AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPTS OF MONEY FOR THE FARES OF PASSENGERS BY OMNIBUSES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas Abell, of Cannon Street, in the City of
London, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
CHECKING THE RECEIPTS OF MONEY FOR THE FARES OF PASSENGERS BY
OMNIBUSES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
Sealed the 13th February 1880, and dated the 14th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas Abell at the
"AN
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th October 1879.
JOHN THOMAS ABELL, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPTS OF MONEY FOR THE FARES
OF PASSENGERS BY OMNIBUSES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
The object of this Invention is to provide a check on the amount of monies
received for the fares of passengers by omnibuses and other conveyances and places
where money is being frequently taken.
When an intending passenger applies, say to the conductor of an omnibus, the
latter gives to such applicant a metal disc or check representing the amount of the
fare, the passenger then takes his seat in or upon the omnibus, and on or before
leaving such vehicle he drops the said check through a slit or opening into a case
fixed to the door of the vehicle or in any suitable and convenient place; the check
in falling presses down a lever, and thereby operates an arrangement of mechanism
which turns
a finger mounted on the exterior face of such case; this finger
indicates on a dial or graduated circle the amount of such fare in pence; there are
also similar fingers and dials representing the amounts taken in shillings and
pounds and in parts thereof, which fingers are moved at each motion of the pence
finger the relative portion or part of a shilling and a pound respectively which
such pence finger registers. The said case is so placed that the dials and the
several amounts respectively registered thereon can be seen by the passengers in
the vehicle and by other persons present.

page_text: The metal checks are made of different diameters to suit the amount of each
fare; thus, say the smallest check is arranged to move the pence finger two points
on the dial, or two-pence; the check for 3 has a little larger diameter so as to
move such finger over three such points, representing 3; the check for 4ª has a still
larger diameter to move such finger over four points, and so on for other amounts
whether larger or smaller.
The check in each operation passes through the said case into a bag or other
suitable receptacle placed below such case, so that if desired it can be immediately
taken out and used again, and so of all the checks continuously.
To prevent fraud by passing two or more checks through the said opening at the
same time, I provide a sliding bolt operated by a lever or levers and a spring to
close the said opening whilst each check is in the act of passing downwards, so
that only one check can pass at one operation. The return of the lever which
operates the fingers to its normal state, releases the said sliding bolt, and the
said spring then draws such bolt or stop clear of the said opening, when another
check can be passed as before described, and so on continuously, or as may be
needed.