Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Stations at which Railway Trains, Steamboats, or Tram Cars will Stop at, and for other like Purposes.
Year: 1884

page_text: 66
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Stations at
which Railway Trains, Steamboats, or Tram Cars will
Stop at, and for other like Purposes.
I DAVID KINNEAR SIMPSON, of 13 Oriel Road Bootle, in the county of
Lancaster, Hatter do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE STATIONS AT WHICHI RAIL-
WAY TRAINS, STEAMBOATS, OR TRAM CARS WILL STOP AT, AND FOR OTHER LIKE
PURPOSES," to be as follows :—
This invention has reference to adjustable notice boards adapted for use by
railway, steamboat, tramway, or other companies, for the information of travellers
and for other similar purposes.
The apparatus consists of a vertical frame suitably inscribed and usually
surmounted by a dial with movable pointors for indicating the time of departure of
the trains, or the like, or instead of a dial, movable notice boards or revolving bars
suitably inscribed may be made use of. In this frame are arranged a series of
bars or boards pivoted at each end to the sides of the frame and having at one
end projecting handles by which they may be turned round as required; these
handles are usually inscribed with the name of the station or other information
corresponding to that on the board or bar, for the guidance of the official in charge.
One side of each board or bar is left blank, and each station on the route of the
railway train or other conveyance is enumerated in order upon the series of
revolving boards or bars; when in use, any bar or board bearing the name of a
station at which the train does not stop is turned to present its blank side to view.
By constructing the frame with bars of three four or more sides, two or more
routes may be successively indicated by the same notice frame. The scope of the
apparatus may be still further enlarged by combining two or more stands or notice
frames pivoted onto a central axis.
If the notice board be placed upon a vehicle or steamboat or the outside of a
window of each compartment of a railway train so as to be read from the inside, a
conductor, porter, or other employee can turn a named bar at each stoppago, and
thus the passengers can always see at a glance what are the next and remaining
stopping places. Mistakes caused by passengers entering the wrong train will by
this means be avoided, as they can always see if their station be displayed on the
notice board.

page_text: The boards or bars can be turned automatically in several different ways.
Where the apparatus is used for only one route, the boards are weighted either to
all naturally stand at blank, or with the name sides all exposed. Each has a
projecting downward sloping ledge or projection behind, and behind this is a row
of vertical bars representing one train. No 4 train for instance stops at A B D
and G stations only, movable tapi ets on the bar representing this train are
therefore so placed as to turn A B and G boards from blank exposure to naine
exposure, or as the case may be, to turn all the other boards from name exposure
to hlank exposure leaving only A, B, D, G, with names exposed when the vertical
bar No 4 is raised. In front of the stand is a pointsman's handle sliding along a
horizontal bar with scale of the numbers of the trains in front, and so arranged
that when opposite N° 4 the spoon or projection at the end of the pointsman's
lever shall raise N° 4 upright bar and expose the names of the stations No 4 train
stops at. If the handle actuate to N° 10 upright bar it shows the stations for
No 10 train and so on.
The bottom of the vertical bars or the pointsman's lever is made hollow or
V shaped to more easily catch the bars.
Where several routes aro to be worked automatically nearly the same arrange-
ment is used, I have a vertical bar and number for every train, but the tappets are
made longer or shorter, or the handles worked through a longer or shorter degree
so as to turn the name bar round to the requisite degree to show the route required,
and all boards are necessarily normally a blank. Instead, too, of working against
the name bar direct, the tappets are in this case preferably made to work on a
multiplying gear such as a long parallel bar attached to a rack at one or both
ends working a pinion on the revolving name bar. The tappets are preferably
hinged or attached to the uprights so as to be changed at pleasure from the active
to the passive position. One form consists in a rod passing through a transverso
hole through the vertical bar (which is preferably a round tube) the rod is curled
round at each end to a larger radius than that of the tubular bar, and with a gap
between the end of the curve and the main stem of the rod, just big enough to let
the half of the vertical bar through when the curve in the rod is horizontal. If
then the tappet rod be pulled in or out with the curve placed horizontally till the
curve encircles the half of the upright bar, and the curved ends be then allowed to
sag down, the one round the vertical bar locks it in place.
In caso the length of the horizontal levers be not sufficient to accommodate all
the rods placed side by side that may be required, the rods are placed in an
independent frame, and can be moved to and fro so that the required rods may be
placed opposite the levers and handle or handles.
In case two or more sets of boards are used round a central column, the
rods can be placed in a circular revolving frame round tho column and behind the
boards. Any particular rod may be acted upon by a handle and act at any
required place to which it can turn. In some cases a combination of two or more
rods may be used to indicate one train. This one rod may expose Nos 3, 6, & 8,
and another 3, 7, and 10. by this means Nos 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10 would be exposed.

