May 2, 1933.
`
`C. J. QUILL
`DISPLAY DEVICE
`
`Filed Feb. 19, 1932
`
`1,906,413
`
`Lutron Electronics Co. EX1015
`U.S. Patent No. 10,294,717
`
`0001
`
`

`

`Patented May 2, 1933
`
`1,906,413
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
`
`CHARLES J. QUILL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
`
`DISPLAY DEVICE
`
`10
`
`25
`
`65
`
`Application filed February 19, 1932. Serial N'o. 594,104.
`lumina ted tubes containing· rarefied o·as or
`the like, colored similarly to tubes of neon
`type.
`A transformer. or the like electrical con~
`nection is provided to readily fit into the 55
`usual bar beT pole standard to connect. the
`tubes to the electric circuit of the ba1;ber pole.
`In_ effect, therefore,. by the use of this in,(cid:173)
`ventwn !he usual barber pole may be trans(cid:173)
`forme~ mt_o a J?Ole wher·ein the stripes are 60
`for!nea by 1llummated tl~bes of theneori type.
`This change can be readily achieved without
`a_ny. material changes in the usual construe,.
`tlon of the standard and pole and with a
`comparatively small expense.
`'
`In detail my invention includes a standard
`6,_ h~ving .a cyli~drical transparent wall 7,
`withm which IS disposed a concentric pole 8.
`The pole 8 may ~e ~tationa~y or it may be
`rotatable.
`In tlns IllustratiOn I show the 10
`pol~ 8 rotatably journaled in ball bearings 9
`which latter ar·e supported ol1 fixed members
`of the standard 6 in the usual mariner;
`~~tation is imparted to the pole 8· by a
`drivmg mechanism 11 drivingly connected 75
`to a stub shaft in the bottom 13 of the pole 8.
`~he pole 8 is cylindrical and hollow. Op(cid:173)
`posite the bottom 13 ·at the other end of the
`pole 8 is a top 14. Both the bottom 13 and
`the top 14 are circular discs, on which the 80
`hollow cylindrical pole 8 is mounted. From
`the top 14 extends a stubshaft 16. A cross
`pin 17 is inserted through the inner or lower
`~nd of the shaft 16 and through an aperture
`m a central hub of the top disc 14 so. as to 85
`firmly secure the shaft 16 and the top 14
`~ogether. On the upper end of the shaft 16
`~s a covar 18. resting on the upper ball bear(cid:173)
`mg 9 m whrch the shaft 16 is secured.·· A
`shaft 19 similarly secured to the . bottom 13 90
`is mounted in the lower bearing 9.
`The cyl~nder 8 may be made of tra11spar-
`~nt matenal such as glass,: or ce.llophane, or
`I~ may cbe mac~e of !lletal with spiral perfora(cid:173)
`tions or openmgs mto which rrlass or cello- 95
`phane is inserted, Tubes 21 filled with rare-
`fied gas are disposed within the. interior.of
`the. cylinder 8. · The tubes 21 are bent into
`spiral. shape to conform to the stripes on .a
`barber pole, or to the perforated stripes of 100
`
`This invention relates to display signs and
`particularly to barber poles.
`The primary object of the invention is to
`provide an illuminated display sign employ-
`5 ing a hollow container, such as a barber pole,
`and illuminating tubes of the neon type in(cid:173)
`side of the container, to form illuminated
`stripes, the container being transparent at
`least at the location of its decorative stripes,
`and the tubes being formed to conform to the
`shape of the respective. stripes, thereby to
`illuminate through ·the container walls, yet
`be completely protected from the weather, or
`Hi outside interference, means being provided,
`preferably through the journals of a con(cid:173)
`tainer, if the latter is rotatable, to connect
`the tube to a source of electricity.
`Other objects and advantages are to pro-
`20 vide a display sign that will be superior in
`point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of con(cid:173)
`struction, positiveness of operation, and
`facility and convenience in use and general
`efficiency.
`In this specification and the annexed draw-
`ing, the invention is illustrated in the form
`considered to be the best, but it is to be un(cid:173)
`derstood that the invention is not limited to
`such form, because it may be embodied in
`30 other forms ; and it is also to be understood
`that in and by the claims followinrr the de(cid:173)
`scription, it is desired to cover the fuvention
`in whatsoever form it may be embodied.
`The invention is clearly illustrated in the
`35 accompanying drawino· wherein
`Fig. 1 is a sectional bview of i barber pole
`on a standard.
`·
`Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of one of
`the pole journals, the section beino- taken on
`40 the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
`. b
`Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a
`mod_ifiecl_form of pole j?urnal .mounting.
`Fig. 4 IS another modified form of the pole
`journal.
`·
`·Fig. 5 is a: fragmental, perspective view of
`a modified container or barberpole.
`In its general organization my invention
`consists of an attachment for barber poles of
`the .. standard design, whereby
`the usual
`stnpes of the barber pole are formed by il-
`
`45
`
`50
`
`0002
`
`

`

`i,906,4i3
`
`the cylinder 8. The tubes 21 are connected
`in series with each other at 22, at the lower
`ends thereof. The upper electrode 23 of one
`tube 21 is connected to a wire which is ex-
`5 tended into the hollow shaft 16 and con(cid:173)
`nected to the inner race of the upper ball
`bearing 9.
`The upper electrode 24 of the other tube
`21 is connected by a wire 26 to the lower
`10 shaft 19 and to the inner race of the lower
`ball bearing 9.
`A suitable transformer 27 is stationa.rily
`molmted on a bracket 28 in the top of the
`standard 6. A terminal of the transformer
`15 27 is connected to the stationary outer race
`o.f the upper ball bearing 9, while another
`terminal of the transformer 27 is connected
`by a wire 29 to the stationary outer race of
`the lower ball bearing 9. The intake termi-
`20 nals of the transformer 27 are connected to
`·· · .the light circuit ofthe barber pole. The wire
`29 is extended through the wall bracket 31
`o.f the standard 6 and is concealed therein.
`·Thus a weather pro.of contact is established
`.~5 from the transformer 27 through the bear(cid:173)
`.
`ings 9 and shaft-s 18 and 19 to the tubes 21.
`The ball bearings 9 are insulated from ~he
`.standard 6 by insulating _washers 32. The
`lower shaft 19 is also suitably insulated from
`;w the driving mechanism 11. The tubes are
`·
`,colored red, and blue, with white stripes
`therebetween as of the usual barber poles.
`:In the n10dified shaft mounting shown in
`Fig. a, the shaft 19 is extended betwe:en
`.?9 downw~rclly protruding ears 32 of a bottom
`.disc 13' and is c1riving1y secured :th.ereto by
`a pin i33. . On the inner or 'upper face of ,th.e
`bottom 13' is a socket cap 34 i_nto "\Vhich the
`up.per end of the shaft 19 extends.
`~9 A modified form of insulation . and sup-
`. port for the shaft 9 from the driving Jnech(cid:173)
`anism .11 is shown in Fig. 4. The lower end
`of the shaft 19, in this form, is extended into
`_a socket 36 of a driving element 37 made of
`-~ii insulating I;llaterial. A, transverse slot 38 is
`· formed in said element 37 into which :6.ts a
`cross pin 39 secured in the end o:f the shaft
`19, so that the shaft 19 may be readily disas(cid:173)
`sembled by lifting it out of said socket 36.
`lW A 1ow:er ball bearing 41 is supported above
`the .driving element in which the shaft 19 is
`mounted in the manner heretofore set forth.
`In Fig. · 5 I show a cylinder 42 made of
`. either metal, .or glass, or other suitable rna-
`55 terial,a;n.cl is p1~oviclecl with ring-like inclen.ta(cid:173)
`tions or grooves 43 on its outer periphery,
`in which. fit separate -ring-like tnbes 21 to
`provide the colored decorative stripes re(cid:173)
`_quir~d for the pole. The tubes 21 are con-
`f,iO nectecl in ml.1ltiple series with each other,
`so .as to be adapted to be illuminated in steps.
`Any of .the forms of my · :i;n..vention may be
`r~aclily assembled on barber poles of the
`usu~l design "\Vjthout necessitating a bulky,
`,G:i ,entirely new barber pole, for use in connec~
`
`tion with illumination of the type heretofore
`set forth.
`It is to be noted that my invention may
`be constructed with parallelly arranged wing
`shaped tubes wound around the reel and blue '10
`stripes of the barber pole, either on the in(cid:173)
`side, or on the outside, where the pole is
`not transparent. The ring shaped tubes are
`then connected in the manner heretofore set
`forth,to a transformer or connected in mul- '15
`tiple series with the secondary terminals of
`small individual transformers. The connec(cid:173)
`tion between the rotary element and the sta(cid:173)
`tionary transformers may be accomplished in
`the 1nanner s·et fotth, or in any other con- 80
`ventionalway.
`Having thus described this invention what
`I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat(cid:173)
`_ent is:
`1. In a barber .pole, a perforated drum, the 85
`perforations of said drum being arranged to
`correspond to the usual stripes of the barber
`pol~, tubes of light transmitting material con(cid:173)
`taining rarefied gas .arrangecl within the pole
`at said _perforations, and being formed to 90
`conform to the .outline of said perforations,
`and means to connect said tubes to a soui·ce
`o:f electricity.
`'
`2. The combination with a rotary hollow
`barber pole of a usual design, which is trans- 95
`parent at least at its portions forming the
`usual stripes of the pole, a.nd a standard on
`which the pole is rotatably suppor,tecl, of
`bearings for supporting the ends of the pole,
`a plurttlity of tubes of light transmitting ma- lOO
`terial containing rarefied gas, being arnmgecl
`inside of the hollow pole to conform .to the
`shapes of the respective stripes, means on
`the stan(lar,cl outside of the pole electrically
`-connected in .series wjth the tubes through 105
`said hearings to connect the tubes to a source
`of electricity.
`3. The · combination with a rotary hollow
`barber pole of a usual design, which is trans(cid:173)
`parent at least at its portions forming the 110
`usual stripes of the pole, and ·a standard on
`which the pole is rotatably supported, of
`bearings for supporting the ends ofthe pole,
`a plurality of tubes of light transmitting ma(cid:173)
`terial containing rarefied gas being arranged 115
`inside of the hollow pole to conform to the
`shapes of the respective stripes, means on the
`standard outside of the pole electrically con(cid:173)
`nected in series with the tubes through said
`bearings to connect the tubes to a source of l20
`electricity, said means including a trans(cid:173)
`former stationarily supported on the stand-
`ard outside of the barber pole.
`4. In a rotary barber pole having gas filled
`illuminating tubes thel'eon, bearings in which 12r;
`the pole is j ournaled, and electrical connec"
`tions lea.ding to the stationary parts of said
`beari;n.gs and leading fro:tn and to a source of
`electricity, and electrical connections to con(cid:173)
`:nect the rotnry parts of said bearings -and to "XJO
`
`0003
`
`

