Improvements in Advertising Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1900-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1900
Improvements in Advertising Apparatus.
We, HERBERT BARNETT HOPEWELL, of 56, Clarendon Street, Mortgage Broker,
and FREDERICK CHAPMAN SMITH, of 77, Goldsmith Street, Solicitor's Managing
Clerk, both in the City of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved advertising apparatus in which trans-
parent, translucent, or coloured discs plates or blocks of square, triangular, poly-
gonal, circular, or other shape, are moved into different positions by means of
Jacquard or like apparatus, to represent the letters of names, or advertisements
or signs.
For the purpose of the invention we arrange, in a suitable frame, one or more
rods or bars, disposed horizontally, or otherwise, and on each of these we mount
or pivot side by side the discs, blocks, plates, or the like, which are to form the
advertisements. The discs, may be of one colour on one side and of another on
the other side, whilst the blocks, which may be triangular, or circular, may be of
three cr more colours, or be painted on one side with luminous paint. The discs,
or the blocks, may, moreover, be formed partly of transparent or translucent
material, such as gelatine or celluloid, and partly of metal or other opaque
substance.
Each of the discs, or blocks, is connected preferably by means of a cord
(passing over guide rollers suitably arranged) with jacquard spring rods or
needles suitably supported by a guide plate, and capable of being actuated by
means of cards passing over the jacquard cylinder or drum. This latter is
arranged in any well known manner so as to be moved towards and withdrawn
from the spring rods or needles, and between each such movement the drum is
rotated, say a quarter turn, to bring the next card into position.
This arrangement effects the change of certain discs, or blocks, in order to
form a different word, advertisement, sign or device, as desired, the display of
the different coloured faces being determined according to the holes or blanks
in the jacquard card.
The return movements of the discs, or blocks, or of the rods carrying them,
may be effected by springs or other suitable means.
For the purpose of advertising at night, we may paint one side of the discs,
or blocks, with luminous paint, and the other side black, or some suitable non-
luminous colour, or the blocks, or their equivalent, are so formed that an opaque
or a transparent or translucent portion may, as desired, be turned into the plane
of the frame. In the latter case, a powerful electric or other light is placed
behind the frame to illuminate the discs or blocks as they are actuated by the
jacquard card.

page_text: The jacquard may be operated by an electro motor, gas engine, or in any
convenient manner.
Dated this 15th day of December 1899.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, & 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Advertising Apparatus.
We, HERBERT BARNETT HOPEWELL, late of 56, Clarendon Street, and now of
7, Saint Peter's Church Walk, Mortgage Broker, and FREDERICK CHAPMAN SMITH,
of 77, Goldsmith Street, Solicitor's Managing Clerk, both in the City of Notting-
ham, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This invention relates to advertising apparatus designed to exhibit a constant
succession of advertisements, announcements, or the like, all different from one
another.
According to the said invention the apparatus comprises a number of blocks
or elements of triangular or other shape, and a jacquard mechanism adapted to
reverse certain of these blocks so as to build up or plot out the advertisements,
announcements, or the like.
The blocks or elements are mounted on rods in a suitable frame, and have their
faces of different colours, or have one or both faces glazed so as to obtain a
contrast. The blocks are suitably connected with spring rods or needles on
which the jacquard cards act.
In their normal position, the blocks are all turned one way and form a plain
back-ground, but when the jacquard operates, it turns or reverses a certain
number of them so as to expose their contrasting faces, and thus build up the
letters, words, or devices required, according to the punching of the jacquard
cards.
Thus, with the same set of blocks, an almost endless variety of advertisements,
announcements, or the like, can be produced.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the same fully by aid of the accompany-
ing drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 a plan thereof.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the triangular prismatic blocks or
elements, as seen from the rear.
Fig. 4 is a plan, in detail, to a larger scale, of one of such blocks or elements.
Fig. 5 is a like view, but shewing the block turned upon its pivot or axis.
Fig. 6 is a front or face view of four of the blocks combined, and as they
appear when in use.
Fig. 7 shews, to a smaller scale, a front view of a portion of the advertising
apparatus, showing how the words or devices are spelled or plotted out.
The blocks or elements a are supported upon rods b, preferably vertical, form-
ing stationary axes or pivots on which they are free to turn independently of

