US818483A - Station-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

v PATBNTED APR. 24,;1906. J. B. TAPLBY & E. HOVEY.

STATION INDICATOR. APPLIGATION FILED APR. 5, 1904. KI IKEWED JULY 11. 1905.

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V hum/0w J mifllfaw UNITED STATES pagan-T OFFICE.

JOHN E. TAPLEY AND ALFRED E. HOVEY, OF CASS LAKE, MINNESOTA.

STATION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented A ril '24, 19c 6.

pplication filed April 5, 1904. Renewed July 11, 1905. Serial No. 269,274.

To all-whom it may concern.

Be it known that we,'JoHN E. TAPLEY and ALFRED E. HoVEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Cass Lake, in the county of Cass and State of Minnesota, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

Ourinvention relates to that class of indicators particularly designed for use on railway-cars, street-cars, and other vehicles for displaying or otherwise indicating the names of the streets or stations along the route.

. The object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, durable, and efficient device'of this character in which a pair of intermeshing toothed drums are actuated through the medium of suitable levers to Wind and unwind a ribbon, belt, or similar indicating device upon a pair of rollers, so as to display a symbol at an opening in the casing or housing at predetermined intervals.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a pawl-carrying bar pivotally mounted between the intermeshing drums and upon which are pivoted a push-pawl and a pullpawl adapted to alternately engage the teeth on the drums for rotating the same, and, further, to provide a reversing-lever for changing the direction of rotation of said drums, said lever serving to lock one'of the pawls in inoperative position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pair of springactuated rollers adapted to be rotated with a stepby-step movement for winding or unwinding the indicator belt or ribbon, and, further, to provide means for regulating the spring tension upon said rollers and means for limiting the extent of movement of the ribbon or belt.'

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in the form, pro-.

portions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention within the scope of the ap ended claims.

11 the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevationof acasing or housing containing the indicator mechanism, a portion of the ribbon being exposed at an openlng 1n the front. a Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the interior frame and operating mechanism removed from the casing. Fig. 3 is a side elevation viewed from the left of Fig. 2, showing the operative parts in position for moving the ribbon ,upwardly. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the operative parts in position for moving the ribbon in the reverse direction. Fig. 5 is a side elevation with the intermeshing drums and other portions of the device removed. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line z of Fig. 1 viewed toward the right and enlarged. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show detached views of certain of the operating-levers and their connections.

In. the drawings, 1 desi nates the indicator box or casing, preferably heated in the front portion of the car and having in its face a transverse openin 2, through which may be seen a portion of t e indicator ribbon or belt 3. A cord 4 is attached to the arm of a lever 5, with its free end extended the desired direction and distance to enable the conductor, motorman, or other profper person to opace of the casing adjacent to the slot or opening 2 may appear erate the ribbon. On the the word Next, as shown, or other suitable word or words. Within the casing l is secured a main frame 6 and supplemental frame 7 of any suitable construction for supporting the operating mechanism.

The ribbon 3 has its ends attached to the rollers or spools 8 and 9, the journal-bearings of which are in boxes 10 and 11, provided on the frame 6. At one side ofthe frame the spool arbors or shafts 12' carry pinions 13, which mesh with gears 14, and the latter are borne by arbors 15, journaled on the main frame 6 and supplemental frame 7. Clocksprings 16 or equivalent coiled springs have their ends connected, respectively, to the arbors 15 and the studs 17 on the frame 7, and

rings or handles 18 on the arborsenable the spring to be wound to the proper extent to exert the desired tension throu h the arbors and gears upon the ribbon-spoo s. By these means. the proper tension in opposite directions may be exerted and'maintained upon the ribbon to keep it taut as it is being wound or unwound from either spool to the other,

for the reason that the arbors carrying the springs and gear-wheels will make comparatively few turns, while the shafts or arbors carrying the pinions and spools make the greater number of rotations necessary to wind or unwind the ribbon.

ings in journal-boxes 23 on the frame 6.

ts 21, arranged at corresponding intervals in the ribbon, or the opening may be formed in a band or chain attached to the margins of the'ribbon.

The axis or shaft 22 of the drum has bear- An idle roller 24, supported by the frame, may be utilized for holding the ribbon in proper place close to the casing-opening 2. v

For stopping and holding the feed drum or cylinder 19 in position when it has been rotated a predetermined distance a disk or wheel 25 is secured to the shaft, or axis 22, said wheel being provided with a series of spaced notches or recesses 26 for the reception of rollers 27 carried by pivoted levers or dogs 28. The dmgs 28 are pivotally supported on studs 29 and held in engagement with the notched wheel by springs 30. The pivoted dogs not only serve to hold the drum in place while the feed-pawls are disengaged, but also serve to rotate it slightly forward or backward by pressure of the rollers on the notched wheels at thepoi'nts 31 of entrance to the notches when the feed movements of the pawls fail to rotate the drum the exact distance re uired. This operation is effected by having t e tension of the dog-springs sufficient to overcome the resistance of the springs 1 6 that control the ribbon-spools, and its purpose is to. insure the presentation of the proper portion of the ribbon at the opening in the indicator box or casing, whether the feed movements of the ribbon are in an upward or downwarddirection.

