Improvements in Apparatus for Advertizing, Signalling, or like purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Advertizing, Signalling, or like
purposes.
We, HENRY HARVEY PINCHES, 209, Norwood Rood, Herne Hill, London, .S.E.,
Professor of Music, and FRANK MORLEY, 49, The Grove, South Lambeth, London,
S.W., Electrical Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
Our invention consists in "Improvements in apparatus for advertizing, signalling
or like purposes by means of incandescent electric lamps. It is carried out as follows.
The lamps are mounted up in a suitable frame or device constructed for the
special purpose required in each case; each lamp is connected by a separate con-
ductor to a binding screw or terminal in metallic contact with a tongue or spring
preferably formed of hard brass, the entire series of such tongues or springs being
mounted upon a yielding or tilting bridge formed of wood ebonite or other non-
conducting material pivoted in a convenient position upon the frame of the
current distributing apparatus, which may be erected at a distance or otherwise
from the lamps as required. Upon a shaft usually turning in insulated bearings,
above the tongues or springs, and driven by clockwork, electromotor, or other
equivalent source of power, and suitable gearing, is a metallic drum, cylinder, or
equivalent having a series of radial floats or strips formed of metal, and fitted with
studs and fly nuts, set screws, or the like device for securing or removing readily
a corresponding number of thin metal plates, the outer edge of each plate being
punched cut or slotted out so as to form a comb having a variable number of
teeth or leaves so pitched as to engage with the coincident tongues mounted upon
the tilting bridge as the drum revolves. The electric current is conveyed to the
drum by means of a brush or more than one if needed preferably pivoted at
about its centre, one end of the brush or brushes as the case may be being caused
to press upon a flanged roller which may form part of the cheek of the drum or
be otherwise secured to it, the other end of the brush engaging with a corres-
ponding roller mounted upon a shaft in the frame of the distributing apparatus,
and set in motion by suitable gearing or mechanism. The shaft is electrically
connected to the dynamo machine, main lead, secondary battery, or other source
of current. The return wires from the lamps may be conveniently coupled to a
common terminal, to which the return main lead is connected. It is obvious that
the teeth or leaves of the comb can be so varied as to permit the current to
illuminate for a longer or shorter period any particular group of lamps, and that
in this way words, figures, devices, or prearranged signals can be shewn upon the
frame or other device; the duration of illumination or non-illumination of the
lamps being governed by the rate of speed at which the distributing drum is
driven. It will be understood that the leaves of the combs close or open the
respective lamp circuits as they engage with or recede from the corresponding
springs or tongues upon the tilting bridge, the tilting action enabling

page_text: We may
the parts in contact to clear more readily. In order to ensure
firm contact between the comb, teeth, and the springs,
we prefer to
counterbalance the shaft or the pivots on which the bridge rocks
or swings, or we may employ a spring or springs for this purpose.
mount any convenient number of distributing drums, combs and tilting bridges,
fitted with tongues as described in or upon a single frame and thus operate a
number of distinct signs or devices, or parts of the same sign or device, and to
avoid sparking we may use a shunt of high resistance preferably wound non-
inductively and bridged across the points of contact.
Dated this 20th day of Contamhan
Improvements in Apparatus for Advertising, Signalling, or like
purposes.
We, HENRY HARVEY PINCIIES, of 209, Norwood Rood, Herne Hill, London, S.E.,
Professor of Music, and FRANK MORLEY, 49, The Grove, South Lambeth, London,
S.W., Electrical Fitter, 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:-
Our invention consists in improvements in apparatus for advertising, signalling
or like purposes. by means of incandescent electric lamps.
It is carried out as follows:-
:-
The lamps are mounted up in a suitable frame or device constructed for the
special purpose required in each case. Each lamp is connected by a separate con-
ductor to a binding screw or terminal in metallic contact with a tongue or spring,
preferably formed of hard brass, the entire series of such tongues or springs being
mounted upon a yielding or tilting bridge formed of wood, ebonite, or other non-
conducting material pivoted in a convenient position upon the frame of the
current distributing apparatus, which may be erected at a distance, or otherwise
from the lamps as required. Upon a shaft usually turning in insulated bearings
above the tongues or springs and driven by clockwork, electromotor, or other
equivalent source of power, and suitable gearing, is a metallic drum, cylinder or
equivalent having a series of radial floats or strips formed of metal, and fitted with
studs and fly-nuts, set screws, or the like device, for securing or removing readily
a corresponding number of thin metal plates, the outer edge of each plate being
punched, cut, or slotted out so as to form a comb having a variable number of
teeth or leaves so pitched as to engage with the coincident tongues mounted upon
the tilting bridge as the drum revolves. The electric current is conveyed to the
drum by means of a brush, or more than one if needed, preferably pivoted at
about its centre, one end of the brush or brushes as the case may be, being caused
to press upon a flanged roller which may form part of the cheek of the drum or
be otherwise secured to it, the other end of the brush engaging with a corres-
ponding roller mounted upon a shaft in the frame of the distributing apparatus,
and set in motion by suitable gearing or mechanism. The shaft is electrically
connected to the dynamo machine, main lead, secondary battery or other source
of current. The return wires from the lamps may be conveniently coupled to a
common terminal, to which the return main lead is connected. It is obvious that
the teeth or leaves of the comb can" be so varied as to permit the current to

