IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION INDICATORS WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Semmy Ballin of Hamburg, German Empire for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION INDICATORS WHICH INVENTION IS
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Semmy Ballin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1883.
SEMMY BALLIN of Hamburg German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION
INDICATORS WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to improvements in station indicators in which the stations
are indicated by a moveable band, but the mechanism which is the object of my
improvements, may also be employed for advertising purposes.
A band is divided lengthways in as many parallel divisions as the car or omnibus
or other similar vehicle or the steam boat has to pass routes, which division may be
dispensed with when the band is used stationary for advertising purposes. During
the travel of the vehicle or boat the band is drawn off slowly from the cylinder or
roller (to which it is attached) to another cylinder or roller, to which the other
end of the band is secured, in the direction from the right to the left hand sido
or vice versa. To effect this the one roller is connected by a suitable gearing with
a running or driving part of the mechanism which causes the locomotion of the
vehicle or boat. The other roller is connected with a spring-train, the spring of
which is wound up in consequence of the rotation imparted to this roller by the
drawing off of the band. The tension of such spring is used afterwards at the end
of the route to draw back the band with great speed in the opposite direction and
at the same time to uncover the division of the band, which corresponds with the
new route and to cover the other divisions which are not to be exhibited. The
first mentioned roller being connected with its rotating shaft by a sliding coupling
may be uncoupled by the conductor or driver or any other person by pulling a
fork shaped lever or equivalent device, which is also connected with the mechanism
and moves a curtain for covering and uncovering the divisions of the band. The

page_text: main wheel of the spring-train brings at the end of the return motion of the
band the fork shaped lever into such a position as to connect the roller with its
rotating shaft.
The parts of the gearing, communicating the rotation of the running or driving
part of the mechanism for locomotion to the rotating shaft of the cylinder or roller
are of such proportions as to impart a sufficiently slow motion to the band, which
is drawn with a suitable speed in order to exhibit to the passengers that part of
the route, whereon the vehicle or boat is just running.
The mechanism may also be used in connection with a door of a building to
exhibit to the persons entering the building addresses or any other communications
for advertising purposes.
The berein before described invention is obviously well adapted for the indication
of stations on underground Railways.
--

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Semmy Ballin in the Patent Office on the 28th January 1884.
SEMMY BALLIN. of Hamburg, German Empire, "IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION
INDICATORS, WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to improvements in station indicators, in which the stations
are indicated by a movable band; but the mechanism, which is the object of my
improvements, may also be employed for advertising purposes.
A band is divided lengthways into as many parallel divisions as the car or
omnibus or other similar vehicle or the steamboat has to pass routes, which
divisions may be dispensed with when the band is used stationary for advertising
purposes. During the travel of the vehicle or boat, the band is drawn off slowly
from the cylinder or roller, to which it is attached, to another cylinder or roller, to
which the other end of the band is secured, in the direction from the right to the
left hand side, or vice versa. To effect this, the one roller is connected by a
suitable gearing with a running or driving part of the mechanism which causes the
locomotion of the vehicle or boat. The other roller is connected with a spring-train
the spring of which is wound up in consequence of the rotation imparted to this
roller by the drawing off of the band. The tension of such spring is used afterwards
at the end of the route to draw back the band with great speed in the opposite
direction, and at the same time to uncover the division of the band which
corresponds with the new route, and to cover the other divisions which are not to
be exhibited. The first mentioned roller, being connected with its rotating shaft
by a sliding coupling, may be uncoupled by the conductor or driver or any other
person by pulling at a fork shaped lever or equivalent device which is also
connected with the mechanism, and moves a curtain for covering and uncovering.
the divisions of the band. The main-wheel of the spring train brings, at the end of
tho return motion of the band, the fork-shaped lever into such a position as to
connect the roller with its rotating shaft.
The parts of the gearing communicating the rotation of the running or driving
part of the mechanism for locomotion to the rotating shaft of the cylinder or roller,
are of such proportions as to impart a sufficiently slow motion to the band which is
drawn with a suitable speed in order to exhibit to the passengers that part of the
route whereon the vehicle or boat is just running.
The mechanism may also be used in connection with a door of a building to
exhibit to the persons entering the building addresses or any other communications
for advertising purposes.
In order to make my invention more clearly understood I will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 to 4 illustrate the
mechanism for a band with two divisions Figure 1 representing a front view,
Figure 2 a top view partly in section, Figure 3 a vertical section of the line P N
Figure 2, and Figure 4 a detailed view of the reversing lever.
The band a is divided lengthways into an upper and lower division, the one
showing the stations, streets, public buildings, houses, firms etc. which the vehicle
or boat passes during the one trip, and the other one those of the return trip. One
end of the band a is fastened to the roller A and the other one to the roller B.
The axle box f of the roller B is movable on the shaft b, which rotates during the
locomotion of the vehicle etc, in consequence of the connection with one of the
axles or with the main shaft of the engine or any other driving or running part
of the mechanism which causes the locomotion.
The shaft bis provided with a sliding crank D the collar C of which has a slot
for the reception of the pin e fixed to the shaft b. The raising and lowering of.

page_text: the crank D is caused by the lever G the fork shaped end of which embraces
the collar C the other end being arrested by the spring pin g.
As soon as the vehicle or boat begins to move, the rotation of the shaft b draws
the band a slowly off from A over the guide rollers g² g² and winds it up to B:
one half of the passing band a is covered by the plate E the finger h of which is
to indicate that point on the band where the vehicle or boat is in reality.
The rotation of the roller A caused by the band a drawn off therefrom is
communicated by the shaft i and the pinions k. l. m. to the geared wheel n
whereby a spring enclosed in the barrel is wound up to the barrel arbor 8. The
tension of the spring thus produced serves to draw off the band a with great
speed at the end station from the roller B and to roll it up on the cylinder A in
the following manner.
When the vehicle or boat has arrived at the end of the journey, the conductor
or driver or any other person pulls downwards the rod t and thereby lowers the
crank D, The rod t is suspended at one end of the lever u the other end of
which is connected with the lever G by the connecting rod v. The pull on the
rod t causes the aft end of the lever G to be raised and the fork shaped front end
to be lowered whereby the crank D also slides downwards, the roller B becomes
loose and the spring in barrel o turns the roller A by means of the wheel n and
the pinions m. 1. k. in the opposite direction. To regulate the motion of the acting
parts a fly w may be employed which gears into the wheel F of the roller B.
Simultaneously the pull on the rod t causes the motion of the plate or curtain E
which is lowered or raised according to the half of the band a to be covered or
uncovered for showing the actual route. To effect this the lever X is attached to
the connecting rod v; by means of the spring y and the ledge the lever X is
kept in such a position as to push the projection æ under one of the four pins of
the cain H when the connecting rod is raised; the cam H will thereby make a
rotation of 90° because two of its four pins are caught by the incline of the
spring lever I. The lever K fixed to the shaft L (which by means of the arms M
carries the plate E) is raised when the longer radius of the cam H comes into
action and falls down when the short radius is thereunder.
A pinion p which gears into the toothed wheel q is fastened to the wheel n
and causes the crank D to be raised automatically when the band a is wound up
to the cylinder A. The wheel 9 and pinion p are of such a size as to effect only
one rotation of the first one when the whole length of the band a is drawn from
one roller to the other. A finger r attached to the wheel q lowers when the band a
is wound up to the roller A by means of the spring in the barrel o, the straight
end of the lever G is raised by pulling down the rod t and thereby causes the
coupling of the roller B to the shaft b. The pin d of the crank D is pushed
upwards by a small spring in order to avoid the crank D not being raised high
enough when accidentally the pin & touches the edge of a projection c attached to
the bottom of the roller B. In such a case the pin d slides downwards into the
boring of the crank D, but will be raised immediately by the spring so soon as
the obstructing projection c is slipped away and so gets hold of the next one.
Figures 5 to 9 illustrate a station indicator the band of which shows four
divisions. Figure 5 is a front view, Figure 6 a plan and Figure 7 a side clevation
all partly in section ;. Figures 8 and 9 are detailed views of the reversing gear.
The arrangements for winding up the band a in this indicator do not differ
from the before described one; however, as a modification I have replaced toothed
wheels by belt gearing between the shaft i and the wheel n. Therefore the
similar parts of both constructions are indicated by similar letters.
The mechanism for making alternately visible the divisions of the band differs
somewhat from the first one. A strip E¹ of leather, oil-cloth or similar material
is stretched between two endless chains a¹. Each chain passes over four rollers b¹
of which the one fastened to the shaft c¹ is provided with teeth corresponding
with the size of the links. The strip E' has an opening E' corresponding with
the height of a division of the strip.

page_text: At the front end of shaft c¹ is fastened a cam d with four fingers which rotates
by means of the following device. The connecting rod t is suspended at the
lever the front end of which carries the cam X¹ kept in position by the
springy and projection z¹. By pulling the rod t the nose a¹ engages behind
one of the fingers of d' and thereby turns the latter so far that the ratchet f'
is advanced for the space of one tooth, the shaft c' consequently makes a
rotation of 90°. Thereby the opening E' is successively raised for the height of a
division of the band a.
:
When the opening E² has arrived before the uppermost division, it is to return
before the lowest one by the next pull. To effect this the lover g' is raised by a
projection e¹ attached to the finger of which has been directly under the surface
of the ratchet pawl f1 when the opening E has reached its uppermost position.
As soon as the cam is turned a little further the lever y₁ is raised by the
projection e and engages into the neck of the ratchet pawl thus preventing it
from arresting the cam. The weight h¹ attached below the opening E to the
chains a' causes the strip E¹ to slide downwards; the rollers 6' and the shaft c¹
rotate consequently and thero with the cam d¹ until the projection e¹ touches the
upper surface of the lever gl and depresses the latter thus causing the pawl f1 to
engage with the fingers of the cam. The number of fingers of the cam d' is to
correspond with the number of divisions of the band a. The lever u¹ is connected
with the fork shaped lever G which is depressed by the pin v by means of the
lever G¹ as soon as the spring in o gets free.
Figures 10 to 14 illustrate the above apparatus as connected with a door of a
public building etc for advertising purposes. Figure 10 is a back view, Figure 11
a side elevation partly in section, Figures 12. 13 and 14 show the mechanism for
connecting the apparatus with the door etc. The rod N is attached to the door
in such a manner that it is actuated when the door is opened or closed. This
motion is communicated by means of the pawl N¹ and the ratchet wheel P¹ to the
geared wheel P and thereby to the pinion 62 fastened to the shaft b. The paw! R
prevents the wheel P from being turned backwards so long as it is pressed by the
spring R¹ into the teeth of the wheel P¹.
The band a is slowly drawn from the roller A to B in consequence of the
rotation of the wheel 62 this mechanism does not differ from the above described
one; and the disengaging of the crank D by the wheel q is effected in an analogous
manner wlien the whole length of the band a is drawn off.
When during the return motion of the band a from B to A the connecting rod N
is actuated the action of the spring in o should not be interrupted in any way
which is effected by the following mechanism.
The fork shaped lever G which regulates the position of the crank D is connected
with the lever 0³ pivotted at G³. The wheel q is turned by the slow motion of
the band a from A to B until the pin fastened thereon depresses the pin S the
projection T lowers the aft arm of the lever G³ and disengages the crank D.
Simultaneously the lower end of the pin S causes the lever Q to oscillate by
sliding down at the incline of the arm Q1; the arm Q pushes the pawl R back-
wards and arrests it in this position by engaging into the recess R². The wheel P
becomes free and can rotate in both directions as well as the shaft b wherefrom
the roller B is disengaged.
During the quick rotation of the wheel 9 the projection depresses the pin S'
the projection of which T¹ pushes the front arm of the lever G³ downwards, the
fork-shaped lever G engages with the crank pin d into the teeth c of the roller B
thus coupling the latter with the shaft b. Simultaneously therewith the lower end
of the pin S has disengaged the lever Q from the recess R by sliding down at the
incline Q thus bringing the spring R₁ to action again which draws the pawl R
into the teeth of the wheel P'. The springs U serve to raise the pins S and S'
when the pressure of the finger r has ceased.
The gearing as well as the ratchet may be actuated by straps and friction
coupling when it should be desired to avoid any noise.

page_text: Having thus fully described my invention I desire to Claim and secure by
Letters Patent :-
First In station indicators or advertising reels the combination of the band a
with the rollers B and A both being rotated slowly in one direction by a running
or driving part of the boat or vehicle during its locomotion respectively by the
motion of an opened or closed door and turned quickly in the opposite direction by
a spring enclosed in a spring barrel and wound off by the foregoing rotation
substantially as set forth."
Second In station indicators or advertising reels the combination of the roller B
the band a the roller A and the shaft i with the pinions k. l. m. the wheel n and 1
the spring enclosed in the barrel o substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third In station indicators or advertising reels the combination of the crank D
the collar C and the lever G with the finger r the wheels q and p and the spring
enclosed in the barrel o substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth In station indicators the combination of the band a with the curtain E¨
the arms M the shaft L the lever K the cam H and the lever X substantially as
set forth
Fifth In a station indicator the combination of the band a with the curtain E¹
provided with an opening E' the chains a¹ rollers 6 shaft c¹, cam d', lever u',
noose, pawl g, projection e¹, and lever g¹ substantially as described.
Sixth-In advertising reels the combination of the band a shaft b rollers A B
wheels n and q, finger r, pins T; T'; lover G, fork-shaped lever G and crank D
substantially as specified..
Seventh In advertising reels the combination of the finger 7 and pins S, S',
with the levers G² and Q, inclines Q' and Q, pawl R and wheel P¹ substantially
as and for the purposo specified.
In witness-whereof-I.the..said Semmy Ballin have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty third day of January in the year of our Lord-One thousand.
eight hundred and eighty four.
SEMMY RALLIN rel
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