page_text: each other. The rods b are shown supported in a frame c, but in practice they
might be suitably supported in the shop cornice, fascia, advertisement box,
frame, or board in which it is desired to display the words or advertisements.
The blocks a are preferably hollow, or partially hollowed out, or open at the
back, (see Fig. 3) and each of them has attached to one of its interior walls, by
a joint d, a connecting rod e. They are kept in line horizontally by rods or
wires f, passing through the vertical rods b, or by means of triangular platforms
secured on the rods between the said blocks.
The connecting rods e are attached to jacquard needles g, arranged in a
frame h. Each of these needles has a stop i, which limits its movement in the
frame and also serves to receive the thrust of a spring j, surrounding, the
needles. These springs act to return the needles and consequently the blocks
to their original position on the retirement of the jacquard cylinder.
The rods e are preferably inclined, as shown in the plan Fig. 2, both to avoid
dead centres and so that when the block has been turned on its axis, as in Fig. 5,
its rod e will bear against the edge k and act as a stop, so preventing said block
from turning any further upon its axis, and maintaining it flush with the plane
of the advertisement surface. Although the rods e and needles g are, in the
example shown, distinct from each other, yet it should be understood that, in
some cases, they might form one single rod bent to the desired shape and
slightly flexible to allow of the necessary yielding movements.
The pattern cards are carried upon the jacquard drum or cylinder m in the
well-known manner. As shewn in the drawings, the jacquard spindle n is
carried, and free to turn, in the ends o of reciprocating sliding bars 2 supported
in bearings q, and provided with rolls or trucks r adapted to engage in a box-
cam s formed in toothed discs t driven by pinions u. By this means the apparatus
may be actuated by power or hand at any desired intervals of time.
Clawkers or catch levers pivoted on fixed supports take over studs wat
one or both ends of the cylinder m so that when the latter is moved back in the
reciprocation of the rods or bars p, it is caused, as hereinafter described, to turn
one quarter of a revolution, and thus present a fresh card to the jacquard
needles.
The sides or faces of the blocks may, in various ways, be caused to differ in
their optical character, for instance, one side may be glazed, or composed of
coloured transparent or translucent material (gelatine or celluloid) or of reflect-
ing material, to admit of illumination at night, while the rest of the element
may be of metal, or other opaque material.
Moreover, the said sides or faces may be concave or convex, or one side of the
blocks may be concave or convex while the other side may be flat. They may
be so arranged that the concave faces alternate with the convex, thus obtaining
a more striking effect.
The advertisements, or the like, are formed by turning certain of the blocks
so that their sides or faces contrast with those of the unturned ones, and com-
pose, for instance, the letters of a word or words. Thus any desired variety of
words or signs can be exhibited by simply causing the jacquard to operate the
corresponding blocks.
Obviously, the blocks may, in some cases, be of other forms than that shown,
that is to say they may be square, polygonal, or circular, or may consist of discs
or plates and be transparent or translucent, or be coloured, say one colour on
one side and another colour on the other side.
The working is as follows:-The proper card 7 being brought to the side of
the cylinder m, opposite the needles g, the said cylinder is moved, by the cams s,
towards the needles, so causing the card to select and operate those to which the
unpunched parts correspond, thereby turning or reversing the respective blocks a
so as to cause them to exhibit the required word or words composing, the adver-
tisement, announcement, or the like.
After such advertisement or the like has been displayed the proper length of

page_text: time, the cams move the jacquard cylinder backward, and the needles resume
their original position under the stress of their springs j, so restoring the blocks
to their first or normal position. When the cylinder has cleared the ends of
the needles, and is moving backwards to the position shown in Fig. 1, the
upper left hand stud w comes into engagement with the clawker v and is held
thereby. Owing to this, the cylinder is forced to make a quarter turn so bring-
ing a fresh card opposite the needles.
Thus when the cylinder is moved forward again, it will operate a different
set of needles and produce a different advertisement or announcement.
For the purpose of advertising at night, we may paint one side of the discs or
blocks with luminous paint, and the other side black or some suitable non-
luminous colour; or the blocks, or their equivalent, are so formed that an opaque
or a transparent or translucent portion may, as desired, be turned into the plane
of the frame. In the latter case a powerful electric or other light is placed
behind the frame to illuminate the blocks. In case the blocks be painted
different colours the light is thrown on them from the front.
The jacquard may be operated by an electro-motor, or a gas engine, or in any
convenient manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we wish it to be
understood that we lay no claim either to the jacquard apparatus, or to the
means for actuating it, these latter being only shown by way of example, but
what we claim is:
1. An advertising apparatus comprising a number of blocks or elements (prefer-
ably in the form of triangular prisms) which, in their normal position, form a
plain background and are adapted to be reversed by a jacquard mechanism
so as to plot out or build up the letters, words, or devices forming the advertise-
ment, announcement, or the like, substantially as described.
2. The construction of hollow triangular blocks or elements described with
reference to Fig. 3, and for the purpose set forth.
3. In advertising apparatus as under Claim 1, the arrangements or means for
keeping the faces of the elements flush, substantially as described.
4. The improved apparatus for producing a succession of different advertise-
ments, announcements, or the like, constructed and arranged to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of October 1900.
ted this 13th day of October 1900.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, & 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.