Method and apparatus for construction of an electromagnetically operated sign

Claim 1

IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SIGN MADE UP OF AN ARRAY OF INDIVIDUAL, REVERSIBLE, INDICIA-FORMING ELEMENTS, CONTRASTINGLY COLOURED ON REVERSE SIDES, EACH CONTROLLABLE BY THE POLES OF AN ELECTROMAGNET, A PLURALITY OF WIRES FOR ENERGIZATION OF SAID ELECTROMAGNETS, EACH WIRE CORRESPONDING TO A DESIRED PATTERN FOR THE ARRAY, THE METHOD, OF PROVIDING FOR THE SELECTIVE ENERGIZATION BY EACH WIRE OF SAID ELECTROMAGNETS COMPRISING; PROVIDING A BIGHT IN EACH WIRE, WHEREBY IN THE TWO STRANDS OF SAID WIRE ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID BIGHT CURRENT TRAVELLING THEREIN WOULD BE TRAVELLING IN OPPOSED DIRECTIONS, LOCATING SAID BIGHTS IN APPROXIMATE ALIGNMENT, SELECTING A GIVEN ELECTROMAGNET FOR CONTROLLING A PREDETERMINED ELEMENT IN AN ARRAY, SELECTIVELY BUT CONCURRENTLY DISPLACING ONE STRAND OF EACH OF SAID WIRES IN ONE DIRECTION, AND THE OTHER STRAND OF EACH OF SAID WIRES IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, SAID SELECTION BEING CHOSEN IN THE CASE OF EACH WIRE TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED POLARITY FOR EACH ELECTROMAGNET TO PRODUCE THE PATTERN CORRESPONDING TO THE WIRE, GATHERING THE STRANDS OF WIRES ORIENTED IN ONE OF SAID DIRECTIONS AND LOCATING THEM ON ONE SIDE OF AT LEAST ONE EXTENT OF SAID ELECTROMAGNET AND LOCATING THE OTHER SET OF WIRES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID AT LEAST ONE EXTENT.