Apparatus and Mechanism for the Display of Inscriptions, Pictures, and the like for the purpose of Advertisement.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Apparatus and Mechanism for the Display of Inscriptions, Pictures,
and the like for the purpose of Advertisement.
We, ALFRED RÉNÉ UPWARD and ROBERT DALMER, both of 19, Old Queen Street,
Westminster, S.W., Consulting Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to us numbered 6736 of the
year 1895 we have described certain pneumatically actuated machines and
mechanism.
This present invention consists in a simple and self acting method and apparatus
for producing the pneumatic pressure required to be applied intermittently to
the various pistons and cylinders (or any pneumatically actuated equivalent of
same where air pressure supplied and controlled from a distant source is trans-
formed into mechanical motion) of the machines referred to in the specification
of the patent above cited.
The main characteristics of the apparatus herein described are the production
of the required gaseous pressure by the expansion and contraction of air or
vapour in a closed vessel or vessels and the intermittent application of such
pressure to the pistons and cylinders of the distant machines (with which the
closed vessels are connected by tubing) the gaseous expansion and contraction
being effected by the periodic applications and withdrawal of heat from the
closed vessels.
This application and withdrawal of heat being effected by self acting
mechanism.
A practical design of such apparatus (the invention including but not being
limited to such design) may take the following form.
The closed vessels referred to (of which there is preferably one to each piston
and cylinder to be actuated in the distant machine) may be of brass and provided
with a tubular passage or flue-way passing through them such as a copper tube
traversing the vessel being made air tight where it passes through the sides of
the vessel similarly to the flue tubes of a steam boiler.
These vessels may be placed side by side in an outer containing vessel or tank
of water so that they will cool rapidly after cach application of heat.
We use any convenient source of heat such as a gas flame a burner being
placed under each closed vessel so that when the burner is lighted its flame
would pass through the tubular flue-way traversing each of the closed vessels
as above described. A set of valves (actuated by a steadily working self acting
mechanism hereinafter referred to) control each of the burners so that each
burner is turned on to the full and then turned down periodically in succession,
resulting of course in successive expansion of the air or vapour in each of the
closed vessels and thus actuating in turn each of the pistons and cylinders of
the distant machine, by means of the, tubes above referred to connecting the
distant machine with this apparatus.
The closed vessels are provided with a small inlet valve arranged to act one

page_text: way, so as to allow the outer air to enter the vessel but preventing any passage
of air outwards from the vessel; this device allowing the vessel when cooling
to draw in air to make up any defecit of air permanently expelled from the
vessel when heated.
The minor detail of power to actuate the mechanism which by means of valves
or taps turns each of the gas flames up and down periodically in succession as
above described may be provided for by using the pressure at which the gas is
supplied from the street gas mains (as is done to give motion to ordinary gas
meters) or it may be supplied by clock work, water power from a tap, electrically
from a small primary or secondary battery or from the waste heat arising from
the gas flames themselves.
It will be seen that a feature of this invention is the application and withdrawal
of the source of heat to produce air or vapour pressure or vacuum periodically,
without resorting to mechanical pumps air compressors and valve gear as a
means of actuating the mechanism described in the specification of the patent
already cited.
this
If other sources of heat are used which do not admit of being adjusted and
controlled by the simple turning up and down of the flame as above described
an easily movable screen or damper may be used to periodically apply and divert
the heat from the closed vessels the same motive power being made use of for
as for the valves controlling the gas flames as above fully described.
If more power is required than that obtainable from the simple expansion of
air by heat, a slight modification of the apparatus may be made by causing
the application of heat to produce aqueous vapour or steam, which subsequently
condenses producing a vacuum in the well known way. In this case the inlet
valve above described as being attached to each vessel would be required to act
in the reverse sense that is to say it would allow egress of air or vapour from
the closed vessel but would of course check the admission of outer air when the
partial vacuum was formed as described.
Dated this 28th day of November 1898.
Apparatus and Mechanism for the Display of Inscriptions, Pictures,
and the like for the purpose of Advertisement.
We, ALFRED RÉNÉ UPWARD, Consulting Engineer, and ROBERT DALMER,
Manufacturer, both of 19, Old Queen Street, Westminster, London, W., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described, and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to us, numbered 6736 of the
year 1895 we have described certain pneumatically actuated machines and
mechanism:
This present invention consists in a simple and self acting method, and appara-
tus, for producing either the direct pneumatic pressure required, or an atmospheric
pressure over an induced vacuum, to be applied intermittently to the various
pistons and cylinders (or any pneumatically actuated equivalent of same, where
air pressure, supplied and controlled from a distant cource, is transformed into

