The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-08-21
A Railway Tram Time Register.

ed that j. G. Dickover and Walter
Scott of this city had patented an in
vention of theirs that was likely to
prove valuable adjunctt to the success
full operation of railways. Since that
time these gentlemen have been quiet
ly working on their invention until
now it is perfect, and is beginning to
attract attention from railroad men.
Already an offer Of $4,000 has been
received by them for the patent which
was refused. Next week j. G. Dick
over goes east to superintend the man.
ufacture of working model, which,
when completed will by put in oper-
alton and tested. The STAR is pleased
to note the fact that this invention is
receiving favorable notice from prac-
tical railway men and hopes that it
may make them fortune. OF the
invention the Scientific American says:
A register which shows positively to
the engineer of an approaching train
the exact time at which the preceding
train passed over the track is herewith
illustrated. 1t has been patented by
Messrs. Joshua G. Dickever and
Walter Scott, Of Hot Springs, South
Dakota. The minute hand arbor Of
the clock within the station projects
through the back of the clock case,
and to it attached one end of spindle
which carries at its opposite end a
pinion engaging spur wheel of a
mechanism for connecting the time
movement with spring actuated dia;
mechanism at the side Of the track.
This mechanism is in double frame
exposing opposite clock dials, and
minute hand arbor in the frame
impart motion to; the hour hands
through dial wheels in the usual way,
These arbors haye crown pinions
engaged by spuf wheel on an arbor
of the connecting mechanism, and one
Of the crown pinions is engaged by a
spur wheel on handspring arbor tc
which is attached one end Of clock
spring, the other end being attached to
the frame. A stud projects from the
spur wheel of the connecting mcchan.
ism, shown in Fig. 2, and upon its
arbor is an angled arm to which Is
pivoted a right-angled lever, a sleeve
mounted on the arbor being in the
path Of the longer arm of the lever
Beneath this mechanism, OH the base
of the instrument. is mounted an cleo
tro-magnet, the armature lever OF
which is divided into two arms, one OF
which engages the sleeve on the arbo,
while the other engages toothed
wheel of the dial mechanism, a retrac
tile spring attached to the armature
lever and to the frame normally hold
ing the lever away from the magnet
Under one of the track rails is placed
a bow spring carrying contact point
electrically connected through bat
terry cell with one terminal of the
magnet, and below the movable con
tact point of the spring is stationar,
contact point electrically connected
with the other terminal of the magnet
On the passing Of a train the sprin.
beneath the track rail is depressed
bringing the contact points together
and closing the circuit with the mag
net, when the latter attracts the two
armed armature lever, whereby thu
sleeve is moved on the arbor of th'
connecting mechanism and toothet
wheel of the spring-actuated dial me
chanism is released, whereby the hand
on the dials are carried forward to in
dicate the time shown by the clock a
the moment the contact points touch
When the train has passed the circui
is broken, the retractile spring the,
withdrawing the armture lever, an,
the indicating mechanism remain
quiet, but the spur wheel Of the con
Meeting mechanism is constantly car
ried forward by the clock, the stud o,
this wheel limiting the movement o.
the indicating mechanism when fh
latter is again started by the passin!
of following train.