US1308698A - Electric - Google Patents

Description

R. M. CRAIG. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC ADVERTISING SIGN..

APPLICI'ITION FILED JULY 24, I916.

Patented July 1, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. M. CRAIG.

' AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC ADVERTISING SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED .lULY 24,1916;

1,308,698, Patehted J uly 1, 1919 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Snow V60:

R. M. CRAIG.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC ADVERTISING SIGN.

"APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1916

Patented'July 1, 1919.

5 $HEET$SHEET 3.

R. M. CRAlG.

" AUTOMATIC ELECTRlC'ADVERTISING SIGN.-

APPLICATldN mgo JULY 24. 1916.

Patented July 1, 1919.

v 5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED HJLY 24.19l6.

Patented July '1, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

UNITED s' ATES Parana onion;

RICHARD M. CRAIG, en's; T ANTONIO, TEXAS.

Application filed July 24 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Advertising-Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric advertising signs andhas as one of its objects to provide a sign of this class which will be entirely autonmtic in its operation, being controlled through the medium of a traveling display band upon which advertisemcnts may [be printed or otherwise displayed, the construction of the device being such that the band will be automatically reversed in its travel after display of the entire length thereof or after display of only a portion of the length, as may be desired by the merchant.

It is also an aim of the invention to provide a sign of'this .class in which the operating mechanism for the traveling band is automatically controlled by the band itself in its travel, the band being automatically caused to travel a predetermined distance so as to display one advertisement and remain stationary a predetermined length of time and then automatically ad-- vance to display another advertisement which may either be the advertisement immediately following the one first displayed or one more or less advancedalong the length of the band. In fact, it is the aim of the invention to place inthe hands of merchants an advertising sign upon the display band of which may be printed or otherwise displayed any advertisements deemed suitable by the merchant and to so construct the actuating mechanism for the band'that the same will be caused to automatically display the advertisements in any order desired by the merchant so that eachsuccessive advertising space may contain a separate and distinct advertisement or the advertisements may be so arranged upon the band that after the display of a main advertisement, so-called followaip advertisements may be successively displayed. I l

Another aim of the invention is to pro vide a sign of this class in which one ad- Specification of Letters Patent.

, 1916. Serial Kc. 111,014.

AUtroin TIc ELECTRIC anvnnr sme-sren.

Patented July 1, 1919.

vertising band may be substituted for another by the merchant using the sign so that the character of the advertisements displayed may be varied from time to time as found desirable.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a sign of this class which While automatic in 'its operation will not be liable to cause fire through arcing of contacts and in which the motor is in operation only while the display band is being advanced from one position to another, so that a minimum amount of current is consumed in the operation of the sign and the likelihood of damage from tire is further reduced.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a Sign of the class mentioned in which lights of various colors may-be employed for the purpose of illumination of the sign and may be lighted in any order desired by the merchant.

A further aim of the invention is to pro; vide means whereby the period of display or, in other words, the eriod of time during which the display liand is stationary. may be increased or decreased, as may be desired by the merchant.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sign embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof with the casing removed.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof with the casing removed, parts being shown in section.

illustrating the automatic timing device for controlling the operation of the sign.

F 1g. 9 is a side elevation ofthe structure. shown in F g. 8.

' Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion 035 one of the display rolls.

Fizz. 11 is a similar View illustrating a modified form of roll.

Fig. 12 is a similar view illustrating a further modified form of roll. 1

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of one of the contact members which coiiperates with. the

' a further modified form of contact.

Fig. 16 is a semidiagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of timing device.

Fig. 17 is a view illustrating a further modified form of timing device.

Fig. 18 is a view illustrating another form of timing or circuit closing device.

19 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits.

