Improved Apparatus applicable as a Means of Advertising, Entertainment, or Amusement.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Apparatus applicable as a Means of Advertising,
Entertainment, or Amusement.
I, BENJAMIN BRADFORD, of 102, Dale Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Tobacconist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for use in advertising, or as a means of
amusement or entertainment, and like purposes; and it has for its object to provide
an apparatus of this kind, and for these purposes which will automatically and very
inexpensively provide advertising effects, or other optical effects.
According to this invention, the heat of an oil lamp (or a gas burner) acts upon a
vaned disc, in the form of a propeller, and rotates it by the upward current of heated
products of combustion and air; and in connection with this motor or propeller I
employ a hollow body, say of cylindrical form, having upon its outer surface, designs,
figures, or the like, and in some cases also words being names, or constituting parti-
culars of goods being advertised, or any suitable or equivalent advertising matter.
Then again outside this cylinder or body, there is another case, say cylindrical, which
is provided with windows or apertures through which the matters on the rotating
cylinder are seen as it revolves. Or, in some cases, if the surface of the rotating
cylinder or body be of different colours, or dark and light, as it revolves before the
windows, if these windows be in the general form of letters, words or figures, the
letters words or figures will be alternately made clear, and rendered invisible.
The windows or apertures when not in the form of, or constituting letters or signs,
may be curved or of irregular shape, or arranged in particular or relative positions,
say above or below one another; while on the rotating body or surface, behind, will
be provided or fixed certain designs, colourings, or the like, by which, as the body
revolves, changing or variable effects are produced in imitation of animate or inani-
mate objects, or things in action, or in different or changing positions; and according
to the design and the forms or relative positions, of the windows or apertures in the
case, or parts of same, so will varying effects be produced. As a simple illustration,
if the window be in the form of a wave, and the design on the revolving part be,
say, a vertically striped one, in suitable shades or colours, the effect produced, when
the apparatus is in action, is that of a snake moving along with the usual undula-
tions of its body.
This outer case may be in itself of glass, partly darkened, leaving the transparent
windows uncovered; or it may consist of any suitable material, with apertures or
windows in or on it. As regards the inside revolving body or cylinder, this, in some
cases, where the advertisements or exhibits are to be made and seen in daylight only,
is opaque; but where the apparatus, article, or toy, as the case may be, is to be
used at night, or in the dark, the effect produced are obtained by transmitted light
from the lamp or light within, and the parts are therefore so made as to enable the
light to be so utilized.

page_text: In one arrangement the revolving body or cylinder is supported from above by
pendant cords or supports, connected with the propeller, with the lamp or light
inside the body or cylinder; and the whole propeller and suspended parts are mounted
and run in a loose ball bearing swivel, or upon a centre, above..
The lamp employed as the motor may be of any ordinary kind, and may be
shielded and protected within the hollow body or cylinder which revolves
about it.
The different parts are made of any suitable material, the revolving or moving
parts being made preferably as light as possible.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1897.
Improved Apparatus applicable as a Means of Advertising,
Entertainment, or Amusement.
I, BENJAMIN BRADFORD, of 102, Dale Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Tobacconist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 apparatus for use in advertising, or as a means of
amusement, or entertainment, and like purposes; and it has for its object to provide
an apparatus of this kind, and for these purposes, which will automatically, and very
inexpensively, provide advertising effects, or other optical effects.
According to this invention, the heat of an oil lamp (or a gas burner) acts upon a
vaned disc, in the form of a propeller, and rotates it, by the upward current of the
heated products of combustion and air; and, in connection with this motor or pro-
peller, I employ a hollow body, say of cylindrical form, having upon its outer
surfaces, designs, figures, or the like, and, in some cases, also words, being names,
or constituting particulars of goods being advertised, or any suitable or equivalent
advertising matter. Then, again outside this cylinder or body, there is another
case, say cylindrical, which is provided with windows or apertures, through which
the matters on the rotating cylinder are seen, as it revolves. Or, in some
cases, if the surface of the rotating cylinder or body be of different
colours, or dark and light, as it revolves before the windows, if these windows be in
the general form of letters, words, or figures, the letters words or figures will be
alternately made clear, and rendered invisible.
The windows or apertures, when not in the form of, or constituting letters or
signs, may be curved, or of irregular shape, or arranged in particular or relative
positions, say above or below one another; while, on the rotating body or surface,
behind, will be provided or fixed certain designs, colourings, or the like, by which,
as the body revolves, changing or variable effects are produced, in imitation of
animate or inanimate objects, or things in action, or in different or changing posi-
tions; and, according to the design and the forms or relative positions, of the windows
or apertures in the case, or parts of same, so will varying effects be produced. As a
simple illustration, if the window be in the form of a wave, and the design on the
revolving part be say, a vertically striped one, in suitable shades or colours, the
effect produced, when the apparatus is in action, is that of a snake moving along
with the usual undulations of its body.
This outer case may be in itself of glass, partly darkened, leaving the transparent

