US901558A - Fare-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

P. RIGHBRT.

FARE INDICATOR APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1907.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

2 SHEETB-SKEET 1.

- w/ yssszs I T smu'eesof energy, such as clockwor a AVAILABLE COPY PAI'IL aiennar, or BERLIN, GERMANY.

FARE-INDICATOR.

Application flled May 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it"knownthat 1, PAUL Rronnn'r, a sub- 'ect of the German 'Emperor, residing at erlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fare-Intlicators, of which the lollowing is av specificatitm.

My invention relates to improvements in 'i'are-intlicators ior hired vehicles.

The purpose of a fare-indicator is to indicate the fare which is to be paid by the hirer ol the vehicle for the distance traveled, the time occupied by the journey, any additional amounts due for luggage, empty return journeys, and the like, the total sum of the payments, the total number of journeys or hires,

etc, these indicationsbeing made partly by automatic means, and partly by the driver.

Inepparatus of the kind employed hitherto the. indications have been made either With the aid 'o'l' pointers moving intermittently over -fixed dials bearing suitable numbers, or withihe aid of intermittently moved disks or wheels bearing numbers or other indications, on their peripheries, which are caused to appear in succession in an aperture, or with the aid of intermittently rotated number dr ms hearing the numbers on their cylin- (ll'ltfill surfaces, or with the aid of suitably printed bands which are wound on and oil drums or rellers'so as to move past apertures. It is very essential that these numbers, especially those which are intended for theintorination of the passenger, should be made as large as possible, in order to enable them to be read clearly in a bad light, such as in the twilight. But the use ol large-sized numbers causes great difiieulties of construet-ion with the means hitherto available. Even if the numbers on the disks or drums be .limited to the range of O to t), the use of numerals having a height of 25 millimeters would necessitate disks or drums having diameters of at least 95 mm.. and 1nm., re-

. spectivelv; lhe indication ol' the fare would require three such disks or drums, so that the fare indicators would have to be at least double the present size. Further, the use of such large isks or drums wouldentail other (llill('llli1($ in construction. The int erniittentmovement. of such large disks or drums would necessitate comparatively large accelerating impulses from the low iowered it, which 1aire atpresent available for use. Then again the momentum such large disks or drums Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1903.

1907. Serial No. 375,021.

would have to be suddenly destroyed in the stoppage of these. Similar ditiiculties would also be caused by the use of large disks or drums 'in those cases where these are returned to the zero-position by means of a counteracting-s ring, or of a cam or the like on the axle of t e disk or drum.

Now the present invention has for its object to provide apparatus which allows of the use of numbers of very large size, with only very small accelerating impulses for progressive movement, and which while having a comparatively very small bulk is capable of being readily returned into the zero-position. The improved apparatus is simple and cer tain in operation and easy to control and adjust.

According to the present invention, in-. stead of em )loying the constructional devices as used hitherto in faredndicators for the purpose of giving the various indications, I employ apparatus specially adapted and designed for the )I'GSGHi) requirements and particularly for o viatin erroneous indications due to the jolting of the vehicle. In the improved' apparatus the indications are re- .eorded by means of a check mechanism, and

are readily returned to zero.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a practical formof apparatus constructed according to this invention and designed to indicate the fare to be paid by the hirer of the vehicle, said fare being calculated on the distance traveled, or on the time occupied by the journey, or on both these factors together. I Q

Figure 1 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 3; F ig. 2 is a section on the line B.B of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a fro'nt elevation of Fig. 1 on asmaller scale; Fig. 4 is a section on the line ()-C of Fig. 1 on the same scale as Fig. 3.

The im )roved indicatbig-apparatus consists of t u'ee counters, the first of which may be arranged to indicate either 0, 1t), 20 pfennigs, or centimes, or cents, or other fractions of a desired decimal coinage. or 0, 1, 2 11 pence, or 0. 3. (3. 9 pence of a duodecimal coinage. The second counter maybe arranged toindicate amounts of O, 1, 2 9 marks, or francs, or dollars, \or shillings, or t), 1, 2 18, 19 shillings,

while the third muntermayindieal e amounts of 10,".20 90 marks or francs, dollars or shillings, &c., or amounts of U, l, .2, .9 pounds sterling.

