bottom of its travel, the upper part of the bar
is guided by a pin and slot arrangement about which it can turn and the lower
end of the bar is provided with a guide pin arranged to work in a cam groove
comprising two vertical parallel portions connected at the top by horizontal and
inclined portions and at the bottom by a horizontal portion. The arrangement
is such that when the rack is in gear with the wheel and is moved downward
thereby the guide pin descends the vertical portion of the cam groove nearest the
wheel until the bar reaches the bottom of its travel when the guide pin is pressed
laterally and away from the wheel by a spring into a position below the vertical
portion of the groove thereby disengaging the rack from the wheel. The bar
and rack then ascend, the guide pin ascending the groove furthest away from
the toothed wheel until the bar nearly reaches the upper end of its stroke when
it is pressed towards the wheel by another spring so as to bring the rack again
into gear with the wheel. To ensure engagement of the rack and wheel, the
former is provided with wedge shaped teeth and is so mounted on the bar as
to be able to slide endways thereon against the action of a spring and adjust
itself into gear with the wheel.
The pin drum and its driving spindle are, according to one arrangement,

page_text: forced endways by a spring so as to press a disc fast on the spindle against a
stepped stop which at each complete rotation of the pin drum is moved by a
rotary stepped cam sufficiently to bring the next adjacent step on the stop oppo-
site the disc and allow the pin drum and spindle to be moved endways in a forward
direction through a distance sufficient to bring the next pin of a group into the
operative position. The spindle is arranged opposite a lever which is connected
to a coiled spring in which energy is stored during the rotation of the drum by
a cam on the same shaft as that which carries the rotary stepped cam and which
prevents the lever from turning backward until the pin barrel has completed its
rotation when in its most forward position whereupon the lever is released and
the spring allowed to re-act and return the pin drum and spindle to their original
positions after which the above described operations will be repeated. When
there are five pins in each longitudinal group of pins the shaft carrying the two
cams is caused to make one revolution for five revolutions of the pin drum.
To enable the pin drum to be readily removed and replaced, it may be slipped
at one end over a squared part of the driving spindle and be provided at the other
end with a spindle mounted in a sleeve bearing carried by a pivoted arm which is
arranged to move in a curved slot in a fixed bracket and is held in position by a
spring catch pivoted to the bracket and adapted to engage with the pivoted arm.
In some cases means may be provided for illuminating the letters so that they
can be seen at night. For this purpose electric or other lamps or lights may be
used arranged within the casing behind the strips. Or the letters may be illu-
minated by light thrown on to them from the front.
Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Advertising and like
purposes.
I, JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR, formerly of 198, The Grove, Ham-
mersmith, in the County of London, but now of Clyde Villa, 123, High Road,
Lee, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to a construction of apparatus suitable for adver-
tising and like purposes whereby with an apparatus of comparatively small
dimensions, a large number of advertisements, pictorial devices or other repre-
For this
sentations can be displayed in a consecutive and automatic manner.
purpose the letters, devices or portions of devices or the like (hereinafter referred to
as letters) to be used in forming the words, pictorial devices or other representations
to be exhibited (hereinafter referred to as words) are formed on strips of material
that are moved lengthwise through suitable connecting mechanism by the action
of pins or projections of a determined length and arrangement secured to a
movable body that is set in operation at predetermined intervals by a suitable
motor. The arrangement is such that when the body is operated, the pins or
projections will act to quickly move the strips lengthwise so as to bring opposite
an opening or openings in the front of the apparatus, the proper letters on
adjacent bands to form the word or words it is desired to exhibit and which are
held in a position to be seen for a short time, after which the body is again set

page_text: in motion, and a fresh set of pins brought into position to operate the strips and
produce a different word or set of words, these actions being repeated as many
times as desired.
As will be obvious apparatus to act in the manner described can be constructed
in various forms.
a front
In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive show one
arrangement of apparatus in accordance with this invention, Fig. 1 being
view; Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section on the line w, w of Fig. 3, and to a
larger scale than Fig. 1, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 vertical cross sections on the
lines a, y y, and zz respectively of Fig. 2.
