US1091756A - Train-locating and time-recording apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

B. F. OSBORN & E. F. ZIRBEL.

TRAIN IJOGATING AND TIME RECORDING APPARATUS. AYPLIOATIOH FILED FEB. a, 1911.

1,09 1,756.- Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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1,091,756. Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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B. F. OSBORN & E. F. ZIRBEL. TRAIN LOCATING AND TIME RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED r1113. 8, 191

' Patented Mar. 31, 1914. 1,091,756. a SHEETS-SHEET s.

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BENJAMIN I. OSBORN AND EHIL I. ZIRBEL, E BI IfPEY, IOWA.

TRAIN-LOCATING AND TIME- RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ltIar. 31, 1914. A

Application filed Februaryfi, 1911. Serial No. 607,806.

To all whom it may concern..-

' Be it known that we, BENJAMIN F. Os-

BORN and EM'I F. Znumn, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Rippey, Greene count Iowa, have invented a new and useful Train-Locating and Time- Recording Apparatus, of which the followin is a speclfication.

%he object of this invention is to provide an improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains throughout a division or system of a rail- A further object of this invention is to provide an improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the time at which various railway trains are in various stations throughout a division or system of a railway.

A further object of this invention is to provide animprovement in the art of re cordin and annunciating the location and time o a series of railway trains at or in aseries of stations throughout a division or system of a railway, the time and location being recorded and annunciated simultaneously with each other and practically simultaneously throughout the series of stations.

A further object of this invention is to provide means adapted for operation by a trainman at successive stations whereby the location of his train and the time of its arrival to such stations may be recorded and annunciated at the several stations touched by the train.

A further object of this invention is to provide means adapted for operation by a trainman at successive stations whereby the location of his train and the time of its arrival to such stations may be simultaneously recorded and annunciated at the several stations touched by the train.

A further object of this invention is to provide means adapted for operation by trainmcn at successive stations whereby the locations of their trains and the time of their arrival to such stations may be recorded and annunciated at the several stations touched by the trains.

A further object of this invention is to provide means adapted for operation by trainman at successive stations whereby the locations of their trains and the time of their arrival to such stations may be simultaneously recorded and annunciated at the several stations touched by the trains.

Our invention consists in the constructlon, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which-'- Figure l is a diagram illustrating a series of electrically connected groups of annunciators, which annunciators each contain key-operated switch and a clock-controlled dating mechanism. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in diagram, of asingle group of annunciators associated with asingle'clock, each annunciator having a clock-controlled dating mechanism and a key-operated:-

switch. Fig, 3 is an elevation ofpart of the d6V1CeS'ShOWI1 in Fig. 2 at right "angles to such showing. "Fig.4 is a plan of the devices shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front view of one of the" annunciators. Fig. 6 is a front view, partly in section, of part of the devices shown 1n" Fig. 5, the front closing means beingremoved. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the remaining. parts-of the annunciator shown in Fig. 5'. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectio'nillus mechanism in driving relations with dating mechanism. a

In the apparatus or system as illustrated, stations A, B, C, D, E,-corresponding in number with the railway stations of adivision or operating section of a railway, are each provided with a group of annunciators, each group corresponding in number with the trains operating in each division or section; and each station or group of annunciators also includes a timing mechanism. The annunciators are electrically connected in series, each series including one annunciator of each group, throughout the length trating a means employed to connect clock of the division or section, and eachseries of annunciators is independent of each other series and each timing mechanism is normally independent of the annunciatorcir- -i cuits and of each other and eachannuneia,

tor circuit normally is closed. -Each 311%};

nunciator is provided with a time -mechanism-controlled recording mechanism and a key-operated switch. v x

r Ihe key-operated switches of a series ot annunciators are all susceptlble of operation by a key of one form, which key diftors in form from those employed to operloo.

