IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF MONEY TAKEN FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC WATER CLOSETS AND LAVATORIES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Nevil Maskelyne, of the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF MONEY TAKEN FOR THE USE
OF PUBLIC WATER CLOSETS AND LAVATORIES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Nevil Maskelyne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th September 1881.
JOHN NEVIL MASKELYNE, of the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF
MONEY TAKEN FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC WATER CLOSETS AND LAVATORIES."
The object of this Invention is to provide a means for checking the amount of
money taken for the use of the water-closets and lavatories at railway stations,
places of amusement, and other places.
To this end I apply to the inside of the door of the watercloset or lavatory a
bolt to be shot by the person using the closet, which will actuate a counting
mechanism.
This bolt is enclosed in a suitable case to be secured to the door, and is provided
with a handle which projects through a slot in the case and by which the bolt is
slidden backwards and forwards. A notch is formed in the upper edge of the
bolt, into which takes a spring catch. This spring, which when in its normal
position will hold the bolt, is raised out of the notch by a finger carried by the
When this finger is in
bolt and actuated by the attendant with a suitable key.
the proper position to raise the spring it will strike against a fixed stop, which as
the bolt is slidden forward by the visitor will cause the finger to turn down
into its normal position or out of contact with the spring catch, which will then
be ready to take into the notch so soon as it is again presented to it.
Secured to the bolt and preferably in rear of the notch is a spring finger, which
as the bolt is moved forward, actuates the counting mechanism, but gives way on
the return of the bolt.

page_text: The counting mechanism I prefer to employ is one in which the wheels are
formed in a manner similar to those used as the stop motion in Geneva watches.
In this form of wheel the driving wheel serves as a lock by fitting into hollows
cut in the circumference of the driven wheel between its notches. The apparatus
will therefore be self locking, and it will be impossible for the attendant to turn
back the numbered discs. The wheels will be arranged in pairs, viz., a driving
wheel provided with one tooth and a notched wheel, rivetted together and mounted
on the same stud axle which is rivetted to a back plate. The numbers I place on
the back of the wheels, and I arrange in the back plate a series of openings through
which the numbers may be seen. The openings may be covered with glass if
desired.
It will thus be seen that the checking will be effected by the visitor as he bolts
the door, but the door cannot be bolted without the intervention of the attendant
to raise the spring catch, and thus the counting mechanism cannot register against
the attendant.
When unbolted the door will be held ajar by a spring.
I would remark that I do not intend to confine myself entirely to the counting
mechanisin above described, as many other counting mechanisms could be
emploved

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Novil Maskelyne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th March 1882.
JOHN NEVIL MASKELYNE, of the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF
MONEY TAKEN FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC WATER-CLOSETS AND LAVATORIES."
The object of this Invention is to provide means for checking the amount of
money taken for the use of waterclosets and lavatorios at railway stations, places
of entertainment, and other public places.
To this end I apply to the insido of the door of the water-closet or lavatory a
special form of bolt, which when unlocked by the attendant is to ho shot by the
person using the closet or lavatory, and which will actuate a counting mechanisın.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bolt constructed
according to my Invention with the front plate of the case removed; Fig. 2 is a
top view; Fig. 3, an end view; and Fig. 4, a view of the outside of the door
showing the Figures.
a is a box or case containing the mechanism and which is secured to the door
by screws through the flanges b, b; c is a bolt formed with two longitudinal slots c¹
therein. This bolt slides on guide pieces c which are rivetted or otherwise
secured to the case a and enter the slots c¹ in the bolt. Screws o* maintain the
bolt in position on the guide pieces c³, and in connection with the bolt, so as to
project through a slot in the case, is a handle c by which the bolt can ho moved
in either direction; d is a spindle socket which is fitted (so that it may freely
turn therein) into a circular hole made in the bolt. This socket is cast or other-
wise provided with a cranked arm d¹, which when turned into a vertical position
by means of a key or spindle placed in the socket d, will raiso a spring catch e
out of a notch formed in the edge of the bolt c to allow of the bolt being
shot. g is a jointed finger which is pivotted at g¹ and is intended to actuato a
counting mechanism. This finger which lies alongside the bolt is rocked on its
pivot by means of two pins h, h¹, carried by the bolt. The pin h drives the finger
forward as the bolt c is moved forward, and the pin ' causes the return motion of
the finger as the bolt c is withdrawn.
The counting mechanism may be of any suitable construction, but that which
I prefer to use is one in which the driving wheels or discs fit into hollows cut
between the notches in the circumference of notched driven wheels or discs.
In this form of mechanism the driving wheels, which in the present instance
will be provided each with a single tooth only, act as locking wheels, and no other
stop mechanism is necessary.
The wheels will be arranged in the following manner-No. 1 or the unit wheel
will consist of a ratchet wheel i and driving wheel or disc i, which are rivetted
together and mounted on a stud axle secured to the back of the box a or in any
other convenient manner. This wheel which is actuated by the finger g and is
provided with a fixed spring pawlj drives No. 2 or the tens wheel, which consists
also of a notched wheel and a driving wheel or disc ³ rivetted together and
mounted on a second stud axle. The driving wheel takes into the notched
wheel, and the driving wheel 3 takes into the notched hundreds wheel No. 3
which is mounted on a third stud axle. The figures are placed on the backs of tho
wheels 1, 2, and 3, and openings are provided in the back plate of the box a and
in the door through which the figures may bo seen.
These openings may if
desired be covered with glass.

page_text: This arrangement of counting mechanism is simple and takes up little room in
the case a.
By the use of the apparatus, as above described, it will be seen that the checking
of the money will be effected by the visitor bolting the door, but that the inter-
vention of the attendant will also be required to raise the spring catch e to
release the bolt c, and thus the counting mechanism cannot be made to register
against the attendant. When unbolted the door will be held partly open by a
suitable spring.
As an additional precaution and to ensure the proper closing of the door, I may
apply to the seat of the closet a sliding cover, which will be connected with tho
door in such a manner that only by properly closing the door can the cover be
entirely withdrawn.
I have shewn at Figures 5 and 6 in sectional plan and elevation one arrangement
for withdrawing the sliding cover. is the sliding cover closing the opening in
the seat and attached by a chain or wire rope to a grooved pulley or wheel m,
which is mounted on a stud axle bolted to the wall of the closet at about the
level of the top of the door. Secured to this pulley m is a second and smaller
grooved pulley m³, and this pulley m¹ is connected by a chain or wire rope to a
horizontal rocking arm n, which, when in its normal position, stands out at right
angles to the front wall of the closet by the side of the door.
Guide pulleys for the chains or wires are provided where necessary.
The arm n is formed with a slot in which works a segment pieco o attached to
the door. The outer-end-of-the.seginent-piece-is-turned-up-to-form-a-book-or-stop,-
which, when the door is being closed, will at a given moment act on the arm n
and draw it over, thus pulling on the chains 7, 7, to withdraw the sliding cover k.
As soon as the door is opened the sliding cover will be caused to return by a
weight P, which is suitably attached thereto by a chain.
Having now described the nature of my Invention for "Improvements in
Apparatus for Checking the Receipt of Money taken for the Use of Public Water-
closets and Lavatories," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
1 wish it to be understood that under the abovo in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,-
First. The arrangement of registering bolt apparatus, substantially as herein
shown and described.
Second. The arrangement of counting mechanism, substantially as herein shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Nevil Maskelyne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.