Advertising or other Surfaces.
Year: 1884

page_text: Advertising or other Surfaces.
I HENRY ROMAN of Massingham House-Haverstock Hill-in the county of
Middlesex-Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A NEW
OR IMPROVED MEANS OF ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO ADVERTISING OR OTHER
SURFACES to be as follows:—
The object of my invention is a mechanical contrivance, which applied to a
board, such as used for advertising purposes, will produce a sudden change of
surface merely by the action or vibration of a vehicle in motion or by the
movement of a person carrying the apparatus, and thus to surprise and attract
attention of lookers-on which is the main object of advertising-To obtain such a
result I employ a frame with back, made of wood or metal of suitable size and
thickness and resembling a shallow case-When this case is placed vertically, the
two opposite and parallel sides forming the top and the bottom, are provided with-
a row of small holes or sockets of equal size and number and perforated at equal
distances from each other and in a straight line-The object of this boles placed
exactly opposite each other is to receive the ends or spindles of corresponding
number of rods, which rods placed side by side in one plane, are made to revolve
therein and thus to form a movable ribbed surface-In place of rods, laths or
triangular prisms may be used by preference-In order to cause the said rods to
revolve on their axes I employ a rack, which acts in the usual manner upon
pinions or tooth wheels fixed to one end of each foresaid rod-The space in which
the said rack moves backwards and forwards, is so calculated as to cause the pinions
to perform a half revolution at a time, or one third of a revolution when triangula
prisins are used-Owing to the said half revolution of pinions the rods or laths
which are fixed to them make consequently a halfrevolution of their surface also ;
thus, if one side of such a rod or lath is painted in white and the other half in red
colour, the necessary result will be that owing to the above described arrangement,
the whole surface will alternately appear white or red-Now to cause the said rack
to move backwards and forwards for the said purpose I employ a weight-This
weight may be arranged so as to slide, to vibrate, or in any other suitable a manner
as the special case may require it-When the weight is used so as to slide, I employ
a piece of metal resembling a flattened tube-By preference that piece is made

page_text: hollow and filled partly with mercury, and closed at both ends.-That piece of
metal hereafter called the "Propeller" is placed inside the apparatus against the
back of the frame, and is made to slide horizontally and in a line parallel with the
rack. This rack being provided with a projecting pin at each end, the working of
the whole apparatus is performed as follows: When the frame or apparatus is
fixed on a vehicle vertically or thereabout, the revolving rods or laths forming the
surface, are also in a vertical position, and the rack and the sliding weight are
made so as to move horizontally; therefor when the vehicle is in motion its body
is constantly shaken and its horizontal surface disturbed in consequence of the
roughness of the road-This fact being obvious it is evident that the sliding weight
or "propeller" placed as described above will follow the oscillating movement of
the vehicle and owing to the law of gravity will alternately perform a backwards
and forwards movement each time as it will be thrown out of its horizontal position,
thus while the said "propeller" is sliding, it meets the pin projecting from the
rack and pushes or propels it to its stop-The rack in turn acting upon the pinions,
fixed to the rods or laths forces them to make the said half revolution and thus the
change of the surface of the apparatus is accomplished-The object of the mercury
placed in the hollow of the "propeller" is to ascellarate the sliding movement and
to make the shock more vigorous or brisk-When in place of sliding weight a
swinging weight is used for the purpose of pushing the rack backwards and
forwards, I employ an elastic rod or lever-One end of this lever is fixed to the
frame and the other end is provided with a weight of suitable size and shape-
A pin or tooth is fixed to the lever at a suitable distance from its fulcrum-When
the vehicle is in motion and the lever begins to vibrato or swing in virtue of its
elasticity and the above described arrangement the said pin or tooth acts upon a
ratchet wheel and causes it to revolve. This wheel is provided with a pin fixed on
its surface and calculated to meet during its revolution the end of a spring-lever
moving on its centre or thereabout, and placed partly below that wheel, the other
end of this spring lever being calculated to meet the pin fixed to the rack, the
whole contrivance will work as follows:-When the vehicle is in motion the lever
with the weight vibrates or swings, The pin or tooth fixed to it, acts upon the
said ratchet wheel and causes it to revolve-The pin fixed on the surface of the
wheel performing a circular motion, meets one end of the spring-lever and pushes
it until its lenght is exhausted, then this spring-lever returning briskly to its
former position striks the pin fixed to the rack forces it to move and by this
movement of the rack the pinions will make the said half revolution and will thus
perform the change of the said surface.-To obtain a backwards and forwards
movement of the rack, I either employ reversing gear or two such a small con-
trivances of the vibrating weight. The parts of the whole apparatus may be made
out of metal ebonite or any other suitable material.
1
•
"
A

