US276713A

US276713A - Fare-register and alarm

Info

Publication number: US276713A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1900-05-01

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. W. J. RICHARDSON.

FARE REGISTER AND ALARM.

No. 276,713. Patented May 1,1883.

N. FEYERS. Pvmmumo n hw. wumn wu. D. c.

(No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W; J. RICHARDSON. FARE REGISTER AND ALARM. No. 276,713. Patented May 1, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. RICHARDSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FARE-REGISTER ANDALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,713, dated May 1, 188?.

Application filed January 10, 1882.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. RICHARD- sort, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Alarm-Register for Railroad-Fares, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in alarm-registers for use on. street and steam railways, whereby fares may be immediately recorded on receipt thereof; and its nature consists, first, in the combination, with the register proper, of a watch with its face exposed to view, but with its works so secured to or within the register-case as to be only under the control of the time and fare keeper, who only isintrusted with the keyof the alarmregister; second, in a novel means by which the recorded fares may be more expeditiously counted; third, in a novel means whereby the time-keeper is enabled to quickly and easily adjust the pointers of the recording-dials; fourth, in a novel construction and combination ot' a reciprocating finger-slide, springpawl and hammer, alarm-bell,and registering mechanism, whereby an alarm and registering mechanism is controlled against any attempted false movements of the slide by the conductor, while the correct movements of the slide are secured; fifth, in novel means whereby unauthorized persons are prevented from opening or taking the case apart; and,sixth,in certain other combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is afront view of my improved alarm-register, the cover below the watch being broken away in order to exhibit the interior parts. Fig. 2 is a rear view, showing the cover in rear of the watch and the cover of the registering-dials open in order to exhibit to view the parts covered thereby. Fig.3 is a central cross-section in the line or x of Fig. 1, and through the central and main arbors of the watch. Fig. 4 is a cross-section in the line ;1 y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front view of the mechanism of one of the alarm fare-registers. Fig. 6 is a View of the same, illustrating a certain stage of its operation hereinafter explained. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the upper part of the case of the tNo model.)

alarm fare-register and the operating fingerpieces. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view of the locking device of the entrance-cover of the watch.

Similar letters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

A is a case adapted for inclosing a watch,

B, and mechanisms O D of two registers and time and fare-register keeper of the railroad company, and consequently he only has access to the screws and thus unauthorized persons are prevented from gaining access to the interior of the case A without being discovered. The hollow cover E also ineloscs the dials c c o and d d. (1 01" the recording mechanisms, thus preventing all persons except the time and t'are keeper from inspecting or adjusting the pointers. Inclosed by the hollow cover E is also the handle 9 of a spring-bolt, G, in the case A, whereby a plain cover, H, suitably hinged to the case A, is locked to the back of said case by means of a hook-hasp, 72 on said cover. This cover H, hinged at h to the case A, closes up an opening, a, in the back of the case, opposite the arbors I) I) of the watch B. A spring, B, suitably fastened to the case A and bearing against the inner side of the cover ELserves to throw the lid open when unbolted. The watch-worksB are bypreference inclosed in a case, b and suitably fastened to the inner side of the cover A, two holes, IN), ofsufiicientsize being provided in the back of the case if to admit a watch-key for winding up or adjustingthe watch. 'An elastic pad, If, is provided on the cover H, wherewith the holes I) b are eiiiciently covered when the coverI'l. is shut, and thus dust is excluded from the watch. The dial of the watch is protected by a glass plate, I), suitably secured to the cover A, and it is always exposed to the view of the passengers. The upper part of the case A is provided 'with rigid finger-pieces or handles ICO a and rings a to which latter the suspendingstrap of the apparatus isfastened. Below the handles a a slidiu g finger-piece or handle, a, is provided,whereby the reciprocating slides I of the respective register and alarm mechanisms are operated. Oneofthe handles a has a shield, a with the number 3 upon it, and the other has a similar shield, a with the number 5 upon it. These numbers serve as guides in recording a three'ecnt or a five-cent fare. Either of the handles a operates a similar mechanism, and the description of one of those mechanisms will serve for both. The handle a moves in a slot, M, in the side of the case A, and extends into the case, where it is fastened to slide I by means of screws '17. Between the slide I and the inner side of the case A a shield, t, is provided on the handle a, which is made of strong and unyielding metal, (steel,) and ofa size large enough to completely cover the slot to" at any position the fingerpieee or handle may occupy, and which thus prevents the introduction o'i' any instrument through the slot into the interior of the case. A tension-spring,1, attached to a hook, 1", on the slide 1 and a hook, a, on the ease'A, serves to keep the slide in downward position. Each slide 1 (see Figs. 1, 5, and 6) is at its end pro vided with a spring-pawl, i which operates the ratchetj ofa ratchet-wheel, J, the arborj of which extends through the back of the case A, and is there provided with a pointer, j The arbor j is also provided with a piniomj, into which a gear-wheel, J, meshes. The arborj of the gear-wheel J is provided with a pinion,j*", and also a pointer, 7' The pinion j meshes into a gear-wheel, J upon an arbor, j, which is also provided with a pointer, j*. The several wheels mentioned are so constructed that the pointers on the three arbors j j j will point out units, tens, and hundreds upon their respective dialsc c"e or d d (P. Each of the pointers j" is provided with a central longitudinal slot,j and thus the pointer clasps its arbor on two opposite sides with sufficient grasp to revolve truly with the arbor, while the operator can move it with his fingers, independent of the arbor, around the arbor, for the purpose of adjustment with respect to the figures on the dials. By this construction the counting of the fares is greatly facilitated, inasmuch as the conductor receives the alarm-register out of the hands of the time-keeper with all the pointers set upon zero, and at the end of his return-trip delivers the same with the positive number of collected fares, while in ordinary registers the fastened pointers must be allowed to move forward, and the notation of fares of each trip can only be made by way of subtraction and addition, the same as with gas-meter registers. This splitfrictional or clasping pointer serves also the very important purpose of pre venting breakage of the gear-wheels and other mechanism when the pointersj of the dials c and d are arrested at the zero-points by stops,

