US235407A - -benton - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'J. B. BENTON.. Pare Register.

No. 235,407. Patented Dec. 14,1880.

L/VVEJVTOR e afin Blair/4 19.

his flttorneys N PETERS PNDTO-LITNCQRAPHER, WASHINGTONv D C.

J. B. BENTON. Fare Register..

No. 235,407. Patented Dec. 14,1880.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Jbkn, ,3 Benton, By his fltforneys NVPETERS PNOTO-UTeQGRAPHER, v/asnmswu. D C.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

'J.B.BBNT:ON. Pare Register.

No.-235,407 Patented Dec. 14,1880.

WITNESSES Jbfi/n/ j fienton By his Attorneys 7% a sum x K 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. B. BENTON.

Fare Register. No. 235,407. Patented Dec.14, 188 0.

WITNESSES IJV'VENTOR gza y his Attorneys -f0fin.fi.3non,.

M' MW. M

N. PErERs. PHUTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. Uv C.

J. B. BENTON. Fare Register.

Pa tented Dec. 14,1880.

By his .ritlm'mq s l QGHAPHER, WASH NGT 5 eets-Sheet 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

JOHN B. BENTON, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILYVAY REGISTER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, N. Y.

FARE-REGISTER- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,407, dated December 14, 1880.

' Application filed November 7, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN B. BENTON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Fare-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to portable registers more especially designed for the use of conductors upon railroads and-receivers of fares Io on passenger vehicles or conveyances generally, whereby a check is put upon the conductor or collector, to prevent dishonest practices and false returns of collections made, by compelling him to register each fare as collected and indicate the registry by sounding an alarm.

The invention belongs, more particularly, to registers of the class having, first, mechanism for permanently and consecutively recording the fares collected on a series of'trips of the car or vehicles; second, mechanism for temporarily registering the fares collected on each trip or direction of travel of the car or vehicle, and capable of being set to zero, or

the point indicative of no registry, at the end of each trip, to commence registering anew, without interfering with the permanent register, which preserves with integrity the continuous record of a great number of fares; and,

0 third, mechanism for sounding an alarm.

My invention constitutes an improvement upon the register shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to H. E. Towle and myself jointly, September 5, 1876, as Reissue 5 No. 7,290, and in Letters Patent granted to me August 24:, 1875, as No. 167,057; and my said invention consists of certain new organizations and combinations of devices recited at the close of the specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a register peculiarly adapted for the prevention of fraud.

The accompanying drawings represent my improvements as embodied in one machine in 5 the best way now known to me. Obviously,

however, the details of construction may be varied in certain well-known ways without departing from my invention, and some of my improvements also may be used in machines differing somewhat from that shown.

Figure 1 represents a front view of my improved register; Fig.2, a side view thereof; Fig. 3, a front view with the cover detached, the turning-plate by which the trip-register is brought to zero being shown as partly broken away; Fig. 4, a longitudinal central section through the apparatus on the line 4 4 of Fig.

1; Fig. 5, a front view of the internal parts of the register, the trip-registering disks or wheels, the turning plate, and the cover or casing being removed; Fig. 6, a transverse section through the apparatus on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a view of the back of the" register, the hinged cover of the permanent register-dials being thrown back. Figs. 8 and 9 are detached views of portions of the tripregister disks or dials and the turning plate, showing the engagement of a shoulder on the plate with pins or projections on the disks, by which means they are brought to zero. Fig. 7o 10 is a rear view of the mechanism for registering each time the trip-register is set or brought to zero, and Fig. 11 is a face view of the registering-wheel of this mechanism.

The casing A is preferably of the fiat taper- 7 5 ing form shown, as beingmore convenient for handling and better adapted for the reception of the mechanism as organized in the present instance, the shape shown also adapting the register to be attached to the person of the user by suitable loops (t, in a well-known way, without presenting a bulging or projecting obstruction inconvenient in crowded cars or vehicles.

The permanent or continuously-counting registering mechanism consists of a series of wheels, B, of well-known construction, mounted on suitable arbors, posts, or shafts in the upper end of the casing, the wheels being preferably arranged in a semicircle, or conceno trically, as shown. This permanent register is capable of registering an immense number of fares, the first wheel registering units, the next tens,'and so on, each wheel being provided with ten teeth or notches, and at every 9 5 complete revolution turning the next highest counting-wheel the distance of one tooth, or one-tenth of a revolution.

