US1932614A

US1932614A - Fare box

Info

Publication number: US1932614A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1933-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-31

Description

S. J. BELL Oct. 31, 1933.

FARE BUX Original Filed March 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR A TTORNEY.

s. J. BELL 1,932,614

FARE BOX Original Filed March 26, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet- 2,

A33 4 /Z/ A30 A TTORN E Y.

Oct. 31, 1933. 5 J. BELL 1,932,614

FARE BOX Original Filed March 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 FARE BOX Samuel. 'J. Bell, Springfield, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ohmer Fare Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application March 26,

1929, Serial No. 349,922

Renewed April 14, 1933 16 Claims.

My invention relates generally to improvements in fare boxes of the type of that which forms the subject of United States Letters Patent No. 1,499,904, dated July 1, 1924, and specifically to improvements in the box of said patent; and the primary object or" said invention is further to increase the safety of a box of this character and its capability of guarding or protecting the contents of the same from the time any coin,

1g token, or ticket is deposited therein by the purchaser until it is removed therefrom by a duly authorized ofiicial, to the end that theft between such periods is practically impossible.

As factors in accomplishing the above-named object mention is made of a four-point, semiautomatic lock which must be worked through before the cash drawer, once properly inserted in the case, can be removed, and whereby the shutter for the cover of said drawer is'closec. and locked before such removal is possible, checks in case of mutilation of or improper interference with certain parts for the purpose of surreptitiouslygaining access to the cash drawer and unlawfully abstracting the contents therefrom, and visual checks readily observable by an inspector. I i

A further object is to effect the ringing of the bell associated with the register only after said register has been operated torecord the fare each time, and thus render it impossible to manip'dlate the register in a manner to prevent recording while at the same time sounding the bell.

Another object is to provide the box Withbaflle plates of acharacter that practically precludes removal of acoin, token, or ticket with the aid of a piece of string or Wire.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, whereby I attain the objects and secure the advantages of the same, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I will proceed to describe invention with reference to said drawings, although it is to be understood that the form, construction, arrangement, etc., of the parts in various aspects be varied or modified witliout departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

In the drawings, which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away and in sectionto disclose interior construction, and a portion broken out to shorten the view, of

, a fare box which embodies'a practical form of my invention as aforesaid; Fig. 2, a rearelevation of the upper portion of the receiving hopper and of the register plate and register; Fig. 3, a front elevation, with parts broken away and in section, to disclose interior construction, and a portion broken out as in the first view, of'said' box; Fig. 4', an end elevation of the tell-tale replacer; Fig. 5, a side elevation of said replacer, air intermediate portion being broken out; Fig. 6, a Vertical section through the box taken on lines 66, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. 3';

Fig. 7, a section through the upper portion of the box on lines 7 7, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a vertical section taken on 1ines8'8', looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. '7; Fig, 9, a horizontal section through'the observatory, taken on lines99, in Fig. 6; Fig. 10, a sectional detail showing the shutte'r-holding arm in operative position; Fig. 11, a detail of the parts and members appearing in the preceding view, but taken at right-angles thereto; Fig. 12, a bottom plan: of a portion of the drawer cover, shutter, and latch mechanism, showing said shutter" fully" closed and locked; Fig. 13, a similar View showing the shutter partially closed and locked; Fig. 14'; a detail of said latch mechanism with the bolt set Fig. 15, a'bottoin plan of said cover, shutter, and latch mechanism, the shutter being shown at the forward end of its travel, with the latch bolt released from its detent; Fig. 16, afront elevation of the case and drawer locking'meCha nisms, the frontsides of the case and drawer being cut away and said mechanisms being normally disposed; Fig. 17, an operative detail of: said last-named mechanisms"; Fig. 18, a sectional detail of the discharge hopper and inspection plates, and, Fig. 19, a rear elevationof the drawer key-operated lock.

The casing of this fare box comprises'a casel in the front of which is a large opening to receive a cash drawer 2, and in the t'OpbfWhich-isa large opening represented at 3 in Fig. 6, and a small opening or slot represented'ate in Figs; 16' and 17, the slot being in front of the secondnamed opening; an observatory 5 mounted on a base 10 that in turn is mounted directly on' tlie top of said case, said observatory being open at the top and bottom and said base beingope'nin the centerj'anda'receiving hopper 11 mounted on said observatory.

At thebottom of the case 1 are two trac s lz extending longitudinally or between the front? and back of said, case. The tracks 12" are adapted to receive thereon the bottom of thedrawer 2,

' the hopper 21.

and said bottom is provided with two ribs 13 to engage said tracks on the inner sides thereof and guide said drawer in a straight course. To facilitate the introduction of the drawer 2 into the case 1 and onto the tracks 12, each of the latter at its forward terminal on top is inclined downwardly and forwardly, as shown at 14 in Figs. 1 and 6. The bottom of the case 1 between the tracks 12 may be open.

The observatory is made up of glass plates and metallic corner-pieces located between the base and an exterior flange 15 at the upper end of a baffle hopper 16 which extends down into said observatory. The receiving hopper 11 has a flanged base 17 which is received on the flange 15. Four bolts 18 and the same number of nuts 19 and washers 20 are employed to fasten together securely the

hoppers

11 and 16 and the base 10, with the glass plates and corner-pieces between. Each bolt 18 passes down through the base 17, the flange 15, the observatory 5, the base 10, and the top of the case 1, also through an exterior lug on a discharge hopper 21 located in said case below the opening 3, to receive one of the washers 20 and one of the nuts 19 thereon under said lug. A tube 22, of yielding material, through which each bolt 18 also passes, separates the glass from the bolt, and cushions 23-23 at the top and bottom of the glass prevent the same from coming into contact with the flange 15 above and the base 10 below-see Fig. 3.

