US2122496A - Window display device - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1938.

L. G. SIMJIAN WINDOW DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 7,1957 :s sheets-sneet 1 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y y 5, 1938. L. G. SIMJIAN WINDOW DISPLAY DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. '7, 1937 INVENTOR IflZerGIJ'im i099, BY A TTORNEY Jul 5, 1938.

L. G. SIMJIAN WINDOW DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 7, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VEN TOR 111271 G'J ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1938 PATENT OFFICE WINDOW DISPLAY DEVICE Luther G. Simjian, Riverside, Conn.

Application December '7, 1937, Serial No. 178,475

15 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to the displaying of goods in store Windows and the like, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel window display device adapted for enabling a relatively large quantity of goods to be viewed through a relatively small window.

In high rent areas, the tendency is to reduce the size of store fronts so that the store windows thereof are very limited in area, with the result that but few goods can be displayed at a time,

which is highly objectionable inasmuch as the necessary inducement for bringing customers into the store is not present.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel window display device that serves, in effect, to convert a limited store window opening space into a multiple window opening' space, so that a Storekeeper having a small store frontage can exhibit his goods on the scale of a multiple store front window system.

Another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a novel window display device of the above character that is adapted to show the goods'individually and without the necessity of moving the same.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means for exhibiting a projected description of the goods to be displayed, on a screen, sothat' the customer will, know in advance what the next item tobe displayed is going to be, to-

gether with the price thereof, etc.

QStill another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting arrangement wherebyeach item to be displayed is most favorably illuminated,the lights and shadows being most suitable for exhibiting the item.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the invention is embodied in concrete form.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan View, partly in section, of the novelwindow display device of the present invention.

-- Fig. 2 is a sectional of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 isa view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 7 isa sectional view in elevation of a somewhat modified form of the invention.

Similar characters of reference are used in all of the above figures to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, the reference numeral I designates a store or other window, be-

view taken along line 22 hind which goods are to be displayed, said window being normally of somewhat small area so that but few goods could be displayed behind the same in the ordinary manner. The window space immediately to the rear of window I is shown as divided into two shallow display compartments 2, 3 and a central deep compartment or passage 4 extending quite some distance to the rear of window I. At the open sides of compartment or passage 4 there are provided a plurality of additional display compartments 5 to I2, inclusive, Within which goods are adapted to be displayed, facing toward the central compartment 4.

A movable carriage I 3, having wheels I4, is movable along tracks I5, I5 that extend along the length of the compartment 4. A vertical mir- IOI I6 has upper and lower trunnions 38, 38 pivotally mounted upon the carriage I3 for turning about a vertical axis so that the face of the mirror may be positioned at 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of compartment 4, whereby a person looking in through the window I may directly observe articles in compartments 5 to I2 by reflection from the mirror I 6. In Fig. 1, the mirror is shown positioned for displaying the goods in compartment 9. Lamps II are illustrated as installed upon the carriage I3 for illuminating the compartments 5 to I2, these lamps being provided with suitable reflectors I I for directing the light most favorably upon the goods displayed.

In order to move the carriage I3 along the tracks I5, I5, a motor I8 is provided. This motor is connected through worm and wheel reduction gearing I9 to a Geneva gear 20 having the driving pin 2| for operating in the slots, such as 34 and 35, of the cross member 20 of the gear. The cross member 20 is fixed upon a shaft 22 that is connected through spur gearing 23 for driving a sprocket shaft 24 having a sprocket 24' thereon driving the sprocket chain 25 extending longitudinally within compartment 4 and passing around an idler sprocket 26 at the forward portion of this compartment. The carriage I3 is connected to be driven by sprocket chain 25, as by a rod 2'! pivoted at its lower end as upon one of the pivotal pins of the sprocket chain, the said rod being adapted to slide vertically in a guide bearing 28 provided on the carriage I3, as the same passes around the sprockets 24', 26. Thus, as the motor I8 operates continuously in one direction, the Geneva gear 20 serves to drive the sprocket chain 25 so that carriage I3 is reciprocated in an intermittent manner forwardly and rearwardly within the compartment 4. The gearing is such that the carriage comes to rest opposite each of the compartments 5 to I2, 1. e., during the stationary periods of the Geneva cross member 20'.