page_text: Advertising or other Surfaces.
I HENRY ROMAN of Massingham House, Haverstock Hill in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED MEANS OF ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO ADVERTIZING OR OTHER
SURFACES " and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of my invention is a mechanical contrivance which applied to a board
such as used for advertizing purposes will produce a sudden change of surface
merely by the action or vibration of a vehicle in motion or by the movement of a
person carrying the apparatus, thus.to surprise and attract the attention of lookers-
on which is the main object of advertising. To obtain such a result I employ a
frame with back made of wood or metal of suitable size and thickness and
resembling a shallow case. When this case is placed vertically the two opposite
and parallel sides forming the top and the bottom are provided with a row of small
holes or sockets of equal size and number and perforated at equal distances from
each other and in a straight line. The object of these holes placed exactly opposite
each other is to receive the ends or spindles of a corresponding number of rods
which rods placed side by side in one plane are made to revolve therein thus to
form a moveable ribbed surface. In place of rods laths or triangular prisms
furnished with spindles fitting the sockets may be used by preference. In order
to cause the said rods to revolve on their axes I employ a rack which acts in the
usual manner upon pinions or toothed wheels fixed to one end of each of the afore-
said rods The space in which the said rack moves backwards and forwards is so
calculated as to cause the pinions to perform a half revolution at a time or one
third of a revolution when triangular prisms are used. Owing to the said half
revolution of pinions the rods or laths which are fixed to them make consequently
a half revolution of their surface also thus if one side of such a rod or lath is
painted in white and the other half in red colour the necessary result will be that
owing to the above described arrangement the whole surface will alternately appear
white or red. Now to cause the said rack to move backwards or forwards for the
said purpose I employ the following contrivance :-First of all I use an elastic rod
or lever made of steel hereinafter called "vibrating lever The centre of this lever
is fixed to the back and inside of the said shallow case at a suitable distance. The
two ends of this lever placed horizontally are provided with weights of suitable.
size and shape in order to render the two arms of the said lever more sensitive to
the vibrating or swinging movement. A pin or tooth is fixed under each arm of
the lever at a suitable distance between its fulcrum and the said weight. Below
each arm of the said lever is placed a ratchet wheel moving on its centre and
provided with a projecting pin fixed on its surface. Above each such ratchet wheel
is fixed an elastic spring lever hereafter called "propeller" passing vertically and
close over the centre of the said ratchet wheel. By preference the end of this-
propeller is provided with a small weight and so calculated as to meet a projecting!
pin fixed to the rack. When this shallow case or apparatus is fixed on a vehicle