as (1 (which will be presently described,) for when the conductor attempts to fraudulently move the said pointers around beyond the zero-points of said dials said pointers will slip on their arbors under such attempt of the conductor to work the register, and remain still against said stops, while their arbors will re' volve with the toothed gear-wheels between the finger-pieces a and the arborsj". Instead of splitting the pointers, they may be constructed to work with simply a i'rictional bind upon the arbors. The ratchet-wheel J is held in position by a spring-pawl, K, which has its fulcrum at 76, and to which a bell-hammer, k, is attached. A spring, 73, suitahlyi'astened to the case A, forces the pawl K into the deeply-cut ratchet-teeth jot the ratchet-wheel J, and also supplies the necessary power for operating the bell-hammer It. A backlash-spring, k fastened at to the case A, bears upon the inclined portions of the ratchet-teeth j, as seen in Figs. 1, 5, 6, and prevents inaccurate movements of the ratchet-wheel by constantly keeping the teeth of the ratchet-wheel in contact with the spring-pawl i of the slide I. The arbors j j" j are confined between the back of the case A and a bearing-plate, J, suitably fastened to the case A, and to this hearingplate two bells, L L, are suitably attached, the smaller one, L, being inside the larger one, L, and projecting slightly beyond it, so as to permit its being struck by its hammer 7.1 without sounding the bell L. The bell L is sounded by a hammer, is, of the mechanism operated by the handle a, bearing the number 5. The dials 0 (2 indicating the hundreds of fares, are each provided with a steppingarm, (1, suitably fastened to the back of the case A, and limited in its movement by two stop-pins, m. This arm (1 when perpendict'ilar, extends over a dial, as e 01 at or near zero, and, bearing against a right-hand pin ot' dial 0 or the left-hand pin oi" dial d serves to stop the farther forward progress of the pointerj", while the left-hand pin m of dial 0 and the right-hand pin of dial (1 prevent the pointcrs moving backward far enough to allow oi their being passed by the zero-marks of the dials. A stop, (1, constructed as a spring, and having a detent-1 in,'m, in the center of its loose end, and extending from the under side of the pointer and entering a socket in the plate of case A, might be employed, and then the left-hand pin m of dial 0 might be dispensed with, and still any attempt of the conductor to work the pointer j beyond zero in the direction of the arrow would be frustrated. This detentpin may not be necessary, as the stop (1 can be made with a spring binding action upon the case A and clamped tight b 7 its ivot-screw' and it desirable the sto I v I 7 0 7 4 might be iastened rlgidly to case A by two pins or screws passed through it, and both pins m dispensed with. The best plan of construction is to have two pins, 212, and allow the pointer a very slight movement between them,

. fares and not be detected.

