US1108989A - Bulletin-board. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS M.

HENRY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., nssielwlu, Bx MEsim, Als siemaniws, r0

MABEL CRANE BAKER, or sramronn, CONNECTICUT,

Original application filed. July 19, 1906, Serial No. 326.854. Divided and this 1910; Serial No. 538,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS M. HENRY, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bulletin-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bulletin boards for communicating news to the public, and refers more particularly to devices for reproducing the results of a. baseball, football or other athletic game or event by indicating the travel or positions of'certain of the factors therein in such manner as Will enable the public or spectators to readily understand and follow the same, and is a division of my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed July 19th, 1906,.Serial No. 326,854. A'prime object of this invention is to pro-' vide electrical or other signals, with appropriate connections therefor, comprising, for instance, the equipping of such device in any of the embodiments of this invention.

with a plurality of series of electric light bulbs leading radially from various significant positions which are directl or indirectly thereon indicated (such as, or illustratio'n, a series from the point, among others, lqiown as the pitchers box in a device for reproducing a base-ball game). 'A further additional feature .whichwould admit of proper installation in this invem tion would be to place a single electric light bulb at each of certain positions, such as, in a device for reproducing a baseball game, the positionsknown as 1st base, 2nd base 3rd base and home.

' features could be introduced in accordance with the concept of this invention, such as,

.for example, signals adapted to be operable singly or with reference to their arrange- F b i t of this iTlVBntiQn i t 'e s I is shown on supporting-member 4 (Fig. 1) a 'mentin related groups, instances whereof in a device for reproducing a baseball game would reside in the ordinarily-accepteddisposition of strike, ball and out groups. A preferable correlated feature of this invention would be to provide a switch, switching means or the like, so constructed as to be within reach of an operator and to be operable to actuate as desired one or more of said series, by lighting and unlighting, for example, progressively in. forward or reverse order. the units of one 01" Specification of Letterslatent.

mentioned- Furtheri lar parts Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

application filed January 14, i

more of series, the operation of which means with reference to. the several series being independent or simultaneous. A further desirable feature would be to provide means to operate the above-mentioned isolated or grouped signals.

An object is to provide a device of th above cracter which will occupy a minimum amount of space wherever employed,

111 part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly-consists in the features of construction, combinations of. elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the description here-- inafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein 1s shown a possible embodiment'of this invention which would be provided with certain of the features above-mentioned and which would be adapted to reproduce the results of a baseball game: Figure 1 is av front elevation of a signal-carrying member adapted to be exposed to the public; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of; a member carrying various operating means and adapted tobe placed within reach of an operator; Fig. 3

is a detail view of one of the operating units of'the device illustrated in Fig, 2, being a section taken on the line w-a2 of said last- Similar-reference characters refer to simi- -throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now particularly to the emdiagrammatic arrangement of electric light bulbs, so disposed that they constitute a plurality of the series above-mentioned and out line the paths of travel of the playing fac-, tors, by formiiwint'erconnectors between the cc F, cc cc 7:, cc n, Foul and-Passed ball. For greater clearness, the points ffH and 1, 1, and cc 2 ,7 cc 2 a, and cc 3 a an ac H a: d

- n and 1 aresh'own in the sawing; as

connected by dotted lines. There are also shown on member 4 individual bulbs, of slightly larger size, at the points H 1 2 and 3 which, while forming units in certain of the series above-mentioned,

are yet capable of independent operation, through means hereinafter described. There is also shown on said member 4 a plurality of bulb groups, inscribed Balls, Strikes and Outs There is also shown on said member 4, beneath the position marked C a pocket 5, attached to member 4, and adapted to receive therein cards or placards 6, to indicate, for example, the player at bat. There is shown. on member 7 (Fig. 2) a possible means of controlling the illuminations 'of the bulbs on member 4, adapted to. operate through the circuits shown, which circuits will be described hereinafter.

The controlling or switching means shown for operating the series-bulbs will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that member 7 is shown as being comprised by the walls 8 and 9. Wall 9 has aflixed thereto as shown insulating material as at 10. Wall 8 is provided with a plurality of grooves (as at 11, Figs. 2 and 3,shown in solid black in the former figure, since they there expose portionsof insulating material 10), the arrangement of which grooves, as shown in Fig. 2, bears a diagrammatic resemblance to the arrangement of the series-bulbs in Fig. 1. An additional groove 12 is shown as depending from grooves 11, which is adapted to accommodate a plurality of bridging-devices 13. Referring to Fig. 3, each'of said bridging-devices is shown as being comprised by a slide-piece 14 which rides in side-grooves .15 and carries therein a pushpin 16 normally held as shown through the action of spring 17. Push-pin 16 is restrained from further upward movement by the provision of shoulder 18 on the same. Push-pin 16 carries at its lower end, fixedly positioned therein, a crom-member 19 which is adapted, upon the depression of push-pin 16, to bridge bus-bar 20 and a contact 21 (see also Fig. 3, where wall 8 is shown as broken away, thereby exposing, as well as insulation 10, a bus-bar 20 and its set of contacts 21). Push-pin 16 is shown as having insulation at 22. There are shown five bridging-devices 13, which may be used simultaneously, if desired, to operate the appropriate bulbs to indicate the simultaneous movements of the ball from any point and of a player from each of the points marked H, 1 2 and 3 With the pushpin 16 in its normal position, any one of the bridging-devices 13 may be guided to any point on the groove-diagram whence a series is to be operated, and thereafter, by depressing said push-pin the forward travel in its respectively groove of bridging-device 13 will bridge the appropriate bus-bar in succession with the units in its attendant line of contacts, thereby lighting and unlighting through the proper circuits, which will be described hereinafter, the bulb-units in the bulb-series cor-.

