Patent GB-668833-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to an automatic electrical device to indicate and register reservation of accommodation
IPC: G08B5/22
Filed: 1948-10-28
Abstract: 668,833. Indicating availability of seats. BASU, D. P., and IBCON, Ltd. Oct. 28, 1948 [Nov. 6, 1947], No. 28008/48. Class 106 (iii). An automatic electrical device adapted to indicate reservation of accommodation comprises a registering counter operable under the control of a switch which can be moved to one or another of a plurality of positions so as to close a circuit between an impulse transmitting device, and said registering counter whereby the registering or cancellation of bookings is achieved by the transmission of electrical impulses to said registering counter. The invention is described and illustrated as applied to the reservation of seats on aeroplane flights or routes. Fig. 1 shows an availability indicator comprising a group of push buttons 12 arranged in vertical rows in accordance with the date and in horizontal rows in accordance with the flight and a group of indicator lamps 13. Fig. 2 shows a " reservation " panel and comprises a group of three-position switches R11 arranged in vertical rows in accordance with the date and in horizontal rows in accordance with the flight and a telephone type dial D. There is an availability indicator and a reservation panel at each booking station and each is connected to a registering counter as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3 in which the connections for two booking stations Y and Z are shown. The counter is in the form of a multibank rotary switch the wipers of which may be stepped forward by energization of a booking magnet BM and backward by the energization of a cancelling magnet CM which magnets are in circuit with an impulse transmitter Dy operated by the telephone type dial D, Fig. 2. Operation. If at booking station Y the operator wishes to ascertain the availability or otherwise of the seats for flight E on date 16 he depresses the corresponding button 11, Fig. 1, whereby a circuit is completed from the battery 16y, Fig. 3, via closed contact 11y, terminal 17y, wiper 5, contact 2E16, terminal 18, terminal 19y to the indicating lamp IL2Y, terminal 20y, secondary wiper 7y, back to the battery 16y. The lighting of lamp IL2y on his availability indicator shows that two seats are still available. If the operator wishes to book a seat for Flight E16 for that date he moves the corresponding switch R11 on the reservation panel, Fig. 2, to the left to close a circuit from the source 2, 3 via terminal 25, terminal 28 through the selector relay SyE16, closed contacts ISze16 and ISxe16, terminals 30, 31 and line 4y back to the source. Upon energization the relay SyE16 opens the associated switches ISye16, 2Sye16, &c. so preventing operation the selector relays associated with the other flights. An impulse may be sent to the booking magnet BM by operation of the dial D, whereupon the rotary switch is stepped on. The new setting of the switch is automatically shown by lighting of the appropriate lamp on the panel 13, Fig. 2. A cancellation is effected by moving the switch R11 to the right whereby the impulses are transmitted to the cancelling magnet CM. If a registration for this Flight was being made at another booking station the circuit to a "busy" lamp BL, Fig. 2, would have been completed by the operator moving the switch R11 so that he would know that no reservation could be made at that instant. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 629,646.