Improvement in Electric Registers and Recorders intended for Registering, Recording, and Checking Fares, Sales, Receipts,
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvement in Electric Registers and Recorders intended for
Registering, Recording, and Checking Fares, Sales, Receipts,
I, EDWARD AARON SCALES, of 63 Westford Street, of Lowell, in the County of
Middlesex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the United States of
America, Electrician, 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:-
My invention relates to electric alarm registers and recorders and consists in the
circuit closer for operating such a register; means of preventing the register from
recording more than one fare at a single closing of the circuit; means of causing
the apparatus to register before sounding the alarm; means of producing a per-
manent record of the number of times the circuit is closed and means of recording
a change of conductors.
My improvements are shown in the accompanying drawings on two sheets,
figure 1 is an isometric view of my improved alarm-register, a part of the front
dial, a part of one of the ratchets and a part of the bell being broken away to
show the internal construction; figure 2, a front view of the same, the front dial
being removed and the electro-magnet being broken to show the operating
mechanism; figure 3, a side elevation of the same; figure 4, a rear elevation of
the same showing the conductor-registering punch and the friction brake; figure 5,
a vertical section through the front dial and ratchets on the line xx in figure 1,
and through the rear dial on the line y y in figure 4; figure 6 is a diagram showing
my circuit-closer, the unlocking magnet, the switch, the operating magnet, the
connections and battery; figure 7, an edge view of a part of the circuit-closer
figure 8 is an isometric view of the circuit-closer; figure 9, an isometric view of
the circuit-closing plug and its ring; figure 10, a rear elevation of the fare regis-
tering punch and conductors punch; figure 11, a diagram showing the operating
מ.

page_text: and unlocking magnets and armatures, the switch, the fare-registering punch and
the electrical connections.
My invention is particularly adapted for registering fares in horse-cars but may
be used for registering sales in a liquor-saloon or for many similar purposes. The
frame of the alarm registering device consists of two plates which are preferably
disks a a¹ connected by suitable ties. On the bracket T secured by screws t to the
front side of the rear disk a' is supported an electro-magnet M. Upon another
- bracket T¹ secured by screws t¹ is pivoted the armature K of said magnet M. The
armature K when the magnet ceases to attract it, is raised by the spring E, the
lower end of which is attached to said armature and the upper end to a projection T³
on the plate a¹. The free end of the armature K has a pawl k pivoted thereto,
which pawl, when the armature K is attracted by the magnet M, engages with the
ratchet R, secured on and turning with the shaft W, revolves said ratchet and
causes an index finger I, secured to the front end of said shaft, at right angles
thereto, to move over a graduated scale s on the front dial. S from one graduating
mark to the next. The ratchet R is prevented from moving in the reverse direction
by a retaining pawl k¹, (figure 3) pivoted on a stud T³ which projects from the
back of the front disk a There is another or front ratchet R¹ secured on the same
shaft W but its teeth are set in the opposite direction from those of the ratchet R.
Upon a stud or bracket T³ (figure 3) is pivoted at 5, the locking pawl k, the lower
edge of which engages with the front ratchet R¹ except when the front end of said
pawl is raised by the backward motion of the unlocking armature K¹ when
the latter is attracted by its magnet M³, the rear end of said pawl k* above its
pivot being connected by a hook to a staple in the top of said unlocking
armature.
The shaft W is also provided with a worm w which takes into a worm gear l
on the shaft V which is supported by and turns in a bracket T secured to the
disk a', and is provided with a bevel gear which engages with a bevel gear u³
secured to the horizontal shaft U. The shaft U is supported and turns in the
disk a¹ and a bracket T' secured to the front side of said disk a¹. To the rear
end of the shaft U, concentrically therewith and back of the disk a¹ is removably
attached the dial S¹ (Figures 3, 4 and 5) formed in two parts s', 8, or concentric
circles, the front one s¹ or one nearest the disk al resting against a shoulder u³,
on said shaft U, and the back or outer circle & being held in place by a nut u
which turns on the threaded outer end u of said shaft. The circle 8 is smaller
than the circles and is provided with a graduated circular scale 8³ the gradua-
tions of which are much finer than those of the front dial S, the rear dial being
intended to register several times as many fares or sales as the front dial. There
is a stationary index finger I' (Figure 4). secured to the disk a¹ which reaches over
the scale a³ and indicates the divisions thereon. In order that it may be known
how many fares are chargeable to a particular conductor, a paper disk S³ as large
as the front circle is clamped between the two circles 8' 83 of the rotating dial S¹.