page_text: windows uncovered; or it may consist of any suitable material, with apertures or
windows in or on it. As regards the inside revolving body or cylinder, this, in some
cases, where the advertisements or exhibits are to be made and seen in daylight only,
is opaque; but where the apparatus, article, or toy, as the case may be, is to be used
at night, or in the dark, the effects produced are obtained by transmitted light from
the lamp or light within, and the parts are, therefore, so made as to enable the light
to be so utilized.
In one arrangement, the revolving body or cylinder is supported from above, by
pendant cords or supports, connected with the propeller, with the lamp or light inside
the body or cylinder; and the whole propeller, and suspended parts, are mounted
and run in a loose ball bearing swivel, or upon a centre, above.
The lamp employed as the motor, may be of any ordinary kind, and may
be shielded and protected within the hollow body or cylinder, which revolves
about it.
The different parts are made of any suitable material, the revolving or moving
parts being made preferably as light as possible.
The drawings hereto annexed illustrate an apparatus of the character above
described; Figure 1, being a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 an outside
elevation.
The apparatus shewn comprises an outer cylinder a, which is stationary, and an
inner drum b, which is rotated. The outer cylinder is supported upon the pedestal
or base c, the lower edge of which sits in the trough c¹. The inner rotating drum
is also supported from the base c by the tripod stand d, consisting of legs, adjustably
connected to lugs c², on the inner flange of c; an internally threaded ring or boss d¹,
on the legs; a screwed or threaded spindle e; a pin f; and a bridge bar h, spanning
the drum, and secured to its upper edges. The threaded spindle e, screws up and
down in d¹; and the pin f carries the motor vanes i, and rests by its lower end fitting
and resting in the hollowed out end e.
The upper end of the pin f, passes through the bridge bar h, and this bridge
bar rests upon the pin or top of the motor vanes i, and so supports the
drum b.
In the lower portion, or base, of the apparatus, a lamp k is provided, the heat of
which, acting upon the vanes i, rotates the vanes, and so the cylinder b. Of course,
in lieu of a lamp, a gas jet may be used. This lamp or gas jet, as the case may be,
serves as both to generate the motor fluid, and to give light to obtain translucent
effects through the translucent parts, as herein described.
Assuming the apparatus is to operate or produce effects by transmitted light from
the interior, for night exhibition, or use in the day, under given circumstances,
then, the outer cylinder a is provided at one part with a translucent portion a¹, while
the inner rotating drum d is provided with windows or cut away portions b', which
rotate in the planes in which the windows or translucent portions a¹ are disposed;
the windows b¹ extending only partly round the drum b. If then, on the translucent
portion a¹, there be provided, or the translucent portion itself consists of, signs,
words, letters, designs, or the like, then, these, or any of them, as the ease may be,
will be alternately exposed to the light within, and cut off therefrom, as the drum b
rotates, the exposure to that light being, of course, effected when the windows or
open parts 6¹, are opposite the words, signs, etcetera, and are cut off therefrom when
the solid portion of the drum intervenes.
In the case shewn, where words are used as shewn, as the thing to be exhibited,
the windows b' may be in advance of one another at the leading edges,
but all in line at the tail edges; the effect being, that the words
are exhibited in succession, but eclipsed simultaneously. In this case,
or similar cases, the words or signs would be translucent, and the parts
about them opaque. For night purposes or uses, to obtain complete obliteration,
the translucent portions, or letters, or signs, may be covered over on the outside, that
is on the cylinder a, by white paper, or equivalent translucent material. Under this

page_text: condition, when the cylinder b shuts off the light from the letters or signs, complete
obliteration of them takes place.
If the type of apparatus shewn in the drawings, with the translucent signs or
letters, be used for day exhibition purposes, the outside of the inner cylinder or
drum b, at parts, say, equivalent to or over the openings b¹, would be provided with
a white or bright surface with light paper or colour, so that, as the drum rotated, the
transparent letters or signs would be rendered visible. The rest of the surface of the
drum should be of a colour corresponding with the colour surrounding the words
or signs, so that, when the bright part leaves the transparent parts, signs or letters
will be obliterated.
As a means of regulating the speed of rotation of the revolving parts, the angle of
the vanes of the fan or motor can be adapted to be adjusted, and also the openings,
to admit air into the lower part of the apparatus, can be provided with regulating
means thereon, by which these openings, and the amount of air, could be varied, at
will. Or, the speed regulation could be effected by either of these means, according
to the size and type of the apparatus. Also, in lieu of the vanes being used in con-
junction with heat, as a motor, the revolving part could be operated by electricity,
by a small motor; and the internal lighting of the apparatus could be effected by an
electric light.
Further, in some cases, if desired, the outer cylinder could be adapted to be
revolved, and the inner one fixed; and varying continuous signs may be produced,
by providing suitable designs on the revolving part, or both the revolving and
stationary parts.
It will be plain, from the above description, that various different effects (some
only of which are above referred to) can be produced by the apparatus, by simple
modifications of the parts, arranged to co-act and produce them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Improved apparatus for the purposes described, comprising an outer cylinder,
and an inner drum; said outer cylinder or inner druin, or both of them, being con-
structed and provided with words, signs, designs, or the like, by which, by the rota-
tion of one of them, effects or exhibitions such as referred to, are produced;
substantially as described.
2. Improved apparatus for the purposes described, comprising an outer stationary
cylinder, an inner rotating drum, a motor for revolving the inner drum, and a lamp
or light inside same, the outer cylinder, or the outer cylinder and inechanism, being
provided with words, signs, designs, or the like, and the inner one rotated, by which
effects or exhibitions, such as referred to, are alternately produced and obliterated, or
varying signs, or the like, continually produced.
3. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to, an outer stationary cylinder a, an
inner rotating drum b, and motor vanes i, connected with the drum b, the said drum
being provided with openings or windows, or a surface, as described, for a part of its
circumference, and the outer cylinder a being provided with translucent portion,
letters, designs, and the like, for a portion of its circumference; arranged and
operating as described.
4. The apparatus for producing effects or exhibitions of the kind referred to,
having parts arranged, constructed, and adapted to operate, as set forth with reference
to and shewn in the drawings.
Taked hond day of November 1807