The construction and operation of this class of multiplying registering mechanism are so 2 Q35Al07 well understood that detail description is deemed unnecessary. The circular or concentric arrangement of the wheels, however, is advantageous, as it leaves a central space for the reception of the trip-registering mechanism hereinafter described, and thereby allows of a compact organization and arrangement of the mechanism.

The shafts of the register-wheels are extended through suitable openings in the back plate of the casing and furnished with index fingers or pointers, which, in connection with suitable dials formed upon the casing, one for each wheel and pointer, enable the register to be read off at a glance.

To prevent tampering with the pointers and mechanism I employ a hinged cover, A ,which when locked prevents access to the index. Instead, however, of employing the index-hands suitable openings in the back of the casing may be used, which would permit of inspecting numerals on the registering-wheels.

The trip-registering mechanism consists of an actuating-wheel, O, turning with a suitable post or axle having its bearing in the back plate of the casin g, the wheel being provided with ten teeth or notches, c, in this instance. Mounted loosely upon a projectin g hub, C, of the wheel 0, so as to turn freely thereon, is a toothed wheel, D, rigidly connected, through an intermediate sleeve, 61, with a flat disk, E, which is provided on its face, near the periphery, with numerals 1 to 9, inclusive, (a blank space being left between 9 and 1,) and constitutes the tens-disk of the register. A second disk, F, somewhat similar to the first, and provided with the numerals 0 to 9, inclusive, is placed just over the tens-disk, being fixed upon the squared upper end of the hub C, so as to turn therewith, and constitutes the unit-disk of the register. At every complete revolution of the unit-disk the tensdisk makes one-tenth of a revolution, whereby the trip-register, in this instance, is capable of registering ninety-nine fares, which is amply sufficient for ordinary purposes; but another disk to register hundreds may be added in well-known ways. if desired.

As the unit-disk lies directly over the tensdisk, I provide the former with slots f, opposite the numerals on its face, by which to read the numerals on the face of the latter.

For convenience in reading or inspecting the trip-register, and to enable the passenger to see that his fare is properly registered, an opening or window, a, is made in the front of the casing A; and to prevent tampering with the mechanism or disks through this window, it is covered with some transparent material, such as glass, as usual.

. The alarm mechanism is mounted in the lower and smaller end of the casing, and consists of a bell, G, and hammer H, the arm or lever H of which is pivoted at h, and is normally held slightly out of contact with the bell by a spring, h.

The actuator or prime mover of both sets of registering mechanismthe permanent or'continuously-countin g register and the trip or temporary registerand of the alarm apparatus consists, in this instance, of a slide or push bar, I, the upper end or neck of which moves endwise through an opening in the upper end of the casing, and is provided with a suitable finger-piece or button, t. The bar is also provided inside the casing, near its upper end,with a guide-slot, 43, through which is passed a fixed headed pin or guide-screw, and at its lower end with a guide-slot, 71 through which is also passed a guide-pin, whereby the steady reciprocation of the push-bar is secured.

The slide or bar I has two arms, one a short arm, I, which carries a spring-pawl, J, to actuate the unit-wheel of the permanent register by engaging with one of its ten teeth, and the other a long arm, 1 which carries a springpawl, J, to actuate the wheel 0 of the tripregister by engaging one of its ten teeth, 0. This long arm also carries another sprin g-pawl, J which engages with the short arm h of the bell-hammer lever to raise the hammer, by rocking its lever on its pivot, a distance sufficient, when released and brought down by the action of the spring, to produce an alarm.

Just over the pawl J, which aetuates the wheel 0, and on the same arbor or pin with it, is pivoted another paw], j, adapted once at every complete revolution of the wheel 0 to vibrate into a notch, 0, found in its periphcry in line with one of the actuating-notches 0, whereby the pawl j is allowed to come'in contact with one of the teeth on the wheel D, connected with and actuating the disk E, and rotate that disk one-tenth of a revolution, or the distance of one notch, in a well-known way in registering apparatus.