.bar 20 and the contact 21 corresponding to such bulb are bridged. Thus, taking bulb 0, for instance, its circuit would be traceable as follows: from the battery through wires 23 and 23 to the bus-bar 20, thence across a bridging-device 13 assumed to be properly in position, thence to the appropriate contact 21, thence through wire 24 to bulb 0 and through the same, and thence through wire 25 back to the battery. Wires 26, 27, 28; 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 are links in the circuits for the marked 1, a, I), (Z, 6, f, g, and H, and correspond to the link 24 in the circuit for the bulb marked 0, the other sections of the said circuits being common to all of the bulbs above-mentioned. There are also shown possible switching means for the bulbs 1 2 3 and H, independent of the switching means just described. These comprise switches as at 1, 2', 3 and H, shown in'Fig. 2. For purpose of simplicity, the circuit only for the bulb 1 is shown, comprising the wire 23 to the point 34, thence the wire 35 to the switch and through the same, and thence the wires 26.

and 37 to bulb 1 and through the same, and thence through wire 25 back to the battery. It is of course understood that each bulbs respectively of the similar circuits for the bulbs 2,

3 and H would comprise in part a separate lead from wire '23 (similar to the lead 35 to the switch 1') and a separate return to wire 26 (similar to the return 36 from the switch 1). There are also shown possible switching means for the ball, strike and out bulbs. These comprise in part wires 38 and in part wires' 39 and 25. Between the sections of the present-discussed circuit comprising for the one section said wire 38 and for the other section said wires 39 and 25, are interposed the appropriate bulbs marked respectively Balls Strikes and Outs (Fig. 1). the appropriate switches marked respectively Balls Strikes and Outs (Fig. 2), and the appropriate circuit sections marked respectively as groups 40, 41 and 42.

The operation of the device should be obvious from the above description, and it is merely necessary to say that in accordance with information received, either telephonic,

telegraphic or otherwise, the operator stabe retained; some parts might be employed without the others and new features thereof may be combined with elements old in the art in devious ways, although the herein described types are regarded as embodying substantial modifications. I

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of'language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus of the class described,

adapted to reproduce graphically a ball game in'combination, a member carrying the representation of a field, and a plurality of closely associated ligths extending between difierent positions on the field, the game which is being reproduced adapted to indicate by their progressive luminosity in certain series certain features of the game which is being reproduced.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a member carrying the representation of a field, and a plurality of closely associated lights leading radially from different significant positions on the field adapted to indicate by their luminosity certain features of an event or the progress of certain factors therein.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination; a member carrying the representation of a field, a plurality of lights to indicate certain positions on the field, and a plurality of closely associated lights arranged in series adapted to indicate by their progressive luminosity, in series certain features of an event or the progress of factors therein.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a member carrying the representation ,of a field, and electrical means adapted to be more prominently displayed in progressive series to indicate the progress of certain factors appropriate to said field and at substantially any point of the field.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a member carrying the representation of a field, electric signals disposed thereon in series, and switching means for actuating progressively the units of one or more of said series independently or simultaneously.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, a member carrying the representation of a field, a plurality of series of closely associated lights arranged in straight lines between certain designated positions on the field adapted to indicate by their progressive luminosity in certain series certain features of an event, and switching means for actuating progressively the units of one or more of said series.

7. An apparatus of the class described, in

ball field, electric lights disposed thereon in a plurality of series, each series consisting of terminal lights and a plurality of lights between said terminal lights and positioned in a straight line with said terminal lights and switching members for actuating the individual lights progressively ineach of the series,

10. In a ball game bulletin, the combination of a wall having on the exposed face thereof a field representation and a plurality of series of lamps extending in different directions over the field, a plurality of series of contact points positioned at a point removed from the exposed field representation and arranged to bear a diagrammatic resemblance to the arrangement of the plurality of series of lamps, and a contact member successively movable from one contact point to another throughout a particular series to successively illuminate the lamps of a correspondingly arranged series on the field representation.

11. In a ball game bulletin, the combination of a wall having on the one surface thereof a field representation, a plurality of' series of lighting devices extending between,

different positions on the field, a plurality of series of contact points positioned at a point beyond the field representation, and arranged to bear a diagrammatic resemblance to the arrangement of the plurality.

erate the lighting devices of a correspond ingly arranged series on the field represen tation.

12. In a ball game bulletin, the combination of a wall having upon an exposed surface thereof a ball field representation, and a plurality of series of lamps extending in different directions over the field representation, and means for successively lighting the lamps of any particular series whereby to progressively indicate the movement of a factor of a game, said means including -a plurality of guide grooves bearing a dia grammatic resemblance to the arrangement of the plurality of series of lamps, contact points arranged substantially parallel to the grooves and in electric connection with the lamps on the field representation, and an operating contact member arranged to move along said grooves to successively establish connection between the contact points and the lamps whereby to light the latter.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS M. HENRY.

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