`

`1,906,413
`
`3
`
`5
`
`the respective tubes to rotate with the pole,
`the stationary and rotary parts of the bear(cid:173)
`ings being electric conductors to complete a
`circuit therethrough.
`5. In a display device, a perforated drum,
`the perforations of said drum being arranged
`in a selected manner, tubes of light transmit(cid:173)
`ting material containing rarefied gas ar(cid:173)
`ranged within the device at said perforations,
`10 and being formed to conform to the outline
`of said · perforations, and means to connect
`said tubes to a source of electricity.
`6. The combination with a rotary display
`device having translucent portions thruout
`15 the length thereof, and a standard on which
`the display device is rotatably supported, of
`bearings for supporting the ends of the dis(cid:173)
`play device, a plurality of tubes of light
`transmitting material containing rarefied
`20 gas, being arranged inside of the display de(cid:173)
`vice to conform to the shapes of the trans(cid:173)
`lucent portions, means on the standard out(cid:173)
`side of the display device electrically con(cid:173)
`nected in series with the tubes through said
`25 bearings to connect the tubes to a source of
`electricity.
`7. The combination with a rotary display
`device having translucent portions thruout
`the length thereof, and a standard on which
`30 the display device is rotatably supported, of
`bearings for supporting the ends of the dis(cid:173)
`play device, a plurality of tubes of light
`transmitting material containing rarefied gas
`being arranged inside of the display device
`35 to conform to the shapes of the translucent
`portions, means on the standard outside of
`the display device electrically connected · in
`series with the tubes through said bearings
`to connect the tubes to a source of electricity,
`40 said means including a transformer station(cid:173)
`arily supported on the standard outside of
`the display device.
`8. In a rotary display device having gas
`filled illuminating tubes thereon, bearings in
`45 which the display device is journaled, and
`electrical connections leading to the sta(cid:173)
`tionary parts of said bearings and leading
`from and to a source of electricity, and elec(cid:173)
`trical connections to connect the rotary parts
`50 of said bearings to the respective tubes to ro(cid:173)
`tate with the device, the stationary and ro(cid:173)
`tary parts of the bearings being electric con(cid:173)
`ductors to complete a circuit therethrough.
`In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set
`55 my hand at San Francisco, California, this
`26th clay of January, 1932.
`CHARLES J. QUILL.
`
`60
`
`65
`
`0004
`
`