In order that a description of the goods about to exhibited in each successive compartment may be given the prospective customers looking through window I, a motion picture projector 35 is shown mounted upon the carriage It at the rear thereof. In order that the projected picture produced by projector 38 may be seen from in front of the window l, the silver on mirror I5 is divided into narrow vertical strips that are mu- 1 tuaily spaced from one another, i. e., this mirror is half silvered, thereby allowing the picture projected upon the back of this mirror to be seen from in front of window I. The projector 32? is operated while the carriage It is in motion, so that as this carriage moves from one compartment to the next, the desired information is pro jected by the projector.

In order to control the operating motor 3| of the projector, suitable switching means is provided, operated from the Geneva gear Zll. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, the drive pin 23 of this gear is arranged to operate levers 32 and 32 of a start-stop switch 33 having the projection motor 3! in the circuit thereof In operation, assuming the carriage to be in the position shown in Fig. l, the mirror I6 is disposed for displaying the goods in compartment 9, the Geneva gear drive pin 2! having just moved out of the lower radial slot 34 of Geneva cross member 20 (see Fig. 4). While the goods are being thusly displayed, the pin 21 continues to move around until it enters the right hand upper slot 35 of cross member 29, thereupon starting to turn the gear 20' and effect rearward movement of the carriage It. Just as the pin 2! commences to enter the slot 35, it 'actuates lever 32 of switch 33, thereby causing the energization of film motor 3! and the deenergization of lamps El so that during the rearward movement of the carriage from the position opposite the compartment 5 to the position opposite the compartment 10, the projector is in operation, describing the goods which are about to appear in compartment In. On arriving oppcsite compartment H], the drive pin 2| has turned slot 35 downwardly into the position of slot 34 shown in Fig 4, and on leaving this slot, actuates the switch arm 32 to effect the deenergization of motor 3! and the illumination of lamps partment i9 are readily viewed from in front of window i.

After an interval, dependent upon the speed l2, the carriage will move rearwardly somewhat,

while the rod 27 passes upwardly around the rear sprocket 24', and while thus moving rearwardly, a lever arm 36 on mirror trunnion 33 is engaged and actuated by a stationary pin 37! positioned within the chamber 4, this pin serving to turn the mirror 15 upon carriage l3 from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 through 90 to the dotted line position shown therein, in which position the apparatus is ready for viewing the goods in compartment 8. While the rod 2'! was moving rearwardly around the sprocket 24, the projector 30 was also operating to inform the customer or observer of the nature of the goods in compartment 8.

ll so that the objectswithin the com- Continued operation of drive motor l8 now causes the carriage l3 to be advanced step by step from compartment 8 to compartment 5, displaying successively the goods in the compartments 5 to 8, while the pin 2'1, actuating the carriage, is connected to the upper run of sprocket chain 25.

After exhibiting the goods in compartment 5, the rod 2! moves forwardly somewhat and down around the sprocket 26, and in so doing, causes a pin 37 in compartment 4 to actuate the lever 36 and turn mirror It through 90 to its full line position preparatory to viewing the goods in compartments 9 to l2. Thus, the operation of the dispiay device is continuous and entirely automatic, the projector serving to give information of the nature of thegoods in each compartment prior to the actual arrival of the carriage opposite such compartment, and upon the arrival of the carriage thereat, the projector is shut off and the lights I! illuminated for displaying the goods.

In this way a large volume of goods may be displayed when only a relatively small show window'is available,

If desired, instead of operating the moving picture projector 38 while the carriage is moving from one compartment to another, a curtain or shade 39. may be operated .by a shade motor 40 (see Fig. 5) to block off the compartmentd during such movement of the carriage, in which case the entire surface of mirror 16 is silvered. This shade motor 46] in such case would be connected to switch 33 in lieu of motor 3|, as shown in Fig. 6. Upon the deenergization of the motor 40, the spring in the winding drum 4| of the shade would automatically withdraw the shade upwards so as to expose the compartment 4 to view.

In some instances may not be'desired to utilize much space to the rear of theiwindow for display purposes, as in Fig. 1, but it may be preferable to utilize space vertically for this purpose, as shown in Fig. '7. The apparatus in this figure is very similar to that of the preceding figures and corresponding parts are correspondingly numbered, with the exception that the carriage I3 is shown as moving vertically instead of horizontally and a permanent inclined mirror 42 is positioned to the rearof the Window I. Thus, a prospective customer, by looking through the window I, will see the goods in compartments 5 to l2 successively displayed. It would appear that further description of this form of the invention would be unnecessary.

As many changes could be madein 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. l

It will be obvious that instead of using a plurality of display compartments at each side of passage 4, but a single display compartment may be used at each side of this passage, and if desired, the carriage it may be moved-with a con tinuous instead of anintermittent motion; Also, the projector 30 may be mounted in a stationary position, as above the path of travel of the carriage, and may project upon the shade 39, if desired, in which case this shade could be made translucent, it being understood that this shade is connected as by straps or cords to motor '40 for operation by the latter.

