US1056756A - Station-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

L. A. MINE A, A. J. ZSGHOGKE & S. RAUQHWARTERJ STATION INDICATOR.v

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 8, 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEET '1.

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MLi/izzesse's 17108711731 6 OLbiS a. 7 liraea. lberl J". Z-schocke Stephen, I Pauchwar-Z'er X/W Z5 1 L. A. MINBA, A. J. ZSUHOOKE & S. J. RAUGHWARTER. STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MALE, 1912.

1,056,756. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Ll lz'i'nesses 1710671161 3 Louis 7721171861,

Stephen T, Rauahwwrfier alberi J. Z schooKe.

L. A. MINEA, A. J. ZSCHOGKE & S. J. RAUCHWARTER.

* STATION INDICATOR.

'APPLIOATION FILED MAR. s, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

17112871107 5 Lou i s a. 7 1inea.

f albert I ScTLocKe Stephen .T, Popuchwarter L. A. MINEA, A. J. ZSUHOCKE & S. J. RAUCHWARTER.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1912.

1,056,756. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I l l V M LT Illll Luz'inesses Iwzvehiiars L (2,. m g 6112: I z gzl wtche j X11 6 07 g- Siephen I RauchLvarTem UNITED STATES PATENT orrion LOUIS A. MINEA AND ALBERT J. ZSCHOCKE, OF ST. PAUL, AND STEPHEN J. RAUCH- WARTER, OF BELLEPLAINE, MINNESOTA; SAID RAUCHWARTER ASSIGNOR T0 SAID- MINEA AND ZSCHOCKE.

STATION-INDICATOR.

PatentedMar. 18, 1913.

Continuation of application Serial No. 621,372, filed April 15, 1911. This application filed March 8, 1912.

. Serial .No. 682,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS A. MINEA, ALBERT J. ZSOHOCKE, and STEPHEN J. RAUCHWARTER, citizens of the United States, whose residences are, respectively, as follows, 395 Bellows avenue, St. Paul, 572 Hall avenuefSt. Paul, and Belleplaine, all in the State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators,

.of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in station indicators. Its object is to provide a device for cars adapted to automatically indicate' each succeeding station en route.

A further object of our invention is to provide a statio-n indicator having its indicating mechanism removably attached to the car and designed to be 'detachably connected with the stationary mechanism of any desired car, to obviate the changing of the indicating aprons from one mechanism to the other.

A furtherobject is to provide a station in dicator for cars adapted to automatically indicate the stations as the car advances and to reverse as the car backs or turns at the end of the line.

A further object is to provide a station indicator, simple and durable in construction,.having an electrically operated indicating apron capable of beingreversed and moved at equal distances during each operation irrespective of the varying diameter of the spools on which the same .is wound.

In the drawings Figure 1 isa side elevation of the indicating mechanism; Fig. 2is a plan view of the same with the indicating apron removed; Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing in section the operating switch for controlling the driving mechanism; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the operating switch; Fig 5 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the reversing switch showing-its driving mechanism; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 8 is a side view of the drop adapted to operate the controlling switch; Fig. '9 is: an end elevation of .the same; Fig. 10 is a view showing the in- Referring to the accompanying drawings, the indicating mechanismdesignated by the letter A is designed to be detachably mounted in a car and is electrically connected, with the operating switch B and the reverse switch C.

