US363315A - clapp - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. D. OLAPP.

ANNUNGIATOR.

No. 363,315. Patented May 1.7, 1887.

Witness es N PETERS, Pholo-Limo rnphen Washington. me

(No Model.) 3 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. D. CLAPP.

ANNUNGIATOR. No. 363,315. Patented May 17, 1887'.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.) I E. D. GLAPP.

ANNUNGIATOR.

Patented M No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E. D. OLAPP.

ANNUNOIATOR.

No. 363,315. Patented May 17, 1887.

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E. DWIGHT CLAPP, OFNVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM HENDERSON AND DANIEL J. MACARTY, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,315, dated May 1'7, 1887.

Application filed December 16, 1886. Scria' No. 221,762.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, E. DWIGHT CLAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators; 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part hereof. My invention relates to a device entitled an an nu n ciator, and designed to be used for pcriodically bringing one or more cards to a point of observation where the characters thereon may be read and afterward discharged or carried out of.view while others are brought to view in place thereof, the purpose being to impart information or instruction or entertainment by consecutively presenting the cards to view. These cards may have any de sired matter imprinted thereon, depending on the use to be made of the device. For in- 2 5 stance, they may have different kinds of stocks or securities printed thereon, which, when brought opposite to the point of observation,

will indicate a rise or decline in the stocks orsecurities. To illustrate, a card may have ,0 printed thereon, on one line \Vabash 18, and on a lower line, Northern Central 16. Now, it being understood that the upper line always indicates an advance and thelower line a decline, the upper line will be read W a 5 bash has advanced 1S, and the lower line, Northern Central has declined 143. These figures, being compared with previous quotations, will indicate a gain or loss in the respective stocks or securities. In this way an 0 evenings entertainment can be given toalarge company by imaginary speculations in stocks or securities. So, too, the device can be used on a railway or street-railroads to indicate the next station or street, by turningthe wheel so as to carry one card from view and bring another into view, and so on it can be used for a variety of purposes. Instead of having a single card brought to View at one time, two

cards may be brought to view, one above the (No model.)

other, each indicating a different kind of security or stock; or the upper one may indicate the station or street that is being approached and the lower one the street orstation just left.

To the accomplishment of the objects above outlined the means new to be particularly de scribed and afterward defined by the claims may be employed, reference being had to the annexed drawings,foriniug a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the ease inclosing the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the rotating drum, certain parts being in full lines. Figs. 3, 8", and 3 show a front elevation of the drum and vertical crosssection throughthe timemeehanism casing, some parts being broken away and other parts in section. Fig. 4. is a side view ofthe slotted disk in which the detent is to drop. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the same and a portion of the detent; Fig. 6, a side view, on an enlarged scale, of the locking and unlocking mechanism, and an end View of the arm or lever against which it bears. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the feeding-trough, cards, follower, a portion of the rotating drum, and cer- 7 5 tain other parts. Fig. 8 is an inner end view of the feed-trough, showing position of the card before its removal. Fig. 9 is an end view,

looking from the rear of the machine, of apertion of the rotating drum, carrying plates and gripper-fingers. Fig. 10 is a perspective of the revolving plate and lever that checks the rotation of the drum. Fig. 11 is an edge View of one ofthe cards. Fig. 12 is a plan of the friction-brake. Fig. 13 is a sectional side 8 5 view of Fig. 12. Fig. 14. is a section of a portion of the front of the casing, showing an opening for the inspection of the cards carried by the drum.

