Universal display panel

Claim 1

A programmable display panel device comprising: a panel of light-transmitting material having front and rear surfaces; wall means extending from said rear surface and defining a plurality of cubicles; a plurality of panel-illuminating lamps, one of said lamps being mounted in each of said cubicles so as to illuminate the area of said panel associated therewith when energized; a source of lamp-energizing voltage; program switch means connected to said source of lamp-energizing voltage and comprising program switch contactor means, a plurality of program switch contacts, and program switch solenoid means energizable to move said contactor means between said program switch contacts; electrical connector means electrically connecting predetermined ones of said lamps to predetermined ones of said program switch contacts for energization in accordance with the position of said contactor means; selector switch means including control means having a plurality of control positions and comprising a plurality of sets of normally closed contacts, one set being operable to an open condition for each of said control positions; stepping switch means comprising stepping switch contactor means, a plurality of stepping switch contacts, stepping switch solenoid means energizeable to move said stepping switch contactor means between positions engaging said stepping switch contacts, self-stepping contacts operative by said stepping switch solenoid means; and said stepping switch solenoid means being connected to said sets of normally closed contacts of said selector switch Means and said program switch solenoid means being connected to said stepping switch contacts, whereby operation of said selector switch to a selected one of said control positions will open a corresponding one of said normally closed sets of contacts and close any previously opened sets thereof to energize said stepping switch solenoid to step said stepping switch contactor until it stops on the stepping switch contacts corresponding in position to the opened one of said sets of normally closed contacts, and stepping of said stepping switch contactor will energize said program switch solenoid to step said program switch contactor to a corresponding position with respect to said program switch contacts so as to energize predetermined panel-illuminating lamps corresponding to said selected one of said control positions.