The base 10 has sloping front and back pieces 2424 and sloping side pieces 2525 which extend downwardly into the case opening 3 onto the upper edge of the discharge hopper 21. The base pieces 24 project slightly beyond the front and back edges at the top of the hopper 21, while the base pieces 25 at their inner edges are flush with the side edges at the top of said hopper.

The drawer 2 is provided with a cover 26 in the top of which is an opening 27 located directly beneath the opening in the bottom of the discharge hopper 21, when said drawer is in place in the case 1, and of the same size and shape as said last-named opening. There is just sufficient space between the tops of the tracks 12 and the bottom of the hopper 21 to admit the drawer2. The

inclined pieces

24 and 25 of the base 10 form a short funnel leading from the interior of the observatory 5 to the interior of The cover 26 is provided with a shutter 28 in which is an opening 29 of the same size and shape as the cover opening 27 and can be located directly under the same, when there is a-continuous passage from the open mouth at the top of the receiving hopper 11 to the interior of the drawer 2, such passage leading through said hopper, the baffle hopper 16, the observatory 5, the base 10, the discharge hopper 21, the cover 26, and the shutter 28.

Normally the top of the hopper 21 is closed by means of two inspection plates 30. These plates are secured adjacent to their outer (when horizontally disposed) longitudinal edges to two

horizontal rock shafts

31 and 32 journaled in the front and back sides of the hopper 21 near the top. The plates 30, when horizontally and normally disposed, meet at their free longitudinal edges, and bear against the parts of the bottom edges of the pieces 24 that project inwardly over the open upper end of the hopper 21, which edges limit the upward movement of said plates. Atthis time the aforesaid passage through the casing is closed.

The objects dropped into the hopper 11 find their way quickly to the plates where they can be inspected before being dumped into the hopper 21. The mechanism for holding and operating the plates 30 will next be described.

Mounted on and rigidly secured to the shaft 31 at the forward terminal is an operating lever 33 which extends upwardly through the slot 4 in the case 1, and mounted on and secured to the shaft 32 at the forward terminal is a rocker arm 34. A lever 35 is pivotally connected at 36 with a depending lug 3'7 in the case 1. A link 38 has its forward terminal pivotally connected at 39 with the lever 33, and the other terminal pivotally connected at 40 with the lower or forward (according to position) terminal of the lever 35, and a link 41 has its forward terminal pivotally connected at 42 with the upper or rear (according to position) terminal of said firstnamed lever, and the other terminal pivotally connected at 43 with the free terminal of the arm 34. A spring 44 extends between the pivot 43 and a pin 45 on the link 38, and tends con-' stantly to rock the shaft 31 to the right and the shaft 32 to the left, through the medium of the

links

38 and 41 and the lever 35, and owing to the location of the pivot 39 on the lever 33, and thus normally to retain the inspection plates 30 up under and in contact with the base pieces 24, as clearly shown in Fig. 16.

Upon rocking the lever 33 to the left, against the resiliency of the spring 44, the

shafts

31 and 32 are rocked in the directions to swing the plates 30 down into a vertical position, as indicated by broken lines in Figs. 17 and 18, said lever acting directly on said first-named shaft and indirectly or through the intervening parts and members on said second-named shaft. In this manner the object or objects, if any, on the plates 30 are dumped into the hopper 21. Upon the release of the lever 33 the spring 44 immediately contracts and brings about an action of the parts and members then controlled by said spring, including the plates 38, whereby the latter are closed.

The lever 33 has a disc-like hub, as will have been observed, and in such hub is an indentation or notch 46. This notched hub is a part of the locking and releasing mechanism for the drawer 2 including the cover 26 and the shutter 28.

The drawer 2 has an exterior handle'47 at the front end, also a key lock 48, and is equipped at the back end with another key lock 49.

Referring to Fig. 19, wherein a rear elevation of the lock 48 appears, it will be seen that a link 50 has one terminal pivotally connected at 51 with an eccentrically arranged member 52 of said lock, and the other terminal pivotally connected at 53 with a horizontal bolt 54 which slides in a passage through a projection 55 integral with the drawer 2. The projection 55 extends inwardly from the left hand side of the drawer 2, and the passage therethrough opens at the inner end adjacent to the lock 48 and at the outer end through said side. Thus the bolt 54 can be projected with its outer terminal behind the left-hand vertical flange (56) which bounds the drawer opening in the front of the case 1 on that side.

When the lock 48 is operated by its key (not shown) in one direction, the bolt 54 is advanced by the lock member 52, through the medium of the link50, until the free terminal of said bolt is behind the flange 55, and, when said lock is operated in the opposite direction, said bolt, through the same medium as before, is retracted.

Til

When the drawer 2 is pushed into'the case 1 as far as possible, and the bolt 54 advanced, the latter locks said-drawer securely in place in said case, but, upon retracting said bolt, said drawer is left free to be withdrawn from said case, so far as the lock 48 is concerned.

I The lock 49 is equipped with oppositely disposed, horizontal bolts 56-56, of the springpressed type. These bolts are locatedinside of the drawer 2 a short distance from'the back side and a short distance from the top of said drawer. At the forward end of the cover 26 are two'lugs 57 that are receivable in two openings 58 in the front of the drawer 2 near the top thereof. The lugs 57 when in place are discernible through the openings 58 in which they are then located, and so afford visual evidence from the outside that the cover 26 is in place on the drawer and in the upper part of the same. Thus the lugs 5'7 serve thepurpose of securing the cover 26 at the front end, and as a means of disclosing the presence of said cover to any observer. Adjacent to the rear end of the cover 26, underneath, are two depending, hooked lugs 59 in position to snap into engagement with the lock bolts 56, when said end of said cover is forced downwardly. The lock lugs 59 depend from a transverse bar 60 that has its ends secured by screws or other means to two lugs 61 on the bottom of the cover 26, which lugs are received in the rear corners of the drawer 2 when said cover is in place. I

In applying the cover 26 to the drawer 2, the lugs 57 are first inserted in the openings 58, said cover being tilted to permit this to be done, and

then the cover is laid down on the top of said drawer, with the lugs 61 in the back corners, suflicient force being employed to snap the looking lugs 59 into engagement with the bolts 56, unless said bolts be in retracted position at the time, in which latter event they are advanced with the aid of the key (not shown) to engage said locking lugs. The cover is now held immovably on the drawer, with parts extending down inside of said drawer, and can not be removed until the lock 49 is operated to withdraw the bolts 56 from engagement with the lugs 59, when the rear end of the cover can be lifted out and off of the drawer, and the cover moved to withdraw the lugs 57 from the front end of said drawer.

The lugs 61, lugs 62 and63 at the front end from which the lugs 57 project, parallel flanges 64 having at their inner ends lugs 65 and 66 respectively, and an extension flange 67, all on the under side of the cover 26, form guides between which the shutter 28 slides. The shutter 28 slides on the bar 60 and

straps

68 and 69. 68 is secured by screws or other means to the

lugs

62 and 65, and the strap 69 is secured by screws or other means to the

lugs

63 and 66. Let into and fastened to the flange 67 is a bar 70 having a notch 71 in and five (more or less) ratchet teeth 72 on the inner longitudinal edge The bar 70 is on the right hand side thereof. of the cover 26. The strap 69 has 'a'forward knock-01f lug 73 and a rear stop '74.

' On the top of the cover 26 are two longitudinally extending ribs 75 having flaring inner sides to embrace the sides of the lower part of the hopper 21, and a transverse rib 76 having an inner'flarilng side to bearagainst said part of said hopper in front, when the drawer 2 is in place, thus with thehopper cutting oif acc'ess from the outside to the cover opening 27 and The strap the shutter 28. There may also be another guard rib '77 in front of the rib 76. The right-handrib 75 may be continued forward to meet the'rib 77.

Mounted on and secured by screws or other means to the top of the cover 26, at the right of the guard ribs is a lock-stop block 78. This block might be integral with the cover, but it is preferred to make the same separate therefrom and secure it thereto with double sets of screws or by other means, because said block should be of such hard metal as to render it difficult to cut or otherwise remove a portion thereof. Further explanation in regard to this matter will subsequently be given.

The shutter 28 is substantially the same length as the cover 26, but has a lip '79 at the rear end which extends upwardly behind said cover. In front of the lip 79 slot 86 inthe cross-piece at the rear end of the shutter 28. When the drawer 2 is moved back in the case 1, the rear end of the shutter at opposite points adjacent to the ends of the slot 8, encounters two bosses 81 on the back side of said case, and bear on said bosses until said drawer is removed from the case. An opening 82 in the back part of the shutter 28 is made to convert such part into a handle for convenience in carrying the drawer with the cover and shutter. A hole is made in the shutter cross-piece, which is between the

openings

29 and 82, to receive a pin 84. The object of this pin will presently be explained. A spring 85 extends from a horizontal pin 86 projecting from the right-hand end of the cross bar 60 to a pin 87 projecting from the left-hand side of the shutter 28. The spring 85 is of suflicient strength only to maintain the shutter against its own weight in advanced position, or rearwardly disposed to the full extent, with the back portion out of the cover. In the absence of the spring 85, the shutter, when unlatched and in an upright position, would drop down in the cover and trip the latch mechanism next to be described, as will presently appear.

Within the shutter 28, adjacent to the forward end and opening through the right-hand side thereof. is a horizontal passage 88 for a latch bolt 89. A spring 99 is lccated in the passage 88, between the inner end of said passage and the inner end of the bolt 89, and tends to force the latter downwardly into contact with the bar 70 and engagement with the teeth 72 or the recessed part at 71. There is alongitudinal slot 91 in the bottom of the passage 83 under the bolt 89, and a pin 92 extends downwardly from said bolt through said slot. The pin 92 is provided with a cover plate 93 for the bottom of the slot 91. A detent 94' for the bolt 89, has its inner end pivotally connected at 95 with the bottom of the shutter 28, and is provided in the front edge with a nctch 96 to receive the pin 92 when said bolt is retracted agai the resiliency of the spring 90. The kneels-o f lug 73 is in the path of the outer terminal of e "1e detent. 95. A pin 97 depends from the bott. behind the outer terminal portion of the detent 95, and the stop 74 is in the path of said pin.