page_text: vertically or thereabout the revolving rods or laths forming the surface are also
in a vertical position and the rack and the aforesaid vibrating lever are placed
horizontally; therefore when the vehicle is in motion its body is constantly shaken
and its horizontal surface disturbed in consequence of the roughness of the road.
This fact being obvious it is evident that the "vibrating lever" placed as described
above will follow the oscillating movement of the vehicle and consequently the
working of the whole apparatus is performed as follows. Where the vehicle is in
motion and the vibrating lever begins to swing in virtue of its elasticity and the
above described arrangement the said pin or tooth acts upon a ratchet wheel placed
underneath and causes it to revolve. The pin fixed on the surface of that wheel
performing a circular motion meets the side of the spring lever or "propeller" and
pushes it until it is released by a special opening mado in the thickness of the said
propeller," then this spring "propeller" returning briskly to its former position
strikes the pin fixed to the rack forces it to move and by this movement of the
rack the pinions will make the said half revolution and will produce the change of
the said surface. The backward and forward movement of the rack is obtained
by using two such "propellers" and two ratchet wheels as described above. These
wheels moving in opposite directions the pins fixed on their surfaces will con-
sequently push the two spring "propellers" in opposite directions also and will
thus give the backward' and forward movement to the rack. In order to control
the movement of the said ratchet wheels I fix each of them on a cog or toothed
wheel somewhat larger and moving on the same centre. These two cogwheels
working in one another force the said ratchet wheels to turn at equal speed and to
push the aforesaid "propellers" at a given time.
"
The accompanying drawings will illustrate more clearly the contrivance of my
invention. Fig. 1. represents an elevation view of my apparatus for "A new or
improved means of attracting attention to advertising or other surfaces" it will be
understood however that the surface of this apparatus in the Fig. 1 is partly
uncovered in order to show more clearly the interior arrangement Fig. 2 represents
a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is the elevation of the vibrating lever
with a weight fixed to each end. Fig. 4 is a side view of the spring lever or
propeller. Fig. 5 and 6 are respectively front and side elevation of one lath with
the pinion and the pivots affixed. Fig. 7. is the section of the rack and pinion.
In the Figure 1. B is the back of the case on which the interior mechanism is
affixed. C. C. are the two parallel sides in which the holes h. h. are perforated.
L. L. L. are the laths provided with the pinions E, and the spindles or pivots S. S.
turning in the wholes or sockets h. h. The rack m is placed under those pinions E.
as shown n. n. are the two pins or stops fixed in the rack m. P. P. are the two
spring propellors fixed at.g. g. A. A are the two arms of the "vibrating lever"
fixed at H. and having a weight W. at each ond. T. T. are the two pins or toeth
attached to the levers A A-R. R. are the ratchet wheels fixed on the cog
wheels K. K
The working of the apparatus is performed as follows: When this shallow case
or apparatus Figure 1 is fixed vertically or thereabout on a vehicle in motion, the
vibrating lever A, A. begins to swing in virtue of its elasticity and the above
described arrangement, the tooth T. acts upon the ratchet wheel R. causes it to
revolve, the pin f fixed on the surface of wheel R performing a circular motion
meets the side of the spring lever or "propeller" P" and pushes it until it is
released by the opening made in the thickness of the said propellor as shown in the
figure 4. then this propeller P. returning briskly to its former position, strikes the
pin N fixed to the rack M. forces it to move to n' and by this movement of
the rack M. the pinions E. will make the said half revolution and will produce the
change of the surface of every lath thereon and consequently of the whole surface
of the apparatus-The backward and forward movement of the rack is obtained
by using two such propellers P. and two ratchet wheels R. as shewn in Figure 1..
These wheels R. R. moving in opposite direction the pins f. f. fixed on their
surfaces will consequently push the two "propellers" P. P. in opposite direction.

page_text: also and will thus give the backward and forward movement to the rack M. In
order to control the movement of the said ratchet wheels R. R. I fix each of them
on a cog or toothed wheel K. somewhat larger and moving on the same centre
These two cog wheels K. K. working in one another as shewn in Figure 1 force
the said ratchet wheels R. R. to turn at equal speed and to push the aforesaid
propellers" P. P. at a given timo.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
"
The herein-described new or improved means of attracting attention to advertising
or other surfaces substantially as the same is herein-before set forth, and described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings-it being understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact form or shape of parts shewn by the Drawings as some
may be varied without departing from my Invention as herein-before set forth and
described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Roman have hereunto set my hand and
seal this ninth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty five