US1448040A - Street indicating and advertising device for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Mar. 13,' 1923.

` P. RADOCCIA.: STREET INDICATING AND ADVERTISING DEVICE FDR MOTOR VEHICLES.

? SHEETS-SHEET l.

FILED SEPT. 24. T921.

Mar'. 13,1923.

P. RADOCCIA.

. STREET INDICATING AND ADVERTISING DEVICE FOR MTGRVEHICLES.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED SEPT. 24.1921.

. Emaille/1Macc@ 1mm/w43 Patented Mai'. 13, 1923.

PASQUALE RADOCCIA, or rRovIDDNCE, RHODE ISLAND.

copi?r i 'otrifcsa'` W einem het saetta 2a iaai- Serial it moet To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that L PASQUALE Raooooie, a citizen of the United Svt'teeg residing at Providence, inthe county of Providele and State of RhodeJ Island,` have Yiiivented oertain new and usefulflmprovenients in a Street' indicating yand Adverteiig Deyee foi Motor Vehol'eefoi Whiohi the/"following is a spe'cicat'ion. A i

This'invention relates to a etreet indicatoil for trolley oaie'or'othei yehioleeaiid has for its" objeot'to Provide a eiliiple add effective mechanisml in which a'ribbonfo suitable material is mounted to be wound from one roll to another,l and having indicated upon its'lfiC in spaced apart relation the names` of the different Streets of the route travelled, and to provide'a rnotor which is energized byy contact with Inernbers lof cated upon the trolley wire to operate` the ribbon rolls and bring into view'the name of the next street which i the car is approaching.

A Jfurther object of the invention is ,to provide an electrically operated motor connected to each roll for operating them independently of eac-h other, to wind the ribbon alternately on these rolls by a step by step action.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the motormay he inamially operated, when deeii'ed ihdependent of the power received through. the trolley.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as Vwill he more ullyfdeeoiihett ahd haitioiiiariy Point-.ed oiit iii the appended clairns.

lln the accompanying drawinge:

Figure l ie a Sdeeleittii ,Showing a portion of a street car in `section improved street indicator device inounte'd in the center ,thereof supended 'the ing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the C levice showing the roll casing. broken away toilliue` trateth/e operating nnec'haniein within.

Figure, 3 iS, a Side ele'yatioii of 'iiediieed size illustrating the easing as. Provided., with a plurality of openinos through which three served; also showing spaces at either lend of thel casing upon which advertising Inatter may be displayed. n

Figure 43s' a Sectional 4view online 1-4 Figure? p `h`igi1ife`5 is a .Side elevation Showing a del` tail oi the mlo'toi in( the form of a Solenoid ooiineoted hy'a eiihlol tapeY Lto' an operating diilih; aiid a pawliaiid ratehet vm'eehanieiii by which' 'the' drum is connected tothe l( fiving jackshafh ignite 6 also shows. the motor and the drum;y andfnn addition Shows the ,Coil-.Spring connected 'to the drum fforv rewnding the tape thereon when' ,the motor has' .been deenergized, afterall oiieretilig'stroke- Figure? is a detail lhis'tiatine moans for ringing ay bell eaoh'tiiiie ythe motor' is energized., to ,Call the attenttioii` ofthepasseneers to. the Harrie of the etieet heilig approaohed Figure 8 isa detail Showing the trolley as having two eide arrneand4 a bracket lo@` cated upyo'nthe trolley-wire .extending to one Side 'thereof ih'poeitioii to hel engaged hy 011e' 0f the tiolleyatiis'upoii PaSSilgfalSo showing an vin'dependent circuit ladaptedto y be closed the car conductor by energizing each ofv the "motors'independent of each other and also independent of the trolley cirut.

