Improved Means for Advertising.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Advertising.
I, GEORGE SHERLOCK, of Belle Vue Road, West Cowes, in the Isle of Wight,
Clerk, 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 improved means for advertising; its object being to
attract notice by balls, seeds or other substances, moving or causing movement in a
novel manner in close proximity to the advertisements.
Apparatus embodying my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation ;
Fig. 2 being a cross section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation corresponding with Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation shewing a modified form of construction.
A is a framework carrying two drums B and B mounted on an axle B², which
rotates in bearings Ain the framework. The advertisements are printed or other-
wise produced on the wings ; so that, as the drums slowly revolve, different
advertisements may be successively brought to view. Advertisements may
likewise appear on the circumference of each drum between the wings b. The
interior of each drum may be illuminated; in which case, the advertisements or
parts thereof would, of course, be transparent or partly open. On each side of the
apparatus, there is an incline C or C¹, down which glass balls, marbles, coffee
berries, cocoa beans, nuts, seeds or other substances, are allowed to fall. The
glass balls or other rolling bodies are, by means of projections e placed on the
incline, caused to take a zig-zag or circuitous path, and are prevented from falling
off laterally by ledges c'. They drop from the incline C or C₁into an inclined
trough D or D', whence they are conducted to a hopper E or E¹. From each
hopper, they are raised by an endless elevator, such as F, off which they fall on the
upper end of the incline C or C', as the case may be; rolling down the incline in a
zig-zag or circuitous path to the trough D or D₁ and back to the hopper.
Between the two drums B and B', there are a series of inclined mirrors G, G¹, G²,
etc., with guides H, H1, H2, etc., at the back. These are contained in a case h
having preferably a sheet of glass g in front. Rolling bodies are lifted by an
elevator and allowed to fall on the back of the highest mirror (G). Thence they
roll into, and are caught by, the highest guide (H). Each guide is inclined, and
as the bodies roll along the first guide (H) toward the top of the back of the next
inclined mirror (G¹), they are reflected by the mirror G; the reflection passing
from the bottom of the mirror to or towards the top. The bodies, while rolling
down the guides H, H1, H2, etc., may be hidden by screws pasted to the glass g or
otherwise secured. It will thus be seen that, as the bodies roll down the backs of
the mirrors G, G1, G2, etc., they are concealed from view, but the reflections of
similar bodies are seen passing up the mirrors. That is, bodies can be observed
rolling down the inclines C and C₁; and these bodies have the appearance of
returning up the series of mirrors between the drums. The bodies rolling down
the backs of the mirrors are conducted by a trough K to a hopper or receptacle L,
in which the elevator works.
It will be obvious that the two hoppers E and E¹ may be connected by inclined
troughs with the hopper L, so that only one elevator F would be required; the
bodies falling from the elevator being distributed by inclined troughs to the two
elevators and the reflecting device. The latter may, however, be dispensed with;
in which case, instead of the two drums B and B¹, only one drum need be employed.

page_text: Instead of an elevator of the type shewn, for lifting certain substances a spiral
tube might be used. The lamp or lamps which illuminate the drum or drums may
have coloured glasses revolving in front of or around them.
Instead of the rolling bodies referred to, water or other liquid may be raised by
the elevator or elevators and allowed to flow down the inclines, or the inclines and
the reflecting device.
Instead of, or for use with, the inclines C and C', revolving discs M may be
employed; each disc having a series of radial arıs m, which project under the
chute n; the latter being fed by an elevator in the manner previously described.
A ball or other body rolling, or liquid falling, from the chute n strikes that arm m
which happens to be beneath the chute; thus causing the disc to rotate. The
discs may rotate in the same or in opposite directions. Each disc may bear a
portion of an advertisement (for instance, the words "Worth a guinea a box"); the
remainder of the advertisement (for example, the words "Beecham's Pills")
appearing on a fixed plate M', which partly covers the disc M.
Stationary advertisements or notices may be substituted for the revolving drum
or drums.
The apparatus may be driven by belts or gearing from any available source of
motive power. A small dummy engine may be fixed in front of the apparatus and
connected by means of a belt or gearing with the machine; thus giving the
appearance that the machine is driven by the engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved means for advertising, in which glass balls, seeds or other
bodies or liquids, are repeatedly raised and permitted to fall, constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. For attracting notice to an advertisement, an incline, such as C, down which
bodies roll or glide or a liquid flows, substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
3. For attracting notice to an advertisement, the combination, with a reflector or
mirror (G), of an incline (H), arranged and operating substantially as herein
described.
4. An advertising apparatus comprising a framework A, rotating drums B
and B', inclines C and C¹, a reflecting device G, G1, G2, etc., and corresponding
elevators, guides, troughs and hoppers, substantially as herein described.
5. In advertising apparatus, the employment of rotating discs M partly covered
by plates M', the discs being caused to rotate by falling bodies, either solid or
liquid, substantially as described with special reference to Fig. 4 of the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of November 1891.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.