The back side of the drawer 2 is cut down on 1 of the shutter:

the top in the center, represented at 98, to ac-' detent 94 is swung out of engagement with the pin 92, the bolt 89 is released to its spring and by the latter forced outwardly against the bar 70.

Before placing the cover 26 on and in the top of the drawer 2, with the lugs 5'7 in the openings 58 and the rear-end portion of the shutter 28 in the recess 98, the latch bolt 89 is set, and the spring positions said shutter with the pin 97 against the stop 74, although that is merely incidental, the principal object of said spring having hereinbefore been set forth-see Figs. 14 and 17. Now, if the shutter 28 be secured by means of the lock 19, the drawer 2 with its parts and members is ready to be placed in the case 1. When the drawer is shoved into the case, the shutter is moved forward until the detent 94 encounters the lug 73 and thereby caused to release the bolt 89 toits spring, and the opening 29 is exactly under the opening 2'7, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 15. Upon the withdrawal of the drawer from the case, the shutter is held (by means yet to be described) while said drawer is moving, and the bar 70 slides forward with the drawer until the pin 97 contacts with the stop 7 1, and by which time the outer end of the bolt 89 enters the notch 71, having clicked over the teeth 72, when the opening 27 is completely closed by the shutter, as shown in Fig. 12. The bolt now prevents the shutter from being opened.

In the event the shutter 28 be prevented from completely closing the opening 2'7, as by the presence in said opening of some object surreptitiously or improperly introduced, the bolt 89 engages one of the teeth 72 and so prevents inward movement of the shutter to uncover more of said opening, in which connection attention is called to Fig. 18. Without the teeth 72 the presence of an object, such as a strap, in the

openings

27 and 29 would prevent the shutter from closing fully and the bolt 89 from entering the notch 71, consequently said shutter could be opened wide as the drawer was removed from the case. With the shutter locked in partially closed posi- 7 tion when delivered at the oiiice, it is immediately evident that someone has tampered with the parts;

The drawer 2, when closed and locked, is handled by means of the protruding portion of the shutter 28, in fact said drawer is handled by the same means before as well as after it is placed in the case 1. Owing to the somewhat rough usage the drawer receives after being taken out of the case, the bolt 89 is subjected to great strain, a strain that sometimes breaks the bolt, and to prevent this I provide the pin 84. As soon as the conductor or other authorized person removes the drawer from the case, he slips the pin 84 through hole 83 now located directly back of the rear edge of the cover 26, and said pin and edge take any blows and the strain ofi of the bolt 89. The pin 84 may also be used after the latch mecha nism has been set, in order to prevent the shutter from being moved, against the resiliency of the spring 85, into the cover. But in any event the pin 34 must be withdrawn before the drawer can be inserted in the case.

The latch mechanism constitutes part of the four point lock which controls the removal of the drawer 2 from the case 1, and causes the shutter 28 to assume its closed and locked position. The other elements of the four-point lock will next be described.

J ournaled in suitable bearings in the case 1, at the right-hand side thereof, is a horizontal rock shaft 99. This shaft projects beyond the front side of the case, and has mounted on and secured to such protruding terminal an operating lever 100, which extends upwardly and to the left from said shaft. Mounted on and secured to the shaft 99 inside of the front of the case is a drawer-lock arm 101, also a stop and lock arm 102, the latter being part of the former and in the same vertical plane with the operating lever 33. Mounted on and secured to the shaft 99 at the rear terminal is a shutter-lock arm 103. A spring 104 has one end secured to the shaft 99, is wound around said shaft, and at the other end bears against the right-hand side of the case 1. The spring 104 is thus arranged to rock the shaft 99 to the right.

The arm 101 extends downwardly from the shaft 99, and a horizontal stop pin is set in the front of the case 1 in the path of said arm to limit the movement of the same and of the connected parts and members in the directions imparted thereto by the spring 104. Normally the arm 101 is retained by the spring 104 in con-=- tact with the pin 105. When the lever 100 is swung downwardly it actuates the shaft 99 in the direction to swing the arm 101 to the right and into contact with the adjacent side of the case 1, and movement in this direction is limited by said side.

The arm 102 extends upwardly from the shaft 99, and the unnotched periphery of the hub of the lever 33 is normally in the path of said arm and prevents movement to the left of said shaft, but, when said lever is rocked, against the resiliency of the spring 4 1, to the left to open fully the inspection plates 30, the notch 16 is brought into position to receive the outer terminal of the arm and thus enable said shaft to be rocked, against the resiliency of the spring 10 1, in the direction to swing the arm 101 downwardlysee Fig. 17. Then the arm 101 is out of the path of the block 78. At all other times the arm 101 5 is in the path of the block 78, it being assumed in this and the other condition that the drawer 2 is in the case 1. First the lever 33 must be rocked and then the lever 100. Upon releasing these two levers their controlling springs respectively return them and the connected parts and members to former and initial or normal position. While the arm 102 is in the notch 46 the lever 33 is held thereby and the inspection plates prevented from closing. With the arm 102 in 5 normal position the lever 33 can be and is operated from time to time to open and close the inspection plates, and when so operated does no affect or act on any other mechanism.

While the arm 101 is in contact with the pin 105 the arm 103 is in an approximately horizontal position, and extends to the left from the shaft 99 over the slot 80 in the shutter 28 when the latter is in place. When, however, the parts are actuated against the force of the spring 10 1, the arm 103 is swung down into the slot 80 behind the lip '79, as clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and so prevents the shutter 28 from being drawn forward with the drawer 2 until released by said arm. The arm 103 is swung up again to release 149 the shutter upon the reverse movement of the shaft 99.

While the arm 102 is in the notch 46 the inspection plates 30 are held open, as hereinbefore stated, consequently the shutter 28 can not be moved to close the opening into the drawer 2 before whatever is on said plates is dumped into said drawer.

In inserting the drawer 2, after setting the latch mechanism, the inner end of the block '78 159 encounters the arm 101 and makes it necessary to rock the lever 33 and then the lever 100, both to the left, in order to remove said arm from the path of said block. The lever should not be operated until the drawer is far enough within the case to locate the lip 79 back of the arm 103 when the latter is swung down after said lever is swung up. The drawer can now be pushed-into the case to the full extent, the lever 100 and the lever 33 meanwhile being released. Upon the release of the lever 100 the arm 101 takes position in front of the block 78 and so prevents the drawer from being drawn outwardly. The drawer is finally secured with the lzey iock 13. p

The four-point lock consists of the lever 33, the

arms

101, 102, and 103, with the latch mech-. anism, and the associated and connected parts and members. Y

To withdraw the drawer 2 with the shutter 28 closed and looked, after releasing said drawer from the key lock 4-8, the operation is as follows: The lever 33 is thrown into position to release the arm 102 by reason of the new positon of the notch 46, the lever 100 is pressed. downwardly to withdraw the arm 101 from in front of the block 78, and to locate the free terminal of the arm 103 in. front of the lip 79, the drawer is drawn outwardly, said block then passing and moving under said second-named arm, and thereby retaining .j said third-named arm down in front of said lip,

until the block passes forward clear of the associated part. Then the arm 103 releases the shutter, but not before the drawer cover 26 moves forward a sufficient distance to close and secure with the latch mechanism said shutter, the bolt 89 being tripped by the time the drawer reaches its innermost position 'in the case.

The pin 84 may now be inserted in the hole 82 and the drawer carried to the office where the cover 26 is released by the lock 49 and taken fromsaid drawer and the latch mechanism of the bolt 89 reset, the drawer is emptied, and said cover is returned to place, and locked, when the drawer is again ready to be returned to thecase.

Without operating the lever 33 the arm..101 can not be withdrawn from in front of the block 78, said arm can not be so withdrawn without operating the arm 103, and the latchv mechanism is certain to be operated by the withdrawal of the drawer because of the engagement between the arm 103 and the lip 79. Meanwhile thearm 102 is holding the lever 33 against the action of its spring, and the inspection plates 30 are thereby prevented from closing. As soon as the lever "I 33 is released from the arm 102, the inspection plates are closed.

Should the latch mechanism be left without setting the lever 103 would cause said mechanism to be operated to securely fasten the shutter 28 in closed positon, upon the removal of the drawer. In theevent the shutter were tied or otherwise fastened in open position, the arm 103 would prevent full introduction of the drawer into the case. If the rear end of the cover 26 were blocked to prevent the same from closing down tightly on But in the latter case dependence need notbe placed solely on the eye' or a measuring instrument, because the teeth 72 serve to lock the shutter before, the bolt 89reaches the notch 71, and would do so if said block were cut off in the manner just mentioned so that the arm 101 becomes sooner released and the arm 103 too soon releases the shutter. l 7

To prevent fishing objects out ofrthe observatory 5 with wire or string I provide upper and

underbaffie plates

106 and 107, respectively, each having teeth 108 of special and peculiar. shape. These teeth have theshape of arrow heads, they are arranged with their lateral points so close together that, while a wire or string can pass in between them,'it is practically impossible ,to disengage the same therefrom laterally, and any object to. which the string or wire at the inner end may have become attached cannot be drawn up between said teeth.

The bafi'ie plate 106 has side brackets 109l09 fastened to opposite sides of the receiving hopper 11 in position to locate said plate at a steep incline from the back side of said hopper downwardly and forwardly under the opening at the top of the hopper. The teeth 108 of this plate are at the bottom.

To fa'cilitate'movement by gravity down the bafile plate 106 of objects (paper tickets more especially), said plate may be provided on the face that receives said objects with longitudinally extending ribs 110. There may be four, more or less, of the ribs 110, and they are preferably struck up out of the sheet metal of which the plate 107 is made.

The front side of the baiiie hopper 16 inclines downwardly and rearwardly'from above, and the bafile plate 107 is set in a slot in the bottom edge of said side, with the teeth 108 of said plate below said edge, and the plate has at eachend an ear 107 outside of and .fastened to the contiguous side of the hopper. The hopper 16 opens underneath the baffle plate 106.

A tortuous course for, the coins; tokens, or tickets is thus afforded, and the

bafile plates

106 and 107 are in offset relationship. The objects fall on the plate- 106, slide down the same and drop onto the inclined front side of the hopper, 16, and slide down said side into theobservatory 5 and onto theinspection plates 30, unless said plates be open, in which case the objects pass directly downinto the drawer 2.

Within the hopper 16 and supported from the backside thereof is a belllll.

J ournaled in suitable bearings at the bottom of the receiving hopper 11 is a horizontal rock shaft 112, and journaled in bearing brackets 113-113 that extend downwardly from said hopper into the hopper 16 is a second rock shaft 114., The shafts 112 and. 114 are parallel with each other and with the front and back sides-of the hoppers l1 and 16. A register 115, of the Veeder type, is fastened to a disc 116 secured to the back side of the hopper 1.1 over an opening therein, and there is an opening in said disc through which to ob serve the register numerals' The register has an operating spindle 117 to which is adju'stably secured a rock arm 118. Adjustably secured to the shaft 112 is a rocker arm 119, and a link 120 pivotally connects the free terminal of said arm with the free terminal of the arm 118.-

A bio 121 is also adjustablysecured to the shaft 112. A pawl 122 is' pivotally connected at 123 with the blocks 121,,but located in a slot in thelower end of said block, and normally held with its lower operating end down in the path of a member (presently to be described) by means of a spring 124, the movement of said pawl under the influence of said spring being limited by the top of said slot. In Fig. 6 the top of the aforesaid slot is indicated by broken lines at 125. The upper end of the spring 124 is fastened to a pin 126 on the back side of the arm 121 near the top, and the lower end of said spring is fastened to the tail of the pawl 122. The member with which the pawl 122 cooperates is a hub 127 mounted on and secured to the shaft 114, and having a tooth 128 which said pawl is adapted to engage and release. A resilient arm 129 has one terminal secured to the hub 127, and is provided at that terminal with a hammer 130 for the bell 111.

The spring 131 is fastened at the upper end to a pin 132 that projects from the front side of the block 121 near the top, and the other end is fastened to a pin 133 that projects from the front of the hub 127.

' A stop arm 134 is rigidly attached to the shaft 114 and extends rearwardly over a flange 135 that forms part of the hopper base 17. The shaft 112 projects beyond its left-hand bearing and secured to this protruding part is an operating lever 136. The lever 136 extends in a generally for- Warclly direction, and the movements of the same are limited by a lug 137 that projects from the left-hand side of the base 17 behind said lever when in depressed and normal position, and a lug 138 that projects from the same side of said base above said lever to limit the upward movement of the same.

The spring 131 tends to rock the shaft 112 to the right and the shaft 114 to the left. The stop arm 134 while bearing at the rear end on the flange 135 limits the movement imparted by the spring 131 to the shaft 114, and the stop 137 and the lever'136 limit the movement imparted by said spring to the shaft 112. The parts and members as thus disposed are in normal-positions, with the tooth 128 in the path of the pawl 122.

When the lever 136 is swung upwardly against the stop 138, the following operations take place resulting in advancing the register 115 one number and causing the bell 111 to sound, the advancing of the register number preceding the sounding of the bell.

As the lever 136 is swung upwardly the shaft 112 is rocked in the direction to carry the upper part of the block 121 rearwardly and with it the link 120, and said link imparts a rearward movement to the arm 118 sufiicient in extent to cause the spindle 117 to operate the register 115 and present to view through the opening in the disc 116 the next higher number. At the same time the pawl 122 is carried forward by the block 121, engages the tooth 128, and rocks the shaft 114 inthe direction to raise the arm 134 from the flange 135 and carry the hammer 130 still farther away from thebell 111, it being understood that said hammer is always out of contact with said bell except atthe instant of striking. the block 121 andthehub 127 are thus rocked in opposite directions, the

pins

132 and 133 are more widely separated and the spring 131 is placed under greater tension. Finally, after the register has been operated in the manner just explained, the pawl 122 passes clear of the tooth 128 and the spring 131 acts to rock the hub 127 quite violently in the opposite direction, whereby the resilient arm 129 causes the hammer 130 to strike the bell 111. The movement of the striking parts is limited by the arm 134 which 00 1 3 down onto the flange 135. The vibration afforded by the arm 129 is directly responsible for the blow which the hammer strikes on the bell, because said arm when at rest supports the hammer a little distant from the bell, as previously observed.

Upon the release of the lever 136 the spring 131 rocks the block 121 forwardly again at the upper end and rearwardly at the lower end, the link 120 is drawn forwardly and with it the arm 118, thus disposing the register mechanism in readiness for the presentation of the next higher number, the pawl 122 moves back, clicking past the tooth 128 under the influence of the spring 124, into position to reengage said tooth operatively, and said lever is swung downwardly and rearwardly against the stop 137 ready to be moved and impart the next succeeding pulsations to the register and bell hammer.

The lever 136 should be manipulated to operate the register and sound the bell each time a fare is deposited in the receiving hopper 11.

For the purpose of making known any attempt to invert the fare box in an effort to shake out through the top the objects on the inspection plates 30, a tell-tale 139 and a support 140 are provided. The support 140 consists of ahorizontal eye or ring having a shank set in the front of the baiile hopper 16 a short distance above the lower end and in the transverse center thereof. The tell-tale is adapted to rest on the support or ring 140, and has a tail-piece 141 that extends down through said ring when said tell-tale is in position. On top of the tell-tale is a small, undercut head 142. Set in the front of thehopper 16 directly above the center of the ring 140 is a stop pin 143.

The fare box is jolted up and down more or less, at which times the tell-tale 139 is projected upwardly and would be liable to leave the ring 140 altogether were it not for the pin 143. In rising the tell-tale strikes against the lower end of the pin 143, before the tail-piece 141 leaves the ring, and is thereby caused to drop down onto said ring again. If the tell-tale were to fall completely out of the ring 140 at such times, its usefulness as a detector would be destroyed. In the event the box be tipped to an extent sufficient to enable objects to be shaken out through the entrance to the reservoir hopper 11, the telltale falls out of the ring, the pin 143 then being unable to prevent complete disengagement, and said tell-tale can not be replaced on said ring while the drawer 2 is in the case 1. Furthermore, the dislodged tell-tale must eventually pass down into the drawer, from which it can only be removed after said drawer is withdrawn from the case, and the cover unlocked and taken off.

A replacer for the tell-tale 139, suchas the implement illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, may be furnished. This implement consists of a suitably bent shank 144 having at one end a finger 145 notched at 146 to receive the small neck under the head 142 of the tell-tale.

To replace the tell-tale 139 with the replacer, the head 142 is slipped over the finger 145, the inspectionrplates 30 are opened and held open, the end of the rod 144 which is carrying said telltale is passed into the case 2, from which the drawer has been removed, and up into the ob servatory 5 until the bottom of the tail-piece 141 is above the ring 146, and said replacer is low ered to drop said tail-piece down through and said. tell-tale onto said ring. When the tell-tale becomes engaged with the ring the finger 145 is slipped from beneath the head 142 and withdrawn with the rod 144 from the box.

It is now clear that at practically all points attempts to interfere with the regular and proper functioning of the fare box and operation of its movable parts and members will either fail or be discovered.

The manner in which the fare box is used and the complete operation of the movable parts of said box have already been so fully described that further explanation is deemed to be unnecessary.

I claim:

l. The combination, in a fare box, wi h a case, a discharge hopper in said means to open and close the entrance to said hopper, a drawer receivable in said case, a cover for said drawer, said cover having an opening therein, beneath said hopper, and being provided with a lock block, and a sliding shutter in said cover adapted to open and close said opening, and having a projection at the rear end, of latch mechanism carried by said shutter and adapted tobe engaged with and be released from said cover, a lever to actuate said opening and closing means for said hopper, a member normally located in the path of said block, and a member operable therewith normally located out of the path of said projection movable. nto said path, a member controlling said firs and second-named members and itself controlled by the po tion of said lever, whereby said firstand second-named members are retained in normal position by lever when the latter is in normal position and said opening and closing means is in closed peel-- tion, and to be released by said lever when operated to open said means, an operating lever for said three members;

2.. The combination, in a fare box, with a case, a discharge hopper in said case, means to open and close the entra cc to said hopper, a drawer receivable in said case, a cover for said drawer, saidcover having an opening therein beneath said hopper, and being provided with a lock block, anda sliding shutter-in said cover adapted to open and close said opening, and having a projection at the rear. end, or" latch mechanism carried by said shutter and adapted to be engaged with and be released from said cover, a lever to actuate said opening and closing means for sai hopper, a member. normally locatedin the path of said block, and a member operable therewith normallylocated out of the path of said projection but movable into said path, a member controlling said first and second-named members and itself controlled by the position of said lever, whereby said first and second-named members are re tained in normal position by said lever when the latter is in normal position and said ope; -ng and closing means is in closed position, and to be released by said lever and engage and lock the same when operated to open said means, and an op crating lever for said three members.

3. The combination, in a fare box, with a a delivery hopper insaid case, opening olosing means for saidhopper, said means consisting in part of a notched operating lever, yielding means normally to retain said first-named in closed position, a shaft journaled in said case and provided with arms and with an operating lever, of a drawer receivable in'said case, a cover for said drawer having an opening therein neath said hopper, and provided with a lock block, a sliding shutter in said cover, and provided with latch mechanism to be engaged with and released from said cover, and having a projecting member at the rear end, yielding means normally to retain one or" said in the path of said block, another of said arms out of the path of said projecting member, said firstmamed lever when in normal position being in the path of the third but when out of such position receiving said third arm in the notch in said firstnamed lever, whensaid second-named lever can be actuated. to remove said first arm from the path of said block and move said second arm into the path of said projecting member.

2. The combination, in a fare box, with a case, a delivery hopper in said case, opening and closing means for said hopper, said means consisting inpart of a notched operating lever, yielding means normally to retain said first-named means closed position, a shaft journaled in said case and provided with arms and with an operating lover, of a drawer receivable in said case,'acover for drawer having an opening therein bene to said hopper, and provided with a lock block,

a sliding shutter in said cover, and provided with when said second-named lever can be swung to rsnove said first arm from the path of said block and move said second arm into the path of said projecting member, and itself to be locked until said second-named lever is released to its yielding means.

5. The combination in a fare boX, with an inspection-plate opening and closing lever having a notch therein, of a drawer-locking and releasn'ie nber, and a member rigidly connected with said first-named member, and adapted to be retained in one position by an unnotched part of said lever, and permitted to move into another position. when said lever is moved to locate said notch in position to receive said second-named member.

6. The combination, in a fare box, with an inspectio11-plate opening and closing lever having a notch therein, of a drawer-locking and releasmember, and a member rigidly connected with said first-named member, and adapted to be retained in one position by an unnotched part of said lever, and permitted to move into another position when said lever is moved to locate said notch in position to receive said second-named member, said notch and said second-named memher being so relatively shaped and arranged that said lever is locked while said first-named member is in said notch.