The indicating mechanism A is constructed as follows: The drive shaft 10 is rotatably mounted in the casing 11 and supports the ratchet wheel 12, the gear wheel 13 and the sprocket wheel 14. The leverl5 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 10 and supports at one end the dog magnets 16 and 17 and the dog 18. The dog 18 is pivotally mounted on the lever 15 and is designed to engage the ratchet wheel 12. The dog magnet 16 operates thedog 18 to engage the ratchet wheel 12 and rotate it in one direction, and the magnet 17 operates said dog to engage said ratchet wheel and operate it in the other direction The spring stop 19 engages the dog and yieldingly holds it in one of its positions in engagement with the ratchet wheel 12. The link 20 is pivotally connected to the casing 11 at one end and to the lever 15 at the other. The arm 21 is pivoted on the casing 11 and is connected by the spring 22 with said link 20. The electromagnet 23 is arranged below the arm 21 and is adapted to draw its free end down. The

spring catch 24 on the casing 11 is adapted to engage and hold said arm in its lowest position. The lug 25 on the lever 15 is arranged to strike and release-this catch to free the arm 21. The spring 26 is connected at one end to the casing 11, and at the other, to the link 20, the end of said link connected to the lever 15 being drawn upward and nor mally held in engagement with the stop 27 by said spring. The shaft 28 is rotat-ably mounted in the casing 11 and supports the drive roller 29, the gear wheel 30, and the sprocket wheel 31. tably mounted in the casing 11 and supports at one end the beveled friction wheel 33 and at the other the fixed ratchet disk 34 and the idler sprockets 35 and 36. The spools 37 and 38 are rotatably mounted in the casing 11 and on one end of the spool 37 is feathered a beveled friction wheel 39, and on one end of the spool 38 a beveled wheel -10 is similarly mounted. The Wheels 39and 40 are yieldingly held against the face of the wheel 33 by the springs 41 and 42 respectively, as

The shaft 32 is .rotashown in Fig.2 of the drawings. The apron 43 is attached at' one end to the spool 37 and extends from the bottom thereof around the guide rollers 44 and 45, the drive roller 29 and the anti-slipping roller 46 to the bottom of the spool 38 as s own in Fig. 1. Said rollers 44, 45 and 46 are idlers freely rota table in the casing 11. The last mentioned roller holds the apron 43 in frictional en be in its normal position, and the dog magnet 17 to have operated and moved the dog 18 to a position engaging the ratchet 12 to operate the same in a'counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1, the electro-magnet 23 is charged as hereinafter described and instantly draws the free end of the arm 21 downward into position in engagement with the catch 24. The movement of this arm is 't-hen yieldingly transmittedto the link 20 through the spring 22, against the action of the sprin 26, thus raising the dog 18 which engagest 'e ratchet wheel 12 and rotates the shaft '10. The arm 21 is'held' by the catch 24 after the magnet 23 is demagnetized and until the spring 22 pulls the lever 15 to position, releasing said catch by the engagement of the lug 25 therewith. Upon the releasing. of this lever the link 20 is raised b the action of the spring 26; The rising o thelink 20 causes the downward movement of the dog 18 which, then passes over the ratchet 12. The rotation ofthe shaft 10'drives the ,roller 29 by means of the gears 13 and 30.

The disk 34 is provided with ratchets-on each face; The idler sprockets 35-and 36 are arranged on opposite sides of this disk and are provided with spring arms 51 'adaptedto yieldingly bear against said ratchets. The sprocket 36 is connected by the. chain 52-to the sprocket 31 on the shaft 28 and the s rocket 35 is connected by the chain 53 to t e sprocket F4 on the shaft 10. The sprockets 35 and 36 are driven inopposite directions upon the rotation of the shaft 10 in either direction;- The spring arms 51 engage the'disk 34 to rotate the same and its shaft 32 onlywhen their respective sprockets are rotated in a clock-wise direction, as seen ,I in Fig. 1'. The apron 43 is moved by the predetermined distance, to move* ro'ller29, a the name 0 the station first seen through the glass 47, and present in its place a new name. The friction wheel 33 as shown in Fig. 1 moves in "a clock-wise direction. and

tends to drive the spool 37 ,by means of the friction wheel 39, in the opposite direction.