page_text: arranged that when depressed say opposite No 4 the spoon or projection at the end
of the pointsman's lever shall raise No 4 upright bar, and expose the names of the
stations that No 4 train stops at. If the handle actuate No 2 upright bar it shows
the stations for No 2 train and so on.
The bottom of the vertical bars or the pointsman's lever is made hollow or {
V shaped to more easily catch the bars.
Where several trains, as is frequently the case stop at one set or combination of
stations, a single upright rod can represent, and be used for all of them, hence there
may be 20 trains during the day, but serving only four or five combinations of
stations, 4 or 5 vertical bars will then act for the lot. In Figure 4 is shown the
form of tappet I prefer to use. One form consists in a rod R passing through a .
transverse hole through the vertical bar D (which is preferably a round tube) the
rod is curled round at each end at S to a larger radius than that of the tubular bar,
and with a gap between the end of the curve, and the main stem of the rod D just
big enough to let the half of the vertical bar through when the curvo in the rod is
horizontal. If when the tappet rod bo pulled in or out with the curve placed
horizontally till the curve encircles the half of the upright bar and the curved ends
be then allowed to sag down, the one round the vertical bar locks it in place. Of
course instead of this arrangement simple pegs can be used, but these are liable to
get shaken out of position or screw pins can be used, but these take longer time in
adjusting.
The mode of action of the apparatus shown is as follows, the lever F being slid
along bar G till under the particular rod D required it is pressed down, thus lifting
the rod. The catch H when the lever is pressed down can now catch under plate
and hold it in place till removed by hand when another combination is desired.
The handle and vertical rod being now loosed fall back to original position. The
boards actuated by them also fall back to blank (or names as the case may be) by
the extra weight of rods B, and the apparatus is ready for another use; bolts M
placed with their heads projecting prevent the arms and rods B from falling too
low. The rods K are guided above and below by plates K with holes in them for
said rods and pins L at top (or above either plate K) prevent rods D from falling
too low. The vertical rods D are prevented from turning by being made flat or of
irregular shape at one end and fitting a hole of corresponding shape.
Where several routes are to be worked on the same frame or apparatus, nearly
the same arrangement is used. I have a vertical bar and number for every train
or combination of stations. The handles are worked through a longer or shorter
degree so as to turn the name bar round to the requisite degree to show the route
required, and all boards are necessarily normally a blank. Instead, too, of working
against the name bar direct, the tappets are in this case preferably made to work
on a multiplying gear, such as set forth in Figure 5, where A is the end of four
sided board turning on pivot C, Q, cog wheel attached to board, T, rack, this to be
of sufficient length to turn the board round to the three remaining faces, U arm
which is attached to rack and turned, V is a guide pulley for rack, the rack runs in
the V of the pulleys. W is the arm at end of horizontal bar, which runs across the
back of apparatus, W is sufficiently weighted to cause it to fall back to blank of its
own accord, X a spring catch holding into rack Y and having pivot at Z, serving to
hold the rod D in position, when set to any height, O, spring, keeping catch to work
when not forcibly pulled back by handle I.
In case the length of the horizontal bar G be not sufficient to accommodate all the
rods that may be required placed side by side, the rods are placed in an independent
frame, and can be moved to and fro so that the required rods may be placed
opposite the lever F. This can be done in a great variety of ways, such as by
arranging the rods as a skeleton cylinder, with bars K K, also cylindrically
arranged. By turning the cylinder round, each bar could be brought successively
in position, as however such a contrivance would rarely be wanted, it is needless to
enlarge upon it further, or load this specification with drawings or description.

page_text: In case however two or more sets of boards aro used round a central column,
the rods can be placed in a circular revolving frame round the column and behind
the boards. Any particular rod may be acted upon by a handle, and act at any
required place to which it can turn. In some cases a combination of two or more
rods may be used to indicate one train. This one rod may expose Nos 3, 6, and 8,
and another 3, 7, and 10, by this means Nos 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10 would be exposed.
Two handles, or a handle and temporary catch must be used in this case.
It will be obvious that cords or chains in tension could be used in place of rods,
but I prefer the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. The manufacture of apparatus for indicating the stations at which railway
trains, tramcars, steam boats or the like are to call at, in which a series of name
boards are turned by tappets or their equivalents arranged on rods or their
equivalents each rod representing one combination of stations, substantially as
described.
2nd. In an apparatus of the character indicated in the title, arranging a series
of tappet rods or their equivalents in line capable of each being actuated by a lever,
substantially as described.
3rd. The mechanism for changing the position of a bar with more than two
faces, substantially as described in connection with Figure 5.
4th. The mechanism for actuating name boards, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and
323, High Holborn, London,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.