MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES AND THE TIME OCCUPIED THEREIN
Year: 1866

page_text: MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES
AND THE TIME OCCUPIED THEREIN."-A communication from abroad by
Leocadio Ramon-y-Garcia, retired Cavalry Captain in the Service of Her
most Catholic Majesty Isabella of Spain, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris.
Sealed the 16th November 1866, and dated the 31st May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1866.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY
VEHICLES AND THE TIME OCCUPIED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for registering the
distance travelled by vehicles.
According to the first part of these improvements I use sand, water, or other
fluid for producing the desired indications. Each time a passenger enters the
hired vehicle a chamber or receptacle of suitable construction presents itself
under, for example, a sand reservoir, into which receptacle the sand passes.

page_text: By measuring the depth of the sand in each of these receptacles the amount
of traffic may be readily ascertained and for which the driver is accountable,
while a number of cases or receptacles for receiving the sand will indicate the
number of journeys or of passengers hiring or occupying the vehicle. Each
of the cases above mentioned is made of a size to require an hour and a
quarter, for example, to fill it; or if the person retains the vehicle for a longer
period the sand is caused to flow into a common central chamber, the contents
of which are measured at the end of the day. The parts for producing these
indications are set in motion by the action of the seat of the vehicle; thus
when the vehicle is unoccupied the seat is raised and the sand ceases to run;
on the contrary when the seat is lowered for receiving the passengers the sand
is caused to run into the compartments above mentioned. The action of
raising and lowering the seat is effected by the driver by means of a strap,
which at the same time works an indicator outside, so as to show to the public
if-the vehicle is occupied or not. It is at all times to the driver's interest to
"correctly work the indicating apparatus, as the seat must be lowered before a
person can take possession of the vehicle, immediately on which the sand
begins to run, and when quitting it the seat must be again raised, unless the
sand will continue to pass out, which would be a pure loss to the driver, who
has to account to his employer for all the sand in the receptacle.
This Invention is illustrated in Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings,
the various parts being shown separately and in combination. Figure 1
represents a sand box formed in two parts; A is the receptacle for the sand,
the lower part being of glass, through which the sand passes into a second
and smaller receptacle B, also of glass. The orifice for the passage of the
sand from A to B is double the size of the opening in B communicating with
the cells or compartments before described, in order that the small receptacle
B may be always full, as if the sand passed direct from A into the cells the
apparatus might fail in its action through the sand choking up the passage.
When B is full the supply from A censes, the sand forming an effectual stop;
this sand box is enclosed in a metallic case, in the cover of which is an
orifice D for introducing fresh sand or returning that which has passed
.through.
Figure 2 represents an arrangement for opening and closing the exi
orifice of the receptacle B, consisting of a valve mounted on the end of a
stem furnished with a spiral spring; the traction of the strap actuated by the
motion of the seat of the vehicle opens the orifice in B, it being again closed
on the strap ceasing to act, which takes place when the passenger quits the
ehicle and the seat is raised. Figure 3 represents the principal part, con

page_text: sisting of a circular case having cells or compartments which come successively
under the falling sand and collect it. The height of the sand in each of these
compartments indicates the time occupied by the journey of each passenger,
and if the compartment is filled in consequence of the transit having occupied
more than an hour and a quarter, for example, the sand runs into the
central space y. The number of compartments containing sand indicates the
number of journeys made by the driver with different passengers. The
movements of the circular case for presenting the several compartments
successively as the passenger or passengers alight are produced by means of
parts in connection with the seat action, and regulated by the driver, see
Figure 4, which shows a toothed wheel keyed on the same shaft as the
compartment case and gearing with a ratchet wheel j. By pulling a strap a
the lever L causes the catch M to gear in the mortises N, and so turn the
ratchet jan arc of a circle in order to bring each time a fresh compartment
under the sand box; k, spring bearing on the catch; the strap a it should be
understood serves for producing the raising and lowering of the seat.
Figure 5 represents the box or metal case in which are contained the various
parts of the apparatus before described; on this case is placed the sand box o
also enclosed in a metallic case as before mentioned. Figure 6 shows a plate
mounted on the end of a spring stem, on which are inscribed the words "for
hire," to signify that the vehicle is disengaged; this plate is caused to show
itself outside the vehicle by the action of the strap when the driver raises the
seat, it being returned to position by the act of lowering the said seat. Figure 7
represents top and under side views of the seat of the vehicle; it turns on an
axis as seen, as also the strap, whereby it is raised or lowered by the driver
for producing the movements before described. Figure 8 shows a perspective
view of the apparatus complete; Figure 9 shows a metrical scale to be used
for testing the compartments at the close of each day in order to ascertain the
amount of work performed by the vehicle. The apparatus may be further
furnished with an audible signal for indicating to the passenger the moment
at which the sand box begins to act, which reckons from the moment the seat
is lowered on his entering the vehicle.
I have before mentioned that the Invention consisted of a sand or fluid
registering apparatus, the action being produced by lowering the seat occupied
by the passenger. This apparatus is horary, that is, it only marks the time
occupied in the transit; and in order to render the apparatus suitable for
indicating distances I have so modified it that by its means I can at the same
time cause it to indicate both the time and the number of miles travelled.
Thus by means of an apparatus with two sand boxes I may indicate 1st,

page_text: the time occupied in the journey; 2ndly, the number of miles traversed in
the said journey; and, 3rdly, the speed of the horse; which latter indication
is furnished by a comparison of the two previous results; that is, by measuring
the height of the sand in the several compartments of the rotating receptacle
into which the sand runs from the boxes. In this arrangement the horary
indicator remains the same as before described, but at the side of the sand
box I place another similar one, the sand from which runs into a funnel, and
thence into corresponding compartments in the rotary receptacle of the horary
indicator. The supply from this funnel is intermittent; that is, the orifice is
alternately opened and closed by means of a valve connected with gearing on
one of the running wheels. When the valve is closed the sand fills the funnel,
on which taking place the supply immediately ceases; on opening the valve
the funnel is instantly emptied into the case immediately below it. This
opening and closing of the funnel is effected by a slide valve actuated by a
spring catch, which is itself regulated in its action by a tappet through a
projection carried on the box of one of the running wheels. Every time this
projection comes in contact with the tappet, which it does at every revolution
of the wheel, the latter oscillates and displaces the valve, the funnel being
thereby emptied instantaneously; the spring catch then returns the valve to
a position to again close the funnel. As the quantity of sand contained in the
funnel is known beforehand it is evident that from the amount of the same
running into a case the number of miles travelled may be deduced, as the
latter are in relation with the number of revolutions of the wheels which
is previously calculated and determined for each vehicle according to their
diameter. The vehicle may be readily backed when provided with this appa-
ratus, as the latter only acts in one direction. As before, mentioned the horary
indicator always acts when the vehicle is engaged and the seat lowered,
while a comparison of the amount of sand supplied by the time indicator with
that supplied by the mile indicator will give the speed of the horse, that is,
the number of miles travelled in an hour, for example.
These improvements are represented in Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figure 1
of which shows an elevation of the box or case containing the horary and mile
-indicators a and b. Figure 2 shows a plan of the rotary receptacle having
two series of compartments, c being for the sand escaping from the indicator,
a and d for that from the mile indicator b. The central reservoir serves
for holding any surplus sand to meet the case of very long journeys. In
this improved indicating apparatus it is necessary that the cells c should
collect all the sand of a particular journey, if it is desired to have an exact
indication of the speed of the vehicle during such journey, the speed being

page_text: shown by the difference between y and x. Supposing y to represent the
quantity of sand passing into a case of the mile indicator (say five miles), and
to represent the quantity of sand in a corresponding case for indicating
hours and fractions of hours occupied by the journey (say thirty minutes), a
comparison of the two will give an average speed of one mile in seven minutes,
or thereabouts. Figure 4 shows details of the box f of the wheel furnished with
a projection g, which by the rotation of the wheel comes in contact with the
tappet h, causing the stem i to oscillate and operate the valve and spring
catch j, Figure 5, the springs k afterwards returning the catch to its original
position. In these to-and-fro movements the valve j alternately opens and
closes the funnel 1, Figure 7, placed beneath the sand box of the mile indicator,
the contents of which are discharged into the compartments d of the rotating
case, which action is instantaneously effected from its orifice being relatively
so much larger. As before mentioned, it will be understood that the funnel,
is emptied once for each turn of the wheels,, and that the quantity of sand in
the cells of the mile indicator will give the number of miles travelled.
Figure 6 shows details of the seat and the straps before referred to. I would
simply observe that when the vehicle is unhired the seat is raised, the straps.
are slack, and neither of the sand boxes in action; so that the vehicle may
repair to any point, that is, may freely travel with the apparatus out of action,.
as for this time the driver does not account. The above described mile or
time indicating apparatus may be applied to all kinds of vehicles including
railway carriages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters,
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as. I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES AND
THE TIME OCCUPIED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad by Leocadio
Ramon-y-Garcia, retired Cavalry Captain in the Service of Her most Catholic
Majesty Isabella of Spain, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in apparatus for registering
the distance travelled by vehicles. According to these improvements I use
sand, water, or other fluid for producing the desired indications. Each time a
passenger enters the hired vehicle a chamber or receptacle of suitable
construction presents itself under, for example, a sand reservoir into which
receptacle the sand passes. By measuring the depth of the sand in each
of these receptacles the amount of traffic may be readily ascertained and
for which the driver is accountable, while a number of cases or receptacles
for receiving the sand will indicate the number of journeys or of passengers
hiring or occupying the vehicle. Each of the cases above mentioned is made
of a size to require an hour and a quarter, for example, to fill it; or if the
person retains the vehicle for a longer period the sand is caused to flow into a
common central chamber, the contents of which are measured at the end of
the day. The parts for producing these indications are set in motion by the
action of the seat of the vehicle; thus when the vehicle is unoccupied the
seat is raised and the sand ceases to run; on the contrary, when the seat is
lowered for receiving the passengers the sand is caused to run into the
compartments above mentioned. The action of raising and lowering the scat
is effected by the driver by means of a strap, which at the same time works

