US1196136A

US1196136A - Stbeet-indicatob

Info

Publication number: US1196136A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1916-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1933-08-29

Description

' W. MOHRONE.

STREET INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED H58. 5. 1915.

l ll 96., 1 3 6 u. Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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STREET mom/non.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1915- '1 9 1 9., 1 3 Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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WILLIAM MORRONE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NICOLA MORRONE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

STREET-INDICATOR.

incense.

Specification of Letters lPatent. Patented Aug, 29, 1916,

Application filed February 5, 1915. Serial No. 6,325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM MonRoNn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Indicators, (No. 2;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to street indicators, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a street indicator embodying a flexible curtain upon which the names or designations of streets, crossings or the like are imprinted, and to pass this flexible curtain before a window for visually exposing the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device as specified which embodies a plurality of rollers arranged so as to expose both the front and back of the flexible curtain, for indicating the'street which is being approached by a street car or other movable object, and also to exhibit the street just passed or any other statement which it might be desirous for exhibiting.

Another object of this invention is to construct a street indicator as specified, which embodies means for manually moving the curtain including a flexible member, a sprocket chain which travels about a sprocket pulley mounted upon the curtain controlling shaft, a weight for normally returning the sprocket chain to an operative position, and to connect the foregoing article in such manner that when a pull is administered to the flexible member, the chain will be moved longitudinally for rotating the curtain carrying shaft for moving the curtain one space for exhibiting the name of the street next to the one which has pre viously been exhibited A still further object of the invention is to provide a signaling mechanism, which is automatically operated by the moving of the curtain, for sounding an alarm or signal upon the changing of the street name before the window or visible section of the street indicator.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for manually rewinding the curtain, and also for manually rotating the curtain bearing shaft for tightening the curtain thereon.

Further objects of this invention are to provide means for normally holding the shaft upon which the curtain is to be wound against reverse unwinding, to associate means with said restraining means for moving it out of an operative position for permitting of the unwinding of the curtain, and to generally simplify andimprove the construction of street indicators as specified.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.-

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the improved street indicator showing parts thereof broken away, Fig. 2 is an end view of the street indicator showing the end of the protected housing removed, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the street indicator showing the end opposite to that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through the mechanism for moving the flexible curtain, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a key showing a section of the protected casing of the indicator and of the weight, to exhibit the manner of attaching the key for holding the weight rigid when tightening the curtain upon the roll.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the protecting casing of the street indicator, which may be constructed of sheet metal or other analogous material. The casing 1 has U-shaped

guide ways

2 and 3 formed upon the upper and lower edges of the forward side thereof, in which guide ways is slidably seated a front 4. The front 4 is constructed of sheet metal and is provided with two windows or openings 6 and 7 formed therein, through which the characters which are imprinted upon the curtain 8 are visible.

The curtain 8 is carried by rollers 9 and .lOwhich are journaled within and extend transversely across the interior of the casing or housing 1. The roller 9 upon which the curtain 8 is initially wound is positioned below the roller 10, and has a crank handle 11 secured to one end thereof and extending out through the end of the housing to provide for the manual rotation of the roller 9 for winding the curtain 8 thereupon.

Rollers

12, 13, 14 and 15 are rotatably carried by the housing 1, and positioned a short distance inwardly from the front of the housing, being positioned at the upper and lower edges of the openings 6 and 7 in the plate 4. The curtain 8 extends from the roller 12 to the roller 13 in a vertical plane and from the roller 14 to the roller 15 in a vertical plane, positioning the section of the curtain between the respective pairs of rollers directly in front of the window openings 6 and 7 for exhibiting the street designating characters which are imprinted thereon.

The curtain 8 is initially rolled or wound upon the roller 9, and from thence it passes about the

rollers

13 and 12 and is wound upon the roller 10. The curtain 8 also passes about the rollers 14 and 15 in such a manner that the reverse side of the curtain will be exhibited through the window 7, to that which is exhibited through the win dow 6.

The roller 10 is normally held against an unwinding rotation, by a ratchet 16, which is mounted upon one end of the central supporting shaft of the roller, and exteriorly of one end of the housing 1, and by a pawl 17 which engages the peripheral ratchet teeth of the ratchet 16. The pawl 17 is pivotally supported by the end of the housing 1, and it has a projection 18 formed thereupon, which is engaged by the upper end of the rod 19. The rod 19 is externally screw threaded, and is adjustably carried by a collar 20 which is internally screw threaded and is secured in any suitable manner to the end of the housing 1. A second collar 21 forms a guide for the rod 19, and is positioned below the collar 20. The rod 19 has a corrugated head 22 formed upon its lower end so as to facilitate the manual rotation thereof, for raising or lowering the rod for moving the pawl ll, out of engagement with the peripheral ratchet teeth of the ratchet 16, for permitting of the unwinding rotation of the roller 10. A stud shaft 23 projects out of the end of the casing 1 opposite to the end upon which the ratchet 16 is mounted, and it has a collar 24 mounted thereon, which engages the outer surface of the end of the housin to prevent longitudinal movement of the rol er 10 therein. The section of the shaft 23,

