1. A self contained automatically operable mechanism for continuously displaying a plurality of units of indicia such as pictorial and reading matter to the public, said mechanism comprising: a. a housing having at least one viewing window; b. first and second reversible power driven rolls rotatably mounted inside said housing; c. a single electric drive motor for alternately driving said power driven rolls; d. mounting means for pivotabley mounting said drive motor to said housing; e. coupling means for selectively alternately coupling said drive motor to one of said power driven rolls, said coupling means comprising a single worm gear assembly rotated by said drive motor; f. a wide band of translucent flexible material end connected at a first end to one of said power driven rolls and end connected at the other end to the other of said power driven rolls, said band bearing the indicia thereon and having perforations along one edge thereof; g. means for retaining said band in spaced relationship to said at least one viewing window and for guiding the movement of said band within said housing from one of said power driven rolls to the other of said power driven rolls; h. means for engaging said coupling means to one of said power driven rolls, said engaging means comprising two opposite acting solenoids, an electric circuit for selectively energizing one of said solenoids and including first and second switch means, a cylindrical slug constrained to move axially into the energized one of said solenoids, a connecting member connecting said slug to said coupling means, and spring means for retaining said coupling means in firm engagement with the selected one of said power driven rolls; i. means attached along the length of said band and movable with said band for actuating the one of said switch means which said means has been moved into contact with by the movement of said band; j. electrically powered illumination means for providing alternating periods of illumination and non-illumination of the areas of said band appearing in said at Least one viewing window k. third switch means for selectively energizing said drive motor for moving said band so as to locate a unit thereof in the field of said at least one viewing window and de-energizing said drive motor for suspending the movement of said band for a predetermined fixed period of time and for synchronizing the illumination of said band and said fixed period of time the movement of said band is suspended, said switch means comprising 1. a sprocket wheel mounted on a shaft and in engagement with the perforations of said band, said sprocket wheel being rotated by the movement of said band, 2. a gear train driven by the shaft of said sprocket wheel, and 3. band switch means rotationally driven by said gear train for selectively suppling electrical power to said drive motor and said illumination means, said band switch means comprising a cylindrical base, said base including a first circumferential band having an electrically conductive area extending completely around the circumference thereof, a second circumferential band consisting of first and second coextensive areas, the first area consisting of an electrically conductive area extending substantially around the circumference thereof and the second area consisting of a nonconductive area abutting the conductive area, and a third circumferential band consisting of first and second coextensive areas, the first area consisting of a nonconductive area extending substantially around the circumference thereof and the second area consisting of a conductive area abutting the nonconductive area, the nonconductive area of said third band subtending substantially the same angular arc as the conductive area of said second band, said band switch means further comprising a first sliding contact in electrical contact with said first band for supplying electrical power thereto, first conductive means for electrically connecting said first band to the conductive areas of said second band and said third band, second conductor means for electrically connecting said second sliding contact to said drive motor for the normal intermittant energization and de-energization thereof, a third sliding contact in electrical contact with said third band, and third conductor means for electrically connecting said third sliding contact to said illumination means, whereby said third switch means is operatively driven by the movement of said band of flexible material; and 1. fourth switch means for re-energizing said drive motor, said fourth switch means comprising a second electric motor, a microswitch and means for connecting said microswitch to said second motor for the operation of said microswitch for supplying electrical power to said drive motor independently of said third switch means, said microswitch being operated so as to energize said drive motor for a sufficient time period so as to permit the resultant movement of said band of flexible material to operate said gear train for a time period sufficient to rotate said band switch means for the normal energizing of said drive motor.

2. a gear train driven by the shaft of said sprocket wheel, and

3. band switch means rotationally driven by said gear train for selectively suppling electrical power to said drive motor and said illumination means, said band switch means comprising a cylindrical base, said base including a first circumferential band having an electrically conductive area extending completely around the circumference thereof, a second circumferential band consisting of first and second coextensive areas, the first area consisting of an electrically conductive area extending substantially around the circumference thereof and the second area consisting of a nonconductive area abutting the conductive area, and a third circumferential band consisting of first and second coextensive areas, the first area consisting of a nonconductive area extending substantially around the circumference thereof and the second area consisting of a conductive area abutting the nonconductive area, the nonconductive area of said third band subtending substantially the same angular arc as the conductive area of said second band, said band switch means further comprising a first sliding contact in electrical contact with said first band for supplying electrical power thereto, first conductive means for electrically connecting said first band to the conductive areas of said second band and said third band, second conductor means for electrically connecting said second sliding contact to said drive motor for the normal intermittant energization and de-energization thereof, a third sliding contact in electrical contact with said third band, and third conductor means for electrically connecting said third sliding contact to said illumination means, whereby said third switch means is operatively driven by the movement of said band of flexible material; and