US691995A - Fare-register. - Google Patents

Description

No. 991,995. Patented 1an.'29,` |902.

v. WEBER.

FARE lREGISTER. 115mm ma Aug. 1o 1899 (nu Mpdel.) 4 sham-sheet l.

V. WEBER.'A

FARE REGISTER.

(Applicationled Aug. 1 0, 1899,.)l Y (un'model.) f 4 sheets-sheet 2.

Paented Ian. 28, |902. V WEBER FARE REGISTER.

{Applicatvion led y Aug. 1o, 1899.1

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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Illlllllllll .liilll mln No. 69I,995. Patented lan. 28, |902. V. WEB-ER.

FARE REGISTERA (Applicgton lved Aug. 10, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

i Nrrfnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vALErrrIN WEBER, ou PRINCEVILLE, iLLINoIs.

FARE-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,995, dated January 28, 1902.

Application tiled August 10, 1899. Serial No. 726,758. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern: l

Be it known that L-VALENTINWEB un, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Princeville, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsiu Fare-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fare-registers of the general type` commonly used in street-cars and similar conveyauces.

The general object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact, and inexpensive apparatus which is operated when each fare is collected and will at once announce the fact that a fare has been collected, indicate the amount of the fare, the number ofthe trip, and the number of fares that have been collected ou that trip, and vregister the fares as they are collected.

Another object of the invention is to provide'a fare-register which will indicate and register the number of fares collected on a single trip and also indicate and register the full number of fares that have been collected on all trips.

Another object of the inventionis to provide for resetting the single-tripffares indi,-r

cator and register without in anyway disturbing the permanent register of fares of all trips. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide for announcing the collection of each fare by ringing a bell when the mechanism of the register is actuated, the vbell-ringing mechanism being constructed 'and arranged in such a way that the bell will not be rung until the pull-bar is drawn out t0 the limit of its movement, but, on the contrary, if the pullbar is only partly drawn out the mechanism will be held in a fixed positionuntil the movementof the pull-bar is completed, thereby preventing the operator from practicing frauds on the register by announcing the collection of the fare Without registering the same.

Another objectof the invention is to provide for registering the number of trips and indicating whether it is an up trip or-down trip and also to provide for releasing the tripfares-indicating devices temporarily, so that they can -be returned to their original position.

:on the line 14 14 of Fig. 1.

Further objects of the invention are to pro- Vide a train of interlocking and actuating disks and dials to register the whole number of fares collected, provide for locking the mechanism against any backward movement a front elevation of my improved fare-register, the pull-bar being shown in its normal position. Fig..2 is a similar view with the front of the case removed to show the interior mechanism of the register', the pull-bar being shown drawn out to the limit of its movement. Fig. 3 is a similar View with the dial-plates removed and the pull-bar in the disks beingin the same position as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the mechanism, showing the thumbkey in horizontal position and `the pawls disengaged from the ratchet-wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4 with the pawls and some other parts removed. Fig. 6 is a ltop plan view of the two dial-plates that indicate the number of trip-fares collected, the arrows thereon showing the direction of their forward rotation and the actuating-disks and locking device being shown in broken lines. Fig. 7 is a similar view, the arrows showing the direction of backward rotation of the dialplates to return to their starting position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view on a line 8 8 of Figpet. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail enlarged views of the thu mb-key and 'its associated parts. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectionall view on the line 11 11 of Fig. 6. Fig. 12 is a:

central sectional View on the line 12 12 of Fig. 2. Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the Vparts shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectional view Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of the dial-plate which indicates the unit fares of each trip and its disk and ratchet-wheel. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 15. Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 denotes the case which incloses the operating mechanism of my improved register, this case being preferably made of metal in rectangular form and comparatively flat, the side walls being 10W, thereby providinga neat and attractive case especially formed to inclose the mechanism hereinafter described. The case is provided with a removable front 2, having therein suitable openings to disclose the numerals on the different dials. The front of the case is secured in place by means of the lugs 3, Fig. 14, at one end thereof, which enter openings 4 in one side wall 5 of the case, the other end of the front having a bolt 6 rigidly secured to its under side, which projects through an opening in the back of the case and is secured by means of a Wedge or pin 7 and seal 8, so that the front cannot be removed from the case or tampered with Without breaking the seal. The case is also provided with other lugs 9 and devices by means of which it can be secured in place.

