Improvements in Taxameters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Taxameters.
We, JOSEF WAGNER, Engineer, of 4, Brunnengasse, Vienna XVI, and JULIUS
ZUCKERBÄCKER, Merchant, of 15, Dreilaufergasse, Vienna VII, both in the Empire
of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of fare indicators in which the fare is
charged either according to the time during which the vehicle was hired or
according to the distance travelled over, and which can be set or adjusted by
hand for different tariffs.
According to the invention the registers, which indicate the fare to the pass-
enger and to the coachman, and which compute all fares for the proprietor of
the vehicle, are driven by a special spring motor the train of wheels of which
is controlled by an escapement, the swinging part of which is actuated either by
clockwork or by mechanism to which motion is transmitted from a wheel of the
carriage.
The part by which the swinging device of the escapement is reciprocated is
a star-shaped cam the shaft of which carries two ratchets, the pawl-lever of one
ratchet being actuated by clockwork and the pawl-lever of the other ratchet by
a cam secured to the boss of one of the carriage-wheels.
In order to provide for adjustment for different tariffs, the mechanism driven
by the carriage wheel comprises a shaft along which several star-shaped cams
can be adjusted, one or the other of the said cams operating the pawl-lever re-
ferred to.
The apparatus is set for a given tariff by means of a crank adapted to take
into recesses in a semi-circular bar, the shaft of the said crank being transmit-
tingly connected with a wedge adapted to displace the said cams along their
shaft against the pressure of a spring. It will be readily understood that, when
the pawl-lever is operated by a star-shaped cam having a greater number of teeth,
the fare registers will be driven quicker.
By another wedge connected with the said shaft of the adjusting crank, a
plate movable in upright guides and having marked on it the denomina-
tions of the different tariffs, is so displaced as to cause the denomination of
the chosen tariff to be visible behind a slot in the casing of the apparatus.
Extras, as for luggage and the like, are indicated to the passenger by means
of a special register and the shaft, by means of which the coachman operates
this register transmits motion to the shaft of the cam which operates the said
escapement, in such a manner that the extras are added to the fare.
In order to have the minimum or lowest fare added, every time the vehicle
is hired to the sum indicated by the register intended for the proprietor of the
vehicle, the shaft carrying the flag which, indicates that the vehicle is disen-
gaged, actuates a wheel having toothed and plain segments and being adapted
to gear with a wheel mounted on the main shaft of the register in question.
As a certain amount of work must be done for the said lowest fare, a certain

page_text: time must be allowed to elapse before the train of wheels of the spring motor
begins to drive the shaft of the computing register. For this purpose, the said
shaft is made in two parts, connected together by a coupling having a given
amount of play or lost motion one part of the said shaft being adapted to be
driven by the spring motor and the other part from the shaft carrying the
indicating flag.
In order to allow of repeatedly adding the starting or minimum fare to the
indication of the computing register, as is necessary in the case of successive
short journeys during which the play or lost motion in the coupling is not fully
taken up, one part of the coupling is connected with its shaft by means of a
ratchet.
The shaft of the spring motor directly imparting motion to the three registers
-for the passenger, the coachman and the proprietor of the vehicle—is made
in two parts, connected together by a ratchet, one part driving the two first-
named registers and the other part the third one. Owing to this arrangement
the two registers for the passenger and the coachman are turned back when the
motor is wound up, while the register for the proprietor is not affected thereby.
The registers for the passenger and the coachman are, when being turned
back, stopped at an indication, corresponding to the starting fare, less the
amount for the work comprised in said fare. In order to have the full starting
fare indicated to the passenger, a trip-shield is provided, adapted to mask the
pence-slot and having the full starting fare marked on its outer surface, the
said shield having a first rest or support withdrawn by a mechanism connected
with the tariff-adjusting-crank, and a second rest or support. by a cam mounted
on the shaft of the register. On dropping down the first time, the shield masks
the pence-slot and indicates the starting fare, and on dropping down the second
time it unmasks the said slot, wherein the dials of the register are visible:
Dated this 'fith day of April 1899
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Taxameters.