7. The combination, with a fare-box drawer, and a cover for said drawer, said cover having an opening therein, and being provided with a serrated part, of a shutter,slidingly'arranged in said cover to open and close said opening, a pg-pressed latch carried by said shutter. in position to engage the serrated portion of part and loci: said shutter to said cover against movement in one direction when said latch is in engagement with any of said serrations and a spring connected to said cover and shuttertending to urge said shutter in an opposite direction. 8. The combination, in a fare box, with a case, a funnel-shaped member mounted on said case and extending into the same, a discharge hopper mounted in said case below said member, the latter on two sides projecting inwardly over contiguous edges of said hopper, shafts journaled in said hopper, and inspection plates rigidly connected with said shafts in position to be limited in their upward movement by said projecting parts, of yielding means normally to retain said plates in contact with said projecting parts, when the plates are in closed position, and means to actuate said shafts in the directions to swing said plates downwardly into open position.

9. The combination, in a fare cox, of a case, a discharge hopper in said case, shafts journaled in said hopper, inspection plates mounted on and secured to said shafts, means to limit the upward movement of said plates when they assume a horizontal position, an operating lever mounted on and secured to one of said shafts, an arm mounted on and secured to the other of said shafts, an intermediately arranged lever, a link connecting said firstand second-named levers, a link connecting said arm and said secondnamed' lever, and a spring arranged to act on said levers, arm, and links to actuate them in the direction to close said plates and normally to retain them in closed position.

10. The combination, in a fare box, with a case, a discharge hopper in said case, inspection plates arranged to open and close said hopper, and operating mechanism for said plates, said mechanism being spring pressed to retain said plates normally in closed position, and consisting in part of a lever having a notch therein, of drawer-locking and releasing mechanism comprising a shaft journaled in said case, a lock arm secured to said shaft and having a part in the path of which is said lever when normally disposed, but said part being receivable in said notch when said lever is abnormally disposed, a stop projecting from said case into the path of said arm to check the same when moved into locking position, and a spring arranged normally to retain said arm against said stop.

11. The combination, in a fare box, with a case, a discharge hopper in said case, inspection plates arranged to open and close said hopper, and operating mechanism for said plates, said mechanism being spring pressed to retain said plates normally in closed position, and consisting in part of a lever having a notch therein, of drawerlocking and releasing mechanism comprising a shaft journaled in said case, a lock arm secured to said shaft and having a part in the path of which is said lever when normally disposed, but said part being receivable in said notch when said lever is abnormally disposed, a stop projecting from said case into the path of said arm to check the same when moved into locking position, and a spring arranged normally to retain said arm against said stop, the shape and arrangement of said part and said notch being such that, when said part is in said notch, said lever is held against the action of its spring.

12. The combination in a fare boX of, a case, a drawer receivable therein below a hopper in said case, a cover, a shutter movable in said cover, the said cover and shutter being provided with openings therethrough, a pair of shafts rotatable in said casing carrying a pair of in spection plates, an operating lever on one of said shafts and connections between said shafts, another shaft rotatable in said case, arms on said shaft for lying in front of parts on said cover and shutter alternately accordingly as the said opposite sides of the hopper carrying inspection 7 plates, an operating lever for one of said shafts and connections between said shafts, a spring acting on said connections to yieldingly hold said lever in normal position wherein the plates are in inspection position, a third shaft journalled in said case, separate arms on said shaft angularly disposed for alternately lying in front of parts on said cover and shutter accordingly as the shaft is oscillated between certain positions, a lever for oscillating said last named shaft independently of said pair of shafts, engageable parts associated with said first-named lever and one of said arms to permit movements of said third shaft only when said first named lever is moved away from its normal position. 1

14. The combination in a fare box of, a case having a drawer slidable therein and a hopper thereabove, a cover for said drawer provided with a shutter, a pair of shafts rotatable in said case at opposite sides of the hopper carrying inspection plates, an operating lever for one of said shafts and connections between said shafts, a spring acting on said connections to yieldingly hold said lever in normal position wherein the plates are in inspection position, a third shaft journalled in said. case, separate arms on said shaft angularly disposed for alternately lying in front of parts on said cover and shutter accordingly as the shaft is oscillated between certain positions, a lever for oscillating said last-named shaft independently of said pair of shafts, engageable parts associated with said first-named lever and one of said arms to permit movements of said third shaft only when said first named lever is moved away from its normal position, the said connections including a lever pivoted in said casing and links pivoted at one end to opposite ends of said lever and at their other ends to said firstnamed lever and to an arm on the other of said pair of shafts.

15. The combination in a fare box of a case having an opening in a forward wall thereof, a drawer receivable therein, a forward wall of said rawer adjacent its upper side being provided with spaced openings therethrough and a cover for said drawer having parts receivable in said openings when in place on said drawer whereby said parts are visible when the drawer is inserved in said openingto indicate that said cover is in place on said drawer.

16. The combination in a fare box of 'a case having an opening in a forward wall thereof, a drawer receivable therein, a forward wall of said drawer adjacent its upper side being provided with an opening therethrough and a cover for said drawer having a part receivablein said opening when in place on said drawer whereby said part is visible when the drawer is inserted in said opening to indicate that said cover is in place on said drawer.

SAMUEL J. BELL.