Within the case I arrange the two stationary spindles 10 11, which support the dials indicating the number of fares of each trip as they are collected. The units-dial12 is mounted rigidly on a sleeve 13, which fits over the spindle 10 and carries a driving-disk 14 and a ratchet-Wheel 15. On the lower part of the spindle 1() is another sleeve 16, which carries the small ratchet-Wheel 17 and cog-Wheel 18. The tens-dial 19 is secured rigidlyon the upper end of a sleeve 20, Which tits loosely on the spindle 11, and this sleeve also carries a driven notched disk 21, adapted to be rotated by the driving-disk 14 on the spindle 10. The driving-disk 14 is provided witha single tooth 22 on its periphery, which is adapted to enter the notches 23 in the driven disk 21, said v driven disk being provided with a number of notches 23 and intermediate concaved or recessed sections 24, complementary to the circular periphery of the driving-disk 14, so that the driving-disk may complete its rotation Without moving the driven disk until the tooth 22 engages one of the notches 23 in the driven disk and moves that disk the distance of one notch, after which the remaining periphery of the driving-disk Will operate in the concaved section of the periphery of the driving-Wheel, the latter remaining stationary until the driving-disk has completed its rotation and the tooth thereon engaged the next notch in the driven disk to rotate the same the distance of one notch. The dials 12 19 bear a series of numbers from O to 9, and they are arranged in such relation to each other that as the driving-disk is actuated, as hereinafter described, the dial 12 will be rotated to show the successive numbers and indicate the number of fares that have been collected, and When the said dial is rotated to O77 the tooth 22 on the driving-disk will at the same time engage a notch in the periphery of the driven disk and rotate the tensdial one space, thereby indicating that ten fares have been collected, and this operation will be continued until one hundred fares have been indicated by the tens-dial, after which the count will begin again. Itwillthus be seen that at one complete rotation of the units-dial 12 and driving-disk 14 the tens-dial 9 and driven disk 21 are moved one space to show that ten fares have been registered. These units and tens dials just described are comparatively large in diameter, so that the gures thereon may be prominently displayed through the openings 25 and 26, as these numbers are intended to be noticed by general passengers and also by spotters7 who are employed on railways to Watch the conductors and see if all fares are being properly registered.

The driving-disk is actuated by means of a paWl 27, pivotally mounted on one end of a horizontally-moving pull-bar 28, said pullbar being located in the upper part of the case and having its end projecting through an opening in the case and provided with a shoulder 29 to bear against the outer side of the case. This pull-barbas one end 30 shaped in the form ot' a plate, which is arranged to slide in a groove 31 in the supporting-plate 32, secured in the upper corner of the case. A spiral spring 33 is arranged on the pull-bar and has its ends bearing, respectively, against the inner side of one end of the case and against the plate 30, the object of this spring being to return the pull-bar to its normal position afterit has been drawn out. In order to prevent the pull-bar from being drawn out too far, I provide a pin 34, which engages a cross-plate 35 and forms an effectual stop to the outward movement of the pull-bar.

The pawl 27 is pivotally carried on the end of the slide-plate forming part of the pullbar, (and hereinafter comprehended under that general designatiom) and its free end extends downward in position to engage the teeth of the ratchet-Wheel 15, rigidly secured on the sleeve 13 of the driving-disk 14 and units-dial 12, so that When the pull-bar is drawn outward the pawl will be carried forward thereby, and being in engagement with said ratchet-wheel 15 it will move said ratchet- Wheel forward the distance of one tooth, thereby actuating the d riving-disk and rotating the units-dial one space to show that a fare has been registered. It is desirable that each fare should be announced in some manner as it is registered, and it is usual to ring 'a bell at this time. I therefore provide a bell 36, which is adapted to be rung as each fare is announced by the following mechanism: A two-arm lever 37 is pivotally mounted on the supporting-plate 32, and it has one end 3S arranged to normally engage and slide over the teeth on the ratchet-Wheel 15, which teeth are adapted to depress the lower end of the lever 37 and force the same against an arm 39, pivoted in the case and carrying the bell-clapper 40. A spring 8O pulling on the rocking arm 39 normally holds the free end of said arm up against the lower end 38 oi' the lever 37 and said lower end of the lever in engagement with the ratchet-wheel 15. The pawl 27 is provided with suitable means 27 for normally retaining it in engagement with the ratchet-wheel 15. This means may be a spring, or dependence may be placed in the fact that the weight of the free end of the pawl will normally retain it in engagement. As this does not perform a. particular function and any suitable means may be used, I have not illustrated a preferred form in the drawings.

