US3601914A

US3601914A - Display apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3601914A
Application number: US850158A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis A Fuller Jr
Original assignee: Science Associates Inc
Current assignee: Science Associates Inc
Priority date: 1969-08-14
Filing date: 1969-08-14
Publication date: 1971-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-31
Also published as: CA925591A; FR2058283B1; DE2040083A1; FR2058283A1; GB1317926A

Abstract

A display apparatus having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to form an endless belt, the belt of panels being movable in a closed path having a front vertical view portion, each of the panels having a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of light passages, each group of passages being arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns, from lamps positioned behind the panels when they are in the front view portion of their paths of movement for transmitting light through the light passages, each of the light passages having a closure operatively associated therewith and movable between an upper inoperative position wherein light passages are open and a lower operative or closing position wherein the closure prevents transmittal of light through its associated light passage. The display apparatus also includes means for moving selected ones of the closures from their inoperative to their operative positions whereby each of the groups of light passages may present a desired alphanumeric visual information.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Francis A. Fuller, Jr.

Dallas, Tex.

[21] App1.No 850,158

[22] Filed Aug. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [73] Assignee Science Associates, Inc.

Garland, Tex.

[54] DISPLAY APPARATUS 28 Claims, 25 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S.C1 40/28C,

OTHER REFERENCES Quick Closing Light Shutter, Dike and Kemp, p. 1256 1965 reference in 350/269 Primary Examiner Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Richard Carter Att0rney-Walter J. Jagmin ABSTRACT: A display apparatus having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to form an endless belt, the belt of panels being movable in a closed path having a from vertical view portion, each of the panels having a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of light passages, each group of passages being arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns, from lamps positioned behind the panels when they are in the front view portion of their paths of movement for transmitting light through the light passages, each of the light passages having a closure operatively associated therewith and movable between an upper inoperative position wherein light passages are open and a lower operative or closing position wherein the closure prevents transmittal of light through its associated light passage. The display apparatus also includes means for moving selected ones of the closures from their inoperative to their operative positions whereby each of the groups of light passages may present a desired alphanumeric visual information.

M l! I PATENTEDAUB31 197: 3, 01,914

SHEET 1 BF 5 ATTORNE Y PATENTEU M1831 I971 SHEET 2 UP 5 INVENTOR.

Francis A. Fuller, Jr. BY

W ATTORNEY PATENIED AUB3'I IQYI SHEET 3 BF 5 l i: ,:m--- [144: 127255 n? H ll A /52 /53 60 SERIAL seam. BUFFER I LINE PARALLEL oecooms INPUT CONVERTER STORAGE 3 SPEED COLUMN ALIGNMENT CHARACTER /95 CONTROL CONTROL (oecone cenemnou 2 END OF QUOTATION) (ROM) SYSTEM "CLOCK /57 /63 TIMING /88 0 +TIMING 68 f V2 3 MOTOR 759 BUFFER CHARACTER DRIVE SHIFT LOCATION CONTROL ALIGNMENT G A9711 /67 A90 /66 F L E stones smF'r lg/v couTnoI. IN PULSES 676 1 WRITE SHIFT 4 PU LSES n I 3 m sucoozo CHARACTER STORAGE f 495 (so CHARACTER MATRIX) l8] 1 WRITE CONTROL LINE WAGNETENABLE sync.

SVNC.)

l7? I50 ELECTROMAGNETS 494 I Row smc. fig

INVENTOR.

ROW SENSOR Fig.|2

Fr0ncisA.Ful|er,Jr.

ATTORNEY PATENTEUAUGB] 197i 3,601,914

SHEET 5 [1F 5 INVENTOR. Francis A.Fu|ler, Jr

WWW

ATTORNEY DISPLAY APPARATUS This invention relates to display apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved display apparatus which may present a large amount of continuously transmitted alphanumeric information for a relatively long period of time.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus. which will display a large amount of information for an H appreciable period of time even though the information is being transmitted for display, such as letters and numbers over a teletype line, is being transmitted at a very rapid rate.-

Still another object is to provide a display device wherein the information is presented by directly transmitted light.

Still another object is to provide a display apparatus having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally conhected to form an endless movable belt which has a front upwardly moving visible portion, with each panel having a plurality of groups of light passages spaced longitudinally there along, and closures for selectively closing each light passage, and means for selectively causing a whole line of teletype information to the written or presented by groups of light passages of each panel during its movement into the bottom visible portion of its upwardly moving visible portion of its path of movement.

An important object is to provide a display device usable with a display apparatus of the type described which had an elongate horizontally extending substantially vertical panel provided with a plurality of groups of light passages arranged in predetermined arrays and closures operatively associated with each of the panels for individually and selectively'closing the light passages.

Another object is to provide a display device wherein the closures for the light passages are held by gravity in either operative or inoperative positions when the panel is in a vertical upright position.

Still another object is to provide a display device wherein I the closure members are movably mounted in elongate internal cavities of the panel which intersect the light passages.

A- further object is to provide a display device of the type disclosed wherein the cavities in which the closuresare movable mounted permit lateral displacement or movement of the closures from their inoperative positions to permit them to fall freely to their operative closed positions.

A still further object is to provide a display device of the type disclosed wherein the closures are movable from their inoperative to their operative positions by operator means, such as electromagnets disposed inwardly and spaced from the panels.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus of the type disclosed wherein the closures are movable from their inoperative to their operative positions by operator means, such as electromagnets disposed inwardly and spaced from the panels.

Another object is to provide a display apparatus of the type described wherein all of the closuresof a panel aremoved. to their inoperative positions during the movement of the panel from the upper end of the front visible portion of its'movement to the lower end of the front visible portion of its path of movement.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the inventiomand reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view, with some parts removed of a display apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2, is a sectionalview taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with some parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an end portion of a panel embodying the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the endlessbelt display assembly of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6; FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7; FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view with some parts broken away taken on 11-11 ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a control circuit for thedisplay apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the display panel; P

FIG. l4is a sectional view taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16- 16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is an example of the use of the display apparatus to present stock market quotations;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the display panels of the invention formed of panel sections;

FIG. 19 is a perspective fragmentary air view of end portion of one of the panels;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on line 21-21 of FIG; 18;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary front view of another modified form of the display panel; v I

FIG. 23is a sectional view taken on line 23-23 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary front view of another modified form of the display panel; and,

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken on line 25-25 of FIG. 24. Referring now to the drawings, the display apparatus 20 includes a housing 21 having a horizontal bottom wall 22, a rear wall 23, a top wall 24, end walls 25 and 26 and a front wall 28.

The front wall has a display aperture or window 29 therein. A support frame 30 is mountedin the housing 21 and includes a pair of

vertical support plates

31 and 32 and pairs of bottom at there outerv peripheral portions similarly'secured thereto. The peripheral angle members mayhave flanges which abut adjacent walls of the housing and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by screws or bolts, not shown. The back .wall of the rear wall 23 may be releasably secured to the flanges of the rear vertical angle members 36 by screws 38.

A movable display 45 is mounted on and between the support plates 31- and 32 by means of a top drive shaft 46 and a bottom idler shaft 47 rotatably mounted on the plates by means of suitable bearings 48. The display assembly includes a plurality of horizontally extending panels 50 connected by horizontal pivot shafts 51. A pair of sprockets 52 rigidly secured to the drive shaft have spaced radial arms 54 in whose outer recesses 55 are receivable the rollers 86 mounted on the pivot shafts 51. It will be apparent that as the drive shaft is rotated in a counterclockwise manner, FIG. 5, the engagement of the sprocket arms with the rollers 56 causes the front portion of the display assembly visible through the housing window to be moved upwardly. The drive shaft 46 is driven by a suitable electric motor 58 which is rigidly secured to the support plate. 32 by means of bolts 51. The motor is preferably of the synchronous type having a permanent magnet armature in order that the, rotation of the drive shaft be arrested immediately when the stator windings of the motor are disconnected from the source of alternating current.

The idler shaft. 47 is provided with similar. sprockets 60 rigidly secured thereto whose radial arms 61 are provided with recesses or sockets 62 in which the rollers 56 of the pivot shafts are receivable. The sprockets of the drive and the idler shafts are aligned vertically and inwardly of the support plates.

The panels 50 are connected by the pivot shafts to form an endless belt which travels in a closed path having a front portion A in which the panels move upwardly adjacent to and past move downwardly and a bottom portion D in which the panels move forwardly. The panels are guided in their movement in, this closed path not only by the sprockets of the drive and idler shafts but also by the guide rollers 64 rotatably mounted on the opposite ends of the pivot shafts 51 and movably disposed in the guide recesses in the inwardly opening guide recesses 65 of the support plates. The guide recesses are of somewhat greater width than the diameter of the guide rollers.

Adjacent top and bottom edges of adjacent horizontal panels are provided with slots 66 and tongues 67, the tongues of one panel being received in the slots of the other. The pivot shafts 52 extend through bearings 68 carried by the tongues. While the tongues and the slots of adjacent panels have been shown as spaced from one another, for clarity of illustration, in actual practice a very close fit is provided between the tongues of one panel and the other to prevent transmittal of light therebetween.

It will be apparent that a display assembly is guided and held in a desired path of movement by the engagement of the sprockets of the drive and idler shafts with the rollers 56 of the pivot shafts and also by the engagement of the guide rollers 64 with the surfaces of the support panels defining the guide recesses 65. When the panels are located in the front portion of the path of movement of the display assembly 45, the outer sides of all panels located in the front portion A of the path of movement of the display assembly are visible for view through I the window of the housing.

