Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Indicating Names of Stations in Moving Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Indicating
Names of Stations in Moving Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM SAMUEL PAGE, of The Gales, Woodford Bridge, in the County
of Essex, Clerk, and GEORGE WASHINGTON ROBERTSON of 22 Steele's Road,
Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates primarily to improvements upon an invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to G. W. Robertson dated July 17, 1890, No. 11,170,
but is also applicable to station annunciators of other construction, and the object
of the invention is firstly to simplify the operating arrangements and at the same
time obtain an economy in working, and in cost of, the apparatus.
According to the present invention we dispense with the ratchet wheel and
driving pawls and with the notched adjusting wheel and spring dog described in
the Specification of aforesaid Patent as combined with each separate indicator, and
in lieu thereof we employ only one set of such parts which we combine with one end
of the indicator operating shaft running along the top of the carriage, and we
communicate motion from such shaft to the several indicators in a carriage by means'
of bevel wheels, one being fixed on such shaft and the other fixed on the working
shaft of each indicator.
In carrying the invention into effect we preferably adopt the following arrange-
ment. We fix at or near the end of the shaft running along the top of the
carriage, a ratchet wheel, the notches of which are so formed as to enable either of
two driving pawls to act thereon and to drive the same in either of two opposite
directions; we also fix on such longitudinal shaft a notched adjusting wheel, in
combination with which works a spring dog to ensure such longitudinal shaft
always receiving an exact amount of motion. We also mount loosely on the end
of the longitudinal shaft, a pawl lever provided with a pawl on each side of the
axis of such lever, and we connect to one arm of such lever the upright rod at the
end of the carriage which receives motion from the prime mover in any convenient
manner. A spring or springs acts or act to keep the noses of the pawls in contact
with the periphery of the ratchet wheel and to force either of them, when required,
into the notches thereof, but, in order to prevent the, for the time being, non-
operative pawl from accidentally entering a notch of the ratchet wheel in its
descent, we provide a fixed cam surface to act on the tails of the pawls to keep
the noses thereof out of a notch when passing the same in their descent, the rising
pawl being always the operative pawl. It will be understood that the action of
the pawls may however be reversed..
The invention also relates to means for enabling the indicators to be shifted so
as to indicate the proper stations when the carriages are caused to run on different
lines. Thus, supposing a train sometimes runs on, say, line A, and sometimes
branches off therefrom on to, say, line B, we arrange the indicator cards so that
all the names of the stations on the two lines shall appear thereon, say, all the
names of stations on line A and then following all the stations on line B. Now, on
starting at the first station on line A, the names of the stations on such line will be
successively shown by the indicator until the junction with line B is reached and even
then would continue to be indicated in succession at the different stations on line B unless
means were devised for obviating the same. For this purpose we arrange at or near the
junction a series of cams or inclines near to each other and of corresponding number
to that of the stations on line A which are not passed by the train; these cams or
inclines are made movable by means of suitable connections so that an attendant'
'

page_text: at the side of the line can readily place them either in or out of position for
operation. Thus, when the train from line A begins to run on the line B, the
series of cams or inclines are placed in position to act on the prime mover of the
indicator, thus causing the names of stations on line A from the junction to the end
of said line to be passed over in rapid succession by the indicator, so that the
latter shall be in readiness on arriving at the first station on line B to indicate
the name of said station and then successively the names of the remainder of the
stations on said line B. By means of these movable cams or inclines means may
be readily made to suit various arrangements of traffic.
1000
W. S. PAGE,
GEO. W. ROBERTSON,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Indicating
Names of Stations in Moving Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM SAMUEL PAGE, of The Gales, Woodford Bridge, in the County
of Essex, Clerk, and GEORGE WASHINGTON ROBERTSON, late of 22 Steele's
Road, Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, but now of 6 Plymton Road,
Kilburn, in said County, Engineer, 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 :-
The invention relates primarily to improvements upon an invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to G. W. Robertson dated July 17, 1890, No. 11,170,
but is also applicable to station annunciators of other construction, and the object
of the invention is to, firstly, simplify the operating arrangements and at the same
time obtain an economy in working and in cost of the apparatus.
