Magnetically operated sign

In a magnetically operated indicating sign including a generally vertically oriented panel and a plurality of magnetically operated indicating devices, each indicating device comprising a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a generally horizontally extending core and an electric coil for producing at one end of the core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or of opposite polarity depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet having a magnetic axis and opposed poles of opposite polarity for producing respectively thereat magnetic fields of corresponding opposed polarity, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet adjacent to and in alignment with said one end of said core of the electromagnet about a generally horizontal axis of rotation which is between the poles generally parallel to said panel and perpendicular to the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet and which is perpendicular to the centerline of said one end of the core, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereof to react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet about the axis of rotation between substantially opposite angular positions with the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet substantially parallel to the centerline of said one end of the core of the electromagnet, an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof secured to said permanent magnet and rotatably mounted for rotation with said permanent magnet about said axis of rotation between said substantially opposite angular positions to present one or the other of said contrasting surfaces to view, the improvement wherein each said permanent magnet and associated indicating element is located forwardly of said panel and confronts the outer end of said core, said axis of rotation of each permanent magnet and indicating element being parallel to said panel and offset upwardly from the axial centerline of said core, the shape of the forward end of said core and the magnetic pole containing ends of said permanent magnet being such as to bring the magnetic axis of said permanent magnet parallel to the axial center line of said core, and stop means for limiting rotation of the permanent magnet about its axis of rotation substantially short of one of said opposite angular positions thereof where the magnetic axis thereof is inclined to the axial center line of the core while permitting said permanent magnet to reach the other angular position where said magnetic axis is parallel to said axial centerline of the core, said upward offset of and said axis of rotation of the permanent magnet providing an upwardly directed force thereon when the coil of the electromagnet is energized to rotate the permanent magnet and the indicating element to its opposite angular position.

In a magnetically operated sign including a plurality of magnetically operated indicating devices, each indicating device comprising a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at the end of said core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or the other depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet confronting each core and having a magnetic axis extending between opposite magnetic poles, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet about an axis of rotation which is between the poles thereof, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon momentary energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereof to react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet about said axis of rotation to a position where one pole or the other thereof confronts the end of the associated core, and an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof secured to each permanent magnet and mounted for rotation with said permanent magnet about said axis of rotation, to present one or the other of said contrasting surfaces to view, depending upon which pole of said permanent magnet confronts the associated core, the improvement comprising:

• a plurality of spaced apart elongated supporting strips extending perpendicularly to the axes of rotation of the permanent magnets and indicating elements and located adjacent to each permanent magnet, a plurality of pivot pins extending perpendicularly to the elongated supporting strips and secured thereto and forming the axes of rotation for the permanent magnets and indicating elements, means for rotatably mounting the permanent magnets and indicating elements on said pivot pins, and a plurality of elongated spacers parallel to the pivot pins and laterally spaced therefrom and extending longitudinally between the spaced apart supporting strips for maintaining the spacing therebetween, said elongated spacers also providing stop means for limiting rotation of the permanent magnets and indicating elements about their axes of rotation.

In a magnetically operated sign including a plurality of magnetically operated indicating devices, each indicating device comprising a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at the end of said core from said panel when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or the other depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet confronting each core and having a magnetic axis extending between opposite magnetic poles, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet about an axis of rotation which is between the poles thereof, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon momentary energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereof to react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet about said axis of rotation to a position where one pole or the other thereof confronts the end of the associated core, and an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof secured to each permanent magnet and rotatably mounted for rotation with said permanent magnet about said axis of rotation, to present one or the other of said contrasting surfaces to view, depending upon which pole of said permanent magnet confronts the associated core, the improvement wherein each said indicating element comprises an indicating disc having said contrasting appearing surfaces on the opposite faces thereof, each permanent magnet has a slot for receiving an edge of the indicating disc in the slot of the permanent magnet receiving the disc.