ate the switch of the other series, and said key is carried by a trainman, preferably the conductor in charge. When a train is about to leave the terminal station of a division the trainman uses his key to operate a switch. of the annunciator at that station applicable to his train, and-in so doing breaks the circuit of the series of annunciators applicable to his train throughout the entire division or section; such breaking of the circuit setting up in each annunciator of the series an operation of the recording mechanism which will record a visible memorandum of the time at which such operation by the trainman is effected, in each annunciator of the series, thus electrically and automatically announcing in a visible printed record the time of departure, of the train on a trip through its division or section. This operation is repeated by the trainman at successive stations throughout the trip and at each operation the time of such operation is automatically and electrically recorded andexhibited at all of the stations covered by such trip. The indicated trainman of the next succeeding train leaving the terminal performs the same operation in respect of another series of annunciators and so on through the series of trains and independent series of annunciators applicable thereto to the full number of trains traversing such division or section. It is to be understood that the timing mechanism at a given station is co1nmon to all of the annunciators and recording mechanisms therein located at such station and that such timing mechanism is operated independently of the annunciator circuits. In the drawings (Figs. 1 and 2) the annunciators of the various series are designated by letters a, b, 0, d and e and the various timing mechanisms generally by the indices A, B, C, D, E, the circuits connecting the annunciators in series being designated by the indices (1, b, 0, cl, e.

Each annunciator a, b, 0, d, e is constructed with a housing 10 having a glazed door 11 forming a closure for its front, said door being secured in a closed position by a key-operated lock 12; a switch box 13 depending from or located immediately be neath the housing 10; and a clock box 14 surmounting the housing 10 or located immediately above it and carrying a glazed dial 15. The switch box 13 contains a fixed contact member 16 and a movable contact member 17 adapted to contact normally with the first member, said members beingin-the electric circuit a, b, c, d or e as :the case may be. The movable con-' tact member 17 is fixed to and adapted to be moved by a tumbler 18 to break the circuitby breaking the contact between the members, and said tumbler extends through the front Wall of the switch box 13 and is 2 adapted to receive the train'm'ans key (not shown). It is to be understood that the tumbler 18 is shown conventionally and may vary in form as desired, the tumblers of the series a, b, 0, d, e differing from each other in the shape of key required. to operate them. A shaft 19 is mounted through all of the housings 10 of a group at a station such as A, B, C, D or E and is adapted to be rotated continuously or intermittently as to minute intervals of time by gearing to a rod 20 extending into the clock box 14 and connected to the clock mechanism, the gearing between said shaft and rod being shown conventionally and designated by the numeral 21 in Fig. 8. A. shaft 22 extendthrough all of the housings 10 of a given group of annunciators, preferably parallel with and above the shaft 19, and a series of printing wheels 23 are mounted on said shaft 22 within each of the housings and carry type for printing names of stations and times of day respectively. The shaft 22 or the printing wheels 23 thereon are independently rotated intermittently by gear connections with the shaft 19, said gear connections being shown col'iventionally in Fig. 7 and designated by the numeral 24.

We have not shown nor described the details of construction of the printing wheels 23 or gear connections 24 as they form no part of our present invention and various recording devices, registerin." devices and the like now on the market and well known may be adapted to this purpose and be mounted in the housings 10. A spool 25 is mounted in the lower portion of each housing 10 and a ribbon or tape 26, preferably of paper, is wound on saidspool. The bight of the ribbon or tape 26 is carried over a direction roller 27 in the upper portion of the housing 10 and an end portion of said tape is ca-rried and fixed and adapted to be wound on a spool 28 also located in the upper portion of the housing and at the rear of the direction roller. The spool 28 preferably is fixed to and carried by a spring drum 2%) of conventional form, adapted to be operated in one direction by a spring contained in said drum for the purpose of winding the ribbon or tape 26 on said spool and unwinding the same from the spool A ratchet 30 is formed on the spring drum 29 and a detent 31 mounted within the housing nor mally engages said ratchet and prevents rotation of the ratchet, drum and spool under impulse of the spring in the (lIl-Elll. A bight portion of the ribbon or tape 20 between the spool 26 and roller 27 extends vertically in proximity to but out of contact with the printing wheels 23 and the face of said ribbon or tape opposed to the printing wheels and also opposed to and visible through the glazed portion of the door 11, preferably is printed with columnar spaces respectively adapted to receive from the printing wheels imprints of station names and time records.