page_text: an indicator outside, so as to show to the public if the vehicle is occupied or
not. It is at all times to the driver's interest to correctly work the indicating
apparatus, as the seat must be lowered before a person can take possession of
the vehicle, immediately on which the sand begins to run; and when quitting
it the seat must be again raised, unless the sand will continue to pass out
which would be a pure loss to the driver who has to account to his employer
for all the sand in the receptacle.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, the various
parts being shown separately and in combination. Figure 1 represents a
sand box formed in two parts; A is the receptacle for the sand, the lower part
being of glass, through which the sand passes into a second and smaller
receptacle B, also of glass. The orifice for the passage of the sand from
A to B is of double the size of the opening in B, communicating with the
cells or compartments before described in order that the small receptacle B
may be always full, as if the sand passed direct from A into the cells the
apparatus might fail in its action through the sand choking up the passage.
When B is full the supply from A ceases, the sand forming an effectual stop.
This sand box is enclosed in a metallic case, in the cover of which is an
orifice D for introducing fresh sand, or returning that which has passed
through.
Figure 2 represents an arrangement for opening and closing the exit orifice
of the receptacle B, consisting of a valve mounted on the end of a stem
furnished with a spiral spring; the traction of a strap actuated by the motion
of the seat of the vehicle opens the orifice in B, it being again closed on the
strap ceasing to act, which takes place when the passenger quits the vehicle
and the seat is raised. Figure 3 represents the principal part, consisting of a
circular case baving cells or compartments which come successively under the
falling sand and collect it. The height of the sand in each of these compart-
ments indicates the time occupied by the journey of each passenger, and if the
compartment is filled in consequence of the transit having occupied more than
an hour and a quarter, for example, the sand runs into the central space g.
The number of compartments containing sand indicates the number of
journeys made by the driver with different passengers. The movements of
the circular case for presenting the several compartments successively as the
passenger or passengers alight are produced by means of parts in connection
with the seat action and regulated by the driver, see Figure 4, which shows
toothed wheel keyed on the same shaft as the compartment case and gearing
with a ratchet wheel j. By pulling a strap a the lever L causes the catch M
to gear in the mortise N, and so turn the ratchet ; an arc of a circle in order
a

page_text: to bring each time a fresh compartment under the sand box; K, spring bearing
on the catch; the strap a it should be understood serves for raising and
lowering the seat. Figure 5 represents the box or metal case in which are
contained the various parts of the apparatus before described; on this case is
placed the sand box o, also enclosed in a metallic case as before mentioned.
Figure 6 shows a plate mounted on the end of a spring stem on which are
inscribed the words "for hire," to signify that the vehicle is disengaged.
This plate is caused to show itself outside the vehicle by the action of the strap
when the driver raises the seat, it being returned to position by the act of
lowering the said seat. Figure 7 represents top and under side views of the
seat of the vehicle turning on an axis as seen, also showing the strap whereby
it is raised or lowered by the driver for producing the movements before
described. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the apparatus complete.
Figure 9 shows a metrical scale to be used for testing the compartments at
the close of each day, in order to ascertain the amount of work performed by
the vehicle. The apparatus may be further furnished with an audible signal
for indicating to the passenger the moment at which the sand box begins to
act, which reckons from the moment the seat is lowered on his entering the
vehicle.
I have before mentioned that the Invention consisted of a sand or fluid
registering apparatus, the action being produced by lowering the seat occupied
by the passenger. This apparatus is horary, that is, it only marks the time
occupied in the transit. And in order to render the apparatus suitable for
indicating distances I have so modified it that by its means I can at the same
time cause it to indicate both the time occupied and the number of miles
travelled. Thus by means of an apparatus with two sand boxes I may
indicate, 1st, the time occupied in a journey; 2ndly, the number of miles
travelled in the said journey; and, 3rdly, the speed of the horse; which latter
indication is furnished by a comparison of the two previous results; that is,
by measuring the depth of the sand in the several compartments of the
In this
rotating receptacle into which the sand runs from the boxes.
arrangement the horary indicator remains the same as before described, but
at the side of the sand box I place another similar one, the sand from which
runs into a funnel and thence into corresponding compartments in the rotary
receptacle of the horary indicator. The supply from this funnel is intermittent,
that is, the orifice is alternately opened and closed by means of a valve
connected with gearing on one of the running wheels. When the valve is
closed the sand fills the funnel, on which taking place the supply immediately
ceases; on opening the valve the funnel is instantly emptied into the case