To render it impossible to ring the hell without operating the registering mechanism, I make use of a spring detent-pawl, L, in connection with two series of ratchets formed on the edge of the long arm of the push-bar or slide, substantially as shown in Reissued Letters Patent of the United States No. 6,146, dated November 24, 187 4, and No. 6,929, dated February 15, 1876, granted to the Railway Register lVIanuf-acturing Company as the assignee of Jos. Corbett, in which Letters Patent a full description of the construction and operation of this device is set forth.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: At every complete inward stroke of the push-bar or slide the unitwheel of the permanent register is rotated the distance of one tooth or one-tenth of a revolution by the pawl J. The actuating-wheel (J, and consequently the unit-disk of the trip-register, is rotated the distance of one tooth by the pawl J, and the alarm is sounded by the pawl J the push-bar being thrown outward after every complete inward movement by a suitable spring in a well-known way. At the tenth actuation of the unit-wheel of the permanent register a tooth thereon engages with one of the notches of the next or tens wheel, moving it the distance of one tooth, which operation continues throughout the series of wheels, while at the tenth actuation of the unitdisk of the trip-register the pawlj, which has hitherto been kept from engagement with the actuating-wheel D of the tens-disk, vibrates into the notch 0 in the actuating-wheel O of the unit-disk and en gages the said toothed wheel D of the tens-disk, tnrningit one point or onetenth of a revolution, the trip-register then showing a record of ten actnations of the pushbar, and consequently that number of fares collected, while a like record or increase is shown by the permanent register.

Suitable pawls, s s, of well-known construction, are provided, which prevent back rotation of the unit-wheel of the permanent regis ter and the actuating-wheel of the tri p-register.

In order to reset the trip-register at the end of each trip, or whenever desired, or, in other words, to bring the register to zero, without disturbing the integrity of the record preserved by the permanent register, so as to commence registering anew, I mount in the casing, just over the trip-registering disks, a plate, N, fixed upon one end of an axle, shaft, or arbor turning in a bearing in thefront plate of the casing, and provided on its projecting end with a thumb wheel, nut, or key, N, by which to operate the plate from the outside of the casing. This plate is preferably circular in shape, with a cam edge or enlargement, n, on one side, and on the back of this enlarged or cam edge, next the registering-disks E F, is formed an inclined shoulder or projection, n, the abrupt side of which is adapted to engage with or abut against suitable lugs, pins, or projections 12 f, respectively risingfrom the faces of the said disks, when said plate is turned forward in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs. 3, S, and 9.

The disk E is slightly enlarged or provided with a cam or extended edge, 0, on one side, (corresponding to the enlargement of the plate N,) to carry its projection 0, whereby the projections on the disks are permitted to be brought in line, and the two disks consequently moved round together, when engaged by the projection a of the turning plate. The said plate N is normally locked from turning by means of a spring detent or bolt, 0, passing through the front plate of the casin g, and engaging with an openingformed at the proper point in the plate, the detent being provided outside the casin g with a suitable finger-piece or wheel, 0, and when locked in this position an opening or window, 02 formed in the said turning plate, corresponds with that in the casing through which the registeris read,a-nd will not, therefore, obstruct the free inspection of said register.

The locking detent or bolt is raised or retracted when the plate N is to be turned to set or bring the trip-register forward to zero,

the projection n on the plate and those (ef) on the trip-disks being so organized that no matter in what relative positions the disks may be, owing to the operation of the register, a single revolution of the plate will suffice to gather or bring them to zero or the starting-point, at which point the windows in the plate and easing are in line, while the plate will be automatically locked from turning by its detent 0.

It will be obvious that when the plate is turned to reset the register the numerals thereof will be bid from view until a coin plete forward revolution of the plate takes place, the plate being locked from back rotation or movement at'terthe turning movement has commenced by apawl,P, (hereinafter described,) which engages a suitable shoulder or teeth, n formed in the edge of the plate. (See Figs. 3 and 10.) The turning plate N, therefore, is not only the means for resetting the trip-disks by acting directly thereon, but itis also a covering-plate which obscures or hides the figures on the disks from view during the resetting movement of the trip-register. As the said plate is locked from backward movement, a full forward movement of the plate, when once commenced, must be completed in order to bring the windows of the resettingplate and easing into coincidence, so as to permit a view of the register-wheels, and this prevents fraudulent manipulation of said-tripregister by the resetting mechanism, inasmuch as the conductor cannot turn the tripdisks, or either of them, in their counting direction to suit his plans, and then return the plate with its window in position to view the indication so made, but he is compelled to continue or complete the movementand reset the disks to zero in order to save himself from exposure, which would follow from the inability of the passengers or a detective to observe the indication of the register through the window in front of the casing. The moment the plate arrives with the trip-disks at the point indicative ofzero, or no registration, it is automatically locked by the detent 0, before mentioned, which prevents accidental movement of the turning plate, and the tripdisks with it, past the point from which the register is to be started in the counting operations, and also prevents accidental move ment of the plate by the trip-disks as they are turned in the process of counting or tallying.

