An Improved Electric Indicating or Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Electric Indicating or Signalling Apparatus.
We THOMAS KARN of 50 North Road, Walthamstow, Essex, Electrical
Engineer and JOHN THOMAS PAYNE of 55 Hoe Street North, Walthamstow,
Essex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
--
Our invention relates to an improved electric indicating or signalling apparatus
especially applicable for indicating the time of departure of railway trains and
the platforms from which they start, the numbers of the first three horses in a race,
or the colours of the first three winning dogs in dog racing and the like.
The apparatus consists of a box or case in which is fitted an ordinary clock dial
provided with hour and minute hands geared together in the usual manner and by
the side of the clock dial is fixed another indicating dial marked with suitable
numbers, such as those of railway platforms, and provided with a hand or pointer.
This case is placed in the signalmans box or other suitable position.
These two dials are put into electric circuit with a battery and their pointers
are worked by hand; they are also in electric connection with a clock and
indicating dial on the railway platform or other place where they may be in use.
The spindle of the first named clock dial to which the minute hand is fixed is
provided with a wheel having 60 teeth with which engages a pivoted pawl carrying
a spring contact piece, so that as the said spindle is turned by hand it makes
contact for each tooth passing the pawl and so indicates each or any minute on the
clock at the other end of the connection.
The second dial is similarly connected to the number indicating dial the pointer
spindle of each of which are provided with a wheel having the same number of
teeth, the wheel of the indicating dial being operated by an ordinary lever
escapement by means of a vibrating armature and electric coils, the motion of
which armature may be regulated by a screw acting upon a spring to which the
armature is connected. Instead of using a pointer the dial may be made to revolve
with a spindle and indicate any number through an opening formed in a cover in
front of the dial.
This apparatus may also be used for indicating the scores in cricket or other
games.
In the case of dog and horse racing one dial may be alone provided having
thereon the colours of the competing dogs or the numbers of the horses running
the working being the same as above described the colour or number showing the
winning dog or horse. I may however make any alterations in regard to the
same as may be in practice required for the carrying out of the object of my
invention.
As our improvements are capable of some modification without departing from
the principle thereof we do not restrict ourselves to the precise form or placement
of the parts thereof.
Dated this 20th
1.1 1005
J. B. FLEURET,
5 Hatton Garden, London, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: An Improved Electric Indicating or Signalling Apparatus.
We THOMAS KARN of 50 North Road, Walthamstow, Essex, Electrical
Engineer and JOHN THOMAS PAYNE of 55 Hoe Street North, Walthamstow
Essex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be perforined to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to an improved electric indicating or signalling apparatus
especially applicable for indicating the time of departure of railway trains and the
platform from which they start, the numbers of the first three horses in a race, or
the colours of the first three winning dogs in dog racing.
The apparatus consists of a box or case in which is fitted an ordinary clock dial
provided with hour and minute hands geared together in the usual manner and by
the side of the clock dial is fixed another indicating dial marked with suitable
numbers, such as those of railway platforms and provided with a hand or pointer.
This case is placed in the signalmaus box or other suitable position.
These two dials are put into electric circuit with a battery and their pointers are
worked by hand; they are also in electric connection with a clock and indicating
dial on the railway platform or other place where they may be in use. The spindle
of the first named clock dial to which the minute hand is fixed is provided with a
wheel having 60 teeth with which engages a pivoted pawl carrying a spring contact
piece, so that as the said spindle is turned by hand it makes contact for each tooth
passing the pawl and so indicates each or any minute on the clock at the other end
of the connection.
The second dial is similarly connected to the number indicating dial the pointer
spindle of each of which are provided with a wheel having the same number of
teeth, the wheel of the indicating dial being operated by an ordinary lever
escapement by means of a vibrating armature and electric coils the motion of
which aimature may be regulated by a screw acting upon a spring to which the
armature is connected. Instead of using a pointer the dial may be made to
revolve with a spindle and indicate any number formed in a cover in front of
the dial.
This arrangement may also be used for indicating the scores in cricket and other
games.
In the case of dog or horse racing one dial may be alone provided having
thereon the colours of the competing dogs or the number of the horses running,
the working being the same as above described, the colour or number showing the
winning dog or horse.
We may however make any alteration in regard to the same as may be in
practice required for the carrying out of our invention.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric connections.
Figure 2 is a plan of the transmitting apparatus, and
Figure 3 is a plan of the receiving or indicating apparatus.
Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section on the line x x of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan of the transmitting case or box,
Figure 6 is a plan of the receiving or indicating box and
Figure 7 is a plan of the indicating dial used in dog or horse racing.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.
A represents the transmitting device or box and B the receiving or indicating
device or box.
The transmitter is provided with a clock dial a and a number dial a¹ and the

page_text: indicator with a clock dial and number dial 61. The spindle a 2 of the dial a
is operated by a handle a 3 and the spindle a 4 of the dial a' by a handle a 5 each
of these spindles being provided with the usual hand and pointers or instead of a
pointer on the spindle 63 the dial 6' may be revolved therewith. The spindle a 2
carries a ratchet wheel C having 60 teeth which engages the tooth c¹ of the pivoted
pawl c and the spring pawl cº.
The pawl c carries the spring contact piece c kept in contact with the adjusting
screw or stop d by the spring d¹. e is a spring metal strip for leading the current
from the battery D (Fig. 1) to the contact piece c 2. The number dial spindle a 4
is likewise provided with a ratchet wheel C which is operated by a pivoted pawl c
in a similar manner to the spindle a 2.
The hands of the clock are operated by gearing E¹ similar to that shown in the
upper part of Figure 4.
The above described transmitting apparatus is preferably placed in the signal-
mans box, for indicating the time of departure of railway trains and the platforms
from which they start, and is electrically connected with the receiving or indicating
apparatus placed in a conspicuous position on the platform.
The said indicating apparatus is operated through the medium of the electric
coils ff and vibrating armature g, the latter being mounted loosely upon the
spindle g and connected with and operating the anchor escapement h. The
anchor engages with and operates the ratchet wheel E having a similar number
of teeth to the ratchet wheel C, viz., 60. The wheel E is fixed to the spindle b 2
which actuates the clockwork E' (Fig. 4) of the indicating clock dial b. The
spindle 2 is likewise provided with the ratchet wheel and spring pawls for
preventing its reverse movement. kis the screw for regulating the motion of the
armature against which it is kept in contact by the spring regulated by the nut
and screw. The spindle 63 to which the indicating number dial is attache,
is operated in a similar manner to the spindle 2 of the clock dial bas clearly
shown in Figure 3.
The operation of my improved indicating apparatus is as follows;-
In order to transmit or indicate the time from the clock dial a to the clock
dial the handle a 3 is turned so as to cause the clock hands to indicate the time
required. This causes the wheel C also to revolve and to operate the vibrating
pawl c by means of the tooth or catch c¹ thus bringing the contact piece c 2 against
the adjustable sciew or contact d 2. By this means the current from the battery d
is caused to pass by the wires 1, 2 and strip e through the contact piece c 2,
contact d 2 aud wires 3 and 4 to the wires 5, 6 and electric coil of the indicating
clock dial b.
The armature g is thus attracted to the said coil and the escapement is operated
so as to force its bevelled edged teeth against the inclined or curved edges of the
teeth of the wheel E and thus revolve the wheel E the distance between one or
more of its teeth according to the movement of the wheel C, the return current
meanwhile passing from the coil along the wires 7, 8 and 9 to the battery D.
To indicate the number of a platform from a dial a to the dial b the operation is
similar to that just described, i.e. by turning the handle a 5 with its pointer a 6 to
the required number, the current is caused to pass from the battery by the
wires 1, 2 and 3ª the strip e, contact piece c2 and contact d2 through the
wires 4 and 5 to the wires 6 and 7* and coil 1 of the indicating number
dial. The spindle 3 is thus operated so as to revolve the dial 6 and bring one
of its numbers opposite the opening B¹ of the indicating box B. The returu
current passes through the coil fand 8° 9° and 9 to the battery.
It is evident my improved apparatus may be applied to indicate the scores in
cricket or other games, and in the case of dug or horse racing a single dial may be
used divided into sections representing the colours of the competing dogs as
shown in Figure 7, or in the case of horse racing marked with the numbers of the
horses running. In the latter case however separate dials may be used for
indicating the numbers of the first three horses in a race. The said dial or dials

page_text: being carried in a case formed with an opening or openings in its face of sufficient
size to indicate only one colour or other number at a time.
In indicating the scores in billiards or other games I may provide a series of
four or more number discs arranged within a case so as to indicate their numbers
through suitable openings in the case, each disc being electrically connected with
an anchor-escapement mechanism as hereinbefore described and operated by means
of a button connected with a spring contact. Or instead of operating each disc by
a separate button they may be so constructed that when one indicates O the next
one by means of a lever or spring on a spindle makes contact with the next pair
of coils belonging to the said disc thereby causing the latter to commence
registering from 1 to 0 the same operation being repeated with next disc
and so ou.
Instead of using a ratchet click and spring for operating my improved indicating
apparatus may use an escape wheel and a pair of pellets on the contact arni
or two clicks or two ratchets, and a ratchet click and spring may be used for
working the transmitter in a similar manner to the indicator.
As our improvements are capable of some modification without departing from
the principle thereof we do not restrict ourselves to the precise form or placement
of the parts thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion we declare that what we claim is ;-
1. The improved electric indicating or signalling apparatus consisting of a
transmitter comprising a clock and number dial operated by hand and electrically
connected at a distance with an indicating clock and number dial for indicating
the time of departure of railway trains and the platform from which they start
constructed and operated substantially as herein described and shown.
2. In apparatus for indicating the time of departure of railway trains the
combination of a clock dial a and mechanism E' operated by a handle a 3, and a
ratchet wheel C engaging a pivoted pawl c carrying a spring contact piece c2,
spring d', contact strip e and adjustable stops or contacts dd 2 in electric connection
with an indicator comprising a clock dial and mechanism E' operated by the
coils in conjunction with the vibrating armature g, ratchet wheel E, anchor
escapement, regulating screw k, spring 7, regulating screw and nut l', ratchet
wheel i, and spring pawls 1, all arranged and operating substantially as herein
described and shown.
3. In apparatus for indicating the platforms from which railway trains start, the
combination of a number dial a' provided with a pointer a 6 operated by a
handle a 5, and a ratchet wheel C, pivoted pawl c, spring pawl cº, spring contact
piece 2, spring d', contact strip e, and adjustable stops or contacts dd 2 in
electric connection with an indicator comprising a number dial 61 revolving behind
an opening B' in a case B and operated by the coils ff' in conjunction with a
vibrating armature g, ratchet wheel E, anchor escapement h, regulating screw k,
spring, regulating nut and screw ', ratchet wheel i and spring pawls all arranged
and operating substantially as described and shown herein.
4. In apparatus for electrically indicating the winners in dog or horse racing
the combination of a dial or dials divided into coloured sections, as shown in
Figure 7 or marked with numbers representing the competing horses, and means
for operating the said dials substantially as specified in Claim 3.
Dated this 17th day of December 1895.
J. B. FLEURET,
5 Hatton Garden, London, Agent for the Applicants.