In a magnetically operated indicating device comprising:

• a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at one end of the core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or of opposite polarity depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet having a magnetic axis extending between opposite poles, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet in confronting relation to only said one end of said core of the electromagnet at the axially facing side thereof and about an axis of rotation which is between the poles and perpendicular to the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet and which is perpendicular to the axial centerline of said one end of the core, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon momentary energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereto react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet about the axis of rotation toward substantially opposite angular positions where the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet is substantially parallel to the axial centerline of said one end of the core of the electromagnet, an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite faces thereof and secured to said permanent magnet for rotation therewith about said axis of rotation to present one or the other of said contrasting appearing surfaces to view, the improvement wherein said axis of rotation of the permanent magnet and indicating element is offset from the centerline of said one end of the core of the electromagnet to offset the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet with respect to the centerline of said core, the shape of the forward end of said core and the magnetic pole containing ends of said permanent magnet being such as to tend to bring the magnetic axis of said permanent magnet parallel to the axial centerline of said core, and stop means for limiting rotation of the permanent magnet about its axis of rotation substantially short of one of said opposite angular positions thereof so the magnetic axis thereof is inclined to the axial centerline of the core while permitting said permanent magnet to reach the other angular position where said magnetic axis is parallel to said axial centerline of the core, said offset of and said limiting of rotation torques for the permanent magnet when the coil of the electromagnet is energized in a direction to rotate the permanent magnet and the indicating element in an opposite direction from that it was previously rotated.

A magnetically operated indicating device comprising a permanent magnet having a magnetic axis extending between opposite magnetic poles, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet about an axis of rotation which is transverse to and between the poles, an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite faces thereof and secured to one axial end of said permanent magnet and mounted for rotation with said permanent magnet about said axis of rotation between said substantially opposite angular positions to present one or the other of said constrasting appearing surfaces to view, a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at one end of the core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or of opposite polarity depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, said core having only one leg confronting said permanent magnet, and stop means for limiting rotation of the permanent magnet about its axis of rotation substantially short of one of said opposite angular positions thereof where the magnetic axis thereof is inclined to the axial centerline of the core while permitting said permanent magnet to reach the other angular position where said magnetic axis is parallel to but offset from said axial centerline of the core, said offset of and said limiting of rotation of the permanent magnet providing an initial rotating torque for the permanent magnet when the coil of the electromagnet is energized in the opposite direction to rotate the permanent magnet and the indicating element in the opposite direction from the direction it was previously rotated.

In a magnetically operated sign including support means for supporting a plurality of magnetically operated indicating devices carried by the support means to provide groups of aligned indicating devices, each indicating device comprising a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at one end of the core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or of opposite polarity depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet having a magnetic axis and poles of opposite polarity for producing respectively thereat magnetic fields of corresponding opposed polarity, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet adjacent to and in alignment with said one end of said core of the electromagnet, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereof to react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet between substantially opposite angular position, an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof secured to said permanent magnet for rotation therewith, the improvement wherein corresponding indicating elements and associated permanent magnets in the aligned groups of indicating devices are pivotably supported on a common pivot pin, each pivot pin being supported by supporting strips secured to and carried by aligned electromagnets of one of said aligned groups of indicating devices.

In a magnetically operated sign including support means for supporting a plurality of magnetically operated indicating devices carried by the support means to provide groups of aligned indicating devices, each indicating device comprising a reversibly energizable electromagnet having a core and an electric coil for producing at one end of the core when the electric coil is energized a magnetic field which is of one polarity or of opposite polarity depending upon the direction of energization of the electric coil, a permanent magnet having a magnetic axis and poles of opposite polarity for producing respectively thereat magnetic fields of corresponding opposed polarity, means for rotatably mounting said permanent magnet adjacent to and in alignment with said one end of said core of the electromagnet, the electric coil of the electromagnet upon energization thereof in one direction or the other causing the magnetic fields produced at said one end of the core thereof to react with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to rotate the permanent magnet between substantially opposite angular positions, an indicating element having contrasting appearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof secured to said permanent magnet for rotation therewith, the improvement wherein corresponding indicating elements and associated permanent magnets in the aligned groups of indicating devices are pivotably supported on a common pivot pin, each pivot pin being supported by means providing aligned pivot pin-receiving apertures, each pivot pin being supported in said apertures for axial insertion or removal, and means for retaining each pivot pin in said aligned apertures comprising laterally projecting means near one end of each pivot pin which prevents axial inward movement of the pivot pin and a swivel mounted member bearing against said one end of each pivot pin to prevent axial outward movement of said pivot pin.