To register each movement of the turning plate, and consequently each time the tripregister is reset or brought to zero, the camedge of said plate and that of the disk E is terminated abruptly, so as to form a shoulder, behind which engages the short arm of a leverpawl, P, pivoted at 1) upon the inside of the front plate of the casing, and jointed at p to an arm or pawl, Q, engaging with a ratchet or toothed wheel, R, provided on its face with numerals adapted to be read, as the wheel is rotated, through a suitable opening in the front of the casing. (See Figs. 4 and 10.)

A suitable spring acts upon the lever P to keep its ends pressed close to the edge of the turning plate N, a suitable spring acts upon the pawl Q to keep it in engagement with the ratchet-wheel R, and a suitable pawl, 1", prevents hack rotation of the said wheel.

As the covering-plate N is turned in a forward direction (being locked from turning backward by the lever-pawl) the end of the lever-pawl P bears against its edge or periphery, and as its cam-edge n is brought round in contact with the lever it (the lever) is rocked upon its pivot, raising the outer end ot'its long arm, and elevating the pawl Q carried thereby the distance of one tooth on the ratchet-wheel B. As soon as the cam-edge n is turned past the lever, which is at the moment the platefis automatically locked and the trip-register is at zero, the locking end of the lever is immediately forced in behind the shoulder formed at the termination of the cam-edge, causing the pawl Q, pin-jointed to its long arm, to descend, moving the registering ratchet-wheel the distance of one tooth, which operation is indicated by a new numeral or number to be inspected through the opening a in front.

The construction, operation, and advantages of my improvements will be obvious from the foregoing description without further elaboration.

Underdate of February 12, 1879, I have filed a division of this application which illustrates the same register shown and described herein. I expressly disclaim, as far as this present application is concerned, the specific combinations (two in number) claimed in said division upon which Letters Patent are now about to issue, reserving as the subject-matter of this case all other patentable features or combinations of my present invention not so expressly and specifically claimed in the said application of February 12, 1879.

A disclaimer is also entered in said division, tiled as aforesaid, to all the patentable subject-inatter of my presentinvention other than as specifically claimed therein.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the trip-disks with the turning coveringplate acting directly upon said disks to reset or bring them to zero.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the trip-disks, the turning covering-plate acting directly upon said disks to reset or bring them to zero, and a locking device to normally prevent said plate from turning.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the trip-disks, the covering-plate acting upon the disks to reset them, and the automatic lock to engage the plate at the end of its resetting movement.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the trip-disks, the covering-plate mounted upon its own axle above said disks, the cam surface or extension upon the edge of said plate, and the pins or projections rising from said disks with which said cam or extension of the plate engages to bring the disks to zero in whatever relative positions the disks may be.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the casing, the trip-disks, the covering-plate mounted upon its axle above said disks and within said casing, the thumbwheel or handle outside said casin g to turn said plate, the cam surface or extension of said plate, the pins or projections rising from said disks With which said cam engages to bring the disks to Zero, and the spring-bolt to engage and lock said plate when it arrives at the end of its resetting movement.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a trip-register, a turning plate which prevents inspection or view of the register when the same is being turned to zero or the starting-point, and mechanism for registering each operation of the turning plate, or each time the register is brought to zero.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the casing, the permanent register, the trip-register, the mechanism for registering each time the trip-register is brought to zero, a turning plate for bringing the trip-register to zero, and which prevents inspection or view of the trip-register duringits resetting movement, an alarm, and an actuator or push-bar for actuating the registering mechanism and alarm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN B. BENTON.

Witnesses:

UHAs. O. BEAMAN, J r., HENRY BISCHOFF, Jr.

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