' ith reference to the drawings, l() designates the 'trolley-.Wire onwhicli supported contact inelnbers ll'a't intervalealng'the Same, each contact being preferably "pro-' videdl with a iiegible wiping nienber`12, and

these contacteA are usually placed' midway between 4the crosestreets of theroute upon which the'v car`'ie'trav/ellii1g;l or theyinay be placed at any otheibdesired*pointe'along the trolleyaaa et the tetti trouw-.pale '1a i have' @Whitehead projecting cane tact time .15. @95116; aS heet ilhiatrated iii Figure Si Se that oath time, the trolley iiaesee one otf'tho, hraoiet'e" 11 iiiv ,elodie ifn one diret# tion, a contactis made thro-ugh thearrn l5l i0 @enthielt .the oiilreht the tolleyvyiie ihroiighytire 17 tothe, motor l'to energize the @tolerated 'Pieeleitly des.o'iibs'ad iii 'olie 19, to energize the motor 2O and so operate the indicating mechanism in the opposite di rection.

In the construction of my improved indicating mechanism, l provide `an"'upper roll 21, and a lower roll Y22, bet-Ween which the ribbon or strip 23, of cloth or other suitable material extends to be Wound from. one roll onto the other as they are alternately actuated by their respective motors. This ribbon is preferably designed to carry the names of the different streets on the different routes at spaced apart intervals along its length, but any advertising or other matter may also be carried thereby. These rolls are mounted to be rotated between two vertically disposed frame members 40, the lower roll having a spring-pressed center 24 at one end and to its shaft 25 at its opposite end is connected a ratchet toothed clutch member 26 which is engaged by a corresponding clutch member 27on the end of the jack-shaft 28.

ylfhis clutch member 27 is provided With an annular groove engaged by one end of' the lever 61, pivoted at 62, the opposite end of which lever is connected to lever 63, the free end of the latter extendinginto the path ot pin 64, in solenoid core 39. It will, thereiore, be see-n that When the core 39 is at the end of its outward movement, the pin 64 will engage the lever-63 and in turn move the lever 61 to withdraw the clutch member 27 from the clutch member 26, thus reeing the rollers so that they may be operated in an opposite direction by the other driving mechanism, if'necessary, and also to free the rollers from any vibration or movement of the operating parts, in order that the rollers may remain in their adjusted positions.

The inward movement of said core on its operating stroke releases the clutch member 27 to move under influence of its spring 29 into engagement With its clutch member 26 to drive its roll.

(ln this jack-shaft vis mounted a ratchet gear 30, which is engaged by a pavvl 31 providing a detent to prevent a backward rotation of this jaclrmshai't When the roll is rotated in reversed direction.

@n this shaft is also mounted a large gear 32, engaging small gear 33, the latter being provided With laterally extending pins 34..adapted to engage a. spring pavvl 35. to

ring the bell 36 each time the rolls are rotated to bring into view the name of anYM other street. V y On this jack-shaft is also mounted a drum 37, about which is wound a flexible tape 38, the free end of said tapevbeing connected to the core 39, of the solenoid magnet 18, which serves as a motor Which, when energized, causes the drum to rotate on its shaft. In order to connect this drum to this shaft, to rotate the shaft in one direction only, l have keyed a ratchet gear 41 to the shaft and have mounted a spring-pressed pawl 42, see Figure 5, on the drum so that a viorvvard rotating motion of the drum rotates the shaft through this paWl. and ratchet.

. In order that this drum may be rotated back to normal when released by the motor', I have provided a coil-spring 43, see Figure 6. one end of Which is connected to the hub of the drum, Whilethe opposite end is con`- nected to the member 44, Which is liXed to the roll-casing 45. By this construction of mechanism it Will be seen that each time the motor is energized the roll is rotated,

and that when the motor is `cle-energized the drum automatically reWinds the tape read, for another rotating operation upon its ro l 22. The upper roll 21 is also provided with a sprin -pressed center 46 atone yend, and on its s aft 47 at the other end is mounted a ratchet clutch 48, which clutch is engaged by a corresponding spring-pressed clutch member 49 mounted on the jack-shaft 50. The balance of the operating mechanism mounted upon this jack-shaft 50 is an exact duplicate of that mounted upon the jackshaft 28 of the roll 22, whereby the energizing of thesolenoid 2O on this side of the casing operates the upper roll 21 to Wind the street indicating ribbon from roll 22 back upon the roll 21 when the car is moving in the opposite direction.

