Improvements in Electrical Station and Stopping-place Indicators for Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Station and Stopping-place Indicators
for Vehicles.
FRANK VILLIERS-STEAD, Electrician, 44, Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in electrical indicators, and is worked
either automatically or otherwise, and is applicable to railway tram or other
carriages, indicating to passengers the name of the next station or street the
carriage will pass or stop at. I arrange my invention upon the principle of a
toothed ratchet carrying a disk upon which the names of the various stations or
streets are printed. The ratchet is worked by an armature influenced by electro-
magnets; upon the armature, and upon the poles of the electro-magnets, I fix
blocks of soft iron, so fixed to interlock when circuit is closed, thus securing a
larger and more powerful pull upon the armature, on this armature is a fixed or
moveable toe; on the closing of the circuit, this toe acting on a tooth of the
ratchet, pushes forward the disk, thus showing the name of the next station or
street on the indicator. The ratchet carries as many teeth as names on the disk,
thus each contact moves the ratchet and disk one tooth, and when contact is broken,
the toe of the armature slips over to the next tooth, being drawn back to its
normal position, by a spring. Upon the centre of the shaft, upon which the ratchet
and disk revolve I fix a spring pressing upon the wheel of the ratchet, to check
any tendency of the armature toe to slip a tooth, also I have a fixed moveable toe
so placed that this toe slips over a tooth before the armature has fully acted, thus
preventing any back slipping of the ratchet. To work my invention automatically
I have a make and break attachment fixed to the guards van, which acts by being
brought in contact by a hanging bar, with a projecting fiange fixed alongside the
rail, fixed just outside of the leaving part of the station, this flange must project
higher than the rail, in order to prevent the bar making contact at switches, &c.
this attachment is a bar working upon a swivel, or working by pushing up a rod,
making the necessary contacts. When the bar leaves the flange on the line, it
returns either by its own weight or by a spring to its normal position, thus breaking
contact. In the guard's vau, I have also a similar rubbing switch make and break
contact, in circuit with the electro-magnets, by aid of which, the guard, supposing
an accidental contact had been made, or through the train or tram being shunted,
can correct any error on the indicators, by making as many contacts as are required,
and thus rectify all the indicators. It will therefore be seen, that if it is determined
not to use the automatic arrangement, the guard, by pulling the switch, can work
the whole of the indicators.
Dated this Second day of Januarv 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
..
Improvements in Electrical Station and Stopping-place Indicators
for Vehicles.
I, FRANK VILLIERS-STEAD, 44 Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London, Electrician,
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 :-
a
This invention relates to improvements in electrical indicators, and is worked
either automatically or otherwise, and is applicable to railway, tram, or other
carriages, indicating to passengers the name of the next station or street the
carriage will pass or stop at. arrange my invention upon the principle of a
toothed ratchet carrying a disk upon which the names of the various stations or
streets are printed. The ratchet is worked by an "armature influenced by electro-
magnets. Upon the armature and upon the poles of the electro-magnets, I fix
blocks of soft iron, so fixed to interlock when circuit is closed, thus securing
larger and more powerful pull upon the armature. On this armature is a fixed or
movable toe; on the closing of the circuit, this toe acting on a tooth of the
ratchet, pushes forward the disk, thus showing the name of the next station or
street on the indicator. The ratchet carries as many teeth as names on the disk,
thus each contact moves the ratchet and disk one tooth, and when contact is broken,
the toe of the armature slips over to the next tooth, being drawn back to its initial
position, by a spring. Upon the centre of the shaft upon which the ratchet and
disk revolve, I fix a spring. pressing upon the wheel of the ratchet, to check any
tendency of the armature toe to slip a tooth, also I have a fixed movable toe so
placed that this toe slips over a tooth before the armature has fully acted, thus
preventing any back slipping of the ratchet. To work my invention automatically
have a make and break attachment fixed to the guards van, which acts by being
brought in contact by a hanging bar, with a projecting flange fixed alongside the
rail, fixed just outside of the leaving part of the station. This flange must
project higher than the rail, in order to prevent the bar making contact at
Switches &c. This attachment is a bar working upon a swivel, or working by
pushing up a rod, making the necessary contacts when the bar comes in contact
with the flange on the line, it returns either by its own weight or by a spring to its
normal position, thus breaking contact. In the guards van, I have also a similar
rubbing switch, make and break contact, in circuit with the electro-magnets, by
aid of which, the guard, supposing an accidental contact had been made, or through
the train or tram being shunted, can correct any error on the indicators, by making
as many contacts as are required, and thus rectify all the indicators. It will
therefore be seen, that if it is determined not to use the automatic arrangement, the
guard, by pulling the switch, can work the whole of the indicators.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will now refer to the
annexed drawings in which
Figure 1, is a plan view of my invention
Figure 2, is an end elevation of same.
