US537208A

US537208A - E nofi

Info

Publication number: US537208A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1912-04-09

Description

5 R E L I K G STATION INDICATOR.

Patented Apr. 9, 1895;

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Wifwesses 5 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

G. M. KILER. STATION INDICATOR.

Patented Apr. 9, 1895.

(No Model.)

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vSTATION INDICATOR. No. 537,208. Patented Apr. 9,1895.

AND NUMBER.

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vSTA'I'HHYI INDICATOR;

No. 537,208. Patented Apr. 9, 1895.

NiTE TATES :ATE T CHARLES M. KILER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE .A SSIGNIIIENTS, TO THE ADVERTISING AND STATION INDICATOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STATIO N-IVN DICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,208, dated April 9, 1895.

Application filed June 11, 1894. Serial No. 514,170- No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. KILER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators; 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 that class of devices to'be located in railway or street cars whereby the name of the next station or street may be shown to the passengers occupying such cars. \Vhile the indicator proper may by appropriate mechanical connections be adapted for use upon any variety of such cars and be made to operate automatically or to be operated throughout a train of cars from a single station as for example from the engine by the engineer, I have elected in this application to show a construction in which the indicator is operated by the motorman of an electric car or in case of a horse car, by the driver of said car.

The objects of the present invention are, first, to provide an indicator that will indicate the street and number of the houses in proper rotation; second, that will go out of gear automatically at the end of the line so as to prevent injury to the mechanism in case of neglect by the conductor of the car and will remain locked in such condition until re-adjusted; third,that can be readily shifted in certain ofits parts so as to indicate the streets in a reverse order on the return of the car; fourth,that will be securely locked so as to prevent accidental and false registration of streets; fifth, that-will allow additions caused by the extension of the line of the road to be readily and easily made and the indicator set to lock itself at the end of the line in the same manner as before the extension was made; sixth, to ring a bell at the time of changing to the next street; seventh, to provide means by which the motorman or driver mayactuate the indicator, and, eighth, to provide means by which the operator on the front platform outside of the car may mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

referred to.

know the street and number indicated by the register within the car and to provide means for correcting any mistakes that might occur.

I accomplish the objects of this invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1., is a view in elevation of my indicator showing the end of the case and all of the outside mechanism with the exception'of the hemispherical bell which is broken away in part to show the underlying arrangement of parts and the horizontal shifting lever which is also broken away in its middle portion for the same purpose. The pawl for operating the indicator is in operative position and is shown in this figure in its raised position soon after beginning the downward stroke by which the next street name is brought into View. In this figure the spiral spring for raising the vertically reciprocating pawls. is shown partly broken away to expose the underlying mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail in elevation partially in section of the end of the case and shows side view of the This figure shows the cylinders upon which the belt with names of streets and numbers is wound by the action of the outside mechanism above The belt is broken away to show the tightening rollers and to show the cylinders upon which it is'wound. The top cylinder in this figure is in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the ratchet wheel locked by the two pawls provided for that purpose and-shows the vertically reciprocating operating pawls in theirlowest position, at the end of a stroke, the position at the beginning of the stroke being shown by the dotted lines. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is an end view ofthe case showing the ratchet illustrated in Figs.

bring the right hand pawl into engagement with the wheel instead of the left one as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The drawing shows the ver- 9 tical pawls in their raised position at the coinmencement of the downward stroke. The position of the pawls at the lower end of the stroke is shown by the dotted lines. Dotted lines in this figure also indicate the positions of the pawls before they were shifted, i. a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 in which the left pawl is in engagement with the ratchet wheel. Fig. 4: shows the spring for raising the vertically reciprocating pawls and also shows the fasteniugs by means of which the case is removably secured to the car. Fig. 5 is an end View of the case sbowingthe mechanism by which the indicator is locked automatically at the end of the road. Only those parts are shown which are essential to the locking operation and the parts are shown in locked position. Fig. 6 is a detailshowing the locking lever set in position to lock the slide against which in the drawings its lower end is shown as bearing, as soon as the slide descends. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the under side of the locking lever; Fig. 8, avertioal transverse section (enlargcd view) of the registering wheel and shows one of the stud pins in position with its friction roller in proper adjustment and shows the other pin opposite the opening through the wheel into the groove and preparatory to being inserted therein. Fig. 9 is a front view of registering wheel showing one of the stud pins in place and the other pin indicated by the dotted lines; Fig. 10, Sheet 3, a perspective view of the inside mechanism of the case showing the same removed from the case, and Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the case showing the method of winding the belt from one cylinder to the other and the mechanism by which it is held taut opposite the opening provided in the front of the case for the exhibition of the name of the street and number. Fig. 12 is a front view of the case showing a name of a street and number exposed and showing the ratchet wheels in place but the rest of the operative mechanism removed. Figs. 13 and 14, Sheet 4, are details illustrating the construction and the operation of the signaling bell by which the attention of the passengers is called to the indicator. Fig.13 is adetail view,in perspective, and shows the pivoted arms in the act of passing each other on the upward movement of the slide and bell. Fig. 14 shows the hammer arm pressed out and the hammer about to strike the bell. Fig. 15, Sheet 5, is a detail in longitudinal vertical section of the front end of a street car provided with my indicator and shows the mechanism by which the motorman or driver is enabled to actuate the register by pressure from his foot and also shows an auxiliary indicator placed so he can see the name of street and shows same actuated by link belt connection with the inside indicator; Fig. 16, a'detail showing a different arrangement of levers for operating the indicator from the drivers foot, and Fig. 17 adetail showing auxiliary indicator actuated by means of bevel gears and shaft connection between the two indicators.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A represents the case or cabinet within which the belt with the names of the streets,

850., thereon, will be placed and will preferably be a closed receptacle having only a single elongated opening through its front or face through which the names of the streets and the numbers will be exposed as they are successively brought opposite said openings.

B represents the body of the car to which the case A will be removably secured by means of the rigid under hooks b which are fastened to the side of the car and are projected into eyes in the bottom of the case, and the upper hook I) which is pivotally secured to the car and can be turned down into engagement with an eye in the top of the case. A wing nut on the threaded end of the pivot will enable the hook to be locked or to be loosened so as to permit turning of the hook.

C and C are cylinders suitably mounted on horizontal shafts within the case and are made to turn with said shafts. The cylinders may be constructed in any suitable manner and of any desired material. As shown in the drawings, end disks of wood are provided and an external covering of pasteboard unites the disks and forms the sides of the cylinders.

D is the belt upon which the names of the streets and the numbers corresponding therewith are painted, printed, or otherwise applied, in parallel transverse rows as clearly shown in Fig. 10.

One end of the belt will be secured to the top cylinder C and the belt wound upon same. The opposite end of the belt will be secured in like manner to the lower cylinder 0. The two cylinders will be connected by means of a train of gears O C and C so proportioned and arranged that when the top cylinder 0 is revolved the lower cylinder 0 will revolve in the same direction and at the same rate of speed and the belt will be wound from the cylinder C upon the cylinder 0 when the cylinders are turned in the proper direction and will be wound in the reverse order when the cylinders are turned in the opposite direction.

As the number of windings of the belt is increased on the cylinder the practical diameter of the cylinder is correspondingly increased and the belt will accordingly be wound tighter. Allowance is made for this by making the belt sufficiently loose and this surplus is maintained in a taut condition over the exhibition aperture in the case by means of the swinging rollers D and D These rollers are journaled to the lower end of the bent levers D The levers I) are pivoted at their angles to the case, one at each end of the rollers, and the ends of the levers opposite the rollers are weighted so as to press the rollers continually in an outward direction against the belt as clearly shown in Fig. 11. The

weights (1 are pivotally secured to the levers so they may adjust themselves without contacting with the back of the case.

The mechanism above described and to be placed within the case A may be supported by direct attachment with the case or it may be mounted within a frame as shown at D,

Fig. 10, which makes a more convenient construction in removal of the parts for changes or repairs The method I have adopted for securing the ends of the belt to the rollers is as follows: The cylinders are each provided with solid segments 6 having a longitudinal groove therein filled with a removable'strip C The end'of the belt being inserted in the groove is held by means of the strip. The upper cylinder shaft C is projected through the wall of the case at both ends and is provided with the hand knob C at-one end by which the cylinder may be turned by hand in setting the indicator and for any desired purpose. The opposite end of the shaft terminates in a wheel Ehaving a double series of circumferential ratchet teeth 6 and e, the teeth ofeach series being the direct reverse of the teeth in the other series for the purpose hereinafter. ex-

plained.

F is a slide secured to the end of the case by means of the guidesf and has a vertically reciprocating movement controlled in its direction by said guides.

F and F are pawls shaped as shown in the drawings and pivoted at their lower ends to ears f integral with the slide. The upper ends of these pawls are provided with hooks which are adapted to engage the ratchet teeth on the wheel E.

G represents a bifurcated lever pivoted at die for the easy manipulation of the pawls,

and a notched segment G secured to the slide F is provided, into which a lug g on the end of the spring actuated lever G is made to enter and lock the lever G and the pawls F and F in the adjustments indicated by the notches in thesegment. When the lug g is in theleft notch the left pawl will be thrown into engagement with the ratchet wheel E and by the reciprocation of the slide F the wheel E and attached cylinder 0 will be rotated from right to left and the belt will be Wound in that direction. The. above adjustment is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. When the lug g is in the right notch the right hand pawl will be in engagement with the wheel E but with the opposite set of ratchet teeth previously referred to and the direction of the belt will be reversed. This adj ustment is shown in Fig. 4:.

Y F and F are pawls which are pressed down by the springsf andf into engagement with the teeth 6 and e on the wheel E, and form a positive lock for the wheel E except when pressed up by the action of one of the reciprocating pawls F or F An under side lug is provided on the pawls F and F with which the upper end of the corresponding pawl F orF (depending on which of the latter happens to be in action with the wheel E) will contact on the upward stroke of said reciprocating pawl and raise the locking pawl out of engagement. with its ratchet tooth and will hold it out of engagement till the Wheel E, rotated by the downward stroke of the reciprocating pawl has traveled far enough to carrythe abrupt face'of the ratchet tooth past the point of engagement with the locking pawl. The wheel E will then be free to revolve till the abrupt face of the next tooth is turned into contact with the said. locking pawl. The construction as above described forms a controlling mechanism by which the movement of the cylinders O and O and the belt D is regulated and the names of the streets brought into viewin a well regulated and positive order.

H is a spiral spring, the lower end of which is secured to the slide F and has its opposite or upper end secured to the overhanging top of the case. It will be provided with the threaded bolt H, the nuts 71,71 and wing nut 712 by which the tension of the spring may be regulated. The object of this spring is to draw the slide and attached pawls up into their raised position preparatory for the real work of winding the belt D which will be accomplished on the down stroke of the slide.

F is an eye on the end of the slide F, and F is a cord terminating in asnap hook f by which the cord is attached to the slide, through the eye F The entire indicator mechanism is actuated by pulling down on the cord F The manner of actuating the cord will be hereinafter fully explained.

It may be here stated that when the lug g is in the middle notch of the segment G, both of the pawls F and F will be out of engagement with the ratchet wheel E and the belt D will not be actuated by the reciprocation of the slide.

I will now describe the mechanism by which the slide F will be automatically locked in its lowest position so as to stop the winding of the belt at any desired line on same.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5 the part marked I (shown in dotted linesv in Fig. 1) represents a mutilated pinion having but one tooth. Said pinion is secured to the shaft 0 between the ratchet Wheel E and the end of the case and revolves with the shaft.

I'is a register wheel turning on a pin secured to the end of the case and is provided The sections tilated pinion. This construction allows the pinion to revolve but acts as a lock to keep the register wheel I from turning till it is moved by the tooth 4 J is a dovetailed circumferential groove in the side of the register wheel nearest the case, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and has an opening j, through to the opposite or front side of the wheel.

J is a stud pin with expanded head corresponding in size and shape to the cross section of the groove J and is adapted to be projected through the opening j, as shown in Fig. 8, so its expanded end will rest in the groove and its stem will project beyond the side of the wheel.

7' is a sleeve on the projecting end of the pin and j a nut on the threaded end of same by which the pin will be tightened at any desired point along the groove. There will be two of these stud pins as shown.

K and K are levers pivotally secured at 7.: to the case. As the only difference between the levers is that one is right and the other left, a description of one will suffice for both. Taking the lever K, the upper arm is curved inwardly and terminates opposite the vertical line through the center of the wheel 1 in a downwardly projected spur k, the adjacent edges of the spurs on the two levers K and K being in contact with each other and will be forced into contact by the springs k The spurs 712 are long enough to intersect the circumferential path of the stud pins J and the levers will be forced out of their normal vertical position by the pressure of one of the pins against the spurs in the manner as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. lVhen the levers are thus shifted the lower end of one of them will be forced into the path of the reciprocating slide F and will form a stop to prevent the up stroke of the slide. By adjusting the position of the stud pins J in the groove J the slide can be locked and the indicator stopped at the end of the line and should it be desired to add more streets as when the line of the rail road is extended, the easy adjustment of the pins affords a ready means for correcting the indicator to correspond with the increased readings on the belt, D. As the locking lever might be thrown over while the slide was raised it is necessary to hinge the lower arm of thelever in the manner as illustrated in the drawings in which the foot piece is pivoted to the lever at 70 and is held in position by the spring Suitable lugs control the movement of the foot. By this construction, should the lever be thrown at the time the slide is raised the hinged and spring pressed foot will bear against the slide and as soon as the latter is lowered will move into locking position. The foot piece 711 is L shaped. The laterally projected portions 76 terminate in the outwardly projected lugs 70 on the outside of the pawls F and F and of sufficient length to afiford contact with said pawls.