page_text: mechanical motion) of the machines referred to in the specification of the patent
above recited.
The main characteristics of the apparatus herein described are the production
of the required gaseous pressure either directly, or indirectly by the force of
atmospheric pressure over an induced vacuum, by the expansion and contraction
of air or vapour in a closed vessel or vessels, and the intermittent application
of such pressure to the pistons and cylinders of the distant machines (with which
the closed vessels are connected by tubing), the gaseous expansion and contraction
being effected by the periodic applications and withdrawal of heat from the
closed vessels.
This application and withdrawal of heat is effected by self acting mechanism.
A practical design of such apparatus (the invention including but not being
limited to such design) may take the following form.
The closed vessels referred to (of which there is preferably one to each piston
and cylinder to be actuated in the distant machine) may be of brass or other
metal and may be provided with a tubular passage or flue-way passing through
them (such as a copper tube traversing the vessel), being made air tight where
it passes through the sides of the vessel similarly to the flue tubes of a steam
boiler.
These vessels may be placed side by side in an outer containing vessel or tank
of water so that they will cool rapidly after each application of heat.
We use any convenient source of heat, such as a gas flame, a burner being
placed under each closed vessel, so that when the burner is lighted its flame
would pass through the tubular flue-way traversing each of the closed vessels
as above described. A set of valves (actuated by a steadily working self acting
mechanism hereinafter referred to) control each of the burners, so that each
burner is turned on to the full and then turned down periodically in succession,
resulting of course in successive expansion of the air or vapour in each of the
closed vessels, and thus actuating in turn each of the pistons and cylinders of
the distant machine, by means of the tubes above referred to connecting the
distant machine with this apparatus.
The closed vessels when used for direct expansion pressure are provided with
a small inlet valve, arranged to act one way, so as to allow the outer air to enter
the vessel, but preventing any passage of air outwards from the vessel; this
device allowing the vessel when cooling to draw in air to make up any deficit
of air permanently expelled from the vessel when heated.
The minor detail of power to actuate the mechanism, which by means of valves
or taps turns each of the gas flames up and down periodically in succession as
above described, may be provided for by using the pressure at which the gas is
supplied from the street gas mains (as is done to give motion to ordinary gas
meters) or it may be supplied by clockwork, water power from a tap, electrically
from a small primary or secondary battery, or from the waste heat arising from
the gas flames themselves.
It will be seen that a feature of this invention is the application and withdrawal
of the source of heat to produce air or vapour pressure or vacuum periodically,
without resorting to mechanical pumps, air compressors, and valve gear, as a
means of actuating the mechanism described in the specification of the patent
already cited.
If other sources of heat are used which do not admit of being adjusted and
controlled by the simple turning up and down of the flame as above described
an easily movable screen or damper may be used to periodically apply and divert
the heat from the closed vessels, the same motive power being made use of for
this, as for the valves controlling the gas flames as above fully described.
Obviously, heat generated by electricity may be used in substitution of gas
flames, & be similarly controlled.
If more power is required than that obtainable from the simple expansion of

page_text: air by heat, a slight modification of the apparatus may be made, by causing
the application of heat to produce aqueous vapour or steam, which subsequently
condenses, producing a vacuum in the well known way.
And in order that our invention may be the better understood we now proceed
to describe a convenient design and arrangement of parts for carrying the same
into effect (the invention including but not being limited to same) reference being
had to the drawings hereto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of air expansion vessels and the operating
cylinders with gas control valves.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the gas controlling mechanism.
Fig. is a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement of apparatus for
inducing a vacuum where more power is required.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of operative cylinder under
vacuo and
Fig. 6 is an end view of controlling cylinder & valve levers.
A, A, A, are air tight vessels through which pass the tubular flue-ways a, a, a,
which are jointed air tight where they intersect and pass through the ends of
the vessels A, A, A.
B, B, B, are cold water jackets or cooling vessels. C, C, C, are gas burners,
mounted on the gas supply pipe D. These burners are controlled by the spring
closed valves E, E, E.
It will be seen that these burners are placed so, that, when fully lighted, the
flames from them would pass through the flue tubes a, a, a. The spindles of
the valves E, E, E, are connected to small lever keys e', e², e³, which lever keys
are actuated by cams q placed on the periphery of a slowly revolving drum Q.
F and F are the pistons and cylinders which by means of a cord passing over
a pulley, work the long rack of the surface changing advertising machine described
in the specification of the patent above cited. 2 is the small piston and cylinder
for controlling the detent on the long rack.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Suppose the rack to be at the end
of its stroke towards the left, the gas valve e, is first opened, the flame from the
burner C of which passes through the flue-way a, in vessel No. 1.
This causes the air in this vessel to expand, which expanded air, passing
through the connecting pipe, causes the piston of cylinder F to descend, drawing
along the rack until the latter comes into contact, by a pawl g with the stop
detent G on the draw bar g. After a short interval of time, say 8 or 10 seconds,
the lever key e is depressed by the next cam on the slowly revolving drum Q,
which
and by a similar expansive action the piston F2 draws down the bar 9,
by freeing the stop G from the pawl g', releases the rack, which being free, allows
the piston F, to complete its stroke. After another similar interval of time
to the first, both the key valves e¹ and e³ are released, thus closing the valves E, E
and turning down the flames under the respective vessels Nos. and 2, the air
in which begins to cool, through the action of the cold water jackets B, B. At
this point the next cam on the drum Q actuates the lever-key e3 which brings
into action the flame of the burner beneath the vessel No. 3, which by air
expansion within it acts on the piston F3, drawing the rack back to its original
position; this round of changes is kept up continuously by means of the cams
placed upon the periphery of the slowly revolving drum Q, opening and closing
in regular succession the valves of the gas burners C, C, C.
H, H, H are small inlet valves (which may be of any simple type, the well
known oil silk type being suitable) fitted on the air tight chambers A, A, A.
These valves are provided to allow outer air to enter, to replace any air which
might be permanently lost, or expelled from the vessels A, A, A when under
pressure, by leakage of tubing, or glands of piston rods, and the like. They
of course only come into action when the vessels A, A, A are cooling.
It will be understood with reference to the action of the air expanding