If it were not for the positive action of the drive roller 29, the apron would be wound on the spool 37 by the friction between the wheels 33 and 39, but this positive action un winds it against the retarding effectof said friction wheels. The spool 38 is rotated in a counter clock-wise direction by the wheel 40, and winds the apron thereon as it passes from the drive roller 29. Assuming the dog magnet 16 to have operated and moved the dog 18 to' a position engaging the ratchet wheel 12, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, said dog passes over the ratchet 12 on the downward movement of the link 20 and arm '21, but engages said ratchet on the upwardmovement of the same and operates the shaft 10 in a clock-wise direction. ,of the drive wheel 29 is reversed, the apron 43. being then unwound from the spool 38 against the friction of the wheels 33 and 40,

and wound on the spool 37 as it passes from The rotation the guiderollers 45 and 44. The unwinding of the apron 43 from the spools 37 and 38 against the action of the frlction wheels v33, 39 and -40 prevents slack in the apron between said spools and insures an accurate .movement and spacing of the same. 5

The operating switch B is adapted to form an electrical connection between the electro-magnet 23 and a source of electric current, and is shown in use with a trolley commonly used in electric street railways. We do not limit ourselves to any particular source of electrical energy or class of vehicle, as it ls'evident thatour indicating mechanis'm A may be operated through the operatmg .switch B in connectionwith the third rail type of cars, or on ordinary steam cars supplied with a portable source of electric current-,as' well as: other forms of conveyance Theoperating switch B and its associated mechanism is constructed as follows: The adro ;54 attached to and offset from the trol ey wire-55. The plate 56 is attached to the wire 55, and one of its guy-wires to form.

a support from which the drop 54 is braced. The grooved pulley 57 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of the bell crank 58 to engage the drop 54 as the trolley pole 59 passes .said drop. The bell crank 58 is pivalso at its lower end to the plunger 61. The cylindrical body portion 62 of the switch B 1s plvotally connected at one end .to the pole 59, and is provided with insulated contact barrels 63 and 64 and the terminal plates The plunger 61 is slidably mounted fw1th1n the casing and is provided with the otally connected to the pole 59 at 60, and

ment with the barrels 63 and 64, and the terminal-plates 65, and also to hold the wheel 1 57 in position to engage the drop .54. The

guard 68 is mounted on the" pole 59 and rotects the Wheel 57 and the bell crank 58 om the trolley guy wires, in case the trolley pole 59 becomes disengaged from the trolley wire 55. One of the drops 54 is located on the trolley wire between successive stations .andengaging the wheel 57 as the car advances,

causes thev plunger 61 to move to a position in contact with the barrel 64. At the end of the line is placed a drop 54 of greater width than the drops used between the stations, as

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. This drop engages the wheel 57 and moves'the plunger 61 to a position in electrical contact with the terminal plates 65. a

The reverse switch C is provided for operating the dog magnets 16 and 17 to re verse the movement of the apron 43, and is arranged to yieldingly engage the pawl 72 with the ratchets of the wheel 70.v The mag net 77 is positioned below the arm 73 and draws said arm downward torotate the wheel 70, step by step, when an electrical connection .is made between said magnet, and circuit, either by theswitch B' or the motormans reverse lever 69. The insulated contact lates 78 and'79 are mounted in diametrically opposed positions, the opposite plates constituting pairs, said pairs being alternately in electrical connection with the dog magnets 16 and 17. The spring arm '80 is fixed to the wheel and at each partial revolution of said wheel a contact is made by said arm between one of the pairs of plates 78 or 79 to operate one of the dog magnets 16 and 17 v Referring particularly to the diagrammatical representation of the wiring in Fig. 13, and assuming the wheel 57 to be in con.- tact with the drop 54, the electric current passes 'from the generator 81 throughsaid drop to the wheel 57; then through the bell crank 58 and the plunger 61 to the'contact barrel 64, which at this time is in'engagement with said plunger. The barrels 63 and 64 are connected through the wire 82 to the operating electro-magnet 23 and through it to the ground by the wire 83. When the above described connection is made the magnet 23 is charged and draws the arm 21 and connected link 20 in a downward direction.