The devices for operating the drum or cylinder 19 are as follows: Mounted on one end of the shaft or axis 22 is a toothed drum 33, which meshes with a similar toothed drum "'35, mounted on anarbor or shaft 36, having,

drum 35 will serve to revolve the cylinder in the opposite direction, the rotation of the drums being effected by means of a rill-pawl 38 and a push-pawl 39. "The paw s 38 and 39 are pivoted on'the lower portion of a bar 40, as indicated'at 38 and 39, respectively,

the upper end of the bar being connected by a pivot 41 to a block 41, which is secured on the frame 6, whereby the pawl-carrying bar is fulcrumed at its upper end and its lower sponding end of'the bar 40.

between the lowerv end end free to be oscillated. The inner end of each pawl is connected to the end of the bar by a spring 42, which tends. to hold the outer end of the pawl in engagement with the appropriate toothed drum. To hold oneof the pawls in operative position and the other in inoperative position, a reversing-lever 43 is connected by a pivot 44 to the bar 40 near the pawls, said.

widened upper, end of the lever 43 and pins 48, projecting into the slot from the corre- These pins fit loosely in the slot 47, so that the upper end of the -lever 43 is free to move laterally on the upper end of the bar 40 to the extent permitted by the slot and pins. To the upper por;

tion of the lever 43' is connected a bar 49,

adapted to actuate said lever to thereby change the direction of rotation of the indicator belt or ribbon. lhe outer end of the bar 49 projects'outside the box or casing and is there connected to a suitable hand-lever 50, having a spring-dog 51 for engagement with the notched plate 52. In Fig. 3 the regulating-lever and the adjusted parts are in position to cause the ribbon to be moved. step by step in an upward direction, while in Fig. 4 the same devices are shown in position to produce a reverse movement. of the ribbon. In the former the pawl 39 is in position to engage its toothed drum, while in the latter figure the pawl 38 .is in operative position.

I In both cases the movement of the ribbon is effected by the escillatory bar 40 through the medium of a horizontally-disposed bar 53, "the latter formin a pivotal connection of the bar and the op crating-lever 5, asshown. The bar 49 may be provided with a 'retractile spring 54. A similar spring 55 is provided for actuating the bar '53, the outward or feeding movement of the latter being effected by the operation of the lever 5 bymeans of the cord 4. The pawl-carrying bar v4O .is also mounted for movement in a curved plate or guide 56.

In operation to-move the indicator belt or TCO ribbon upwardly one step, as from the position shown in Fig. 1, where the characters 25th St. are shown as coincident with the slot 2, it is only necessary to operate the lever 5 sufficiently to cause the pawl 39 to make its thrust and move the toothed drum the space of one tooth. Such movement will cause the gear-wheel 34 to turn the gearwheel 32 a partial rotation in its opposite direction, and thereby correspondingly partially turn the cylinder 19, and by engagemerit of the pins 20 with the eyelets 21 feed.

the ribbon upward one step or so as to present the next indicator character or characters (in this instance 26th St) opposite the slot or opening 2. To reverse the direction of movement of the ribbon, the regulator-lever 50 must be moved, as from its position in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, so as to shift the reversing-lever 43 and move the pawl 39 to inoperative position and the'pawl 38 into position to en age teeth on the adjacent drum, whereby t e operation of the lever 5 will pull the latter pawl downward, and

. thereby turn the toothed drum 33 and the of the springs 16 in opposite directions upon the two spools serves to hold the ribbon taut, whether it is equally or unequally distributed upon the spools.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a station or street indicator, an indicator-ribbon, a pair of spools upon and from which it is wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device having means for engag ing the ribbon to move it, a gear-wheel on the feed -device axes, a second gear-wheel in mesh therewith, toothed drums mounted for rotation with said gear-wheels, a pawl-carrier, a pair of pawls mounted thereon, means for adjusting said pawls to move the same alternately to inoperative position, and means for operating the pawls.

2. In a station or street indicator, an indicator-ribbon, a pair of spools upon and from which it is'wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device, having means for engaging theribbon tomov e it, a ear-wheel on the feed device axis, a secon gear -wheel in mesh therewith, toothed drums mounted for rotation with said gear-wheels, a pawl-carrier, a pair of pawls carried thereby, means for adjusting said pawls to move the same alternately to inoperative position, means for actuatin the pawls, spring-dogs provided with rol ers on their engagm ends, and a wheel or disk on the axis of t e feed device and provided with a series of peripheral sockets in which said rollers register.

