Improvements in or relating to Station and similar Indicators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Station and similar Indicators.
A communication from ANISSIM LEDOWSKY, of Moscow, in the Empire of Russia,
Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to station and similar indicators in which the apparatus
is put in motion by compressed air. One apparatus is placed in each carriage
or compartment of the train. The tubes of the apparatus are preferably arranged
under the wagons and are joined together by india-rubber hose.
From the last apparatus a tube passes into the service section of the train,
and is there joined to the air compresser, provided with a valve. The apparatus
of all the carriages are put in action simultaneously on pressing the button, or
operating the valve. The object of the apparatus is that on the train approaching
a station, it shall indicate the name of this station, the duration of the stoppage
of the train at it, and whether there is a refreshment-room at the station, or other
information of a similar kind as is useful to passengers travelling in the train.
A bell on the apparatus may be employed to draw the attention of passengers
to the apparatus whenever a new indication is exhibited.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus with the face & cover removed,
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the casing with.
the front & cover in place, and Figs. 4 to 9 are detail views.
For convenience of description of the apparatus, it will be divided into three
parts.
1) The mechanism for revolving the cylinders, with the ribbon wound on them.
2) The automatic alteration of the direction of this revolution, and,
3) The air bell.
If the button or valve of the air compresser is operated to which the tube a
is connected, the rod 6 resting on the upper part of the air bag c is caused to rise
to a height determined by the distance between the stud d and the enlarged part e
of the rod. This distance is equal to half the circumference of the pinion f. The
rod continues to rise until the enlarged part strikes against the projection g,
which together with the upper projection h serves as a guide for the rod b. In
such raised position the rod will remain so long as the pressure continues in the
bag or bellows; on the cessation of the pressure, the rod begins to fall until con-
tact is effected of the stud d, with the projection g. This downward movement
of the rod is assisted also by the spring i, situated on its upper part. The rod b
is provided with a rack 'k, engaging the pinion f (Fig. 2), and, as the extent of
movement of the rod is equal to half the circumference of the pinion; it follows
that with each lifting of the rod the pinion makes a half revolution forward,

page_text: while with each lowering of it, it makes a half revolution backwards. This pinion
is made in one with two discs or flanges (Fig. 4) and rests freely on the common
hub of the two ratchet wheels / and m, the teeth of which are set in different
directions, in consequence of which one of the ratchet-wheels () will operate only
when the rod is raised, and the other (m) only when it is lowered. The hub n
is mounted on a spindle n, so as to be capable of longitudinal movement on it.
For the sake of simplicity, the ratchet-wheels have preferably only two teeth,
placed diametrically opposite each other (Fig. 5). The pawls m³ (2 of these ratchet-
wheels are mounted opposite each other on the discs of the pinion, while the ratchet-
wheels themselves are mounted by means of their common hub n' on the middle
smooth part of the screw spindle n (Fig. 1) provided with a longitudinal rib
so that the ratchet-wheels can move on the spindle in a longitudinal direction
while being prevented from rotating about it. In the groove f corresponding
to the rib q and made in the hub there is placed a spring blade adapted to
engage by means of a tooth or projection fl with either of two notches q', q,
in the rib q (Figs. 4 and 9). If the tooth of the spring be placed in the notch q',
the ratchet wheel will engage with its catch, and the ratchet-wheel m will be
free from its pawl. When the ratchet wheels are in this position each lifting
of the rod b will cause it screw spindle to turn through a half revolution while
the lowering of the rod will not affect the screw at all, as the pawl mounted on
the pinion will slide over the smooth part of the ratchet-wheel. The screw
spindle transmits its rotary motion by means of a toothed wheel o secured to
it, to two toothed wheels of having the same number of teeth, respectively
secured to two cylinders of equal diameter p and p¹ (Figs. 1 and 2) upon which
is wound a band containing the names of the stations, the duration of the stoppage
of the train, or other information. The information concerning one station is
placed on a space equal to half of the circumference of the cylinders, in conse-
quence of which on each operation of the button or valve, the ribbon will travel
a distance corresponding to this space. These intervals must gradually increase,
seeing that the diameter of the cylinder changes in consequence of there being
wound on it a different amount of ribbon.
The wheel o is mounted loosely on the spindle of the cylinder 21 (Fig. 6) a
spiral spring being fastened at one end to the spindle of the cylinder, and at the
other end to the rim of the wheel o³, so that the ribbon is constantly held stretched
by the action of this spring during the winding or unwinding of the ribbon.
and (Fig. 2) are rollers or rods for guiding the ribbon.
When the whole of the ribbon has been wound from one cylinder on to the
other or, if it is desired, after having passed a certain number of stations, that
the same names of stations should be shown in the opposite order i.e., on the
return journey, it is necessary to change the direction of rotation of the cylinders,
which, is attained by changing the position of the ratchet-wheels. For this
purpose the hub n¹ is moved longitudinally on the spindle n until the tooth fl
of the spring engages with the notch q³, in consequence of which the pawl 78
will become disengaged from its ratchet-wheel, and the ratchet-wheel m will
engage with its pawl, and the screw-spindle n and consequently the cylinders 2
and will revolve in the opposite direction, and that only on the lowering of
the rod b, the raising of the rod b not affecting them at all. This change of
position of the ratchet-wheels can be effected automatically by means of the
following device. On the screw-threaded portion of the spindle # there is arranged
a cross-piece t, and on the smooth portion a cross piece t¹, the two cross-pieces
being connected by rods s so as to form a frame (Figs. 1, 7 and 8), which is guided
in its movement by bars (Figs. 1 & 2). When the pawl 13 engages with its
ratchet wheel 1, and it is desired to alter the direction of the movement of the
ribbon .e., to disengage the ratchet-wheel 7, and engage the ratchet-wheel m,
it is necessary to place the movable cross-piece t in such position on the spindle n
that at the proper moment it may press against the spring and thus move the
ratchet-wheels into the desired position, in which they will be maintained by

page_text: the tooth f of the spring in their common hub n' engaging with the notch q³.
Then the spindle will begin to revolve in the opposite direction, and the cross
piece will recede from the ratchet-wheels and the cross piece t¹ on the other side
will approach them, and when it approaches so closely that it begins to press'upon
the spring v, the ratchet-wheels will be again moved, so that the other one will
become operative and the spindle will again rotate in the former direction, and
SQ oll. Hence it is evident that it is only necessary to have on the front bar u
divisions which show directly where the cross pieces t are to be placed in order
that the alteration of the direction of rotation of the spindle n should take place
after a given number of stations has been passed. In order to enable a new ribbon
to be put in, both the cylinders and are arranged so that they can be
easily taken out of their bearings, which are of a special form. In the side
supports A (Fig. 2) are formed bearings and ¹ in which the ends of the cylinder
shafts rest. In order that the latter may be kept in place, which is important
for the engagement of the toothed wheels o oo, which effect the movement of
the cylinders, the supports A are provided with pivotted holders or plates y and y¹.
These holders can be swung on their pivots so as to release the ends of the
cylinder shafts, whereupon the cylinders can be easily removed. For this purpose
one of the sides A¹ of the casing may. be hinged so that it can be opened to allow
the parts yy to be swung outwards. After the new ribbon is fastened to the
cylinders, they may be easily placed in position. If it is required to alter the
position of the ribbon in one of the apparatus without touching the others, i.e.
without effecting said alteration by means of the compressed air in the pipe, the
spindle n is simply turned by means of a key fitted on its square head z (Fig. 9)
the cylinders being consequently turned so that the apparatus may show the
desired station.
Each movement of the ribbon produced by the raising or lowering of the rod b
may be accompanied by the ringing of a bell which is attained in the following
manner. To the rod is fastened a lever B (Fig. 1) which on the rod being
raised engages with the stud c¹ (Figs. 1 and 2) and by means of the levers D, E
and F (the latter secured to or in one piece with a ratchet-wheel G) the ratchet-
wheel G will be turned from left to right. The pawl J mounted on the arm
of the toothed wheel K, will at the same time slide over the teeth of the ratchet-
wheel. On the falling of the rod the lever B will release the levers D E and F
and the whole system under the action of the spring L will return into its original
position, while the catch J will engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel G and
the wheel K will revolve from right to left so that its teeth will strike a cam M
(Fig. 1) whereby a ball N supported on a rod P P will be caused to strike the
bells Q.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a station or similar indicator, means for rotating cylinders for winding
up the ribbon with inscriptions, in combination with an adjustable coupling
device, comprising ratchet wheels (lm) a spindle, (n) having notches (7' 7°) a
toothed wheel (f) and cross piece (tt) provided with guide rods (s s) whereby at
a predetermined time the motion of the cylinders and of the ribbon is reversed.
2. In a station or similar indicator, in combination with mechanism for moving
the band with the names of the stations or the like, means for giving an audible
signal comprising levers (1) E) toothed wheel (K) and cam (3) so that at each
movement of the band a bell is struck by the rotation of the ratchet wheel K,
the parts returning into their original position, when the rod operating the band
descends.
3. In a station or similar indicator, means for removing replacing and stretching
the band carrying the names of the stations or the like, and wound on cylinders
(pp) in combination with the means for enabling the position of the band to

page_text: be altered to a desired extent in one apparatus only without interfering with
the other apparatus, substantially as described.
4. In a station or similar indicator, means for reversing the movement of the
band-carrying cylinders at a predetermined time, comprising ratchet wheels (1 m)
carried on a common hub (n) on a spindle (n) and movable on a rib thereon in
combination with a frame constituted by two rods (s) and cross-pieces (t t¹) one
of said cross pieces pressing at the desired moment against a spring (v or ¹)
engaging with the hub (n) and causing the hub to move in a longitudinal direc-
tion so that the pawls engage accordingly with one or the other wheel, and thus
cause the spindle to rotate in the opposite direction.
5. In a reversing device of the character described the provision of divisions
on the front bar u serving as a guide for the cross pieces (t t¹), the divisions
enabling the cross piece to be adjusted so as to reverse at any given moment in
an automatic manner substantially as described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete station
or like indicator substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
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