OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an advertising display device which provides a cylindrical shaped assembly, rotatably journaled on a fluorescent light tube, said assembly providing a translucent tubular wall and opposed end caps fixed thereto.

Another object of this invention is to mount the flourescent light tube and cylindrical assembly within a housing, having a front opening.

A further object of this invention is to provide means along the length of the outer surface of the tubular wall to removably attach thereto a plurality of sheets containing any desired indicia.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide means to index the cylinder in a manner so as to sequentially move the indicia carrying sheets into registration with the front opening for a predetermined period of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the advertising display device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device with the front bezel removed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are a series of schematic illustrations of the indexing sequence of the indicia carrying cylinder of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINS

With reference to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the various views and with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the present invention includes a main housing 10 comprised of top and bottom walls 12 and 14, opposed end walls 16 and 18 and a back wall 20, provided with vent slots 21. A front bezel 22 is sized to conform with the front edges of the top, bottom and side walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 and includes a pair of inwardly extending side flange extensions 24 (one shown in FIG. 1) for attachment by screws 26 to the respective side walls 16 and 18.

The bezel may be of any decorative design, however, as illustrated, it includes top, bottom and opposed side, inwardly converging wall portions 28, 30, 32 and 34 to an elongated central opening 36 and an inset bottom panel 38.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, an interior chamber 40 is defined by the main housing 10 and a pair of inner side plates 42 and 44 are slidably received in upper and lower pairs of grooves 46 and 48 formed integral with the top and bottom walls 12 and 14 adjacent each side wall 16 and 18. The side plates 42 and 44 are spaced somewhat inwardly of the respective side walls 16 and 18. Each side plate 42 and 44 is fixed by a pair of nut and bolt connections 50 to its respective side wall and is spaced therefrom by spacer sleeves 52 and 54 carried on the bolts between the respective plates 42, 44 and side walls 16, 18.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, an electric light source such as the fluorescent light tube 56 is disposed longitudinally through the interior chamber 40. A first end of fluorescent tube 56 is engaged in a first terminal 58 fixed in any convenient manner to side plate 42 and the second end thereof is engaged in a second terminal 60 carried by side plate 44 within a cam means which will be subsequently described.

A cylindrical, indicia display assembly 62 is rotatably journaled on the fluorescent tube 56 by means of opposed end caps 64 and 66, each of which is provided with an axial through hole 68 (FIG. 3), for reception of the fluorescent tube 56. An elongated, translucent, tubular member 70 preferably formed of a suitable plastic material, FIGS. 3 and 4, extends between the end caps 64 and 66 in an axial relation to the fluorescent light tube 56. The translucent tube 70 is fixed at its respective ends to the end caps 64 and 66 as indicated at 72 in FIG. 3, relative to end cap 66.

A plurality of elongated strips 74, four illustrated, longitudinally extend in a fixed, parallel, equally spaced apart relation along the outer surface of the translucent tube 70. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the opposed ends 76 and 78 of each strip are captivated in recesses 80 and 82 in the respective end caps 64 and 66. With reference to FIG. 3, the opposed longitudinal edges of each strip 74 are undercut as at 84 and 86 to removably receive the opposed longitudinal edge portions 88 and 90 of the four indicia carrying sheets 92 which are preferably formed of a suitable, flexible, thin plastic material. The sheets 92 extend the full length of the drum between the inner annular edges of the end caps 64 and 66 and are readily exchangeable. Alternatively, two or more indicia sheets which are properly proportioned lengthwisely may be removably inserted between two longitudinal strips 74. If desired, relatively narrow, flexible divider strips may be inserted therebetween.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, an indexing drive means is indicated generally at 94. A four tooth ratchet 96 is formed integral with the end cap 66 and a cam member 98 is fixed to the plate 44 as by screws 100 or by any other convenient means. A motor and speed reducer assembly 102, fixed to the housing 10 as at 104, drives a gear 106 in engagement with a driven gear 108. As best seen in FIG. 4, the driven gear 108 is rotatably journaled on the fluorescent light tube and terminal assembly 56 and 60, and includes an outwardly extending annular flange 110 journaled within the cam member 98.

Referring to FIG. 2, the driven gear 108 carries a cam follower 112 and a pawl 114 on opposite sides thereof. Said cam follower 112 and pawl are rigidly fixed to a common pin 116 rotatably journaled through the gear 108. The cam follower 112 is constantly tensioned against the surface of the cam member 98 by a helical spring 118 circumposed about the cam follower sleeve and providing extended end portions 120 and 122 connecting the spring 118 between the driven gear 108 and cam follower 112. The movements of pawl 114, therefore, conform with the movements of the cam follower 112.

With reference to the series of schematic illustrations of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the operation of the cam follower and pawl with reference to the ratchet 96 and cam member 98 will be described in detail. The cam member 98 provides a high portion 120 which is substantially longer than a low portion 122. When the nose portion 124 of the cam follower enters into engagement with the low 122 as in FIG. 6, the pawl 114 moves into position to engage one tooth 96a as in FIG. 6. Continued counterclockwise movement of the driven gear 108 rotates the cylinder 62 by means of the pawl engagement with ratchet tooth 96a until the cam nose portion emerges from the low 122 onto the high as in FIG. 7. The pawl 114 thereupon automatically becomes disengaged from ratchet tooth 96a after rotational movement of the ratchet and cylinder through ninety degrees.

As seen in FIG. 8, the nose 124 of cam follower 114 is approaching the low 122 which is sized to move the pawl 114 inwardly in a timed relation to engage ratchet tooth 96b and to move it to the position of tooth 96a in FIG. 7.

Therefore, it can be seen that one complete rotation of driven gear 108, rotates the display cylinder through ninety degrees to place one of the indicia sheets in registration with bezel opening 36 for three quarters of the period of time required for one complete rotation of said driven gear 108.

As seen in FIG. 2, a pair of spring loaded plunger members 130 are slidably engaged on studs 132, fixed to plate 42 as at 134 to maintain the cylinder 62 in its proper longitudinal position on the flourescent light bulb 56.

Transverse stiffening strips such as 136 and 138 are integrally molded with and along the inside faces of the top and bottom walls 12 and 14. The strips 136 and 138 terminate in short outer pin portions 140 to support the edges 142 and 144 of top and bottom flanges of bezel 22.

Wedge shaped support legs 146 and 148 are integrally molded with the bottom wall adjacent the respective side walls 16 and 18.

A hanger chain 150, FIG. 2, may be anchored to upstanding studs 152 and 154 adjacent the respective ends of the housing 12. Inwardly projecting screw threaded portions of the studs receive fastening bolts 156.

Various changes and modifications in shape, size and proportions of the device can be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the speed of the motor drive to the driven gear may be varied, the diameter of the cylinder 62 may be increased, the number of indicia sheets 92 may be decreased or increased, to eight for example, the number of cam lows 122 may be one, two or more for each rotation of the cam follower and pawl, with a proportionate increase in the number of ratchet teeth 96 and indicia display sheets on the cylinder 62.