Fig. 520 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of forming the transparent front of the casing of the sign.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the circuit device employed when a numberol. difi'erent colored lights are used to illuminate the The sign emhodyingthe present invention includes a base 1 upon which the mechanism is mounted, and a casing 2 which is disposed upon the base and houses the mechanisnnthe easing being connected to the base in any suitable manner permitting of i- A convenient removal when it becomes necessary to repair the mechanism or to remove a display hand and substitute another one therefor. Mounted upon the base one at the ends thereof are upstanding supporting plates 3 and 4. A partition plate 5 is also mounted upon the 1115-113 and extends in a vertical plane betweenthe side plates 3'and l and serves to divide the interior of the sign easing into front and rear compartments respectively housing the display hand and its rolls and the lights for illuminating the same, and the mechanism for driving the band. The plate 5 also constitutes a reflector for the electric lights within the forward compartment, as will be presently understoml. The rear compartment has mounted within it at its bottom a two-wall. casing which extends between the sid s 3 and at and which includes a top wall (i and a rear wall 7., these walls being complemental to the base 1 and plate 5 respectively. lhe display hand which carries the advertising matter is indicated in general by the nui'neral 8 and this band is adapted to be wound upon and unwound from upper and lower take-up rolls indicated respec tively by the numerals 9 and 10. these rolls beingprovided at their ends with trunnions incense 11 and 12 respectively minted within suit hle hearings in the sin lates b and 4 '0! the structure. Each 01 t e rolls 3 and 10 is provided with an eye or' other suitable connecting element 13 for the engagement therewith: of a hook 141 which is carried at each end of the band 8. From the upper roll 9 the display hand 8 passes over an idle guide roll 15 and thence downwardly vertically of the front of the casing 2 and behind a pane of glass which is mounted within the said front and which will presently be more specifically described. The hand is then passed beneath an idle roll 16 and thence wound upon the roll 10. It will be observed that the roll 15 is located above and forwardly of the roll 9 and that the roll 16 is located belowand forwardly of the roll 10 and in a manner'which will he presently explained, the roll 16 serves also as a contact member common to all of a number of contacts between which and the said roll the hand 8 is caused totravel. Both rolls 9 and 10 are driven from a drive shaft common to the two rolls and this shaft is indicated bv the numeral 17 and is rotatably and slidahly mounted its ends in sleeve extensions 1% of clutch members it and 20 which are in turn rotatably mounted in bearings 21 tted through the side plates 3 and 4 and provided at their outer ends with sprocket gears 22 and 23 respectively. A sprocket chain Q-l is trained over the gear 22 and over a similar gear fixed upon the trunnion 11 or" the upper roll 9. A sprocket chain 26 is trained over the sprocket gear 2 and ovef a similar gear 27 upon the trunnion 12 ofthc lower roll. It. will now be understood that when the gear 2:2 is clutched with the shaft 17 and the said shaft is rotated, the disqilay band will he wound upon the upper roll and unwound from the lower roll and that, on the other hand, when the gear 23 is clutched for rotation with .the shaft 17. the display hand will he wound upon the lower roll and thus hy'selectively throwing: one or the other of the gears into clutch with the shaft the direction of travel of the display hand may be reversed. in order that the gears 22 and 23 may be clutched with the shaft 17. clutch members 29 and 29 are fixed n 3011 the shaft 17 near the ends thereof an are arranged, upon sliding movement of the shaft 17 in one lirection or the other, to coact with the respective clutch n'iemhers 19 and 20 whereby to clutch the gears 22 or 23, as the case may he, for rotation with the said shaft 17. The numeral 3-0 indicates an electric motor which is mounted upon the side plate 3 of the structure and the shaft of this motor is indicated 'by the numeral 31 and is provided with a therewith. In order that the shaft 17 may be shifted so its to throw one or the other of the gears 22 and 23 into clutch with the shaft 17, a grooved collar 34 is fixed upon the said shaft and engaging this collar is a yoke 35 at the upper end of a lever arm 36 which is"pivotallymounted as at 37 upon the partit on plate 5. The lower end of the lever arm 36 extends through a slot 38 in 0 the wall 6 and is pivotally connected as at 39 to a core 40 which is common to two solenoids 41 and/12 mounted beneath the said wall 6. lit will now be understood that when the solenoid 41 is energized, the core will .5 be shifted to the right '11 Fig. 3 of the drawthe lower. end of the ever arm 36, designed :0 sideslof the arm 36.