We, JOSEF WAGNER, Engineer, of 4, Brunnengasse, Vienna XVI, and JULIUS
ZUCKERBÄCKER, Merchant, of 15, Dreilaufergasse, Vienna VII, both in the Empire
of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
:
21
}
This invention relates to that class of taxameter which can be so adjusted by
hand as to record fares calculated either on a time or a greater or less distance
tariff.
The object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this class which
shall operate as accurately as possible.
According to the invention we provide a spring motor for operating ‘the fare
registering mechanism, the train of wheels interposed between the spring box
and the registers being provided with an escapement device the oscillating part
of which, when the apparatus is adjusted for recording time fares, is operated
by clockwork. When the apparatus is adjusted for a distance tariff the escape-
ment is actuated from one of the wheels of the vehicle.
'

page_text: To enable the apparatus to be adjusted for different distance tariffs we provide
an arrangement wherein a slide, which is moved to-and-fro by a vehicle wheel,
drives wheel work through the medium of ratchet mechanism, the said wheel
work carrying upon a shaft a number of adjustable cams or wipers. According
as one or the other of these cams or wipers is brought under the lever which
operates the escapement, the motor driving the registers is, in the unit of time,
more often or more seldom released. 1
For axially adjusting the cams or wipers upon their shaft, we provide a wedge,
which is adjusted by means of a crank or handle, fitted outside the apparatus,
and adapted to drive suitable intermediate mechanism.
ت
To provide for extras, as for the carriage of luggage and the like, which extras
must be indicated to the passenger and added to the fare proper, the shaft carry-
ing the handle for setting the extras register, has a transmitting connection
with the shaft operating the escapement.
When the usual flag arm is turned to indicate that the vehicle has been hired,
the owner's totalizing register is put forward to an extent corresponding to the
local minimum fare. This is effected by a toothed wheel, mounted upon the
shaft of the flag arm and transmitting its movement to the said register. In
order that this register shall remain out of operation until the time has elapsed
or the distance has been travelled over for which the charge is covered by the
minimum fare, a toothed coupling, having a certain amount of lost motion, is
-interposed in the driving shaft of the register, between the ordinary driving
wheel and the driving wheel operated by the flag-arm shaft.
By winding up the spring motor, the registers designed for the fare and the
driver are set back to an indication corresponding to the minimum fare less the
ordinary distance or time-charge for the journey covered by the minimum fare.
In order that the full minimum fare be indicated to the passenger or fare,
when chartering a vehicle, the register indicating the charge to the passenger
has an eccentrically weighted sector pivoted in front of it, a projection of the
said sector having the minimum fare indicated upon it, and a pin secured to the
rear face of the sector having its support removed by the mechanism for setting
the instrument at the chosen tariff; as soon as the said support is removed, the
sector turns a given angle under the action of its eccentric weighting and thereby
makes the minimum fee visible.
.:.
The accompanying drawings show a taxameter constructed according to the
invention.
In the said drawings:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, showing the side turned towards
the fare:
Figure 2 is a view of the side turned towards the driver:
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but shewing the cover removed.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the cover removed: *
Figure 5 shows the parts mounted upon the rear of the plate shown in
Figure 4.
Figure 6"shows those parts which are fitted to the back of the plate shown
in Figure 3:
Figure 7 is a plan view of the whole of the mechanism:
- Figure 8 is a side elevation of the wipers adapted to be displaced along their
shaft, and of the sector upon which the minimum fare is marked as well as of
the parts opérating the said sector:
Figure 9 is a plan view of the claw coupling having a given amount of lost
motion, and interposed in the driving shaft of the totalizing register in order
to allow the said register, after having been advanced by the minimum fare, to
be kept at rest till the distance or time-charge covered by the minimum fare is
cleared by work:
.
