US576201A - Automatic street or station indicator and advertising medium - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. B. LEBGE & A. R. BULLOG AUTOMATIC STREET 0R STATION INDIGATORAND ADVERTISING MEDIUM.

N0. 576,201. Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M.'B. LEEOE & A. R. BULLOCK. AUTOMATIC STREET OR STATION INDICATOR AND ADVERTISING MEDIUM.

nted-Ieb. 2, 1897.

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- referred to hereinafter.

TATES A'rnN'rrricE.

MAJOR LEEOE AND ARTHUR R. BULLOOK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC STREET OR STATiON INDICATOR ANl) ADVERTlSlNG MEDIUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,201, dated February 2, 1897. Application filed June 2, 1896. Serial No. 594,055 (No model.)

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Be it known that we, MAJOR B. LEEGE and ARTHUR R. BULLOCK, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Device for Indicating Street, Station, or Stopping-Places of Tram Cars or Railways, of which the following is a specification.

Our inventionrelates to improvements in street, station, or stopping-place indicators; and the objects of our improvements are, first, to provide an entirely automatic street, sta tion, or stopping-place indicator; second, to provide a series of moving signs or advertising-cards moving automatically in connection with said street, station, or stopping-place names. We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective showingautomat-ic switch Q, solenoids J and J peg or raised and electric circuits. Fig. 2 is a back View of indicator, showing electrical solenoids with cords, angle-pulleys, sliding pawls, and spring, together with ratchet and sprocket wheels, the film or ribbon being partly removed to show same. Fig. 3 is the left end elevation showing one ratchet-wheel and rolling clutch. Fig. 4 is a perspective of trolley, showing mode of contact. Fig. 5 is a perspective front and end view showin g arrangement of film or ribbon, sprocket-wheel, and feed and take-up rollers, together with belt for tension. 7

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

011 the hangers or brackets A and A is shaft B, carrying two (2) sprocket-wheels G and O and two (2) ratchet-Wheels D and D The film or ribbon, consisting of celluloid or other substance, (marked E,) has punctured holes F and F which by means of sprocket-wheels O and C feed said film or ribbon from roller G to roller G or vice versa, according to the direction the car may be going. The rollers G and G are provided with grooved pulleys H and H and a belt I for the purpose of winding up one roller when the other unwinds.

Driving-shaft Bis actuated by sliding pawls N and N in connection with cords O and 0 in their turn being actuated by spiral spring P. The electrical solenoids J and J together with their plungers or cores K and K are connected with cords L and L which run over angle-pulleys M and M hen the current is applied on solenoid J, sliding pawl N is drawn a sufficient distance to engage in teeth on ratchet-wheel D, (on return motion,) at the same time expanding spiral spring P. When the circuit is broken, the spring P contracts and draws pawl N and ratchet-wheel D, together with sprocket-wheels O-and C carrying film or ribbon from roller G" to roller G, a sufficient distance to display another name, and so on to the end of the line. \Vhen the circuit is changed by means of automatic switch Q, pawl N and ratchet-wheel D are actuated by solenoid J 2 and spring P, as previously described, feeding film or ribbon E in the opposite direction, thus reversing the action of the instrument at each terminal. Theoretically it may appear that the said spring P is unnecessary or superfluous, it being obvious that the solenoids could be made to pull directly on the ratchet-wheels; but we find by practical tests that the spring in a manner regulates and modifies the too direct or immediate action of the solenoids alone.

Revolving lock-catch R, engaging in starwheel S, holds film or ribbon E in place, thus preventing street names or stations from bein g misplaced by moving or jolting of the car. The switch Q, which transfers the current from solenoid J to solenoid J or vice versa, is operated automatically as follows: When the solenoid J in connection with ratchetwheel D, pawl N, and spring P, has wound film or ribbon E the required length, (the car having reached its terminal and about to start on a return trip,) peg or raised surface T on film or ribbon E comes in contact with switch-lever U, changing the current from solenoid J to solenoid J when solenoid J continues to operate the film in connection with spring P until the opposite terminal is reached, when the motion of the ribbon is antomatically reversed, and so on indefinitely, as previously described.

The contact for closing the circuit is as follows: At intervals between each crossstreet we clamp on the span-wire-insulating bracket V, between the trolley-wire and the IOC point of insulation, a stationary projecting arm \V. 'In theiend of said arm,-connected with a gimbaloi' universal joint X, is a contact-finger Y, said contact-finger Y being held at proper angle by means of a bracket, assisted by spiral spring Z. The current flows from trolley-Wirethrough span-wire-insulating bracket V to projecting arm IV and its bracket to spiralspring Z,.from spiral spring Z to contact-finger Y, from contact-finger Y to contact-plate a on trolley-pole, thence to wireb, to switch-lever U, from switch-lever U to contact-button c, thence through wire d to solenoid J, and thence through wire g to ground through framework of car. hen switch is on contact-button f, the current flows from button f through Wire 6 to solenoid J and thence through wire h to ground through framework of car.

WVe are aware that prior to our invention street or station indicators have been made with longitudinal rollers carrying a ribbon or film on which is placed names or signs. We therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly.

WVhat we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a street or station indicator of six or more longitudinal rollers carrying a film or ribbon of celluloid or other flexible material, together with sprocket- Wheels 0 and (J and ratchet-wheels D and D together with their pawls N and N and two electrical solenoids J 'and J 2 in combination with electrical switch Q, all as substantially set forth.

2. In an automatic street or station indicating instrument, the combination of two electrical solenoids J and J together with their plunge-rs K and K two pawls N and N and two ratchet-wheels D and D in combination with automatic switch Q, all as substantially set forth and described.

3. In a street or station indicating instrument, the combination of a span-wire bracket V with a stationary projecting arm W, connected with a contact-finger Y by means of a gimbal or universal joint X, spiral spring Z and contact-plate a, for the purposes specified.

4. In a street or station indicating instrument the combination of a film or ribbon E having advertising-signs on one side of said film or ribbon and street-names or stationnames and house-numbers on the other side of said film or ribbon, together with six or more rollers,two sprocket-wheels,two ratchetwheels with their pawls and two electrical solenoids for the uses and purposes herein described.

5. In a street or station indicating instrument a film or ribbon E in combination with sprocket-wheels O and C together with rollers G, G G G G G and pulleys H and H together with belt I for the uses specified.

6. In a street or station indicating instrument, the combination of film or ribbon E, shaft B, ratchet-Wheels D and D sliding pawls N and N angle-pulleys M, M M and M and spiral spring P in combination with electrical solenoids J and J substantially for the purposes set forth and described.

MAJOR B. LEECE. ARTHUR R. BULLOCK. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. CAWooD, CHAS. M. SA'FFORD.

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