- which projects outwardly from the collar 24 is reduced in diameter, and is provided with external, screw threads on its outer end. A sprocket 26 is mounted upon the reduced end 25 of the shaft 24 and it has a recess 27 formed in its inner face which receives the collar 24 and frictionally grips the outer end or side of the collar, for rotating the shaft 23 synchronously with the rotation of the sprocket 2G. The sprocket 26 is held in firm binding engagement with the collar 24 for rotating the shaft 23, by a hand nut 28, which is adjustably mounted upon the screw threaded end of the shaft 23, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

The roller 10 has a plate or spider 10 secured to the end thereof opposite to the end which carries the ratchet 16. The plate 10 is secured to the ends of the roller in any suitable manner and has a pin 1O extending longitudinally from the central axis thereof, which pin is inserted into the enlarged end 23 of the stub shaft 23. A ratchet 23 is carried by the inner end of the enlargement 23, and its peripheral ratchet teeth are engaged by a pawl 23, which is pivotally connected to the plate 10. The ratchet 23 is engaged by the pawl 23 and the ratchet 16 is engaged by the pawl 17 to prevent the unwinding rotation of the roller. When it is desired to unwind the curtain from the roller 10, the nut 28 is removed from the screw threaded end 25, and the stub shaft 23 is moved longitudinally, for moving the ratchet 23 out of engagement with the pivoted pawl 23", which will permit of the rotation of the roller 10 independent of the rotation of the stub shaft 23.

A protecting housing 29 is secured to the end of the housing 1 in any suitable manner, and it is bent to assume substantially a semi-circular shape in cross section, being positioned over the upper edge of the sprocket 26, forming a guard for the sprocket chain 30 which passes about the sprocket 26. The sprocket chain 30 has a weight 31 connected to its lower forward end, which weight is slidably carried by

angle irons

32 and 33, which form a guide way for regulating the slidable movement of the weight 31.

The end 34 of the sprocket chain 30 which is free from connection with the weight 31, has a flexible member 35 connected thereto, which may be either a chain or cord, as desired. The flexible member 35 is secured to the bottom of the housing 1, as shown at 36, and it extends upwardly therefrom, being secured to or extending through an eye 37 formed in the end 34 of the sprocket chain 30. The flexible member 35 extends downwardly from the eye 37, and passes about a grooved guiding pulley 38, which is rotatably carried by the housing 1 and extends through the same, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The flexible member 35 has a handle 39 connected to its free end, which provides for a firm grip upon the flexible member for pulling it downwardly for operating the street indicator in the manner which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The weight 31 is provided with a transversely extending opening 40, which alines with an opening 41 formed in the housing 1, when the weight is in its lowermost position. The

openings

40 and 41 are provided for receiving the bit 42 of a key 43, for holding the weight against movement, so as to permit of the manual rotation of the shaft 23 and the roller 10, for tightening the rolls of the curtain upon the roller.

Any suitable means, such as a-wing nut 44 and a disk 45 may be employed, as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, for connection to the end of the roller 9 opposite to the one to which the crank handle 11 is connected, for tightening or loosening the bearing of the roller, for facilitating or impeding the rotation of the roller.

The top 46 of the housing 1 projects over the end upon which the

angle plates

32 and 33 are carried, and it has a bearing member 47 secured to its upper surface, through which bearing member a striking pin 48 extends. The striking pin 48 which is slidably carried by the bearing 47, extends downwardly through the top 46 being positioned in the path of the upward movement of the weight 31. The upper end of the striking pin 48 has a head 49 formed thereon which engages the under surface of the lever 50. The lever 50 is pivotally carried, intermediate of its ends by a bracket 51, which is secured to and extends upwardly from the top of the housing 1. The end of the lever 50 which is free from connection with the head 49, is enlarged, as is shown at 52, and is positioned directly above the striking pin 53 of an ordinary call bell 54. The call bell 54, as illustrated in the drawings, embodies the alarm bell 55, which has suitable clappers (not shown) positioned therein, which clappers are controlled by the vertical movement of the striking pin 53.

A vertically extending shield 56 is secured to the forward end of the top 46 and extends upwardly therefrom forming a shield for the alarm sounding mechanism which includes the lever 50, and the call bell mechanism 54.

Metallic straps 57 are secured to and extend upwardly and downwardly from the rear wall of the housing 1, and they are provided for attaching the street indicator to any permanent support.

The operation of the improved street indicator heretofore described: The curtain 8 which bears the street indicating characters, is originally wound upon the roller 9, and from thence about the

various rollers

12, 13, 14 and 15 and upon the roller 10, as heretofore described, so that when the roller 10 is rotated, the curtain will unwind from the roller 9 and wind upon the roller 10, moving the same forward one space upon each operation of the roller 10. The roller 10 is rotated for moving the curtain forwardly one space, by pulling downwardly upon the flexible member 35, which pulls the weight 31 upwardly, and the sprocket chain 30 across the sprocket 26, rotating the sprocket 26 a distance equivalent to the movement of the sprocket chain 30 which is previously arranged so as to move the curtain 8 the distance necessary for exhibiting a street or station designation next to the one which has been previously exhibited.

An upward movement of the weight 31 is limited by a stop 58, which is carried by and depends from the overhanging section of the top 46. When the weight 31 almost reaches the upper terminal of its movement, it engages the lower end of the striking rod 48 moving this rod upwardly within its bearing 47. The upward movement of the pin 48 will rock the lever 50 causing the end 52 thereof to strike and press downwardly the striking pin 53, which will sound an alarm, upon each operation of the flexible curtain 8 by the flexible member 35. Upon each operation of the sprocket 26 and consequently the roller 10, the sections of the curtain 8 which are positioned in front of the windows 6 and 7 will each be moved synchronously, exhibiting the street which the car is approaching, and if it is so desired the street which it has just passed, however, if it is desired any suitable characters may be exhibited on the curtain, and the device used for other purposes besides a street indicator, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

When the curtain 8 has been unwound from the roller 9, it may be rewound thereupon, by rotating the roller through the medium of the crank 11 and releasing the pawls 17 from engagement with the ratchet and disengaging the pawl 23 from the ratchet 23*.

If it is desired to tighten the winding of the curtain 8 upon the roller 10, the key 43 is inserted through the

openings

40 and 41 which will hold the weight 31 against movement, and the shaft 23 and the roller 10 are rotated by manual power through the medium of the hand nut 28 until the desired tightness is achieved.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved street indicator will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction,

it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is 1. In a street indicator, a protective housing, a plurality of rollers carried by said housing, a plurality of idler rollers, carried by said housing, a flexible curtain carrying designating characters wound upon one of said rollers, and extending about said idler rollers, and wound upon the other of said rollers, said idler rollers positioned for exhibiting different sections of the front and back of said curtain, a sprocket wheel operatively connected to said first named rollers, a sprocket chain for travel about said sprocket, a flexible member connected to said sprocket chain, for pulling said sprocket chain over said sprocket and rotating said rollers for moving the curtain forward one space upon each operation of said sprocket chain, a weight carried by one end of said sprocket chain for automatically returning said sprocket chain to an operative position, a stop member carried by said housing for limiting the movement of said weight and said sprocket chain, and an alarm sounding mechanism carried by said housing and means operable by the upward movement of said weight for sounding a signal upon the movement of said weight and said curtain.

2. The combination with a street indicator embodying a movable curtain, of a signal and alarm mechanism, comprising a bell, means for striking said bell, and sounding a signal, a lever, a pin having one end engaging said lever, and means for rocking said lever for moving said bell striking means for sounding a signal upon the movement of said curtain.

3. In a street indicator, a protective housing, a plurality of rollers carried by said housing, a plurality of idler rollers carried by said housing, a flexible curtain carrying designating characters wound upon one of said rollers, and extending about said idler rollers, and wound upon the other of said rollers, said idler rollers positioned for exhibiting diiferent sections of the front and back of said curtain, a sprocket wheel operatively connected to said first named rollers, a sprocket chain for travel about said sprocket, a flexible member connected to said sprocket chain for pulling said sprocket chain over said sprocket and rotating said rollers for moving the curtain forward one space upon each operation of said sprocket chain, a weight carried by one end of said sprocket chain for automatically returning said sprocket chain to an operative position, the other end of said chain connected to the casing for limiting the downward movement of the weight, a stop member carried by said housing for limiting the movement of said weight and said sprocket chain in an upwardly direction, and an alarm sounding mechanism carried by said housing and means operable by the upward movement of said weight for sounding a signal upon the movement of said weight and said curtain.

4:. In a street indicator, a protective housing, a plurality of rollers carried by said housing, a plurality of idler rollers carried by said housing, a flexible curtain carrying designating characters wound upon one of said rollers, and extending about said idler rollers, and wound upon the other of said rollers, said idler rollers positioned for exhibiting different sections of the front and back of said curtain, a sprocket wheel operatively connected to said first named rollers, a sprocket chain for travel about said sprocket, a flexible member connected to said sprocket chain for pulling said sprocket chain over said sprocket and rotating said rollers for moving the curtain forward one space upon each operation of said sprocket chain,a weight carried by one end of said sprocket chain for automatically returning said sprocket chain to an operative position, said housing and weight provided with alining apertures therein, a key adapted to be mounted in the aperture of said weight and extended into the aperture of the casing to hold said weight against movement to tighten the curtain upon last mentioned rollers, a stop member carried by said housing for limiting the movement of said weight and said sprocket chain, and an alarm sounding mechanism carried by said housing, and means operable by the upward movement of said weight for sounding a signal upon the movement of said weight and said curtain.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MOB-BONE. Witnesses:

F. CANNTI, Josnrn GA'rro.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.