1 The apparatus shown is arranged i or decimal coinage (viz: pfennigs, centimes or cents) and it is assumed that the fares increase by successive single increments of 10 pfennigs, centimes or cents, and l'urther t hat the second counter indicates amounts of. 0, l, 2 9 marks or francs, "&c., while the third counter indicates amounts ol 0, 1O 90 marks or francs, 8w.

The numbers to be indicated by ath counter are marked on the fronts id backs of plates a-;bc which are pivoted by means of pins (11, b, c in the end flanges of rollers (1 b 0 in such a manner that the lower half of each number appears on the front of one late, andthe upper half of the same num- Ber appears on the back of the next following plate, so that the two halves together form the said number. v have short extensions 1 beyond their pivots, which extensions are lJLlh slightly shorter than one-half the distance between two adjacent pivot pins to, l) or 0, so that. two adjacent plates may form a practically continuous surface when in alinement as shown at the right-hand portion of Fig. 1.- The rollers that carry the plates are mounted side by side on a common axle, and are moved forwards, by means of devices hereinatter described, each time through a distance such as will bring each number-plate into the place vacated by the one immediately preceding.

Of the two foremost; plates of each counter, one hangs always vertically dmvnwards so that, the lowerhalfof the number'on its back before turning downward, is visible to the passenger, while the next follt'iwing plate stands vertically upwards and presents its front and the upper half of the corresponding numberto the view of the passenger. The upwardly directed number plate is prevented l'rom falling over by a sto or finger (L3, 12 or c, as the case may be. bl'hen now the counter is advanced one division, "the last-mentioned number-plate is moved down through a distance sufficient to bring its upper edge below the lower edge of the linger a, b, c", as the case may be, and thus'allow the plate to fall over and present the lower half of the next following number to the View of the passenger, while at. the same time the next following plate is advanced to an extent sullicicnt to bring its 'l'ront (which bears the it )per hall of the said number) into the same plane as the trout ol' the plate that has just l'allcn ovcr. 'llic two plates together show the next 'lollowing number.

The plate which is iutcudcd to fall over at the next advance of thc mechanism, is retaincd upto thc instant the linger/1. or Iii or c.

as the case may 'be,

and isabsolutcllv prcvcntcd from falling over prematurely by t he fact that the lin 'croveraps the plate to a considerable depth. This depth may bc almost equal to the distance Pi'elerablv the plates of such advance by between two immediately adjacent pivots a, or I), or c, as the case may be, because the 1tuml er- ')late-(L, or b, or c, which is arranged .to tall over, is lowered to an extent. equal to that distance. Consequently the greatest iolting oi the vehicle on which the fare indicater is mounted, will not. be able l) cause the number-plate to fall over prcntaturcly.

he extensions 1-, besides 1l12tl lH L?,t-1tll).-... .ltially acontinuous plate out of two adjacent. plates when in indicating position, also serve another very important purpose, to wit: They make of each plate a lever ol the lirs't. order, that is with the fulcrum between the. power and the Weight, the pivot I." being the fulcrum, the weight of the main body or the plate the power, and the preceding plate the weight. in advancing, the e:-:tcnsion of each plate bears against the preceding plate and when the latter is in indicating position,

gainst the stop or lingerie, it is held there by the weight and leverage oi the succeeding plate.

The three counters are operated l'rom a common shaft w, by in ans ot a caimtool'hed wheel (Z which is driven at a greater or less speed (according to the tarill' for which the apparatus is set bythe driver). l'rom a wheel of the vehicle, or byahe cloexwork, in the usual way. This wheel lil'ts slowly a levcr c fixed on the shaft 71 and when this levcr has passed over the highest point oi each cam-tooth ol' the wheel it allows it to drop suddenly under the action of a. spring-f. ()n the same shalt it: are lixed lcvcrs (1", b", c, which serve to advance the three count ers by means of the pawls (l Z)", c".