Each of the panels may be formed of a planar outer member 70 and a planar inner member 71 secured to one another in any suitable manner, as by adhesive, bonding and the like. Each panel has a plurality of spaced groups G of light passages 72 formed by the apertures 73 and 74 of the outer and

inner panel members

70 and 72, respectively. The apertures of the panel members are somewhat cone shaped, i.e., decrease in diameter inwardly and open to

internal recesses

75 and 76 in the inner sides of the outer and inner panel members, respectively. Each recess 75 of the outer planar members 70 extends angularly and to the left as seen in FIG. 3, and its upper portion is of greater depth, FIG. 7, and is defined by an inner surface 78 which slopes upwardly and outwardly as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, and whose lower portion is defined by an arcuate surface or ledge 79. The upper portion of each recess 76 of the inner panel members is defined by upwardly and outwardly sloping surface 80 which is in alignment with the surface 78 so that a closure disc or member 82 may move between its inoperative position illustrated in FIGS. 6-and 8 and its operative position wherein it closes a passage formed by each pair of the aligned

passages

72 and 73 of the outer and inner panel members. The associated pairs of

recesses

75 and 76 of the panel form cavities 83 which intersect the light passages. The closure 82 when in its upper inoperative position lies or rests on the ledge 79 and the surfaces 78 and when in its lower operative position rests on the

surfaces

84 and 85 of the two panel members defining the bottoms of their recesses. As a panel moves rearwardly and upwardly and then rearwardly and downwardly in the top portion B of the path of movement of the display assembly 45, any closures 82, which have been in their lower operative positions as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, move due to the force of gravity into alignment with the surfaces 78 and rest on the top arcuate surface 87 defining the upper end of the recess 75, and remain in this position during the downward movement of the panel in the rear portion C of the path of movement of the panel in the rear portion C of the path of movement of the display assembly. As such panel then moves downwardly and to the right, FIG. 5, the closures 82 move into the pockets 90 or niches defined by the

surfaces

78, 79 and 87 and rest on the

surfaces

78 and 87, as such panel then moves forwardly and upwardly in the portion C of the path of movement, the closures slide on the surfaces 78 until their edges engage the arcuate surfaces 79 and all closures of the panel are in their inoperative positions in the pockets 90 of the outer panel member as the panel assumes. a vertical position as it moves into the bottom end of the portion A of its path of movement in the housing.

As a result all of the closures 82 of each panel, as it moves upwardly into the bottom end of the portion A of the path of movement of the plate assembly, are in the pockets and in their inoperative positions so that the light passages 72 are open. In order to move selected ones of the closures to their operative closing positions wherein they close their associated light passage 72 and prevent transmittal of light therethrough so that the light transmitted through the open light passages of each group of passage will present a predetermined character such as a number or letter, a plurality of electromagnets are mounted inwardly of the panels at the lower end portion of the vertical portion A of their path of movement by means of a support bar 96 which has end arms 97 and 98 rigidly secured to the

support plates

31 and 32, respectively.

If, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the panels are designed to display alphanumeric characters, the passages are arranged in longitudinally spaced character groups G1, G2...G7 and with the passages of each group arranging in plurality, for example, 5 vertical columns, C 1, C2, C3, C4 and C5, and a plurality, for example, 7, horizontal rows Rl-R7. In order to control the operation of the horizontal row of electromagnets 95 as the rows Rl-R7 of the groups move successively into horizontal alignment with the row of electromagnets, reflective index strips are mounted in the reflective strips 200 are mounted in outwardly opening recesses 10111-1 01 g reflecting light aligned with the rows R1-R7, respectively, at one end thereof. A sensor assembly is mounted on a bracket 106 secured to the bottom wall 21 of the housing includes a pair of light bulbs 108 and 109 mounted in suitable sockets 110 suitably mounted in a housing 112 of the sensor assembly and a photocathode 114 also mounted in a socket 115 suitably secured to the housing 112. The light bulbs and the phototube are aligned horizontally and the light bulbs direct light beams convergently outwardly at the reflective strips so that each time a row of the light passages 72, for example the row R1, begins to move upwardly and into alignment with the row of electromagnets, the reflection of the light from the lamps from the strips 101 causes the photocathode tube to provide a signal which will enable any of the electromagnets selected by a suitable control means, as will be explained later, to become energized. When an electromagnet associated with a particular column of light passages is energized and as the closure member in a pocket 90 of such column moves upwardly past such electromagnetic, such closure member, which is made of magnetizable substance is moved inwardly off the ledge and then drops downwardly by gravity into its operative position, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, closing its associated light passage 72.

A plurality of elongate fluorescent lights are mounted in the housing on a reflector wall 121 whose opposite ends are secured to the

support plates

31 and 32 by means of brackets 124. The fluorescent lamps or tubes are mountediin the usual manner on fittings 126 which are secured in any suitable manner to the opposite side portions of the reflector wall.

