US1086581A - Annunciator or station-indicator for cars. - Google Patents

Description

W. G. BILLERMAN.

ANNUNGIATOR 0R STATION INDICATOR FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1912.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

- s i9/H Maw COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM co.,w,\s|||NGToN, u. c,

WILLIAIW G. BILLERIVIAN,

0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ANNUNCIATOR OR STATON-IDIGATOR.FOR CARS.

Application filed May 9, 1912.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, lll/'Inman G. BILLER- MAN, a citizen ot' the United States of America, and resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State ot Chio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators or Station-Indicators for Gars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicating` apparatus and particularly to annunciators, for moving vehicles, which are capable ot' indicating the progress of the vehicle by giving diliierent signals which designate dit lerent stations, stops, or localities along the route of the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to produce a new and improved annunciator or station indicator, which is more etl'ective in operation and simpler in constriilction than similar apparatus now in use or known to me.

A further object is to produce an annunciator, of the kind described, which is wholly automatic in operation and which may be employed on vehicles, such tor example as street cars, traversing belt lines or routes which have no distinct terminals at which the vehicle turns and reti-averses its previous path of travel.

These and other objects I attain in an annunciator embodying the features herein described, and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part ot this application.

In the drawings Figure l is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention, port-ions of the inclosing casing being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus, illustrated in Fig. l, shown in connection with a wiring diagram which may be employed with my invention, For co venience of illustration the casing shown with its end removed. Fig. 3 is an end elevation ci the opposite end ot the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l and also shown in connection with a wiring diag 1am similar to the diagram shown in Fig. 2.

The apparatus illustrated, as an embmliment of my invention, includes an indicator' or moving belt 4 which is adapted to be wound from one spool to another and to pass across a. timing device or motion-limiting roll 5. A driving agent, such tor eX- ample as an electric motor G is employed for actuating the irulicator belt 4 and a control,-

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Fatented Feb. T0, 1914. Serial No. 596,102.

ling means, such tor example as a controlling switch 7 is employed in the operating circuit ot the motor for the purpose of controlling the operation ot the motor. rlhe switch is controlled by the cooperation ot periodically operating mechanisms and the timing roll 5, in such a` way7 that the belt l is intermittently moved 'forward while indicating the stations along the route oit the vehicle. Means, such toi' example as a rcvers 1g switch l0, and automatically actuated mechanisiy s for operatine` it, are provided lior reversing the motor (S and rewind* ing the belt 4t after it has been wholly unwound from one spool.

Throughout the turther des ription of the device il will consider it as applied to an electric car and as actuated by the operating current of the car. l wish it to be understood, however, that l do not limit the application oi my .invention to such vehicles, since it will be readily apparent, to those skilled in the art, that it may he employed 1n various ways and operated by means other than electricity.

rl"he indicator or belt Ll is provided on one tace with names or characters :for indicating different stations or stopping places along the route of the car on which the indicating apparatus is employed. rlhese names are preferably spaced equal distances apart and are arranged in the same order on the belt as the stations or localities, indicated by them, are located along the line or travel ot the car. l

At the beginning of the operation of the apparatus illustrated the belt di .is almost wholly wound upon a. spool ll, which may be termed the rewinding roll. The outer end ot the belt, however, passes over an arcshaped shield 8, located in trent of the timing` roll and is secured to a spool 12, which may be termed the unwinding roll. The three rolls, 11, 5, and 12 are rotatively mounted within a casing 18 and their axes are parallel, but outof alinement with each other so that the belt in passing across the shield 8 may be engaged by the roll 5 and at the same time be presented at the front ot' the casing, opposite to a window or aperture l-l through which it is exposed to the view of the observers or the passengers in the rear. The window lfl is preferably, but

not necessarily, of such width that only one ot. the names on the belt can be seen at a time.

The rolls 11 and 12 are shown provided with sprocket Wheels 15 of the same diameter, and connected together by means of a sprocket chain 16, so that they rotate simultaneously, at the same speed, and in the same direction. The sprockets are shown so located on the trunnions or spindles of their respective rolls, that they and the chain 16 are located within the casing 13. The spindle of the roll 11, is shown projecting through the end of the casing 13 and provided with a pulley 17, which is belted or otherwise operatively connected to a pulley 18 on the shaft of the motor 6. The motor is shown located within the casing 13. Vith this arrangement both the rolls 11 and 12 are effective as actuating agents of the belt during both the unwinding and the rewinding operations.

The shield 8, over the timing roll 5, is provided with an aperture near each end, through which radially projecting teeth 20, mounted on the roll 5, extend. Each set of the teeth 20 is engaged by alined apertures 21, formed in the edges of the belt 4 and transmits motion from the belt to the roll 5. The shield 8 need not necessarily be employed, since the belt could pass directly over the roll 5, but its use eliminates the necessity of providing a timing roll of large diameter and at the same time holds the eX- posed portion of the belt in a substantially fiat position opposite to the aperture 14.

The motor 6 receives current from any suitable source, such for example, as the trolley wires 22, and is controlled, as has been said, by the switch 7. The switch 7 is so arranged that the motor 6 operates periodically and moves the belt 4 forward, step by step, while it is being unwound from the roll 11 and wound onto the roll 12. As is illustrated, the switch 7 consists of a contact bar 19, which is mounted on the end of a lever 23, fulcrumed within the casing 13, and yielding terminals 24 and 25, the former of which is electrically connected, by a wire 26, to one terminal of the motor. The other terminal 25 is electrically connected by means of a wire 27 to the terminals of the reversing switch 10. The terminals 24 and 25 are both movably mounted on an insulatV ing block and are yieldinglv held in position by means of coiled springs so that they are capable of yielding under the pressure of the contact 19 and insuring a good electrical contact.

The lever 23 is controlled, by the coperation of a solenoid or electro-magnet 28 and the timing roll 5, in such a way that the motor will operate long enough, during each period of its operation, to advance the belt one step forward and to present the next adjacent name, opposite to the aperture 14. One terminal of the coil of the electro-magnet is electrically connected to a contact piece 29, carried by the trolley 30 of the car, by means of a wire 29 and the other terminal is electrically connected to theother trolley by means of a wire 31. The contact piece 29 is located in such a position that it will engage separate stationary contact pieces 33, mounted along the line of travel of the car and will thereby complete an electric circuit which includes the coil of the magnet 28. ln the drawings I have shown the contact piece 33 as an insulating block secured to the cross or support wire of the trolley wire and having a metallic terminal mounted on it, which is electrically connected to one of the trolley wires 22. llien the trolley passes the contact pieces 33 the contact 29 engages it and a momentary current passes through the coil of the magnet 28 and energizing the magnet, causes it to attract the adjacent end of the lever 23 and thereby move the contact bar 19 into engagement with the terminals 24 and 25. This completes the motoractuating circuit and causes the motor G to start. The lever 23 is provided with a lug 34, which normally projects into a slot or aperture formed in the surface of the roll 5 and permits the lever to occupy such a position that the switch 7 is held open. The lug, however, is of such length that it will hold the switch 7 closed while the belt 4 is moving forward, by engaging the peripheral surface of the roll 5. The starting of the motor moves the belt 4 forward and consequently turns the timing roll so that the aperture in the roll, moves from under the lug As soon as the momentary current ceases to flow through the magnet 28 the lever 23 tends to move back to its normal position and to thereby open the switch 7 but it is prevented from doing so, until the roll 5 has made one complete revolution, at which time the recess in the surface of the roll moves under the lug 34 and permits the lever to drop back away from the armature of the magnet 28 and to break the electrical connection between the terminals 24 and 25. This stops the motor 6 and also stops the forward motion of the belt. The principal advantage of this construction is that the motor continues to operate until the belt is moved forward the desired amount and that the belt is then positively held in position until the motor is again actuated to move it forward. This is insured by the fact that the timing roll 5 is positively actuated by the belt 4 through the agency of the teeth 29. lt will be understood that the length of time the motor operates, during each period of operation, may be varied by varying the diameter of the timing roll 5, or by providing two or more apertures in its surface for receiving the lug 34. It will also be understood that various means may be employed for timing the operation of the motor, but that the timing device is more effective and the operation of the apparatus more positive when the timing device is actuated by the indicator or belt, itself.

ln the drawings l have illustrated means for reversing the motor 6, and rewinding the belt 4- upon the roll li after it has been fully unwound, and l have also disclosed automatic means for stopping the motor and starting it in a forward direction after the belt has been rewound onto the roll li. The means illustrated for reversing the motor consists of the reversing switch l0 and mechanisms actuated by the roll 1l for shifting the switch from the forward to the reversing position. The mechanisms illustrated for accomplishing this include a pin 86, pivotally mounted on a bell crank 37, and yieldingly held against the roll of belt 4, on the roll ll, by means of a spring 88. The linger is so located that it will engage a recess 39 formed in the peripheral face of the roll 1l, when the recess is uncovered by unwinding of the belt 4 from the roll ll. The engagement of the linger with the recess 39 suddenly stops the motion of the roll 1l but the impact of the roll against the linger is su'llicient to shift the bell crank 37 about a stationary pin 40, on which it is pivotally mounted, and to thereby shift the reversing switch l0 from the forward position, shown in Figs. l and 2, to the reversing` position. Vihis shifting' of the switch is accomplished through the agency of a pivotally mounted bell crank 41 and connecting links.

