NUMERIC DISPLAY USING THREE ENDLESS BELTS

AFFICHAGE NUMERIQUE UTILISANT TROIS COURROLES SANS FIN

English Abstract

NUMERIC DISPLAY USING THREE ENDLESS BELTS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Any numeric display (0-9) can be obtained by
rotating the three endless belts to position the indicia on
each to combine with the others to form the desired numeral.
Each belt has a plurality of faces or display areas along
its length and is driven by a separate motor until a sensing
means determines the proper face is in display position.
The belts follow a serpentine path to permit the belts to be
housed in a frame about as high as the numeric readout. A
change in the readout can be programmed and initiated at a
remote location.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A numeric display device comprising
a housing having an open front,
three endless belts mounted in the housing in
side-by-side relationship with each belt reeved over
rollers in serpentine fashion with a continuous face
portion of each belt facing outwardly through the open
front of the housing,
each of the three belts having only five face
portions,
one of the belts having indicia on each of
its five face portions,
a second of the belts having indicia on four
face portions,
and a third of the belts having indicia on a
maximum of four face portions,
the remaining face portions of said second and
third belts being blank,
the indicia on the -three belts being combinable
in the open front to form any desired numeral from 0-9,
means driving each belt independently of the
others so as to enable the various face portions to be
positioned in the open front,
and guide means in the open front between
adjacent belts to guide the edges of each belt.

Description

6~
This inven-tion relates to nurneric display devices
in which the display can be changed from a remote location.
The -type d:isplay con-templa-ted here is relatively large.
In the past tapes bearing all the numera'.s have been used
but have had problems associated wi-th the great lenyth
of the tape and with the width of the tape (too much
unsupported area).
According to the present invention, there' is
provided a numeric display device having a housing with
a front opening and three endless belts mounted in the
housing in side-by-side relationship with each belt reeved
over rollers in serpentine fashion wi-th a con-tinuous face
portion of each belt facing outwardly through the open
fron-t of the housing. Each o:E the three belts has only
five face portions, and one of the belts has indicia on
each of its five face portions. A second oE the belts
has indicia on four face portions and a third of the belts
has indicia on a maximum of four face port~ons. The
remaining face portions of the second and third belts
are blank. The indicia on the three helts is combinable
in the open front to form any desired numeral from 0-9,
with means being provided for driving each belt independ--
en-tly of the others so as to enable the various face
portions to be positioned in the open front. Guide means
is provided in the open front between adjacent bel-ts to
guide the edges of each belt.
Any numeric display (0-9) can be obtained by
rota-ting the three endless belts -to position the indicia
on each to combine with -the o-thers to Eorm the desired
numeral.
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DESCRlPTION OE`_TIIF DR~WINGS
FicJ. 1 is a perspective view of- one type oE siyn
in which his inven-tion may be used to advan-tage.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one unit showing
the numeral 6 in the readou-t.
Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3--3 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the belt
and drive.
Fig. 5 is a "stretched" view of the three endless
belts laid out flat to show the indicia.
; Fig. 6 is a detail showing the belt guide
between adjacent belts.
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DE~SC~IPTION OE' T~-IE PE~E~ERRED EMBODIMENT
The sign sho-~n in Fig. 1 is well suited to use
adjacen~ highways since it stands 30 meters ox more high and
can be read at a great distance. In this inst~nce the
numeric display is the price of gasoline. The present design
is also suitable for display of any numeric readout such as
ilight numbers, etc. Each digit is formed by proper posi-
tioning of the indicia on three tapes. The housing 10
encloses a number of frames 12 corresponding to the number
of digits to be displayed~ The front of each frame is open
to display the tapes 14, 16, 18. Each tape is continuous
and is reeved o~er a roller 20 at the ~op front, passes under
a tensioning roller ~2, over a drive roller 24, to idler
rollers 26, 28, 30, 32 and then over roller 34 ~t ~he lower
front to make the exposed pass i.n the front of the frame to
roller 20. The drive roller 24 is drive~n b~ a mo~or 36, 38,
;-- 40 (as the case may be) through a belt 42.-
Each motor is separately energized to drive the
corresponding belt to its proper position to display the
desired indicia on that belt which, w~en combined with the
other displayed faces, will form the desired digit. The
motors are energized from a remote location at which the
desired digit is electrically selected whereupon the motors
drive the belts until each belt reaches the proper position
and the motor is de-energized. This type of positioning
circuitry is not unique and may take various fDrms depending
on the use of conductive strips on the inside of the tape or
perorations in the tape with suitable conductive ~Ifeelers~
sensin~ the proper position. The orm of cireuit employed
is not important to this invention and a detailed disclosure
thercof ~Jould only conuse tllc disclosurc o~ this inveltion.

Each of -the bel-ts has five face areas bearing
indicia as illustrated in Fig. 5. The following chart
illustrates the manner in which the faces are combined to
form numerals 0-9.
Belt ~ace 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ~ 9
. ~ ~ 1 I x -1~ =--=--
14~ 3-- - _ ~ X - X
- 4_ _ X - X X
lo - -51- - = X y -X X X -X X X
~ .. . _ X _ _ _
6 - 3 _ X _ _ _
4 X _
- X - ~ ~
2 -X = X _ _ = = _ X X =
~8 3 - _ _ _ X X _
4 _ - _ _
- _ 5- _ = -X = = = = =
.
The tapes or belts are preferably made of a tough
material such as a polyester film, which is sold under the
trade mark "Mylar" having good dimensional stability. The
edges are guided in channel shaped tracks 44 such as in
Fig. 3. The exposed face of the track is kept narrow to
minimize the gap between adjacent indicia. Rollers 20, 22,
26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 include flanges 46 at each end guiding
the belt. Each tensioning roller 22 is carried on a pivoted
arm and is loaded by spring 50 to tension the associated
belt. All the idler rollers (20, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) are
mounted on common shafts for independent movement
i.e. all rollers 20 are on a single shaft. Each drive
roller 24 is separately driven.
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The maxlmum time to change numbers is -the time to
change four panels (or face portions). If one were to use
a single belt with numerals 0-9, the maximum time to change
numbers would be the time to move nine panels -- 2.25 times
as long. Further, the length of a 10-digi-t belt to be
wound in the serpentine manner becomes difficult to house.
It will be noted that at least two belts must have
at least one blank face in order to display numeral 1. Thus,
as illustrated, belts 14 and 18 each have blanks at face 5
(also at face 4 in the case of belt 18). If numeral 1 is to
be made out of face 1 on belt 18, then belt 16 would require
a blank face (as would belt 14). The iilustrated form with
a centered numeral 1 and permit-ting the use of a serif is
preferred for better legibility.
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