Improvements in Display Devices.
Year: 1890

page_text: Improvements in Display Devices.
I, MATTHEW FRANKLIN CONNETT, of Kansas City, in the County of Jackson, and
State of Missouri United States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to improvement in display devices, of the class wherein a series
of curtains is provided, each having on its face matter to be displayed (as advertise-
ments, announcements, printed information, patterns, pictures, or the like) and which,
when actuated, causes the curtains to be successively brought into and removed from
the field of view. The object of my invention is to provide such a device of an im-
proved construction, which will enable a comparatively large number of curtains to be
confined, and successively displayed, in a case of small dimensions; and which shall,
furthermore, be readily operative, durable and thoroughly effective in its operation.
As I desire to utilize my improvement more particularly in station or street in-
dicators for railway cars, I describe it in connection with a device for that purpose.
In the drawings-
Figure 1, is a view in perspective of a street or station indicator provided with my
improvements, showing, for purposes of illustration, part of one end of the enclosing
case broken away;
Figure 2, a perspective view of one of the curtains and its attachments;
Figure 3, a vertical cross section of the indicator, taken just beyond the edges of
the curtains, and looking in the direction of the adjacent end of the device;
Figure 4, a similar section taken on a line near the centre of the device; and
Figure 5, a longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
A is. the inclosing case, having an open face, A¹, which may be fitted with a pane of
glass, t, and inclined, as shown, to facilitate inspection of the device when it is placed
at an elevation. Within the case is a removable frame, which supports the curtains
and the mechanism for actuating and guiding them, all as hereinafter described,
and which comprises end walls, B, held together in fixed relation, by rods or
stays, 8, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 8. Upon the opposite inner faces of the walls B, are endless
guides forming between them grooves q, of equal width throughout. Toward the
top of the frame B, and secured at its lateral edges to the rods 8 81, respectively, is a
smooth deck, n, which extends at opposite ends near but not quite to the walls. B,
where it follows the curve of the grooves q, in a plane about midway of the sides of
the latter.
CC are the curtains, which are of flexible material, rectangular in shape and all of
like size. The upper, or, more properly speaking, the forward edge of each curtain is
fastened upon a rod, p, which projects to an equal distance beyond the opposite sides
of the curtain and carries enlarged end pieces, pl, which are preferably just large
enough to fit snugly but loosely into the grooves q. The rods p are of the proper
length to reach from groove to groove and slide with their end pieces in the latter.
The edge of each curtain opposite that secured to the rod p, is fastened to a rod 0, of
the same length, as the rod p.
In placing the curtains into operative position, they are caused to overlap each
other, as shown in the drawings, the ends pl of the rods p resting in the grooves q,
and the rods o outside the guides r. D is a rock-shaft, journalled in the opposite
walls B, and extending beyond one of the latter where it carries a crank, D¹. The
crank D is sectoral in form, comprising arms m m, connected at their ends by a circular
cross-piece, m¹, having a groove in its periphery. A spring, l, on the wall B, operates
to maintain the crank in its normal position, which is up against a stop, 1, also on the
wall. Secured to the upper end of the crank is a cord, k, which extends loosely along
CD
077

page_text: the groove, and thence down through a tube, 12, to without the case whence it hangs
to afford means for operating the device, as hereinafter described. The top of the
tube may afford a stop to limit the downward movement of the crank.
Toward opposite ends of the shaft D between the walls B, are rigid levers, E, each
having a long arm, , and a short arm, h. Each long arm i is provided on its free end
with a catch in the form of a spring actuated plunger; &, having its end pointed to
afford an upturned hook, 2, having a convex face or cam on its under side. The
.short arm h of each fever is provided. with a series of eyes in a line running longi-
tudinally of the arm.
In rear of the shaft D and extending parallel with it, is another rock-shaft, F, also
journalled in the walls B. The shaft carries toward opposite ends rigid levers, F1,
in the planes of the levers E. Each lever F1 has a long arin, g, which extends down-
ward and has a line of eyes, g¹, and a short arm, f, upon which is pivoted a catch in
the form of an upward extending spring-actuated dog, f¹, having its end 2 formed
.with a hook on its under side and a cam face on its upper side. Pivotal links, G,
'connect the short arms of the levers E with the long arms of the levers F¹, each link
engaging at opposite ends, respectively, with an eye of the series h¹ and an eye of the
'series g¹.