Figure 10 shows the sector on which the minimum fare is indicated in the
position it has when the carriage is not hired:

page_text: Figure 11 shows the sector dropped down in consequence of the apparatus
having been set to the chosen tariff, and making the minimum fare visible:
Figure 12 is a view of the said sector dropped farther down at the moment
when the distance or time-charge covered by the minimum fare has just been
cleared by work.
Referring to Figures 5 and 71 is a spring barrel supplying the motive power
for driving the fare registers; the said spring-barrel drives, by means of the
wheel work 2, 3, 4, a shaft which is formed of the parts 6 and 7, connected by
the ratchet mechanism 5, and upon which shaft are mounted the worms 8 and 9.
These worms gear with worm wheels 10 and 11 respectively, mounted upon the
shafts 12 and 13 respectively, which drive the fare registers. Of these two shafts,
the one, 12, extends, as clearly shown in Figure 7, right through the whole
apparatus, as it has to drive the register for indicating the fare to
the passenger, and the register for indicating the same amount to the
driver. The other shaft 13, however, only extends through the front plate I
of the taxameter, in order to drive the register for adding the successive fares
together. By winding up the spring-barrel 1 by means of the button 14,
Figures 1, 2 and 7, the two first registers are set back at the end of each journey,
to an indication corresponding to the minimum fare less the ordinary distance or
time-charge for the journey covered by the minimum fare; this indication is
"50" hellers (Austrian standard) in the taxameter shown in the drawings, while
the minimum fare is "60" hellers. By the said setting back, the totalizing
register remains unaffected, owing to the employment of the ratchet 5.
The escapement by which this driving mechanism is governed, consists of the
four-tooth star wheel 15, which is keyed upon the shaft 7 and of the slide 16,
which is movable, by means of guide rollers, in a guide formed upon the plate I,
and is provided with two projections engaging the teeth of the wheel 15 above
and below. At each to-and-fro movement of the slide 16, the shaft 6, 7 there-
fore makes a quarter of a revolution.
The slide 16 is driven by means of a lever 17, Figures 6 and 7 into the slot
of which there extends a pin fitted to the slide, and which can be itself recipro-
cated up and down by a rotating star-shaped disc or wiper 18, acting upon
pins 20 upon the cross-head 19 of the lever. Two ratchet wheels 21 and 22 are
rigidly connected to the star shaped wiper 18. The pawl lever 23 actuating the
ratchet wheel 21 is operated by the swinging lever 24 which is driven from the
star shaped wiper 25 mounted upon a spindle of the clock-work driven from
the spring barrel 26.
The pawl lever. 27 carrying the pawl for actuating the ratchet wheel 22 is
in transmitting connection with a slide 28 which is operatively connected with
the nave of one of the wheels of the vehicle in such a manner that it moves to-
and-fro when the vehicle is in motion. A pin fitted to the lower end of the
slide 28 projects into a slot of a pawl lever 29 the pawl of which drives the rat-
chet wheel 30, and the shaft of the said ratchet wheel transmits the motion, at
a reduced velocity, by means of spur-wheels to a shaft 31.
Upon the square shaft 31, Figure 8, are mounted a six-toothed wiper 32, a four
toothed wiper 33 and a circular disc 34, which wipers and disc are connected
together and can be slid upon the square shaft 31. The lever 35, Figure 6,
which is arranged above the discs, is caused to oscillate quickly when the six-
toothed wiper 32 is under it, and to oscillate less quickly when the four-toothed
wiper 33 is under it, the oscillations being transmitted through the link 36 and
lever 37 to the pawl lever 27 adapted to drive, by means of the pawl pivoted to
it, the ratchet wheel 22.
According as the wiper 32 or the wiper 33 or the circular disc 34, which does
not impart any motion to the lever, is adjusted under the said lever 35, the taxa-
meter is set for the higher distance tariff B, the lower distance tariff A, or the
time tariff.
