Digital spring roll display device

Claim 1

A display device comprising a support structure including a planar portion having a display window and a rearward surface defining a plane, a spring roll positioned adjacent said rearward surface and being visible through said window, said spring roll including display characters along its length and comprising a thin strip of material having the property of tending to form coils at its opposite ends, means for supporting said spring roll adjacent said plane defined by said rearward surface of said planar portion, said means for supporting including a planar member having a planar forward surface positioned closely adjacent but rearwardly of said rearward surface, said planar member having spaced parallel edges, one of said curled opposite ends being supported rearwardly of one of said edges and the other of said curled opposite ends being supported rearwardly of the other of said edges, and means for preventing movement of the ends of said spring roll past said edges of said planar forward surface, said means for preventing movement including apertures formed in the ends of said spring roll and including a first pin joined to said one edge and projecting away from said one edge and a second pin joined to said other edge and projecting away from said other edge, one of said apertures in one end of said spring being adapted to slip over said first pin as said spring roll is translated in one direction until its end having the aperture is substantially uncoiled, and the other of said apertures in the opposite end of said spring roll being adapted to slip over said second pin as said spring roll is translated in a direction opposite to said one direction until said opposite end is substantially uncoiled.