In the drawings, the letter A designates up right standards of a frame of any suitable form designed to support the operating mechanism, said standards being connected together transversely by bolts B. This frame-work supports an upright plate, C, and a cross-bar, D. The 5 latter will extend from one standard to the other on the same side of the machine and will be suitably secured to both of them. A shaft,

E, is journaled in the plate 0 and crossbar D, and carries a pinion, F, and also a wheel, which will be termed a drum, rotating with the shaft, and composed, preferably, of a disk, G, and a ring, G, the two being connected together by rods or pins a. Within the drum there is supported in some suitable manner a frame-work composed of the two plates H, separated from each other and connected together by pins or rods b, the lower ones of which preferably rest upon an elastic cushion, c, as shown in Fig. 8, so as to break any jar and deaden the noise. 7

In the plates H is journaled a toothed wheel, d, on the shaft of which is a pinion, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) with which meshes. a toothed-wheel, I, keyed to the shaft E, said shaft and wheel being impelled by suitable power, preferably by spring-pressure, as hereinafter described. The toothed wheel (I meshes with a pinion, 6, through which motion is transmitted to a toothed wheel, f, which meshes with apinion, 9, that revolves a plate or wing, I. This plate or wing is formed with two notches, h and h, of different widths, and it normally rests upon a finger, 2', extending laterally from one arm, j, of a lever, J, and when so re'stingit prevents the described train of gearing from running. When the lever is thrown soas to bring the fingeri into the notch h, the spring-pressure exerted upon wheel I through shaft E sets the train of gearing into motion, and at the same time the same power revolves the drum. The revolution of the drum continues until the toothed wheel at of the train has brought a cam, 70, secured thereto, around to a point where'it strikes against an arm, j, of the lever J When the cam It strikes said arm, it presses the same downward, which movement throws the arm j of the lever backward, so as to bring it into the line of travel of the plate or wing I, and then, when the end of the wing having the narrowest slot in it is brought next to the arm, the wing strikes and rests upon the finger z and stops the movement of the train of gearing and at the same time the revolution of the drum. The drum and parts of the gearing may be so relatively proportioned that the drum will be revolved any part of a complete revolution before being checked; but in the drawings the parts-are so proportioned that the wheel d will make one revolution while the drum is moving the distanee of two spaces or the distance of two of the grippers and carrying-plates, hereinafter described. The revolving plate or wing is, regarded as the best means for checking the movement of the several parts; but I do not say, a rod or link, K, is connected at one end to the free arm of the lever and at the other end toa lever, L, which is fulcrumed within the inclosing-case Msay at Zand the downward movement of which may be checked by the stop m. To the lever L is connected the lower end of a rod, N, the upper end of which is connected to a detent, 0, preferably by forming the end with a hook which will enter one of a series of holes, a, formed in the detent. By moving the rod from one hole to another, the throw of the detent can be regulated if it should become necessary for any reason. It will be noticed,too,that the lower end of the lever N, as well as the upper end ofthe rod K, screw into sleeves 0,which are pivoted to lever L,so that the rods can be adjusted in length and allowed to move laterally to conform to the movement oflever L withoutstrainiug or binding upon any of the parts. The detentO is pivoted within the case M, which incloses the clock mechanism, and is preferably connected with some suitable spring, as p, which will assist in restoring and retaining it at its normal position after being moved therefrom. The free end of this detent rests normally against the upper end of a pivoted finger, P, the finger preferably being formed with a shoulder, q, for the detent to rest upon. This finger, preferably, through offset or projection r, bears against acam,s,in this instance formed on the pivot or pin of the second-hand of a' clock mechanism, so that in the revolution of the second-hand the cam will act upon the finger to press it away from the detent,so that the latter may be free to move, say, downward. This cam will be of such form as to. move the finger at the desired interval of time.

The form illustrated is such as will move the finger every thirty seconds, so that the detent and the drum, through its intermediate connections therewith, will move once in every thirty seconds. The finger will be held against the cam by aspring,1. When the finger is moved away from the detent, the latter falls and rests temporarily upon a shoe, which delays for a period the downward movement of the detent. Instead of having the main body of the detent to rest upon the said shoe, I prefer to have an attached part thereof to rest thereon. This attached part is, for illustration, a plate, a, sensitively pivoted to the detent and bearing a friction-roller, '1), designed at times to rest upon the shoe referred to. The plate or arm u preferably fits into a notch, w, formed in the under side of the detent,and is under the influence of a spring, as, which moves it back to its normal position when disturbed.