A. I it all so that the pointer may be adjusted accurately and properly at zero. By this construction one thousand fares can be indicated, but not more, and this number being found from experience in excess of the number of fares received in a day, the correct counting will not beinterfered with; but without said stoppingarm the conductor might operate the register in secret until the pointers of the dials c d are beyond zero, andin goingagain toward zero stop atamuch lower number than the numberof the collected fares, and thus be enabled to appropriate without detection one or more hundred fares. If, for instance, he had collected six hundred fares, he could operate an ordinary register so as to pass the zero-point until the pointer of the dial 0 or (Z points to 100 or 200, making it appear that he had collected only one hundred or two hundred fares, and thus he could retain five hundred or four hundred Previous to delivering the alarm-register into the hands of the conductor, the time and fare keeper adjusts the instrumentiu the following manner: With the key he opens the lock F and raises the cover E, thereby exposing the dials c c o and d (1 (1 and the handle 9 of the springbolt G. He next draws back the handle 9 of the spring-bolt Gr, whereupon the cover H be comes unlocked and flies open, exposing the arborsbbofthewatchB. Henowwindsupthe watch bymeans of the arbor b and adjusts the time by means of the arbor b. He then closes the cover H and turns the several pointers j" to 00f their respective dials, those of thedials 0 d being respectively turned back to the right side of the stop 61 0f dial 0 and to the left side of said stop of dial (1". He now closes the cover E and locks it, and the alarm-register is ready for use by the conductor. If the inner mechanism of the case A is to be inspected, the screw-bolts a are removed, the cover E is unlocked, and the screw-bolts a are removed. The cover A is now lifted from the case A, and the whole inner mechanism is exposed to view.

The alarm-register is suspended on a strap which is attached to the rings a and the dial of the watch B is constantly exposed to view of the passengers, who are thus benefited by having the standard time before their eyes. The

numbers

3 and 5 on the handles a enable the passengers to watch the movements of the conductor in recording the received fares, the number 3 for a three-cent fare being, for example, set in a red enameled background, and the number 5 for a five-cent fare having a green enameled background.

In the management of railroads it is desirable to afford the public the greatest possible benefit while a proper revenue is being earned by the proprietors or companies serving the public. To this end itisimportant to provide a standard time-piece as a part of the alarm fare-register, from which the public as well as the conductor may know the true time, the time-piece being a means whereby the public are served, and by which the company is benefited, both in having the trip of the respective cars run in accordance with its time-table, and also in making the conductor careful to sound the alarm and register the fare received, due to the fact that a passenger will almost invariably look at thetime-piece when he pays his fare,and thereby know the fact should an alarm not be sounded and a fare registered. The expense of equipping a railroad with alarm fare=registers and time-pieces would be very great ifthe registers and time-pieces were constructed separately. Besides this, there would not be that uniformity in the time-pieces, and great inconvenience would be experienced in going from car to car and winding up and setting the time-pieces.

By my invention of uniting in one case both a time-piece and a fare alarm and register the extra cost for conductors watches with comparati vely expensive cases or forseparate ti mepieces located in the cars is avoided. The public is furnished at all times with true time, while the conductor is enabled to make his respective trips in accordance with the standard time-table of the company; and the company in turn is benefited, since the conductor is made more careful in registering the fares he receives, from the fact that every passenger is curious and anxious enough to watch the conductor,in order to ascertain the time, a sufficient length of time to know whether the fare he hasjust paid is registered.

