Revolving sign drive equipment
United States Patent 1191 Patterson 1 i REVOLVING SIGN DRIVE EQUIPMENT [75] Inventor: Jared W. Patterson, Pasadena, Calif.  
 [73] Assignee: Roy E. Hanson, .Ir. Mfg., Los  
 Angeles, Calif.  
 [22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 392,740  
 [52] 0.8. CI 40/33; 40/145 R; 74/242.15 R  
 [51] Int. Cl. ...G09f 11/10 [58] Field of Search 40/33. 77, 30. 145 R, 77.4; 74/242.15 R  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.930.048 10/1933 Harding et a1. 40/33 2.283.153 5/1942 Koch .1 74/24115 R X 2,601,431 6/1952 Christie 74/24215 R X 2.808.669 10/1957 Look 40/33 3.027.736 4/1962 Smith 74/242.l5 R X 3.281.100 10/1966 Tamio Uemura et al.75/242.15 R X 3,427,738 2/1969 Bevan 40/77 X 3.462.866 8/1969 Dcnson 40/33 3.654.716 4/1972 Moss 40/33 Apr. 8, 1975 10/1973 Vanderstegen-Drake 74/242.15 R 3/1974 Van Wagenen et a1. 40/33 [57] ABSTRACT In pedestal mounted rotary commercial signs of the type comprising a revolving shell the interior of which is accessible through its openable top and driven by a motor contained within the shell at a location below its top, the motor is rendered removable from the shell for inspection, replacement or repair by providing the motor with a movable mount in the form of a pivoted base plate held in normal operating position by an auxiliary mechanism extending above the motor so as to be readily accessible through the open top, the auxiliary mechanism serving normally to retain the motor and base plate in driving association with a shellcontained extension of the pedestal and serving also to tension the motor drive connection with a speed reducer which in turn drives the pedestal extension.  
  4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 15&#39; 11 PATENIEBAPR ems SHEET 2 BF 2 REVOLVING SIGN DRIVE EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Commercial pedestal-supported rotary signs conventionally are made with hollow shells bearing the sign symbol and rotatably driven by motors contained within the sign distances below the tops of the shells sufficiently great as to render inconvenient access to the motor mounts for removal of the motors from the shells.  
  In a usual instance the motor is rigidly anchored within the shell well below any openable top of the shell so that access to the motor or its base at such times as the motor is to be removed for service, repair or replacement is made difficult. I  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these and other related inconveniences contained motor accommodations by associating with the motor a movable and removable base, and provid ing a release mechanism functioning normally to retain the motor and its base in operative driving position, but releasable to free the motor for removal. By positioning the release mechanism to extend above the motor assembly it becomes readily accessible through the open top of the shell, this release mechanism being capable of disassociation from the motor assembly as to be manually operable to release the motor for removal through the top of the shell.  
  More specifically the invention contemplates the combination of the motor with its base plate positioned at one side of an extension of the sign pedestal which is rotably driven by way of a speed reducer positioned at the opposite side of the extension. In this general combination environment with the motor having a driving connection with the speed reducer as by a flexible belt or chain, the release mechanism is adapted to serve the dual functions of releasably holding down the motor and tensioning its flexible driving connection with the speed reducer.  
  Generally these dual functions are accomplished by movably mounting the motor base plate so that oscillatory movement of the plate in one direction tensions the drive, and incorporating in the release mechanism spring urged means transmitting yielding force to the base plate.  
  Specifically contemplated is an arrangement in which the base plate is mounted for rocking movements on a platform supporting also the speed reducer and through which the driven pedestal extension passes, and positioning beyond or at one side of the oscillatory plate the release mechanism constructed to comprise a spring-urged plate-engaging sleeve which is releasable by manual access through the top of the shell to disengage the plate and free the plate and motor assembly for removal.  
  These and additional features and objectives of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing:  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a showing in perspective of the sign and pedestal structure as they appear in elevation;  
 inherent in the usual sheIl- FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the interior mechanisms in plan;  
  FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;  
  FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and  
  FIG. 5 is a section on line 55 of FIG. 3 showing the pedestal and associated guides.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION As seen in the drawings, a pedestal generally indicated at 10 supports a revolving sign II which includes a shell I2 having a removable or openable top I3 in the form of a closure plate. Merely as illustrative, the shell includes front and rear panels 14 and 15 respectively, opposite end walls 16, and a top wall 17 supporting the top closure I3. Depending upon the desired exposed sign area, panels 14 and 15 may be extended accordingly and laterally beyond the shell end walls I6. Illustrative sign symbols appear on the front wall in FIG. 1.  
  The sign 11 may also comprise a panel support frame, such as is shown to include upright corner members l8, and upper and lower transverse members 19 and 20. The latter supports a guide roller assembly that includes guide rollers 2I suitably carried by plates 22 attached to the member 20, so that as the sign rotates about and relative to the pedestal, the rollers engage and rotate about pedestal pipe section 23.  
  Section 23 supports a sleeve 24 carrying pedestal extension 25 projecting upwardly as shown, and on which the sign is supported for rotation via suitable bearings, the housings of which are indicated generally at 26 and 27. Such housings are suitably connected as at 28 and 29 to a transverse sign frame member 30, serving also as a platform. Member 30 is integral with uprights I8, as shown. A misalignment coupling is indicated at 60.  
  Contained within the shell 12 and below the openable top is a mount for an electric (or other type) motor 31, the mount characterized as releasable to permit removal of the motor from normal operating position through the open top of the shell. In the illustrated form of the invention, the mount includes a base plate 32 supported for movement by lugs 33 loosely extending downwardly and pivoting in openings 34 in a top flange 30a of member 30, to tilt or rock about that pivot (as for example counterclockwise upwardly and inwardly toward the pedestal extension 25). On the other hand, the weight of the motor urges the plate 32 downwardly, so that a drive belt or chain 35 is tensioned about the motor drive pulley 36 and about the larger diameter driven pully 37 associated with speed reducer 38.  
  The speed reducer is located at the opposite side of the pedestal relative to motor 31, and has suitable connection at 39 to structure 61 on platform 30. A sprocket 40 driven by the speed reducer entrains a chain 41 which extends about and meshes with a fixed sprocket 42 carried by the pedestal extension 25, so that the sign revolves about the latter by reaction force transmission. A brush assembly 43 carried by the sign incorporates brushes having slip engagement with the collector ring assembly 44 carried by the pedestal, to transmit electrical current from collector rings to the brushes for supply to the motor and sign lights as well as other electrical apparatus on the sign.  
  Of importance to the invention is the provision of release means extending above the motor and accessible through the open top for manual operation to release the motor mount enabling motor removal through the top of the sign. In the example, the release means generally indicated at 47 is offset to one side of the motor beyond the base plate 32, and includes a sleeve 48 urged downwardly by spring 49 for movement about an upright bolt 50 secured at 51 to the platform. Means is carried by the sleeve for releasable engagement with the motor base plate, such means in the example comprising a latch or lug 52 attached to the lower end portion of the sleeve to project downwardly at 53 into an opening 54 in the plate 32. The release means operates normally to urge the plate 32 downwardly, so as to tension the flexible drive connection (represented by belt 35) between the motor and speed reducer.  
  When service personnel wish to remove the motor, it is only necessary to remove top 13, displace sleeve 48 upwardly on bolt 50 to release the lug 53 from opening 54, and rotate the sleeve to permit upward withdrawal of the motor and plate 32. In this regard, lugs 33 are drawn free of openings 34 during such upward withdrawal. Re-installation of the motor involves a reverse succession of steps.  
 I claim:  
  1. The combination comprising a revolving sign including a hollow elevated shell having an openable top, means for rotatably driving the shell including a motor contained within the shell below the top and accessible for removal only through the opened top of the shell, a motor mount releasable to permit removal of said motor from normal operating position through the open shell, release means extending above said motor accessible through said open top and manually operable to release said mount for removal of the motor through the shell top, a platform extending transversely within the shell and secured thereto and upon which the motor and said release means are movably and removably supported, a pedestal supporting the shell and a rotatable extension of the pedestal projecting upwardly through the platform within the shell and a drive connection between the motor and said extension, the motor being connected to its mount in the form of a base plate tiltably positioned at one side of said extension and the release means being positioned beyond the base plate.  
  2. The combination of claim 1 including also a platform-supported speed reducer driven by the motor and which drives said extension, the motor and speed reducer being at opposite sides of the extension, said release means operating normally to tension a flexible endless drive connection between the motor and speed reducer.  
  3. The combination of claim 2 in which the motor base plate is tiltably mounted to the platform and said release means comprises a sleeve spring-urged downwardly for movement about a bolt secured to the platform, and means carried by the sleeve for releasable engagement with the motor base plate.  
 4. The combination of claim 3 in which said sleeve is rotatable about the bolt to disengate said plate.