Improvements in Railway Advertising Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Advertising Apparatus.
I, CHARLES JOSEPH FEDER, of No. 443, Van Houten Street, in the City of
Paterson, County of Passaic and State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Book-keeper,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to rotating signs for vehicles and it has reference parti-
cularly to a device of this nature which is automatically actuated from the
running gear of the vehicle.
The object of the invention is, to provide an automatically rotating sign which
shall be simple and durable in construction and effective in operation and the
actuating parts of which may be rendered adjustable so that in the intermittent
movements of the sign more or less of the same may be exposed as desired.
The invention consists in the improved automatically actuated rotating sign,
in its means for automatically and intermittently effecting a rotation thereof
under initial actuation from the running gear of the vehicle, and in the combina-
tion and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus, substantially as will
be hereinafter pointed out.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation of a car provided with my improved rotating
sign, and the operating mechanism therefor, parts of said car being broken away
to show portions of the apparatus involved in my invention;
Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the line
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3, is a view in side elevation of one of the car wheels and of a portion of
the actuating means for the sign operatively connected therewith;
Fig. 4, is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of my improved
sign proper, showing the means whereby it is supported and illuminated;
Fig. 5, is a sectional detail view of a portion of what is shown in Fig. 4;
and,
Figs. 6, and 7, are views showing a modification of my invention.
In said drawing, a indicates the sign, there being one upon and extending
along each side of the car near its roof. In the preferred form of my apparatus
these signs are cylindrical, but they may be prism-shaped provided they have
a sufficient number of faces so that in effect they are substantially cylindrical.
Each sign consists of an elongated hollow body formed of some translucent
material upon which the advertising matter is placed and which is adapted to
contain the illuminating devices. Each end of the cylinder is provided with a
cap which is penetrated by a trunnion having flanges which embrace and
are secured to said cap by rivets or in any other desired manner. Said trunnions
are journalled in suitable bearings mounted in each end wall of the car and
they are hollow so as to admit a rod e which forms a portion of a bracket that
extends throughout the length of the sign and supports incandescent electric
lamps e¹. One end of each rod e is curved or bent about the adjacent lamp,
to the socket of which its extremity is secured in any desired manner. It should

page_text: be remarked that either one of the two end rods of the bracket is simply a straight
one. The two end rods are journalled near their free ends in downwardly bent
arms which project outwardly from the wall of the car and each of said arms
is, furthermore, provided with a keyf which works in a feather g formed in
the arm f so that, when said key and feather are in alignment the entire bracket
may be moved longitudinally in its bearings. Each of said end arms is provided
with two collars h, h³, the latter being formed of insulating material and the
other having electrical connections through the wire with the lamps. Between
the collar and the end of the bent arm f for one of the end rods, and surround-
ing, the rod is a spiral-spring it, normally acting to hold the bracket inwardly
or toward the other end of the car. The free end of each rod is provided with
a knob whereby it is manipulated.
j
k designates one of a pair of, small brackets carrying a brush which is
adapted to wipe upon one or other of the collars h, ', according to the position
thereof, and having a binding screw 2 mounted thereon; to the binding screws k²
is adapted to be connected the conductor from the source of electrical energy.
One of the hollow trunnions c is somewhat longer than the other and is pro-
vided midway between the sign and the side wall of the car with a bevel pinion
carrying, rigidly connected therewith, another and smaller bevel.pinion and
itself engaging still another bevel pinion, carried upon the upper end of a
vertical revoluble shaft m, having suitable bearings in the wall of the car. The
two signs in the car are operatively connected by a revoluble transverse shaft n
also having suitable bearings in the wall of the car, and having its pinions, one
of which is carried upon each end, in engagement with the pinions on the
trunnions of the signs.
The lower end of the shaft m carries another bevel pinion o which is in engage-
ment with a small pinion upon one end of a suitably journalled horizontal
shaft, the other end of said last-named shaft being operatively connected,
through bevel gearing, with a. vertical shaft o². The shaft is adapted to be
rotated, also through bevel gearing, by a short shaft journalled in a bifurcated
bracket suspended from the floor of the car. Between the spaced portions of
said bracket is carried a ratchet wheel g, which is rigidly secured to the
shaft, and a lever freely fulcrumed upon said shaft p and carrying a spring-
actuated pawls that engages the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.q.
7'
The lever is vibrated by means of a cam t rigidly mounted upon the axle #
of one of a pair of wheels of the vehicle. Said lever has a longitudinal channel w
with which is a similarly arranged slot w, forming an opening through said
lever, communicates in said channel is mounted a wedge-shaped block y carry-
ing a set-screw which works in said slot and by which longitudinal adjust-
ment of the block may be effected; it should be reinarked that the block is
disposed between the lever and the cam and that the latter therefore bears
against it.
The upper end of the block y is connected with a bracket, which projects
downwardly from the floor of the car, by a spiral-spring 2 which normally acts
to hold the block against the cam.
In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown means whereby a sign may be actuated from
the running gear of the vehicle through the medium of electrical contrivances,
the sign in this instance consisting of a flexible band upon which the advertising
matter is disposed.
The sign proper consists of an endless flexible band which extends approxi-
mately through the length of the car and passes over flanged rollers & journalled
with their axes vertically disposed, in boxes or cases d¹, d. suitably supported
at each end of the car. Upon the flexible band is adapted to be placed the
advertising matter, and said band is prevented from sagging by means of an
elongated plate e suitably secured at each end to the boxes or cases d', and
provided along its side edges with overlapping flaps fe, serving to guide the
band. This plate is secured to the boxes at points opposite the apertures. g².

page_text: in said boxes through which said band extends; I have only shown one of said
flanged plates, that is to say, the one for the exposed portion of the sign, but
it is obvious that both the sections of the band that are disposed between the
boxes may be supported in this manner.
In the case or box is sustained, in a manner hereinafter particularly
described, a pair of electro-magnets, which are connected by wires h², 4³ with
a pair of brushes, secured to, and projecting downwardly from, the floor
of the car.
One of the axles of the car is provided with two automatically.
opposed insulating plates and it is enclosed between and clasped by the
brushes,, in such manner that the electrical connections across or through
the axle will be intermittently broken as the insulations and the exposed por-
tions of the axle successively come into contact with said brushes. Any source
of electrical energy may be included in the circuit of which the wires, the axle
and the electro-magnets together form a part. m² is an armature lever fulcrumed
upon the upper end of an arbor m³ journalled in one of the walls of the case d
and carrying a ratchet-wheel n² and a pinion ³, each rigidly. connected thereto.
The armature lever is provided with a spring-actuated pawl. n which is adapted
to engage the ratchet-wheel and cause the same to rotate when the armature
lever is vibrated. 03 designates a pinion secured upon one end of the roller 03
and having its teeth in engagement with the smaller one of two pinions of, o³,
that are disposed between said pinion 3 and the pinion n, the larger one of
these intermediate pinions being in engagement with said pinion 3.
The armature lever is adapted to be actuated when the circuit is closed by the
electro-magnets and in order to vary its throw I have provided means for adjust-
ing said magnets relatively to the armature lever. The means referred to con-
sists of a frame 3, which carries said magnets and which is penetrated by and
adapted to slide upon a pair of pins 3 projecting from a wall of the case, and
an arm g, projecting from said frame in the direction of the opposite wall of
the case, which it penetrates, its free end being screw threaded and carrying an
adjusting-nut or thumb-screw q³ which takes against said last-mentioned wall.
The armature for the electro-magnets o is pivotally secured upon the arma-
ture lever in operative disposition relatively to said magnets by means of a
bolt which extends through a slot in said armature lever, thus rendering the
armature adjustable longitudinally as well as pivotally upon the armature lever.
It is believed that operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood. with-
out description. It should be noted, however, that, by virtue of the adjustability
of the block yin the case of the apparatus illustrated in the first five figures
of the drawing-and of the magnets and armature lever-in the case of the
apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7-the intermittent movements of the sign may
be made to expose more or less of said sign as desired.
Botad
1000
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.
+
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Advertising Apparatus.
I, CHARLES JOSEPH FEDER, of No. 443, Van Houten Street, in the City of
Paterson, County of Passaic and State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Book-keeper,
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 rotating signs for vehicles and it has reference parti-

page_text: cularly to a device of this nature which is automatically actuated from the
running gear of the vehicle.
The object of the invention is to provide an automatically rotating sign which
shall be simple and durable in construction and effective in operation and the
actuating parts of which may be rendered adjustable so that in the intermittent
movements of the sign more or less of the same may be exposed as desired.
The invention consists in the improved automatically actuated rotating sign,
in its means for automatically and intermittently effecting a rotation thereof
under initial actuation from the running gear of the vehicle, and in the combina-
tion and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus, substantially as will
be hereinafter pointed out and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.
In the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification
Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation of a car provided with my improved rotating
sign, and the operating mechanism therefor, parts of said car being broken away
to show portions of the apparatus involved in my invention;
Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the line a in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3, is a view in side elevation of one of the car wheels and of a portion of
the actuating means for the sign operatively connected therewith;
Fig. 4, is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of my improved
sign proper, showing the means whereby it is supported and illuminated;
Fig. 5, is a sectional detail view of a portion of what is shown in Fig. 4;
and,
Figs. 6, and 7, are views showing a modification of my invention.
In said drawings, a indicates the sign, there being one upon and extending
along each side of the car near its roof. In the preferred form of my apparatus
these signs are cylindrical, but they may be prism-shaped provided they have
a sufficient number of faces so that in effect they are substantially cylindrical.
Each sign consists of an elongated hollow body formed of some translucent
material upon which the advertising matter is placed and which is adapted to
contain the illuminating devices. Each end of the cylinder is provided with a
cap which is penetrated by a trunnion c having flanges which embrace and
are secured to said cap by rivets or in any other desired manner. Said trunnions
are journalled in suitable bearings & mounted in each end wall of the car and
they are hollow so as to admit a rod e which forms a portion of a bracket that
extends throughout the length of the sign and supports incandescent electric
lamps e. One end of each rod e is curved or bent about the adjacent lamp,
to the socket of which its extremity is secured in any desired manner. It should
be remarked that either one of the two end rods of the bracket is simply a straight
one. The two end rods are journalled near their free ends in downwardly bent
arms which project outwardly from the wall of the car and each of said arms
is, furthermore, provided with a key f' which works in a feather formed in
the arm so that, when said key and feather are in alignment, the entire bracket
may be moved longitudinally in its bearings. Each of said end arms is provided
with two collars h, h, the latter being formed of insulating material and the
other having electrical connections through the wire with the lamps. Between
the collar and the end of the bent arm f for one of the end rods, and surround-
ing, the rod is a spiral-spring i¹, normally acting to hold the bracket inwardly,
or toward the other end of the car. The free end of each rod is provided with
a knob whereby it is manipulated.
designates one of a pair of small brackets carrying a brush which is
adapted to wipe upon one or other of the collars h, h, according to the position
thereof, and having a binding screw mounted thereon; to the binding screws
is adapted to be connected the conductor from the source of electrical energy.
One of the hollow trunnions c is somewhat longer than the other and is pro-
vided midway between the sign and the side wall of the car with a bevel pinion Z
carrying, rigidly connected therewith, another and smaller bevel pinion and
itself engaging still another bevel pinion, carried upon the upper end of a

page_text: vertical revoluble shaft m, having suitable bearings in the wall of the car. The
two signs in the car are operatively connected by a revoluble transverse shaft n
also having suitable bearings in the wall of the car, and having its pinions, one
of which is carried upon each end, in engagement with the pinions on the
trunnions of the signs.
The lower end of the shaft m carries another bevel pinion o which is in engage-
ment with a small pinion upon one end of a suitably journalled horizontal
shaft, the other end of said last-named shaft being operatively connected,
through bevel gearing, with a vertical shaft 2. The shaft o is adapted to be
rotated, also through bevel gearing, by a short shaft p journalled in a bifurcated
bracket suspended from the floor of the car. Between the spaced portions of
said bracket is carried a ratchet wheel q, which is rigidly secured to the
shaft P; and a lever freely fulcrumed upon said shaft 2) and carrying a spring-
actuated pawls that engages the teeth of the ratchet-wheel q.
The lever is vibrated by means of a cam t rigidly mounted upon the axle u
of one of a pair of wheels of the vehicle. Said lever has a longitudinal channel v
with which a similarly arranged slot w, forming an opening through said
lever, communicates; in said channel is mounted a wedge-shaped block y carry-
ing a set-screw which works in said slot and by which longitudinal adjust-
ment of the block may be effected; it should be remarked that the block is
disposed between the lever and the cam and that the latter therefore bears
against it.
The upper end of the blocky is connected with a bracket z', which projects
downwardly from the floor of the car, by a spiral-spring which normally acts
to hold the block against the cam.
In Fig's. 6, and 7, I have shown means whereby a sign may be actuated from
the running gear of the vehicle through the medium of electrical contrivances,
the sign in this instance consisting of a flexible band upon which the advertising
matter is disposed.
The sign proper consists of an endless flexible band b which extends approxi-
mately throughout the length of the car and passes over flanged rollers c², journalled
with their axes vertically disposed, in boxes or cases d, d², suitably supported
at each end of the car. Upon the flexible band is adapted to be placed the
advertising matter, and said band is prevented from sagging by means of an
elongated plate suitably secured at each end to the boxes or cases d, ² and
provided along its side edges with overlapping flaps f, serving to guide the
band b. This plate is secured to the boxes at points opposite the apertures g³
in said boxes through which said band extends; I have only shown one of said
flanged plates, that is to say, the one for the exposed portion of the sign, but
it is obvious that both the sections of the band that are disposed between the
boxes may be supported in this manner.
In the case or box is sustained, in a manner hereinafter particularly
described, a pair of electro-magnets, which are connected by wires h², with
a pair of brushes, secured to, and projecting downwardly from, the floor
of the car. One of the axles of the car is provided with two automatically
opposed insulating plates and it is enclosed between and clasped by the
brushes, in such manner that the electrical connection across or through
the axle will be intermittently broken as the insulations and the exposed por-
tions of the axle successively come into contact with said brushes. Any source
of electrical energy may be included in the circuit of which the wires, the axle
and the electro-magnets together form a part. m² is an armature lever fulcrumed
upon the upper end of an arbor m³ journalled in one of the walls of the case
and carrying a ratchet-wheel n² and a pinion ³, each rigidly connected thereto.
The armature lever is provided with a spring-actuated pawl n which is adapted
to engage the ratchet-wheel and cause the same to rotate when the armature
lever is vibrated. 03 designates a pinion secured upon one end of the roller o
and having its teeth in engagement with the smaller one of two pinions of, oº,

page_text: that are disposed between said pinions o" and the pinion n³, the larger one of
these intermediate pinions being in engagement with said pinion n.
The armature lever is adapted to be actuated when the circuit is closed by the
electro-magnets and in order to vary its throw I have provided means for adjust-
ing said magnets relatively to the armature lever. The means referred to con-
sists of a frame 72, which carries said magnets and which is penetrated by and
adapted to slide upon a pair of pins projecting from a wall of the case, and
an arm projecting from said frame in the direction of the opposite wall of
the case, which it penetrates, its free end being screw threaded and carrying an
adjusting-nut or thumb-screw q" which takes against said last-mentioned wall.
The armature 2 for the electro-magnets is pivotally secured upon the arma-
ture lever in operative disposition relatively to said magnets by means of a
bolt which extends through a slot in said armature lever, thus rendering the
armature adjustable longitudinally as well as pivotally upon the armature lever.
It is believed that operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood with-
out description. It should be noted, however, that, by virtue of the adjusibility
of the blocky-in the case of the apparatus illustrated in the first five figures
of the drawing-and of the magnets and armature lever-in the case of the
apparatus shown in Fig's. 6, and 7,-the intermittent movements of the sign may
be made to expose more or less of said sign as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said. in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1: The combination, with a vehicle, of a revoluble sign suitably journalled
therein, and means for actuating said sign, said means being operatively con-
nected thereto and to the running gear of said vehicle, substantially as described.
2: The combination, with a vehicle, of a revoluble sign suitably journalled
therein, means for actuating said sign, said means being operatively connected
thereto and to the running gear of said venicle and means for adjustably con-
trolling the degree of intermittent movement of said sign, substantially as
described.
3: The combination, with a vehicle, of a revoluble sign suitably journalled
therein, a ratchet-carried by said vehicle, a lever fulcrumed upon a portion of
said vehicle in proximity to said ratchet, a spring-actuated pawl carried by the
lever and adapted to engage said ratchet, operative connections between said
ratchet and the sign, a cam carried by a revolving member of the running gear
and engaging said lever to vibrate the same, substantially as described.
4: The combination, with a vehicle, of a plurality of revolving signs jour-
nalled therein, a ratchet carried by said vehicle in proximity to said ratchet,
a spring-actuated pawl carried by the lever and adapted to engage said ratchet,
operative connections between said ratchets and one of the signs and between
the respective signs, a cam carried by a revolving member of the running gear
and engaging said lever to vibrate the same, a wedge disposed between the lever
and the cam and adjustably mounted upon the latter, for varying the movement
of said lever, substantially as described.
5: In an advertising apparatus for vehicles, the combination, of a suitably
journalled translucent cylinder,. a hollow trunnion carried on each end of and
supporting the same, a lamp-carrying bracket projecting through said cylinder
and penetrating said trunnions, suitably supported arms forming bearings for
said brackets, one at each end thereof, a collar or collars on said bracket,,a spiral:
spring disposed between said collar and the arm, and a feather and key arrange-
ment between said arm and the bracket, substantially as described.
6: The combination, with a car or other similar vehicle, of an advertising
apparatus carried by said car and consisting of a revoluble sign, an adjustably
mounted electro-magnet or magnets, an electric circuit including said magnets
and a revolving member of the running gear of said car, said member consti-

page_text: tuting a circuit making and breaking device, an armature lever, an armature
adjustably mounted on said armature lever and controlled by said magnets and
operative connecting means between said armature lever and the sign, substan-
tially as described.
7: The combination, with a car or other similar vehicle, of an advertising
apparatus carried by said car and consisting of a revoluble sign, an adjustably
mounted electro-magnet or magnets, an electric circuit including said magnets,
brushes also included in said circuit and bearing upon a revolving member of
the running gear of said car, said member constituting a circuit making and
breaking device between said brushes, and an armature lever, and armature
carried by, and adjustable pivotally and longitudinally on, said armature lever
and controlled by said magnets and operative connecting means between said
armature lever and the sign, substantially as described.
8: The combination, with a car or other similar vehicle, of an advertising
apparatus carried by said car and consisting of a case, a pair of pins mounted
therein, a frame adjustably mounted on said pins, a revoluble sign, an electro-
magnet or magnets carried by said frame, an electric circuit including said
magnet or magnets, brushes also included in said circuit and bearing upon a
revolving member of the running gear of said car, said member constituting a
circuit making and breaking device between said brushes, a suitably journalled
arbor, a ratchet wheel carried by and revoluble with said arbor, an armature
lever, an armature carried by, and adjustable pivotally and longitudinally on,
said armature lever and controlled by said magnets and fulcrumed on said
arbor, a spring-actuated pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel and carried by said
armature lever and operative connecting means between said ratchet-wheel and
the sign substantially as described. F
Dated this 14th day of June 1899
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.