My invention also enables railroad companics to register full and fractional fares, and still have a very compact register. It also facilitates the operation of counting fares. It also prevents others than proper officers interfering with the register. It also places a check upon the conductor, inasmuch as it is impossible for him to pass the maximum capacity of the register, and by secret sounding of his alarm turn the registeririg-pointers to positions which indicate a less number of fares than those actually taken in; and it also prevents any interference with the time-piece by others than authorized officers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A conductors alarm fate-register provided with means by which it can be carried and operated by the conductor, and having its case of the construction substantially as described, whereby it is adapted for containing the alarm and fare-registering mechanism and a watch, and for exposing the face of the watch to passengers in the car, and securing under lock and key the alarm and registering mechanism and works of the watch against any attempt of the conductor to improperly operate the same, all for the purpose set forth.

2. In an alarm and fare register, a maximum counting-dial,c provided with a pointer or index-hand and a stop-arm, (1, against which the index pointer orhand strikes, and by which confine all theparts, substantially as described.

described.

said hand is prevented from passing forward 1 beyond zero while the register is in the hands of the conductor, in combination with one or more lower counting-dials, as c 0, whereby the highest number of fares counted by dial a will always be registered and indicated thereon below or at zero, and a false indication by the conductor moving the pointer past zero and beyond the starting of the stop cannot be made, substantially as described.

3. Thealarm and fare register provided with the npward-reciprocating slide I, purchasehandles a, lifting spring-pawl t ratchet-wheel J, having the beveled teeth j, pivoted springpawl K, formed to slip over the beveled teeth and fall between the same, and having a hammer, connected to it, and spring k which bears on the beveled surface of the teethj until the pawl 1' is lifted by the slide, and then acts to arrest the movement of the ratchet beyond one tooth, all arranged and operating as and for the purpose described.

4. The case A, having removable cover A, and provided with the swinging locked cover E and the screw-bolts a substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The slide-bolt G, attached to case A, in combination with the cover H and the cover E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(5. In a portable alarm fare registering and timekeeping apparatus, the cover H, having the dust-pad b attached to and moving with it, incombination with the removable case I), surrounding the watch, and the case A A and locking-cover E, which support, contain, and

7. In an alarm fare registering and timekeeping apparatus, the removable case If, provided with holes opposite the arbors of the watch, in combination with the case A A, locking-cover E, and watch B, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

S. In an alarm and fare-register, the ratchetwheel J, having teeth beveled, as j, in combination with the pivoted pawl K and spring k shouldered pawl i, and upward-moving slide I, whereby the spring 79, in conjunction with the other parts, pre ents the ratchet moving more than one tooth for each stroke of the slide, substantially as described.

9. In an alarm and fare-register, the maximum counting-dial 0 provided with stop-arm (1 in combination with one or more lower counting-dials, as c c, and a safety lockingcover, E, substantially as and for the purpose 10. The combination of a portable car-fareregister case a car-fare-registering mechanism, and a Watch-movement, the combination being such that the watch mechanism is unconnected with the car-fare-registering mechanism, and the conductor prevented from having access to either the car-fare-registering mechanism or the watch mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. An alarm fare-register containing, in addition to the alarm and fare-registering mechanism, a watch or time-piece exposed to the view of the passengers, for the purpose set forth, the works of said watch or time-piece having no connection with the alarm or regis tering mechanism.

12. Ina fare-register, a casing carrying with in it the operating-gears, and having dials and indices upon its outer surface, and provided with a glass-covered recess for receiving a watch, in combination with a lid, H, for closing holes leading to the watch-recess, and a hinged locking-cover, E, adapted to entirely close the dials, indices, and the device for fastening the lid of the said watch-recess,substantially as described. 13. In a fare-register, a casing carrying registering and gong mechanism, and provided with a glass-covered recess and a watch within said recess, in combination with a device, substantially as described, for preventing undue access to the works of said watch from the rear of said recess, as and for the purpose specified.

1-1. In a portable fare-register, a casing-covering carrying the registering and gong mechanism,and provided with a recess for receiving a watch, in combination with the lid H, the locking plate or cover E, and a device forlocking the lid H, arranged substantially as de scribed, whereby it can only be operated when the locking-cover E is opened, as and for the purpose specified.

15'. In a fare-register, a pivoted stopindex constructed to oscillate between two stationary pins, in combination with an index moving entirely around its dial and adapted to operate directly against the stop-index from either side, both the index and pins and pivoted stop be ing arranged on the front face of the dial-plate, substantially as described.

WILLIAM J. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

DAVID GRIBBEN, AUGUSTUS H. SMITH.