US722743A - Station-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903.' O. D. OSBORN.

STATIGN INDICATOR.

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STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,743, dated March 17, 1 903. Application filed August 2, 1902 Serial No. 118,198. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. OSBORN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland City, in the county of Gibson and State ofIndiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and novel construction of indicating devices for use on street-railway cars for announcing the street as the car in its travel reaches same or in steam-railway cabs to indicate the station at which the next stop is'to be made. The distance and any other information of like character may also be given, if desirable.

An essential object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of mechanism which will permit of simultaneously displaying the indicating matter to the observation of the occupants of the car or whatever place in which the device is disposed so that same may be readily seen from different points of view. The construction of the case, of course; as regards the observation-openings is such as to allow of the above advantage. A further advantage attained is in the simple construction of the operating means for manipulating the device, this latter giving a struc-' ture the details and advantagesof which will be more fully hereinafter pointed out and finally claimed. V V

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for eflecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and draw ings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the indicator, the cover or lid being shown open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. dis a sectional view about on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is a sectional view on the line Y Y of Fig. 3. Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The indicator is designed to be fixed within the car and about the central part thereof by any means suitable for the purpose. It is preferred to have the same depending from a bracket or like support secured to the upper part of the cab, however, to give it a prominent position, so as to be observed from any part thereof.

The casing l of the device is of any suit able form, fanciful or otherwise, and is provided upon each of its sides with observationopenings 2 of suitable size and construction, closed by glass or other transparent material. A lid 3 is hinged to the upper side of the easing 1 to admit of access to the indicating mechanism for examination, repair, or like purposes. This cover is secured when closed by any suitable latch means 4. The indicating devices comprise sets of rollers 5, one pair, constituting one set, being situated at the upper portion of the casing, and the remaining pair, constituting the other set, at the lower portion, the latter being disposed at an angle to the upper set of rollers. Name-strips 6 connect each set of rollers and carry the indicating matter upon bothsides thereof. These strips roll upon one of each set of rollers, un'rolling from the other, and thereby imparting motion to the said roller. In order to gain a simultaneous movement of all .of the rollers, cords or strands 7 are wound about the upper rollers atthe end portions thereof, and these connect with corresponding ends of the lower rollers. Guides 8 are provided to retain the cords 7 during the revolving of the rollers. It willbe easily seen that by the above-described means connection is established between all the rollers and that revolution of any one of same must revolve each of the others. The rollers are journaled in the sides of the casing, the journals of the upper set extending therethrough to receive 'detent mechanism located upon one of the sides of the indicator and to cooperate with actuating means upon the other. v

The actuating mechanism consists, essentially, of the levers 9, pivoted at'their lower extremities in any suitable manner. are pivoted to the levers 9 at a point intermediate the ends, and said dogs cooperate with wheels 11,rigidly fixed to the journals of the upper rollers. Teeth 12 provide engaging means for the dogs 10, and circular guides 13 Dogs 10' ICO upon the outer sides of the wheels 11 prevent the dogs from laterally slipping from the said wheels. A horizontal guide 14 also serves to hold the operating-levers from any sidewise play during their reciprocal movement. Secured to the upper and free end of the levers 9 is a pull-cord 15, by which the lever is moved when it is desired to operate the indicating mechanism, as will be more fully described hereinafter. Springs 16 bear against the lower portion of the lever and normally exert pressure su ffioient to hold the same approximately in such a position that the dog 10 thereon will engage the teeth 12 of the wheels 11. The springs 16 are of the Hat type, as illustrated. However, it will be understood that any spring means may be employed to accomplish the purpose desired. Since but one of the levers 9 is used to operate the device at one time, lock-bolts 17 are provided upon the upperside of the casing to hold thelever and its dog from engagement with the teeth of its respective operatingwheel when not in use. The bolts 17 are spring-actuated and slide in and out slots 18, of usual construction. Detent means also are located upon the side of the casing opposite to that carrying the operating-levers and comprise ratchet-wheels 19, mounted upon the journals of the upper rollers, and pivoted pawls 20, adapted to engage the teeth on the said wheels. One of these pawls is always in engagement with its ratchet-wheel in order to prevent any backward movement of the rollers carrying the indicating matter. Friction-brakes comprising springs 21 bear against the upper rollers. These brakes prevent the rollers from revolving too freely upon actuation of the levers.

Illustrating the operation of the indicator, the rollers 5 revolve in one direction as the car travels one Way, being operated by pulling upon the pull-cord 15, connected to one of the levers. The other lever is thrown out of engagement with its respective roller by forcing it back and sliding one of the bolts 17 beneath the dog carried thereby, as shownin Fig. l. The pawl of the detent upon the lever-actuated roller is in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheehriding over the same, but lockiu g the roller against any backward movement. Upon the return trip the conductor or one having charge of the indicator simply reverses the engagement of the pawls 20 and lever-dogs 10, and the namestrips move in the opposite'direction upon actuation of the lever by the pull-cord, and the names of the towns or streets are seen in reverse order.

The device is susceptible of difierent modifications as to the construction of the various parts hereinbefore described in detail, and I do not limit myself to the exact structure as shown in the drawings, except as covered by the appended claim and included within the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A station-indicator comprising a case having observation openings in its ends and sides, upper and lower pairs of rollers arranged relativelyat a right angle, name-strips cooperating with the rollers and adapted to unwind from one and roll upon the other, cords connecting corresponding rollers of the pairs to effect a reverse movement thereof, operating-levers, a ratchet and pawl cooperating with said levers and the rollers of a pair, means for holding one of the pawls out of action, and a detent mechanism applied to each of the rollers with which the ratchet and pawls cooperate, substantially as described.

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

CHARLES D. OS BORN.

Witnesses:

LAWSON A. OoBLE, HARRY W. WILSON.

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