The setting of the instrument for the different tariffs is effected by the lever 38,

page_text: shewn in Figure 2, and adapted to be engaged with any one of the three
notches 39, 40 and 41, in a semi-circular bar. To this end the shaft carrying the
lever 38 is provided with a pinion 42, Figure 6, gearing with a rack 43, which
is connected to a suitably guided, wedge-shaped slide 44. The inclined surface
of the slide displaces a lever 45, Figure 8, which moves the wipers 32 and 33
and disc 34 against the action of a spring.
In order that, when the apparatus is set to any one of the tariffs, the indication
of the said tariff shall appear behind the glazed aperture provided for this pur-
pose, upon the face of the apparatus turned towards the fare, the shaft of the
setting lever 38 carries a second pinion 46, Figure 3, engaging with a rack 47,
made integral with a triangular, horizontally guided plate 48, upon the inclined
edge of which rests a pin 49 on a vertically guided plate 50, which is normally
drawn downwards by springs and bears upon its face the names of the different
tariffs.
In order to have the extras for luggage, etc., added to the indicated fares the
shaft 52 of the handle 51, l'igure 2, by means of which the driver operates the
extras register (seen in the right hand upper corner of Figure 3), is adapted to
transmit its motion to the escapement of the driving mechanism of the three
other registers.
The extras register is operated by the cam 53, which moves the lever 54 up
and down so that this lever causes the toothed wheel, which carries the disc
indicating the number of the smallest coins (ten hellers in the case shewn), to
advance tooth by tooth. The operation of the escapement is effected by the
cam 55, Figure 6, which engages with a toothed wheel 56 mounted on the shaft
of the wiper 18, and thereby imparts a corresponding number of reciprocations
to the slide 16.
The extras register is set to zero again by the levers 57 and 58, which, on the
plate 48 moving to the right, when the journey is finished, exert a pressure on
heart-shaped cams upon the spindles of the registering mechanism.
The flag arm 59, Figures 1 and 2, when it projects laterally, indicates that
the vehicle is not engaged, and as soon as the latter is engaged it is turned in-
wards, as shewn in the drawings. By this movement of the flag arm, the driving
mechanism of the fare registers, which is normally locked, is released, the totali-
zing register is set forward for an amount corresponding to the minimum fare,
and the wiper 18 is so adjusted that it immediately begins to operate. To the
latter end, the shaft 60 to which the flag arm 59 is secured, carries a finger 61,
Figure 6, which, when the flag arm is turned inwards, raises for a moment a
slide 62, which is normally held in its lowermost position by spring pressure,
and in its upward movement so turns the star-shaped wiper 18, as to cause a
tooth of the same to bear against the pin 20 of the cross head 19.
For the addition of the minimum fare to the amount indicated by the totali-
zing register, the shaft 60 carries a pinion 61, Figure 5, adapted to operate a
rack 62, which is made integral with a slide 65. An arm 66 secured to the said
slide 65 carries with it, when the flag arm 59 is turned inwards one of the pins 67
fitted to the side of a revoluble disc 68, which has sections 69 of its periphery
toothed. The toothed segment 69, which happens to be in the uppermost position,
then gears with a toothed wheel 70, Figure 9, which is keyed upon the hollow
shaft 91 of the driving wheel of the totalizing register. The shaft 13 which
carries the worm wheel 11, and is adapted to be driven by the main driving
shaft 7 by means of the worm 9, extends into the tubular shaft 91 and both
shafts are connected together by a claw coupling having a given amount of lost
motion, so that when the hollow shaft 91 is first operated and afterwards the
shaft 13 is set in motion, a certain time will elapse before the motion is trans-
mitted to the shaft 91. The said claw coupling consists of the teeth 92 upon
the plane face of the wheel 70 and of teeth 93 upon a hollow disc 94, which is
by ratchet mechanism connected with the spindle 13. The totalizing mechan-
ism is moved forward to the extent of the minimum fare by the toothed seg-

page_text: ment 69 gearing with the pinion 70; and at the same time, the left hand one of
the coupling teeth 92, seen in Figure 9, is brought into contact with the coup-
ling tooth 93. If, now, the spindle 13 commences to operate, the tooth 93 first
moves as far as the tooth 92 upon- the right side, before the movénient is trans-
mitted to the hollow shaft, 91; and the totalizing register. The distance between
the teeth 92 is so calculated that the said register is first operated when the
time
e of journey covered by the minimum fare is over." The ratchet mechanism
in the hollow disc 94 enables the minimum fare to be-again added, if necessary,
before the tooth 93 reaches the right coupling tooth 92 as would happen in the
case of successive engagements of the vehicle for short times.