The delay-shoe preferably consists of a double tent to drop to its lowest limit twice in the one.

revolution of the cam,and consequently twice in every revolution of the second-hand, so that, as hereinbefore indicated,the drum may make a part of a revolution twice in every sixty seconds.

It is obvious that the number of slots will depend on the frequency with which the drum is to make a partial revolution. When the detent leaves the shoulder of the finger, its friction-roller drops onto the face of the cam, and as the latter is carried around, the detent gradually lowers until the slot thereof is brought in line with the arm and its frictionroller, when the detent, by reason of gravity, drops quickly down, the pivoted arm entering and passing down into the slot. At the same time the free end of lever L drops, thus depressing rod K and the long free arm of lever J. This movement brings the finger z of one arm of the lever forward into the slot h of the 0116Ck-13l2ti16, thus freeing the train of gearing, and at the same time it throws the arm j of the lever up into the path of cam it, so that when the latter in the revolution of the wheel (2 reaches the arm j it strikes and depresses the latter, which throws back the finger of armj into the path of the check-plate, so that the latter will strike and rest against it and stop the train of gearing and rotation of the drum. At the time that the arm j is depressed the rods K and N and lever Lare by the same movement thrown upward, so as to raise the detent O and lift the plate and friction-roller of the detent out of the slot of the cam and the detent into position to have the finger P engage therewith. The plate and friction-roller of the detent are in the slot of the cam but for a moment, and do not stop the revolution of the cam and second-hand,because,the frictionroller arm being pivoted, it gives or yields to the movement of the cam for the time that it is in the slot of the cam. The upward movement of the detent is assisted by the spring 19.

The mechanism used may be any suitable clock-work, that illustrated being the Seth Thomas clock.

The drum, for purpose of gripping, carrying, and delivering the cards or tablets, is provided with a series of fingers or grippers, preferably of the following construction: The grippers R,by preference, are each formed with a finger, r, lying adjacent to each side of the drum, along the periphery thereof, and also with a heel, 1", inside of the drum. Each gripper thus formed is pivoted to the drum by a pin, a, and the same pin also pivots or hinges a plate, S, to the drum. The plates lie across the face of the drum, and may be said to compose the face thereof. Each plate is provided with a friction-roller, 8, preferably located at its free end and journaled upon a pin, 8 projecting from one side thereof. Therollers of the plates run in a cam groove or way, T, formed in the face of the upright plate 0. The contour of this camway is such as to hold these carryingplates to the face of the drum, or practically so, and at the desired points, as at z z, bring them to avertical or an upright position. To permit the -plates to be brought to such a position relative to the contour of the drum, the side G of the drum is formed with depressions or notches g in its edge,so that the journals of the rollers may enter the same. The

Two cams, U and U, which are preferably arranged in pairs, so as to act on each set of grippers, are supported in the path of the grippers, say, by means of arms V V, extending inwardly from the cross-bar D. The cam U is positioned adjacent to the feed-trough W, and is designed to press down the heel of each gripper as it comes in contact with the cam, and thus throw the fingers out from the earrying-plate into position to pass behind the end card in the feed-trough as the drum continues to revolve. In order that the pressure of the cam at this pointguay be yielding, so that the gripper fingers will not bind too tightly against the cards in the trough, and the end card may be more easily caught and lifted, a yielding or elastic surface is applied to the face of the cam. This I prefer to form of aspring'plate, I), secured at its lower end to the base of the cam and toward its upper end standing a little way off from the cam and secured to the top of the cam by a pin, 0', the plate being slotted for the pin to pass through, and so that it moves to and from the eams face. The lower face, (1, of the feed-trough is inclined slightly downwardly and rearwardly, so that the gripper-fingers can be thrown out a little farther at such point, the better to catch the card. After the gripperfinger has taken the card and the gripper-heel has passed from under the influence of the cam, the spring t acts to press out the heel and draw in the finger, so as to bind the card to the carryingplate, which, as it passes across the front of .the feed-trough, is. practically vertical, as

shown.

