US499746A - Fare-register - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

C. L. LOGAN.

PARE REGISTER.

No. 499,746. Patented June 20, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LINCOLN LOGAN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FARE-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,746, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed September 5, 1892. Serial No. 445,096. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES LINCOLN Lo- GAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles,in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fare-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tare registers, and has reference more particularly to that class of registers in which the fares are registered in two different places, one of lwhich shows a continuous account known as the total number while the other represents an account for each half-trip. Such fares as are registered by this counter, except the total number, are to be canceled and the trip register set to OO at the end of each half-trip.

The object of my'invention is to provide a sure and absolute check on the conductor; to detect dishonest conductors; to avoid what is known as jumpingg and finally to provide a register which shall be light and handy when used as a portable device.

To these ends my invention consists in various features, details, and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure l is a tace view, partly in section, of my improved register; Fig. 2, a rear View of the same also partly in section; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the saine; Fig. a, a face view of the mechanism for setting the trip counters to OO and for shifting the trip sign; and Fig. 5, a View illustrating the construction and'arrangement of the continuous counter mechanism.

A indicates a box, shell, or casing which is designed to be sealed or otherwise closed against access to the interior by the conductor or other unauthorized persons. Mounted within this box 0r casing is a frame which supports the operative parts of the mechanism, which frame comprises two plates B and C connected by suitable posts B2 as shown in Fig. 3. Secured upon the rear face of the plate C are two guiding ribs or plates D between which works the actuating rod or stem E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This rod or stem E is provided at its upper end with an inclined laterally projecting rib a, Figs. 2 and 3, which is designed to cause the ringing of the bell or gong at each downward reciprocation of the rod or stem E. The bell or gong F which is also secured to the rear face of plate C, is provided with a hammer b carried near the end of the spring arm c,-the end of said arm c being arranged in the path ot' the laterally-projecting portion a of the rod or stem E, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the rod or stem E is pulled downward, the inner edge or face of the rib a thereon will strike against the end of the spring arm c (which end is bent laterally as shown in Fig. 3) and force said arm inward toward the center of the gong or bell. As soon as the rod or stem is carried downward as far as may be necessary to actuate the register, the end of the spring arm will ride ott the upper end of the rod or stem, and its elasticity will throw the hammer h against the gong and thereby sound the latter.

'Vhen the rod or stem E is raised to its normal position by the spring G, the inwardlyturned end of the spring' arm c will ride along the outer face of the rib a and pass oft the outer end of the latter and assume the position shown in Fig. 2.

The rod or stem E is provided on one of its side faces with a series of notches or a rackbar d, Fig. 2, with which is adapted to engage a pawl or dog e pivoted to the rear face of plate C, the pawl or dog being held in its normal position by a light spring f, as indicated bythe dotted line in Fig. 2. This pawl or dog is employed for the purpose of locking the rod or stem against movement unless it be carried upward and downward to its full and proper extent. If the rod be pulled partway out it will have to be pulled the remainder of the distance before it can be returned, as the teeth of the bar d will be engaged by the pawl or dog e; or in case the rod has been partially returned, it must be returned to its full normal position before it-can be pulled outward again. In other words, if the rod or stem E be stopped at any intermediate point between the extremes of movement, it will be locked by reason of the pawl e engaging the rack bar d of the rod or stem. The rod or stem E is returned to its normal position, Fig. 2, by means of a coiled spring G fastened at one end to the shell or casing, and at the opposite end to the rod or stem.

H indicates a pawl or dog pivotally secured to the rear side or face of the rod or stem E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; the said pawl or dog being adapted to engage a ratchet wheel I (which is provided with ten teeth) secured rigidly upon a shaft J extending from front to rear of the registeig-the construction and arrangement being such that every time the rod or stem E is pulled downward it will impart to the ratchet wheel l one-tenth of a rotation.

The shaft J to which l have just referred, carries at its front end on the front side of the plate C, a disk or wheel K which has a single tooth L, Fig. l, and is further provided on its front face with numerals ranging from 0 to 9 inclusive. There is also mounted upon the shaft J immediately under the disk K, a mutilated gear M which has an extended flat face, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4; the said parts K and M being made fast to the shaft J. Upon the front face of plate C is a second disk or wheel N, which is provided with ten teeth O, adapted to be struck successively by the single tooth L of the disk or wheel K; said disk or wheel Nbeing provided on its frontfaee with numerals corresponding with those on the disk or wheel K, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The disk or wheel N is secured to the shaft P by means of aserew P', Fig. l, or in any other suitable manner. Beneath the disk or wheel N, which is fast upon the short shaft P, Fig. 4, is a second mutilated gear wheel Q, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 which is also fast upon the shaft P.