page_text: chambers A, A, A that although they are always surrounded by the water cooling
jacket B, B, B, their action depends therefore on the far greater rate at which
the air within them receives heat, than loses it, when the burner is in action.
The slowly revolving drum Q, shown also in end view in Fig. 3, carries the
cams on its periphery, which cams actuate in succession the lever keys e¹, e³, e³,
of the gas valves E, E, E, which control the burners C, C, C, as described.
This drum may be rotated by any of the well known sources of small power
such as clock motors, water power, hot air vane, or an electric motor, or by the
passage of the gas itself on its way to the burners from the source of supply.
It is obvious that an equivalent mode of operation may be effected by the
induction of a vacuum, enabling atmospheric pressure to be used as the pneumatic
pressure. Where more power is required than that readily obtainable from the
direct expansion of air, already described, we may employ the following equivalent
apparatus, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
A is the closed vessel in which the vacuum is formed. B is the water cooling
jacket. S, is the steam supply pipe. The action of the apparatus is as follows:--
A similar slowly revolving drum Q may be used with this modified apparatus,
of like construction as that shown in Figure 1, but with two cams q q¹ for each
vacuum vessel. The valves L1, L2, (which are joined by the connecting rod
so that they work together) consist of a simple tube, closed at the ends with two
ports, cut through the sides of the tube, at the required distance apart to suit
the stroke. When the rod K is pulled down by the action of a cam q on the
drum Qit will be seen that the upper end of the vessel A is open to the air as
the port m³ of the valve L² would then be drawn into the vessel at the same time
as the port m of the valve L' would be drawn into the steam
chamber connected with the steam pipe S. Steam would then enter
through the port m¹, and passing through the port m into the
vessel A, at the same time air would escape through the port m³, and thence into
the air, through the port m. When the rod K is released by the cam leaving
it, both valves are closed by the action of the spring N, a vacuum would then
immediately form in the vessel A. At this point a second cam q¹ on the slowly
revolving drum Q draws the port of the valve P by means of the rod O into
communication with the vacuum vessel A, this valve P being in connection with
the piston and cylinder of the distant machine. When the cam has released
the rod O the valve is closed by the action of the spring R.
Figure 5 shows a preferable device (in place of an ordinary piston and cylinder)
for converting gaseous pressure into mechanical motion, it consists of an outer
vessel 1, which may be partly filled with mercury. A smaller vessel 2, open
at one end only, passes into this outer vessel containing the mercury. A tube 3
passes, closely fitted, through the vessel 1, and extends above to the surface of
the mercury, thereby connecting the movable vessel 2 with the source of gaseous
pressure or vacuum. This appliance may be connected with the rack by a pulley
and cord as before described.
In many points this is a preferable device (in view of the special requirements
of the apparatus herein described) as it is more frictionless, it requires no
lubrication, and will not allow any loss of air or vacuum through the leakage
of glands and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, a mode
of operation of such change mechanism by the alternate application and with-
drawal of heat to air or vapour, as a means of obtaining effective gaseous pressure
for the operation of such change mechanism.
2nd. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, automatic

page_text: control mechanism, actuating the withdrawal and application of heat to air or
vapour, in defined succession in various expansion and contraction vessels, to
effect successive change actions, in definite time intervals, substantially as
described.
3rd. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, air or
vapour expansion vessels, adapted to reciprocate, by means of pressure cylinders
and pistons, a rack motion, and an intermediate control expansion vessel and
detent cylinder, all expansion chambers being fitted with heat burners, having
automatic control for the intermittent application and withdrawal of the heat,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
4th. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, vacuum
chambers, having control valves for the admission and retention of steam at
atmospheric pressure external water jackets for the condensation of the same.
and connected, with valve control, to atmospheric pressure cylinders or equivalents
for the operation and control of such change mechanism, substantially as
described.
5th. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, tube
valves having lateral orifices for the control and retention of the supply of steam
to the condensing chambers, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6th. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, the
combination with apparatus for the intermittent contraction and expansion of
air or vapour, of operative reciprocating vessels in a mercury or liquid seal, for
converting said gaseous expansion and contraction into mechanical motion, sub-
stantially as described.
7th. In a surface changing machine for the display of advertisements, the
combination with a reciprocating rack of a single acting operative cylinder, or
equivalent, at each end, effecting the reciprocation of such rack by tension,
alternately from either end, substantially as described.
8th. In surface changing machines for the display of advertisements, the
combination and arrangement of devices and parts, substantially as described and
illustrated herewith.
001
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.