An Improved Signal and Indicator for Cabs and such like Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Signal and Indicator for Cabs and such like Vehicles.
I HENRY CHADWICK HIRST of Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales,
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
:
This invention has been specially devised in order to provide means of com-
municating the wishes of Passengers in Cabs and such like Vehicles to the driver.
This improved signal and indicator for Cabs and other Vehicles consists of the
combination and arrangement with two similar dials one on the inside and one on the
outside of the roof or other enclosing part of the body, of the Vehicle with similar
indications upon cach of a bell or gong and hung or fastened upon a spindle passing
through such dials which spindle has fixed to it a pointer above the top dial another
similar pointer below the lower dial and a toothed wheel or cam to actuate a tongue.
or striker.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my
improved Signal and indicator for Cabs and such like Vehicles apart from the roof
which latter it is not deemed necessary to show as the apparatus may be fixed in any
convenient position thereon preferably in Hansom and such like Cabs in the corner
just behind the right shoulder of a sitting passenger. Figure 2 is a plan and
Figure 3 a view of the underside of same respectively while Figure 4 is a plan of the
tongue and striking gear.
A is the lower dial fitted or rabbetted into the underside of the roof of a Cab &c.
and B the upper dial similarly fitted to the top of the roof. C is the actuating spindle
and D is a bell or gong. The dials A and B are divided into segments and have upon
their outermost part directions such as those shown in the drawing A' is a boss B¹ is
a cylindrical distance piece. A and B are pointers fixed on squared parts of the
spindle A is handle on one end of pointer A C¹ toothed wheel or cam also on a
squared part of spindle C² is pinion and a stud Ca tongue or striker fixed in or
on the pinion C and C are collars to retain spindle in its proper place D¹ is a
supporting tripod taking under neck of the bell.

page_text: In operation the passenger who wishes to communicate with the driver curs
pointer A2 by means of handle A³ (revolving spindle C and the fixtures upon it say
quite one revolution) and brings the pointer A' to rest within the segment over which
are the words indicating his desire. The wheel C gives motion to the pinion C³
causing it to revolve and with it the tongue or striker C which in every revolution
strikes against the bell D. which hangs loosely on the tripod D' thus signalling the
driver and calling his attention to the fact of a communication being made to him the
intent of which he becomes possessed of by watching where the pointer B comes
to rest.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise mechanical
detail of the apparatus as illustrated in the drawing as this might be varied without
departing from the nature of the invention for instance the tongue or striker of the
gong might be arranged to strike whenever the handle was turned in either direction
and the spindle might be revolved by other means than a handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
An improved Signal for Cabs and such like Vehicles the essential features of which
are the upper and lower dials with similar directions thereon the upper and lower
pointers the central spindle the bell or gong and the wheel or cam actuating a tongue
or striker all substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this Twelfth day of September One thousand eight hundred and eighty