Improvements in Station Indicators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Station Indicators.
I, EDMUND DILLAHUNTZ WILSON, of South Garden Street, Columbia, in the
County of Maury, State of Tennessee, U.S.A. a Deputy County Clerk 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:―
My invention relates to improvements in station indicators, and has for its object
the production of a simple, durable and efficient indicator, which may be set from
time to time with facility, and which is designed to indicate stations, distances and
various other facts of interest to a passenger upon a moving vehicle or the like.
To the accomplishment of these and other objects my invention consists in an
ornamental casing suitably located within the car and provided with mechanism
designed to display various information, and to be operated by the trainman.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,
Figure 1 is a view of the exterior of my indicator.
Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the front removed, and
Figure 3 is a detail view, showing the indicator hook in engagement with the
regulating wheel.
دو
"
Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1, indicates a suitable casing,
provided with the usual ornamentation and preferably inade of stamped sheet metal,
or other material suitable for the purpose. Said casing is preferably provided
with an open front, protected by a glass or crystal 2, upon which may be
printed any suitable matter as, for instance, the words "next stop" located near
the top of the opening, and the word "miles" located adjacent to its bottom
edge. These stationary words might, however, be varied according to the nature
of the information which the indicator is designed to impart. 3 indicates the
indicating strip or belt, provided at proper intervals with appropriate matter as,
for instance, the name of the stations along the line, the number of miles and
perhaps the additional word "dinner." The matter upon the indicator strip is
so located with respect to the stationary words upon the indicator, that they
may be read in conjunction as, for instance, supposing the words "next stop
and "miles to be upon the front of the indicator, the word "Birmingham" and
the number "121 "will be located as illustrated between the stationary words and
the word "dinner " upon the strip below the word "miles" the whole reading
"next stop Birmingham, 121 miles, dinner," thus as the indicator belt is shifted,
as each station in succession is passed, the traveller will be apprised of the name
of the next station, its distance and perhaps other information, such as "change
"20 minutes for dinner " etc. 4 indicates a dummy clock, mounted upon the
top of the indicator which the conductor is supposed to regulate to indicate the
time of arrival at the next station whenever the indicator is set.
It is apparent
that the shifting of the belt 3 is required in order that the information may be
changed from time to time, and I shall now describe the mechanism employed for
accomplishing this purpose. 5 indicates a pair of drums, vertically mounted in
suitable bearings adjacent to the opposite ends of the casing, and provided upon
the lower ends of their shafts 6 between the lower bearings and the lower end of
the drum with fixed pulleys 7, around which pass belts 8, driven by a comparatively
large driving wheel 9, provided with a pair of circumferential grooves 10 and 11,
for the reception of the belts 8. The casing is preferably provided with an inner
bottom 12, and with inner end pieces 13, forming an inner casing for the reception
of an indicator belt, or that part of it which passes before the open front, drun
cars

page_text: chambers 14, for the reception of the drums 5, and a bottom chamber 15, extending
the full length of the indicator, casing, and in which bottom chamber is contained
the actuating mechanism, comprising the pulleys 7, belts 8 and wheel 9. 16 indicates
the power shaft carrying the driving, wheel 9 journaled in the bottom of the
casing and provided upon its lower extremity below the casing with what I call
a regulating wheel 17, designed to be actuated through the engagement of a pair
of lugs 18, depending therefrom with a T shaped indicator lever 19, in the
manner illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings..
It will now be apparent that the driving wheel 9 will, when actuated from the.
regulating wheel 17, rotate the drums 5 in the same direction, by means of the
belts 8 thus causing the strip 3 to be wound from one drum on to the other drum
bringing the desired information before the open front of the casing and apprising
the passenger in the manner herein before specified, of the station which he is now
approaching and its distance etc. The employment of my station indicator will
obviate loss of time to the trainman by the customary answering of numerous
questions from many passengers as to information which will thus be imparted by
the indicator. Small vulcanized rubber rollers may be provided upon opposite sides
of the ribbon where it passes through the end pieces 13, and a lamp may be provided
at any suitable point upon the indicator for the purpose of illuminating the same
at night.
I do not desire to limit myself to the details of construction herein shown and
described, but, reserve to myself the right to change, modify or vary such details
within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a station indicator, the combination with a pair of drums and an indicator
belt wound upon the same, of a driving wheel and mechanism intermediate the
driving wheel and said drums, substantially as specified.
2. In a station indicator, the combination with a casing and pair of drums, of an
indicator belt wound oppositely upon said drums, a driving wheel having a pair of
peripheral grooves, pulleys carried by the drums and belts intermediate said
pulleys and a driving wheel whereby the rotation of the latter will actuate the
drums in the same direction, substantially as specified.
3. In a station indicator, the combination with a casing, of a pair of vertical
drums and a belt wound thereon, pulleys carried by said druins, a driving wheel
provided with a pair of peripheral grooves, belts intermediate said pulleys and the
driving wheel, and a regulating wheel connected with the driving wheel and
provided with a pair of depending lugs, substantially as specified.
4. In a station indicator, the combination with a casing provided with a dummy
clock and having an open front, of an inner bottom and end pieces within said
casing, defining drum chambers and a bottom chamber, drums within said drum
chambers, and madicator belt wound oppositely upon said drum, a pair of pulleys
carried by the druins below the inner bottom, a driving wheel mounted within the
lower chamber and provided with a pair of peripheral grooves, belts intermediate
said pulleys and the grooves of the driving wheel, and a regulating wheel below
the casing, operatively connected with the driving wheel and provided with a pair
of depending lugs, substantially as specified.
5. In an indicator hook designed for use in connection with a station indicator,
the combination with an elongated handle and of a cross piece at one extremity
thereof, substantially as specified.
Dated this 8th day of February 1897.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.