US288518A - William ii - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. H. WADDELL.

STATION INDICATOR. No. 288,518. Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

.VILLIAM H. IVADDELL, OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGIXIA.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,518, dated November 13, 1883,

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \ViLLmn H. WADDELL, of Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Station Indicators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to improvementsin station-indicators in which octagonal rollers are connected together by means of cog-wheels operated by a connectingrod passing over an inclined plane situated at the stations; and the objects of my improvements are, to provide a station-indicator which will indicate and disclose automatically and in consecutive order to the passengers, before arriving thereat, the name of the station at which the train will stop, continuing so to do during the entire trip, and which will, when returning over the route, indicate and disclose correctly in reverse and consecutive order the names of the stations; and, further, of a combination of devices arranged to operate a scroll adapted to unfold upon a rotating drum or drums, preferably octagonal in cross-section, which operating mechanism is set in motion and operation by an inclined plane connected with the track or any other suitable portion of the road-bed.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved indicator; and Fig. 2, a back vertical elevation of the same, showing the operat ing mechanism with the cover removed.

Similarletters refer to similar parts througlr out the several views.

The mechanism consists of octagonal rollers A, pivoted or secured to a frame, C, the inner side of which is provided with cogwhecls B,which mesh with a central wheel,B, pivoted to said frame. In the rear or outside ofsaid octagonal wheels are toothed or sprocket wheels I, which are operated by means of a pawl or escapement, (1, connected by a plate, K, to a perpendicular bar, L, suitably pivoted and held in its normal position by means of springs m. Said pawls are bifurcated at the end adjacent to the bar L, as shown at c, and are of a rounded or shouldered form on their outer edge, at the bottom, so that when the device is operated to either side this shoulder portion, moving against a pin, 1', serves to release or throw the lever end of the pawl out of engagement with the sprocket of the wheel.

a is a wire spring, the ends of which press against the pawls between their bifurcated ends, and act to assist the said pawls in being restored after the above-mentioned function is performed. To the lower end of said bar L is pivoted a vertical arm, N, held or retained in its normal position by a spring, 0. The object in thus pivoting the arm N to the bar L, which is guided by a rod suitably secured in the frame-work F, is, that when the bar L reaches the end of the rodO it will yield over to one side and allow the bar to pass over the inclined plane, and thus preventinjury or accident, as would be the case were the bar L constructed of a rigid piece; and, further, the object of the arm X, pivoted in the manner shown, is to also yield to irregular heights of the car-body, and which is adapted to resume its normal position by the springs 0'.

To the frame -work F is secured a bell, H, sounded or detonated by a forked arm, S, provided with weighted ends and attached to a bar, 1), connecting with the rod L, by which means the hell or gong is sounded. On the octagonal rollers A are properly secured rolls of cloth or other suitable material, on which are inscribed the names of the several stations at which the train is to stop, and which is held taut by means of a weighted roller, E, which is held in place by means of slotted metal strips D, secured to the frame-work F, while passing from one roller to the other.

The object of the weighted roller E, secured in the slotted metal strips D,is forthe purpose of preventing any slack in the rolls of cloth, which would be the case were it not used-as, for instance, when the roll of cloth would all be wound upon one of the octagonal rollers A the other would be less in circumference, and consequently unable to wind up the rolls as fast as released.

The operation is as follows: On the side of the traclgat points between stations at suitable distances therefrom, are placed inclined planes,

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I it from moving beyond the required distance,-

and which, by the tension of the springs m will be rotated and returned to its normal position by means of the said springs m,or by its own weight, thereby revolving the octagonal wheels and placing the name of the station about to be reached before the attention of the passengers, and at the same time partially rotate the bar I), thus-striking the gong or bell.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting or confining myself to the use of octagonal cylinders, as I may use cylinders provided with any number of sides; and, further, instead of using one bell or gong, I may use two, one be ing placed, respectively, under each of the cylinders.

I am aware that prior to my invention station-indicators have been used operated by means of a rod passing over inclined planes, and at the same time sounding an alarm. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

WVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a station-indicator, the rotating octagonal rollers mounted in a suitable frame connected bya band bearing the names of the stations, and having at one end cog-wheels which mesh with an intermediate cog, and at the other end thereof sprocket-wheels, in combination with the bifurcated pawls adapted to be released from and restored to operative connection with said sprocket-wheels through the agency of a trip-lever operated by an inclined plane, substantially as described.

2. In a station-indicator, the combination of the bar L, moving in guide O,and the supplemental bar N, connected thereto by a spring, with the plate K, pivoted bifurcated pawls O, springs a, and pins z, said pawls adapted to engage the sprocket-wheels for rotating the cylinders herein described, and arranged in engagement therewith, and to be operated substantially as set forth.

3. In a station-indicator, the rod D, mounted in a frame and having secured to one end a forked arm having clapper for sounding the bell H, and t0 the other end abar, L, actuated by thesprings m, in combination with the supplemental bar N, pivotally secured to the bar L, and connected thereto by the spring 0, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a station-indicator, the combination of the drums having the sprocket-wheels at one end, and engaged by pawls, whereby they are rotated, and the cog-wheels at the other, which turn with the rollers meshing with the intermediate cog, as described, with the barD, connecting with the rod E, and having the forked arm depending therefrom, by means of which, when the machine is operated, an alarm is sounded and the name of a station simultaneously registered, as set forth.

5. In astation-indicator, the combination of the drums having the cog and sprocket wheels, as described, and the rod L, having the plate is pivoted thereto, with the bifur- 8o cated pawls O, springs a, bearing against said pawls, pins i, and springs on, one of said pawls, when the device is operated, allowing the escapement of the next or higher sprocket of one wheel, while the opposite pawl engages the released sprocket of the other wheel, thereby preventing it from moving beyond the required distance, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I affiX my signature in pres- 9o ence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM H. WVADDELL.

\Vitnesses:

B. F. MORSELL, EDWARD E. ELLIs.

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