m s thereb so rockin the lever arm 36 h y g as to shift the clutch member 29 into clutchnviththe member 20 when upon rotation of the shaft 17 through the m tel 30 the lower 0 roll will be rotated to tad: up the display band, the said band at such time traveling downwardly. On the other hand, when the solenoid 42 is energized the lever arm will b so rocked as to shift the clutch member 5 28 into clutch with the member 19 and upon rotation of the shaft l'Z the upper roll will be rotated whereby to cause the display band to travel in an upward direction. For a purpose to be presently explained, the lever 0 arm 36 carries a double ended contact blade ,43 and a similar blade 14. The ends of the blade 43 are, inthe swinging. movement of to be brou ht into conturtwwith fixed con- 5 tacts 45 an 46 mounted upon the wall (3 and located at opposite sides of the said arm. In like manner the epds of the blade i i are -designed'to coast with fixed contacts 1-? and {18 also. mounted upon the wall 6 at cp csite The purpose of the contacts above referred to will be presently fully set forth in connection with the description ofoperation o the sign.

The stopping and starting mechanism in- 5 eludes two solenoids, one indicated by the numeral 49 and the other by the numeral 50, these solenoids hav' 1}; cores 51 and 52 respectively and the said solenoids bein mounted Within the casin comprised by the o walls 6 and andhaving their cores extending up through the wall 6 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The cores 51 and 52 at their upper ends are as at 56 on a bracket 57 in turn mounted upon the wall 6. An arm 58 extends upwardly from the intermediate portion 60 of the contact member above the pivot 56 57 and upon the said wall 6 there are m0unted spaced contacts 60 and (31 and at the other side of the said bracket there are mounted spaced contacts 62 and 63 and by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be understood that when the solenoid 49 is energized the contact member will be so rocked that its arm 5i will swing downwardly and bridge the contacts 452 and 63 and the contact member will be held in this position, inasmuch as the spring 59 is then past center until the solenoid is energized, whereupon the contact member will be-so rocked that its arm will swing downwardly thereby bridging the contact members and (S1, and, of course, the said contact member will be held in this latter position by the spring 59 in the manner above stated. The purpose of the contacts 00 and (31 and the contacts (32 and 63 will presently be fully explained.

he circuit opening and closing mechanism above described coacts with an automatictiming mechanism shown clearly in Figs. 8 and 5) of the drawings. The timing mechanism is mounted within a casing 64 and includes a main gear wheel (55 which meshes with a pinion 66 fixed upon a shaft 67. Also fixed upon this shaft is a gear (58 which meshe with a pinion 69 fixed upon a shaft 70, this shaft carrying an escapement wheel 71 which forms one element or" an ordinary escapement indicated in general by the numeral 72. A lever arm 73 is pivotal-iv mounted at one end as at H upon the same shaft or spindle as the gear and this arm carries a pawl T?) which is yicldably held by means of a. spring 76, in coactive engagement with the teeth of the gear (15 in the manner clearly shown in. .Fig. 8 of the drawings. A spring 77 is coiled one or more times as at '28 about the spindle 7% and atone end is connected as at 79 to the lever arm 73 and at its other end is connected to a fixed portion of the casing 6% as indicated at 80. It will now be apparent that when the lever arm '78 is swung downwardly, the spring 77 will be placed under tension and when the arm released the spring will tend to swin the same upwardly but this movement wil be gradual due to the escapement provided 1n conunction with the gearing. Downward movement of the lever arm 73 is caused by downward swinging of the contact arm 54 through the energization of the solenoid 49, the said arm being provided with a termi nal extension 81 which projects through a slot in one wall of the casing 64 and is designed to engage against a block of insulation 82 upon the upper edge of the lever arm 73. In order that theupward move ment of the arm 73 may be retarded and in order, therefore, that the period of time remosses 'quired for the arm to return, from lowered to raised position may bevaried, means is provided which will now be described. One Wall of the casing 64 is formed with a slot 83 through which the arm 73 extends in the manner clearly shown iii-Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings and disposed against the outer face of the said Wall of the casing is a strip 84 provided with a slot 85 which extends longitudinally thereof and which receives a set screw 86 which may he loosened to permit of vertical adjustment of the said strip 8 The strip is provided at one lateral edge with a finger 87 which extends across the slot 83 and in the path of upward swingin movement of the lever arm 73 and at its 0t ier lateral edge the strip 84 is provided with a pointer 88. A series of scale marks 89 is provided upon the said outer face of the said wall of the casing (34 and these scale marks have suitable designating numerals 90 .which preferably indicate in seconds the length of time it will require the arm 73 to return from its lowermost position to position in contact with the finger 87, the proper scale mark to indicate the length of this period of time being indicated by the pointer 88 in the adjustment of the strip 84. The arm 73 is designed to make electrical contact with the in er 87 in a manner and for apurpose to he presently described and in order that the timing device may be rendered inactive whenever desired, a sleeve 91 is slidahly mounted upon the lever arm 7 3 and While it normally occupics substantially the position shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, it may be slid in Wardly so that when the arm 73 swings upwardly through the action of the spring 77, the sleeve 91 will contact the linger 87 and the circuit in which the said linger and arm are located will not be closed. lso, for a purpose to he presently explained. ".lhe arm 7 3 is provided at its outer end with a carbon contact button 92.