What is claimed is:

1. In a display device, a plurality of display compartments, and a mirror movable from compartment tocompartment for reflecting the contents thereof for purposes of observation.

2. In a display device, means providing a viewing passage with compartments opening upon said passage, a mirror within said passage, and means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage so that the same comes to rest opposite each compartment for use in viewing the contents thereof.

3. In a display device, means providing a viewing passage with compartments opening upon said passage, a mirror within said passage, means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage so that the same comes to rest opposite each compartment for use in viewing the contents thereof, and means for orienting said mirror, whereby the same is suitably positioned for reflecting the contents of each compartment.

4. In combination, a show window and a display device therewithin, said device comprising a passage, compartments disposed along the sides of said passage, a carriage movable along said passage, and a mirror mounted on said carriage for reflecting the contents of said compartments along said passage for observation from in front of said show window.

5. In combination, a show window and .a display device therewithin, said device comprising a passage, compartments disposed along the sides of said passage, a carriage movable along said passage, a mirror mounted on said carriage for reflecting the contents of said compartments along said passage for-observation from in front of said show window, motive means for moving said carriage whereby the latter is brought to rest opposite each compartment, and means for turning said mirror, whereby the contents of the compartments on both sides of said passage are selectively viewed.

6. In a, window display device, means providing a passage with compartments opening upon said passage, 2. half silvered mirror within said passage, means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage whereby the same comes to rest for an interval opposite each compartment for reflecting the contents thereof along said passage, and a projection apparatus movable with said mirror and operable during such movement to project through said mirror and along said passage information as to the contents of said compartments.

7. In a window display device, means providing a passage with compartments opening upon said passage, a half silvered mirror within said passage, means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage whereby the same comes to rest for an interval opposite each compartment for reflecting the contents thereof along said passage, a projection apparatus mov able with said mirror and operable during such movement to project through said mirror and along said passage information as to the contents of said compartments, and switching means for stopping the operation of said projection apparatus while said mirror is at rest opposite a compartment.

8. In a display device for use in store windows, means providing a passage, a plurality of compartments facing upon opposite sides of said passage, a carriage movable along said passage, a mirror mounted on said carriage for reflecting the contents of said compartments along said passage, a motor drive for moving said carriage, and intermittent gearing included in said motor drive for temporarily arresting the movement of said carriage as said mirror arrives opposite each compartment.

9. In a display device for use in store windows, means providing a passage extending within the store from the window, a plurality of compartments facing upon opposite sides of said passage, a carriage movable along said passage, a mirror mounted on said carriage for reflecting the contents of said compartments along said passage, .a motor drive for moving said carriage, intermittent gearing included in said motor drive for temporarily arresting the movement of said carriage as said mirror arrives opposite each compartment, and means for turning said mirror with respect to said carriage at the limits of travel of said carriage, whereby said mirror enables the viewing of the compartments on both sides of said passage.

10. In a display device, means providing a viewing passage with compartments opening upon said passage, a mirror Within said passage, means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage so that the same comes to rest opposite each compartment for use in viewing the contents thereof, and a shade operated in synchronism with said mirror for closing off the view to said passage during movement of said mirror.

11. In a display device, a plurality of display compartments, a mirror movable intermittently from compartment to compartment for reflecting the contents thereof for purposes of observation, lamps movable with said mirror for illuminating said compartments, and means for energizing said lamps during the periods that said mirror is at rest adjacent said compartments.

12. In a display device, a plurality of display compartments, a mirror movable from compartment to compartment and having a period of rest at each compartment, a picture projector and lamps movable with said mirror, and means for operating said picture projector during the periods of movement of said mirror and for en ergizing said lamps during periods of rest of said mirror.

13. In a display device, means providing a passage, a display compartment opening upon said passage, and a mirror movable along said passage and having its face extending at an angle to the length thereof for projecting an image of the contents of said compartment along said passage.

14. A display device as defined in claim 13, wherein a second mirror is positioned so as to intercept said image and to reflect the same to a desired point for observation.

15. In a window display device, means providing a passage with compartments opening upon said passage, a mirror within said passage, means for moving said mirror in intermittent steps along said passage whereby the same comes to rest for an interval opposite each compartment for reflecting the contents thereof along said passage, and a projection apparatus operable during such movement to project information as to the contents of said compartments.

LUTHER G. SIMJIAN.

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