US1185934A - Fare-registering apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

R. C. PRICE.

FARE REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1910.

1 1 85,934: Patented June 6, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Fig.5. 15 28 INVENTOR WITNESSES: M L (21? R. C. PRICE.

FARE REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1910.

Patented J nne 6, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN 70H Fain ' ROMAINE 0. PRICE, on NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

JAY M. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed June 21, 1910. Serial No. 588,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, ROMAINE C. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fare-Registering Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fare registers, and with regard to the more specific features thereof, to a device of this character for use on street railway cars.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a practical device of this general nature which will keep an accurate and complete account of the money which is placed therein.

Another object is to provide a practical means controlled directly by the coins removed from the receiver of the device adapted to register said coins according to their denominations in a simple and reliable manner.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which is of a compact and durable construction and proof against accidental or intentional misuse.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of various possible embodiments of this invention, and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts through the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof, parts of the casing being broken away for the sake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a front elevation with casing removed; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the ratchet mechanism employed to rotate the register shaft; Fig. 4c is a partial side View of the registering mechanism showing certain members thereof in the positions which they will assume upon the removal and registration of a five cent piece; Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views, showing a modified form in which a resilient member is applied to the shaft of the pinion 27.

Referring to the figures, a receptacle 1 is secured to an upper portion or cover-plate 2 of acasing 3 and opens into the upper portion of a receiver or hopper 4 secured to the cover-plate 2 in any suitable manner. Also supported by the cover 2 is a depending frame 5 within which is journaled a shaft 6, and secured to the latter is a circular brush 7 having bristles of some relatively stifi material, preferably metallic. This brush projects within the front end of the receiver 4 between the side walls thereof, and the bristles are kept in compact form by means of wings 8 extending forwardly from said side walls and preferably having their outer ends flared slightly outward as shown at 9 in Fig. 2. Journaled within the frame 5 is another shaft 10 upon which a drum 11 is secured in any suitable manner, said drum extending within the receiver 41 and having its peripheral surface engaged by the brush 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A suitable crank 12 is secured to the shaft 6 whereby it may be rotated, and rotary motion is simultaneously imparted to the shaft 10 by any suitable means such as a sprocket chain 13 engaging sprocket wheels 14 and 15 mounted respectively on shafts 6 and 10. In order to selectively remove coins from within the receiver the peripheral surface of the drum 11 is provided with a plurality of flattened portions 16, 17 and 18. The length of each of the portions 16 is slightly greater than the diameter of a five cent piece and is provided with pins 19 adapted to engage and retain a five cent piece thereon, but spaced from one another sufficiently to permitpennies or dimes to pass therebetween. In the embodiment shown there are provided three such portions, but it will, of course, be understood that this invention is not limited to any particular number thereof. The length of the portion 17 is slightly greater than the diame ter of a penny and is provided with pins 20 adapted to engage and retain pennies thereon, such pins being spaced from one another sufficiently to permit a ten cent piece to pass therebetween. The pins 20 upon the portions 17 will also engage five cent pieces, which are of greater diameter than the pennies, but such pieces when engaged by the pins will project forwardly and overhang the flattened portion, for a purpose which is hereinafter described. In the embodiment shown the drum is provided with one such flattened portion. The length of the flattened portion 18 is slightly greater than the diameter of the ten cent piece and is provided with pins 21 adapted to engage and retain ten cent pieces thereon. These pins will, of course, engage pennies and five centpieces but such pieces when thus retained will project forwardly and overhang the flattened portion. In the embodiment shown the drum is provided with one such flattened portion.

The operation of the removing mecha nism is as follows: After the coins have been deposited by the passengers, it being understood that the receptacle 1 is adapted to receive only pennies, nickels and dimes, they drop into the receiver 1. Vhen the crank 12 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow thus rotating the brush 7 and the drum 11 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, the different flattened portions of the drum pass to the right, the pins upon the various flattened portions engaging the coins and carrying them forward in the following manner: The pins 19 associated with the flattened portion 16 will engage and carry forward five cent pieces only. The pins 20 associated with the flattened portion 17 will engage and move forward pennies or five cent pieces. If, however, a five cent piece is so carried, its overhanging portion will be engaged by the bristles of the rotating brush and the coin will be thrown upward and disengaged from the pins, thereby preventing the five cent pieces from being carried out of the receiver by the penny engaging pins. The pennies, however, which are carried by said pins will lie wholly upon said flattened portions and will be carried past the brush out of the receiver. In a similar manner the pins 21 associated with the flattened portion 18 are permitted to remove ten cent pieces only from the receiver, for pennies or five cent pieces which may be engaged thereby will be struck by the brush and thrown back into the receiver in the manner above described. It will thus be seen that these parts permit the coins to be selectively removed from the receiver. The registering mechanism will now be described.

Disposed upon the shaft 10 and in front of the drum 11 there is shown in Fig. 1 a cam member 22 and pivoted at 23 is a bell crank lever 24 having at one end thereof a roller 25 adapted, when released by a member hereinafter described, to engage the surface of the cam 22. At the outer extremity means of collars 33 and 34. Secured to said sleeve is a ratchet wheel 35 and a pinion 36. A ratchet arm 37 is tightly secured upon the shaft 30 and has pivotally mounted upon the outer end thereof the ratchet pawl 38 which, upon rotation of the shaft 30, engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 35 and turns the sleeve 32 and pinion 36 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. A register 39 of any desired construction is secured to the cover 2 and is provided with a shaft 39 to which is made fast a pinion 10 intcrmeshing with the pinion 36. Upon the hanger 41 is pivotally mounted a pawl 12 which is held by means of a spring 4-3 in contact with the surface of the ratchet wheel 35 and is provided to prevent a reverse rotation of said ratchet wheel when the pawl 38 is disengaged from the teeth thereof. The pinions described may have any desired number of teeth, but in the preferred construction shown, the seg ment 26 and pinion 27 each have ten teeth and the latter member is connected to the register gear 40 by means of the above described ratchet mechanism so as to turn said pinion 10 a complete revolution during each rotation thereof. A spring 4-1, secured to the frame 5 and the bell crank lever 24, tends to hold the roller 25 in contact with the cam surface. Pivotally mounted upon a stud 15 is a bent lever 46, the lower end of which is normally held in contact with the periphery of the drum 11 by means of the spring 47, in a position to be engaged by the forward .edges of the coins carried upon the above described flattened portions of said drum. The opposite end of the lever 46 is provided with a. notch 18 adapted to receive therein a pin 19 which projects from the side of the bell crank lever 24, whereby the said bell crank lever is normally held with its roller out of operative contact with the cam member 22. The latter member is provided with a plurality of recesses, one of which, numbered 50, is of slight depth, and is located a certain angular distance rearwardly of the flattened portion 17 of the drum 11.

The three depressions 51 are each five times as deep as the depression 50, and each is disposed rearwardly of one of the flattened portions 16 of the said drum. The fifth depression 52 is ten times as deep as the depression 50 and is disposed rearwardly of the flattened portion 18 of the drum. Upon rotation of the cam member the roller 25 following the surface of said cam drops into these depressions, whereupon the spring 4 draws down the bell crank lever and the teeth of the segment 26 engaging the teeth of the pinion 27, rotate the ratchet mechanism and the register shaft 39 to indicate an amount directly proportional to the depth of the depression with which the roller 25 is, for the moment, engaged. This roller is normally held out of contact with the cam by means of the lever 46. hen, however, a coin is removed by the pins on any one of the flattened portions, the ad-' vancing edge of the coin trips the lever 46 and releases the pin 49 from engagement with the notch 48. The cam continuing to move until the next high point on its surface is in contact with the roller 25, the bell crank lever is again thrown into its normal inoperative position and the pin is again caught within the notch 48. This position is maintained until the parts are again released by the removal of another coin. It will accordingly be seen that when the roller drops into the depression 50, the lever having been tripped by a coin upon the surface 17, the register will be moved to indicate the removal of one cent. Similarly the depressions 16 will co-act with the member 24 to register five cents, and the depression 52 to register ten cents. In Fig. 4 the roller is shown in operative relation to one of the depressions 51 and the members 24 and 46 in the positions that they will respectively assume upon the removal of a five cent piece. After the coin has passed the end of the lever 46 it falls from the surface of the drum and into a money drawer indicated at 53 in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a construction which dispenses with the spring 44 and in place thereof the device, now to be described, is substituted. A casing 54 provided with a removable cover 55 is loosely fitted upon shaft 27 of pinion 27. From this casing projects an arm 56 adapted to engage a screw 57 to hold said casing against rotation in one direction. A clock spring 58 is positioned within the casing having one of its ends secured to the shaft 27 as by inserting in the slot 59, and the other end thereof secured to the casing. It will be seen from the above that the tension of the spring may be adjusted as by rotating the casing, which may be accomplished by the removal of the screw 57 the latter, after the said adjustment has been made, being re placed to hold the casing immovable. The tension of the spring will tend to turn the shaft to the left, as seen in Fig. 5, and consequently produce a downward swing of the member 24. That is, the spring 58 performs the same function as the spring 44, hereinbefore described, and is, under some conditions, more satisfactory in its action as it takes up the lost motion due to the backlash of the gear teeth.

From the above description it will be seen that there is provided a device of the character described, in which coins depos ited by the passengers are registered before they are available to the conductor for making change, therefore avoiding any possibility of a dishonest employee taking money therefrom without such act being discovered; that in point of construction the device is characterized by its simplicity and few parts, and that the registration of the coins is directly controlled by the denomination of the coin removed.

No claim is made to the specific means for selectively removing coins, as this forms no essential part of the present invention.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove different coins therefrom, a register, a cam secured to said removing means, and a bell crank releasable by a coin and adapted to co-act with said cam to actuate said register in accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

2. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various de nominations, means adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam associated with said removing means having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, and an integral cam arm and gear segment adapted to co-act with said cam to actuate said register in accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

8. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove the various coins therefrom, a register, a cam associated with said removing means having depressions of different depths inthe surface thereof, integral toothed means adapted to co-act with said cam to actuate said register different amounts, and a trigger adapted normally to hold said actuating means in inoperative position and to release the same upon the removal of a coin, whereupon the coin will be registered according to the denomination.

4. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adaptedto receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a cam rigidly connected therewith having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, a member operatively associated therewith to actuate said register different amounts in accordance with the denomination of the coin removed, and means lying in the path of said coin adapted normally to hold said member in inoperative relation to said cam.

5. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, rotatable means adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a cam associated therewith having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, said depressions corresponding in disposition and being related in depth to the means for selectively removing the various coins, andan integral toothed member adapted to co-act with said depressions to actuate said register in. accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

6. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, rotatable means adapted to selectively remove the various coins therefrom, a cam associated therewith having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, said depressions corresponding in disposition and being related in depth to the means for selectively removing the various coins, a member adapted to co-act with said depressions, a gear segment integral therewith to actuate said register, and a trigger adapted. normally to hold said actuating means in inoperative position and to release the same upon the passage of a coin, whereupon the said coin is registered according to its denomination.

7. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove each of the coins therefrom, a register, a cam rigidly connected with said removing means, a gear segment adapted to be oscillated by said cam, and means operatively connecting said segment with said register.

8. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam rigidly connected with said removing means, a gear segment adapted to be oscillated by said cam, and means operatively connecting said segment with said register, comprising a ratchet device adapted to actuate said register upon said segment swinging in one direction and to hold said register immovable upon reversal of said segment.

9. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, rotatable means adapted to selectively remove coins of various denominations, a register, means adapted to actuate said register upon the passage of coins, and means normally lying in the path of removal of said coins adapted to render said last means inoperative when no coins are being removed.

10. In a fare register, the combination of a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove the coins therefrom, a rotatable cam provided with a plurality of depressions of different depths upon the surface thereof, said depressions being graded in depth in accordance with and disposed in a predetermined relation to the means for removing coins of different denominations, a register, a pivotally mounted member provided at one end with a gear segment and having its other end disposed in operative relation to said cam, resilient means tending to hold said member in contact with said cam, and means operatively connecting said gear segment with said register.

11. In a fare register, the combination of a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove the coins therefrom, a cam provided with a plurality of depressions of different depths upon the surface thereof, said depressions being graded in depth in accordance with and disposed in a predetermined relation to the means for removing coins of different denominations, a register, a pivotally mounted member provided at one end with a gear segment and having its other end disposed in operative relation to said cam, resilient means tending to hold said member in contact with said cam, means operatively connecting said gear segment with said register, a lever having one end thereof disposed in the path of removal of the coins and formed at the other end. thereof to engage said member and normally to hold the latter out of contact with said cam, said lever being adapted when struck by a coin to release said member, whereupon the latter will be swung through an arc proportionate to the depth of the depression with which it co-acts, thereby actuating said register to indicate the denomination of the coin removed.

19.. In a fare register, the combination of a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, means adapted to selectively remove the coins therefrom, a cam provided with a plurality of depressions of different depths upon the surface thereof. said depressions being graded in depth in. accordance with and disposed in a predetermined relation to the means for removing coins of different denominations, a register, and means adapted to actuate said register to indicate amounts in direct proportion to the depths of said depressions.

13. In a fare register, in combination, a register, register actuating means, a member normally holding said means in a retracted position ready for actuation of said register, means adapted to feed coins against said member to release said actuating means by movement of said member, and means determining the movement of said actuating means in accordance with the denomination of the coins fed against said member.

14. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, artificial means having different sized pockets adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam rigidly connected with said removing means, and segmental means adapted to co-act with said cam to actuate said register different amounts in accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

15. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, artificial means adapted to selectively remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam associated with said removing means having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, and a bell crank, one arm affording a gear segment, and adapted to co-act with said cam to actuate said register in accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

16. In a fare register, in combination, a

receiver adapted to receive coins of various ing means, a gear segment adapted to be oscillated by said cam, and means operatively connecting said segment with said register.

18. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, a single means adapted to select and remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam associated with said removing means having depressions of different depths in the surface thereof, the different depths corresponding to different denominations of coins, and means adapted to be moved by said cam to actuate said register by such movement in accordance with the denominations of the coins removed.

19. In a fare register, in combination, a receiver adapted to receive coins of various denominations, a single means adapted to select and remove coins therefrom, a register, a cam associated with said removing means, a gear segment adapted to be oscillated by said cam, and means operatively connecting said segment with said register.

20. In a device of the class described a unitary coin carrying element, coin carrymg means on the periphery thereof, certain of said means adapted to carry only one denomination of coin and others to carry certain other denominations of coin, a register, means for throwing the same into operation when a coin is properly engaged on said carrying element, and a cam connected to said element and so disposed as to time the operation of the registering mechanism dependent upon the particular coin carrying means which is carrying the coin.

21. In a device of the class described a coin carrying element, means on the periphery thereof to engage coins of a certain denomination, other means on the periphery thereof to engage coins of another denomination, a register for registering the coins, mechanism operated by a coin properly carried by said means to throw said register into operation, and mechanism for positively actuating the register dependent upon the denomination of coin being carried and independently thereof.

22. In a device of the class described a coin carrying element, a plurality of different coin carrying means thereon, certain ones adapted to carry coins of a certain denomination only and others to carry coins of another denomination, a registering mechanism, means for throwing the same into operation when the coin is properly carried by said element, and positively driven mechanism operated independently of the coin to drive said registering mechanism in accordance with the denomination of coin carried when said mechanism is thrown into operation.

23. In a coin counting device, a hopper to receive coins of varying denominations, a traveling separator separating and positioning the coins thereon in predetermined positions depending on the denomination of the coin, counting mechanism operating by predetermined degrees of movement dependent upon the coin to be counted, a variable movement operating mechanism therefor arranged to operate through its various movements in a predetermined time relation to the travel of the coins upon said traveling coin separator past a certain counting point, trip mechanism extending in the path of the coins at said counting point, normally holding said counting mech anism out of operative position but adapted to release said counting mechanism upon contact with a coin.

2 1 In a coin counting device, a hopper adapted to receive coins of varying denominations, a counting mechanism, an operating mechanism therefor acting by predetermined extents of movement dependent upon the relative value of the coin to be counted, means holding said operating mechanism out of operating position but adapted to release said operating mechanism for the predetermined movements aforesaid by contact with the coin of the denomination corresponding in value to these predetermined movements, a coin separator and carrier device automatically operating' to separate coins from the hopper into varying denominations and to carry such coins as mechanical elements into contact with the holding means aforesaid.