1 is a rotary pin barrel arranged horizontally within a casing 2 in the front
wall 3 of which is a slot, opening or glazed aperture 4 through which the adver-
tisements to be exhibited can be seen. The glass front is shown as being opaque
except at the transparent aperture 4. It may also have transparent slits 4°
(Fig. 1) through which the strips 5, carrying the letters, may be seen. The
strips 5, which are, formed of flexible material, are arranged parallel with one
another behind the front wall 3 of the casing and each of them is secured at its
ends to the peripheries of two drums 6 and 7 (Fig. 3) arranged respectively at
the upper and lower parts of the casing 2 and one of which 7 is provided with a
coiled spring 8 so as to constitute it a spring drum. The upper drums 6 and
the lower ones 7, are mounted on suitably supported shafts G and 7" respectively
that are common to the two series of drums and on which the several drums can
rotate independently of each other.
The
are pins suitably fixed in the barrel 1 so that they and the barrel somewhat
resemble the pin barrel of a musical box or barrel organ, the barrel being
arranged to be rotated intermittently and shifted longitudinally in a step by step
manner so as to bring the pins 9 successively into contact with levers 10 for
moving the strips 5, by means of suitable mechanism, lengthwise to the
desired extent to bring the proper letter thereon into position to be seen.
pins are arranged in longitudinal rows all around the periphery of the drum
(six rows are shown in Fig. 3), the pins being divided into longitudinal groups
which may (as in the example shown, see Fig. 2) comprise five sets of pins 9, 9º,
9b, 9° and 9d measuring lengthwise of the cylinder, and each set comprising six
pins arranged around the drum. The pins of the successive groups and of each
group are arranged to project to a predetermined length according to the par-
ticular letter to which each of them corresponds. The boss 6b of each of the
upper drums 6 is connected by a flexible connector 11 to one end of a lever 10
pivoted to a support 12 and provided with an arm 13 that projects into the path
of one of the sets of pins 9 of each longitudinal group of pins. As will be seen.
the arrangement is such that each time a pin of a group is brought into contact
with the arm 13 of the corresponding lever 10, it operates the latter and causes
it through the flexible connection 11 to rotate the corresponding upper drum
and unwind the strip 5 from the lower drum 7 against the action of the spring &
and wind it upon the upper drum, the extent of movement of the strip and the
particular letter left exposed at the front of the casing when the barrel 1 is
arrested, depending upon the length of the particular pin 9 that has been used.
When the barrel has been rotated in a step by step manner through a complete
revolution, it is moved endways so as to bring into operation at the next rotation
of the barrel, the next set of pins in the successive groups of pins, these new pins
being of a length to produce a new combination of words.
Mechanism of various kinds may be employed (a) for rotating the pin barrel
in an intermittent or step by step manner; (b) for moving the barrel endways
in one direction for a short distance after each complete rotation so as to bring
a different set of pins in each group into operation: and (c) for moving the
barrel endways back into its original position after being rotated a number of
times (in this example five times) corresponding to the number of sets of pins in
each longitudinal group of pins.

page_text: In the arrangement now being described, the pin barrel 1 is intermittently
rotated by a spindle 14 driven from a spring drum through suitable gearing
which comprises a toothed wheel 16 (Fig. 4) fixed to the spring drum 15 and
gearing with a pinion 17 fixed to a spindle 18 on which is feathered a toothed
wheel 19 in gear with a pinion 20 feathered to an extension 14" of the spindle 14.
Connected to the wheel 20 is a wheel 21 provided with pins or projections 22
that are successively arrested by a spring detent consisting it may be of a spring
bolt 23 arranged to slide in fixed bearings 23" and the spring 23b of which tends
to hold the bolt in the path of the pins. In conjunction with this spring bolt 23
there is provided a lever 24 operated and controlled by a reciprocating bar 25
which, when moved upward causes the lever 24 to withdraw the spring detent 23
and allow the spring drum 15 to partly rotate the pin barrel 1, and when moved
downward releases the lever and allows the spring detent to move back into its
locking position (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4) and arrest the action of the
spring drum. 15 and stop the pin drum 1. The reciprocating bar 25 is stepped
at 25 and is moved upwards, to withdraw the spring detent, by a weight 26 con-
nected by a flexible connection 20 to the said bar and arranged to descend within
a vessel 26 provided with a small hole 26 through which the air can only escape
slowly as in a dash pot. The said bar and weight are moved in the opposite
direction by a wheel 27 that gears with a rack 28 connected to the said bar and is
driven from the spring drum through a toothed wheel 27 that is in gear with
a toothed wheel 27b feathered upon the spindle 27°. To allow the rack 28 to be
thrown into gear with the toothed wheel 27 when it reaches the upper end of its
travel and to be disengaged from the wheel at the bottom of its travel, the upper
part of the bar 25 is guided by a pin and slot arrangement 25b, about which it
can turn, and the lower end of the bar is provided with a guide pin 28 arranged
to work in a cam groove comprising two vertical parallel portions 29ª, 29" con-
nected at the top by a portion 29° and at the bottom by a horizontal portion 291.
The arrangement as will be seen is such that when the rack 28 is in gear with
the wheel 27 and is moved downward thereby, the guide pin 28 descends the
vertical portion 29" of the cam groove until the bar 25 reaches the bottom of
its travel when the guide pin 28 is pressed laterally and away from the wheel 27
by a spring 30 into a position below the vertical portion 29b of the groove thereby
disengaging the rack from the wheel. The bar and rack then ascend, the guide
pin travelling in the groove 29b until the bar nearly reaches the upper end of its
stroke when it is pressed towards the wheel 27 by another spring 31, which is
weaker than the spring 30, so as to bring the rack 28 again into gear with the
said wheel. To ensure engagement of the rack and wheel, the former is provided
with wedge shaped teeth and is so mounted on the bar 25, as for example by pro-
viding it with a pin 28 extending through a slot 28 in the bar, that it is able
to slide endways on the bar against the action of a spring 32 and adjust itself into
gear with the wheel.
The pin barrel 1 and its driving spindle 14 are, according to the arrangement
shown. moved endways by a spring 33 so as to press a disc 14b, which is fast on
the spindle extension 14", against a stepped stop 34 which at each complete rota-
tion of the pin drum is moved by a rotary stepped cam 35 sufficiently to bring
the next adjacent step on the stop 34 opposite the disc 14b and allow the pin drum
and spindle to be moved endways in a forward direction (to the left in Fig. 2)
through a distance sufficient to bring the next set of pins 9 of the successive
groups of pins into the operative position. The stepped stop 34 and cam 35 have
cach as many steps as there are circular sets of pins in each longitudinal group
of pins. In this case there are five. The cam is carried by a wheel 35ª fixed
upon a spindle 35b and driven from a toothed wheel 35° feathered upon the
spindle 14. The spindle extension 14" is arranged opposite a lever 36 (Fig. 2)
which is connected to one end of a coiled spring 36 in which energy is stored
during the rotation of the drum by a cam 37 fixed on the shaft 35b and which
prevents the lever 36 from turning backward until the pin barrel has completed

page_text: its rotation when in its most forward position, whereupon the cam releases the
lever 36 and allows the spring 36" to re-act and return the pin drum and spindle
to their original positions against the pressure of the spring 33 after which the
above described operations will be repeated. When there are five sets of pins 9
in each longitudinal group of pins, as in the present example, the shaft 35
carrying the two cams 35 and 37 is caused to make one revolution for five revo-
lutions of the pin drum 1. The toothed wheels 19, 20, 27, 27", 27, 35º, 35" and
pin wheel 21 are behind the bar 25 in Fig. 2 so that they cannot be seen in this
figure.
To enable the pin barrel 1 to be readily removed and replaced, it may be
slipped at one end over a squared part 14* of the driving spindle and be provided
at the other end with a spindle 38 mounted in a sleeve bearing 39 the upper half
of which is carried by an arm 40 which is pivoted at 40" and is arranged to move
about a curved slot 41 in a fixed bracket 42 and is held in position by a spring.
catch 43 pivoted to the bracket 42 and adapted to engage with the end of the said
pivoted arm.
Each change of the exhibited device may be notified by an electric bell 44.
45 is a galvanic cell connected by leads 46 and 47 to one terminal of the bell 44
and a spring contact 48 respectively. The other terminal of the bell is connected
with the spring 33 which is constantly in contact with the end of the spindle 38
of the pin barrel. The circuit is completed by means of a series of radial arms
or pins 49 corresponding in number to the radial rows of pins 9 on the pin barrel
and rotating therewith, the arrangement being such that at the moment when
each change is effected, one of the pins or arms 49 comes against the spring con-
tact 48 and closes the bell circuit.
As will be obvious apparatus for operating the strips by means of pins or pro-
jections in the manner set forth can be variously modified without departing
from the essential feature of the invention.
Each lengthwise moveable strip 5 may be composed of a number of detachable
sections on which a letter or other character or device is printed or otherwise
placed, whereby the word or other representation to be exhibited can be readily
changed without having to vary the operating mechanism.