The face of the feed-trough is provided with inwardly-projectinglips d -one on each sidedesigned to prevent the cards from slipping or pressing forward from out of the trough. Each card is formed with slots or notches 6', corresponding to the shape of the lips (Z so that when a card is lifted by the gripper-flip gers until the notches are opposite the lips the card will then pass onto the carrying-plate. The cards are further prevented from pressing out of' the trough by their lower corners fitting behind the flanges f, and also by means of the plate whose upper edge laps onto the card, as shown. This plate is adjusted so as to regulate its pressure on the cards, or, more strictly, to permit more or less of the card to project, by means of a screw, X, whose end bears against the plate. By such means the plate is adjusted to conform to the thickness of the cards used. lVith the view of exerting pressure upon the upper edges of the cards to keep them in position in the trough, a yielding or spring plate, Y, is secured to a bar, Z, extending across the top of the trough.

The cards are fed forward in the trough by a follower, A, working in a way in the bot tom of the trough. The follower can be moved by any suitable means; but I prefer to employ a tension device in which the tension will decrease with the decrease in the number of cards in the trough. Such a device may consist of a drum, B, having within it a spring, one end of which is connected to the drum and the other end to a shaft passing through the drum, so that by turning the drum in one direction the spring is wound up and its tension increased, and by turning in the opposite direct-ion the spring is unwound and the ten sion reduced. The drum is provided with journals h, having bearing in the hangers 0, depending from the bottom of the trough,and has one end of the cable or rope D connected to it, while the other end is connected to the follower. It will thus be seen that as the cable or rope is unwound from the drum and' the follower is drawn back for the insertion of the full quota of cards, the spring is wound up, so as to give the necessary tension to move forward the-whole column of cards, and that as the column reduces in size and the rope is wound upon the drum the tension of the spring lessens and the pressure on the cards is correspondingly reduced. The cards are thus moved at a regular feed. Thenormal tension of the spring can be increased at any time, when necessary, by releasing the pawl i from the ratchet k on the shaft Z and turning the shaft by means of a crank-handle. When the desired tension has been obtained, the pawl is thrown into engagement with the ratchet and held there by the spring in. The cardstaken from the trough are carried around and eX- posed to view through the openings E and E in the front of the case which incloses the operating mechanism. The camway T at this point brings the carrying-plates into a vertical position, as ,shown. The next movement of the drum carries the heels of the gripper-fingers against the cams U, which depress the heel, so as to throw out the fingers and release the card, which drops onto the deflector F, in this instance secured to the cross-rod or bolt B, from which deflector it passes into some suitable receptacle to be provided therefor.

The power for driving the card-drum is derived from a spring inclosed in ashell, H, secured to the main gear-wheel I. The spring will be secured to the interior of said shell and also to the shaft J. This shaft is journaled in the plate 0 and cross-bar D, and is free to turn to wind up the spring without moving the shell and gear-wheel. The shaft is provided with a ratchet z, with which engages a pawl, 0, pivoted to a friction-arm, D which is pivoted at one end to the cross-bar D and at the other end bears against the hub 19 of the shell H. By this construction, the tension of the spring on the pawl 0 draws the end of the brake-bar or friction-arm 1) down onto the periphery of hub 19, so as to brake the shell. As the spring unwinds and thus gradually reduces the pressure on the pawl, the

pressure of the brake arm on the hub of the shell is proportionately lessened, and in that way the tension of the spring is made uniform, or more nearly so.

The spring will be wound up by applying a crank-handle to the shaft.

For the purpose of controlling the speed of the gear-wheels, I connect a brake-band, L, to the periphery of the shell, and to its other and threaded end apply a thumb-nut, K, which bears against the outside case. By adjusting the nut, the brake-band is tightened or loosened around the periphery of the shell and the speed thereof controlled.

It may be here stated that at the moment for the mechanism to operate to start the drum a cam on the wheel (I strikes and lifts a springactuated lever or arm,D,so that when the cam passes the lever the spring will force back the lever and cause its clapper to strike the gong D and give the alarm.

