Patent GB-1324327-A (GB)
Title: Exact fare system
IPC: G07F9/06
Filed: 1971-04-19
Abstract: 1324327 Fare collection apparatus QONAAR CORP 19 April 1971 [19 March 1970] 24586/71 Heading G4T Apparatus for collecting fares or the like comprises a fare deposit section, an inspection surface 28 in said section for temporarily holding fares deposited, manually operable means for dumping fares from said surface into a cash box area and a cash box 34 for receiving said fares. The cash box has an access opening 36 which is normally blocked by closure means, these means being automatically opened after insertion of the cash box into a cash box receptacle and rotation of the cash box into a position such that the access opening may receive fares and being automatically closed when the cash box is returned to its original inserted position. The cash box is locked in the receptacle when it is rotated away from its original inserted position. In the embodiment described fares inserted through a slot 24 pass down baffle 26 and are held on a pivoted plate 28, situated behind transparent window 12 and illuminated by means of a lamp 62. After inspection of the deposited fare the operator presses bar 14 which pivots the plate 28 and discharges the coins to a channel 30 leading to the cash box. Upstream of the cash box there is provided a slidable blocking plate 84 which is spring urged to close opening 32 and is only opened when a door (38) of the cash box receptacle is closed (Figs. 1, 13 to 17, not shown). The door (38) may only be opened when bar 14 is depressed ensuring that no fares are retained on the surface 28 when the cash box is removed. Cash box.-The cash box 34, Fig. 18, comprises two coaxial shells 140, 142 having respective openings 144, 146 that are normally locked out of alignment. When the cash box is inserted into the receptacle 40 a pin 170 extending from the end of the receptacle passes through an enlarged portion (162) of a slot 160 in a plate 154 attached to the outer shell 140 and enters into an arcuate groove 164 in the inner shell 142 (Figs. 20 to 27, not shown). The outer shell 140 and plate 154 are fixedly mounted and the inner shell 142 rotatably mounted on the barrel 191 of a lock 152 which is engaged by a fixed key 186 projecting from the end of the receptacle. On rotation of the cash box by handle 208 the inner and outer shells are initially rotated together until the opening 146 in the inner shell is adjacent the discharge opening 32 at which point a cam 192 fixed to the plug of the lock 152 displaces spring urged pins 194 from the inner shell and permits relative movement of the inner and outer shells. The inner shell is held against further rotation by the pin 170 engaging the end of the groove 164. Further rotation of the outer shell brings its opening 144 into alignment with the discharge opening 32. When rotated away from its original position the cash box is locked in the receptacle by the neckeddown portion 172 of the pin 170 engaging with the slot 160. Emptying cash boxes.-After removal of the cash boxes from the fare box they are emptied into a vault 42 that comprises a rotatable cash box receptacle 44 and a rotatable escrow cylinder 46. Located at rear end of the cash box receptacle are a pin 230 and a fixed master key which act in a similar manner to the pin 170 and key 186 of the receptacle 40 in the fare box and two studs which enter holes in the end of the cash box so that the cash box and receptacle 44 will rotate together. The receptacle 44 has an opening (48), (Figs. 29 to 31, not shown) with which the opening in the outer shell of the cash box is aligned when the cash box is inserted into the receptacle. On rotation of the cash box the openings 144, 146 and (48) are brought into alignment with an opening 50 in the escrow cylinder which is coupled to the receptacle 44 by a chain and sprockets. When the cash box is rotated back to its original position the escrow cylinder is rotated to discharge its contents to a shoot 253.