When the pawls are shifted in changing the direction of the movement of the belt in the manner as previously described, the obstructing foot 7a will be drawn by the pawl out of the path of the slide, the play afforded by the spring 70 allowing this to be done. The mechanism now being reversed, the register wheel will begin to move backward carrying the stud pin with it and allowing the levers K and K to return to their normal position through the action of the springs pressing against their upper ends.

I will now describe the mechanism by which a bell will be sounded simultaneously with the change of street name,reference being had to Figs. 1, 2, l3 and 14 in which Lindicates a hemispherical bell of common construction secured to the lever G by the same pin gthat forms the pivot for the lever. The bell in consequence has a reciprocating movement with the lever and slide. Pivotally secured to one end of the segment G is a short arm M terminating in an upwardly hooked end having an inclined outer face. A lug m integral with the segment prevents the arm from swinging above the horizontal position but the arm is able to swing downwardly subject however to the action of the spring m which is made to draw the arm constantly against the lug m.

Nis an arm pivotally secured to the standard N and the standard N is attached directly to the end of the case A.

'It is a lug integral with the standard and it a spring applied so as to pressthe arm N constantly against the lug a. The outer end of the arm has an inclined face as shown and is provided with a downward hook. The end of the arm lies within the path of the arm M, above mentioned, and when the slide F is reciprocated the inclined end of the arm M will contact with the inclined arm N forcing the arm N back. By the peculiar construction of the ends of both of the arms when they have moved a certain distance and will have passed each other the arm N will be liberated suddenly and will be returned to the normal position against the lug n by the action of the spring at.

O is a small hammer secured by the resilient plate 0 to the arm N and will be made to strike the bell when the arm N is liberated in the manner above described. On the return movement of the slide F, the hooked ends of the arms M and N will engage each other in such a manner as to swing the arm M around on its pivot out of the way so it can pass again to position above the arm N, as shown in Fig. 1.

C is a milled knob on the opposite end of the shaft 0 from that to which the ratchet wheel E is fastened and is to enable the cylinder and its belt to be turned by hand in adjusting the indicator.

R is an auxiliary lever pivoted at one end to the case and provided with a cord R attached to the other end of the lever and depending down within reach of the conductor.

The middle of the lever bears against the pivot g and enables the slide to be lowered by pulling down on the cord R.

I will now describe the mechanism by which the indicator may be operated by the motorman or driver of the car.

B represents the front end of the car to which the indicator will be fastened and B is the front platform upon which the motorman or driver will stand.

B is a lever pivotally secured beneath the platform to the hanger b B is a push bar pivotally connected at its lower end to the lever B? and having its upper end projected above the platform and terminating in a cap and adapted to be pressed down by the drivers foot.

b is a spring arranged to keep thepush bar in elevated position except when it is pressed down by the operators foot.

B is a second lever pivotallysecured to the cross sill or other convenient portion of the car and will have its forward end connected by means of the link 19 with the lever B The opposite end of the lever B will be connected by means of the cord F -with the slide F. It will thus be seen that a downward pressure on the push bar 13 will actuate the levers B and B and cause a do wnward' pull to be exerted on the slide F An adjustable bushing S affords means by which the length of stroke of the push bar may be varied to suit the requirements of the stroke of the slide F. The bushing S is threaded and works into threads on the inside of the sleeve 3, the'latter being bolted to the platform floor.

Fig. 16 shows a modification in which a single lever B is employed, the rear end of the lever being cranked up as shown and having the cord F secured directly to the cranked end. The pulley b prevents friction between the cord and the corner of the car;

In order that the driver or motorman may know at all times whether the indicator is registering the streets in proper order I will provide a second indicator T which will be placed outside of the car where it can be seen by the said driver or motorman. This indicator will be providedwith two cylinders and a belt in the same manner as described for the one on the inside of the car and will be connected by means of a sprocket chain T which belts over the sprocket wheel W on the end of the shaft of the cylinder 0' and over the sprocket wheel W on the end of the shaft of one of the cylinders of the outside indicator.

Fig. 17 shows a modification in which bevel gears on thecylinder shafts of the two indicators mesh with corresponding cog wheels on the connectingshaft W F is a branch cord connecting with the cord F and running back through the car within reach of the conductor and obviating the ne-' cessity of his going to the front of the car to work the indicator should it become necessary for him to do so.