In some instances it isl desired to provide guide-rolls 51, over which the ribbon 23 may be conducted for the purpose of carrying its displaying center portion back into substantial alignment With the axes of the rolls 21 and 22. All of these rolls and the operating mechanism are preferably enclosed in a icas ing 45, having its tvvo parts hinged together at their lower edge at 52, and provided With a snap or catch member 53 at their upper edges for retaining them in closed position.

The side Walls of these casing members are each provided With an opening `54, through which the matter displayed on the ribbon 23 may he observed Yfrom either side of this casing, so that a single casingmay be provided and supported in the middle ol the car, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the matter on the ribbon may be observed through these openings 54 from either side thereof.v

All about each ott the openings l have provided mirror flanges for the purpose of reflecting the matter displayed upon the ribbon.

In some instances it is desired to provide specially constructed advertising display surfaces 56 at the ends of the casing, as illustratedin Figure 3; also a plurality of openings 5? may be formed through each side wall of the casing so that a number of di'erent streets or other matter may be displayed through said openings.

In some instances it is desired to provide means whereby the conductor may operate the rolls independent of the electrical operating motor. To accomplish this I have provided operating handles 58 on each of It will be noticed that by the use of the spring-pressed centers 24 yand 46, that these may be readily pulled out to permity the removal of the rolls when a fresh ribbon is to be mounted to take the place of the old one. This is of advantage when a car is required to run on different routes, which in practice is found to be often the case.

The foregoing description is directed solely toward the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a street indicator of the character described, a ribbon carrying matter to be displayed, a roll upon which said ribbon may be Wound, means for actuating said roll including a drum, a flexible member wound about said drum, an electric motor connected to the free end of said flexible member to rotate the drum when the motor is energized, means for automatically disconnecting said actuating means from said roll after each driving action, and means for rewinding said flexible member on said drum after each operation of said motor.

2. A street indicator of the character described, a ribbon carrying matter to be displayed, a roll upon which said ribbon is to be wound, means for actuating said roll including a drum having operative connection with said roll, a paWl and ratchet mechanism between said drum and said roll,fwhereby! the latter may be operated in one direction by the movement of the drum, a flexible member Wound about said drum, a motor connected With the free end of said flexible member, whereby the drum is rotated when the motor is set in motion, and a spring `for rotating said drum in an opposite direction for rewindin said flexible member thereon after each e ective operation of said motor.

3. In a street indicator as set forth in claim 2, further characterized by said rewinding s ring being placed under tension for rewin ing the flexible member on the drum When said drum is rotated bythe operation of said motor.

4. In a street indicator of the character described, a ribbon carrying matter to be displayed, a roll-shaft upon which said ribbon may be wound, a jack-shaft, a springpressed clutch connecting said shafts, a drum connected to said j ack-shaft through a pawl and ratchet mechanism,whereby the jack shaft is rotated in one direction by said drum, a flexible member woundv upon said drum, a motor connected to said member, whereby the drum is operated to rotate said jack-shaft When the motor is set in motion and a spring for revvinding said flexible member on the drum after each effective operation of said motor. y

5. A street indicator, as set forth in claim 4:, further characterized by means for locking said jack-shaft against rotation except in one direction.

6. In a street indicator, of the kind described, a pair of spaced apart rolls each mounted on a shaft, a ribbon carrying matter to be displayed adapted to be wound alternatively upon said rolls by a step by step action, independent actuating means for each roll-shaft, each of said actuating means comprising a jack-shaft, a spring-pressed clutch member connecting said jack-shaft with said roll-shaft, a drum freely mounted on the j ack-shaft, a pawl and ratchet connection between said drum and jack-shaft, whereby the latter is rotated in one direction by said drum, a flexible member wound about said drum, a motor connected to said member, whereby said drum is operated to rotate said jack-shaft when the motor is set in motion, and ya spring for rewinding said flexible member on the drum after each effective operation of the motor.

7. A street indicator, as set forth in claim 4, further characterized by means for automatically operating said clutch member to disconnect said shafts after each effective operation of the motor 8. A street indicator, as set forth in claim 6, further characterized by means'for automatically operating said clutch member to disconnect said shafts after each effective operation of the motor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PASQUALE RADOCCIA.

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