During the rewinding operation it is nec essary to hold the lever 23 in the operative position, so that the switch 7 is held closed and so that the lug 34 is held out of engagement with the recess formed in the surface of the roll This is accomplished, in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, by providing a switch 42-which, when closed delivers a continuous current through the coil of the electro-magnet 28a-and which is closed, during the entire rewinding operation. The switch 42, is mechanically connected to the reversing switch i0 and is moved by the switch l0 to the open position when the switch 10 is moved to the forward or unwinding position, and the switch 42 is moved to the closed position when the switch l() is moved to the reversing position. This energizes the magnet 2S, during the entire reversing' operation and consequently holds the lug 34 of the lever 23 out of engagement with the recess in the surface of the roll 5. llllhen the belt 4 is fully rewound on the roll il the switch l0 is moved back to the normal position by means of a pin 43, which is mounted on a pivotally mounted bell crank 44 and is adapted to engage an aperture formed in the peripheral face of the roll l2. The operation of the pin 43 with reference to the roll l2 is similar to that of the pin 36 with reference to the roll 11 and it actuates the switch through the agency of the bell crank 45 and connecting links.

ln the drawings l have diagrammatically illustrated a system of wiring, which may be employed in connection with my inventien. l/Vhile the diagram discloses a two wire trolley system, it will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, that the system of wiring illustrated may be employed in connection with a single wire system in which the rail is employed as the return, or it may be employed with any system now in use. One trolley 30 is electrically connected by means of a wire 46 to one arm 47, of the reversing switch. The other arm 48 of the switch is electrically connected to the return leg of the circuit or, as illustrated, to the other trolley, by means of a wire 4S). The arms 47 and 4S of the reversing switch l0, are shown secured together by means of a link and they are adapted to move across and make contact with separate contacts 5l, 52, 53 and 54. The contacts 5l and are connected together and are connected to the terminal 25 of the switch 7 by means of the wire 27. The other terminal 24, of the switch 7, is, as has been said, connected to one terminal of the motor (5 and the other terminal of the motor is electrically connected to the contacts 52 and 53, of the reversing` switch, by means of a wire Duringthe forward motion of the belt 4 the operating current of the motor passes from the trolley 30, through the wire 4G, the arm 47, of the reversing switch, the contact 5l, the wire 27, the switch 7 and the wire 24- to the motor. The return current from the motor passes through the wire 55, the terminal 53, the arm 4S, of the switch l0, and the wire 49. lhen the switch is moved to the reversing position by the operation of the finger 36, the arm 47 is moved into contact with the terminal and the arm 48 is moved into contact with the terminal This causes the current from the trolley 30, to flow through the wire 46, the arm 47, the contact 48 and the wire to the motor. The return current from the motor passes through the wire 2G, the switch 7, the wire 27, the contact 54, the arm 4S and the wire 49. 1While the reversing` switch is in the position described, the switch 42 is moved to such a position that it delivers current from the wire 4G to one terminal of the winding of the magnet 28. This is accomplished by electrically connectingthe contact piece, of the switch 42, to the wire 4G, by means of a wire 5G and by connecting the switch arm to the terminal of the coil of the magnet 2S by a wire 57. rlhis causes a continuous current flow from the trolley 3G, through the wire 46, the wire 5G, the coil of the magnet, and through the wire 3l back to the return, while the switch i0 is in the reversing position.

The operation of the apparatus is briefly as follows: The parts are so adjusted that the lug 34 of the lever 23 engages the recess in the roll 5, when the belt 4 is in one .of it-s sign or namesexhibiting posit-ions. This, as has been said, locks the belt in position and opens the motor-operating circuit. As the trolley 30 passes one of the contact pieces 33, the contact piece 29 engages it and sends a momentary current through the coil of the magnet 28, and thereby lifts the lug 34 out of engagement with the roll 5 and closes t-he switch 7. The current traversing the magnet is of suliicient duration to hold the lever against the armature of the magnet, until the roll 5 has been turned suflicient, byA the forward movement of the belt 4, to move the recess in its surface from under the lug 34 and to thereby prevent the lever from moving back to its normal position and breaking the motor operating circuit. The roll 5 is turned by the belt 4, and consequently the motor will continue to operate until the belt has advanced to its next nameexhibiting position, and then the lug 34 will drop back into the recess in the surface of the roll 5 and will break the motor-operating circuit and lock the belt in the proper position. This operation will be repeated as the contact piece 29 engages the successive contact pieces 83, along the route of the car, and until the belt 4 is wholly unwound from the roll ll. The motor 5, will then be reversed, as has been described, and the belt will be rewound on the roll l1. It will be understood that a manually operated switch may be employed for energizing the magnet. 2S when desired, and thereby setting the belt in the proper position corresponding to the position of the car on its route. This has been omitted from the drawings for the sake of clearness. It will also be understood that while I have illustrated and described the now preferred embodiment of my invention, that many and various changes in the details of construction, arrangement and location of parts, may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

`What I claim is:

l. In a device of the character described, an indicator belt, rolls on which said belt is wound, mechanisms for actuating said rolls, a driving agent for actuating said mechanisms. a timing device for limiting the forward motion of the belt, means for controlling said mechanism to rewind the belt, and means actuated by said last-mentioned means for rendering the timinfy device inoperative during the rewinding operation.

2. 1n an apparatus of the characterl described, an indicator belt, rolls on which said belt is carried, an agent for actuating said rolls to move said belt forward and backward, means for controlling the operation of said agent, a timing device for limiting the forward motion of the belt, means actuated by one of the rolls for reversing the driving agent after the belt has completed its forward motion and means for rendering said timing device inoperative during the reversing operation.

3. Tn a device of the character described, an indicator belt, means for actuating the belt, a timing device for controlling the operation of said means to limit the forward motion of the belt, means for controlling said belt-actuating means to reverse the motion of the belt, and means actuated by said last mentioned means for rendering said timing device inoperative during the reversing operation.

4. In a device of the character described, an indicator belt, rolls on which said belt is wound, a motor for actuating each of said rolls, a switch for controlling the operation of the motor during the forward motion of the belt, an electro-magnet for actuating said switch, means operatively connected to the exposed portion of the belt for timing the operation of the switch, a reversing switch for reversing the motor to reverse the motion of the belt, mechanical means actuated by said rolls for shifting said reversing switch, and means actuated by the switch for rendering said electromagnet operative during the reversing operation.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of rolls, a belt wound on said rolls and exposed to view at an intermediate point between the rolls, a motor for driving said rolls to move said belt, a switch for controlling the operation of the motor, momentarily operative means for actuating said switch, a timing device for the switch, operatively connected to the exposed portion of the belt, a reversing switch for reversing said motor and the direction of motion of the belt, means actuated by the rolls for actuating the reversing switch, and means for holding said first mentioned switch closed during the reversing operation of the motor.

6. 1n a device of the character described, an indicator belt, rolls for actuating the belt, a motor for actuating the rolls, a control switch for controlling the operation of the motor, an electro-magnet for moving said switch to a closed position, means operatively connected to the belt for holding the switch in a closed position and for thereby timing the operation of the belt-actuating motor during the forward motion of the belt, a reversing switch, for reversing the motor to reverse the motion of the belt, mechanical means controlled by said rolls, for shifting said reversing switch, and means actuated by the reversing switch for rendering said electro-magnet operative, to hold the control switch in the closed position during the reversing operation.

7. ln an apparatus of the character described, a pair of rolls, a belt actuated by said rolls and exposed to view at an intermediate point between the rolls, a motor for driving the rolls, to move the belt, a control switch for controlling the operation of the motor, momentarily operative means for moving said switch to a cle-sed position, a timing device, operatively connected to the belt, for holding the switch in the closed position and thereby timing the forward operation of the motor, a reversing switch for reversing the motor and the direction of motion of the belt, means, controlled by the belt-actuating rolls, for shifting the reversing switch from one position to another, and means for rendering said momentarily operative means operative during the entire reversing operation and for thereby closing said cont-rol switch during the reversing operation,

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair ol rolls, a belt wound on said rolls, and having a portion thereof exposed to view, a motor for driving said rolls to wind the belt from one roll to the other, a control switch for controlling the operation of the motor, an electro-magnet for controlling the operating of the switch, means for delivering a momentary current to the electro-magnet, a timing device for the control switch, operatively connected to the belt, a reversing switch for reversing the motor and the direction of motion of the belt, means actuated by the rolls for shifting the reversing switch, and means, actuated by said last-mentioned means, for delivering current to the electro-magnet during the reversing operation, and for thereby holding said control switch in a closed position during the reversing operation of the motor.

WILLIAM G. BILLERMAN.

Witnesses RALPH H. INo'r'r, WALTER F. MURRAY.

Gopes of this patent may bc obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. C."

Images