page_text: immediately below it. This opening and closing of the funnel is effected by
a slide valve actuated by a spring catch, which is itself regulated in its action
by a tappet through a projection carried on the box of one of the running
wheels. Every time this projection comes in contact with the tappet, which
it does at every revolution of the wheel, the latter oscillates and displaces the
valve, the funnel being thereby emptied instantaneously; the spring catch
then returns the valve to a position to again close the funnel. As the
quantity of sand that the funnel will contain is known beforehand it is
evident that from the amount of the same running into a case the number of
miles travelled may be deduced, as the latter are in relation with the number
of revolutions of the wheels, which is previously calculated and determined
or each vehicle according to their diameter. The vehicle may be readily
backed when provided with this apparatus, as the latter only acts in one
direction. As before mentioned the horary indicator continues to act while
the vehicle is engaged and the seat lowered, and a comparison of the amount
of sand supplied by the time indicator with that supplied by the mile indicator
will give the speed of the horse, that is, the number of mil.s travelled in an
hour, for example. Figure 10 of the Drawings shows an elevation of the box
or case containing the horary and mile indicators a and b. Figure 11 shows
a plan of the rotary receptacle having two series of compartments c, being for
the sand escaping from the indicator a and d, for that from the mile indicator b.
The central reservoir e serves for holding any surplus sand to meet the case
of very long journeys. In this improved indicating apparatus it is necessary
that the cells c should collect all the sand of a particular journey, if it is
desired to have an exact indication of the speed of the vehicle during such
journey. Suppose y to represent the quantity of sand passing into a case of
the mile indicator, say five miles, and a to represent the quantity of sand in a
corresponding case for indicating hours and fractions of hours occupied by the
journey, say thirty-five minutes, a comparison of the two will give an average
speed of three-quarters of a mile in seven minutes or thereabouts, the speed
being shown by the difference between y and x. Figure 12 shows the
rear end of the vehicle, and Figure 13 a detached view of the axle box
furnished with a projection g, which by the rotation of the wheel comes
in contact with the tappet h, causing the stem i to oscillate and operate the
valve and spring catch j, Figure 14, the springs k afterwards returning the
catch to its original position. In these to-and-fro movements the valve j
alternately opens and closes the funnel 2, Figure 16, placed beneath the san l
bex of the mile indicator, the contents of which are discharged into the
compartments d of the rotating case, which action is instantaneously effected

page_text: from its orifice being relatively so much larger. As before mentioned, it will
be understood that the funnel is emptied once for each turn of the wheels,
and that the quantity of sand in the cells of the mile indicator will give the
number of miles travelled. Figure 15 shows details of the seat and the
straps before referred to. I would here observe that when the vehicle is for
hire the seat is raised, the straps are loosened, and the sand boxes are out of
action; so that the vehicle may repair to any point, that is, may freely travel
with the apparatus out of action, as for this time the driver does not
account.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved registering
apparatus herein-before described and represented in the Drawings for the
use of hired and other vehicles, the chief features being the employment of a
sand or fluid reservoir discharging its contents into a suitable receptacle at
each time the vehicle is occupied afresh. The number of chambers containing
sand indicates at the close of the day the number of journeys made by the
driver, and the quantity of sand in each indicates the length of each journey.
This registering apparatus may be made to indicate both the time occupied
and the distance travelled, it being for this purpose provided with two sand
reservoirs, one of which discharges its contents into a special receptacle, being
provided with a sluice having an intermittent motion imparted to it by one
of the wheels of the vehicle at each revolution. A comparison of the
quantity of sand in this receptacle with the number of revolutions of the
wheel will give the number of miles travelled. The above described regis-
tering apparatus may be applied to all kinds of vehicles including railway
carriages.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK.
(L.S.)