Improvements in Jacks used in combination with Electrical Annuncia- tors or Indicators for the Replacement of the Shutter or Signal Flag.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Jacks used in combination with Electrical Annuncia-
tors or Indicators for the Replacement of the Shutter or Signal
Flag.
AUGUST ECKSTEIN, Electrical Engineer, Peel Works, Adelphi, Salford, Man-
chester, RICHARD PENTENY EIDSFORTH, Electrical Engineer, Peel Works, Adelphi,
Salford, Manchester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved construction of annunciator jacks and
has for its object the attainment of precision and certainty in the replacement
of the annunciator or indicator shutters after they have been dropped by the
signalling current in a simpler manner than in the apparatus generally used, and
in some cases to afford a ready means of closing a local circuit for auxilliary
signalling.
We are aware that in some systems the automatic replacement is effected by the
plug when entering the jack acting upon a lever, depressing one arm thereof
and causing the other arm to lift the shutter.
In our improved method we replace the shutter by means of a flat spring the
end of which is brought near to a curved tongue or projecting piece in the
shutter which is prolonged below the centre of motion of the shutter. Suspended
from the aforesaid spring is a stirrup or loop which is acted upon by the lower
contact spring of the jack so that when this spring is depressed by the plug on
entering the jack, the loop draws down the first mentioned spring. When the
shutter is down, the curved tongue thereof rests on the under surface of the
said spring, so that when the spring is depressed by the downward motion of
the loop, the shutter rotates sufficiently on its axis to engage with the retaining
catch connected with the armature of the annunciator.
It is evident that we can apply this method of replacing the shutter or indicating
device to any suitable form of jack and electrical indicator.
When desired the replacing spring, upon the end of which the tongue of the
shutter rests when it is down, may, together with the shutter and frame work of
the indicator, form a circuit for a local bell or the like signal, which circuit
would be opened by the spring breaking contact with the tongue of the shutter
after the plug has been withdrawn.
Dated this 5th day of January 1899.
A. ECKSTEIN,
R. P. EIDSFORTH.

page_text: Improvements in Jacks used in combination with Electrical Annuncia-
tors or Indicators for the Replacement of the Shutter or Signal
Flag.
We, AUGUST ECKSTEIN, Electrical Engineer, and JANE EIDSFORTII and HARRY
WILKINSON, executors of the late Richard Penteny Eidsforth, all of Peel Works,
Adelphi, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, 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:—
Our invention relates to an improved construction of annunciator jacks and
has for its object the attainment of precision and certainty in the replacement
of the annunciator or indicator shutters after they have been dropped by the
signalling current, in a simple and more effective manner than in the apparatus
heretofore used for this purpose, and may in some cases afford a ready means for
closing a local circuit for auxiliary signalling.
In order that our specification may be clearly understood we have appended
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a partly sectional side
elevation of one jack and its contacts; Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof, and
Figure 3 a plan view of the stirrup and its connecting mechanism and contacts.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several drawings.
We are aware that automatic replacement has been effected by the act of forcing
the plug into the jack, causing it to impinge upon one arm of a lever, the other
arm of which lifts the shutter when the arm in contact with the plug is depressed.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, the jack springs and connections are shown in the
normal position, with the plug removed. Said plug P is also shown as a dotted
outline, and the positions when P is inserted is also shown by dotted outlines. In
carrying our invention into effect we pivot the shutter S at a and beyond this
point of suspension carry a projection b against which a flat spring A presses.
Said projection or tongue b is suitably curved to present the minimum of friction
to the spring A. We suspend from the spring A a stirrup piece B by means of a
screw d with an insulating washer. The other end of the stirrup piece B is sus-
pended by the contact spring D, so that when the plug P enters the jack, the
contact spring 1) is forced outwards, and this movement is communicated to the
spring A, which then presses upon the projection band causes the shutter to
assume the position indicated by the dotted outline, and it engages with the
retaining catch Cattached to the armature E of the electro magnet F of the annun-
ciator, to be released upon a call, and again replaced when the plug is inserted.
We may utilise the movement of the spring A to form the contact closing a local
call bell circuit, when the shutter S has fallen, by means of a suitable contact
pin forming one part of the circuit and the frame of the jack the other part
thereof, two contacts may be used, but we prefer to open the circuit by breaking
the contact between A and b when the shutter S is closed as shown by the dotted
outline.
We are aware that the replacement of an annunciator signal flag or shutter has
been automatically performed by electrical and mechanical methods, by the intro-
duction of the plug into the jack; but we do not claim this broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:.
First. The method of and means for automatically returning the signal flag or

page_text: shutter of annunciators or indicators appertaining to electrical systems in which a
combined system of indicators and jack contacts are used, the introduction of
the jack plug performing the replacement movement of the flag or shutter, sub-
stantially as herein described and shown by the appended drawings.
Second. In jacks used in combination with electrical annunciators or indicators
the employment and use of the spring A in combination with the projection_b
of the flag or shutter S, contact spring D, and plug P with a stirrup piece B sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described, and shown by the appended
drawings.
Third. In a jack contact device the combination of a stirrup piece B with a con-
tact spring 1 carrying a suspensory screw or the like connecting it to an auxiliary
spring A acting upon a flag or shutter S, substantially as herein described and
shown by the appended drawings.
Fourth. In a jack contact device as referred to in the preceding claims, the
employment and use of the movement of the spring A to open or close a local
bell or call circuit, substantially as herein described and shown by the drawings.
Dated this 93rd day of fotober 1800
FREDK. WALKER,
73, St. Stephens Road, Upton Park, London, E.,
Agent for the Applicants.