US1735791A

US1735791A - puskas

Info

Publication number: US1735791A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1929-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1946-11-12

Description

Nov. 12, 1929. G. PUSKAS 1,735,791

STATION INDICATOR Filed June 16, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Nov. 12, 1929 ice 1 GYULA PUSKAS, WOODRIDGE, MANITOBA, CANADA s'rA'rIon INDICATOR.

' Application filed June 16,

This invention has reference to a station indicator for railroad or railway cars and similar vehicles, and the primary object is the provision of simple means which shall be automatically operated to visibly display the name of the station at which the vehicle is to make its next stop and likewise s0unding an alarm so that passengers will have ample time for making proper preparations for leaving the car at the station.

A still further object is the provision of novel means for winding the curtain containing the names of stations from one onto the other roller, so that the said curtain is held in a taut condition, halted in its movement to properly display the names of stations thereon, together with the actuating means for turning the rollers to move the curtain to predetermined distances.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application,

1 with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showingof the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such 3 changes and modifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the. scope thereof as expressed in the, appended claims. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through a railway or similar coach to illustrate the vapplication of the improvement therein. a V

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the casing of the improvement taken approximatelv on the line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an elevation of the casing with the door removed, the same being approximately on'the line'3-3 of Figure Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view approximately on the line 4t of Figure 2. v a

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view to illustrate the switch lever in engagement with the lug or contact on the road bec 1928. Serial No. 285,880.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of one of the stub shafts employed.

Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the ratchet mechanisms employed.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a suflicient portion of a car to illustrate a manner in which the throw arm for the circuit mechanism may be operated from an elevation.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a coach or car that is mounted on wheels 2 that travel on the rails 3 of a track. Secured to the ties or sleepers of the track,'at points arranged a suitable distance from the several stations which the car passes, there are upstanding elements in the nature of lugs 4:. One of these lugs is best illustrated by Figure 5 of the drawings, and by reference to this figure it will be seen that the lug is in the nature of a triangular member being inclined downwardly from its center to its ends.' Fixedly secured on the end of the car or coach 1, in a place where the same will be clearly visible to the occupants of the car or coach, there is the casing 5 of the improvement. In the showing of the drawings, the casing comprises a substantially rectangular member or box having its outer and open face closed by a hinged door 6. Suitable latching means is provided between the door and the casing. The door is formed with a sight opening? and covering this opening there is a glass panel 8.

Secured to the inner face of thetop of the casing, at points adjacent to the ends thereof, there are pairs of spaced depending spring brackets. The brackets in the front of the casingrare indicated by the numeral 9 and the brackets directly to the rear of the front brackets by thenumeral 9. The angle lower end of each of these pairs of brackets have openings for the reception of trunnions 10-10 and 10'10 for shafts 1111 and 12-12, the shafts 11 being journaled in the front brackets and the shafts 12 being journaled in the rear-brackets. The front pair of shafts 11 pass through but are secured centrally in rollers 13,'while the rear pair of shafts 12 pass centrally through but are secured in spools 14. The depending ends of the shafts 1111 and 12-12 are centrally reduced to provide rectangular lugs 15 and 15', respectively. The

lugs

15 and 15 are received in correspondingly shaped notches in the head portions 16 of a pair of front short shafts 17 and in a pair of similar short rear shafts 18. Th lower extending ends of the shafts are also received in round open-. ings in the said heads of the short or stub shafts.

The forward and rear pairs of

stub shafts

17 and 18 are journaled through bearing sleeves 19 which are formed and extend upwardly from castings which I will term brackets. These brackets are indicated for distinction by the

numerals

20 and 21 and each of the brackets is in the nature of a hollow or channeled member. The short or

stub shafts

17 and 18 have reduced

ends

22 and 23, respectively that enter the brackets, and the extensions 22 of the front or forward short shafts 17 have each loosely journaled thereon a flange wheel 24. On the lower face of each of the flanged wheels 24 there is pivotally secured a dog 25, and these dogs are designed to engage with the teeth of ratchet wheels 26 that are fixed on the ends 22 of the shafts 17 by removable means 27. Each of the flanged wheels 24 has its hub, adjacent to its upper end peripherally formed with teeth 29.

Freelyv journaled on the reduced ends 23 of the short shafts 18 there are flanged wheels 30-which are similar to the flanged wheels 24. The peripheral teeth on the upper end of the hub portion of the flanged wheels 30 are indicated by the numeral 31 and the pivotally supported dogs on the under faces of the flanges of the said wheels 30 are indicated by the numeral 32. The dogs 32 are each designed 'to engage with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 34, and these ratchet wheels are freely journaled upon reduced extensions 35 that er;- tend from the ends 23 of the shafts 18. Spacer discs 36 are arranged upon both of the faces of the ratchet wheels 34, one of these discs providing both a friction and spacer member between the ratchet wheel 34 and the flange of the wheel 30, while the second or lower disc 36 is contacted by a helical spring 37 arranged around the shaft extension 35 and held on said shaft extension through the medium of a collar 38 that is fixed on the extension 35 of each of the shafts 18.

As far as the description has progressed it will be seen that the turning of the flanged wheels 24 will impart a direct turning to the shaft 17, and consequently to the rollers13, while the flanged wheels 30 maybe turned to a determined extent without turning the spools 14 incident to the spring or frictional engagement between the shaft 18 and the ratchet wheel 34. The importance of this arrangement will be presently understood and it is thought appreciated.

Centrally arranged between the brackets for the spools and rollers there are

solenoids

39 and 40, respectively. The movable cores of these solenoids are indicated by the

numerals

41 and 42, respectively. The

cores

41 and 42 are fixed to the central or connecting portions of substantially U-shaped

members

43 and 44, respectively. The parallel arms of the e -

shaped members

43 and 44 have their outer edges formed with teeth 45-45. and 4646, respectively, and the teeth on the respective arms of said

members

43 and 44 are designed for meshing engagement ith the

teeth

29 and 31 on the respective front and rear flanged

wheels

24 and 30. The substantially Ll-shaped members or what may be termed

yokes

43 and 44 are influenced by springs 47, respectively, to normally draw the

cores

41 and 42 out of the solenoids 39and The wires for the solenoids are connected to a suitable source electricity, either that used as a propelling means for the vehicle 1 or the battery 43 which is housed in the said vehicle. Reference is now directed to Figure 3 of the drawings. The circuit wires between the battery and solenoids, it will be noted, are connected to electrically operated bell '49 and the wires for, the respective solencids ter--

bracket end contacts

50 and 51 are con:

nected but are suitably insulated frorn the said bracket. The lower end of the switch lever 53 1s preferably bifurcated and. has iournaled between the arms thus provided th shafts of a rcller 56, which is arranged to ride over the inclined faces of the lugs The switch lever 53 is normally held in a Vertical direction by providing the'upper end of the said switch lever with a finger 58 designed to be received in a central depressed portion 59 in an arched spring 60 whose ends are secured to the inner wall of the tion of the bracket 55.

bifurcated por- The spools 14 are designed to have wound therearound the end portions of-a curtain 61; r

The curtain, adjacent to its edges is formed with equioistantly spaced apertures 62. The rollers 13 are preferably flanged, and the curtain 61 is directed between the of the said rollers. The rollers are peripherally formed with equidistantly spaced outwardly extending'teeth 63 to be received in the aper- The tures-62 of the curtain 61. By reference to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the rollers 13 are journaled directly to the rear and adjacent to the ends of the sight opening 7 so that the portion of the curtain received between the rollers will be retained in a straight position parallel with and directly to the rear of the glass in the sight opening 7, so that the names of stations which are imprinted on the curtain will be clearly discernible through the sight opening. I have not deemed it necessary to arrange the names of stations on the curtains but it will, of course, be understood that the curtain is inscribed with the name of each station along the route traveled by the vehicle and at which stations the vehicle stops to let on and let off passengers.

As previously stated, the switch lever 53 is normally sustained in a vertical position and, therefore, in a neutral position with respect to the contacts and 51. The roller on the outor end of the switch lever is at all times in the path of engagement with the inclined faces of the lugs 4. and when the roller passes over one of these faces the lever will be swung to bring the same against either of the

contacts

50 or 51 in accordance with the direction in which the vehicle is traveling. This will energize the electric circuit and will cause one of the

solenoids

39 or 40 to move its core thereinto, and by so doing will'cause the racks on the arms of the yokes or U-shaped member associated with the core to turn one of the flanged wheels 24 on one of the rollers 13, and thereby imparting a direct rotary motion to the said roller, causing this roller to draw on the curtain to bring the name of the station which is imprinted on the curtain next to the sight opening. It is to be noted that when'one of the rollers 13 thus draws on the curtain the second roller 13 freely rotates, as the dog25 I thereon merely ratchets over the ratchet wheel 26, while the spool from which the curtain is unwound will offer a slight resistance to the turning thereof by the spring friction means associated therewith. The spool on which the curtain is wound will, of course, have its toothed wheel 30 revolved so that the dog on the flange of the said wheel will turn the ratchet wheel 34 and the friction spring between the dog and the stub or short shaft 18 will turn the said spool in manner to cause the curtain to be wound thereon without an slack and thus it will be noted that the rollerof the other spool. The bell 49 willbe sounded when the switch lever is swung against either of the contacts. The switch lever is returned to initial position after pass-mg oil of the lug i 14 through the medium of energizing springs 57 which have one of their ends attached to eye members projecting from the