Also the letters or the like can be variously formed; thus they may be formed
as stencils, or as, opaque letters on a transparent or translucent ground or
vice versa, as well understood, so that they can be seen by reflected light during
the day and by transmitted light at night.
Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line X X of Fig. 7, and Fig. 7 a part longitu-
dinal section on the line Y Y of Fig. 6, showing a modified construction of
apparatus embodying the present invention.
In this arrangement, which is designed for showing fewer representations than
that shewn in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, each of the upper drums 6 is provided with
a pinion 50 in gear with a toothed segment 51 on a plate 52 that is pivotted at 52"
and provided with a pin 53 (or bowl) arranged in the path of a corresponding
annular series of cam-like projections 54 of various heights removably fixed to the
rotary drum 1. The arrangement is such that as each projection 54 is brought
into contact with the corresponding pin 53 it will cause the plate 52 to rotate the
drum 6 and pull the corresponding letter strip 5 partly off the lower spring
drum 7 which will pull it back again when the said projection leaves the pin.
the extent of moment of the strip, and consequently the particular letter thereon
brought into position to be seen, depending, in the arrangement as shown in
Figs. 1 to 5, upon the length of the particular projection brought into use. 52
is a fixed bar against which each plate 52 is caused to bear by the corresponding
spring 8 when not acted upon by a projection 54.
To ensure that all the letters in the word or words to be exposed to view shall
be finally brought into a straight line, there is provided an alignment bar 55
provided with fingers 55, which, after the strips 5 have been moved endways
more or less into their correct positions, are caused to enter 5" in the strips, as

page_text: shown in full lines in Figs. 6 and 7, and bring the exposed letters into a straight
line either by lifting any strips that may be too low, or by acting as stops onto
which the top edge of the holes in the strip are allowed to fall by arranging the
projections 54 to release the pins 53 and strips at this time. The strips are or
may be released by moving the fingers into the position shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 6.
The alignment bar may be operated at the required times by cam-like pro-
jections 55b formed on a plate 55° fast on the axle of the drum 1, the said pro-
jections 55 operating one end of a lever plate 55d the other end of which is toothed
and in gear with a pinion 55° fixed on the alignment bar 55 which is supported at
its ends in suitable bearings attached to the ends of the casing 2. There may be
two alignment bars arranged one on each side of the strips 5, as shown in Figs. S
and 9, the fingers 55" on the two bars being moved from the inoperative positions
shown in Fig. 8 toward each other into the position shown in Fig. 9 to set the
letters in alignment with each other.
Each pair of drums 6 and 7 and spring 8 and operating plate 52 are mounted
in a separate holder 2 adapted to be slidden into transverse guides 2b in the
casing 2 and fixed by a screw 2°, and each of the strips 5° is composed of a number
of pieces connected together by metal loops 5b, the several pieces being provided
with or adapted to form the required letters, except the end pieces, which may
be blank. By this construction the several strips can be readily withdrawn
from the casing and the letters thereon quickly changed when it is desired to
alter the words composing the advertisements to be shown. The projections 54
may be fixed in the barrel 1 by metal strips 90 that pass through holes with pro-
jections, and through recesses of rectangular section, in the barrel 1, to which
the bars are fixed by screws.
The barrel may be intermittently rotated by a pin wheel 1° (Fig. 10) driven
intermittently by a mutilated toothed wheel 1ª that is continuously rotated by
any suitable motor.
Fig. 11 is a transverse section and Fig. 12 a detail view, showing a modified
arrangement in which each of the drums 6 and 7 of a pair corresponding to a
movable strip 5, are of equal diameter and provided respectively with pinions 50,
50 that gear with toothed segments 51, 51" on an oscillating plate 52. This
plate is mounted and operated like that shewn in Figs. 6 and 7 by a series of
cam-like projections 54 of various heights which however in this case are mounted
upon an endless chain or band 54" that passes around guide pulleys 54b, and a
sprocket wheel 54° which latter is partly rotated at intervals from a spring or other
motor, its teeth 54d engaging in suitably arranged openings in the said chain or
band. The arrangement is such that as each cam-like projection 54 presses up
the pin 53 on the plate 52, the segments 51, 51ª are oscillated to a corresponding
extent and move the corresponding drums 6 and 7 and strip 5 so as to bring the
corresponding letter opposite the transparent aperture 4 (Fig. 1) in the front
of the casing. After each cam like projection has been moved past the pin 53,
the strip is returned to its normal position by means of an arm 56 fixed to the
axle 52 and connected at its free end to a spiral spring 56* the tension of which
may be adjusted by means of a screwed pin and milled nut 56b. The sprocket
wheel 54 may be rotated through gear like that shown in Fig. 10, or that shown
in Fig. 13. In the latter case, a wheel 57, which receives continuous rotation
from the motor of the apparatus, is provided with a single tooth 57" that gears
with notches 58° in a wheel 58 connected to the sprocket wheel, the arrangement
being such that at each complete rotation of the wheel 57, its tooth 57ª engages
with one of the notches 58 of the wheel 58 and gives to the latter a partial rota-
tion, the parts being so arranged that the pin 53 will remain stationary upon the
top of the can like projection, for the time being in action, while the wheel 57
is rotating idly.