A light translucent and diffusing plate 128is inounted on the outer panel members of the panels 51 and may be formed of a plastic having a somewhat roughened or light diffusing .outer surface. A similar inner light translucent and diffusing plate 128a (FIGS. 13-16) is preferably secured to the inner surface of the inner panel member. 1

Assuming that one of the panels is now moving upwardly into the bottom end of the front portion A of its path of movement and it is desired that such panel be moved upwardly to be visible through the lower end of the window 29 of the housing and that during such movement the closures 82 of selected rows and columns of the light passages of the groups of the light passages in such horizontal panel be moved to closed positions so that light will be transmitted only through so selected passages 72 of the several groups Gl-Gn of such panel, the motor 58 is energized and rotates the drive shaft 46 in a counterclockwise direction thus moving such panel upwardly. As the top rows R1 of the groups of such panel move into alignment with the sensor assembly 105, a signal is provided by the photocathode tube as the first reflective strip 100a moves into alignment with the sensor assembly to a suitable control circuit which enables preselected ones of the electromagnets to be energized. Such selected electromagnets are then energized for a short predetermined period of time to cause the preselected closure members to be moved off their ledges 79 and drop by gravity to their operative positions wherein they prevent light from passing through their associated light passages 72. As the next strip moves into alignment with the sensor assembly, the photocathode tube again transmits an enabling signal and preselected ones of the closures 82 for closing preselector light passages in the rows R2 of the groups Gl-Gn of light passages of such panel are moved to their closed positions. In this manner the electromagnets are selectively actuated as each of the seven rows of light passages of the groups moves into and past the electromagnets so that when the panel moves to the position wherein its bottom rows R7 of light passages are above thebottom edge window, such panel is visible and presents a whole horizontal line of alphanumeric characters since the light passes through the open light passages, light not being al- I lowed to be transmitted through the other light passages which are closed by the closure members.

The panels are preferably opaque so that each open light passage is visible as a disc of light on the light diffusing plate. It will be apparent that the light may be of any desired color and that the panels themselves may be black or any desired color.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 12 of the drawings, the control circuit 150 for controlling the operation of the motor 58 and the electromagnets 95 of a display device having groups of light passages each of which constitute a character matrix and the 150 electromagnets for moving the closures 82 of the 30 groups G of light passages for visually presenting stock market quotations and information in the manner illustrated in F l6. 17, which information is received in serial digital form from a serial digital input circuit 151 includes a serial to parallel converter 151 which converts the serial digital input for each column of each character into six simultaneous parallel outputs to the six inputs l52a-152f of a storage buffer 153. The buffer storage provides a speed control signal to the input 155 of a speed control system 1560f the drive motor 159 of the motor 58. The speed of rotation of the motor when a proper signal is transmitted to the input terminal-155 of its speed control 156 will vary in accordance with the degree of saturation or filling of the buffer storage. The speed control of course has an output connected to the input terminal 158 of the motor drive circuit of the drive motor 58. The output of the buffer storage is transmitted to the input terminal 159 of a decoding circuit 160 and the output of the decoding circuit is transmitted to the input tenninal 162 of a character generation circuit 163 which generates output signals of the particular letter or number which a particular It will be apparent that the buffer storage 170 has a stage for each of the 150 magnets so that 30 characters may be caused to be written or displayed by the 30 groups of light passages of each panel and the outputs of the 150 stages of the storage buffer 170 are transmitted to associated ones of the 150 electromagnets 95.

The signals from the sensor assembly 105 are simultaneously transmitted to the

input terminals

175 and 176 of a magnet control circuit 177 and a shift control circuit 178, respectively, through a row synchronizing circuit 179. The output signal of the control circuit 177 provides a magnet enable signal to the electromagnets each time a row of the light passages of a panel moves towards alignment with the row of electromagnets 95 and the shift control circuit-provides a control pulse to the input terminal 181 of the storage buffer 170 I multistage storage buffer 153. r

The character location alignment circuit also transmits a to cause it to shift appropriate signals to the electromagnets in accordance with the digitaldata-stored in the register 170. The row sensor assembly also transmits signals to the input terminal 184 of a line synchronization circuit 185 which in turn after each seven pulses from the row sensor transmits a signal to the input terminals 186 and 187 of a storage shift in pulses circuitv 168 and a buffer shift control circuit 188, respectively. The control circuit 168 at the end of the movement of a panel past the row of electromagnets 95 causes the next lineof information which is to be displayed by the next panel to be moved upwardly past the row of electromagnets l95'from the character location alignment circuit 165 to be shifted into the stages of storage buffer 170.

The buffer shift control circuit 188 of course causes the next line of digital data to be shiftedto the last stage of the signal to the input terminal 190 of a foldover control circuit 191 which in'turn transmits a signal to the speed controlcircuit 156 which causes the motor drive 58 to drive to move the assembly of panels in the event, as shown in lines 7 and 8 (P16. 17), the last group of information pertaining to the last stock identified in the line is of such length that for clarity of presentation, it is preferred to displaythis last group in the next line and immediately below the previous group of information pertaining to the stock. As illustrated, this last group may show the second sale of a number of shares of the same stock at a certain price. The fold over senses nature of the next group of information, i.e., stock name or number, to be presented to determine if the next panel is to be advanced and such next group of information to be displayed immediately below the preceding group as in the case of the last sale of CNE, FIG. 17.

