Patent US3569778A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3569778A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical display systems
Assignee: Douglas Leigh Inc
•
Filing: 1969-05-22
•
Granted: 1971-03-09
•
Expires: 1989-05-22
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus comprises an outdoor advertising sign composed of a multiplicity of electric lamps arranged in a given design and operated to provide a plurality of light effects by a multiplicity of alternating current bidirectional triode thyristors known as Triacs, whose operations are controlled by a motion picture film, a motion picture projector and a multiplicity of photocells connected to the Triacs and arranged to receive light rays from the projector.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J Leverte
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 21:18
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F9/00; G09F9/30; G09F9/307; G09F13/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
An outdoor advertising installation comprising an outdoor advertising sign composed of a multiplicity of electric lamps arranged in paired relation in a plurality of rows, rectifying means connected to each pair of lamps, a triac connected to each pair of lamps through said rectifying means, a gate control circuit for each triac including a photocell connected to a source of direct current, said triacs and said photocells being arranged in separate panels, a source of alternating current of a given cycle having one terminal thereof connected through said triacs to said pairs of lamps and through said triacs supplying successive positive half cycles of a single electric wave to one of the lamps in each pair thereof and successive negative half cycles of such single wave to the other lamp in each pair thereof, a projector having a film provided with frames for projecting light to said panel of photocells to actuate said triacs to cause half cycles of said waves of alternating current from said source to pass therethrough to said paired lamps, said film being treated to provide opaque portions in the frames thereof capable of controlling the projection of light to said photocell panel so as to cause said triacs to control the passage of such half waves to said paired lamps, said projector including a constant speed motor connected to said source of alternating current, and means driven by said motor for feeding the frames of the film intermittently through said projector in synchronism with the half cycles of alternating current from said source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
258 words
An outdoor advertising installation comprising an outdoor advertising sign composed of a multiplicity of electric lamps arranged in paired relation in a plurality of rows, rectifying means connected to each pair of lamps, a triac connected to each pair of lamps through said rectifying means, a gate control circuit for each triac including a photocell connected to a source of direct current, said triacs and said photocells being arranged in separate panels, a source of alternating current of a given cycle having one terminal thereof connected through said triacs to said pairs of lamps and through said triacs supplying successive positive half cycles of a single electric wave to one of the lamps in each pair thereof and successive negative half cycles of such single wave to the other lamp in each pair thereof, a projector having a film provided with frames for projecting light to said panel of photocells to actuate said triacs to cause half cycles of said waves of alternating current from said source to pass therethrough to said paired lamps, said film being treated to provide opaque portions in the frames thereof capable of controlling the projection of light to said photocell panel so as to cause said triacs to control the passage of such half waves to said paired lamps, said projector including a constant speed motor connected to said source of alternating current, and means driven by said motor for feeding the frames of the film intermittently through said projector in synchronism with the half cycles of alternating current from said source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claim 1, in which one of the lamps in each of the pairs thereof in at least one portion of said sign is constructed to give a light of one color, and the other lamp in such pair is constructed to give a light of a different color, and in which said film is treated to maintain the lamps of each color illuminated in such sign portion for periods long enough to permit the passage of a plurality of frames of said film through said projector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claim 1, in which one of the lamps in said pairs thereof is constructed to give a light of one color, and the other lamp in said pairs thereof is constructed to give a light of another color complementary to said one color so that when both lamps in pairs thereof are illuminated there is produced a third color, and in which said film is treated to produce the illumination of one, or the other, or both lamps in pairs thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claim 1, in which the rows of lamps are each constituted of a plurality of paired lamps arranged in single file, and in which those lamps of the pairs in each row supplied with positive half cycle current are staggered with those lamps in the adjacent rows similarly supplied and in alignment with those lamps in the adjacent rows supplied with negative half cycle current.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claim 1, in which said rectifying means comprise a pair of diodes, one of said diodes in each pair having its cathode connected to one of the lamps in the associated pair thereof, and the other of said diodes in such pair having its anode connected to the other lamp in such pair thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claim 2, in which said film frames are provided with advertising matter capable of controlling the projection of light to said panel of photocells so that the paired lamps in said sign reproduce in color on said sign the advertising matter provided on said film frames.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
An outdoor advertising installation as defined in claiM 1, in which said means for feeding the frames of the film in synchronism with the half cycles of current supplied by said source, comprise film-feeding means engageable with the film, means for intermittently driving said film-feeding means, and a timing belt drive connecting said constant speed motor to said driving means and constructed to provide nonslip power transmission from said motor to said driving means, said driving means and timing belt drive being constructed and arranged to advance the film frames intermediate successive half cycles of the current from said course.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |