Abstract: An animated display device having illuminating means for projecting uniformly diffused light toward a viewer and means between said illuminating means and the viewer for providing an animated display including a rigid platen having a convex surface with sections of transparent and opaque character, a flexible sheet of film in contact with the convex surface and having translucent images thereon, resilient means tensioning the film over and in full surface contact with the convex platen surface, and a drive mechanism for shifting said film and said platen relative to one another. An adjustment mechanism is associated with the drive mechanism to facilitate angular alignment of the film relative to the platen.

Abstract: A supporting frame with a handle has a transparent supporting plate mounted therein. The plate supports a thin transparency over the exposed surface of the plate. The transparency has a multiplicity of demagnifying fresnel lenses formed therein in abutting relation and in vertical and horizontal rows. The lens areas are rectangular in outline with very fine and closely spaced concentric light refracting grooves formed in one surface of the transparency and extending to the edges of the several areas. The frame has retaining shoulders therearound for removably holding one of several different opaque silhouette cards of different household furnishing articles, which are provided, along one edge of the frame.

Abstract: A display sign of the type comprising a back-lighted panel having a plurality of discrete light-transmitting areas and an equal number of controlled opaque disks which move between alternate stable positions. One position of each disk overlies the light-transmitting area associated therewith. The other position of each disk is offset to one corresponding side of its associated light-transmitting area. The disks are operated by electromagnets or other noncontacting means mounted to a carriage rearward of the panel. Selected disks are shifted from one position to the other during relative movement between the carriage and panel. The improvement comprises a magnetic drum which precedes the electromagnets to momentarily reset all of the disks in their first position overlying the individual light-transmitting area associated therewith in a progressive pattern just forward of the disks being set by the electromagnets.

Abstract: An indexing device consists of a base, a lid pivoted to the base, and a plurality of cards pivotally mounted between the lid and the base for selective movement with the lid. Each card has a lug at a front edge thereof, the plurality of cards being arranged such that the lugs are serially positioned at specific intervals in step-wise fashion. A like plurality of levers are pivoted to the base at corresponding specific intervals. A first end of each lever has a push-button fixed thereto for downward digital manipulation. The opposite end of each lever extends under the front edge of the cards for upward movement to select a desired number of cards to pivot upward with the opening of the lid.

Abstract: A perpetual calendar which has transparent letters and numbers positioned in a predetermined matrix arrangement on an opaque sheet. Within the predetermined matrix arrangement of numbers and letters are abbreviations for the name of each day of the week, each month of the year, and the numerals one through thirty-one. Small pieces of opaque material which will adhere to the sheet are sized to overlie any abbreviation of the name of the days of the week, any abbreviation for the months of the year, and any numerals between one and thirty-one within the matrix so that any calendar date can be readily indicated on the calendar by adhering the pieces of opaque material to the rear of the transparent letters and numerals within the matrix defining the particular month and name of day abbreviations and the day of the month.

Abstract: An improved display panel assembly including a hollow three-dimensional display panel movable between a substantially flat storage attitude and an erect display attitude. A tubular support member extends along and is adjacent to one edge of the display panel, the tubular support member supporting the display panel in the erect attitude when that member is erected and permitting the display panel to collapse into the storage attitude when that member is collapsed. Slot and tab structure partially carried by the tubular support member and partially carried by a face wall of the display panel retains the tubular support member and, hence, the display panel itself, in the erect attitude. The hollow tubular member is structured so that, when the display panel is erected, the tubular member at least partially defines a passageway adapted to receive one end of a connector strip in supportive relation therein.

Abstract: A crown closure having a polyolefin liner that can be readily removed, said crown closure comprising a crown shell having a primer layer on its inner surface and a polyolefin liner applied to the inside of said crown shell, characterized in that said primer layer is a two-component priming consisting of an undercoat layer containing a polyethylene oxide and a topcoat layer containing a polyethylene oxide and at least one other compatible resin, with the provision of a printing layer of indicia at the interface between said undercoat and topcoat layers or atop said topcoat layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dosing and weighing "shag" tobacco comprising the steps of dosing an approximate quantity of tangled long fibre tobacco, which is less than the required quantity, and subsequently dosing disentangled long fibres to make up the approximate quantity to the required quantity of long fibres. Thus the quantity of short fibre tobacco added thereto to obtain the quantity nominally required per package can every time be equal.

Abstract: A changeable exhibitor comprising a video or script tape movable on vertical guide rollers in a closed loop, a weighted roller freely movable along a substantially horizontal roller path within the interior space of said loop, a disc on one side of the roller, and projections on the side of the tape facing the roller path, said disc and projections cooperating to advance the tape in response to movement of the weighted roller in one direction along the roller path.

Abstract: Apparatus for the display of information comprises an endless band carrying transverse holders each of which carries a plurality of laminae having differently colored front and rear regions. Each lamina may be positioned either to overlap the front region of the succeeding adjacent lamina or to lie behind it so as respectively to obscure or expose this front region. Selection of one or other of these positions of the laminae is secured by passing the band around a pulley of sufficiently small radius so as to spread the holders apart sufficiently for each lamina to be clear of the succeeding lamina and then moving the lamina to one or other position. The laminae may be magnetic and drawn away from the holder by magnets adjacent this pulley into the overlap position. Alternatively the laminae may be driven back against the holder from the overlap position by jets of air.

Abstract: A substantially flat, suspensible, ornamental display comprised of a plurality of identical flat, rigid members arrayed in partially overlapping relationship in accordance with a regular pattern, with the overlapping portions of the members fastened together, is readily enlarged or reduced in size by the user, resists disruption caused by air currents, and is conveniently shipped and stored. The members are assembled to leave openings between adjacent members that are similar in shape to the members, and ornamental devices are detachably suspended in the openings.

Abstract: The following specification discloses a low level lighting indicator readout or display of the type having a lighting source such as incandescent lamps that have been placed in a heat sink. The incandescent bulbs or lamps are connected to a logic network, so that one or a plurality of bulbs can be lit by the logic network in order to cause a particular display to be registered. The display is registered by means of the lamps passing light through a series of conductive light tubes such as fiber optic members that emanate therefrom to form a series of optical readouts in the form of dots, or segments, such as bar displays. The termination of the light pipes provide a matrix in the form of a dot pattern that can be driven to create various displays in the form of alpha numeric representations or other symbols.

Abstract: Merchandise display apparatus here includes an upright support and a cantilever arm extending from the support. The arm bears demarcations distributed along its length to provide a measure of the amount of merchandise on the rod and a label at a portion of the arm remote from the support enabling the arm to be related to the merchandise on the arm. The transverse size of the arm all along its length including the demarcations and the label-bearing portion is limited so that the arm can readily enter a conventional opening in merchandise-bearing cards that are to be loaded onto and removed from the arm.

Abstract: A display device arranged to present selectively three different displays. The displays are formed by three sets of display panels with two of the panel sets being selectively movable as a unit relative to the third and movable relative to each other and to the third to provide the selectively different panel displays. Selective movement of the panel sets is effected by a control which, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a camming element which is guided in a plurality of angularly related paths to effect the desired selective disposition of the different panel sets.

Abstract: A combined greeting card and decorative music box structure that includes a flat rectangular box formed from a resilient polymerized resin that is removably closed by a cover that on a first side supports a wind-up music producing mechanism within a confined space defined by the box and cover. A second side of the cover removably supports a greeting card. A panel bearing a decorative insignia is pivotally supported from the box, with the panel when in a first position overlying the cover and concealing the greeting card. When the panel is pivoted to a second position the music producing mechanism is actuated and the greeting card is visible. The panel is illustrated as a picture frame that removably supports a picture defined on a dimensionally stable sheet of material.

Abstract: In a display device, a precoiled plastic tape bearing informational indicia runs over a back-up surface to present the front side of the tape for observation and for manual access to enable translating the tape. The tape also runs over stationary pins which allow the tape to coil when translated in one direction. Opposed ends of the tape are provided with apertures which are entered by the pins when one end portion of the tape is nearly uncoiled so that further translation and complete uncoiling of the tape is prevented. The tape end portion is automatically disengaged from the pins by the inherent coil forming stress in the tape when reverse translation is initiated.

Abstract: A display device comprises a rectangular transparent plastic envelope formed from two sheets of flexible plastic material which are seamed together adjacent their top, one side and bottom margins. The sheets also include horizontal enclosed sleeves at the top and bottom of the envelope in which tubular arms are located. Flexible coupling means are provided in engagement with the upper tubular arm while the lower tubular arm is engaged by laterally spaced tension means which permit the lower arm to turn ninety degrees with respect to the upper arm. A zipper-type closure means may be provided along the open side of the envelope to removably seal the envelope.

Abstract: Placarding systems for vehicle sides and roll-up vehicle doors include imprinted plates hinged to a base, which plates may be selectably oriented and clipped to the base so that the exposed faces of the plates define a diamond-shaped area bearing a single inscription.

Abstract: A perpetual calendar is provided having a frame defining an enclosure with a frontal portion provided with first indicia representing days of a week, and, within the enclosure, seven prisms removably mounted in said frame, and provided with second indicia located beneath said first indicia representing days of a month.

Abstract: A frame assembly for removably retaining one or more signboards. The assembly includes uprights formed of angle stock having a given internal angle. This internal angle configuration is used both to provide peripheral support for the signboards and supply necessary structural rigidity to the assembly, thereby minimizing the number of components thereof.