As the ratchetwheel 15 is rotated one tooth by the pawl 27` ,al tooth on the opposite side of said wheel .engages the end 38 of the lever 37 and depresses the same sufficient to rock the arm 39 and carry the clapper up inl position to strike the bell. This much of the operation may be accomplished without actually effecting a registry of the fare, and to prevent the register from'being manipulated in a dishonest manner and an announcement made by ringing the bell that afare has been collected without actually registering that fare I provide the end 38 of the two-arm lever, additional to the main notch 43a, with a notch 43 on the face, which is engaged by the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. notch 43 is intermediate the main notch 43a and the end of the lever. When, therefore, the wheel 15 is moved forward Aby the pawl 27 an appreciable distance, but less than the full length of movement of the pull-bar, said notch 43 will receive the end of a tooth and prevent a retrograde movement of vthe wheel 15, said notch 43 serving no function, however,if the pull-bar receives its full length of movement, the retrograde movement in the latter case being prevented by the tooth passingvinto the main notch 43, as shown in Fig. 3. By this means the ratchet-wheel will be held practically locked to the lever, and the registering and announcing device will not operate until the pull-bar has been drawn out a full stroke, thereby preventing the bell from being run'g without registering the fare and insuring that the fare will be registered every time the bell is rung.

On the upper side of the case I provide a fare-indicator 44, which consists of an angular plate arranged to operate through a slot 45 inthe top of the case, Fig. 2. This plate is pivoted at one end 46 to the case and provided with a shoulder 47, which is adapted to be engaged by a plate 48, carried on the end of the pull-bar. It will therefore be obvserved that whenever the pull-bar is drawn outward the plate 48 on its end will engage the shoulder 47 and throw the indicator up outof its normal position in the case through the slot into a conspicuous position on'the top thereof, and when the pull-bar is released and returns to its normal position the indicator-plate will drop back into the case by gravity. On the face of this indicator I prefer to place a ligure indicating the amount of As shown, the

the fare paid, and I provide the plate with a lug 49 on its upper edge to engage the top of the case and limit its downward movement and a corresponding lug on its lower edge to limit its upward movement.

In the bottom of the case I provide a train of dial-plates suitably operated to form a continuous and complete registry of all the fares that have been registered. These dial-plates 50 are Acarried on sleeves. 51 51', which are mounted on the spindles 52, and each of the intermediate sleeves 51 also carries a driving-disk 53 and a driven disk 54, the drivingdisks being provided with a single tooth 55 and the driven disks having notches 56 and grooved sections 57 intermediate of the notches substantially in every respect similar to the driving-disk 14 and driven disk 21, hereinbefore described. The first spindle 51 in theItrain carries a driving-disk 53 to start the train in operation, and the last spindle 51' carries a driven disk 54', so that said spindle `and its dial-plate may be rotated by the adjacent driving-disk, Figs. 12 and 13. In order to actuate these permanent-registry dials, I provide a cog-wheel 55', rigid on the rst sleeve 51', which cog-wheel meshes with an idle cogwheel 56, which in turn meshes with the cog- `wheel18 on the sleeve 16. The ratchet-wheel in the train) by reason of the engagement of the pawl 57 with the ratchet-wheel 15 and the train of Acog-wheels 18 56 55', the latter cog-wheel being rigidly secured on the sleeve IIO 51', which also carries the units-dial on the permanent registry, Fig. 3.

The permanent registry consists of tive dials, being, respectively, the units, tens,

a way by the driving and driven disks that they will be properly operated to register the number of fares collected. The dial-plates bear numbers on their faces which are disclosed through the openings 58 in the front of the case. I provide a dial-plate 59 for indicating the number of trips, which is rigid' with a sleeve 60, mounted loosely onth'e spindle 61, secured on the supporting-plate` 32. This sleeve also carries a little cog-wheel 62, which meshes with the larger cog-wheel 63,

I I5 hundreds, thousands, and tens-of-thousands dials, and theyare connected together in such` Fig. 8, inengagem'ent withV the worm 64 of the worm-shaftA G5, journaled'in as uitable bearing 66 in the end ot' the frame and projecting therethrough and provided witha thumb-key 67, having on one side the word Down and on the other side the word Up.