The shell or easing A is provided with an opening R in its front face through which will be displayed one numeral of each of the wheels or disks K and N,-the numerals on the lower wheel or disk K representing units, while those on the upper disk N represent tens. From this construetion it will be seen that every time the rod or stem E is pulled downward its pawl ll will engage the ratchet wheel l and give said wheel and its shaft J one-tenth of a rotation, and inasmuch as the lower disk K is also secured rigidly upon the shaft J, it,the said disk K, will turn or rotate one-tenth of a rotation at the same time. Every time that the lower wheel or disk K is thus given one-tenth of a rotation it will display anew number through the opening R. When this wheel or disk K has made one complete rotation, its single tooth L will strike one of the teeth O of the upper disk or wheel N and turn or rotate said upper disk or wheel one-tenth of a rotation, and thereby cause a new number to be displayed through the opening R. These two disks or wheels K and N are provided with numbers sut'licient to register one hundred fares, which is all that would be ordinarily required on a half-trip; but should it be found desirable to provide for a further or greater registration of fares, an additional wheel or disk could be employed which should indicate the number of hundreds.

The total register is constructed as follows:

Projecting from the shaft J is a radial arm S in which is pivoted a spring-actuated pawl or dog g which is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel T mounted loosely upon the shaft J as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. This ratchet wheel T is secured to or forms part of a disk U which is provided with a single tooth or projection 71l on its periphery and with a series of numbers from O to on its rear face, the numbers being displayed through a suitable opening V formed in the rear face of the shell or easing A, as shown in Fig. 2. The disk U which carries the ratchet wheel T, heilig mounted loosely upon the shaft J, is given a one-tenth rotation at each downward pull of the rod E, by reason ot the engagement of the pawl g with the said wheel T; it being understood, of course, that the arm S carrying thepawl is fast to the shaft J and turns or rotates therewith as the dial K is rotated by the rod E. The rotation of the wheel or the disk U, which is the units dial of the total register, effects the rotation of the remaining dials of such register in the manner now to be explained. .Directly above the disk U are the wheels lV, X, and Y, each having numerals from O to d on their rear faces, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2. The numerals on the lower two wheels are displayed through the opening V, while those on the upper two wheels are displayed through a second opening Z. Each of the wheels W, X, an d Y is provided with a ratchet wheel t' having ten teeth, while upon each of the wheels W and X is a second disk 7' each of which has but a single tooth le, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The ratchet disk t' of wheel V is in Ithe same vertical plane with the tooth h of the disk or wheel U, so that every time the wheel U makes one complete rotation, it will impart to the wheel XV one-tenth of a rotation. The motion thus communicated to the wheel lV is transmitted to the wheel X by reason of the tooth 7e of the former engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel t' on the wheel l X. The ratchet diskiofthe uppermost wheel Y is arranged in the same vertical plane as the disk of the wheel X, so that when the wheel X makes one complete rotation, it will impartto the wheel Yone-tenth of a rotation.

It will be noticed, upon reference to Fig. 5, that the direction of the ratchet teeth on the wheels XV, X, and Y, point, respectively, in opposite directions, in order that such ratchet disks may be properly acted upon by the single tooth disk of adjacent wheels. These wheels U, WV, X, and Y, will preferably, but not necessarily, be each made up of a series of separate disks superposed and mounted to turn, as one, upon the respective shafts. Of course the number of wheels in this total register may be increased or diminished, as desired, to vary the counting capacity of the register. Each of these wheels or disks lV,

X, and Y will be provided with a spring or pawll to prevent backward rotation, while the ratchet wheel T, which is mounted loosely upon the shaft J, is provided with a spring m,

roc`

lIO

ISO

Fig. 3,which engaging the teeth of said ratchet wheel, holds the latter against turning and, prevents the actuation of this train of gearing` when the trip counters K and N are being set to OO.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that every time the rod or stem E is pulled downward to actuate the trip registers, the lower disk or wheel U of the total register will be at the same time turned or rotated to correspond, and as the resetting of the trip register disks K and N does not affect the total register, the latter will at all times show the total number of fares that have been registered. In order to reset the trip register at the end of each half-trip and to change the direction or trip signal device, I employ the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4..

