US1906046A - Electrical control system - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1933. B Jt CHROMY 1,906,046

ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed May 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d IN V EN TOR. @my A @fz/M BY di NORA/EY?.

April 25, 1933- B. J. cHRoMY Y A 1,906,046

ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed May 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

' spective view Patented Apr. 25, 1933 vBEN' J. CHROH'Y, OF HOIPKINS, MINNESOTA,

NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEM Original application led Hay 28, 1929. Serial No. 365,534. Divided and this application led July 12,

1930. Serial No. 467,602.

This invention relates broadly to electrical apparatus and more specifically to electrically operated illuminating devices of the glow discharge device type.

This ap lication is a division of m application, erial No. 365,534, filed May 23, 1929 for electrical appliances.

An object of this invention is to pro.

vide an arrangement for intermittently interrupting and establishing predetermined electrical circuits through glow discharge devices employed in illuminating systems.

Another object of this invention is to pro- Vide an arrangement for intermittently interrupting and establishing the electrical circuitthrough successive portions of a glow discharge device unit.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement for rendering successive portions of a glow discharge device illuminating system successively dark.

A further object of this invention is to provide an arrangement for .intermittently causing different sections of a plurality of adjacent glowdischarge devices having different gasestherein to glow intermittently.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a multiple arrangement of glow discharge tubes connected to an electrical control apparatus for selectively energizing said glow discharge tubes.

Other objects and` features of this invention will be understood from the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a selective control circuit for the system of my invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through one form of switching mechanism which may be employed in the` apparatus of my invention; Fig. `4 1s a perof the switching mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the solenoid mechanism and the means for restoring the armature associated therewith; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the switch mechanism which is actuated when the armature is shifted to its extreme lower position.l

According to this invention a glow discharge device of the type employed in electric signs for advertising or other purposes is causedto flash or flicker in accordance with a predetermined pattern to produce certain desirable and attractive effects.

An electric circuit interrupting mechanism is' employed in conjunction with the glow discharge device4 to connect certain electrodes associated with the glow discharge device into circuit at predetermined intervals whereby sections of the device are periodically energized and cle-energized. Through the use of'this invention a dark spot or portion may be caused to travel along the glow discharge device whereby a moving eect may be produced in the illuminated sign. Other effects in which multi-colored glow discharge devices of the intermittenly illuminated variety are employed may be produced by using, for eX- ample, a plurality of transparent tubes each filled with a diiierent gas or gases, such as neon, argon, helium, nitrogen, krypton, etc. Gases to which small quantities of readily volatile materials, such as mercury, sodium, potassium, lithium, etc., have been added may also be employed in the glow discharge display devices made in accordance with this invention to produce different pleasing and attractive effects.

Referring to the drawings I have illustrated by reference character 119 a plurality of glow discharge devices each of which is filled with a different gas for producing light rays of a different color. A plurality of transparent tubes 120, 121 ,and 122 -are provided in the glow lamp 119. Each of the tubes 120, 121 and 122 is filled with a different light emitting gas or mixture of gases and readily ionizable materials. Electrodes 120a, 1206, 120e, 12006 and 120e are provided in the tube 120; electrodes 121a, 1216, 121e, 1210? and 121e are provided in tube 121 and electrodes 122m 1226, 1220, 122fZ and 122e are provided in tube 122. The electrodes 120e, 121e and 122a are connected to a terminal of the secondary 125 of the transformer 123, the primary 124 of which is energized by the source 126. Taps of AssIGNoR To wrnnn Immo, INC.; or

selected voltage on the secondary 125 are connected to the segments 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 1.40, etc., of the circuit making and breaking device 127. Connections are provided between the segment 129 and the electrode 1226, between the segment 130 and the electrodes 121?) and 1210, between the segment 131 and the electrodes 1201 1210 and 122d, between the segment 132 and the electrodes 120e, 121d and 122e, and between the segment 133 and electrodes 120d and 121e, etc.

In operation when the brush or contact arm 128 is caused to establish contact between segments 135 and 129, the portion between electrodes 122a and 1221 of tube 122 is caused to glow. When the arm 128 is advanced and contacts with segments 130 and 136 the portions between electrodes 122e and 1220 and between electrodes 121@ and 1215 of tubes 122 and 121 respectively are caused to glow and as the arm 128 is advanced tosegments 131and 137 the portions between electrodes 122@ and 1226i, between electrodes 121@ and 1210 and between electrodes 120m and 120?) of tubes 122, 121 and 120, respectively are caused to glow. This operation is advanced until the whole glow lamp 119 is emitting light when the lamp is caused to become dark and the operation repeated. The lamp becomes dark when `the arm 128 of the circuit making and breaking device 127 is out of connection with contact segments 135-140 and 129-134, etc. and prior to the commencef ment of the succeeding cycle when the arm 128 of the circuit making and breaking device again establishes connection with the successive contact segments. The tube 122 is illed with a gas that is more readily ionizable than the gases used4 in tubes 121 and 120.

The switching arrangement 127 may be made up of two discs having a plurality of 'segments over which arm 128 is periodically driven as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 or it may be in the form of a relay system such as illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view with parts shown partially in cross-section and illustrating one arrangement of the switching mechanism illustrated in Fig. l. The mechanism shown is to be considered entirely in the illustrative sense and not in a limited sense. In the form of the switching mechanism shown, the motor 172 which is supported with respect to base 173 as illustrated, is arranged to drive rotatable shaft 174 journaled in bearings 175. Shaft 174 has a radially extending insulated member 17 6 thereon which carries the conductive arm 12.8. The arm 128 as heretofore described provides a shunt path between sets ofv contacts 135- 140 and 129-134. The contacts are carried by insulated discs 177 and 178 supported with respect to base 173, between which arm 128 moves. The arrangement of the mechanism is shown more clearly in Fig. 4 from which it will be observed that conductive arm 128 passes perlodically over the sets of contact segments and passes over sets of contact segments free. During this latter portion of the travel of conductive arm 128, the lamp is dark.

Where the relay system illustrated in Fig. 2 is employed to operate the display system illustrated in Fig. 1, the contacts 159 are connected to correspond to the segments 129 and 135, contacts 160 to correspond to segments 130 and 136 etc. A source of current supply 153 is connected to each of the sections 142,143, 144, 145 and 146 of the solenoid 141. Connections are also provided between the contacts 154, 155, 156, 157 and 158 4and the sections of the solenoid. A piston 152 operating in cylinder 151 is connected to the armature 147 so that more uniform operation of the relay is obtained. The piston and cylinder arrangement is also employed to return the armature 147 to its open circuit position with the aid of spring 170 which normally tends to raise armature 147 in its eXtreme upper position. A contactor 149, of metallic material, such as copper or brass, is mounted upon the rod 148 which is of insulating material. A second contactor 150 also of metallic material is mounted upon the contactor 149. The contactor 150 is insulated Jfrom the contactor 149.

In operation the section 142 of the solenoid 141 is energized and the plunger of the armature 147 is caused to be pulled int-o the center of the section 142 whereupon the contactor 150 engages the contact 155 and the section 143 is energized. The armature 147 is drawn further into the solenoid 141 and the contactor 149 is caused to engage the contacts 160 while the contactor 150 closes the circuit between the source of current supply 153 and the section 144. This operation is continued untilthe armature is drawn all the way down into vthe solenoid 141 as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, at which time the piston 152 engages -a member 164 which is of insulating material connected to arm 165@ and opens the circuit of the source of current supply 153 and the section 146 of the solenoid 141 at contacts 165 by movement of arm 165a against the action of spring 171. The armature 147 is then returned to its original starting position by aid of spring 170 shown more clearly in Fig. 5 and the contactor 149 engages the member 164 and the circuit between the source of current supply 153 and the solenoid 141 is established through the contacts 165.

It is` of course, apparent that the piston and cylinder arrangement 151 and 152 may be replaced by a spring of the proper tenwhich are left electricallyj l cause of the increased and that, this invention to the exact details as set forth in the foregoing specification except in so far as they are defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1. In systems of the class described, the combination of a y devices each having different color, emission characteristics positioned adjacent to each other in different parallel paths, each of said glow discharge devices containing a gaseous medium having a diiferent ionizing potential, a source of current supply for selectively ionizing the gaseous medium in each of said glow discharge devices, means for interrupting and establishing the circuit between selected sections of each of said glow discharge devices and said source of current supply, in predetermined order,- and means for impressing different potentials across the diferent sections of said glow discharge devices.

2. In a visual display system, a multiplicity of parallel extending tubes of transparent material, a plurality of glow dischar e electrodes positioned at'spaced intervalsln each 'of said tubes, gases of diferent color characteristics saturatin said tubes, and

means for applying dlerent potentialsA across separate sets of said electrodes in each of said parallel extending tubes for producing ionizing [effects in predetermined order in differing parts of said tubes for producing a redetermined composite color effect for e ing to a particular pattern.

' 3. In a visual display system, a transpari ent envelop divided into a pluralityof lon gitudinally a multiplicity of glow discharge electrodes disposed at spaced intervals along each of sai chambers, said chambers each containing gases of different color characteristics and means for extending chambers,

plurality of glow discharge eating a visualdisplay accorddevices positioned adjacent to each other in imlnediatel adjacent parallel paths, a milltiplicity ofyseparate electrodes ldisposed at spaced intervals in each of said devices, means for energizing selected sets of the electrodes in said glow discharge devices in accordance with a predetermined pattern, separate sections of said glow discharge devices being `energized at different potentials, and a gas of different color characteristics in each of said glow discharge devices for combining the discharge effects of all of said devices. I

In'testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

' BEN J. CHROMY.

selectively energizing selected sets of said electrodes indifferent parts of said cha-mbers with different ionizing potentials for effecting discharge in diiering parts of said parallel extending chambers in predetermined orderfor producing a composite color effect according to a prearranged pattern;

4. In systems `.of the class described,.the

4combination of a plurality of glow discharge

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