Scanned electromechanical alphanumeric display

A display apparatus comprising:

• frame means for providing a matrix of rows and columns of openings in one plane of orientation, said frame means having a front surface forming a display surface for said display apparatus, and a rear or back surface;
• pairs of parallel support members rigidly mounted to said frame means behind said openings on the back surface of said frame means, said support members being parallel to one another in each associated row, and substantially identically oriented in each row relative to every other row of said matrix;
• a plurality of display elements rotationally mounted between each pair of support members, respectively, each element having first and second individually addressable display faces perpendicular to and joined to one another along a respective edge, for displaying either of said first and second faces through an associated opening of said frame means at a given time, and first and second ramp surfaces rigidly connected to the inside edges of said first and second faces, respectively, opposite said edges where said first and second faces are joined together, said first and second ramp surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly away from said first and second display faces, respectively;
• carriage means adapted for moving behind said display elements, at the area of said frame means, in a plane of travel both (1) juxtaposed and substantially parallel to the ones of said first and second ramps associated with nondisplayed ones of said first and second face, respectively, and (2)substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of said display elements;
• and
• actuator means mounted on said carriage means for selectively engaging particular ones of said first and second ramp means, for causing 90 degree rotation of the associated display elements in planes of rotation substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said carriage means, for changing the ones of said first and second faces being displayed to obtain a desired pattern of these faces for display.

A display element for a display apparatus, comprising:

• first and second display faces perpendicular to one another and joined along respective adjacent edges;
• left and right side walls relative to said first and second display faces, said left and right side wall providing mounting surfaces for rotationally mounting said display element;
• and
• first and second ramps located along inside edges of and extending substantially perpendicularly away from an inside surface of said first and second faces, respectively, said first and second ramps being receptive of a mechanical contacting force generated by an actuator sweeping thereacross for rotating said display element 90 degrees.