Improvements in Advertising Devices.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 8th June, 1895
Improvements in Advertising Devices..
I, FRANK ADAMS MILLER, of 66 Broadway, in the City, County and State of
New York, Gentleman 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 :-
The object is to exhibit a device which shall readily and efficiently present and
display advertisements and other matter, be quickly and conveniently adaptable to
public situations, as in proximity with telephone boxes, on bulletin-boards, etc., an I
be attractive.
In the accompanying drawings;
Figure 1, is a view, in perspective, showing a casing provided with longitudinal
slits in its lower side;
Figure 2 is a view, in perspective, showing a box supporting rollers in bosses at
its ends, the rollers being arranged one above the other and to turn in opposite
directions, each roller having wound upon it a banner;
Figure 3, is a view, in section, taken ou the line x-r of Fig. 2, showing the ends
of the rollers in their bosses, and an arrangement whereby they turn in opposite
directions; and,
Figure 4, is a view, in front elevation, showing the device with the front plate
or glass or other suitable substance inserted into the casing before the box is entered
therein.
In these drawings, A represents a casing of metal, or other suitable substance,
open front and rear, provided with longitudinal parallel slits a in its lower face, and
having an inward-projecting, marginal flange or bead a².
Upon the top of the casing may be arranged a clock, a weather card, or any
other suitable object, which will assist in drawing attention to the device.
B indicates a box or frame, inside the ends of which are vertically-arranged
bosses or hubs b, the one having simply a central circular perforation, and the other
a rectangular central opening, entered by a tangential or straight cut, the heads of
the two ends being, respectively, so arranged that the hub with the central
perforation of one end will be opposite the hub with the rectangular opening and
entering cut of the other end.
Set into these hubs are rollers C having, at one end, a fixed round pivot c, and,
at the other end, a rectangular bearing, of a rotatary spring-shaft central with
the roller, and provided near the inner face of the roller with two longitudinal
grooves, into which little pawls, opposite each other, on the under face of the
roller, take; the whole device, as here described, constituting the ordinary
Hartshorn curtain roller, but the arrangement of the two rollers insuring their
turning in opposite directions.
Fastened, at one end, upon the rollers are banners D D', which project downward!
through the slits.
The frame of the box B, fits properly into the casing, closing the same tight, at
the rear, and is provided with lugs 6, by which the device may be attached
conveniently in any prominent public place, as in juxtaposition with a telephone-
transmittor.
Instead of employing the Hartshorn device, arranged as described to obtain the
turning in opposite directions of the rollers, these may be provided with ordinary
round bearings with cog-wheels on one end thereof and a cog-wheel between them
meshing with them.

page_text: By having the rollers arranged to turn in opposite directions, the banners are
hung from opposite sides of the respective rollers vertically, and thus pass easily
through parallel slits in the lower face of the case at some distance apart, and
without touching or otherwise interfering with one another, each slit being in the
same vertical plane with its banner.
The banners are for the purpose of displaying advertisements, and may be of
any suitable style and shape, and be divided up in any suitable manner for this
purpose; thus, they may be arranged, at one part, as shown in Fig. 2, to bear under
the respective letters of the alphabet, a list of subscribers to the telephone service
with their call-numbers; thus presenting necessary matter of information the
seeking of which brings other matter to view.
Before entering the box into the casing, a plate E of glass or other suitable
substance, of proper size and shape to fit the casing, may be pushed in toward the
front, against the flange and then upon entering the box, the ends being of proper
length to allow the back to come up flush with the casing, this front plate will be
held in position. The front plate is to be utilized for advertising.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved device substantially as described.
2. A case having longitudinal parallel slits in one face the lower face in use and
containing rollers any two of which are in pairs vertically arranged each roller
having fixed to it one end of a banner the other end of which passes out through
one of the slits in the case and being constructed and arranged to turn in a direction
opposite to that of its fellow roller of the pair substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. The combination with the casing of the box or frame having open top and
bottom and projecting ends provided with bearings of rollers arranged in pairs having
their ends supported in bearings and sustaining banners and mechanism to turn the
rollers of each pair in opposite directions substantially as described.
4. The combination of the casing open front and rear provided with slots in one
side and having the inward-projecting flange at its front of the plate to close the
front the box or frame having projecting ends and closed back the ends to hold the
plate and the back to close the casing and form a closed case the box containing
rollers arranged in pairs and provided with mechanism which will cause each roller
to turn in an opposite direction to that of its fellow of the pair and banners
attached to the rollers and passing out through the slits in the casing, substantially
set forth.
Dated this 26th day of February 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.