A ratchet wheel 1). with which the pawl (1 engages is lixed to the roller a At each drop of the lever c the counter is advanced one division, whereby the next following number is displaved.

The pawl If which is connected to the lever b is normally prevented from engaging with the ratchet wheel I)", by t hel'ollowing means The lel't {hinge ol the roller (I2 has a somewhat la-rger iliameter than the adjacent ratchet wheel I); The l'orward edge ol' the pawl I is made ol'suc'h a width that it will lie on the llange ol' the roll r 11, and thcrelorc will not engage with the ratchet wheel 1) during the quick advance ol' the lcvcr 1", but will slip idly over thcllangc ol' the roller '1 ,llt l before the 'lirst counter moves from 90 toll, the pawl If l'alls into a gape (Fig. 2-) and thus engages with the ratchet wheel If, so that on the next. following drop of the lever, the sec-- ond counter also will be advanced. next lo-llowing drop of the lever c, the pawl 1/ has already moved out of engagement again with thc ratchet wheel I). Similarly the pawl c is normally prevented from engaging with the ratchet wheel c of the third counter by the l'act that the pawl c rests on the lcl't llangc oi the rollcr lZ1CC11b to the At the senses Wheel and thus advances the third counter.

- When the fare-indicator is brought out of operation each of the three counters must be reset automatically and simultaneously into rits zero position, orinto its initial position.

For this purpose, the three rollers o b 0 of the three counters are mounted side by side 7 on a shaft 9 (Fig. 4) which is capable of axial [1), 0 respectively.

but not of rotary motion, where as the rollers themselves can rotate, but cannot move axiall To. each, roller there is connected a comp etc thread of a nick-pitched screv. a During the operative osition of the apparatus, studs at, b", c, Xed on the slidable but not rotatable shaft 9, are shifted so far to the left as to keep them out of engagement with the screw threads. In bringing the apparatus out of operation, the shaft 9 is shifted to the right so as to bring the studs a", b", 0 into engagement witli the screw-threads a b 0 respectively, whereupon the latter are rotated, together I with their rollers (1 6 a until each stud has reached the lowest point of its corresponding screw-thread. The rotary motion has the same direction as that of the advanceof the severalcounters. Therefore by shifting the shaft '9 into its extreme right hand position,

each of the rollers a b 0 will be pushed forward into a determined position. This dcter-mined position of each roller produces a determined indication of the respective counter, namely, the zero or initial position. Spiral surfaces may be used instead of the screw-threads above referred to, but in that case, the studs a", b", 0 must be moved at right-angles to the axis of the shaft g, instead of the axial direction thereof as above described.

.In the example shown, the shaft 9 is prevented from rotating by means of a bar 71 (Fl 3) which is fixed thereto, and is guided in t is frame i of the counterrby means of a rod 7:: fixed to the bar It. A spring g imparts the shaft g a constant tendency to return t-o its extreme left position, which c0irc sponds with the operative position of the i'are-i nlicator. .To brinp the fare-indicator into its inoperativeposition, a shaft on. is rocked 'so as to press the pin m of its crank 111 against the bar 71, whereby the shaft 9 is moved into its extreme right hand posilionl By this movement all three counters are advanced into, the zero or initial position. Since this setting to zero takes place in the same direction of rotation as that in which the ratchet wheel a", b, c are advanced by the driving pawls w, b, c" it is not necessary --to lace these )awls out of en a emcnt with their ratchet wheels as is the caseeach time inthe devices forsetting the counters employed hitherto back to zero. N or is it ncccssary to place the retaining-catches,'- 01' in their stead the springs 03, 6 6 employed in the example shown to engage with the" ratchet wheels at, b, 0, out of engagement with said ratchet WhGGlS, so that this feature constitutes a further simplification in the construction and operation of fare-indicators. On the other 'hand the hereindescribei. set- .ting to zero renders it necessary that immea b, c in the position which follows immediatcly on the zero position.