According to this part of the invention we dispense with the ratchet wheel and
driving pawls and with the notched adjusting wheel and spring dog described in the
Specification of aforesaid Patent as combined with each separate indicator, and, in
lieu thereof, we employ only one set of such parts, which we combine with one end
of the indicator operating shaft running along the top of the carriage, and we
communicate motion from such shaft to the several indicators in a carriage, by
means of pairs of bevel wheels, one of each pair being fixed on such shaft, and the
other on the working shaft of each indicator.
The invention also relates to means for enabling the indicators to be shifted so
as to indicate the proper stations when the carriages are caused to run on different
lines.
The invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is an end view of a railway carriage fitted with the improved apparatus
for operating station indicators.
Fig. 2 is an elevation and Fig. 3 is a plan, of parts at end of shaft on top of
carriage.
Fig. 4 is an end view of indicator.
Fig. 5 is a side view of parts of the indicator.
Figs. 6 and 7 are elevations and Fig. 8 is a plan or end view, of part of the indicator
chain.
Fig. 9 is a sectional edge view and Fig. 10 is a side view, of part of an indicator
card.
Fig. 11 is a plan showing one method of constructing and operating our movable
cams or inclines.

page_text: Fig. 12 is a cross section of same, and
Fig. 13 is a detail view showing one of the end studs or axes.
The indicator represented in the drawings is constructed as follows:-
:-
a a are the indicator side frames, bare two shafts mounted in the frames a a,
ccare chain wheels fixed on the shaft b, d d are chains passing around the
chain wheels with their pins d¹ resting in the notches of the chain wheels;
these chains also pass around the necks 62 of the shaft 61, so as to keep
them properly distended. Each link of the chains is provided with a divided
arm d² to receive the metallic edge e¹ of a tablet e, said edge e¹ being formed
with projections or flanges e² on its sides to fit against the outer edges of the arms d³.
The two parts of the arms d² are sprung towards each other, and they are bent at
their free ends so as to meet and thereby hold the tablets e securely and yet permit
of ready change. Each tablet e will carry the name of a station and one or more
advertisements, as heretofore. The indicator side frames a a are provided with
glazed apertures a¹ a¹ to admit light to the interior of the indicator; the frames a a
are connected together by a metal casing a² a², whilst the segmental shaped bottom
of the indicator frame is provided with a hinged glazed door a³ to enable the indicator
tablets e to be seen and to permit of access to the interior of the indicator. The
lower part of the indicator passes through the carriage roof to the interior of the
carriage, and the indicator is fixed in position by means of two flanges a¹ thereon
resting on and fixed to the carriage roof.
The above described indicator is constructed generally according to the Patent
hereinbefore referred to, and therefore forms no part of our present invention,
which latter is also applicable to indicators of other construction.
On one end of the shaft b we, according to our invention, fix a bevel wheel b³,
which is taken into by a bevel wheel f' fixed on the shaft f, which latter extends
along the carriage top and is fitted with as many wheels f¹ as there are indicators
to a carriage. One end of the shaft f has a double acting ratchet wheel f² and a
notched wheel fe fixed thereon, and a double ended pawl lever f³ mounted loosely
thereon, the pawls f of which act on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel f² and are
sprung towards the edge of the latter by a spring f³. The shaft f is mounted in
standards f, and a spring dog g mounted in a socket in the end standard f* acts
in connection with the notched wheel f' to ensure correct adjustment and firm
holding of the chain of tablets.
By the above arrangement all the indicators of a carriage are enabled to be
operated by a single ratchet wheel and a single notched wheel f* fixed on the
end of shaft f, and one double pawl lever mounted loosely on one end of said
shaft, instead of, as heretofore, employing a set of such parts to each indicator.
Either end of the pawl lever f³ is connected, by rod f", to a lever h¹ fixed on one
end of a shaft h mounted in brackets i on the under-side of the carriage, and
provided at its other end with a counterbalance lever h². The rod is connected
to one or other end of the pawl lever f³, according to the direction in which the
train is required to travel.