Having thus fully-described my invention,

what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a station indicator, of mechanism for operating the same in a forward and in areverse direction,consisting of a ratchet wheel having a double series of teeth the faces of which will be of reverse order in the two series, a reciprocating slide having two pawlsadapted, the one to engage one of the series of teeth on the ratchet wheel, and the other to engage the teeth of the opposite series, means whereby the pawls may be thrown into engagement with the ratchet wheel as desired so that when one of the pawls is-thrown into engagement the other will be thrown out, said means consisting of a bifurcated lever pivotally secured to the slide and having the two ends of the bifurcated part extended to form bearings against the sides of the reciprocating pawls and having the opposite end of the lever extended to form a handle for turning the lever on its pivot,'a spring to press the pawls against the bifurcated ends and a fastening by which the lever ma y be locked in any desired adjustment, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an indicator shaft and means for rotating same, of a mutilated pinion having a single tooth and a round hub, a register wheel having notches in its periphery arranged so the cog on the mutilated wheel will engage same and revolve the register wheel, and having convex sections be-- tween the notches conforming to and adapted to fit close against the hub of the mutilated pinion, one or more stud pins secured to the side of the register wheel, a lever pivotally secured alongside said register wheel and having one of its ends terminating in a spur that intersects the path of the stud pin so the lever will be moved on its pivot by the contact of the pin with the spur and will cause the opposite end of the lever to swing around so as to lock the operative mechanism of the indicator, substantially in the manner as described and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination with an indicator shaft and means for rotating same, of the mutilated pinion I having the single cog t the register wheel I'having the notchest' and the convex sections for the purposes described, and having the circumferential groove J and stud pins J adjustable in position within said groove, and a pivoted lever adapted to be en'- gaged by the stud pin and thrown into interference with the mechanism for rotating the indicator shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified. 1

4:. The combination, with a station indicator, of a ratchet wheel mounted upon the indicator shaft, a reciprocating slide having one or more pawls by which the ratchet wheel will be operated a mutilated pinion mounted upon the indicator shaft and having a single tooth, a register wheel having notches to engage the tooth'on the mutilated pinion and adapted to be rotated by engagement with same and having convex sections between said notches by which the register wheel by contact between the convex section and the hub of the mutilated pinion will be locked from turning except when actuated by the single tooth, one or more stud pins secured to the side of the register wheel, a lever pivotally secured alongside the said wheel and having one of its ends constructed and arranged so as to be engaged by the stud pin whereby the lever will be rotated on its pivot and the opposite end of the lever thrown into the path of the reciprocating slide, for the purposes specified.

5. The combination with the register wheel I and means for rotating same, stud pins J adjustably secured by means of the groove J, to one side of the wheel and the reciprocating slide F, of the lovers K and K pivotally secured at 70 and having the spurs k intersecting the path of the stud pins whereby the levers will be turned on their pivots by pressnre therefrom, and said levers having their opposite ends jointed and the jointed ends held in position by the springs 7.1,and having lugs by which the play of the jointed ends is limited, all substantially as described and specified.

(3. The levers K and K, pivotally secured to the indicator case, the indicator case and means for shifting the levers at the proper time on their pivotal points, said levers having ends adapted by the shifting of the lever, to be thrown into position whereby the operative mechanism of the indicator will be locked, said locking end of the levers being each in two sections hinged together and held in normal position by a spring, said end sections also having laterally projected foot extensions terminating in outwardly projected lugs k for the purposes specified, the pawls F and F having lateral adjustment controlled by suitable means and adapted to unlock the indicator by contact with the said lug on the foot piece of the lever, all of said parts being combined and arranged substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

7. In a station indicator, in combination therewith, a reciprocating bar, a bell mounted thereon, an arm pivotally secured to the bar said bar having a sloping face, a lug secu red to the bar and a spring to press the arm against the ing, a post secured to the case of the indicator and having a lug integral therewith, an arm pivotally secured to the end of the post and a spring by which the arm is pressed down against the lug, the said arm extending into the path of the arm secured to the reciprocating bar and adapted to contact therewith, said second arm also having a sloping face whereby it will be forced back by contact with the arm on the reciprocating bar, a hammer secured to the arm which is pivoted to the post and adapted to strike the bell by the action of the spring on said arm when the latter is liberated, substantially as described and specified.

8. The combination with a car of a station or street indicator secured within the car and a second indicator secured outside of the car for the purpose specified, said indicators being each provided with a sprocket wheel scoured to the operating mechanism, and a link belt connecting the said sprocket wheels whereby the registration indicated in one will be duplicated in the other, substantially as described.

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

CHARLES M. KILER.

Witnesses:

JosErH A. MINTURN, \V. L. BUsHoNc.