The rollers carrying the number-plates must be advanced intermittently and not continuously, because in the latter case, the screw threads (0", b (or the equivalent spirals) might possibly take up such positions relatively to their corresponding studs (1, I), c that a stud in advancing, might come against the highcst point of its corresponding screw thread or spiraLM'ithout being able to produce the Zero position.

A further reason for moving the counters intermittently for the purpose in view, is that if the llISl} roller a? were moved continuously, then, although it would produce a sudden change in the visible number at the moment that the upper edge of the foremost upper number-plate was passing; under the lower edge of the iingcr av", yet the hereinbefore specified security against a premature falling over of the upper plate would be absent, and further, it would be impo siblcio obtain by means of an adding mechanism the total sum of the indications, and to provide a guarantee that at the same instant the amount indi catcd by the indicator increases by a unit, the total sum indicated by the addingmech anism shall also be increased by a unit. The reason for this dilliculty is thnt'in such an arrangement the advance of the adding mechanism would have to be produced 'by means of a special eccentric or the like connected to the roller a", and then, even with the most-accurate n-djustmcnl, it would be almost impossible to insure that the addingmcchanism shall be advanced always at the exact instant of the falling over of the corresponding number-plate In the example shown, the advunceof the addingnncchnnism is produced as follows: The lever cwhich is actuated by the cam wheel (7-, has connected to it a pawl 11 which operates in the usual manner a c-ountero whose indications are visible through an aperture. 0. This chcclecounter adds and records the .totnl forward movements of the counters of the indicator and thus records the total receipts.

The apparatus according to this invention can be readily put togetner, and each. counter said element and the roller for rotating the can be adjusted separately.

The quick-pitched screw threads a I), c" (Fig. 4.) are constructed as sleeves which are capable of rotation on the shaft g, and themselves serve hubs for the rollers a", b 1:.

. llle ratchet wheels d, I)", a areiixcd directly on these sleeves. The cylindrical shoulder 7) of the sleeve 1; ma'ves as a heart roller Ir, and'the cylindrical shouldia' c" of the sleeve ctierves as a. bearing for the roller b. The cylindrical shoulder p ol a liner 7) serves as hearing for the roller e? Asshown in l 4, the internal width of the frame '1' is completely tilled up by the liner oi the roller sleeve roller [1", sleeve 1), roller (1' and sleeve (L8 so that the rollers cannot shift laterally once the countershave been put together. (in the other hand, the several counters may be adjusted in succession with reference to their respective Zero positionshy mounting the sleeve a on the shaft g and 'usting' its Zero position, and then mountn the roller (1 and the sleeve 1; and adjusting the zero position of the latter and tinally .H! tll1lll! lll( roller 7)" and sleeve 0 and adjusting the Zero position of last counter.

The improved apparatus may also he employed for indicating and recording extra charges made by the driver for lug'gay" empty return-journeys, etc. lln such case, instead ol' )}')t31ttllll, the lever e by the camwhecl (Z (whose motion depends on the length i or duration of the journey, or on both together) therequlsite motion must then he miparted to the leverr; h jvmeans of an eccentric operated by t to driver.

1. shall not make any claim hcrein to the Zero rcscttingj means, the same forming the subject matter of a separate application for Patent f L933! tiled April '37 100%.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The con'ibination, in a fare indicator, oi a roller, a series of plates pivotally mounted thereon near the periplmry thcrcoi', one of said plates being retained stationary in indicating position while the roller is at rest, acontinuously rotatable element, and conncctions between said clement and the rollcr i'orrotatin q the roller one step and moving the plate from the indicatingposition, at a prcdctcrlnincd .point in the rotation of the continm'msly rotatable clement.

2. The combiinltion, in a fare indicator, of a roller, a'scrics of plates pivotally mounted thcreon ncar'thc pcriphcry thcrcoi, a stop in the pathol niovcnnnt of thc plates when the rollcris rotated, one of the plates being, hcld stationary ags iu.-t the stop in indicatingi position while the iollcr is at rest. a continuously rotatable element, and ('onncctions between tor the l i l roller one step and moving the plate from the indicating position, at a predetermined point in the rotation of the continuously rotatable element.

