APPARATUS FOR MAKING CERTAIN INDICATIONS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frank Applegate at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st March
1863.
1, FRANK APPLEGATE, of Bradford-on-Avon, in the County of Wilts,
Woollen Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "APPARATUS FOR MAKING CERTAIN INDICATIONS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates to apparatus for making indications or advertising to
passengers in railway carriages the several names of stations at which a train
stops or passes in its passage from one station to another, such indications
being made in succession, the name of the station just passed disappearing a
short time after the train has left a station, and at such a distance as will be
clear of the sidings, and so as not to be effected by shunting or running
a little way past a station, and backing again; simultaneously with the disap-
pearance of the name of the station just passed, the name of the next station
is indicated in every compartment of the carriages, or in such of them as it
may be desirable to show the name of the station to which the train is
approaching; this is indicated to the passengers during nearly the whole timo
occupied in travelling from one station to another.
The apparatus I use consists of a disc mounted on an axis, which disc is
caused to rotate by means of a tangent screw working on a wheel of such
diameter as may be necessary in proportion to the diameter of the disc. On
the sides of the disc are painted or otherwise indicated the names of the several

page_text: stations on the line of rail, which names occupy a radial position. The disc
is enclosed by a suitable covering, through which is an aperture, either open or
enclosed by a glass or other transparent substance, or by a magnifying lens, in
case of need showing only one of the names on the disc. The disc, which
may be of any diameter in proportion to the available space in the carriages, I
prefer to dispose in the partition separating the compartments of carriages,
and to provide the same representation on both sides of the disc, so that one
rotating disc serves for two compartments. The axis of the tangent screw is
continued a sufficient lengtb, and provided with a suitable square at one end,
which projects sufficiently to fit securely into a corresponding square socket on
the end of an upright rod, which is fixed in suitable bearings on the carriage;
the indicator itself being capable of detachment from this rod at the square
end thereof, and may be replaced by another indicator for a different route, if
necessary, which all fit the same end socket square, or other suitable means for
expeditious and secure attachment. The upright rod aforesaid is continued
through the bottom of the carriage (to which it is attached by a bearing and
collar), and is sufficiently long to be the nearest part of the whole train to the
ground or sleepers. On the end of this rod is fixed a boss with four projecting
arms of equal length, which arms always point at right angles to the carriage,
two of these arms being always in a line or parallel with the line of rails, and
always moving one-fourth part of a revolution to alter the indicator in-
stantaneously from one name to another; this position is secured by means of
a square part formed on the rod, on one or more sides of which a spring is
made to press, and so ensuring that one blow or contact with any suitable
fixed object shall cause the rod to move one-fourth of a revolution only. This
action I obtain by fixing to the sleeper, or in the ground, a pillar, with roller
or other mechanical contrivance, in such a position that the projecting arms
on the bottom of the upright rod carried by the carriages shall come in contact
therewith after having left a station, and the train in motion cause it to revolve
as aforesaid and indicate to the passengers the information desired.