US1457488A - Zone-fare system - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1923. 1,457,488

c. R. BARNES ZONE F'ARE SYSTEM Filed Aug. 2 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3M 121M195 H. (sw m 5'5- C. R. BARNES ZONE FARE SYSTEM Filed Aug. 2'7 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 s MW June 5, 1923. 1,457,488

c. R. BARNES ZONE FARE SYSTEM Fil ed Aug. 27 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 was 12. W55.

June 5, 1923.

- c. R. BARNES ZONE FARE S YSTEM Filed Aug. 27 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZONE NUMBER AMOUNT or FARE /z/ II] AHA/E AWLEI A Kf EI June 5, 1923.

. C. R. BARNES ZONE FARE SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 2'7, 1919 Patented June 5, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. BARNES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

ZONE-FARE SYSTEM.

Application filed August 27, 1919.

T all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES It. BARNES, citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Zone-Fare Systems,'of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to pro- 0 vide a system and apparatus for collecting fares for the transportation of passengers on electric railroads in proportion to the distance traveled by the passenger and accounting for the fares so collected.

This and other objects of this invention will be illustratedin the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the trolley car and trolley wire.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a portion of the electrical connections.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3% of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the ticket issuing and printing mechanism, the section being taken on the line 44; of Figure 6.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism for operating the ticket is suing machine. I

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6 6" of Figure 4.

5 Figure 7 is a detail view of the ticket issued by the ticket issuing machine.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the mechanism for operating one of the printing wheels.

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the mechanis'm for automatically indicating successive zones.

Figure 10 is a detail view of the ratchet mechanism for operating the zone indicator.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the zone indicator.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the fare box and ticket receiving and canceling machine, the machine being shown in section.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

, At the present time it is the general practice on city railroads to charge uniform I street car fares regardless of what service may beperfornied or the length of the ride Serial No. 320,204.

that may be given. This fare has until recently in most instances been a 5 fare and in some instances an extra charge is made for a transfer. Recently these fares have been increased in a great many places on account of the increase in the cost of op-- eration. Many of the passengers on city railroads are hauled for short distances and without transfers and others are hauled for very great distances either with or without transfers. Such long haul passengers'should obviously pay a greater transportation charge than should the short haul passengers but the diificulty heretofore has been in indicating such passengers and estimating the charge that should be made against each passenger.

To classify the passengers, I propose to divide a trolley line into a series of zones of predetermined length properly separated from each other and to charge each passenger for the number of zones in which he may be carried. For this purpose I propose to mechanic-ally or automatically issue to each passenger a ticket when he boards the car, which ticket will indicate the zone in which he boarded the car. The passenger will keep this ticket until he leaves the car. When leaving the car, the fare indicator will show both the passenger and the conductor the amount of fare to be paid, based on the number of zones travelled. The passenger will deposit this fare in the fare box and hand the ticket to the conductor who will place the ticket in a predetermined position in the aperture of the fare box, where, by the conductors pressing a button, it will be automatically stamped showing the number of the zone in which it was taken up, also the date and time. A

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates the trolley wire and 2 indicates the trolley car having a trolley pole 3 thereon which makes contact with the trolley wire in the usual way. The trolley pole carries an insulator 4-, preferably of fiber, on which a supplemental contact 5 is carried. which contact is connected to the trolley pole by means of the wire 6, a solenoid 7 (Fig. 2) and a series of lamps 8.

The trolley wheel makes contact with the trolley wire in the usual manner. The contact 5 may or may not be normally in contact with the trolley wire. As the car runs thru the zones the contact of either the con tact 5 or the trolley wheel with the trolley wire may be interrupted and restored without affecting the peration of my apparatus.

At the boundary of the zone T provide an insulator 9 thru which the trolley wire 1 extends, this insulator being shown in cross section in Figure 3. The bottom of this insulator is convex as shown at 10 and a groove 11 runs the length thereof, the insulator having flanges 12 and 13 on each side thereof. ()n the outside or" these flanges are the conductors 1,4 and 15 which are electrically connected to the trolley wire 1 and not grounded. In the groove 11 is provided a conductor 16 which is grounded thru the ground wire 17. The conductor 16 is not electrically connected to the trolley wire but is insulated fromit. The length oi the conductor 1G is shown in dotted lines in F igure 2.

As the trolley runs along it makes contact with the trolley wire 1 and when it comes to the insulator 9 it follows along the lower surface of it making contact with the connections let and 15 and thereby kee innelectrical contact with the trolley wire. The sliding contact 5 passes thru the groove 11 and makes contact with the grounded plate 16, thereby completing the circuit thru the connections diagrammatically illustrated in F igure 2. When this contact reacl the plate 16 the current will flow .thru the lamp bank 8, the solenoid 7, wireG. contact 5, thru the plate '16 and thence to the ground wire 1'7. This will cause the current to flow thru the solenoid in sutlicient strength and in the right direction to secure a result that, will. presently be described.

In Figure 2 I have shown but one solenoid to simplify the showing); of electrica connections in the diagram. In Figure l T have shown three solenoids 7 7 and 7 which. solenoids are arranged in parallel and are operated simultaneouslyby the circuit shown in Figure 2.

These solenoids are used to operate the zone indicators, two of which indicators are used in the printing apparatus ne in connection with the issuing of? the tickets and the other in connection with the printing apparatus which is used to mark the passengers ticket just before he leaves the car. The third solenoid operates a public indicator which is visible .to both passengers and the conductor. This public indicator shows the amount offare due at that time from each passenger in the car, this amount being); dependent upon the Zone in which the passenger entered the car as shown on the ticket which was rece'ivedat the time of boarding. Solenoid 7 'is shown at the front ofthe car in connection with the ticket issuing device, solenoid 7 3 at the upper part of the'car in connection with the indicator,

and solenoid 7 at the rear end of the car in connection with the fare box and ticket collector.

Tn l igures at to 8, inclusive, 1 have shown a ticket issuing and printing mechanism. Reference numeral 20 indicates the casino containing the push button 2]. which operates a rotating switch and closes two circuits in succession. First it closes the circuit 2 which energizes the electromagnet 2st and causes the core thereof to draw the armature mounted on the lever 17, which lever is nvotally mounted on the pivot 28. @n the right hand end of the lever 52? is mounted the platen 29 which forces the ticket 30 against the printing: wheels 31. The rn'inting wheels 31' indicate the Zone in which the car is at that time and the time which the ticket is issued, the zone printing; wheel being indicated at 31" in Figure 6 and the time printing wheels beinp; indicated at 31 and 31 The zone printing-wheel is actuated by the solenoid 7 which attracts the armature 70 which moves in a straight line. The armature operates a bell. crank Tl carrying a pawl 72 which engages a ratchet wheel 73 and feeds it forward one step or one zone at a time, the wheel preferably making: one complete revolution in passing: thru all the Zones. The electromagnets operate the wheels 31 and 31 in like manner. The type wheels 31 and 31 are operated by 'he clcctromagl'nets 32 and 33 which are operated from the commutators 34; and $35 which are driven by the clock work 36. the commutators being connected to the electromagnets by suitable circuit.

The last part of the movement of the push button 21 closes the switch in a circuit 37 which causes the teed of the ticket. This circuit is connected to the motor 38. which is set in operation on the closingoi the switch. driving the chains 39. 40 and 4-1.

Carried on the shaft {l2 of-the motor 58 is the cam 43 which raises the lever l-.4: carrying the switch 4-5. This lever swing-s on the shaft hi and carries on its hub a cam 47. The rotation of the cam 47 moves the movable member 48 of the clutch along the shaft and into engagement with the member 49. causii'ig the sprocket wheel 50 to rotate after the rotation of the motor has begun. This in turn drives the chain 40. the chain 4-1, and the teed rollers 51 and 52 and the cutting. roller The rollers 51. 52 and are'provided with sprocket wheels which are driven by the chain 4-,]. Above the rollers 51 and are provided the rollers 54 and 55 which make contact therewith and are rotated therebv. Above the roller 53 is the roller 56 which is positively driven therefrom and (o-operates therewith to cut the ticket from the strip of which it forms a part.

The cam ii need not he carried on the armature "s it but may be carried on a ill) 7 21 the springthereon will expand and return the button to normal position. This will break the motor circuit 37 and will again close the circuit23 and cause a second operation of the printing mechanism unless that were specially prevented by means that I will now describe.

\Vhen the lever 44 lifts the switch 45, it breaks the circuit 23 of the electromagnet 24 and prevents a second operation of the printing mechanism. It also closes the circuit 57 which is auxiliary to the circuit 37, which circuit continues to drive the motor until it has made one complete revolution at which time the cam 43 permits the lever 47 to drop andbreaks the circuit. It also opens the clutch 48 and 49 and stone the driving of the feeding mechanism. One revolution of the motor is sufficientto feed and cut the ticket.

If the operator pushes the key 21 fa" enough to operate only the first switch, the ticket will be printed but will not be fed and he will, therefore, receive'no ticket. In order to gethis ticket he-must, therefore, push it all the way in to start the feeding mechanism. To preventthe switch from operating the circuits 23 and 37 more than once during one complete operation of the switch and to'make it operate properly otherwise, I provide a one-way engagement between the switch and the key. For this purpose the switch is provided. with a pin 58 on the switch-which is engaged by a dog 59 pivotally mounted on the key. The dog carries the switch/around and permits it to rotate as the key travels in a straight line. Near the end of the forward movement of the key the pin 58 swings away from the dog and out of engagement therewith and the spring 61 will then reset the switch. Before this.

are as follows:

The rotating switch 22 is suitably grounded by the circuit 57 B and'on the operation thereof the circuits 23 and 37 are alternately closed 7 thru the following circuits. IVhen the contact point of the switch makes contact with the contact 23 of the circuit 23, this circult is,closed and current flow from the feed wire 120 thru the auxiliary circuit 23 to the switch 45. The switch is normally closed and allows the current to pass into the circuit 23 thru the winding of the magnet 24 and into the circuit 225, from where it passes thru the switch circuit 57 into the ground. Thus, when the switch 22 momentarily closes the circuit 23 during its rotation the magnet 24 is energized for an instant during which it operates the platen 29 so as to print the ticket.

On the further rotation of the switch 22, the contact thereof makes contact with the contact 37 of the circuit 37. This closes the circuit 37 and allows current to flow from the feedwire 120 thru the auxiliary circuit 37 to the motor 38 and thru its winding to the circuit 37 from which it passes thru tho switch 22 to the ground circuit 57 At the instant the circuit 37 is thus closed by the switch, the motor 38 starts to rotate. The switch as above described, returns immediately to a neutral position after it has made an instantaneous contact with the contact 37 The closing of this circuit starts the motor but does not continue to furnish current to the motor after it has started and in order to make the motor continue to rotate auxiliary circuits 57 and 57 are used. The auxiliary circuit 57 is connected. to the switch 45 which is insulated in the arm 44 and when the arm 44, on which the switch carried, is raised, the circuits 57 and 57 are closed and furnish current to the motor to continue its rotation as previously described. The switch 45 is closed during the first movement the armature of the motor makes when the circuit 37 is closed. The switch 45 is opened as soon as the arm drops back to its normal position after one complete revolution of the cam 42.

In Figure 7 I have shown a specimen of the ticket that may be used in connection with the machine.

In Figures 9, 10 and 11 I have shown the indicator for indicating the charges to be made for trips of different distances. For this purpose I provide a series of disks, for each of the zones in which the line may be divided, it being understood. that one disk is provided for each zone. Any number of zones may be provided for in this case I have, however, shown seven disks providing for seven zones with aminimum fare of three cents and a maximum fare of nine cents as clearly seen by the upper disk at the end of the line. These disks are geared together in a single train so that they will all turn simultaneously, the odd ones in one direction and the even ones in the opposite direction; The first disk 7 5 is operated by a lever 7 6 thru a pawl 77 and ratchet 78. The ratchet is held against reverse movement by a pawl 79. The lever 76is operated by an armature 80 operated by a'solenoid7 and operates the ratchet when itmoves in the re-verse direction.

The disks 75, 81, S2, 83, 8a, 85. and 86 are arranged in a row behind a plate having suitable sight openings 121, 122 123 124-, 125. 126 and 127. thru which the amount of fare is shown and the sight openings 121 122 123 124 123 126 and 127 thru which the c rresponding number of zones is shown. On the disks are carried numbers which will appear thru these openings, the openings being large enough to display one number at a time and no more. On the first disk will. appear the numerals 3 to 9, inclusive, the numeral 3 appearing at the sight opening at the start. lVith the first impulse of the solenoid and the reverse movement of the armature the numeral displayed on the first disk will change from 3 to 4.

On the second disk will appear the numerals 3. 3 to 8 inclusive, the numeral 3 appearing twice. On the third disk the numeral 3 will appear three times followed by the numerals t to 7 inclusive. On the fourth disk the numeral 3 will appear four times followed by the numerals 4- to 6 inclusive. On the fifth disk the numeral 3 will appear five times followed by the numerals 4t and 5. On the sixth disk the numeral 3 will appear six times followed by the numeral 41. On the seventh disk the numeral 3 will appear seven t mes without any additional numerals. On the second impulse of the solenoid. the first disk will change from 4 to 5, the second disk from 3 to 4;, and the remaining disks will change from 3 to On the third impulse of the solenoid, the first disk will change from 5 to 6 the second disk will change from 1- to 5, the third disk will change from 3 to l. and the remaining disks will change from 3 to 3, In like manner with each succeeding impulse the disks will move forward. bring ing the next succeeding numeral into view and on the sixth impulse the sixth disk will change from 3 to l, and theseventh disk will still continue to show 3.

At all times the first disk willv show the total fare to be charged in traveling from the first zone to the zone in which the car at that time maybe and the succeeding disks will show the fare to be charged from the other successive zones to-the zone in which the car at that time sothat by an inspection of the ticket'of the passenger the zone in which he boarded the car will be shown and the indicator opposite the zone of that number will show at oncethe fare to be charged to that passenger-when he leaves the car.

Y The fare that each passenger must pay willbe further-explained as follows:

When the car is in the first zone, all the registers will show 3. hen the car has reached the fourth zone, the first register will show 6 (Fig; '11) ythe second will' "show printing the zone and the time.

6, the third will show ii: and all the rest will the car in'the second zone will have his ticket marked accordingly and the second zone indicator will show that if he leaves the car in the fourth zone he must pay a fare of If he leaves the car after it has reached the fifth zone he must pay a fare of 6 and the register opposite the second zone number will show the numeral 6. In like manner. the fare for each passenger will be determined.

In Figure 12 I have shown the fare box and the ticket receiving and cancelling machine the machine being shown in section.

The fare'looX is shown. at the right of the figure and is indicated by the numeral and is substantially the same as the registering fare boxes now in use on many railroads and is such as is described in Patent No. 1,096,- 172. Johnston. In the ticket cancelling machine on the left is provided a casing 9.1 having a pocket 92 therein. From this pocket extends the slot 93 to the feed rollers 94 and 95 which feed into a receptacle 96 below the feed rollers so as to keep the cancelled 'tickets separate from the money dropped into the farebox,

On one'side of the slot 93 is provided a movable platen 97 mounted on a lever 98 pivoted at 99. This lever is actuated by the electromagnet 100 which is controlled .y the rotary switch 101 operated by the push button 102 which is substantially the same in construction and operation as the corresponding switch 22 in Figure l, the first contact of the switch serving to operate the platen and the second contact of the switch serving to operate the electric motor 103 which is controlled by the lever 104;, switch 105 and a clutch similar to that shown in Figure 5.

The revolution of the motor drives the chain 106, chain 107 and feed roller 9%. The feed roller 94 in turn drives the feed roller and feeds the ticket.

The feed roller 9:") is provided with a cam 108 which lifts a stem 109 which in turn closes the valve 110 at the top of the slot 98 to prevent the insertion of a second ticket while the first one is being fed.

On the right of the slot 93 is provided a series of printing wheels similar to those -llustrated in Figure 6 for the purpose of The'zone wheel 'is operatedby the'solenoid 7 and the wheels for printing the time are controlled by the clock 86 shown in Figure 4.

In order to supply at all times current to the mechanism for operating the ticket issuing and cancelling machine, a wire 120 is provided by which the current is fed from the trolley thru the resistance 8 to the motors and electromagnets for operating the ticket issuing machines and the ticket cancelling machines; This circuit is grounded thru the track in any suitable manner.

The operation of my device is a follows:

When the passenger boards the car he operates the ticket feeding device shown in Figure 4-,,which delivers to him a ticket marked with the number of the zone in which he boarded the car and the time that he boarded the car. These tickets are also serially numbered. He keeps possession of the ticket until he leaves the car, when he presents the ticket to the conductor who ascertains the fare due from the passenger by an inspection of the indicators shown in Figure 11. The conductor sees that the passenger deposits the proper fare in the fare box andthe conductor puts the ticket in the ticket cancelling machine and operates the machine by pressing the button 102 which stamps the ticket with the time and the number of the zone, the indication of the zones on the ticket indicating the fare that is to be charged against that ticket. At the end of the run the fare box may be emptied and the fares called for by the tickets should equal the fares that have actually been placed in the box.

It will be understood that the ticket issuing machine will be located in one part of the car and the ticket cancelling machine and. fare box will be located in another part of the car, the part where the passengers leave, and the conductor will be regularly stationed at the ticket cancelling machine.

The fares and the cash are deposited separatelyin suitable receptacles in the box 111 which may be removed sealed from the box at the end of the run or a series of runs and sent into the oflice of the company intact so that the conductor will have no opportunity to disturb either the tickets or the cash.

I claim:

1. In a zone fare system, the combination of a plurality of registers mounted in a car, said registers indicating successive zones, means for causing said registers to change their indication as the car moves from one zone to another, one of said registers being adapted to print a ticket for a passenger with the number of the zone in which he boarded thecar, the other register being adapted to print the'ticket with the number of the zone in which he left the car.

2. In a zone fare system, the combination of a trolley car, a ticket issuing machine having a printing mechanism cooperating therewith mounted in said car, and

means for automatically setting said printingmechanism, a ticket cancelling machine having a printing mechanism co-operating therewith mounted in said car, and means for automatically setting said printing mechanism of said ticket cai'icelling machine, said automatic means -lor setting both of said printing mechanisms simultaneously controlled by the movement oi the trolley car from one zone to another.

3. In a zone fare system, the combination of a trolley car, a trolley circuit, a ticket issuing machine and a ticket cancelling machine in said trolley car, a printing mechanism co-operating with said ticket issuing and one with said ticket cancelling machines, a stationary insulator carried in said trolley circuit, a grounded contact member provided in said insulator, a trolley, a contact member carried on said trolley and insulated therefrom, said contact member on said trolley being adapted to make contact with said grounded contact member on said insulator, a shunt circuit in series with said movable contact member on s id insulator and shunted around said trolley, said hunt circuit operating said printing mechanism of said ticket issuing and said ticket cancelling machine.