-3. The combination, in a fare indicator, of a roller, a series ol' plates pivotally mounted icrcon near the periphery thcreo'l a stopin in path ol' movement of the )lates when the ller is rotated, ne oi th plates being held tationary against th stop, in indicating position, whilet he roller is at rest, by a transpivotal cuts-11 ion on the next succeeding: plate, a continuously fiotaftable elcmcn t, and connections between said clcmcnt and the roller for rotating the roller one step and moving the plate from. inc indi ating position at a prerletermined point in the rotation ol the continuously rotatable elcmcnt.

The combination, in a ltll'f! indicator, of a roller, a series of plates pivotally mounted thereon near the pcri 'ihery thcrcol, a stop in thc path oi movement ollthc. plates when the roller is rotated, one of said plates being held stationary m indicating position while the roll r is at rest, a continuously rotatable element, a rcgglstcring mechanism, and connections from the contnmousl v rotatable clement to the roller and the registering mcchanism for simultan ously rotating the roller one step, moving the plate from the indicatingposition, and actuating the registering n'icchanism one step forward at a predetermined point- 'n the rotation of the continuously rotatable element.

5. The combimition, in a fare indicator, of a roller a seri s of plat s pivotally mountcd thereon nca r the pcriphery thereof, a stop for holding one of said plates in indicating position when the roller is at rest, the plate being held stationary against the stop, a con-' tinuously rotatable elerncnt,as ring pressed pawl adapted to engage the roller and actuate it one step at a time in a forward direction and to free the ind' -ating plate from the stop, and means actuated by the rotative element. for hold ing said pawl inactive during.predetermined portions of the rotation of said element and rrlcasing it for action at the end of'cach of said periods.

6. 'lhe combination, in a fare indicator, of a roller, :1 scrics of plates pivotally mounted thereon n -ar the periphery thcrcol, a stop in the path oi n'iovcmcnt ol' the dates when the roller is rotated, one of said plates bcin held stationary against the stop in indi wating position while the roller is at rest, a continuously rotatable element, a spring pressed pawl adaptcdto engage the roller and actuate it omstcp at a time in a forward direction and to free the indicating plate from the stop, and a cam whccl carried by said continuously rotatable element {or holding, said pawl inactive during, predetermined portions thereon near the per phery thereof, a

ol the rotation of said element and releasing it at the end of each of said periods.

'7. The combinatiim, in a fare indicator, of

a roller, :1 series of plates pivotall mounted stop in the path of movement of the plates when the roller is rotated, one of said plates being held stationary against the stop in indicatingposition while the roller is at rest a continuousl rotstahle element, a regis ering n1echanisin, a. ratchet wheel on the roller, a ratchet wheel on the registering mechanism, a spring pressed pawl-engaging these ratchet wheels adapted to simultaneously actuate them one step at a time in arfoiward direction, and means actuated by the continuously rotata hle element for holding both pawls inactive during prmleterinincd portions of the rota.

tion of said element and simultaneously releasing them, for action at the end of each 01 said periods 8. The combination, in a fare indicator, of a roller, a series of plates pivotally mounted thereon near the periphery thereof, a stop a gainst which one of said plates rests station ary when in indicating position, of an extension on each plate beyond its pivot adapted to hear against the preceding plate and hold it against said step in indicating position.

The combination, in afare indicator, of

riphery, a stop in the path of movement of the plates when the roller is rotated said plates being held stationary, as the roller is rotated, against said stop in indicating position, a shalt parallel with the roller, a continuously rotating element, an arm on the l shaft, a awl on said arm engaging the roller, l a second arm on said shaft, a cam wheel on i the continuously rotating element for periodl ieally actuating the second arm and with it i the shaft, the first arm and the pawl, and a l spring acting on one of the arms with a tendl ency to move the roller forward when the pawl is periodically released by the cam.-

wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. PAUL RICHERT.

IIENR-Y HAsPER,

\ \Vitnesses:

| WQLDEMAR HAUPT,

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