Appropriate clock and timing pulses to the various circuits of the system are provided by a system timing circuit 195.

The particular control circuit may be of any suitable type and the one illustrated has been shown for purposes of description of the apparatus as a whole.

The digital input signals from the serial line input circuit 150, for example, a teletype line over which stock information is transmitted, are transmitted to the serial to parallel converter 151 and from thence into the buffer storage 153 at a speed and at the times determined by the transmittal of the information over the teletype lines. Assuming now that the terminal storage buffer l70 is now empty, the information from the storage buffer 153 is transmitted through a decoding circuit to a character generation circuit 163 and its output is transmitted through the character location alignment circuit and a storage shift in pulses circuit 168 to the encoded character storage register until a full or partial line of stock information extending over some or all of the 30 groups is transmitted by the teletype circuit. At such time the motor drive energizes the motor 58which then causes the next panel to begin to move upwardly and the top row of rows of light passages of the 30 groups G of light passages move toward alignment with the electromagnets. As the row sensor assembly 105 then generates a signal, as the reflective strip 100a moves into alignment therewith, to the row synchronization circuit and it in turn causes the circuit 177 to provide signals which enable the 150 electromagnets to be energized and the right shift pulses circuit causes each of thestages of the terminal storage buffer to cause energization of selective ones of the electromagnetics 95 so that appropriate ones of the closures 82 of preselected light passages of each group are moved from their inoperative to their operative positions as the top rows of light passages move upwardly past the electromagnets. The sensor assembly 105 now generates a second pulse from the second light reflective or index strip 106 as the second row of light passages begins to move into alignment with the electromagnets to cause the closures of selected ones of the light passages in the second row to be moved to their closed positions. The row sensor assembly 105 thus successively provides seven successive signals to the row synchronization circuit and to the line synchronization circuit 185 as a panel moves upwardly past the electromagnet. When the seventh signal is received so that a full line of information has been written or caused to be displayed on the second panel of the display assembly, the 150 stages of the terminal storage 170 are now empty and the line synchronization circuit will then cause the buffer shift control circuit 188 to transmit a signal to the last stage of the storage buffer 153 and cause the digital data representing the next line of information to be displayed on the next panel to be transmitted to the terminal storage 170. When such line of information, whether it extends over the full 30 character matrix or only part of thereof, the motor 58 is again energized and the information in the terminal storage buffer 170 again is employed to energize the electromagnets 95 as each row of light passages of the next panel moves upwardly toward and past the magnets 95 to cause such line of information to be displayed or presented by such next panel.

It will be apparent that while a particular driving means and a particular indexing means, such as the'light reflected strips 100 is the particular sensor assembly having light for transmitting light towards the strip and a photocathode tube for detecting the light reflected from the strips, has been illustrated and described other driving means and indexing means, for example, magnetic strips and magnetic detectors or a reluctance pickup means may be employed.

It will also be apparent that while the display apparatus has been described and illustrated as being used to provide alphanumeric information, it could be employed to present other information, such as graphs and the like.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 13 through 16 of the drawings, the panel 50a is similar in all respects to the panel 50 except that the shape of its cavities 83a differ somewhat from the shape of the cavities 83 of the panels 50. Accordingly the various elements of the panel 50a have been provided with the same reference numerals, to which the subscript a has been added, as the corresponding elements of the panel 50. The recesses 75a of the outer panel member 70 are of substantially circular shape and open to the upper end of the inner recess 76a of the inner panel member 71. The arcuate ledge or support surface 79a defining the lower portion of the recess 75a is not inclined downwardly through as great a degree as the corresponding surface 79 of the panel 50 illustrated in FIG. 7 so that the closure 82 tends to assume the position illustrated in FIG. 1346 wherein its upper edge engages the surface 800 defining the upper portion of the recess 76a of the inner panel member. This positioning of the closure member when its upper inoperative position gives greater assurance that the closure member will not be accidentally moved from its inoperative to its operative position, as by vibration and the like. It will be apparent that the lower edge of the closure member must be moved inwardly by the electromagnetic before it can move downwardly in the cavity 831: to its operative position wherein it rests on the surface 850 defining the lower end of the recess 76:: and closing the light passage 72.

While the panels 50 have been described as extending being formed of inner and outer panel members which extend the full length of each panel 50, each subpanel as illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 21 may be formed of a plurality of sections 50a which are connected by the shafts 51. A preferred form of the panel sections include an outer panel member 700 having a recess 200 in its inner surface whose upper and lower ends are defined by the downwardly and upwardly facing

surfaces

201 and 202, respectively. The inner panel member 71a is disposed in the recess 200 and is bonded or otherwise secured to the outer panel member 70a. The inner translucent light diffusing plate 1280 is also disposed in the recess 200 inwardly of the inner panel member 71a and is rigidly secured thereto, as by bonding, adhesive and the like.

