US1906413A - Display device - Google Patents

Description

May 2, 1933. c J. QUlLL 1,906,413

' DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1932 wa e-Z0 Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CHARLES J. QUTLL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA nrsrLAY nnvrcn Application filed February 19, 1932. v SerialhNo. 594,104.

illuminate through the container walls, yet I be completely protected from the weather, or outside interference, means being provided, preferably through the journals of a container, if the latter is rotatable, to connect the tube to a source of electricity. I

Other objects and advantages are to provide a display sign that will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation, and facility and convenience in .use'and general efliciency.

" In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to such form, because it may be embodied in 6 other forms; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. l is a sectional view of a barber pole on astandard. I

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail View of one of the pole journals, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a modified form of pole journal mounting.

Fig. 4 is another modified form of the pole journal. v 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmental, perspective View of a modified container or barber pole.

In its general organization my invention consists of an attachment for barber poles of the standard design, whereby the usual stripes of the barber pole are formed by illuminated tubes containing rarefied gas or the likefcolored similarly to tubes of neon yp A transformer or the like electrical con- I nection isprovided to readily fit into the usual barber pole standard to connect the tubes to the electric circuit of the barber pole.

In effect, therefore, by the use of this in,- vention the usual barber pole may be transformed'into a pole wherein the stripes are formed by illuminated tubes of the neon type. This change can be readily achieved without any material changes in the usual construe.-

tion of the standard and pole, andwith a, comparatively small expense. i

In detail my invention includes a standar 6, having a cylindrical transparent wall 7 within which is disposed a concentric pole 8. The pole 8 may be stationary or it maybe rotatable. In this illustration I show the 7 pole 8 rotatably journaled in ball bearings 9 which latter are supported on fixed members of the standard 6 in the usual manner:

Rotation is imparted to the pole 8 by a driving mechanism 11 drivingly connected to a stub shaft in the bottom 13 of'the pole 8.

The pole 8 is cylindrical and hollow. Opposite the bottom 13 at the other end of the pole 8 is a top 14. Both the bottom 13 and the top 14 are circular discs, on which the hollow cylindrical pole 8 is mounted. From the top 14 extends a stubshaft 16. A cross pin 17 is inserted through the inner or lower end of the shaft 16 and through an aperture in a central hub of the top disc 14 soas to firmly secure the shaft 16' and the top 14 together. On the upper end of the shaft 16 is a collar 18 resting on the upper ball bearing 9 in which the shaft 16 is secured. A shaft 19 similarly secured to the bottom 13 is mounted in the lower bearing 9.

The cylinder 8 may be made of transparent material such as glass, or cellophane, or it may be made of metal with spiral perforationsor openings into which glass or cellophane is-inserted, 'T'ubes 21 filled with rarefied gas are disposed within the interior of the cylinder 8. The tubes 21 are bent into spiral shape to conform to" the strip-es on a barber pole, or to the perforated stripes of 100 the cylinder 8. The tubes 21 are connected in series with each other at 22, at the lower ends thereof. The upper electrode 23 of one tube 21 is connected to a wire which is extended into the hollow shaft 16 and connected to the inner race of the upper ball bearing 9.

The upper electrode 24 of the other tube 21 is connected by a wire 26 to the lower shaft 19 and to the inner race of the lower ball bearing 9.

A suitable transformer 27 is stationa-rily mounted on a bracket 28 in the top of the standard 6. A terminal. of the transformer 27 is connected to the stationary outer race of the upper ball bearing 9, while another terminal of the transformer 27 is connected by a wire 29 to the stationary outer race of the lower ball bearing 9. The intake termi- .nals of the transformer 27 are connected to the light circuit of the barber pole. The wire 29 is extended through the wall bracket 31 of the standard 6 and is concealed therein.

Thus a weather proof contact is established from the transformer 27 through the bearings 9 and shafts 18 and 19 to the tubes 21. The ball bearings 9 are insulated from the standard 6 by insulating washers 32. The

lower shaft 19 is also suitably insulated from the driving mechanism 11. The tubes are .colored red, and blue, with white stripes therebetween as of the usual barber poles.