25. In a coin counting device, counting wheels rotatable through varying degrees for the counting and indication of coins of varying denominations, a hopper to receive coins of varying denominations, a coin selector wheel rotating with its peripheral surface moving in the path of the coin in said hopper, spaced coin selecting and re taining means thereon separating and positioning the coins from said hopper upon the peripheral surface of said wheel in predetermined positions corresponding to the denominations of the coins, a cam wheel adjacent said coin wheel, cam surfaces thereon corresponding in number and location to the coin selecting and retaining means, the cam surfaces being each graduated in degree corresponding to the relative value of the coin in its adjacent coin selecting and retaining means, counting wheel rotating mechanism adapted for operation by the cam surfaces aforesaid, a tripmechanism disposed in the path of the coins upon said coin wheel, said trip mechanism normally holding the counting wheel rotating mechanism out of operative position with said cam surfaces but adapted to release said mechanism for operation by said cam surfaces upon contact with a coin upon said coin wheel.

26. In a coin counting device, counting wheels, an operating mechanism acting upon said counting wheels, means holding said operating mechanism out of operating position but adapted to release said operating mechanism by contact with a coin, a hopper for receiving coins of all denominations, a traveling separator for the coins adapted to separate the coins from said hopper into varying denominations and to carry the coins of varying denominations into contact with the holding means aforesaid.

27. In a coin counting device, counting and indicating wheels rotatable through predetermined degrees for the counting and registering of coins of varying denominations, a hopper to receive coins of varying denominations, coin selector means comprising a wheel the peripheral surface of which moves in the path of the coins within said hopper, said peripheral surface having spaced flattened or straight-edged portions, pins embedded therein and projecting from said flattened surfaces a distance suflicient to retain on each flattened surface a single coin, the pins upon the surface designed for the reception and retentionof the largest coin for which the machine is designed being spaced apart a distance less than the (liameter of such coin but greater than the di ameter of the coin next in size, the remaining pins being arranged in groups upon each flattened surface, each group comprising two straight lincs of pins diverging in the direction of rotation of the wheel, the divergent end providing the entrance and the convergent end providing the exit for all coins save those designed to be retained thereon, the arrangement of pins being such as to select and retain upon the periphery of said wheel at least one coin of each of the denominations for which the machine is designed, a cam wheel adjacent said first mentioned wheel with cam surfaces corresponding in number and location to the coin selecting and retaining pins, the cam surfaces being each graduated in degree corresponding to the relative value of the coin to be retained in its adjacent coin selecting and retaining pins, a sector gear imparting movement to the counting and registering wheels and pivoted for varying degrees of movement in a single plane corre sponding to the predetermined degrees of rotation required of the counting and registering Wheels, a rocker arm on said sector gear arranged to be operated by said cam surfaces, and a detent normally holding said rocker arm out of operating relation with said cam surfaces, said detent disposed in the path of the coins upon said coin wheel to release the rocker arm by contact with said coins.

28. In a coin counting and registering device, numeral wheels, operating mechanism therefor, means holding said operating mechanism out of operating position but adapted to release said operating mechanism by contact with a coin, a hopper for receiving coins of all denominations, a traveling separator for the coins adapted to separate the coins from said hopper into varying denominations and to carry said coins for varying denominations into contact with the holding means aforesaid.

29. In a coin counting and registering device, an entrance hopper adapted to receive coins of varying denominations, automatically operating coin separator and conveyer means receiving coins of varying denominations from said hopper, counting and registering mechanism, one member thereof normally held against spring tension in retracted position, and means set in operation by the coins upon the coin separator and conveyer means to release said member of said counting and registering mechanism to register the coins carried on said separator and conveyor means.

30. In a coin counting and registering device, counting wheels rotatable through varying degrees for the counting and registering of coins of varying denominations, a hopper to receive coins of varying denominations, a coin selector wheel rotating with its peripheral surface moving in the path of the coins within said hopper, spaced coin selecting and retaining means thereon separating and positioning the coins from said hopper upon the peripheral surface of said wheel in predetermined positions corresponding with the denomination of the coin,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the a cam wheel adjacent said coin wheel with cam surfaces corresponding in number and location to the coin selecting and retaining means, the cam surfaces being each graduated in degree corresponding to the relative value of the coin in its adjacent coin selecting and retaining means, counting wheel rotating mechanism adapted for operation by the cam surfaces aforesaid, and a trip mechanism disposed in the path of the coins upon said coin wheel, said trip mechanism normally holding the counting wheel rotating mechanism out of operative position with said cam surfaces but adapted to release said mechanism for operation by said cam surfaces upon contact with a coin upon said coin wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROMAIN E 0. PRICE. Witnesses:

CARL JOHN KULBERG, EVERETT J. PEoK.

Commissioner of Potato,

Washington, D. G.

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