It will be apparent of course that the

panel members

70a and 71a are provided with the light passages such as the passage 72 and the cavities, such as the cavities 83, which intersect such light passages and that the closures, such as the closures 82, are mounted for movement between operative and inoperative position in such cavities wherein the light passages are open and closed, respectively.

The outer panel members are provided with their upper ends with thetongues 67a and with recess or slots 67a at their lower ends, it being apparent that the tongue of a lower panel is received in the slot or recess 67a of a vertically adjacent panel section 50a.

The outer panel member 700 has an outwardly facing upper horizontal and vertical side surfaces 204 and 205, respectively, and inwardly facing lower horizontal and vertical side surfaces 207 and 208, respectively. The outwardly facing side surface 205 of one panel section 500 overlaps the inwardly facing side surface 208 of the immediately adjacent panel section 50a and, similarly, the lower outwardly facing surface 207 of one panel section overlaps the upper inwardly facing surface 204 of the next panel section to which is connected by a shaft 51. As a result, no light will pass between adjacent panel sections of each panel or between the panel sections of adjacent connected panels.

It will be apparent that by the provision of panels formed of a plurality of panel sections, panels of various lengths may be easily formed and the cost of fabrication of the panels is, of course, greatly reduced.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 22 and 23 of the drawing, an alternative fonn of the display panel 50 is illustrated and, since it is similar in some respects to panel 50, its various elements have been provided with the same reference numerals, to which the subscript b" has been added, as the corresponding elements of the panel 50. The panel 50b differs from the panel 50 in that its closure 82b when in the upper portions of the cavities 83b and resting on the alleged 79b is in its operative position closes the light passage 72 as the apertures 73b and 74b of the panel members which form the light passage 72b are aligned with the upper portion of the cavity instead of the lower portion. As a result the light passage 72b of panel 50b is initially closed by its closure 82b as the panel moves upwardly into the front view portion of the movement of the display assembly of which it is a part and the closure member is movable by an electromagnet 95 to its inoperative position wherein it rests on the surfaces 84b and 85b defining the lower ends of the internal recesses 75b and 76b of the outer and inner panel members 70b and 71b, respectively.

It will thus be apparent that where the panels 50b are used in a display apparatus which have the light passages 72b and cavities 83b in the relationship illustrated-in FIGS. 22 and 23, the electromagnets will be energized as required to move the closure members 82b, associated with light passages which are to be opened, from their operative positions to their lower inoperative positions as such panel moves upwardly past the electromagnets.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 24 and 25 of the drawings, the panel 500 is similar to the panel 50 and accordingly its elements have been provided with the same reference numerals to which the subscript 0" has been added, as the corresponding elements of the panel 50. The panel 50c differs from the panel 50b merely in that the outer panel member and the diffusing plate 128 are provided with aligned passages 220 and 221 which open to the upper end of the cavity 830 above the arcuate ledge or surface 790 so that the closure 82c may be moved from its upper inoperative position to its lower operative position closing the light passage 72c, instead of by an electromagnet, by a jet of air delivered by a nozzle 222. It will be apparent that a horizontal row of nozzles 222 would be used in a display apparatus utilizing the panels 500, instead of the electromagnets 95, and that as each row of the air passage moves into alignment with such row of air nozzles, the nozzles would direct jets of air to the selected closures 82c to move them from their operative to their inoperative positions, the delivery of air under pressure to individual air nozzles would of course be controlled by individual electrically operable valves.

It will now be seen that a new and improved display apparatus has been illustrated and described which includes a display assembly formed of a plurality of horizontally extending panels 50, each of which may be formed of a plurality of sections as illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 21, with the panels being pivotally connected to form an endless belt and that such endless belt or display assembly is movable in a closed path so that a front upwardly moving vertically disposed portion of the display assembly, which provides a relatively large number of lines of information is visible and a large amount of information presented by the panels of the display assembly is visible for an appreciable period of time.

It will further be seen that the information is presented in the form of light passes through light passages of the panels which are arranged in predetermined array and each of which has a closure means selectively movable between operative and inoperative positions to either permit or prevent passage of light through its associated light passage.

It will further be seen that each of the panels has a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse light passages 72 extending therethrough and a plurality of internal cavities 83 intersecting the light passages with a closure member movably disposed in each of the cavities for movement between an inoperative position wherein its associated light passage is open and an operative position wherein its associated light passage is closed.

lt will further be seen that in the case of the form of the panel illustrated in FIGS, 22 and 23, the closure is in its operative position in an upper portion of the cavity and that in other forms of the panels, as for example, of the panels 50 illustrated in H65. 6 through 9 and 13 through 16, the closure is in its inoperative position when in the upper part of the portion of the cavity.

