Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 4th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
I, JAMES RICHARD ROBERT LAWRENCE of 33 Hunsdon Road, New Cross in the
County of Kent, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
It is the usual practice for a driver when about to stop to hold up his whip to
announce the fact to the driver of any vehicle which may be following close behind
but in the case of large or lofty vehicles such as tramcars omnibuses and the like
this signal often cannot be seen.
According to my invention I provide a signal or notice at the back or side of the
vehicle which is displayed when the driver is about to stop. The signal being so
connected to the brake that applying the brake causes it to be displayed.
I prefer to hinge the signal to one side of the rear of the vehicle in such a way that
when out of use it lies flat against the side of the vehicle and is held in this position
by a spring. When displayed it is turned out at right angles to the side by a rod
pivotted to its inner end which rod is connected to and receives an endway movement
from the brake by a chain or bell crank lover.

page_text: An Indicator for Tramcars and owner venicies.
I, JAMES RICHARD ROBERT LAWRENCE of 5 Hunsdon Road, New Cross, in the
County of Kent, Commercial Traveller, 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 :-
It is the usual practice for a driver when about to stop to hold up his whip to
announce the fact to the driver of any vehicle which may be following close behind
but in the case of large or lofty vehicles such as tramcars, omnibuses and the like
this signal often cannot be seen.
According to my invention I provide a signal or notice at the back or side of the
vehicle which is displayed when the driver is about to stop. The signal being so
connected to the brake that applying the brake causes it to be displayed.
I prefer to hinge the signal to one side of the rear of the vehicle in such a way
that when out of use it lies flat against the side of the vehicle and is held in this
position by a spring. When displayed it is turned out at right angles to the side by
a rod pivoted to its inner end which rod is connected to and receives an endway
movement from the brake by a chain or bell crank lever.
e is a
The annexed drawings show the arrangement which I prefer.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tramcar.
a is the signal arm, b is a bracket
attached to the back of the car on the off side; the arm a is jointed to it. c is a rod
jointed to the signal arm. dd are guides through which the rod c passes.
coiled spring attached to the rod and to the side of the car, it draws the rod rearwards
to the position shown and ranges the signal arm along the side of the car. f is the
ordinary crank handle by which the brake is applied. g is a chain which in putting
on the brake is wound upon the lower end of the crank axis. hh are guide pulleys
around which the chain passes, i is a coiled spring attached by one end to the chain g
and by the other end to the rod c. As the brake is put on and the chain wound up
the rod c is drawn forward and the signal arm a is moved so as to stand out from
the side of the car in a position to be clearly visible. When the brake is taken off
and the chain g is unwound and allowed to become slack the spring e brings the
signal arm back to the position in which it is represented in Figure 1. Figure 2
shews a rear elevation to a larger scale of the signal arm a and its bracket b as these
parts appear when the arm lies parallel to the side of the car. The end of the rod c
is also seen in this figure.
Figure 3 shows the same parts as they appear when the signal arm stands out
from the side of the car.
Figure 4 is a plan of the bracket b.
Figure 5 is an edge view of the arm a together with a portion of the rod c.

page_text: The prolongation a¹ of the arm a in rear of its axis a³ serves as a stop to prevent
the arm turning too far to the rear; it comes against the shoulders 6' 6' upon the
bracket.
Like apparatus may be applied on the other side of the vehicle for use when the car
travels with the other end foremost.
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 indicator substantially as described for use upon tram cars and other vehicles
and consisting of a signal arm and parts connecting the same with the brake as
herein set forth.