- The arm 63 secured to the slide 65 props up the locking lever 64 of the star
wheel 15 while the vehicle is not engaged. On the slide being displaced in con-
sequence of the flag arm 59 being turned inwards, the locking lever is allowed
to drop down.
.
By winding up the spring motor; the registering mechanisms for the fare and
for the driver are always set back to a figure which corresponds to the minimum
fare less the ordinary distance or time-charge for the journey covered by the
minimum fare. In the instrument shewn in the drawings, the minimum fare
is supposed to be 60 hellers (Austrian standard) and the distance or time charge
covered by the 'minimum fare 10 hellers; therefore the registers are set back by
the winding up to 50 hellers. Upon the register, however, designed for the
passenger, the adjustment of the instrument to the chosen tariff causes the full
minimum fare to be indicated by a segment, temporarily masking the "heller"
disc of the register.
By this adjustment; the rack 47, Figures 3 and 10, is pushed to the left, and
its slot 71 releases the pin 72 of a lever 73 pivoted behind it, so that the upper
'end of this lever is swung to the right by the pressure of a spring bearing against
the lower end of the lever. Into a slot 74 in the upper part of the lever 73, there
extends a pin 75, which is secured to the arm 76, Figure 8 of the spindle of the
toothed disc 78, which is eccentrically weighted by the number sector 77. The
said sector 77 can therefore fall as soon as the lever 73 is moved as above indi-
cated, but it is again arrested by the contact of the pin 79 (see Figures 8 and 11)
with the shoulder 80 of a cranked lever 81. With this position of the disc 78
and sector 77, which position is shown in Figure 11, the number 60; corres-
ponding to the full minimum fare, is visible in the heller" slot, Figure 1.
When the register, which has been set back to 50," afterwards begins to work,
the figure "G" of the "ten heller" disc passes behind the sector 77. While,
however, the said disc assumes the position shewn in Figure 12, in which it
indicates "," the left hand end of the lever 81 is depressed by the cam 82 on the
spindle of the "ten heller" disc, so that the right hand end of the said lever
rises, and the shoulder 80 against which the pin 79 abuts, is withdrawn from
this pin. The sector 77 now falls into the position shewn in Figure 12 (and
also in Figure 3), in which position the pin 79 bears against the inclined surface
on the right hand end of the lever.
66
i
wind-
The register designed for the driver is, as above mentioned, set back on
ing up the spring motor, and is locked in the required position by means of a
pawl 95, Figure 4, having three locking teeth, which are designed successively
to engage the single-notch discs 98, 97 and 96 mounted on the spindles of the
registering mechanism.
J
At the end of a journey, the driver turns the flag arm 59 outward, and turns
the tariff lever 38, Figure 2, to the left in such a manner that it hangs down-
wards. The rack 47, Figure 3, is thereby brought to its extreme position to the
right, so that its slot 71 engages the pin 72 and thereby again swings the sector 77
upwards, from the position Figure 12 into the position Figure 10, through the
medium of the lever 73 and the. pin 75, "00" being visible in the heller slot,
when the parts are in this position. The plate 50 thereupon also drops into its
-lowermost position, so that the tariff window is clear.

page_text: The cam 04 on the snart of the ratenet wheel ou, which 18 ram
connection with a carriage wheel, rocks a spring lever 85, Figure 4, which
operates a distance register.