Mounted upon the front face of plate C is a plate or slide n whose inner end is bifureated to receive an elongated lug or projection o secured rigidly upon plate C; the lug serving to guide the slide in its movements into and out of the shell or casing A, which latter is slotted at one end to receive the slide. This lug or projection o, which remains fixed relatively to the slide, is provided with a rack bar p with which it is designed to engage a spring-actuated pawl q, the construction and arrangement being such that if the slide be pulled part way out it will have to be pulled the remainder of the distance before it can be returned; or in case it has been partially returned, it must be returned to its full normal position before it can be pulled outward again. The slide is further provided with a pointed projection r which is designed to engage a pointed dog s pivoted in a plate t, which latter is adapted to reciprocate at right angles to the slide a over which it is placed, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The plate 't is guided in its movements by suitable ways u, and is reciprocated by means of a pin or stud U working in a double cam groove iv, in the back of the plate t, as shown in Fig. 4. This plate t is provided with posts or supports y which carry the direction plate e', having the words in 7 and out shown in Figs. l and 4. The actuating slide 'n is provided in its upper and lower edges with teeth a which, under certain conditions, are adapted to engage the teeth of the mutilated gears M and Q of the trip counter wheels. Thesemutilated gears are so disposed with reference to the numbers of figures contained on the disks K and N as that when the latter are at O0 the iiat faces of the gears will be parallel with the upper and lower edges of the actuating slide fa, so that in case said slide should be pulled outward, it would ride past these flat faces without engaging or actuating the gears. If, however, the rod or stem E has been previously pulled down one or more times the gears will have been turned and their teeth brought into line with the teeth Ct on the plate n so that in case it be attempted to pull the slide n outward, such movement will elect a rotation (to the right) of the lower gear wheel M and the disk or wheel K connected therewith.

If the register has been operated a sufficient number of times to cause the tens wheel or disk N to turn one-tenth of a rotation or more, the teeth of the upper gear wheel Q will also be thrown into the path of the teeth a on the upper edge of the slide n, so that when the slide is moved outward it will effect a rotation of the gear wheel Q and of the teus disk or wheel N. In other words, unless both disks be set at OO an outward movement of the slide n will effect a rotation or turning of such disk. It is important to observe that when these disks are turned or rotated by means of the rod or stem E and the intermediate connections, the lower gear M will turn to the left and the upper gear Q will turn to the right; but when the slide n is pulled outward and it engages these gears, it reverses this movement of the latter and causes the lower gear to revolve to the right and the upper gear to the left. It will be seen from this construction that the slide n and the rod or stem E cannotboth be actuated at the same time as these gear wheels M and Q are fast upon their shafts.

If the slide n should be pulled out only part way and the rod or stem E be pulled downward, the latter can be pulled only part way, as the teeth of the gear M being in engagement with the teeth a of the slide n will not permit the wheel to revolve to the left, as it must do when actuated by the rod or stem. So too, if the slide n be pulled out only part way, andthe rod or stem E also be pulled down part way, it will be seen that neither one could be moved farther, as the rod or stem E could not be returned to place while held by its locking pawl e and rack d, while the slide it could not be returned because of the engagement of the dog q with the rack p.

In order to set the trip register at 00 it is only necessary to pull the slide n outward so that in case any fares have been registered, the teeth a of the slide may turn or rotate the shafts J and P and their gears M and Q so as to bring the fiat face of the mutilated gears parallel to the upper and lower edges of the slide, when of course there is nothing to prevent, so far as the resetting is concerned, the inward movement of the slide.

IVhen the parts are in the position shown in Figs. l and t the plate# is in its lowermost position, and the slide u is in its normal position within the case. If the slide be now pulled outward, the pin or stud v, riding along the inclined portion w of the cam slot, will cause said plate t to move upward until the said pin or stud arrives at the apex of the cam slot, when it will ride out of the latter. At about the time that the pin @or stud rides out of the cam slot w fr, the pointed projection r on the plate n will strike the under side of the pivoted dog s of` the plate t and cause a further slight upward movement of IOO IIO

the plate. This upward movement of the plate t is given to insure the entrance of the stud or pin c into the lower portion :n of the cam slot, so that when the slide is pushed inward again it will, riding in the inclined portion of the slot, cause the plate t (carrying the direction plate e) to rise still higher and display through a suitable opening t2 in the front of the case A, the word in in lieu of the word out which was previously displayed through such opening. As the plate t is thus carried upward, the nose of the dog s will strike the lower edge of one of the ways or guides u, and the point or nose of such dog will be thrown below its center so that the next time that the pointed projection o on the plate n comes in contact with the dog, it will ride upon the upper face of the latter and give the plate t a slight downward movement instead of a slight upward movement as it did under the previous adj ustment.