It will further be seen that the closures are moved by gravity to their upper positions in their associated cavities as each panel moves from the top end portion of the path of movement of the display assembly and then back to the lower end of the front view portion of the path of movement of the panel so that the closures are automatically reset to their operative or their inoperative positions, as the case may be, and so that selected ones of the closure members may then be moved by suitable means, such as electromagnets or air jets from their upper positions to their lower positions in the cavity in order to cause light transmitted through open light passages to present predetermined visual information.

lt will now also be apparent that the light transmitted directly through the light passages and the light diffusing plates, provides much more intense light at the front of the panel than the light emitted by luminescent bodies excited by ultraviolet light of such display apparatus as that disclosed in the pending application of Robert L. Woolfolk, Ser. No. 645,022, filed June 9, 1967, and thus the information present by open light passages may be read or discerned at a much greater distance from the display apparatus than is the case in such display apparatus as disclosed in the copending application of Robert L. Woolfolk.

it will also be apparent that it is preferable to employ light diffusing plates or means on opposite sides of the light passages to provide sharply defined circular lighted areas on the front faces of the panels and that since the light passages are closed by the plates on opposite ends thereof, the display apparatus may be used in areas of strong air or wind currents, as, for example, outdoors.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A display device including: an elongate horizontally extending substantially vertical panel, said vertical panel having a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse light passages extending therethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intersecting said light passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined by upwardly facing first support surface means of said panel and a lower portion defined by a second upwardly facing support surface means of said panel; and a closure member in each of said cavities and movable between an inoperative position wherein said closure is spaced from its associated light passage and supported by one of said upwardly facing support surface means and an operative position wherein said closure member is positioned in said cavity closing its associated light passage and supported by the other of said support surface means. 7

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said passages are arranged in a predetermined array.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein said panel has slide surfaces engageable by said closures for directing said closures to said support surface means to be supported thereby in one of said operative and inoperative positions upon the movement of said panel rearwardly and downwardly and then forwardly and upwardly.

4. The display device of claim 3; and operator means for moving each of said closures from one of said operative and inoperative positions to the other.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein said operator means includes electromagnetic means operatively associated with said closure members, said closures being of a magnetic substance.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein said light passages are arranged in groups of vertical spaced columns and horizontal spaced rows.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein said operator means comprises a plurality of electromagnets disposed in predetermined alignment with said cavities, said operator means and said display panel being mounted for movement relative to one another for causing said operator means and said closures in one of said columns and rows to move sequentially relative to one another.

8. The display device of claim 7, and control means operatively associated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to movesaid closures between said operative and inoperative positions as each one of said columns and rows of said light passages moves toward alignment with said electromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open light passages of said panel to present predetermined visual information.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein said control means includes a plurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relation to said one of said columns and rows of light passages to cause said control means to be placed in condition to enable said electromagnets to be energized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined aligned relation with said closures operatively associated with said one of said columns and rows of said light passages.

10. The display device of Claim 9, wherein said index means comprises light reflective means on said panel, light emitting means for directing light at said reflective means and a light responsive means for receiving the light reflected from said reflective means for producing a control signal.

11. The display device of Claim 1, wherein said light passages are below said support surface means of said panel.

112. The display device of claim 1 wherein said panel is provided with a plurality of air passages opening to said cavities whereby a jet of air introduced to said air passages may move the closure members in the cavities from one of their operative and inoperative positions to the other.

113. The display device of claim 1, wherein said lower portion of each of said cavities intersects the light passage, said closure member being in its inoperative position when in the upper portion of said cavity and supported by said first support surface means and in its operative position when in the lower position of said cavity and supported by said second upwardly facing support surface means.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper portions of said cavity intersects its associated'light passage, each closure member being in its operative position when in said upper portion of its cavity and supported by said first support surface means and in its inoperative position when in the lower portion of said cavity and supported by said second support surface means.

15. The display device of claim 1, and light diffusing means on one side of said panel closing said light passages at said one side whereby light transmitted through the light passages from the other side of the panel appears as lighted areas on said light diffusing means at said one side.

16. The display device of claim 15, and a second light diffusing means on the other side of said panel closing said light passages at said other side.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein said panel is comprised of a plurality horizontally alignedsections adjacent panel sections having vertical overlapping side portions to prevent passage of light between adjacent panel sections.

18. A display apparatus including: a display assembly including a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to form an endless belt; means for moving said display assembly in a closed path having a front vertical view-portion, a rear vertical portion, a top portion between the top ends of the front and rear portions and a bottom portion between the bottom ends of the front and rear portions, each of said panels having a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse light passages extending therethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intercepting said light passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined by an upwardly facing support surface means of said panel, and closures in said cavities and movable between first upper positions wherein said closures are supported by said upwardly facing support means and second positions spaced from said first positions, said closure members closing their associated light passages when in one of said first and second positions; and operator means operatively associated with said display assembly for causing preselected closures of each of said panels to move from their first positions to their second positions to cause each of said panels as it moves upwardly into the front view portion of its path of movement to present predetermined visual information, said closures of each panel being moved by gravity to their first positions during the movement of the panel from the top end to the bottom end of the front portion of the path of movement.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein said passages of said panels are arranged in predetermined arrays.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein said panels have slide surfaces engageable by said closures for directing said closures to said support surface means to be supported thereby in said first positions upon the movement of said panels rearwardly and downwardly and then forwardly and upwardly.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein said operator means includes electromagnetic means operatively associated with closure members, said closure members being of a magnetic substance.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein said light passages are arranged in groups of vertical spaced columns and horizontal spaced rows. 7

23. The display devices of claim 22, wherein said operator means comprises a plurality of electromagnets disposed in a horizontal row and substantially aligned with the columns of light passages of said display panels, said panels being mounted for upward vertical movement relative to said electromagnets.

24. The display device of claim 23, and control means operatively associated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to move selected closures from said first to said second positions as each horizontal row of said light passages moves into alignment with said electromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open light passages to resent predetermined visual information. I

5. The display device of claim 24, wherein said control means includes a plurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relation to said rows of light passages of said panels to enable said electromagnets to be energized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined aligned relationship with closures of a row of light passages.

26. The display apparatus of claim 18, wherein said panels have light diffusing means on one side thereof closing the light passages thereof at said one side whereby light through the light passage from the other side of the panels appears as lighted areas on said light diffusing means at said one side.

27. The display apparatus of claim 26, and second light diffusing means on the other side of said panels closing the light passages thereof at said other side.

28. The display apparatus of claim 27, wherein each of said panels is comprised of a plurality of horizontally aligned sections, adjacent panel sections of each panel having vertical overlapping side portions and vertically aligned adjacent panel sections of adjacent panels having overlapping horizontally extending end portions to prevent passage of light between adjacent panel sections of each panel and between adjacent panels.

Claims

1. A display device including: an elongate horizontally extending substantially vertical panel, said vertical panel having a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse light passages extending therethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intersecting said light passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined by upwardly facing first support surface means of said panel and a lower portion defined by a second upwardly facing support surface means of said panel; and a closure member in each of said cavities and movable between an inoperative position wherein said closure is spaced from its associated light passage and supported by one of said upwardly facing support surface means and an operative position wherein said closure member is positioned in said cavity closing its associated light passage and supported by the other of said support surface means.

8. The display device of claim 7, and control means operatively associated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to move said closures between said operative and inoperative positions as each one of said columns and rows of said light passages moves toward alignment with said electromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open light passages of said panel to present predetermined visual information.

12. The display device of claim 1 wherein said panel is provided with a plurality of air passages opening to said cAvities whereby a jet of air introduced to said air passages may move the closure members in the cavities from one of their operative and inoperative positions to the other.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein said lower portion of each of said cavities intersects the light passage, said closure member being in its inoperative position when in the upper portion of said cavity and supported by said first support surface means and in its operative position when in the lower position of said cavity and supported by said second upwardly facing support surface means.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper portions of said cavity intersects its associated light passage, each closure member being in its operative position when in said upper portion of its cavity and supported by said first support surface means and in its inoperative position when in the lower portion of said cavity and supported by said second support surface means.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein said panel is comprised of a plurality horizontally aligned sections, adjacent panel sections having vertical overlapping side portions to prevent passage of light between adjacent panel sections.

18. A display apparatus including: a display assembly including a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotally connected to form an endless belt; means for moving said display assembly in a closed path having a front vertical view portion, a rear vertical portion, a top portion between the top ends of the front and rear portions and a bottom portion between the bottom ends of the front and rear portions, each of said panels having a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse light passages extending therethrough and a plurality of internal cavities intercepting said light passages, each of said cavities having an upper portion defined by an upwardly facing support surface means of said panel, and closures in said cavities and movable between first upper positions wherein said closures are supported by said upwardly facing support means and second positions spaced from said first positions, said closure members closing their associated light passages when in one of said first and second positions; and operator means operatively associated with said display assembly for causing preselected closures of each of said panels to move from their first positions to their second positions to cause each of said panels as it moves upwardly into the front view portion of its path of movement to present predetermined visual information, said closures of each panel being moved by gravity to their first positions during the movement of the panel from the top end to the bottom end of the front portion of the path of movement.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein said light passages are arranged in groups of vertical spaced columns and horizontal spaced rows.

24. The display device of claim 23, and control means operatively associated with said electromagnets for causing said electromagnets selectively to move selected closures from said first to said second positions as each horizontal row of said light passages moves into alignment with said electromagnets to cause the light transmitted through open light passages to present predetermined visual information.

25. The display device of claim 24, wherein said control means includes a plurality of index means carried by said panel in predetermined relation to said rows of light passages of said panels to enable said electromagnets to be energized only when said electromagnets are in predetermined aligned relationship with closures of a row of light passages.