Improvements in Station Indicators for Electric Railways or Tramways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar.. 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Station Indicators for Electric Railways or
Tramways.
I, JAMES STEFFEN of Covington, County of Kenton and State of Kentucky,
U.S.A., Contractor, 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:-
This invention relates to station indicators specially designed for electrically
propelled vehicles running upon lines of rails and the object is to provide a device
whereby stations on country lines and in cities may be automatically and plainly
presented to the view of all the passengers in the carriage or car.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a front view of the station indicator of this invention. Figs. 2 and 3
side views of the same.
Figs. 4 and 5 respectively a plan and a side view of the contact switch.
A is the frame of the device. 2 two spools or rollers of suitable size journalled
therein one above another. a flexible belt having its ends attached to the spools
in such a way that it may be wound from one to the other.
The names of the stations or streets to be indicated are plainly printed or painted
on the belt in their regular order.
The device is encased in a suitable box, which is fixed in a prominent position,
and has a slight opening through which the names of the stations may be clearly
seen as they come successively into view during the progress of the car or
carriage.
The spool axles extend through the frame and are attached at one end to discs 4,
which are provided at regular intervals near their peripheries with horizontal
projecting studs 5. The opposite ends of the axles carry plain discs 6, the purpose
of which will be hereinafter explained. Two rock shafts 7 are journalled in the
frame near the studded discs. Each shaft carries two arms 8 and 9. The shorter
arms are made of soft iron and operate as armatures for the electromagents 10.
The free ends of the longer arms are provided with pivotted pawls 11, which are
adapted to engage the studs 5 when desired, and move the spools at each impulse
of the electromagnet. These magnets are placed in an independent circuit and are
actuated by a current from the line wire through a contact switch or wire to the
trolley pole and thence downward to the magnets. The said circuit is normally
open, but is automtically closed at fixed intervals by the said contact switch,
formed by a wire 12, the ends of which are provided with saddles 13, which are
accurately fitted and soldered to the top of the main conducting wire 14 in such a
manner as to avoid contact with the trolley wheel 15. The extremities of the wire
being perpendicular are first bent laterally a sufficient space to excape the path of
the trolley wheel, then downwardly below the range of the same, and finally bowed
inwardly in the centre, as shewn in Fig. 4. It will be seen that a positive frictional
contact is thus made with the trolley pole, which is provided at that point with a
suitable device for closing the independent circuit hereinbefore mentioned. The
electromagnet is thus brought into action, the armature and the adjacent arm are
drawn up, the pawl 11 engages a stud, and the spool is moved a sufficient distance
to bring into view the name of the next street or station. When a car reaches its
destination, all that is required is to switch the circuit through the other magnet.

page_text: The motion of the spools is thus reversed and the stations will be indicated
accordingly on the return trip of the car. It will be observed that when the
current is changed from one magnet to the other the pawls belonging to the idle
disc are raised and held out of engagement by thumb screws 16.
If it should be desired to change or adjust the belt from one spool to the other
while a car is not running, the work may be easily performed by a crank 17. In
order to prevent too free a movement of the spools and a consequent slacking and
derangement of the belt, adjustable friction plates 18 are employed which engage
the plain discs 6 and regulate the movement.
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
In a station and street indicator for electrically propelled cars, the combination
with the herein described contact switch and electromagnets of the winding spools
-or rollers, the belt attached at its extremities to the spools and having the names
of the stations or streets printed or painted thereon in regular seccession, the discs
provided with studs as shewn and attached to the outer ends of the spools, the
vertically swinging arms adapted to move in unison with the armatures of the
magnets and having pawls at their free ends to engage the studs, substantially as
.described and shewn.
Dated this 24th day of February 1897.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.