The hooks and f project normally across the grooves q, or for a sufficient distance
within the grooves to bring them into the path of the rods p, which they are intended
to engage between the edges of the curtains and the end pieces p'. When the curtains
are in position, as before described, the rod p of the first curtain of the series, or
curtain being displayed is engaged from underneath by the hooks 2, while the rod p
of the last curtain of the series, is engaged from above by the hooks f
The device is actuated, to remove a curtain from the field of view and supplant it by
the next curtain in order, by a pull upon the cord k to swing down the crank Di.
This turns the shaft D and levers E, causing the hooks 2 on the ends of the latter to
swing to a distance equal to the length of a curtain, and carry with then the curtain
from the field of view and bring it into the position of last in the series. The lever F¹
being linked toward the free end of its long arm to the short arm of the lever E near
the fulcrum of the latter, is given only a comparatively slight swing, and it is so gauged
as to draw down the dog f¹ a distance corresponding with the diameter of the end
pieces p¹. Thus with each complete swing of the lever E, to draw the first curtain its
full length, the lever Flis moved only a distance sufficient to cause the dog f¹ to force
the rest of the curtains ahead far enough to move the curtain next succeeding the
first, to the position left by the latter. When the cord k is released the resilience of
the spring causes the shaft and levers to resume their normal positions, in doing
which the cam faces of the plungers 2 strike the rod p, of the curtain in the field of
view, and being retracted against their springs, plunge under the rod to engage the
latter with the next manipulation. At the same time the spring dogs f¹ rise and spring
over the rod p of the curtain which has just left the field of view, and engage it as
before described.
Spring catches e toward the front of the device, and secured to the stay s, project
into the path of the rods p just below the position of the first rod, and; without
interfering with their upward movement, prevent the first rod from being forced, with
the rest of the series, out of position by the plungers i², as they spring over it. The
spring catches e also operate to prevent the second curtain of the series from being
.raised by the friction against it of the first curtain, in the movement of the latter.
Spring catches, d, secured toward the back of the device to the undersides of the
guides r¹, and bent over the latter, as shown, project across the grooves just above
the position of the last rod p, and prevent the latter from being raised by the spring
actuated dogs f¹ in their backward movement.
As the rods o travel outside the guides r, they are always outside the path of the
rods p; thus, in the movement of a curtain from the position of first to that of last in
line, it glides over the deck n, between the latter and the next preceding curtain
without material resistance: The deck n, prevents the curtains from sagging, which
'would tend to interfere with the perfect working of the device by greatly increasing

page_text: the frictional resistance offered the curtain which is being independently moved from
the field of view.
To prevent the rods o from being forced ahead by the independently moving curtain,
or from crowding each other as the curtains are drawn down across the back of the
device they are held with slight pressure against the guides r, by clamping strips, c,
and the clamping ends of guide-strips, b. The strips care of spring metal, secured at
one end to points c¹ toward the upper forward part of the device, and they circle thence
around the guides, terminating at points near the bottom of the device, where
springs c²
engage and press against.them in the direction of their length, which tends
to draw them throughout their extent against the guides r. The pressure which the
strips c exert toward the guideś r, operates to retard movement of the rods o to the
necessary degree. The guide strips 6 are for the rods o to slide against as the curtains
to which they are attached are moved from the field of view. The clamping ends.b¹
of the strips b press normally against the guides and operate to hold the rod o of the
last curtain. Between the parts 62 and the adjacent ends of the strips c are spaces a,
which facilitate the insertion and extraction of the rods o, when for any reason it is
desired to replace any of the curtains with others.
SCE
The lines of perforations h¹ and y' in the levers E and F¹ respectively, afford means
whereby the throw of the dogs fl may be accurately gauged, to force the curtains
forward the desired distance; so by raising the links G in the perforations gl and
lowering them in the perforations hi the dogs f¹ may be caused to force the curtains
far enough forward to bring two or more curtains into position to be moved at one
time by the levers E.
::
The object of the parallel grooves q is to afford together a cyclic guide for the rods,
whereby the movement of the whole series of curtains is recurrent. Instead of
grooves, therefore, any other form of guide which would operate to hold the rods
against displacement and permit their being operated as described would..be the
equivalents of the grooves q.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1-In a display-device, the combination of a cyclic guide and a series of curtains
overlapping each other and mounted upon supports placed one in advance of the other
in the said guide and independently movable therein, whereby the curtains may be
successively advanced into and out of the field of view, substantially as described.