page_text: illuminate for a longer or shorter period any particular group of lamps, and that
in this way words, figures, devices, or prearranged signals can be shewn upon the
frame or other, device; the duration of illumination or non-illumination of the
lamps being, governed by the rate of speed at which the distributing drum is
driven. It will be understood that the leaves of the combs close-or open the
respective lamp circuits as they engage with or recede from the corresponding
springs or tongues upon the tilting bridge, the tilting action enabling
the parts in contact to clear more readily. In order to ensure
firm contact between the comb teeth and the springs, we prefer to
counterbalance the shaft or the pivots on which the bridge rocks
or swings, or we may employ a spring or springs for this purpose.
mount any convenient number of distributing drums, combs, and tilting bridges,
fitted with tongues as described in or upon a single frame, and thus operate a
number of distinct signs or devices or parts of the same sign or device, and to
avoid sparking we may use a shunt of high resistance preferably wound non-
inductively and bridged across the points of contact.
4
We may
The construction and operation of our invention will be readily understood by
reference to the drawings annexed, in which:-
Fig. 1. Is a side view of the apparatus.
Fig. 2. Is a front view, part being in section on lines A.B.C.D.E.F.
Fig. 3. Is a section taken on the lines U.V.W.X.Y.Z.
Fig. 4. Shows diagrammatically the electrical connections to lamps.
In the drawings, I. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent a frame which may be cast in
iron or other suitable metal. At a suitable point a bracket 2 is bolted or otherwise
mounted upon said frame, this carries a shaft 3 which is connected in any suitable
manner to the prime mover, such as an electromotor, clockwork or the like. Upon
this shaft is keyed a worm 4, which engages with the worm wheel 5 mounted on
the vertical shaft 3, stepped into the footstep 2, bolted to the frame; the oppo-
site end of this shaft turns upon a set pin 6 mounted in the bracket 2. At a
suitable point upon this shaft 3 a worm 4 is keyed, which engages
with the worm wheel 5, which is keyed as shown upon the spindle 7
of the drum 8, which forms one of a series of four, to which motion is communi-
cated by the spur wheels 9, keyed to their respective spindles or axles.
The side frames 1 are held together by tie rods 10, fitted with nuts 11. The
drums 8 are fitted with a series of radial floats 12, and to these are secured by
set screws, fly nuts, or the like 13, a corresponding number of thin metal plates 14,
the outer edge of each plate being punched, cut, or slotted out so as to form a
kind of comb, the teeth or leaves 15 of which are so pitched as to engaged with
the coincident tongues 15' mounted upon the tilting bridge 16. The drums 8 are
insulated from the spindle 7 by pieces of fibre, vulcanite, or the like 17, and the
current is supplied to each pair of drums by a brush or rubber 18, pivoted upon
the short shaft or stud 19, and carrying a terminal 20. A groove 21 is cut in the
end cheek 22 of each drum which forms a path for the brush or rubber. The
tilting bridge 16 is formed of wood, ebonite, or other non-conducting material, and
normally is pressed against a stop or pin 23, by the action of a volute spring 24,
wound round the axle 7", or this spring may be replaced by a counterbalance.
Each electric lamp taking part in the luminous advertisement, signalling device,
or the like is connected by a separate conductor 26 to one of the binding
screws 27 which is in contact with one of the separate springs 151, mounted upon
the tilting bridge 16, the return wire from the lamps being coupled to a bar and
terminal 25, connected to the main lead and dynamo battery or other source of
current 30. To avoid sparking we may in some cases bridge a shunt 29 of high
resistance preferably wound non-inductively between the points of contact.
In the drawings before referred to we have shewn a distributing apparatus
capable of actuating four distinct circuits. It is obvious that we may embody in
a single frame similar apparatus capable of dealing with a single device or with

page_text: several devices as may be required, and that the distributing apparatus may be
placed at any reasonable distance from the device operated.
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:-
1. For the purpose of operating, advertising, signalling, or like luminous devices,
by means of electric incandescent lamps, the combination use and employment of
the particular apparatus herein described, constructed and operating in the way
and manner set forth.
2. For the purpose of operating luminous devices by means of incandescent
electric lamps, the combination, uso and employment of a current conveying
metallic drum or drums as the case may be, said drum or drums having radial
metallic floats, to which a comb or combs of metal with variable teeth or leaves
are attached, which engage with separate metallic tongues or springs mounted
upon a spring or counterbalanced tilting bridge, said tongues being in circuit with
the lamps forming the device, signal or equivalent.
3. In apparatus for conveying and distributing the current from the dynamo,
mains, or battery to incandescent lamps employed for the purpose herein set forth,
the combination and use of the particular form of brush or rubber mounted, con-
nected and operating as described.
4. In or with apparatus constructed and operating as described the use of a
shunt inductive or non-inductive resistance bridged between the points of contact
for the purpose of absorbing or preventing sparking.
Dated this 20th day of June 1808
FRANCIS M., ROGERS,
Agent for Applicants.