Improvements in Indicators for Railway and other Carriages, also Applicable to Closets and other such Conveniences.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1888
Specification Accepted, 20th July, 1888
RESE
2
Improvements in Indicators for Railway and other Carriages, also
Applicable to Closets and other such Conveniences.
I, DUNCAN SMITH of 33 and 34, Horsley Fields, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, Wine and Spirit Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object improvements in indicators for railway and other
carriages also applicable to closets and other such conveniences by which in the case
of railway carriages travellers are enabled to see at a glance by night or day the
position of their carriage from a distance as well as readily ascertain the class or
number of any particular compartment and is another method of carrying out the
improvements described in my Specification No. 2744 A.D. 1888, whereby additional
light is obtained within the carriage.
"In the case of closets and dressing rooms to baths my invention enables any
individual to see at a glance and from a distance if necessary whether they are
engaged or disengaged and this applies equally in the closets of Hotels, steamers,
private residences, etc., but is of direct importance in the case of the public
conveniences of Railway stations where a few seconds is of the utmost importance to
travellers who desire to use them.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into
practice I have appended hereunto two large and one small sized sheets of drawings
upon Sheet 1 of which I have shewn my invention applied to an existing carriage;
upon Sheet 2 the application to an ordinary closet door; and upon Sheet 3 several
slight modifications to the carriage indicators.
On Sheet 1.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a compartment of a carriage with the indicator
shewn open. In this case it is shewn operated by the cord or wire E and pullies 6'
and 68.
Figure 2 is an elevation of same from end of train.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of a compartment with the indicator shewn closed.
In this case it is shewn operated by the rod F and pin 6º.
Figure 4 is an elevation of same from end of train.

page_text: Figure 9 is a plan of same.
Figure 10 is a sectional side elevation.
On Sheet 2.
Figure 11 is an elevation of an ordinary closet door having
indicated.
Figure 12 is a section on line 1-2.
66
engaged"
Figure 13 is an elevation of the same door having "disengaged" indicated.
Figure 14 is a section on line 3, 4.
Figure 15 is an enlarged plan of the indicator at “engaged" shewing the arrange-
ment for operating same.
Figure 16 is a similar plan but with the indicator at the "disengaged."
On Sheet 3.
Figure 17 is a plan of indicators to carriage shewing a modified arrangement for
operating them.
Figure 18 is a similar plan shewing altered position of springs.
Figure 19 is a section through carriage shewing the application of an ordinary
carriage lamp U to my indicators.
Referring to Sheet 1 of the drawings I place the gas, oil, electric or other lamp A
within the framework above the carriage door as in my Specification No. 2744
A.D. 1888, but I continue the glass along the full width of the door so as to form a
kind of top light which gives additional light into the carriage by day and throws
more light on to the indicators and platform by night, and allows of the destination
boards being readily placed above in which position they would be well seen at night
in consequence of the light from the lamps shining upon them. I hinge the indicators B
together in the centre at 63 and mount their ends band 62 in the frame C so as to
readily slide backwards or forwards. Connected with the hinge b³ is the rod 64 which
works in the socket 6 thus always keeping the hinge in the centre of the lamp. On
the end 2 of the indicator the small pin 6 is fixed a slot being made in the frame C
to allow it to slide backwards and forwards. This pin 66 works in a socket in the rod F
so that supposing the indicators B were closed as Figures 5, 6 and 7 when the rod F
is drawn in the direction shown by the arrow W the indicators would then take the
position shewn by Figures 8, 9 and 10 which would be at such time as the train was
in the station, and would be clearly seen from any distance up the platform thereby
assisting travellers to readily find their carriage. The arrangement for operating the
rod from the guard's van or other position being similar to that described in my
Specification No. 2744. A.D. 1888.
I may operate the indicators as shewn by Figure 1 by putting a small pulley 67
and 68 on each of the sliding ends around which pullies a cord, chain, or wire E is so
wound that when drawn tight it draws the pullies b' and 68 towards each other
bringing the indicator into the position shewn by Figures 8, 9 and 10. To bring the
indicators back to their original position when the rod E or cord chain or wire F is
released the expanding spring D is placed around the socket 65 and draws the rod 6*
into the position shewn by Figures 5, 6 and 7 which is the position it would be allowed
to remain in during the time the train was in motion. The colour of the glass,
coupling of carriages and the whole of the other parts would be carried out as described
in my before-mentioned Specification No. 2744 A.D. 1888.
I
In the case of the rod for operating 1 may find it preferable to fix a cord which
passes round the pulley Z-as shown by Figure 17-which is fixed to the one indicator
and Y to the other and another pulley V which is fixed to the carriage for the cord
or wire to run against. In this case the springs for closing would be placed at
the side and one attached to each indicator as shewn by w¹ and w² in Figure 18.

page_text: Referring to Sheet 2 of the drawings I pivot the indicators K at k¹, k², k³ and k^
in the fanlight above the closet door L and fix to the spindles upon which they
revolve the toothed wheels m and m¹ between which is the double toothed rack M
gearing into each wheel. This toothed rack M has the plain shaft m³ at the one
end which slides in the socket m¹ which is fixed to the lintel P and at the other side
of the socket and having the one end s¹, butting up against it is the expanding
spring S, the other end butting against the projecting head m" on the rod m³ the
spring Shaving the tendency to bring the indicators into the position shewn by
Figures 13, 14 and 16 thereby shewing the word "Disengaged" from any distance.
When the closet is engaged the door being closed the small plate T which is fixed
to the top of same butts against the head ms of the shaft m³ and presses it forward
thereby by means of the toothed rack M revolving the toothed wheels m and m¹ and
bringing the indicators into the position shewn by Figures 11, 12, and 15 which
shews the other side of the indicators K on which is the word "engaged." No knobs
are fixed on the outside of the doors which prevents them from being quite closed
as the spring S would always keep the door sufficiently open to allow the indicators
to remain out unless pressure was brought to bear on the door from the inside to
close it in which case it would indicate "engaged" as before described.
The lamp V is so placed that it not only lights inside but its rays fall upon the
indicators whether at "engaged" or "disengaged.".
Of course I do not confine myself to the exact details for I may in place of putting
the toothed wheels have two smali eccentrics on two rods and operated from the
door by copper wire or instead of the cog wheels I may use two india-rubber
washers with a rough cut bar between and I may place the light in any other
desired position.
The indicators may be of glass in a framework of wood or may be wood or metal
entirely.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
First The improvements in indicators for railway and other carriages in which
the indicators are operated and so arranged as to give additional light into the
compartment by day and night substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
and shewn upon the drawings.
Second: In improvements in indicators for closets and other such conveniences
the indicators B so arranged and operated as to denote whether engaged or
disengaged substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn upon the
drawings.