In that form of the invention shown in Fi s. 1 to a inclusive the dis new band 8 is sirable to increase the area of the portion of the band to hedisplaycd at any one time, uprights 93 are secured to the side plates 3 and 4 at the trout thereof and extend a greater or less distance above the upper edges of the said plates and mounted beveen the upper ends oi the uprights 93 is a guide roll 94 over which the band is passed instezul of over the guide roll 15, the band heiu further passed overa roll 95 mounted lietween the ends of arms 96 which extendrearwardly from the uprights 93. Shorter arms 97 entcnd rearwardly from the uprights 93 and carry electric light bulbs 98 whereby the displa hand may illuminated.

In the preferred form of the inventioi'i a electric light bulb 99 is iii-minted upon side plate 3 and a similar bulb is mounted upon the side plate 1} and these hnihs 100 shall he lighted, which bulb is mounted 1;

u )011 the partition plate and is preferably ov colored glass. The manner in which the bulbs are arranged in the electric circuit and the means provided for automatically cutting" the hulbs into and out of circuit will be fully set forth in the description of operation of the sign to he pres j {g ven In that form of the invention shown Figs. 1 to 5 inc usive a plurality of Contac members are arranged in juxtaposition the roll 16 and in this said form of the invention these contact members are in the nature of idle rolls indicated b the numerals 101, 102,103 and 104. The display hand in this form of the invention is provided at suitable intervals with contacts which may be in the nature of metallic eye-- lots or rivets fastened through the hand at proper points as indicated at 1.05 in Fig. 12

of the drawings and these contacts are so arranged as to pass hetweenthe r n 16 and the roll 101 and adjacent one end of the hand a contact 108 is secured thereto is so positioned as to pass between the l. 16 and roll 102.

In a like manner the hand is provided near its other end with a co tact 107 positioned to )ass between the 16 and the contact 1'01 103 and With other contact 158 designed to pass L the roll 16 and the contact roll 10%.

he understood, of course, that when one or another-of the contacts carried by the hand passes between the roll 16 and the respective 'oue o l the contact rolls, a circuit is closed controlling the further inc tement of the hand. For example, when one of the concontacts 105 passes between the rolls 16 101,11 circuit will he closed storming the travel of the hand and lighting the hulhs After the hand has traveled its full length or such portion of its length a contact 106 will pass hetiveen the rolls i6 and 102.. a circuit Willbe closed shifting; the shaft 1? so as to provide for reverse movement, of the hand and in like manner when the h nd has traveled such distance that the other ccntact'107' passes between the rolls 1% and the shaft 17 so as to provide for travel of the band in a reverse direction. Also, when the contacts 108 pass between the rolls 16 and 104, a circuit will be closed stopping the travel of the band and illuminating the sign through the medium of the bulbs 99'. The rolls 101, 102, 103, and 101 may be supported in any desired manner and in that form of'the invention shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings, the rolls are each supported between the ends of-arms 109 which are pivotally mounted as=at f110 upon the base ,1. A spring 111 is assemlrledwith each pivot 110 and bears at one endagainst the base 1 in the manner shown inFig. 1,3 and at its other end bears downwardly upon the rear end of one or both of the arms 109, whereby to yicldably hold the roll supported,:between these arms in contact with the roll 16. In this term of the invention the metallic con tacrs carried by the display band, passfbesw completing the sew tween the metallic rolls, eral circuits but'if it should be found desirable not to have these metallic contacts serve this purpose a circuit closing device such as shown in Fig. 1 1 of employed. In this form of the rolls 101, 102.103, and 101 are invention the mounted between the forward ends of arms 112 which arms are pirotally mounted as at 113 upon lhc base 1 and are held by means of a spring 1H so that each respective 'roll will bear yieldably against the roll 16 or more specifically a grainst the band as it passes between these rolls. At their rear ends the arms 112 are provided with contacts 115 designed to coi'iperate' with a fixed contact 116 which may be adjusted with relation to the contact 1153 through the medium of a set screw 117. N ow, when the metallic eyelets or rivets upon the band pass between the roll 16 and one or another of the rolls Which are supported by the arms 112, the respective arms will be. swung downwardly at then forward ends and upwardly at their rear ends, thereby bringing the contact 115 into engagement with the contact 116 tive circuit.