Correspondingr indications, such as Stations and glazed portion of the door 11 in front of the columnar spaces indicated on the ribbon or ta 26. In this connection attention is calle to a legend, such as Train No. 1 which may be placed on the upper portion of the door 11 of an annunciator to guide an inquirer. An armature 32 is mounted for rectilinear reciprocation at right angles to and at the rear of the shafts 22, 24 and said armature carries a platen 33 on one end. The platen 33 is formed with guides through which the ribbon or tape 26 passes vertically and said platen is on the opposite side of said ribbon or tape from the printing wheels 23. A coil magnet 34 is mounted looselyv around the armature 32 and is in circuit with the electric circuit a, b, c, d or e as the case may be. The armature 32 is formed with a longitudinal slot 35 and a pin 36 extends through said slot and through a bearing within which the armature reciprocates. A spring 37 is interposed between the pin 36 and armature 32 and normally acts to move the armature in such direction as to withdraw the platen 33 from the printing wheels 23. A spring 38 is mounted in another bearing of the armature and presses against the rear end of said armature. The detent 31 is formed with a fork embracing the rear end portion of the armature 32 and engaging a pin 39 extending through said armature. The spring 39 also engages the adjacent bearing and determines the degree of compression of the spring 38 by limiting movement of the armature in one direction; While the electric circuit is closed and the coil magnet 34 is energized there is a tendency of the armature 32 to center in said coil magnet and compress the spring 38, thus permitting the detent 31 (under pressure of a springAO on its pivot) to engage the ratchet 30. hen the circuit is broken, however, by key operation of the tumbler 18 and switch member 17, the coil magnet 34 is decnergized and the spring 38 expands 0 suddenly and forcibly. thus moving the armature 32 and platen 33 forwardly and impactina the tape or ribbon 26 with the printing wheels 23. Immediately upon this operation-the spring 37 (which is compressed'by expansion of the spring 38) reacts or rebounds on the armature 32 and moves it rearwardly sufliciently to separate the ribbon or tape 26 from the printing wheels,

thus imprinting said tape with a station 50 name and time by said wheels. Immediately upon release of the tumbler 18 by cessation of the manual movement thereof through the key, the contact member 17 falls by gravity into contact with the member 16, closes V as the circuit, and the coil magnet 34 is again ime may be placed on the energized and moves the armature 32 to initial position and compresses the spring 38.

Momentarily at a point in the operation of the printing devices the detent 31 is withdrawn from the ratchet 30 by the pin 39 and the ribbon or tape moves a distance sufiicient to bring the printed record into view behind the glazed portion of the door 11.

Any desired devices and mechanisms may be employed for setting the printing wheels forwardly in unison with the travel of the hands of the clock; any desired mechanisms or devices may be employed for causing the printing wheels to imprint the stations and time on the ribbon or tape; any desired devices may be employed for advancing the ribbon or tape from spooltospool; and any desired devices may be employed for breaking the circuit. Therefore, we do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown since the several devices may be modified at will without departing from the spirit of our invention.

If desired the station names may be printed, in the' proper order, on the ribbon or tape, in such position as to come within the I column for Stations; and the ribbon or tape may be' extended to such length as to accommodate a number of complete lists of such names of stations, for instance suflicient to last for a months business. In the event this plan is used, the printing'wheels. 23

devices associated with each of said annunciators.

2. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of electrically operated annunciators in closed circuit, key-operated means associated with each annunciator for breaking said circuit, and dormant recording devices associated with each annunciator and operated only during the time the circuit is broken. I

3. Anjimprovement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of electrically operated annunciators in "closed circuit, means associated with each annunciator for breaking said circuit, and recording devices associated with each annunciator and operated during the time the circuit is broken.

4. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, consisting of a series of stations, each station having a number of annunciators corresponding with the number of trains operated to or through said station, said annunciators arranged in independent series in closed circuits throughout the several stations, one annunciator of each series being located at each station, key-operated means associated with each annunciator for breaking the circuit thereof, recording means in each annunciator, and means for operating the recording means during the time the circuit is broken.

5. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which improvement consists of a series of electrically connected annunciators, means for operating the series of annunciators simultaneously, and separate recording and exhibiting devices associated with each of said annunciators, and all adapted to be operated by operation of one set thereof.

6. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consist of a series of electrically operated annunciators in closed circuit, means for breaking said circuit, and separate recording and exhibiting devices associated with each annunciator and simultaneously operated only during the time the circuit is broken.

7. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of annunciators in series at successive stations, recording means associated with said annunciators, and means at each station adapted for operation by a trainman whereby the location of his train and the time of its arrival may be re corded and annunciated at the several stations in such series.

8. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consist-s of annunciators in series at successive stations, recording means associated with said annunciators, and means at each station adapted for operation by a trainman whereby the location of his train and the time of its arrival may be simultaneously recorded and annunciated at the several "stations in such series.

9. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of annunciators in series at successive stations, recording means associated with said annunciators, and means at each station adapted for operation by trainmen whereby the locations of their trains and the time of their arrival may be simultaneously recorded and annunciated at the several stations in such series.

10. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of annunciators in series at successive stations, recording means associated with said annunciators, and means at each station adapted for operation by trainmen whereby the locations of their trains and the times of their arrival may be recorded and annunciated at the several stations in such series.

11. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of annunciators at separated stations in a. closed electric circuit, recording devices in each annunciator, exhibiting devices in each annunciator, means for advancing the exhibitng dev ces, means for operating the recordng dev ces, and key-operated circuit-breakmg devices in each annunciator adapted to act on the circuitof the entire series of annunciators. Y

12. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of annunciators zit-separated stations in a closed electric circuit, recording devices in each annunciator, exhibiting devices in each annunciator, means for advancing the exhibiting dev ces, means for operating the recording devices and key-operated circuit-breaking devices in each annunciator adapted to act on the circuit of the entire series of annunciators, the circuit-breaking devices being automatically operated to make the circuit.

13. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of electrically connected annunciators, means for operating the series of annunciators simultaneously, separate recording devices associated With each of said annunciators, the recording devices of all the annunciators adapted to be operated by actuation of any selected one, and a separate timing mechanism ior each annunciator and acting on the recording devices.

14. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of rail way trains, which consists of a series of electrically operated annunciators in closed circuit, means for breaking said circuit, recording devices associated with each annunciator and conjunctively operated during the time the circuit is broken, and timing mechanism acting on the recording devices.

15. An" improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of annunciators in series at successive station's, recording means associated with said annunciators, timing mechanism acting on the recording devices, and means at each station adapted for operation by a trainman whereby the location of his train and the time'of its arrival may be recorded and annunciated at the several stations in such series.

16. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of rail way trains, which consists of groups of annunciating stations, closed electric circuits each of which connects a unit of each group, recording devices common to each group, timing mechanisms common to each group and acting on said recording devices, and means for selectively breaking the circuit of either series of units.-

17. An improvement in the art of recording and annunciating the location of railway trains, which consists of a series of annunciators in a closed circuit, a printing device-in each annunciator, a ribbon and feeding devices therefor in each annunciator, means for contacting the ribbon and printing devices in each annunciator, a timing device acting on the printing device, and a key operated switch in each annunciator.

18. An annunciator comprising a housing,

recording .and exhibiting devices in said housing, timing mechanism acting on the recording devices, electrical controlling devices for said recording and exhibiting devices, and a key-operated switch acting on said electrical controlling devices.

19. A series of annunciators in a closed electric circuit, each annunciator having recording and exhibiting devices, a timing device acting on the recording devices, and a key-operated switch acting to break said circuit.

Signed by us at Rippey, Iowa, this 23rd day of December, 1910.

- BENJAMIN F. OSBORN.

EMIL F. ZIRBEL.

\Vitnesses:

W. M. OSBORN,

BERTIE STOUFER.

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