The numerals on the face of the dial-plate may be seen through the opening 68 in the front of the case, and the construction is such that every time the worm-shaft is rotated a half-turn the dial-plate will be advanced one number. When the car arrives at the end of the down trip, the conductor will turn the thumb-key around until the word Up is visible, and in so doing the worm-shaft will be rotated to advance the dial-plate one number.

It is desirable that at the end of the trip the mechanism should be so moved as to permit of the large dial- plates 12 and 19 being returned to their original position at O without in any way aifectin g the permanentregistry dial-plates in the bottom of the case. To accomplish this, it is necessary to temporarily release the feed-pawl 27 and the lever 37 from engagement with the ratchet-wheel 15, and to do this I provide a cam-plate 69, rigidly secured on the Worm-shaft, said plate having two projecting cam faces 70, corresponding to each other. This cam-plate is adapted to engage the spring-controlled pivoted arm 71, (see Figs. 8, 9, and 10,) said arm being located between the cam-plate and the rear end of the lever 37. It will therefore be observed that when the thumb-key 67 is moved a quarter-turn one of the cams 70 will engage the arm 71 and push it up against the rear end of the lever 37, Fig. and in so doing release the lower end 38 of said lever from engagement with the ratchet-wheel 15 and also release the feed-pawl 27 from engagement with said ratchet by moving the heel 42 of said pawl forward. IVhen the parts are in this position, the units and tens dials 12 19 can be turned backward to their normal position at O without in any way aiiecting the other dials and mechanism of the register, as the spring-pawl 57 is adapted to pass freely over the teeth of the ratchetwheel 17 in a reverse direction. In order to stop the dials 12 19 at the proper point, so that the naughts thereon will appear through the openings in the front of the case, I provide a spring-controlled arm 81, Fig. 1l,which is pivotally secured on the under side of the driven disk 21 and so arranged that its outer end projects beyond the periphery of said disk, while its inner end engages the sleeve 20. On the under side of the driving-disk 14 I provide a plate S2, having a notch in its forward end adapted to receive the end of the arm S1, and the arm and plate are so located on their respective disks that when on the reverse movement of the disks the end of the arm engages the notch of said plate, as shown in Fig. 7 in broken lines, the first marks on each dial-plate will appear in the openings in the front of the case. The engagement of the arm with the plate 82 limits the backward or reverse movement of the dial-plates 12 19; but on the forward movement of said plates the spring 83 permits the arm to pass over the plate in the manner indicated in Fig. 6. The reverse movement of the dial-plates 12 19 is accomplished by turning the thumb-nut S11, which is screwed into the sleeve 13 and projects on the outer side of the front of the case.

To prevent the worm shaft from being manipulated to turn the trip-dial backward, I provide a locking-plate 72, rigidly secured on the worm-shaft and having ratchet-teeth 73 at its corners, Fig. 8, these teeth being arranged to engage the toe 74E of a spring-controlled lever 75, pivoted on the shaft 76 with the arm 71, should the Worm-shaft and plate be turned in a reverse direction. A spring 7 is coiled around the shaft 76 and has one end fastened to the arm 71 and its other end arranged to bear upon the lever 75, the effect being to keep the arm downward and relieved of any pressure upon the lever 37 and also to keep the toe 74E of the locking-lever in engagement with the periphery of the locking-plate 72. The locking-lever, whose toe normally rides against the locking-plate, will therefore engage one of the teeth 73 thereon should the worm shaft be turned backward and prevent the same from turning, thereby forming an effectual locking device for this purpose.

A spring-'controlled locking-arm 7S is pivoted in the case and arranged to engage the teeth of the cog-wheel 18 to prevent the same and the parts connected therewith from being turned backward, and thereby prevent the permanent-registry dials at the bottom of the case from being dishonestly manipulated.

The clapper 40 is mounted on a stem 79, connected with the arm 39, and a spring 80 is fastened to the arm and to some fixed part of the case to normally hold the clapper against the bell and the arm 39 up against the lower end of the two-arm lever 37.

In the foregoing description of my invenltion I have described the operation of the different groups of mechanism sufficiently to enable others to understand the complete operation of the register, and it will not be necessary to repeat the method of operation.

