AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FARES IN TRAM-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FARES IN TRAM-CARS AND
OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by J. J. Greenough, of
Syracuse, New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
COLLECTING FARES IN TRAM-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES." [A communication
from abroad by J. J. Greenough, of Syracuse, New York, United States of
America.]
The object of this Invention is to afford security, convenience, and certainty in
collecting fares from passengers in omnibuses, tram-cars, or similar vehicles, and
depositing the same in lock-boxes without being handled by the conductor, under
whose supervision the payment is made by the passenger without moving from his
seat or place in or upon the carriage, while the conductor has no access to the money
that he sees deposited.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide along the space between
the top of the windows and the top of the vehicle an extended receptacle having a
narrow opening along its whole length into which the passengers put their fares at
any point. The front wall of this receptacle and inclined planes inside, down which
the fare drops, are made of transparent glass, so as to render the interior visible.
The bottom of this receptacle is formed by a revolving endless belt, the edges of
which are elastic and turn up, being shaped by concave rollers over which it
passes; this receives the money or ticket used for the payment of a fare and
conveys it to a lock-box from whatever point it is dropped thereon by being
deposited in a conductor, through which it falls into said box. The endless belt is
moved by the revolution of one of the end rollers, which is rotated by means of a
Price 71

page_text: belt passing over a pulley on its axis and down to a pulley below, said lower
pulley being connected by a belt with another pulley on one of the axles of the
vehicle, by the revolution of which axle the whole is put in operation, or the said
endless conveying belt can be revolved by means of bevel gearing and an upright
shaft, or by a crank upon the axis of the end roller turned by the conductor, or by
any suitable mechanical power by which the belt can be moved automatically.
An opening made through the end communicates with the apparatus for the
convenience of passengers on the platform, and to accommodate those passengers
that ride on the top, receptacles are affixed along the guard rail or at the back,
being constructed in all particulars like the receiver above described. The endless
belts are driven by belts or other mechanical devices connecting with the lower
roller; the conducting device unites the receptacle with the lock-box below.
It is obvious that modifications may be made in the position and attachment of
the elongated receptacles, which must be adapted to the positions in which they
are placed with respect to form and style to suit the vehicles with which they are
used, their distinctive features, as above described, being retained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
COLLECTING FARES IN TRAM-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication
from abroad by J. J. Greenough, of Syracuse, New York, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for collecting fares in tram-cars
and other vehicles.
The object of the said Invention is to afford great certainty and convenience in
collecting fares from passengers in public conveyances with security against the
abstraction of such fares by the conductor or other person. By means of this
Invention passengers are enabled to deposit their fare at any point at which they
may be sitting or standing in the conveyance or in the top thereof, so that the
conductor is entirely prevented from handling the said fares, whilst at the same
time he is enabled to clearly supervise the proper payment thereof.
My improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a passenger-carriage, shewing the
interior of one side thereof in elevation and with my improved apparatus applied*
thereto.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the elongated fare-receiver.
Figure 3 represents in transverse section and on an enlarged scale details of the
said receiver.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the passenger-carriage on a plane at right
angles to that of Figure 1.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I arrange along the entire length of
the side of the vehicle in the space above the windows, or in some other convenient
position, and for a length sufficient to accommodate the passengers, a receptacle,
box, or trough A, provided with a narrow opening or slit a along its whole length,
or at intervals thereof, with spaces between into which passengers can place their
fares in whatever position they may be sitting or standing. The front of this
receptacle A and the inclined planes b, c, when used in the interior thereof, should
be made of glass or other transparent material, so as to render the interior visible.
The bottom of the said receptacle, upon which the fares fall, consists of a revolving
belt & made of any suitable material, its edges running close to the sides of the
enclosing case; this belt receives and conveys the fares to the locked-box o at the
end of the vehicle, which box receives and holds the said fares, so that they are
inaccessible to the conductor from any point at which they are deposited. The
belt passes around carrying rollers at the ends of the receptacle, and may have
supporting rollers at intervals between the said end rollers if desired. The whole
of these parts are provided with a stationary bottom. The belt d may be driven
by means of a crank turned by the conductor, so as to cause the rollers to revolve,
or the latter may be driven automatically by belts or shafts and gearing connected
with a wheel of the carriage. Instead of these methods of driving the said belt,
weights, or springs, may be employed therefor in a manner well know to
mechanicians.
At the end of the vehicle to which the fares are conveyed there is a conveying
tube g, through which the said fares drop into the fare-box o below. For the
accommodation of passengers riding on the top of the vehicle I affix a receiver or

page_text: receivers B along the guard-rail, or at the centre at the back of the seats, the said
receivers being constructed in all essential particulars in a similar manner to those
herein before described, and the endless belts driven by a connection with those
below the conveying tubes g¹ from such receivers B are connected with the
conveying tube g below, so as to conduct the fares into the same box o.
It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the arrangement of the
horizontal elongated receptacles A, B; so as to adapt them to the style and
construction of the various carriages on which they are to be employed, the
distinctive and novel features being the long receptacle adapted for the reception
of fares at several points along its length, and conveying the said fares into the
lock-box or fare-receiver o by means of a travelling-belt d, from which box they
can only be taken by unlocking and opening the same.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The horizontal receptacles A, B, or either of them, affixed to a passenger
conveyance, and having an elongated opening or openings therein, constructed as
herein described, for receiving fares at points along their whole length, and
provided with a revolving or travelling belt for conveying the same to a receiver
or fare-box at one end of the vehicle, substantially as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Second. In combination with the elongated receptacles, the endless belt moved
automatically, as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.