US532310A

US532310A - campbell

Info

Publication number: US532310A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1912-01-08

Description

(No Model.

W. H. CAMPBELL.

RAILWAY TICKET.

Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

' m: NORRIS PETERS co. PHGTO-LIYHO. WASHINGTON, b. a

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrone \VILLIAM H. CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-TICKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,310, dated January 8, 1895. Application filed April 4, 1894:, Serial No. 506,247. tNo specimens.) i

To all whom it ntaty concern: Q

Beit known that 1, WILLIAM H; CAMPBELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Tickets, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to that class of railroad tickets known as mileage tickets which are used by railroads and other transportation companies for the purpose of furnishing passengers with'a single ticket which may be used at different times and for different distances, coupons representing the distance traveled being detached by the conductor. All of these mileage tickets generally represent one thousand or a larger number of miles, and it-is usual to provide for detachable portions representing as short distances as a single mile. Two forms of these tickets are p in general use, in one of which the mileage is grouped into small separate pagesbound together in book form, usually twenty or more to a leaf, the conductor tearing outthe whole or any portion of a leaf according to the distance traveled. In the other form, the'mileageis printed upon a continuous strip, which is then folded endwise to form a package of convenient size, this strip being drawn out and portions torn therefrom by the conductor. It will be seen, however, that tickets of this second form are cumbersome and difiicult to handle on account of the length of the strip required for a large amount of mileage, and the object of the present invention is to provide a ticket employing a long strip of material for the mileage,'which shall be more convenient for use both by the passenger and conductor.

Some of the features embodied in the preferred form of ticket, are-of general application in mileage tickets, including those of other forms.

For a full understanding of the invention, a detailed description of a. ticket of the preferred form embodying all the features of the invention will now begiven in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and the features forming the vinvention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ticket closed. Fig. 2 is'a perspective view of the ticket opened.

,Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the ticketidrawn out as in severing a portion by the stripper. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of one page of the coupons.

, Referring to said drawings, A is the ticket strip on which is printed the series of mileage strips representing the mileage desired and preferably an auditors check a, and agents stub b, as usual in such constructions, the stub being detached when the ticket is sold, and the check taken up with the first mileage strips detached; The mileage strips are preferably divided into pages of any suitable number of coupons to form a convenient sized book, four coupons of ten miles each being shown in the present case, the pages of the strips being separated by a blank space so as to prevent the objectionable creasing of the ticket in folding, which, in the continuous strip tickets, results in the mutilation of conpons. This folded ticketA is inclosed within a cover B upon which will preferably be printed the usual contract, instructions, and other matter required, this cover being made to fold twice, so as to inclose the ticket. As shown, and as is preferable, such matter as the number of the ticket, instructions, &c., are printed upon the outside of. the cover, and upon the inside is printed. the contract and space is provided for the agents stamp. The ticket is pasted into'this cover at the end toward which'the coupons are numbered, and for the purpose of preventing the leaves of the ticket falling out when thelstripis withdrawn from the body of the ticket, as hereinafter described, the end of the cover is preferably turned up to form a flap 0 which holds. the ticket, the cover being formed of sufficientlystifi material to secure this result. In connection withthis ticket and cover is used a sliding stripper preferably of the construction shown, which is that described and claimed in my prior patent, No. 499,371, dated June 13, 1893, consisting of two stripsof cellu- IOC elastic bands. As shown, the stripper C consists of two narrow strips secured together by a single elastic band Z. Except when a portion of the ticket is to be detached this stripper incloses the ticket, and holds it tightly against the back of the cover so as to form a compact package, and the free end of the cover may readily be pushed into or withdrawn from the stripper in closing and opening the ticket.

