Improvements in Advertising Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Advertising Devices.
We, ARTHUR PALMER, Artist, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, and GERALD GRIFFIN O'BRIEN, Merchant, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, 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 relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for
advertising or placards for display signs. The invention has for its object the
provision of novel means whereby a large amount of advertising space is obtained
in a device that will be highly ornamental in its appearance and may be readily
changed from one position to another when desired. The invention has for its
further object to construct a device of the above referred to class that will be
strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.
With the above and other objects in view, the invention finally consists in the
novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more
particularly described, and especially pointed out in the claims.
In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying
drawings forming a part of this Specification, and wherein like letters of
reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, in
which :-
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of my improved advertising device or placard, showing
the same in a closed position.
Fig. 2, is a similar view showing the device in an open position.
Fig. 3, is a horizontal sectional view on the line - of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, is a horizontal sectional view on the line y-y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5, is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6, is a side view of the top portion of the device.
Fig. 7, is a detail view of the operating handle.
In these drawings, I indicates the base-plate upon which the device is mounted,
the said base-plate may be attached to a wall in any suitable manner. 2-2 repre-
sents guides attached on the face of the base-plate 1, upon which is mounted
a placard 3 having outwardly extending wings 4-4 hinged together as shown
at 5-5, and forming a triangular placard when closed. 6 represents an operating
rod adapted to slide in the guides 2-2, said operating rod carries on its upper
extremity a triangular hood 7, the lower portion of said hood being provided with
shoulders 8-8. The lower extremity of the said operating rod 6 carries a handle 9.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
For the purposes of illustrating, let us assume that the device is in a position as
shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wings being closed and in a position approxi-
mately of forty-five degrees; if it is desired to open the placard the handle 9 of
the operating rod 6 is moved upwardly thereby, detaching the hood from engage-
ment with the wings, and allowing the latter to be opened, when the handle is
operated downwardly, and thereby forcing the shoulders of the hood over the top
of the placard and retaining the latter in the desired position.
Then in order to change the placard again to its normal position, the operating
rod is forced upwardly by the handle, thereby disengaging the shoulder of the hood
from the placard and allowing the wings to he folded inwardly, the hood is then.

page_text: drawn downwardly until the latter encloses the top of the wings and retains the
same in position. It will be readily seen that the hood serves a dual purpose,
namely it serves to retain the wings of the placard in position whether the latter
are open or closed and at the same time protects and shields the placard from the
elements of the weather.
It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construc-
tion of the above described device, without departing from the general spirit of
my invention, and we therefore do not wish to limit ourselves to this specific
construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. An advertising device consisting of a base-plate, a placard provided with
wings, a hood having shoulders, in combination with operating rod and suitable
guides for said rod substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. An advertising device consisting of a base-plate provided with hinged
wings, an operating rod carrying a retaining hood at its upper extremity, said hood
being provided with shoulders, and suitable means whereby said rod may be operated,
all parts being arranged substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 16th day of March 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.