A Device for Indicating to Passengers in Railway Trains or other Vehicles thes and or Vehicle, and for Conveying to them other analogous Information.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1.90
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Indicating to Passengers in Railway Trains or other
Vehicles the Places and Times at which the Train or Vehicle
will Stop on its Journey, and for Conveying to them other
analogous Information.
I, JAMES WILSON LITTLE of Mill Grove Burgh-by-Sands Carlisle in the County
of Cumberland and of Meppadi, Malabar in the Indian Empire Planter do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a means by which railway passengers will
be readily able to ascertain on entering any compartment in a train the time the train
starts on its journey also the places and approximate times at which it will stop on
its route and the place at which the journey of that particular carriage in that
direction will come to an end. Also to show them where junctions occur and where
tickets are required. I will describe it as fitted for these purposes. In the
partition between every two compartiments I make an opening and in this I fix
suitable supports which carry a vertical axis or spindle. On this spindle I mount
two cylinders one inside the other or the inner article may be a solid roller for
purposes of description however I will call them the " outer " and "inner" cylinder.
These are capable of being rotated independently of each other. The outer cylinder
is divided circumferentially into four equal spaces by four vertical slots extending for
nearly its whole length but not of course to either end. On two of these spaces
diametrically opposite to each other are marked from the top downwards the nanies of
the stopping places as they occur on the journey in one direction. On the two
remaining spaces they are marked for the return journey i.e. in inverted order.
Only one space is visible at a time in each compartment and the space visible in one
has of course its facsimile shown in the other. The inner cylinder has its circum-
ference divided into an equal number of spaces by vertical ridges or divisions each
space being about the width of the slots in the outer cylinder. In one of these
spaces is marked the times at which the carriage stops on its journey in one direction
(say the up journey) in the space next to it are marked the times for the return
journey in the next to that again those for the second up journey for the day in the
next those for the second down journey for the day and so on till half the spaces or
as many of them as may be needed are filled. On the other half of the circum-
ference each space is marked in the same way as the one diametrically opposite to it
on the half first filled in. Only one space is visible at a time in each compartment
and the figures shown in one are shown in facsimile at the same time in the other.
At each terminus the outer cylinder is moved round for a quarter of a circle in the
required direction and this exposes the names in proper order in each compartment
for the next up or down journey as the case may be. There are two notches in one
end of it at a suitable distance apart and these are engaged by a spring catch
suitably placed which holds the cylinder in the desired position. At the same time
the inner cylinder is also arranged for the same journey by moving it round for a
distance sufficient to bring the times for that journey into view through the two
slots in the outer cylinder at that time visible. It also is held in position by a spring
catch which engages a series of notches suitably placed in a circle in one end of it-
access for this purpose being gained by a suitable opening in the outer cylinder at
the proper place.
The names of termini may be in block letters in black or other color on a white or
other ground. Those for ordinary stations may be in a different and not quite so
conspicuous style. Those of junctions may be in red and smaller in size to allow
room for the names of the chief places for which changes have to be made at them

page_text: to be marked in small letters at one end or underneath thein. The names of
places where tickets are required may be marked in some other distinctive way or
have the words "Tickets ready" marked after or underneath them.
I have described the appliance as being duplicative for exhibition in two adjacent
compartments but a single arrangement on the same principle can be used for
exhibition in one compartment if desired as for omnibuses or tramcars.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Indicating to Passengers in Railway Trains or other
Vehicles the Places and Times at which the Train or Vehicle
will Stop on its Journey, and for Conveying to them other
analogous Information.
JAMES WILSON LITTLE of Mill Grove Burgh-by-Sands Carlisle in the County of
Cumberland, and of Mepadli, Malabar in the Indian Empire, Planter 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 object of my invention is to provide means by which passengers will be able
readily to ascertain for instance on entering a vehicle or compartment in a train, the
place from which and the time at which the vehicle or train starts on its journey,
the places at which it will stop on its route, the time for each stoppage, and the
place and time at which the journey of that particular carriage in that direction
should come to an end. The arrangement may also convey other analogous
information such as where junctions occur, and where tickets are required. I will
describe with reference to the accompanying drawings means according to my
invention for effecting these objects as applied to a railway carriage from which its
application to other vehicles will also be understood.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the indicating apparatus fitted in the partition
between two compartments of a railway carriage the apparatus being adjusted to
indicate the stopping places on say the first up journey, and
Figure 2 is a similar view partly in section shewing the apparatus set to indicate
the stopping places on the return or down journey.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the apparatus, the section being taken along
the line 1-2 Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a plan of the lower support for the indicating cylinders hereinafter
referred to.
Figures 5 and 6 are underside views of the said indicating cylinders.
In an opening a provided in any suitable part of the carriage such as the partition A
between two compartments of the railway carriage (for example just below the rack)
I fix a frame or supports, consisting of an upper disc B and a lower disc C connected
together by a rod or spindle D, and secured to opposite sides of the partition A by
screws or the liko passing through holes in wings or projections F, formed on the
said discs. On the spindle D I mount two cylinders G and H the cylinder G being
inside the cylinder H-cylinder G being supported by a fixed ring or washer on the
spindle so as not to come in contact with the inner side of the lower end of cylinder H
and cylinder H being prevented from coming in contact with disc C by similar means.
The inner cylinder & may be solid. I will call the "outer" cylinder the station
cylinder and the "inner" cylinder the time cylinder. These cylinders are capable
of being rotated independently of each other. The outer cylinder H is divided
circumferentially into four equal spaces b by four vertical slots c, extending nearly
its whole length. On two of these spaces b, which are diametrically opposite to each
other, are marked from the top downwards, as shewn in Figure 2, the names of the
stopping places as they occur on the journey in one direction, for example two
opposite spaces are marked for the up journey, and the two remaining spaces similarly

page_text: marked for the down or return journey, the order of the names of the stations of the
latter being reversed. Only one space b is visible at a time in each compartment and
the names marked on the space visible in one compartment, are visible in facsimile
at the same time on the space then visible in the other compartment. The inner
cylinder G has its circumference divided into an even number of spaces or columns d
by vertical lines ridges or divisions e as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, each space d
being about the width of one of the slots c in the outer cylinder H.
In one of these spaces d are marked from the top downwards (as shown in
Figures 1 and 2) in line with the names of the stations marked on the outer
cylinder H, the times at which the train stops on its journey in one direction (say
the up journey). In the space next to it are marked the times for the stoppages on
the return journey, in the next space to that are marked the times for the stoppages
on the second up journey for the day and in the next space in succession are marked
those for the second down journey for the day, and so on till half the spaces (or as
many of them as may be needed) are filled. On the other half of the circumference
each space is marked in the same way as the one diametrically opposite to it. Only
one space d is visible at a time through the slot c in each compartment as shewn in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and the figures shewn in one compartment are shown in fac-simile
at the same time in the other compartment. At each terminus the outer cylinder H
is moved round through a quarter of a revolution in the required direction to expose
the names thereon, in proper order in each compartment for the next up, or down,
journey as the case may be.
In one end of the cylinder H (the lower end shewn in Figs. 2 and 5) are two
notches fat a distance apart equal to a quarter rotation with one or other of which
notches engages a spring catch h suitably placed to hold the cylinder in the position
to which it has been adjusted for the up or the down journey. The inner cylinder G
is also adjusted in position for the same journey by moving it round for a distance
sufficient to bring the times for stoppages on that journey into view through the two
slots c visible at that time in the outer cylinder H. The cylinder G is held in its
adjusted position by another spring catch h' engaging one of a series of notches or
projections k arranged in a circle in or on one end (the lower end as shewn in the
drawing) of the said cylinder as shewn in Figure 6. These notches are a distance
apart corresponding to the spaces d.
The spring catches and are centred in recesses provided for them in the lower
disc of the supporting frame, and are enclosed by a casing k² which covers the
lower part of the said frame. The said spring catches are arranged at such a distance
apart that they may be operated, when the cylinders are required to be adjusted, by
a simple key as shewn in Fig. 4 inserted in a hole in the casing k² and then
turned in one direction to move the catch to release the outer cylinder H, and in
the opposite direction to move the catch ¹ to release the inner cylinder G, or a double
armed key and suitable key-hole may be employed the catches h and h¹ by these
movements of the key being depressed out of engagement with the notches fand k
respectively so that the cylinders may be readily adjusted, by any official provided
with a key, to the position required, whilst the public are prevented from disarranging
the cylinders by want of access to the catches holding them.
I do not limit myself to any particular way of marking the stations or other
information but the following will be convenient.
The names of termini may be indicated on the outer cylinder H by block letters in
black on a white ground whilst those for ordinary stations may be indicated by a
different kind of letter and not quite so conspicuous as the letters indicating the
termini. Junctions may be indicated by red letters and be smaller in size to allow
room for the names of the chief places, for which changes have to be made at them,
which names may be marked in small letters at one end or underneath them as shewn,
and the names of places or stations where tickets are required to be shewn may be
marked in some distinctive way or have the words "Tickets ready" marked after or
underneath then as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
The times marked in the divisions or columns of the inner cylinder G may be

page_text: printed or otherwise marked on paper or other suitable material pasted or otherwise
secured in the divisions on the cylinder in line with the names on the outer cylinder
of the stations to which they refer, the ridges or ribs e protecting them from being
rubbed or injured when the cylinders are rotated.
I have described the appliance as being for exhibition in two adjacent compartments
of a railway carriage but I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself
thereto as a single arrangement on the same principle can be used for exhibition in
one compartment only if desired or for omnibuses tramcars steamboats or like vehicles.
If desired the outer or "station" cylinder H bearing simply the names of the
stations in their order of stoppage, may be used without the inner or time cylinder
and for some purposes the time cylinder G may be used without the station cylinder,
for example a time cylinder may be arranged in a conspicuous position at or near
each end of that portion of the platform, at each terminus, which is occupied by
passenger trains before starting. In this case the apparatus may be concealed from
view by a flat or other case in a fixed position and having therein a slot or opening
corresponding in size to the vertical spaces, on the time cylinder. On the left of the
slot in the case are marked in successive order from the top downwards the names of
the stopping places in one direction only, and the time cylinder is adjusted in position
to shew in line with the names of the stations the starting time of the first train for
instance from the said station and the time of each successive stoppage on the journey.
After this train has left the station the time cylinder is moved round so as to bring
the next division into view to shew the time at which the next train will start from
the terminus, and the approximate times of its arrival at the successive stations on the
journey as before and so on for every train that runs in that direction during
the day.
For a fast train the time cylinder will have blanks in line with the stations, marked
on the case, at which the train will not stop, or an outer revolving cylinder having
two slots may be employed the space on the left of one of the slots having marked
thereon the names of the stopping places for fast trains only, the space on the left of
the other slot being marked with the stopping places for slow or ordinary trains. For
use at a terminus the whole of the spaces on the circumference of the time cylinder
are available and are only required for journeys in one direction but it may also be
used at intermediate stations and in that case the divisions on the time cylinder are
marked to suit the trains in either direction from that station and a rotating outer
cylinder is necessary and may have four slots two for each direction being one for
slow and one for fast trains either way, each division of the outer cylinder having the
names marked on it as required for such an arrangement or separate single apparatus
may be used for the one direction on the up platform and for the other direction on
the down platform in cases where two platforms exist.
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 :-
1. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the device or apparatus
for indicating to passengers by railway carriages or other vehicles the places and
times at which the vehicles are to stop on their journeys or for conveying
analogous information substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for the purposes herein before mentioned rotatable cylinders
arranged one within the other and means for retaining them in their adjusted
positions relatively to each other to expose to view the required information in
whichever direction the vehicle in relation to or in combination with which it is
used is to travel or is travelling substantially as herein before described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned the combination with
rotatable indicating cylinders of catches engaging with notches or projections in or
on the cylinders for retaining them in their adjusted positions the said catches being

page_text: enclosed so as to prevent access to them except by an authorised person provided with
a key for the purpose substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
4. In railway or other vehicles or places the combination of a slotted case marked
with names of stations or other information and a cylinder having arranged thereon
in longitudinal columns the times at which the trains or vehicles in one or both
directions should stop on their journeys or other information the cylinder being
capable of being rotated in the required direction to expose through the slot in the
face of the board or case either one or other of the columns as required all sub-
stantially as hereinkefore described. Also the modification for exposing the lists of
stations for fast or for slow trains as hereinbefore described.
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the said James Wilson Little.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the said James Wilson Little.