When one of the pawls f4 is rising to give motion to the ratchet wheel 2, the
other pawl descends and, in order to prevent the descending pawl from interfering
with the rotation of the wheel 2, its tail is pressed inwards by the fixed cam få so
as to raise its nose away from the edge of the wheel f
Motion is communicated to the upright rod f' by means of a cam or incline o
fixed on the permanent way or to a platform or other structure alongside the line,
acting upon a prime motion lever giving motion to apparatus such as that
represented in Fig. 1 and described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 1 of
the year 1893, or by any other suitable apparatus.
We will now describe the means for enabling the indicators to be quickly shifted
so as to indicate the proper stations when the carriages are caused to run on
different lines or branches.
Thus, supposing a train sometimes runs from end to end of a line, A, and some-
times branches off therefrom on to line B; the indicator tablets are so arranged

page_text: that the names of all the stations appear in succession thereon, say, those of
line A, and then those of line B. Now, on running on line A, the names of its
stations will be successively shown by the indicators until the junction with line B
is reached, and even then the remainder of such stations on line A would continue
to be indicated in succession at the different stations on line B unless means were
devised for obviating the same.
For this purpose there are arranged at or near the junction, a series of cams
or inclines o, near to each other, and of number corresponding with that of the
stations on line A which are, not not passed by the train; these cams or inclines o
are made movable, as shown at Figs. 11, 12 and 13, and they are constructed
and operated as.follows:
or
The movable cams or inclines o, which may be supported upon suitable columns
of brickwork or masonry p, are, at their outer ends, mounted on studs or axes o¹
fixed in plates p' fixed to the brickwork or masonry p. At their inner or adjacent
ends they are provided with hinges o², which are loosely fitted so as to allow the
slight end way motion of each part of the cam or- incline. when it is being pushed
into or withdrawn from the working position. At the back of the cams
inclines o we mount, in suitable bearings, a shaft q capable of receiving rotary
motion by means of links and levers or in any other suitable manner. This shaft q
has fixed thereon a number of levers r, the outer ends of which are connected, by
means of connecting rods r¹, to guided thrust rods 2 connected to the back of the
movable cams or inclines o by hinged joints 3. The levers r are of various
lengths, according to their position in relation to the cams or inclines o, those
nearer the centre o² being longer than those nearer the pivotted ends o¹. The
cams o have anti-friction rollers running in grooves upon the metal plates p².
Other methods of placing the cams or inclines in and out of position for acting
upon the prime motion levers 2 may be employed.
By the above arrangement an attendant at the side of the line can readily place
the cams or inclines o in or out of position for operation.
Thus, when the train from line A begins to run on line B, the series of movable
cams or inclines o are placed in position to act on the prime movers k², thus
causing the names of stations on line A from the junction to the end of said line
and first station on line B, to be passed in rapid succession by the indicators, so
that the latter shall, before arriving at the first station on line B, indicate the name
of said station and then successively the names of the remainder of the stations on
said line B.
By means of these movable cams or inclines o, means may be readily provided
to suit various arrangements of traffic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In apparatus for indicating the names of stations in moving vehicles, the
peculiar arrangement and combination of parts for communicating motion from the
vertical rod at end of carriage to the horizontal shaft along the carriage top, and
from the said horizontal shaft to the separate indicators of a carriage, substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In apparatus for indicating the names of stations in moving vehicles in which
a vertical rod at the end of the carriage receives a certain amount of motion
from a prime mover operated by a fixed cam, and in which a horizontal shaft
running along the carriage top gives motion to the indicators, the combination
with such parts, of a double acting ratchet wheel and a notched wheel fixed on the
end of the horizontal shaft, a double ended pawl lever mounted loosely on said
shaft and operated by the vertical rod, a spring dog acting with the notched wheel,
and bevel wheels fixed on the horizontal shaft gearing with bevel wheels fixed on
operating shafts of indicators, substantially as herein shown and described and for
the purpose stated.
1

page_text: 3. The combination with apparatus for indicating the names of stations in.
moving vehicles, of movable cams or inclines on, or adjacent to, the permanent.
way capable of being placed in or out of position to act on the indicator prime
movers, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
4. The improvements in or connected with apparatus for indicating names of
stations in moving vehicles substantially as herein shown and described and for
the purpose stated.
Dated this 4th day or April 1894.
W. S. PAGE,
GEO. W. ROBERTSON,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents..