US972007A - Automatic danger-signal and intermittently-illuminating advertiser for electric cars. - Google Patents

Description

. A. MAY.

AUTOMATIC DANGER SIGNAL AND INTERMITTBNTLY ILLUMINATING ADVERTISER FOB.

ELECTRIC CARS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED Jun 16, 1909.

Patented 0013.4, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. MAY.

AUTOMATIG DANGER SIGNAL ADD INTEBMITTENTLY ILLUMIHATING ADVERTISER FOB ELECTRIC CABS. APELIo'AmoK FILED JUNE 16, 1909.

Patented Octal, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. (Egg. (9,

A Five/ 22 for A. MAY. AUTOMATIC DANGER SIGNAL AND INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATING ADVERTISER FOR ELECTRIC CARS. APPLICATION FILED mm: 16, 1909.

972,007. Patented 0013.4,1910.

MM: "3 s AUGUSTUS MAY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMATIC DANGER-SIGNAL AND INTERMITTENTLY-ILLUMINATING ADVERTISER FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

Application filed June 16, 1909. Serial No. 502,594.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUs'rUs MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Danger-Signals.

and Intermittently-Illuminating Advertisers for'Electric Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic danger signals and intermittently illuminating advertisers for electric cars and it particularly comprehends a device in the nature of a switch which is operable by the cont-roller handle to regulate the alternate opening and closing of two circuits which include electrically operated advertising devices. With one of the circuits there may be employed a danger signal which is provided on the rear end of the car and which serves to give notice that the car is at rest and to thereby prevent rear end collisions. The danger signal circuit may include an audible signal which also serves to emphatically warn passengers alighting from a stopped car of the possible danger of another car passing in an opposite direction on an adjacent track. By virtue of this system of alternately controlling two circuits, intermittent and also alternate operations of the advertising devices are produced which are effective by virtue of the frequent stoppages of the car or the throwing off andv on of the motor in crowded city streets. The system is of advantage in that the trolley or third rail which supplies the motive current also supplies the current for illuminating the advertising devices and the danger signals when the latter are employed.

The invention proposes as a further novel feature the employment of novel means providing for an intermittently operable advertising device, the operation of which directly depends on the operation of the controller. J"

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred and advantageous embodiment which is to be considered, as exemplary and not as obligatory.

In the said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan View of a controller box showing the application of the switch thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the switch casing, the switch closing one circuit which includes advertising devices, preferably located in the corners of the car. Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the switch closing the other advertising circuit in which the danger signal devices may be included, if desired, and showing also the manner in which the switch is operated by the controller handle. Fig. 5 is a cross section showing the pivotal mounting of the switch. Fig. 6 is a per spective view of the signal box. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the signal box showing an audible and a visual signal therein. Fig. 8 is a view illustrating an arrangement in which the switch is positioned within the controller box. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a preferred form of sign structure. Fig. 10 is. a horizontal sectional yiew thereof. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view of one of the panels of the advertising sign.

Fig. 13 is a detail rear elevation of one of the panels of the advertising sign. Fig. 14 1s a diagrammatic. view showing the arrangement of alternately closed advertising circuits.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates the controller box, the numeral 2 the controller handle, the numeral 3 the usual stop for the handle, and the numeral 4 a lug which projectsdownwardly from the handle for engagement with the stop and,

also for engagement with the switch which controls the alternately closed advertising circuits.

Referring to Fig. 14 in which the arrangement of these circuits is disclosed, the numeral 5 indicates a trolley wire (or it may be a third rail) and the numeral 6 indicates the trolley pole receiving current from the wire 5 and electrically connected to a feed wire 7' having at its ends suitable switch arms 8 and 9. The switch arms 8 and9 are operable to put the Wire 7 in electrical connection with either of two wires 10 and 11. As shown in the drawin the arm 8 closes the circuit ,through the wire 10 but the arm 9 is out of contact with the wire 11.

In Figs. 3,4 and 5, the switch which alternately closes the two advertising circuits and forms an essential element of the present invention, is shown in detail. Said-switch is verse pin, as

designated generally by the numeral 12 and its inclosing casing by the numeral 13. A switch 12 is provided at each end of the car and. preferably includes a switch block consisting of a body section 14 and a contact piece 14 carried by the body section and insulated therefrom by a strip of material suitable for the purpose, as 15. The switch block thus constructed is pivoted on a trans- 16, which passes through the contact piece 14 and to which the wire '10 or 11, as the case may be, is electrically connected. The casing through which one end of the switch block projects, the said projecting end carrying a lug, as 17. The contact piece 14 is provided with a finger 18 which projects from its inner face and with a finger 19 which projects from its under face. The finger 18 is arranged to engage a contact 20 which is secured upon the end wall of the casing 13 and the finger 19 is arranged to engage a contact 21 which is secured upon the base of the casing 13. The switch block will normally engage the contact 21 by gravity but in order to positively assure of this engagement, a spring, as 12 may be employed.

In order that the circuits shown in Fig. 14 may be readily traced, the switch at the right end of the car is designated by the letter A and that at the left end/of the car is designated by the letter B. To the contact 21 of the switch A, a wire, as 22, is connected and to the contact 21 of the switch B, a wire, as 23, is connected. Either of the wires '22 or 23, as the case may be, is electrically connected to a wire, as 24. The latter connects a series of advertising signs, as 25, whichma be. advantageously placed in the corners o the car and are so shown in the diagram. The wire 24 is provided with switcharms 26 and 27 to establish the connection thereof with either of the respective wires 22 or 23, or with either of the respective ground wires 23 or 29. To the contact 20 of the switch A, a wire, as 30, is connected and to the contact 20 of the switch B, a wire, as .31, is connected. Either of the wires 30 or 31, as the case maybe, is to be electrically connected to a wire, as 32. The latter connects a series of advertising signs, as 33, which ma be advantageously placed at the ends of t e car and are so shown 1n the diagram. The wire 32 is provided with switch arms 34 and 35 vto establish the connection thereof with either of the respective 'w'ires 30' or 31, or with respective ground wires 36 or 37, or with respective danger signal wires 38 or 39. The danger signals are disposed at the rear end of the car and may consist ofv a lam as 40, and a bell, as

41. The lamp and be 1 areinclosed in a'box,

as 42, having in its rear wall an opening, as 43, toreceive a supporting hook (not shown) by means of whlch the box maybe hung 13 has an open end from the rear platform. The box 42 preferably has its front and side walls provided with panels 44 of red glass to indicate danger and in one of the side walls are contact sockets, as 45, into which the ends of the wires 38 or 39, as the case may be, and of a ground wire 46 or 47, as the case may be, are fitted.

With the current regulated by the controller upon which the switch A is mounted, the operations will be as follows. Assuming that the arm 8 connects the wires 7 and 10, the arm 26 connects the wires 22 and 24, the arm 9 disconnects the wires 7 and 11, the arm 27 connects the wires 24 and 29,the arm 34 connects the wires 30 and .32, and the arm 35 connects the wires 32 and 39.

When the current is On in the motors of the car the contact finger 19 of the switch 12 will engage the contact 21 and the current will flow from the wire '5, through wires 7 and 10, switch 12, wires 22 and 24 and-signs 25 and wire 29 to ground. When the controller handle is swung to the Ofi position it will move the finger 18 into engagement with the contact 20 and will disengage the finger 19 from the contact 21. In this case the current will flow from the wire 5, through wires 7 and 10, switch 12, wires 30 and 32 and signs 33, wire 39, devices 40 and 41 and wire47 to ground. Or the arm 35 may be put in connection with the ground wire 37, thereby cutting out the danger signal devices, if desired. In case the current is regulated by the controller upon which the switch B is mounted, the operations will be the same but the various connecting switches will be reversed from'the positions in which they are shown, as will be obvious.

While any form of sign structure or other electrical display device may be employed, that which is preferred is shown in detail in Figs. 9 to 13, and comprises a suitable frame,

as 50, having provision for upper and lower rows of removable panels, as 51, which are slidably inserted between and held by retainin ribs 52. Contact devices are provided in pairs at each end of the frame 50,

one section of the wire 24 or 32 as the case may be, being joined to one of the contacts 53, and the opposite section of said wire being joined to one of the contacts 54 and the contacts 55 at the opposite ends of the frame being connected by a wire 56. Each panel 51 has at one side thereof a dowel pin 57 and at its 0 posite side asocket 58 to receive the pin 5 of the adjacent panel. The display means preferabl comprises incandescent lamps, as 59, whlch are arranged in each panel in the form of a desired letter and which may be connected electrically in any suitable manner, as shown in Fig. 13, a wire'60 leading from the dowel pin 57 to oneof the lamps at one end of thes'eries and a wire 61 leading fromthe lamp at the other end of the series to the socket 58. The end panels which are preferably blanks, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, are provided with suitable contact pieces 62 for engagement by either of the contacts v53, 54 or 55, as the case may be, which contacts 62 are connected to the socket or dowel pin 58 or 57 as the case may be, as shown more particularly in Fig. 12. In this manner the current is caused to flow through the entire series of lamps and it will be understood that the letters may be arranged to spell any desired words. It will, of course, be understood that, with the connections herein described, the lamps are at a comparatively low voltage, this being suflicient for the purposes of the example under discussion. The panels may be readily removed and new ones substituted in order that the readings may be varied whenever desired. I

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the springs 12 hold the switch 12 so as to normally closethe advertising circuit for lighting the signs 25 and that every time the controller handle is moved to its Off position, the switch 12 will be operated so as to break this advertising circuit and to close the other circuit, which includes the signs 33 and, if desired, the danger signal devices. In the use of the danger signal the red light at the rear of the car warns passengers alighting from a car at rest of the possible danger of a car movmg in an opposite direction on an adjacent track.

Owing to the fact that in crowded city streets the controller handle is frequently thrown off or on, not only at street crossings but during the ordinary travel of the car, the lighting of the signs 25 or 33 is intermittent and likewise alternate and of more or less irregular duration, and an effective and attractive display of the signs is thereby produced.

In Fig. 8 the switch 12 has been shown as mounted within the box 1 in which case the staff to which the handle 2 is connected, is provided with an arm 63 to produce the operation of the switch in the manner described.

The assemblage of the switch provides for its efiicient operation by the controller handle under all conditions and it is, therefore, immaterial whether the controller handle be well fitted upon its stafi' or whether it be more or less loose. The switch in no way interferes or retards the operation of the controller handle and inasmuch as it is inclosed in a housing, there is no danger of motormen receiving burns or shocks.

It will be understood that no specific description herein contained is intended to put a limitation on the invention and that equivalents of the devices shown may be employed whenever desirable.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a system of illumination for electric street cars, the combination with a controller handle and a display sign including electric lamps, of a source of current and a circuit for the lamps, a housing arranged in line with the path of movement of the controller handle and having an open end, a switch block including a body part which projects through the open end of the housing and a contact part which is disposed within the housing and is carried by and insulated from the body part, a pivot for the switch block, means for holding the switch block in a normal position, the contact part being included in the lamp circuit and a stationary contact piece also included in the lamp circuit and which is fitted in the housing and engaged by the switch block in one position thereof, the controller handle being adapted to engage the projecting end of the body part and to move the switch block against the tension of the means.

2. In a system of illumination for electric street cars, the combination with a controller handle and two alternately lighted display signs including electric lamps, of a source of current, a circuit for each sign, a common feed wire for the circuits, a housing arranged in line with the path of movement of the controller handle and having an open end, a switch block including a body part which projects through the open end of the housing and a contact part which is disposed within the housing and is carried by and insulated from the switch body part, the contact part being connected to the common feed wire, a pivot for the switch block, means for holding the switch block in a normal position, and two stationary contact pieces titted in the housing, one being included in one circuit and the other being included in the other circuit, the said means holding the switch block to normally engage one of the contact pieces and the controller handle being adapted to engage the projecting end of the body part and to move the switch block against the'tension of the means into engagement with the other contact piece.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUSTUS MAY.

Witnesses:

J NO. J. WARD, Gus. Hero.

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