respective contacts

50 and 51 and the second ends are attached to the ends of a hanger 64 suspended from the pivot 54 for the switch 53. I The hanger 64 has its ends offset, and arranged between these oifset ends and the side and edges of the switch lever there are cushionwhen the vehicle is to make its return trip;

By swinging the front or door of the casing to open position access maybe readily had to the interior thereof so that any required repairs to the roller and spool driving mechanisms may be easily made or broken parts repaired. The construction is simple and the operation thereof is possible, and it is believed the invention will be fully understood andappredated by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates after the foregoing description has been carefully read in connection with the accompanying drawings so thatfurther detailed description will not be required.

If desired and as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawings, the throw arm 53, for the circuit maker may extend through a suitable opening through one side of the'vehicle land may be in the path of engagement with the V-shaped portions 75 on the angle and upper ends of spaced posts 6, the said posts, of course. being suitably spaced from the roadbed on which the car travels.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a station indicator for vehicles, spools, a data bearing curtain having its ends wound on said spools, a combined guide and drive roller forward of each spool and over which the curtain is trained, shafts for the freely journaled on each shaft, pivo tally'supported dogs on the flange of each toothed wheel, ratchet wheels fixed onthe shafts of the rollers and engaged by the dogs, ratchet wheels freely journaled on the shafts of the spools and engaged by the dogs of the wheels thereon, springs on said shafts contacting said racks.

2. In a station indicator for vehicles, spools, a data bearing curtain having its ends woundon said spools, a combined guide and drive roller forward of each spool and over rollers and spools, a flanged toothed wheel which the curtain is trained, shafts for the rollers and spools, a flanged toothed wheel freely journaled on each shaft, pivotally supported dogs on the flange of each toothed wheel, ratchet wheels fixed on the shafts of 7 pairs of spools and rollers, solenoids having cores connected to the toothed racks, and said solenoids being wired to a normally open circuit, and switch operated means carried by the vehicle for closing either of said circuits.

3. In a station indicator for vehicles, spools, a data bearing curtain having its ends wound on said spools, a combined guide "and drive roller forward of each spool and over which the curtain is trained, shafts for the rollers and spools, a flanged toothed wheel freely journaled on each shaft, pivotally supported dogs on the flange of each toothed wheel, ratchet wheels fixed on the shafts of the rollers and engaged by the dogs, ratchet wheels freely journaled on the shafts of the spools and engaged by the dogs of the wheels thereon, springs on said shafts contacting with the ratchet wheels, stop elements on the shafts supporting the springs, toothed racks engaging the toothed wheels on the respective pairs of spools and rollers, solenoids having cores connected to the toothed racks, and said solenoids being wired to a normally open circuit, an alarm in said circuit, a pivotally supported switch member carried by the vehicle, spring means normally holding the switch member pendent, and fixed angle lugs in the path of contact with the switch member for swinging the same to close either of said circuits. 7

4:. In a station indicator for vehicles, a casing having a sight opening therein, a pair of spaced-spools in the casing adjacent to the the rollers engaged by the dogs of the flanged wheels thereon, loosely mounted ratchet Wheels on the short shafts for the spools engaged by the ratchet wheels of the flanged wheels thereof, friction springs on said shafts contacting with the ratchet wheels, holding.

means for the friction springs, solenoids in the casing, cores therefor, avsubstantially U-shaped rack connected with each core, spring means influencing the cores outward of the solenoids, and the rack engaging with V GYULA PUSKASL ends and at the rear thereof, a perforated data bearing curtain having its-ends wound around the spools, shafts for the spools, yieldable bearings for the upper ends of the shafts, a combined guide and drive roller in the casing arranged forward of each spool and said rollers having projecting pins to be received in the apertures of the curtain and to hold a portion of the curtain in a straight condition to the rear of the sight opening, yieldable bearings in which the upper ends of the shafts are journaled, short shafts journaled in bearings and having removable interlocking engagement with the lower ends of the curtain and roller shafts, a flanged wheel freely journaled on each of the short shafts and having a hub portion which is peripherally toothed, pivoted dogs on the flanged wheels,

- fixed ratchet wheels on the short shafts for