2 In a display-device, the combination of a cyclic guide, a series of curtains over-
lapping each other, and mounted upon supports placed one in advance of the other in
the said guide and independently movable therein, and mechanism, substantially as
described, for engaging and advancing the foremost curtain, whereby the curtains are
successively moved across the field of view, substantially as set forth.
3-In a display-device, the combination of a guide comprising two corresponding
opposing stationary cyclic ways, a series of curtains overlapping each other and
mounted upon supports extending at their opposite ends into the said ways and
arranged one in advance of the other and independently movable in the guide,
and mechanism, substantially as deseribed, for engaging and advancing the foremost
curtain, whereby the curtains are successively moved across the field of view, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4-In a display-device, the combination of a cyclic guide, a series of curtains over-
lapping each other and mounted upon supports placed one in advance of the other in
the said guide and independently movable therein, mechanism, substantially as
described, for engaging and advancing the foremost curtain, and mechanism for
simultaneously moving the next succeeding curtain into the position vacated by the
said foremost curtain, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5 In a display-device, the combination of a guide comprising two corresponding
opposing stationary cyclic ways, a series of curtains overlapping each other and
mounted upon rods, p, having end-pieces, p¹, extending into the said ways, the rods

page_text: being placed one in advance of the other and independently movable in the guide, and
mechanism, substantially as described, for engaging and advancing the foremost rod,
whereby the curtains are successively moved across the field of view, substantially
as set forth.
6 In a display-device, a series of curtains, each provided toward one end with a
rod, p, having end-pieces, p¹, movable in a cyclic guide, and a rod, o, toward its
opposite end, movable in a plane outside the cyclic guide, and mechanism, substantially
as described, for engaging the rods p, and moving the curtains successively into and
out of the field of view, substantially as set forth.
7-In a display-device, the combination with an inclosing case having a display
face, A', of end supports, B, endless guide-ways, q, on the supports, a rock-shaft, D,
journalled toward opposite ends in the supports, a series of curtains upon rods p,
which are mounted toward opposite ends and movable in the guide-ways q, and
levers, E, on the rock-shaft provided at their free ends with catches, i¹, which project
across and spring in the path of the rods p; whereby when the rock-shaft is actuated,
the catches will engage a rod p. and move a curtain, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
8-In a display-device, the combination with an inclosing case having a display
face, A¹, of end supports, B, guide-ways, q, on the supports, a rock-shaft, D, journalled
in the supports, a series of curtains, C, secured at one edge, to rods, p, which are
mounted, toward opposite ends, and movable in the guide-ways q and secured at their
opposite edges to rods, o, movable outside the guide-ways q, and levers, E, on the
rock-shaft, provided at their free ends with catches, ¹, which project across and swing
in the path of the rods p; whereby when the rock-shaft is actuated, the catches will
engage, a rod, p, and move a curtain, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9 In a display-device, the combination with an inclosing case having a display
face, A', of end supports, B, guide-ways, 9, on the supports, clamping strips c extending
partway around the guide-ways q, a rock-shaft, D, journalled in the supports, a series
of curtains, C, secured, at one edge, to rods, p, which are mounted toward opposite
ends and movable in the guide-ways q, and secured at their opposite edges to rods, o,
movable between the strips c and guide-ways q, and levers, E, on the rock-shaft,
provided at their free edges with catches, ¹, which project across and swing in the
path of the rods p; whereby, when the rock-shaft is actuated, the catches i¹ will
engage and move a curtain, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
10 In a display-device, the combination with an inclosing case having a display
face, A¹, of end supports, B, guide-ways, q, on the supports, rock-shafts D and F
journalled in the supports, a series of curtains upon rods p, which are mounted toward
opposite ends and movable in the guide-ways q, levers, E, on the shaft D, provided at
their free ends with catches ¹, levers F¹ on the shaft F, carrying catches, f¹, the
catches and f¹ all projecting across and swinging in the path of the rods p, and
mechanism, substantially as described, for actuating the rock-shafts D and F
simultaneously, whereby the catches will engage and move a curtain of the series
from the field of view, and the catches fl will advance the rest of the curtains,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this First day of February 1890.