-1. In a zone tare system the combination of a car, an electric motor circuit in said car, a trolley carried on circuit, said trolley being adapted to v d said motor circuit from said trolley circuit, a contact member carried on said trolley and insulated therefrom and making contact with said trolley circuit behind said trolley, means prm ided in said trolley circuit at suitable intervals thereof to break said contact member from said trolley circuit and bring it in contact with a ground I circuit to cause the current from said trolley circuit to partially flow thru said trolley into said-indicator circuit to the ground said car, a trolley thru said contact member and partially thru said motor circuit in said car, a ticket issuing machine mounted at the entrance of said car and a ticket cancelling machine mounted at the exit of said car, means operated by said indicator circuit to automatically and simultaneously change the setting of said ticket issuing machine and ticket cancelling machine, said ticket issuing machine being adapted to furnish a ticket embossed with the indicator setting showing the position of the car in the trolley circuit when entering the car and said ticket can-- celling machine being adapted to emboss the ticket with the indicator setting showing the position of the car in the trolley circuit when leaving the car.

5. In a zone fare system, the combination of a continuous trolley circuit, a series of insulated contacts supported on said trolley circuit, said contacts being grounded, a trolley car carrying a trolley, said trolley carrying a contact member, said trolley being adapted to make contact with said trolley circuit and said contact member on said trolley being adapted to make contact with said contact. supported on said trolley circuit to form a ground circuit for said trolley at predetermined intervals, a solenoid connected in series with said ground circuit, said solenoid being adapted to operate when grounded in series with said ground circuit, a zone recording mechanism operated by said solenoid, said zone recording mechanism operating to indicate successive sections of said trolley circuit separated by said contacts carried on said trolley circuit, a ticket issuing mechanism, and a printing mechanism, means to print the zones recorded by said recording mechanism on the tickets issued by said ticket issuing mechanism.

6. In a zone tare system, the combination of a continuous trolley circuit, a series of insulated cont-acts supported on said trolley circuit, said contacts being grounded, a trolley car carrying a trolley. said trolley carrying a contact member, said trolley beii adapted to make contact with said trolley circuit and said contact member on said trolley being adapted to make contact with said contact supported onsaid trolley circuit to form a ground circuit for said trolley at predetermined intewals, a solenoid connected in series with said ground circuit, said solenoid being adapted to operate when grounded in series with said. ground circuit, a zone recording mechanism operated by said solenoid, said zone recording mechan-, ism operating to indicate successive sections of said trolley circuit separated by said contacts carried on said trolley circuit, a ticket issuing mechanism, and a printing mechanism, means to print the zones recorded, by said recording mechanism on the tickets is sued by said ticket. issuing mechanism, a ticket cancelling mechanism, said ticket cancelling mechanism operating to print on the issued ticket the zone recorded by said recording mechanism.

7. In a zone tare system, the combination of a continuous trolley circuit, a series of insulated. contacts supported 011 said trolley circuit, said contacts being grounded, a trolley car carrying a trolley, said trolley carrying a contact member, said trolley be ing adapted to make contact with said trolley circuit and said contact member on said trolley being adapted to make contact with said contact supported on said trolley circuit to form a ground circuit tor said. trolley at predetermined intervals, a solenoid connected in series with said ground. circuit, said solenoid being adapted to operate when grounded in series with said ground circuit, a zone recording mechanism operated by said solenoid, said zone recording mechanism operating to indicate successive sections of said trolley circuit separated by said contacts carried on said trolley circuit, a ticket issuing mechanisn'i, and a printing mechanism, means to print the zones recorded by said recording mechanism on the tickets issued by said ticket issuing mechanism. a ticket cancelling: mechanism, said ticket cancelling mechanism operating to print on the issued ticket the zone recorded by said recording mechanism, a time recording mechanism, said time recording mechanism operating in connection with the printing mechanism of said ticket issuing and. said ticket cancelling mechanism to record the time when issued and cancelled on the tickets.

In testimony whereof I am my signature.

CHARLES R; BARNES,

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