When the drum is not to be permitted to rotate, a cam, L, on the end of a rod passing through the casing M, and having aspring, L, to give it tension, is raised by turning the thumb-catch L on the other end of the rod until the cam is brought against the end of lever L. When broughtinto such position,the lever is prevented from falling, and consequently the rod K cannot move to release the train of gearing. The cam will bear against the lever when the detent is opposite the shoulder q, so that the finger P and clock mechanism can move without hinderanc'e. It is apparent that by holding up the lever L by the cam L the detent O is also held up outof operation.

In order that the cards carried by the drum may be inspected, if necessary or desired, by authorized persons, an opening is made in the upper portion of the case M at such point as will enable the cards to be seen, which imme diately follow those exposed through the open ings E E Having described myinvention and set forth its merits, what I claim is- 1. The combination of the rotating'drunnthe carrying-plates hinged thereto, and the gripper-fingers adapted to hold cards to the plates and at the proper time release them, and means for operating said fingers,substantially as described.

2. The combination of.the rotating drum, carrying-plates hinged thereto, a camway for aportion of the carrying-plates to work in,

- gripper-fingers to hold a card to the plate,and

means for releasing the grip of thc fingers,substantially as described.

3. The combination of therotating drum,carrier-plates hinged thereto, the grippers connected therewith adjacent to its periphery, and cams in the path of the grippers for open- IIO ing said grippers to receive and deposit cards carried on the plates, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a rotating drum provided with means for carrying cards, of a feed-trough, a follower therein, a spring-actw ated drum, B, and a cable, D, connecting said drum with the follower in the feed-trough, the several parts operating as and for the purpose set forth,

5. The combination,with the rotating drum, means for rotating the same, grippers for hold- 1ng cards to the drum, and means for releasing the grip of the fingers on the cards, of a train of gearing connected with the drum and means for automatically locking and releasing said gearing to control the movement of the drum, substantially as described.

6. The combinatiomwith the rotating drum, means for rotating the same, grippers for holding cards to the drum, and means for releasing the grip of the fingerson the cards, of a train of gearing connected with the drum, and means for locking and releasing said gearing, and a clock mechanism connected with said train of gearing for automatically releasing said locking mechanism to permit the rotation of the drum, substantially as described,

7. The combination, with a rotating drum provided with fingers for holding and releasing cards, and means for locking and unlocking the drum, of a clock mechanism, a detent and finger connected therewith, cams for controlling the movement of said parts, and means connnecting said parts with the locking and releasing mechanism of the drum, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a rotating drum provided with grippers for holding and releasing cards, and means for locking and unlocking it, of aclock mechanism connected with the locking and unlocking mechanism of the drum, means connected with the clock for releasing the locking mechanism of the drum, and means connected with the drum for restoring said means of the clock to their normal position and locking the drum, substantially as described. g

9, The combination of the rotating. drum,

actuating said lever, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the rotating drum provided with grippers for holding and releasing cards, means for locking andl unlocking the same, a clock mechanism connected with the locking mechanism of the drum to automatically release the same, and means for holding said parts out of operation, substantially as described.

11. In an automatic device, substantially as described, the combination of the train of gearing, the check-plate operating in connection therewith and formed with the slots 7th, the lever to engage said plate, as described, and means for automatically throwing said lever into and out of operation, substantially as described.

12. In an automatic device, substantially as described, the combination of the sprin'g-actw ated shell, the shaft on which the shell is mounted, a brake-lever bearing against a portion of the shell, and a pawl and ratchet connecting the shaft and brake-lever, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In an automatic device, substantially as described, the combination of the clock mech anism, the pivoted finger P, the cam s, to bear against the finger, the detent 0, adapted to connect with the finger, and the delay-shoe Q, for the detent to rest on, and formed with the recesses g to permit the descent of the detent, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

E. DWIGHT GLAPP.

Witnesses:

ALFRED T. GAGE, WM. G, HENDERSON,

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