Fig. 14 shows in cross section an arrangement similar to that shown in Figs. 6

page_text: and 7 except that the pin 53 on the plate 52 is operated by camlike projections 65
on an endless chain 54" which receives its motion from the intermittently driven
sprocket wheel 54° and passes around guide rollers 58 arranged one above the
other and preferably formed with rims 58" to retain the chain in place, and also
around other guide rollers 59.
Figs. 15, 16, and 17 show respectively in longitudinal section, plan and
sectional end elevation, part of a chain with cam like projections 65 that may be
used in the apparatus shown in Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive. The rivets or pins 60
of the chain links 61 are extended inwardly and each fitted with an eye-bolt 62
to the screw threaded part 63 of which a cross bar 64 of square cross section can
be readily fixed by thumb nuts 63. The cam like projections 65 are threaded
on the cross bars and retained in place endways thereon by pins 66. By this
construction the said projections can be readily changed to suit requirement. "In
some cases means may be provided for illuminating the letters on the strips 5 so
that they can be seen at night. For this purpose electric or other lamps or
lights may be used, arranged within the casing 2 behind the strips. In Fig. 6,
electric lamps 67 are shown, carried by a fixed support 68 extending through
recess 2d in the holders carrying the drums 6 and 7 and attached parts.
The special construction of apparatus shown in Figs. 6 to 17 inclusive illustrate
the best way now known to me of carrying out my invention and I intend to
obtain separate Letters Patent in respect thereof, and for this purpose have
lodged an application therefor, dated 5 Dec. 1898 No. 25658.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is -
1. Apparatus for advertising and like purposes wherein the letters or other
devices to form words or other representations to be exhibited are on parallel
strips of material that are moved lengthwise through suitable mechanism by the
action of pins or projections of determined length and arrangement operated by
a movable body, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in
action, a set of pins or projections, will act to move the strips lengthwise so as
to bring opposite an opening or openings in the front of the apparatus the proper
letters or devices on adjacent strips to form the word or words or other repre-
-sentation it is desired to exhibit, after which a fresh set of pins or projections
will be brought into position to operate the strips and produce another word or
set of words or other representation substantially as described.
2. Apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim wherein each of
the strips bearing the letters or other devices to be exhibited, are secured at its
ends to two drums mounted to rotate about separate axes and operated in one
direction by the pins or projections of variable length against the action of a
spring or equivalent which effects rotation of the drums and strip in the reverse
direction, the arrangement being such that each pair of drums with its connected
strip can be rotated independently of the others and to a desired extent and then
be held in the new position for a short time, and when released will be returned
to their normal positions by the corresponding spring or equivalent, substantially
as herein described.
3. Apparatus of the kind herein referred to wherein the pairs of rollers and the
letter strips connected thereto are intermittently operated in the manner set
forth by pins or projections of various lengths arranged upon a rotary barrel.
4. In apparatus of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the combination with pairs
of drums and letter strips connected thereto, of a rotary barrel provided on its
periphery with pins arranged to project to a predetermined length according to
the letters or equivalent to which they correspond, means for rotating the barrel
in an intermittent manner, means for moving the barrel longitudinally in a step
by step manner to bring successive pins into the paths of levers or the like suit-
ably connected to one of the drums of each pair of drums, and means for return-

page_text: ing the pin barrel to its original position after the several sets of pins or pro-
jections have been brought into use, substantially as herein described.
5. Apparatus suitable for advertising and like purposes constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 1
to 5 inclusive of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 5th day of December 1898.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.