Improved Method of Displaying Advertisements upon Tramcars or Omnibuses.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improved Method of Displaying Advertisements upon Tramcars
or Omnibuses.
We JOHN WHITEHEAD, of Saint John's Villas Clarence Road, Harborne, in the
county of Stafford Engraver, and CHARLES FREDERICK TANNER, and ERNEST EDWIN
TANNER both of Ascot Road Moseley, in the county of Worcester Manufacturers
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of displaying advertisements in a novel and
conspicuous manner upon tramcars and omnibuses and may be arranged upon the
outside or inside of such tramcars or omnibuses but would be most suitable for
the inside; and has for its object the placing of the advertisements upon an endless
band, which by suitable mechanism is caused to revolve or travel around, and thus
bringing the advertisements successively into prominence.
In carrying out this our invention, we should use the motion of the tram car or
omnibus to rotate the mechanism. The details of this mechanism and its commu-
nication with the motion of the tram car or omnibus would necessarily be varied
to suit the requirement, of any particular vehicle, but would mainly consist of two
drums or rollers, one at each end of the vehicle, upon and around which we place
an endless band of india-rubber, cotton, elastic web, or other suitable material,
having upon its surface such advertising matter that is desired to be displayed.
These rollers or drums are made capable of casily rotating upon their axis, and
may assume either a vertical, inclined, or horizontal position. Upon motion being
given to the drums or rollers, the advertising band travels along, and brings to view
successively the said advertisements. The number and arrangement of these rollers
may be varied, as, that for instance if desired, there may be upon each side of the car
or omnibus a band independent of each other, or otherwise, if desired and where
convenient, the band may be carried around the car or omnibus (inside). In tho
case of having a separate revolving band upon each side of the car or omnibus, we
may arrange it so that the return part of the band, may travel back along the
outside of the car, in which case it would be generally protected by a cover; this
cover affording space for advertising in the ordinary manner.
The motion of the said bands or bands would be derived from the axle or wheels
of the car or omnibus, and driven by cog wheels or pulleys, with chains or belts,
with their necessary spindles and bearings &c to suit each case.
This our invention would be applicable to either Steam, Horse, Cable, Electrical,
or other tramcars, or omnibuses.

page_text: or Omnibuses.
We, JOHN WHITEHEAD, of 63 Saint John's Villas, Clarence Road, Harborne,
Staffordshire Engraver, and CHARLES FREDERICK TANNER, and ERNEST EDWIN
TANNER, both of Ascot Road Moseley, Worcestershire Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVED METHOD OF DISPLAYING
ADVERTISEMENTS UPON TRAMCARS OR OMNIBUSES, 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 improvements in the method of displaying advertise-
ments in a novel and conspicuous manner upon tramcars and omnibuses, and may
be arranged for display either upon the outside or inside, or upon both. the outside
and inside combined, of such tramcars or omnibuses, and has for its object the
public show of advertisements upon an endless band or bands which by suitable
mechanism is caused to revolve or travel around or along; thus bringing such
advertisements successively into view.
In carrying out our invention we should use the motion of the tramcar, or
omnibus to rotate the mechanism whereby the band is caused to travel. The
details of this mechanism and its communication with the motion of the car or
omnibus would necessarily be varied to suit the requirement of the construction of
the car or omnibus, but the essential feature of this our invention is, the mounting
of a band or bands upon rollers, either in a vertical, or horizontal plane, upon which
are pasted or otherwise attached the advertisements.
In order to explain this our invention more clearly we have illustrated one
method of carrying it into effect upon the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 shews
a part skeleton view of a tram car, having the band exposed to view, and shewing
part of the mechanism for driving the said band. Fig. 2 shews a plan of the bands
in their working position. Fig. 3 shews an inverted view of the driving mechanism.
Fig. 4 shews an end elevation of the bands and part driving mechanism. Like
letters refer throughout to the same thing. a, b, c, d, are the advertising bands
upon which the advertisements are placed. These bands may be made of india-
rubber, cotton, elastic web, or any other suitable material. It will be seen that as
shewn upon the drawing there may be two such bands upon each side of the car,
and so arranged, that the advertisements displayed upon b, and c, are open to view
from the inside of the car, while those upon the bands a & d, are open to view from
the outside of the car. It would be desirable generally from the nature of the
circumstances that those advertisements upon the outside bands a & d, should be
displayed in larger type or figure, than those of the inside bands.
If desired however we may only place one band upon each side of the car, and
expose the two outsides of such bands, one of such sides to the inside of the car,
and the other side to the outside of the car.
The method we have shewn as applied to tramcars carried upon the swivel
carriage plan, to give motion to the said bands is as follows:-e, and ƒ are the

page_text: axles or shafts of the carriage; at g, the swivel centre is formed upon which the
carriage turns. At h, I provide a pulley wheel, upon which a band i, is driven,
gearing into and driving the pulley k, upon the countershaft l. Upon the counter-
shaft, I mount a bevil toothed wheel m, which gears into another bevil wheel n.
Upon or attached to the bevil wheel n, is two pulleys o and p, upon which the
bands 9 and r respectively are driven, thus driving in their turn the pulleyss and t,
upon the vertical shafts u and v. Upon the vertical shafts, where more than one
band is used (as in the illustrated case) I mount toothed wheels w and x, in order
to drive the adjoining band. The size of the different pulleys or wheels would be
regulated to secure any required relative speed of the band or bands to that of the
car itself. The bands i, q & r, may be of any suitable material such as india-
rubber, leather, cotton, or metallic chains.
Such parts of the mechanism required not to be seen, may be boxed up or
covered to suit pleasure.
The bands a, b, c & d themselves may be protected by framed glass cases if
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. In displaying advertisements upon tramcars or omnibuses, the method of
so doing, by means of an endless band or bands upon which the advertisements
are placed.
2nd. The placing or arranging of such bands to travel in any desired position,
direction, or angle, where practical, upon such tramcars or omnibuses.
3rd. The adoption of such ordinary mechanism as may be found necessary from
time to time to drive such bands from the motion of the tramcar or omnibus.
Dated this 21st day of June 1886.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Agent for the Applicants.