The rear face of the inner circle 8¹ is provided with an annular groove 8* a little
larger in diameter than the circle & and a lever G pivoted on a bracket K6 secured
on the back of the disk a¹, has a pointed pin g at one end at right angles to
the paper disk and at the other end is pressed upon by a spring g¹ which causes
the point of said pin to draw back and the end of the lever G under the
spring to be pressed against the enlarged head of the rod g which slides in the
hollow tube g the ends of which tube g³ are supported in the disks a a¹.. The rod g'
does not project in' front of the dial a where it might be tampered with by
unauthorized persons, but may be pushed back by a pointed instrument inserted
in the front open end of the tube g³ causing the lower end of the lever G to be
thrown back and the point g to be driven forward through the paper into the
grooves, when, the pointed instrument being withdrawn, the point g is drawn out
of the paper by the spring g' pressing upon the lower end of said lever. This
enables each conductor to mark upon the paper disk the point at which, he begins
and ceases to take fares. But the principal use of the paper disk S³ is to make

page_text: thereon a permanent record of the fares taken in a given time, say a day, after
which said paper disk may be stamped with the date of the day and preserved for
reference.
The record of the fares upon the paper disk S is made by a puncturing blade k
secured to an arm k' projecting from the recording armature K³ which is pivoted
at and which being drawn backward by the magnet M2 throws the knife or
blade k forward through the paper disk into the groove 8* above named and leaves
a permanent record in the paper disk. It will be seen that the knife ko, being at
about right angles to the armature K' and being connected to the arm. k' near the
pivot ko, will move in the arc of a circle and make a drawing cut, the paper being
cut more easily in this way and the mark being more apparent. After the cutting
above described, the arinature K' is swung away from its magnet by the spring k³,
secured to said armature, and pressing against the core of said magnet and with-
draws the knife from the paper disk. It is only necessary to say here that the
arm normally rests against the post ko and that the circuit through the magnet M³
is completed through said arm and post when they are in contact with each other,
but broken when said armature is attracted by said magnet and the arm is thereby
moved away from said post. The different circuits are explained below.
The circuit-closer and operating and stop magnets and their connections are
shown in figure 6 where the circuit-closer F is shown formed of two toothed
plates FF separated by a strip FS of insulating material the teeth f¹ of one
plate F alternating with spaces equal in width to the teeth f' on the other plate
and the teeth of each plate being offset to come in line with those of the other
plate. One of the plates F1 is connected with one pole of a battery B and the
other with the other pole of the same and the circuit is closed by touching the
plates FF by a metallic rod between the teeth. In figure 9, a rod F³ is shown
attached to a ring F to be worn on the finger of the conductor or fare taker.
A stick provided with a metallic ferrule will serve the same purpose as the rod F³,
the ferrule being struck against the teeth of the circuit-closer. The circuit-closer
may be placed in the top of the car in a position where it is not likely to be
touched by accident.. From the battery B the line L runs in one direction to a
plate F of the circuit-closer and in the other direction to the operating magnet M
and beyond the last named magnet it branches, one branch running to the
unlocking magnet M and the other to a metallic spring c supported upon a non-
conducting block C. The unlocking magnet M¹ is connected by wire l² to another
spring c supported upon said block C. The block C is supported upon a metallic
bracket To and upon the top of said bracket T10 is pivoted a metallic fever or
switch D between said springs c c¹, and said bracket T is connected by the wire l³
to the other plate F of the circuit-closer. The lever D is normally held by a leaf
spring d secured to the bracket T10 and pressing against the underside of the
front arm of said lever D, in the position shown in figures 3 and 6, its rear end
touching the contact spring c¹ and its front end not touching the contact spring c
When the circuit is closed, by touching a rod to the plates F¹ F*, as above
described, a current from the battery will go through the operating magnet M,
thence through the unlocking magnet M³, contact spring c¹, lever D and circuit
closing plates and rod back to the battery, with the result of moving the unlocking
and operating armatures, as above described, both of these armatures moving
immediately upon the closing of the circuit. The pawl of the operating armatures
however is so short as not to be in contact with a tooth of the ratchet K, when
said operating armature is in a raised position and does not strike such tooth until
said operating armature has moved downward for some distance. This allows the
locking pawl to be entirely lifted out of the teeth of the retaining ratchet before
the other ratchet begins to move.