The numeral discs of the registers are made as single toothed wheels, that is
to say, each is provided on its rear face with a toothed shaped projection 86,
Figure 7, which, once every revolution, engages between two teeth 87, 87 of the
next toothed wheel. For the purpose of accurate working, further teeth 88 are.
provided between the teeth 87, the said extra teeth being designed to engage:
in notches 89 in the teeth 86 of the numeral discs.
The lever 90, which is shewn at the lower right hand side of Figure 6, has for
its object to so adjust the cam discs 32 and 33 before the commencement of a
journey that they at once begin to work. To enable this adjustment to be
effected, the cam discs are connected to the shaft 31 by means of ratchet gear."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. A taxameter having a separate springmotor (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) for driving
the fare registers, an escapement (15, 16) fitted to the driving mechanism and
the oscillating part of which obtains its motion from a cam disc (18), the said
cam disc being rigidly connected to two ratchet wheels (21, 22) one of which
is driven from a pawl carrying lever (23) oscillated by clockwork, and the other
by a pawl carrying lever (27) reciprocated from a vehicle wheel.
;
2. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claim 1, the arrangement of several
cam dises (333), axially movable upon a spindle (31) operated from a vehicle
wheel, the said cams having a different number of fingers or swells, and being.
arranged so that any one of them can actuate the pawl carrying lever (27) which
is to be operated from a vehicle wheel.
3. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claims 1 and 2, a device for adjust-
ing the apparatus for different tariffs, the said device comprising a rotatable
external handle (38) which can be secured in different positions, and by the
rotation of which a wedge (44) is adjusted through suitable intermediate mechan-
ism, the said wedge displacing against spring pressure, the cam discs (32, 33)
on the shaft (31) driven from a vehicle wheel.
4. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claims 1, 2 and 3, a wedge (48)
adapted to be displaced from the shaft of the handle, and which adjusts a
plate (50) with the tariffs marked thereon, behind a window, in such a manner
that the tariff in use at the time is visible.
5. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claim 1, a device for the addition of
extras to the ordinary fare, wherein the shaft (52) of a handle (51) for setting
the extras register, is geared with the wiper (18), by which the escapement
(15, 16) alternately locking and releasing the driving motor is actuated.
6. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claim 1, a device for the addition
of the initial fare to the indication of the register totalizing the successive fares,
the said device comprising a wheel (68) adapted to be partly rotated from the
shaft (60) of the flag arm, and having toothed and untoothed peripheral portions,
which engage with a toothed wheel (70) keyed upon the driving shaft of the
totalizing register.
7. In the device defined by Claim 6, a driving shaft for the totalizing register,
composed of two lengths (13, 91) which are connected together by a claw coup-
ling (92, 93) with a predetermined amount of lost motion, one length of this shaft
being geared with the spring motor, and the other length carrying the toothed
wheel for the addition of the minimum fare, so that the totalizing register stands
still for a predetermined time after the motor enters into operation.
8. In the device defined by Claim 7, the application of one of the halves of
the coupling to a disc (94) connected to the spindle (13) by ratchet mechanism.
9. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claim 1, a spindle consisting of two

page_text: parts (6 and 7) connected by ratchet gear (5) and of which one part drives the
fare registers for the fare and the driver and the other the totalizing fare for
the proprietor of the vehicle, so that by winding up the motor the two first
registers can be set back without affecting the latter register.
10. In a taxameter of the kind defined by Claims 1 and 9, registers for the fare
and the driver adapted to be set back to the minimum fare less the charge for the
journey covered by the minimum fare, in combination with a pivoted trip-
shield (77) arranged in front of the "ten heller" dial of the passenger's register
and having the full minimum fare marked thereon; the said shield having its
support removed by the tariff adjusting mechanism and being thereby allowed
to drop into a position between the window of the apparatus and the "ten heller"
dial of the register, from which position it is again caused to drop by a cam (82)
driven by the register and removing another support of the shield.
11. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved taxa-
meter or fare registering apparatus substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 11th day of May 1899
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.