\Vhile it is preferable that a timing device such as heretofore described and shown in Figs. 8 and 9, be e iployed, if desired, a timing device of the c iaracter SilOWH ln Fig. 16 may be employed in lieu thereor. In this figure the numeral 118 indicates a base of insulatingr material upon which is mounted an arched wire or rod 119 of some metal having a high -oetiicient of expansion and contraction and suitably wound about this member is a conductor wire 120, which, when current passed therethrough, serves to i'at tl*= arched wire 119 and cause the same to expand. A contact 121 is adjustably mounted above the arched wire 119 and when the said i. he 119 expands it will engage the said the shaft 122,

the drawings may be and closing the respeccontact 121 and a circuit will be closed breaking the circuit in which the wire 120 is located. i If desired, a timing device such as shown 111 Fig. 17 of the drawings may be employed and in this figure the numeral 122 indicates a rotar "shaft and 123 indicates a sliding contact member carried having connected to it the arms 121 of a centri ugal governor, the balls of which are indicated by the numeral 125.. The numeral 120 indicates a fixed contact which is in the same circuit with the contact 123 and when i which shaft is either the motor shaft itself or a shaft driven therefrom, has gained such speed that the centrifugal governor device will slide the contact pin 123 upwardly and into contact with the contact 126, the circuit in which these contacts are located will be closed, thereby stopping the travel of the display band and clos- 1n the circuit through the light bulbs 99. Y f desired, instead of employing rolls 101,

102, 103 and 101, circuit closing means such as shown in Fig. 15 of the drawings may be employed. In this figure the numeral'12T indicates a roll which is the equivalent of the roll 16 heretofore described and the numeral 128 indicates the display band which, at suitable intervals, is provided with slots 0r openings 129 which travel in'the path of contact rolls 130 which are four in number and correspond to the rolls 101, 102, 103 and 10 1, these contact rolls 130 being mounted at the outer ends of arms 131 which are suitably connected in the respective circuits which control the movement of the band.

In Fig. 18 of the drawin s there is illustrated a still further modi ed form of circuit closing device. The structure shown in is figure is especially designed for use when the sign is to be placed within a street railway car and in the figure the'numeral 132 indicates the trolley Wire and 133 a button of insulation, a number of these buttons being employed and placed at suitable intervals along the wire 132. The trolley pole is indicated by the numeral fron'i this pole is a conductor wire 135 in which suitable resistance is interposed as at 136, the wire leading to an electromagnet 137 and the other wire for this magnet, indicated at 138 being led to ground. he armature for the magnet is indicated by -the numeral 139 and this armature serves also as a contact member and c-oiiperates with a fixed contact indicated by the numeral 140, the armature and contact 110 same circuit as in all the previously .described forms of circuit closing devices. It will now be understood that normally the magnet 137 is ener, ;ized and the armature 139 is attracted thereto and held out of engagement with the contact 14-0.- However,

134 and leadingy the shaft and being in the I when thctrolley wheel posses one ot the buttons 133, the circuit is momentarily cttachin base portion 1 13 designed to. he.