A projection of the free end of the operating armature in its descent strikes
upon the front end of the lever D and brings said front end in contact with the
spring o lifting the rear end of said lever D out of contact with the other spring c²
whereby the unlocking magnet M³ is cut out and its armature K' is restored to

page_text: position, being swung on its pivot k forward by the leaf spring k" which is
supported upon a bracket T' (projecting from the rear disk a¹) and presses against
the rear face of said armature K¹. When the armature K¹ swings forward, it
causes the front end of the locking pawl to drop between the teeth of the
ratchet R¹ and this occurs before the operating armature K is raised by the spring E,
as above described. The bell or gong H is supported upon the bracket T secured
to the rear disk a¹ and the bell-hammer h is secured to one end of a short lever h¹
which is pivoted by a horizontal pivot h³ upon a bracket Tº also secured to the
rear disk a¹.
When the operating armature K. descends, it strikes a horizontal projection ³ on
the lever h¹ and causes the hammer h to strike the inside of the gong H. When
the armature K is raised, the hammer is drawn away from the gong by a spiral
spring E connecting said hammer and said bracket T. When the puncturing
device above described is used, the connections are made as shown in figure 11,
and the circuit through the magnet M' which operates the knife k is closed by the
descent of the operating armature K which presses the circuit-closing spring J
down upon the circuit-closing spring J¹, these being separated at one end by a
block J of insulating material. The lower spring J is connected by line to
the line L and thereby to one pole of the battery B and the other spring J' is con-
nected by the line through the magnet M³ to the post, thence through the
arm k to the armature, by line to the line L, thence to the other pole of the
battery B. Hence, when the springs J J' are in contact with each other the magnet M*
will attract its armature K³, puncturing the paper as above described, but when
the movement of said armature K2 takes the arm k out of contact with the post k¹º,
the circuit is broken and said armature returns to its former position, withdrawing
the knife from the paper. When the operating armature K is again raised, the
spring J by its own elasticity rises out of contact with the spring J¹ and breaks
the circuit. A friction-brake P, pivoted at its outer end at p to the disk a¹, touches
with its inner end, p¹, the periphery of the dial S¹ and is nearly in the line of a
radius thereof, but the inner or free end of said brake is slightly in advance of its
pivoted end and is pressed against the same by a spring p.. Hence said disk is
prevented from being moved in a reverse direction by the crowding of the inner
or free end of said brake against said disk and by the friction of said brake upon
said disk.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of two parallel metallic plates, insulated from each other and
adapted to be connected to the opposite poles of a battery, each of said plates
being provided with teeth, as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination of two metallic plates, insulated from each other and adapted
to be connected to the opposite poles of a battery, each of said plates being pro-
vided with teeth, and the teeth of one of said plates being arranged opposite the
intervals between the teeth of the other of said plates, whereby said plates may
be connected by being struck by a metallic rod touching their toothed edges,
as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination of two metallic plates adapted to be connected to the oppo-
site poles of a battery and separated by a plate of insulating material, each of said
plates being provided with teeth and offset to bring the teeth of one plate in line
with the teeth of the other plate, as and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination of the metallic rod and the ring adapted to be worn on a
finger of the hand united to each other, as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination of a stationary graduated dial, the main shaft, an index
finger secured to said shaft and adapted to be moved by the rotation thereof over.
the graduations of said dial, two ratchets secured to said shaft, the teeth of one of
said ratchets being turned in the opposite direction from the teeth of the other of

page_text: said ratchets, the operating magnet and its pivoted armature, a pawl pivoted to the
free end of said armature and adapted, when said armature has moved through
a part of its course, to engage with a tooth of one of said ratchets and to rotato
said shaft, a pivoted locking pawl, one end of which normally engages the other of
said ratchets and the other end of which is provided above said pivot with a hook,
the unlocking armature provided with a staple which engages said hook,, and the
unlocking magnet to draw said locking pawl out of said last named ratchet, as and
for the purpose specified.