Referring to Figure 1 a, is the electro-magnet having the soft iron pieces b, b
attached to the poles thereof which engage in the recesses c, c, formed on the
armature d. The armature d is pivotted at e & carries the movable toef pivoted
at g & controlled by the spring h. The armature d is retained in its normal position
by the spring & may be further adjusted by the set screw j. k is the ratchet
wheel which is carried upon the support or bearing 1 & is retained thereon by means
of the spring m acting upon the washer n, through the medium of the nut or thumb
screw 0. pis a spring lever carried upon the pillar g the bent end r of which
engages in the apertures s in the ratchet wheel k the collar t on the bent end r of

page_text: the lever
p prevents the same from passing too far through the aperture s. " is a
toe or spring pawl pivoted to the support or pillar e which prevents any accidental
backward movement of the ratchet wheel k. w is the disk carrying the names of
the stations or stopping places. The spring lever p has a cam or projection x
which engages on the prolongation y on the armature d. The names of the stations
or stopping places are viewed or seen through apertures z & 1 in the plate 2. This
plate 2 is carried upon a pivoted armature 3, carried by the support 4, & bearing
against the stop peg 5. 6 is an electro magnet carried upon the support 7. When
it is desired to operate the apparatus automatically the lever 8, Figure 3 is employed
pivoted at 9, & controlled by the two springs 10 & 11, contact is made between the
end 12, of the lever 8, & the spring contact 13, thus closing the circuit. When it
is desired to operate the apparatus from the guards van the lever 14, is employed
controlled by the spring 15. This lever 14, slides in the guides 16 & 16, & the
projections 17 & 17, on same make contact with the spring contact pieces 18 & 18, &
thus close the circuit when the rod 14, is pulled in the direction of the arrow 19.
The working is as follows. When it is desired to show the name of a station, the
circuit is closed either automatically by the rod 8, engaging on a flange attached at
the side of the rail or by operating the rod 14, thus attracting the armature d, to
the electro magnet a, & moving the ratchet wheel k, one tooth & exposing the name
of the station through the aperture z, in the plate 2. When the train or tram has
arrived at the end of its journey a current is passed through the electro magnets 6,
which attracts the armature 3, & brings the plate 2 in such a position that the
series of names indicated by the dotted lines 20, are now viewed through the
aperture 1, the order of these names being reversed to that of the series shown by
the dotted lines 21, so that the revolution of the disk k, is always in the one
direction. It will be seen that any number of indicators may be used in conjunction
with each other, being suitable connected to each other, & they may all be operated
simultaneous from the guards van or other convenient part of the train.
If desired I may place advertisements upon the disck k, which may be viewed
through suitable openings or apertures in the outer covering or casing 22, as the
disk k, rotates different advertisements are displayed. Should accidental contact
be made so as to cause the wrong name to appear at any given point such as through
shunting, the guard can correct this by operating the bar or rod 14, until the
correct name is exposed.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combined construction and arrangement of the various parts substantially
as herein described & shown.
2. In electro magnets & armatures, an armature having projections on same and
forming slots in which corresponding projections carried by the poles of the electro
magnet engage when the armature is attracted, substantially as described.
3. In a device for indicating the stations or stopping-places a ratchet wheel
carring a disk having the names of the stations or stopping places marked thereon,
said ratchet wheel being controlled by a spring lever, the bent end of which enters
apertures in the said disk; & a spring toe or pawl, an armature & electro magnet,
said armature operating the ratchet wheel through the medium of a spring toe or
pawl, a projection on the armature engaging on a cam attached to the spring lever
aforesaid, a plate having apertures for viewing the names upon the disk, said plate
being carried by an armature controlled by electro magnets, a contact making lever
controlled by 2 springs working against one another, a contact making, sliding rod
controlled by a spring substantially as described & illustrated herein.
4. In connection with station and stopping-place indicators the employment of a
olate 2, having one or more apertures in same so arranged in relation to the names
o be exposed that when the plate is in one position one name, of a set or series of
ames upon the name plate is exposed and when the plate having the apertures is

page_text: in another position one name of another set or series of names upon the name
plate is exposed. Substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 16th day of September 1893.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.