adjustab y disposed upon at supporting arm or ledge M l secured to the casin 64 and extendln outwardly therefrom, the base portion being held in adjustment by means of a set screw 145 fitted through a slot 14.6 in the said'portion and into the arm oiqlegge 14.4. Mounted upon the plate 1 12 end i sulctcd from each other, are contact strips-L17, 141%,

149, 150 and 151, which are in circuit respectively with red, blue, green, amber and white light bulbs. The strips are, as stated, suitably insulated from each other and yet are arranged relatively close together and in an orcuate series, the strips being gradw ally decreased in width from their outer to their inner ends so that when the plate 142 is moved outwardly upon the supporting arm or ledge/1 14, the carbon contact button 92 upon the lever arm.73 will pass across the faces of the strips nearer to their smaller ends than to their larger ends and less time will. be consumed in the return of the lever to its normal position. Upon return of the lever .to its normal position it is designed to engage a, contact strip 152 at the upper edge of the plate 14.2, this strip corresponding to the contact finger 87. heretofore described. it will now be understood that when the le' ver has been swung downwardly to its limit of movement in this direction, the carbon contact button 92 will be in contact with the strip 147, and the sign will be illuminated by a red light. As the lever arm 73 swings upwardly in its return movement, the button will from the strip 147 to the strip 148 and, therefore, the blue light will be inon'ienterily blended with the red light and next the blue light alone will be lighted, this blending and display of colors being continued until the button has passed over all of the said strips. I p

The transparent front of the casing may be in the nature of a pane of clear glass or if there is to be a total lack of illuu'linatil'm within the casingwhilc the display band is being:- nioved. a front of the kind shown in Fig. 20 of the drawings may be employed. In this figure the numerals 153 and 154 indicate two panes of glass secured together in any suitable manner face to face and applied incense to the face of one pane is an extremely thin coat- 155 of silver z-which'covcrs the entire fccc of the pane except portions purposely not covered whereby to form letters in the nature of advertising matter as indicated at 156. The transparent front thus produced is to all appearances transparent and when. the'interior of the casing is illuminated, the display band may be readily viewed through the said front. However, when the bond is trzweiing and the electric bulbs within the casing are not lighted, the dcrlcinterior of the casing will serve to convert the front into a. mirror except where the letters or other characters 156 occur. m By rcference'now to Figiil of the drawings, the numeral 15! indicates one of the line wires and the mnnerel 158, the other of these wires, supplying current from enysuitoble source of electricity to the were mechenisms of the sign. The wire-"1. 58 is connected electrically to the hi cchetlll which supports the rocking contest mom or embodying the contact arms 54 and 55. This wire is also connected electrcall with the arm 36. A branch wire 159 lea s from the 1 Wire 158 and is connected to one terminal of till tact 61. A wire 161 leads from the contact 62 to one terminal of the solenoid 50 and a wire 162 leads from the other terminal of the said solenoid to the contact 4- .1 carried by the lever arm' ti. A wire 163 leads from the contact 63 to the motor 30, end another wire 164 leads from this-motor to the line wire 157. As shown in Fig. 19, a switch'is interposed in the wire 159 and this switch corresponds to any one of the several t ming devices heretofore described. A. wire 165 is connected to the contact 60 and to the line lights 99 are inter msed. The wire 157 leads to and connects e ectrically with the roll 16 and any suitable resistance 166 is interposed in the said wire. A. wire 167 is connected to ,the contact 101 and to the contact 47, and a. wire 168 is connected to the contact 104 and to the contact 48. A wire 169 is connected to the contact 102 and to one terminal of the solenoid 42, end a wire 170 is connected to the other terminal of this solenoid and to the contact -15. A Wire 17 lis connected to one terminal of the solenoid 4-1 and to the conllili wire 157 and it is in this wire that the White tact 46, and a wire 172 is connectcd'to the closed through the wire 157,

wire 167, contacts l7 and 41. solenoid 50, contact arm 51,

and line wire 158. Thus the solenoid will be arm will bridge -retnrned to normal position and, when this lever arm comes in c ntact. with the finger 87, a circuit is closed equivalent to closing of the switch which is interposed in the wire 159. Current then flows to wire 158, wire 15.), solenoid 49 and out to line, through contacts 01 and 00 and wire 165 to line 157. The solenoid l9 being momentarily energized, the contact arm 55 is swung upwardly out of position bridging the 61 and the arm 54: in swinging downwardly will bridge contacts 62 and 63. Current will then flow from wire 158 through contact arm 54 and contact 63 to wire 163 and to motor 30 and thence out through line 164 to line 157. The lamp being in shunt with the motor 30, the lamp will be lighted while the motor is running or, in other words, while the band is traveling. Vlhen the band has traveled such distance as to bring the contact 100 between the roll 10 and roll 102, the circuit will be closed through line 157, contact rolls 16 and 102, wire 169, solenoid 42, wire 170, contacts45 and 43, and thence out through wire 158. This will, ofcourse, result in energization' of the solenoid 42 and as a consequence the lever arm 36 will he swung over so as to provide for reverse travel of the band and the said band will then travel downwardly until the first one of the contacts 108 passes between the roll 16 and contact roll. 104, whereupon the circuit will be closed from wire 157 through contact rolls 16 and 104 to Wire through contacts 48 and solenoid 50 and contact arm 54 to line 158. The solenoid 50 being in this manner energized, the' circuit. will again be closed through the white light 99 and current will be cut oil from the motor, thereby resulting in stopping of the band. After the band has traveled such distance as to bring the contact 107 between the roll 16 and contact roll 103. the circuit will be closed so as to encrgizc the solenoid 41'and the direction of travel of the band will again be reversed.

lly referring now to 10 of the drawings, it will be observed that at the first part of the band or, in other Words, at one encl of the band, the band is provided With- 168, thence contacts 60 and- 44 and through in each of the-sign spaces with one of the contacts 105 and that farther along and, in fact, throughout the remainder of the contacts 105 occur only in. every other sign space as also the contacts 108, so that the first several sign spaces will be successively or consecutively displayed, whereupon in the further travel of the band every other sign space will be skipped in the upward travel. of the band and the sign spaces displayed in the up travel of the band will he ski pped in the down travel of the band. If desired, a single band may be made to contain a number of different advertisements relating to the same line of goods or a single band may contain a number of groups of advertisements, the advertisementsof each group relating to a certain class of merchandise. Thus a single band may contain cigar advertisements, drug advertisements, soap advertiscancnts, etc., as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, and by prowiding the contacts 106 and 10% at the ends of each group of advertisements. that one particular group only will be automaically displayed, the direction of travel of the band being automatically reversed. Q

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a sign electrieznotor, a drive shaft driven by the said motor, take-up rolls each. having operas tive gear connection with the said shaft, a display band-wound at its ends upon the rolls, timing mechanism arranged to close I the circuit through the motor at predetermined intervals of time, means controlled through the travel of the band for breaking the motor circuit, gears carried bv the said shaft and arranged to be selectively clutched with the shaftand having 0 erative gear connection with the rolls, and ineans actu ated also through thc.travol of the band to actuate the clutch dev ces whereby'to provide for automatic of travel of the band.

In a, sign'of the class described, take-up rolls, a display band wound at its ends upon the said rolls, means for selectively rotating the r ls, means controlled through the travel of the band for rendering the rotating moans inactive. and a, timing device for rendering the said rotating means active at predetermined intervals of time.

3. In a sign of the class described. take-up rolls, a display band wound at its ends upon the said rolls, means for selectively rotating the rolls, means controlled through the travel of the band for rendering the rotating means inactive. a' tuning device for rendering the said rotating means active at' redetermlned intervals of time, and an e ectric lighting circuit and means for closing the of the class described, an.

reversal of the direct-ion length of the band, the

said circuit when the roll rotating means-is inactive. i I

In a sign of the class described, take-up rolls, a display band wound at its ends upon intervals of time, electric light bulbs of dil :lerent colors for illuminating said display hand, an electric circuit in which said bulbs are arranged, means for closing the circuit through one bulb during the period of time the roll rotating means is inactive and means for closing the circuit through another bulb during the period of time the roll rotating means is active.

In a sign of the class described, take-up rolls, a display band wound thereon, a light circuit, an electric motor for driving the said rolls, an electric circuit havin solenoids interposed therein, the said motor eing also in. said circuit, spaced sets of contacts, an oscillatory Contact arm in said circuit and operatively connected with the cores of the said solenoids and arranged upon energize.- tioii of one of the solenoids to be moved to position bridging the-contacts of one set and upon energiv'ation of the other solenoid to be moved to position bridging the contacts oi the other set, a circuit closing device in cir- .cuit with the first mentioned solenoid and arranged to close the circuit through the said solenoid at predetermined intervals, the coin tact member when bridging the contacts of the first mentioned set being arranged to close the circuit through the motor, and means controlled bythe travel of the band for closing the circuit through the other solenoid predetermined intervals whereby to energize the same and move the contact member to position breaking the circuit through the motor and closing the light oil" cu it.

6. in a sign of the class described, takeup rolls, a display hand Wound thereon, alight circuit, an electric motor E (lI'lV1Ilg the said rolls, an electric circuit having solenoids interposed therein, the said motor heingr also in said circuit, spaced setsJs-n contacts, an oscillatory contact arm in said circuit and operatively connected with the cores of the said solenoids and arranged upon energization of one of the solenoids to be moved to position bridging the contacts of one set and upon energization of the other solenoid to be moved to position bridging the contacts of the other set, a circuit closing device in circuit with the first mentioned solenoid and arranged to close the circuit through the said solenoid at predetermined intervals, the contact member when bridging the contacts of the first mentioned set being arranged to close the circuit through the motor, means controlled by the travel of the hand for closing the circuit through the other solhnoid-at predetermined intervals whereby to energize the same and move the contact member to position breaking thecircuit through the motor and closing the light circuit, electrically operated means for reversing the direction of travel of the said band, and means controlled by the travel of the band for closing't'he circuits through the said reversing means,

7. A timing devicei'for an electric sign including a contact arm in an electric-4:11- cuit, an adjustable contact member in the path of movement of the arm, means for moving the arm out of contact with the said member, means for returning the contact arm to positionin contact with the said 'member Within a predetermined period of time, and a circuit to be closed by the said arm and member.

8. In an automatically controlled electric sign of the class described, a display band, selectively arranged protuberances thereon, an electric circuit having means arranged therein upon closing of said circuit to control the movement of the band, a pivoted arm, a roller about which the band is arranged to travel, means carried by the arm resting against the band in the path of said protuberances,

and normally spaced contacts in said circuit and one relatively fixed and the other carried by the said arm Whereby upon passage of one of the protuberances between the roller and the said member upon the arm the contacts will be brought into mutual engagement for closing said circuit.

5). ln an electric sign oi": the class described, take-up rolls, a display band wound thereon, 'a motor for driving said rolls, timing mechanism for closing the circuit through the motor at predetermined intervals, electrically operated means for breakthe circuit through the motor when the uand is traveling in one direction, electrically operated means for breaking the circuit through the motor when the band is traveling in another direction, electrically 0perated means for reversing the direction of travel of the band when the band has conn leted its travel in either direction, series of electric contacts in electric. circuit with said means and normally spaced, and means carried by the band selectively arranged to permit of coaction of the contacts of the series. I

10. In an electric sign of the class described, take-up rolls, a display band wound thereon, a motor for driving said rolls, timing' mechanism for closing the circuit through the motor at predetermined intervals, electrically operated means for breale ing the circuit -thrbug'li the motor when the will band "is traveling in one direction,' electricarried by the band'selectively arranged to 10 cally' operated means for breaking the cirpermit of jcoaction of the contacts of the secuitjthrou'ghjthe; motor when the 'band is ries, an electric lighting circuit inolndin travelin in .another direction, electrically anelectric lamp for illuminating vthe sai o erat'egmeans for reversing the direction band, and means for closing the lighting 0 travel of thebend when the band has circuit when either of the two first-men- 15 completed its travel in either direction, se tioned means is active. riee 'gof felectrio contacts in electric circuit In testimony whereof I aflix In signature. withsaid means-sind nor nelly spaced, me ns V RICHARD CRAI [1 8.]

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