The coupon portion of the ticket will now be described in detail with reference particularly to Fig. 4. Each page of the ticket is divided into miles by lines extending across the strip, and these mile strips are numbered on one side, each five miles being indicated preferably by a heavy line across the ticket, and by larger type for the numbers. As these figures and lines, however, are small and not readily distinguished especially in a dim light, or when the conductor is in haste, I provide also means by which the five and ten mile points are indicated more plainly. This I accomplish in the construction shown by the use of diamonds, printed or otherwise produced in different color from the body of the ticket, dividing the ticket into coupons of ten miles each and having the corners at respectively the five and ten mile points. These diamonds may be produced in any suitable manner, but preferably will be formed as shown by tinting the body of the ticket except on these figures, or by tinting the figures and not the body of the ticket. In place of diamonds, squares, crosses, or any suitable figures indicating desired divisions of the ticket may be used, but preferably the five and ten mile lines will be indicated, as shown. The convenient use of the ticket is also largely increased by numbering each coupon with a large figure, preferably set in the middle of the diamond or other indicating figure, and in a different color therefrom. This will be found very convenient, as it enables the number of miles used and consequently the number remaining to be readily told without reference to the small mile figures, as the mental addition of a cipher to any one of these large coupon numbers gives the mileage to the end of that coupon, and if desired a coupon mileage ticket having these features may be used without the small figures, although preferably the latter will be employed. As usual in such constructions the number of the book is printed one or more times on each coupon according to the mileage of the latter. As shown, this book number, 595, is printed at the end of each five mile block.

For checking baggage it is usual to provide mileage tickets with a perforated slip at the side numbered consecutively with the mileage, a portion of this strip beingtorn oil? in checking baggage to show the number of miles for which baggage has been checked. In previous tickets, however, such detached strips were of no Value in auditing accounts,

as there was nothing to indicate from what ticket such strips had been detached. I provide for the use of these detached strips in auditing, and as a check upon conductors, by printing upon this strip at suitable points, preferably on each five mile block as shown, the number of the book, so that each five mile strip detached shows the number of the book from which it was taken. In the present case the baggage strip 01 is shown as thus numbered with the book number 595. I

It will be seen that the coupons and mileage numbers both face the operator, and read in the proper and convenient direction in handling the book. If desired the coupons may be numbered in both directions from 1 to 1,000, &c., and the reverse, as usual in other constructions, but this is unnecessary.

The use of the ticket will be understood from a'brief description in connection with the drawings.

Normally the ticket is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, with the free end of the cover tucked under the stripper. When a portion of the ticket is to be detached, this free end is drawn out and the cover opened, as shown in Fig.

2. A portion of the ticket may then be torn off against the'edge of the stripper while the latter is upon the body of the ticket or a part of the ticket may be drawn out from the balance along the two parts of the cover, which form, as it were, a table for the use of the stripper, and the stripper be then moved from the body of the ticket onto the middle portion of the cover to the line on the ticket correspondin g to the number of coupons to be detached and the ticket torn as before. The detached portion of the ticket being removed, the stripper is returned along the cover and ticket to its normal position, and the free edge of the ticket is then drawn back beneath the stripper so as to be held as before, and the cover then folded up, and the flap tucked under the stripper.

It will be seen that the stripper acts both as the cutter or straight edge for dividing the ticket on any desired line, as a holder both for the ticket and the cover of the book, keeping all compact, and as a loop for the top cover or flap keeping the same closed and in place until required for use. It will be seen, also, that the stripper cannot well be lost from the book or cover, as it cannot be removed therefrom except when the book is opened, and the opening of the book accidentally is prevented by the stripper inclosing the fia-p of the cover with the ticket.

What I claim is-- 1. A mileage ticket formed of a strip folded longitudinally,and divided into coupons of a number of miles by geometrical figures on the body of the ticket but in different colors therefrom, and cover B inclosing and folded about the ticket, and sliding stripper (l inclosing said ticket and one side of the cover, substantially as described.

2. A mileage ticket formed of a strip folded longitudinally and divided into coupons of a number of miles by geometrical figures on the body of the ticket but in different colors therefrom, said figures being numbered consecutively, and cover B inclosing and folded about the ticket, and sliding stripper C inclosing said ticket and one side of the cover, substantially as described.

3. A mileage ticket formed of a strip folded longitudinally having its mileage numbered and divided into coupons of a number of miles by geometrical figures on the body of the ticket in different colors therefrom, said figures bein g numbered consecutively, and a detachable baggage check strip numbered to correspond I 5 with the mileage and having the number of the ticket printed thereon at short intervals, and cover B inclosing and folded about the ticket, and sliding stripper O inclosing said ticket and one side of the cover, substantially 20 as described.

In testimony'whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

O. J. SAWYER, T. F. KEHOE.