If the word in is opposite the opening b., and it is desired to change it so as to display the word out, it is only necessary to pull the slide n outward, and return it to its normal position. The pin if, working in the lower part of the slot a: carries the plate 't downward until the pin shall have moved out of the slot The pointed projection r comes into contact with the upper face of the pivoted dog and gives the plate t a slight downward movement so as to insure the entrance of the pin or stud into the upper part zu of the slot w as. It will thus be seen that bythe movement of a single plate or slide as n, I effect not only a resetting of the trip counter but also effect a change in the direction plate.

The particular register shown in the drawings is designed to be carried by the conductor, and as it weighs but nine ounces, it cannot be considered injurious to the health of the conductor as has been contended concerning other registers. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to portable registers, as it is clearly adapted to be secured in position within a vehicle in the same manner as other registers now in use.

An important advantage in the present construction resides in the fact that the register cannot jump as frequently occurs with other registers which I have seen in operation. A register which is known to jump once, is thereafter not to be relied upon as a check upon the conductor, for if he chooses to pocket a certain number of fares, he has but to claim that his register jumped. Ily placing both units-dials upon the same shaft and causing them to rotate in unison; and by making a simple and direct acting dial-actuating mechanism, I avoid -all possibility ofthe jumping of the register.

As a general rule, fare registers are beaten by the operation of the trip-indicator sign; but under my construction any attempt to beat the register by the actuation of the trip-sign will result in sure detection, as the conductor could neither ring the bell nor register a fare.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a fare register, the combination with a casing; of two independent shafts J and I) carrying, respectively, the units and tens tripdials K and N; the single tooth wheel L mounted upon shaft J; the ten tooth wheel O mounted upon shaft P and adapted to be engaged by wheel L; the total-register unit-dial U mounted loosely upon the shaft J; a ratchet wheel T secured to the dial U; an arm S sccured to the shaft J and provided with apawl g to engage the ratchet wheel; means for resetting the trip-dials; and a detent for holding the unit-dial U at rest during the resetting operation.

2. In a fare register, the combination with the trip-dials K and N, and their mutilated gears, of means for turning them in one direction, and a resetting means adapted to engage the gears and turn them in the opposite direction.

3. In a fare register, the combination with the trip dials K and N, and their mutilated gears, of the actuating rod or stem adapted to turn them always in one direction, and a sliding toothed plate, adapted to turn them in the opposite direction.

il. In a fare register, the combination with the trip-dials K and N, of the mutilated gears having their inactive faces in line with the O on the respective dials, means for rotating each dial always in a given direction, and a toothed plate working between the gears.

5. In a fare register, the combination with the trip dials K and N and their actuating mechanism, of a slide n, and means substantially such as shown and described for re-setting the dials, so disposed with reference to the actuating mechanism that the re-setting and the actuation of the dials cannot be effected at the same time.

G. In a fare register, the combination with the trip dials K and N and their actuating mechanism, of a slide n, and suitable connections fer re-setting the dials,-said resetting means being normallyinert and adapted to come into play only in case the dials have been operated by their actuating mechanism, all substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with the trip dials K and N; a resetting slide for the latter; and an actuating mechanism for said dials arranged in such relation to the re-retting slide as to be incapable of action during` the operation of the re-setting slide, all substantially as shown and described.

S. In a fare register, the combination with the trip dials K and N, of a sliding plate n. and intermediate connections for setting the dials, and a trip-indicating plate actuated by said slide.

9. In a fare register, the combination with the trip dials K and N,of a sliding settingplate therefor provided with a pin or stud fu, and the indicator plate t provided with the earn slot w az.

10. In a fare register, the combination with the indicator plate t, provided with a V-sbaped cam slot w of a slide n provided With a pin o; a projection a upon the slide, and a pivoted dog s mounted upon the plate in position to be struck by the projection o.

ll. In a fare register, the combination With the plate t provided with a V-shaped camslot, and with a pivoted dog s of means for rocking the dog, and the slide n provided with a pin o to enter the cani slot, and with a projection o to engage the dog. r 5

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES LINCOLN LOGAN.

fitnessesz E. S. LEWIS, J. R. MURRAY.

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