In the modified shaft mounting shown in Fig. .3, the shaft 19 is extended between downwardly protruding ears 32 of a bottom .disc 13 and is drivingly secured thereto by a pin 33. On the inner or upper face of the bottom 13 is a socket cap 34 into which the upper end of the shaft 19 extends.

A modified form of insulationand support for the shaft 9 from the driving mech- .anism 11 is shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the shaft 19, in this form, is extended into a socket 36 .of a driving element 37 made of insulating material. A transverse slot 38 is formed in said element 37 into which fits a cross pin 39 secured in the end of the shaft 19, so that the shaft 19 may be readily disassembled by lifting it out of said socket 36. A lower ball bearing 11 is supported above the .driving element in which the shaft 19 is mounted in the manner heretofore set forth.

In Fig. 5 I show a cylinder 42 made of either metal, .or glass, or other suitable material, and is provided with ring-like indentations or grooves 43 on its outer periphery, in which fit separate ring-like tubes 21 to provide the colored decorative stripes re- .quired for the pole. The tubes 21 are connected in multiple series with each other, so as to be adapted to be illuminated in steps. Any of the forms of my invention may be readily assembled on barber poles of the usual design without necessitating a bulky, entirely new barber pole, for use in connection with illumination of the type heretofore set forth.

It is to be noted that my invention may be constructed with parallelly arranged wing shaped tubes wound around the red and blue stripes of the barber pole, either on the inside, or on the outside, where the pole is not transparent. The ring shaped tubes are then connected in the manner heretofore set forth, to a transformer or connected in multiple series with the secondary terminals of small individual transformers. The connection between the rotary element and the stationarytransformers may be accomplished in the manner set forth, or in any other conventional way.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is 1. In a barber pole, a perforated drum, the perforations of said drum being arranged to correspond to the usual stripes of the barber pole, tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas arranged within the pole at said perforations, and being formed to conform to the outline of said perforations, and means to connect said tubes to ,a source of electricity.

2. The combination with a rotary hollow barber pole of a usual design, which is transparent at least at its portions forming the usual stripes of the pole, and a standard on which the pole is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends of the pole,

a plurality of tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas, being arranged inside of the hollow pole to conform to the shapes of the respective stripes, means on the standard outside of the pole electrically connected in series with the tubes through parent at least at its portions forming the usual stripes of the pole, and a standard on which the pole is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends of the pole, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas being arranged inside of the hollow pole to conform to the shapes of the respective stripes, means on the standard outside of the pole electrically connected in series with the tubes through said bearings to connect the tubes to a source of electricity, said means including a transformer station-arily supported on the standard outside of the barber pole. 7

4. In a rotary barber pole having gas filled illuminating tubes thereon, bearings in which nect the ,rota'ryparts of saidbearings and to the respective tubes to rotate with the pole, the stationary and rotary parts of the bearings being electric conductors to complete a circuit therethrough.

5. In a display device, a perforated drum, the perforations of said drum being arranged in a selected manner, tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas arranged within the device at said perforations, and being for-med to conform to the outline of said perforations, and means to connect said tubes to a source of electricity.

6. The combination with a rotary display device having translucent portions thruout the length thereof, and a standard on which the display device is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends of the display device, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas, being arranged inside of the display device to conform to the shapes of the translucent portions, means on the standard outside of the display device electrically connected in series with the tubes through said bearings to connect the tubes to a source of electricity.

7 The combination with a rotary display device having translucent portions thruout the length thereof, and a standard on which the display device is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends of the display device, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefied gas being arranged inside of the display device to conform to the shapes of the translucent portions, means on the standard outside of the display device electrically connected in series with the tubes through said bearings to connect the tubes to a source of electricity, said means including a transformer stationarily supported on the standard outside of the display device.

8. In a rotary display device having gas filled illuminating tubes thereon, bearings in which the display device is journaled, and electrical connections leading to the stationary parts of said bearings and leading from and to a source of electricity, and electrical connections to connect the rotary parts of said bearings to the respective tubes to rotate with the device, the stationary and rotary parts of the bearings being electric conductors to complete a circuit therethrough.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 26th day of January, 1932.

CHARLES J. QUILL.

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