3. In a station or street indicator, an indicator-ribbon, a pair of spools upon. and from which it is wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device having means for engag ing the ribbon to move it, a ear-wheel on the feed device axis, a second gearwheel in mesh therewith, toothed drums mounted for rotation with said gear-wheels, a pawl-car=- rier, spring-pawls mounted thereon, a lever fulcrumed on said carrier and having arms arranged to move either pawl outzofpperative position, means for positioning said lever, and means for actuating the pawl-carrier.

4. In a station or street indicator, 'an'indi cator-ribbon, a pair of spools upon and from which it is wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device having means forengaging the ribbon to move it, a ear-wheel on the feed device axis, a secon gear -wheel in mesh therewith, toothed drums mounted for rotation with said gear-wheels, a pawl-can rier, spring-pawls mounted thereon, a lever fulcrumed on said carrier and having arms arranged to move either pawl out of operative position, means outside the casin and interior connections for adjusting said lever on its fulcrum to control the positions ofthe pawls, and means outside the casing and interior connections for reciprocating the pawlcarrier to actuate the operative pawl.

5. In a device of the class described, an indicator-ribbon having perforations near its edges, a pair of spools upon and from which it is wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device having projections for engaging the ribbon-perforations, to move it, a gearwheel on the feed-device axis, a second gearwheel in mesh therewith, toothed drums mounted for rotation with the gear-wheels, a pair of pawls, means for adjusting said pawls alternately to inoperative position, means for actuating the pawls to turn the feed device, and means for holding said feed device in place upon completion of the feed movement. 4 v

6. In a device of the class described, an indicator-ribbon having .perforations near its edges, a pair of spools upon and from which it is wound, coil-springs for exerting tension upon the spool-axes, an intermediate rotary feed device having projections for engaging the perforations in the ribbon to move the *latter, a pair of intermeshing gear-wheels,

toothed drums mounted for rotation with said gear-wheels, .a swinging pawl-carrier, a I pair of pawls carried thereby, a reversing-lever fulcrumed on said carrier and having arms arranged to move either pawl out of operative position, means for positioning said lever, and means for actuating the pawl-carrier;

7. In a device of the class described, a casing provided with a display-opening, an indicator-operating means including a air of intermeshing toothed drums, a paw -carrying ILO was. a a...

bar pivoted between. said drums, a pair of pawls carried by the pivoted end-0f the bar and adapted to alternately engage the teeth on thedrums, an indicator operable by said drums to successively display a symlml at said opening, and means for normally holding one of said pawls out of engagement with the teeth of the adjacent drum.

8. in a device of the class descrgibed, an indicator-operating means including a pushpawl, a pulhpawl, an operating means connecting the two, a pair of intermeshing toothed drums engaged by said pawls, an indicator operable by said drums, and means for alternately throwing said pawls into and out of engagementwith the drums to thereby reverse the direction of movement of the indicator.

In a device of the'classdescrib'ed, anin dicator-operating means including a pair of .intermeshing toothed drums, a, pawl-carrying bar pivoted between said drums, pawls carried by the bar and adapted to alternately engage the teeth on the drums, an indicator operable by the latter, and a reversing-lever pivoted to and movable with the pawl-carrymg bar and adapted to disengage one of the pawls from the teeth on the adjacent drum" to thereby reverse the direction of movement of the indicator. i

10. In a device of the class described, an indicator operating means including a plurality of intermeshing gear-wheels, toothed drums secured to sanlgears, a pawl-carrying bar pivoted between the drums, pawls pivoted to the bar and adapted to engage the teeth on said. drums, an indicatoroperable b the drums, means for adjusting said pawls alternately to inoperable position to thereby reverse the direction of movement of the indicator, and means for locking one of said pawls in inoperative position.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, shafts ournaled the casing, intermeshing toothed drums mounted on the shafts, a pawlcarrying bar pivoted between said drums, an. indicator operable by the drums, a notched wheel fixed to the shaft of one of the drums, pawls carried by the pivoted end. of the bar and adapted to engage the teeth on said drums,

a reversing-lever pivoted to the bar for moving the pawls alternately'to inoperative posi tions to thereby reverse the direction of rotation of the indicator, and a..springpressed lever provided witha terminal roller adapted to engage the notched wheel.

12. In a device of the class described, the

combination/ with a casing, intermeshing.

pawl/a pullpawl, an operating means connecting the two, an indicator operable by said pawls to successively display a symbol a t said opening, and a reversing-lever having a substantially if-shaped head provided with laterally extending pins "adapted to engage said pawls for moving the latter alternately to inoperative position. I

14. In a device of the class described, a casing provided. with a display-opening, an indicator o eratin means includirn a aWl-v carrying bar having a push and a pull pawl pivoted thereto, an indicator operable by said pawls to successively display a symbol at said opening, a reversing-lever pivoted to i said bar and having one end thereof slotted and its opposite end provided with laterallyeXtending pins adapted to engage said pawls, and a pin secured to said bar and adapted to engage the slot in the reversing-lever.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of March, 1904.

JOHN E. TAPLEY. ALFRED E. HOVEY.

Witnesses GEORGE A. LYDIGK, 'l. Larsen.

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