tion of the dog 'After' said connection is broken'as the wheel 57 passes from engagement with the drop 54, the arm 21 and link 20 are drawn upward by the spring 26." This movement operates the lever 15 and'causes the apron 43 to move in a direction-fixed by the posicontact plates 8 are connected by the wires 84 to the magnet 16, and 'theiplates 79 are connected by the'wires 85 to the magnet 17 said magnets 16 and 17 being connectedthrou'ghthe-wire 86, the trolley-pole 59,

and trolley 55 with the generator 81. The

18 as above described. The

arm is grounded through the wire 83 I and engaging the plates 78 completesthe clrcuit through the magnet 16, and in' engagmg the plate's 79 completes the circuit through the magnet 17. The reverse switchmagnet 77 is connected with the terminal I "plates 65 by the'wire 87 and with the brush plate 88 by the wire 89, and is also grounded through the wire 83. The motormans reverse lever 69 is connected by the wire 90 w1th the trolley 55, and is provided with a brush 91 adapted to engage the plate 88,

when said lever is moved into position to' propel the car in either direction. The engagement of the plunger 61 with the plates 65 and the engagement of the brush 91 with the plate 88 completes the circuit throu h the magnet 77 and in either case causes te arm 80 to move andengage the next succeed ing pair of contact, plates to operate one. of the magnets 16 and 17 and reverse the position of the dog 18. The plug 92 is arranged in the circuit to'facilitatethe removal of the indicating mechanism A- from one car and to permit an easy connection with another. This arrangement is desirable to obviate the changing of the aprons 43 from one of thecasings 11 to another.

In operation, the wheel 57 engages the gage the plates 65 of the switch B to op-- erate the magnet 77. The action of-thisdrops 54 as the car passes between stations magnet operates the reverse switch C and thus changes the position of the .dog 18 to reverse the movement of the apron 43;

When the car isbacked, the magnet 77 is energized through the connection at the lever 69, and operates the switch C to reverse the movement of the apron. The wheel 57 is'engaged by thev drops 54 and a contact is-made between the plunger'61 and the barrel 63, The drive magnet 23 is energizedthrough. this connection and causes the apron to move, thus'indicating each succeed- In turning ing station as thecar backs. the reverse lever 69 to advance the car, the

I Fig. 6 of the drawings.

reverse switch C is again operated to advance the apron 43. In case of an inter-.

ruption in the usual route, the apron 43 may he moved by hand to indicate the proper station'on" the changed ronteby.os-,

cillating the hand operating rod 93. -The reverse. switch C being adapted to govern the direction in which said apron travels,

is. first set in its proper vposition by the rod 94 which is connected thereto as shown in Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect .by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a station indicator for cars, an apron containlng the names'of statlons, spools for yielding connection with said roller for ro-' tating the same, electrically actuated means for reversing the action of said driving means and a catch adapted to hold said electrically actuated driving means at one limit of its stroke and to insure complete movement of the drive roller and apron.

3. In an indicator, an apron provided with spools for receiving the same, a drive roller for said apron, an arm in operative, yielding connection with said roller and spools for rotating the same, electrically ac-- tuated means for moving sald-arm, means adapted to engage and secure the arm at, one limit of its movement and means for. releasing said arm. I

4. In an indicator, a frame, a pair of spools revoluble in said frame, an apron attached at one end to one spool and at its other end to the second spool, the ends of said apron being wound on said'spools in the same direction, a drive roller for moving the apron, driving means for rotating said roller, and a friction wheel in operative con- I neotion with said driving means and spools tending to rot'ate the latter identically as to time, direction and speed.

5. In an indicator, for electric cars, the combination with'the lever for reversing the car of an apron having spools for receiving the-same, a drive roller for moving said apron, electrically actuated driving meansfor rotating said roller, electrically actuated.

reversing means in operative connect-ion with said lever for reversing the car for changing the rotation of said roller, a source of electric current, a switch and drops for operating,,saidfswitch to compl te the circuit between said driving and reversing means and the source of current.