6. The combination of a stationary graduated dial, the main shaft, an index
finger secured to said shaft and adapted to be moved by the rotation thereof over
the graduations of said dial, two ratchets secured to said shaft, the teeth of one of
said ratchets being turned in the opposite direction from the teeth of the other
of said ratchets, the operating magnet and its pivoted armature, a pawl pivoted to
the free end of said armature and adapted, when said armature has moved through
a part of its course, to engage with a tooth of one of said ratchets and to rotate
said shaft, a pivoted locking pawl, one end of which normally engages the other
of said ratchets and the other end of which is provided above said pivot with a
hook, the unlocking armature provided with a staple which engages said hook and
a spring adapted to force said unlocking armature away from its magnet and the
unlocking magnet to restore said locking pawl to engagement with said last named
ratchet, as and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination of an electric circuit, the operating magnet always in said
circuit, the unlocking magnet in a shunt circuit, a pivoted switch normally arranged
to inclose said shunt circuit in the main line, the operating armature provided with
a projection and adapted when attracted by its magnet to strike said switch and
by moving the same to cut out said unlocking magnet, as and for the purpose
specified.
8. The combination in an electric-circuit of a circuit-closer, the operating magnet
connected to the battery, the unlocking magnet connected to said operating magnet
a contact spring connected to said unlocking magnet, a pivoted switch lever
normally in contact with said contact spring, the pivot of said lever being connected
with said circuit-closer, said circuit-closer being connected with said battery, another
contact spring insulated from the last named contact spring, and connected with
the line between said operating magnet and said unlocking magnet, the operating
armature provided with a projection adapted, when said armature is attracted by
said operating magnet, to strike said switch lever, to rock the same upon its pivot
and to bring the same out of contact with the first named contact spring and
into contact with the other contact spring, to cut out said unlocking magnet,
the unlocking armature, the locking-pawl pivoted as described, and loosely con-
nected above its pivot to said unlocking armature, the main shaft provided with
two ratchets, the teeth of one of said ratchets being turned in the opposite direction
from those of the other ratchet, the operating armature being provided with a
pawl adapted to engage with one of said ratchets, and the locking pawl adapted
to engage with the other of said ratchets, as and for the purpose specified.
9. The combination of the frame, the lever pivoted to the back of said frame
and provided at one end with a point, the tube extending through said frame from
front to back thereof, the rod sliding in said tube and provided with a head larger
than said tube, the other end of said lever resting against said head, whereby a
paper disk caused to rotate at the back of said frame between said frame and
point may be pricked by said point, when said rod is pushed backward by a pointed
instrument inserted in the front end of said tube and thrust against said rod, as
and for the purpose specified.
10. The combination of the frame, the lever pivoted to the back of said frame
and provided at one end with a point, the tube extending through said frame
from front to back thereof, the rod sliding in said tube, and provided with a head
larger than said tube the other end of said lever resting against said head, whereby
a paper disk caused to rotate at the back of said frame between said frame and

page_text: point may be pricked by said point when said rod is pushed backward by a pointed
instrument inserted in the front end of said tube and thrust against said rod, and
a spring connected to the back of said frame and pressing the end of said lever
against said head to withdraw said point from said paper disk, as and for the
purpose specified.
11. The combination of an armature pivoted and provided above its pivot with
an arm having a puncturing knife, the electro-magnet of said armature, a metallic
post secured to said magnet and normally in contact with said arm, the pivot of
said armature being connected with one pole of a battery, said post being electri-
cally connected with said magnet and said magnet being connected with a circuit-
closing spring another circuit-closing spring parallel with said last named spring
and insulated therefrom and connected with the other pole of said battery, the
operating magnet and the operating armature adapted, when attracted by the
operating magnet, to bring said circuit-closing springs in contact with each other,
whereby said knife may be caused to puncture the edge of a paper disk rotated in
the path of said knife when the circuit is closed through said operating armature,
as and for the purpose specified.