IMPROVEMENTS IN TICKETS ISSUED TO PASSENGERS ON RAILWAYS, TRAMCARS, STEAMBOATS, OR OTHER CONVEYANCES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SUCH TICKETS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Adolf Ellissen at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1882.
ADOLF ELLISSEN, of Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TICKETS ISSUED TO PASSENGERS ON RAILWAYS, TRAMCARS, STEAMBOATS, OR
OTHER CONVEYANCES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SUCH TICKETS "
My present invention relates to the tickets ordinarily issued to passengers on
railways, tramcars, steamboats, or other conveyances, in exchange for the payment
of the appointed fares, and it has for its object more especially the prevention of
fraud by the persons using such tickets by the obliteration or alteration of the dato
with which they are marked so that they are able to fraudulently use tickets
which have either been already used or which especially in the case of return
tickets are not available for use upon the day on which they are tendered.
Assuming the ticket to be an ordinary one of the size and description ordinarily
issued to railway passengers, I print at its back or in any convenient part of its
surface a series of squares or spaces in regular order and numbered from one to
thirty one.
I provide a series of twelve punches corresponding sufficiently nearly with the
size of the squares or spaces upon the ticket and each having a separate device or
mark upon its face indicating one of the twelve months of the year.
I provide a punching apparatus which may be held in the hand of the person
marking the ticket, or may be permanently fixed and operated in the manner
hereinafter described.
In the former case it is arranged so that the ticket can be readily inserted into
a space provided for it, and the punch being then closed a perforation is made
through one or other of the numbered squares or spaces upon the ticket. The
position of the perforating device in the punch is capable of alteration so that it
can be made to coincide with either of the numbered squares, and it is so altered
every day so as to coincide with the number indicating the day of the month ou
which it is to be used. The punch itself is also altered at the beginning of every
month so that the particular device upon it indicates the particular mouth during
which it is to be used,
If, therefore, a ticket be applied for and paid for on any day it is, before being
issued, inserted into the space provided for it in the punching apparatus which is
D

page_text: then closed and the punch necessarily perforates a hole indicating the month
through the number indicating that particular day. It will be impossible
afterwards to erase the indication, which pierces the ticket through or to alter it to
a subsequent date, and fraud is in this way effectually prevented.
I prefer, however, instead of using a portable hand punch in the way just
described, to use a fixed punching apparatus to be used by the person issuing the
ticket.
This apparatus is provided with a recess or opening fitting the ticket, and into
which the latter can be freely and readily inserted. The punch which then
perforates the numbered square upon the ticket is attached to the lower end of a
bar or plunger which can be depressed with sufficient force when required by a
lever worked by the foot or hand of the person using it. Such depression forces
the device upon the lower end of the punch through the numbered square upon the
ticket, a die corresponding with the device upon the punch being arranged below
the ticket.
The position of both the punch and the die can be altered by means of one or
more screws so that they can be made to correspond with each one in succession
of the numbered squares upon the ticket when the latter is in its place in the
opening provided for it. The moveable punch and die can also be changed when
requisite, the device upon their face being made to indicate the particular month
during which they are to be used.
4
The action of the apparatus is similar to that first described. The punch and
die are arranged at the beginning of the day so that they perforate a ticket.
inserted into its place between them, through the particular number corresponding
with the day of the month, and with the device indicating the particular
month. As the perforation can neither be changed nor erased, fraud is effectually
prevented.
Instead of actuating the punch by the hand or foot of the person using it, it
may be operated by electricity, the punch being connected to a lever actuated by
an electro magnet in such manner that when a current of electricity from a
galvanic battery or other convenient source is sent through the wire of the electro
magnet, the lever is attracted with sufficient power to force the punch through the
ticket. The necessary contact in order to pass the current through the electro
magnet may be made by means of a button or stud of the ordinary well known
kind pressed down when requisite by the person using it, or set in operation
by the ticket itself when inserted into the opening made for it as already
described.