The register constructed in accordance with my invention is extremely simple,can be manufactured inexpensively, is neat in appearance, and compact in form, and cannot be dishonestly manipulated. The means of communicating the movement from the mechanism of one dial-plate to one of the adjacent dial-plates is an important feature of my invention, it being observed that the circular periphery of the driving-disk will turn easily in the concaved section of the driven disk until the single tooth of the driving-disk engages a notch of the driven disk and advances the latter one step or space. The lower series of dial-plates constitute the permanent register of all the fares collected, while the upper dial-plates 12 19 show simply the number of fares collected on each trip and are not intended to be a permanent register, but

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simply a trip-fares register of such character that any one sitting in the car can easilyread the numbers on the dial.

I do not think it will be necessary to dei scribe the manner in which the registry-dials v pull-hama dial and ratchet-Wheel rigid with the dial a pivotally-mounted paWl carried by thefpull-bar and adapted to normally operatel said ratchet-Wheel; a pivotally-mounted lever having one of its endsl arranged in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, the face of said lever which engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel being doubly notched or recessed, to preventa retrograde movement of said wheel, said lever having its opposite end in position to move said pawl on its pivot when said lever is rocked on its pivot to be released from its engagement from said Wheel;

- and means for moving said lever on its pivot,

lsubstantially as described.

2. In a fare-register, the combination of a pull-bar; a dial and ratchet-wheel rigid With the dial; a pivotally-mounted pawl carried by the pull-bar and adapted to normally operate said ratchet-wheel, said paWl having an angularly-extending heel; a pivotally-mounted f two-arm lever, having the face of one of its ends provided With tivo notches or recesses to engage `the teeth of said ratchet-Wheel and prevent a retrograde movement thereof, and

having its opposite end Weighted and lying in a position to move said paWl on its pivot by contact With said heel, When said lever is rocked on its pivot to release said ratchet- Wheel; and a device for moving said lever on its pivot, substantially as described.

3. In a fare-register, the combination of a units-dial and a tens-dial suitably connected together; a ratchet-Wheel rigid with the unitsdial; an operating pull-bar, having a pivotally-mounted paWl adapted to operate said ratchet-Wheel; a lever arranged normally in engagement with said ratchet-Wheel to prevent a retrograde movement,said lever having a pivotal movement to carry it to aposition to movesaid pawl on its pivot, whereby said ratchet Wheel will be simultaneously freed from the action of said paWl' and said lever; a trip-dial, a shaft carrying athumb-key and adapted to operate said trip-dial; and a plate carried by the shaft and arranged to move said lever on its pivot to release said ratchetwheel, when said shaft is turned to operate the trip-dial and during an intermediate portion of its limit of movement, substantially as described. 1 4. In a fare-register, the combination with indicating mechanism; registering mechan# ism operatively connected therewith and driven thereby in one direction; and a paWl andratchet for imparting a positive step-bystep movement to said indicating'mechanism; of a locking-lever mounted to coact with the primary Wheel of said indicating mechanism to preventa retrograde movement thereof, saidlever having a movement to disengage said paWl and ratchet; and a device for temporarily releasing said locking-lever and disengaging said pawl and ratchet to allow of a resetting of the indicating mechanism, said resetting being possible only during the operation of said device, substantially as described. 5. In a fare-register, the combination with indicating mechanism; and a paWl and ratchet for imparting a positivo step-by-step movementA thereto; of a lever for holding said ratchet against retrograde movement, said lever having a movement to disengage said pawl and ratchet; and a rotating thumb-key movable in one direction Within a predetermined distance, said key positively moving and holdingsaid lever and pawl to and in an inoperative posi-tion, at an intermediate portion of its limit of movement, whereby said indicating mechanism may be reset, but only when said thumb-'key is in its intermediate position, substantially as described.

G. In a fare-register, the combination with a unitsdial and a tens-dial suitably connected together, means for operating and locking said dials against reverse movement, devices for temporarily releasing the operating andv locking means to permit `the dials to be returned to their original position at f 0,a spring-controlled lever rigid With the Ytensdial and a notched plate rigid with the unitsdial and adapted to be engaged by said lever to limit the reverse movement of the dials, substantially as described.

7. In a fare-register, a case provided With a removable front, one side Wall of said case having slots therein, lugs on the front ar ranged to engage said slots, a bolt rigid With the front and extending throughan opening in the back of the case, and a Wedge and seal for the end of said bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

1 Y VALENTIN WEBER. Witnesses:

EDWARD AUTEN,

RosA CORNELL.

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