6. In an indicator, an apron, spoolsfor receiving the apron, a drive roller for moving said apron, driving means for rotating :said roller in both directions, a friction :';wheel in operative connection with said fdriving means and friction wheels on said spo'ols in yielding engagement with said {adapted to retard the rotation of one spool as the apron is unwound therefrom by said drive roller andto rotate the other for winding' the apron thereon'as it passes from said roller.

for receiving the same, a drive roller for moving said apron, a ratchet wheel in opferative connection with said roller, a dog. adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, a support for the dog, and electrically actuated means in yielding connection with said support for operating the same to rotate said ratchetwheel and a catch adapted to hold said electrically actuated means at one limit of its stroke and to insure complete move- 'ment of the drive roller and apron.

8. In an indicator, an apron, spools for receiving thetapron, a drive roller for moving said apron, driving means for rotating said '-rollerin both directions, a friction wheel, connecting mechanism between said driving means and friction wheel for rotating the latter in one direction only, and friction wheels on the spools in yielding engagement with said first mentioned friction tard' the unwinding of the-apron from one spool while it is wound on the other spool.

.9. In an indicator, an apron, spools for receiving the apron, a drive roller for moving said apron, a drive shaft in gear with said roller, means for driving said shaft, a driven shaft in operative connection with and adapted to rotate saidspools, a ratchet disk on said driven shaft, a pair of idler sprockets on said shaft driven respectively by said roller and drive shaft, and arms on for rotating the same in one direction.

10. In an indicator, an apron, spools for said apron, a drive roller for moving the apron, a ratchet wheel in operative connection with said roller, a support, a dog on said support, means, for engaging said dog with said ratchet to rotate the same in either direction, a spring to. hold said support in normal position, a magnet .for operating =sa1d'support to rotatesa id ratchet, a friction wheel in operative. connection with said edrive roller adapted toarctard the rotation ofone of said spools as the" ap'roii iiis unwound therefrom and to rotate the'other spoolto wind said apron as it passes from.

the" drive roller.

:first mentioned wheel, said wheel being 7. In an indicator, an apron having s'pools wheel for rotating said spools to thereby resaid sprockets in engagement with said disk for moving said apron, a ratchet wheel in operative connection with said roller, an

electrically actuated support, a dog on said support, dog magnets on the support for engaging said dog with said ratchet to rotate the same in either direction, a source of electric current, anelectrically actuated reversing switch for connecting said dog magnets and source of current, a switch, and drops for operating said switch to connect said electrically actuated support and said reverse switch with the source of current.

12. In an indicator, an apron having spools for receiving the same, a drive roller for moving the apron, electrically actuated driving means for rotating said roller, dog magnets for reversing the operation of said driving means, a source of electriccurre t,

a reversing switch comprising a plurality f diametrically opposed contact plates, the opposite plates being alternately connected with said dog magnets,a ratchet wheel, a

' spring arm on said wheel adapted to engage opposite contact plates, a pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, a reverslng switch magnet adapted to operate said pawl, a switch, and drops for operating said switch to connect and said reversing switch magnet with the sourceof current.

13. In an indicator, for electric cars,-the combination with the car reverse lever of an apron having spools for receiving the same, a drive roller for moving the apron, a ratchet wheel in operative connection with said roller, an electrically actuated support, a dog on said support, dog magnets on the support for engaging said dog with said ratchet to rotate the same in either direction, a source of electric current, an electrically actuated reversing switch in circuit with said reverse lever for connecting said dog magnets and source of current, a switch and drops for operating said switch to connect said electrically actuated support and reversing switch with the source of current.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS A. MINEA. I ALBERT J. ZSCHOOKE. STEPHEN J. RAUCHWARTER. Witnesses MARY E. MoNEnLIs, JNO. B, WASOHENBERGER.

said driving means 30

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