AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE FARES AND EARNINGS OF PUBLIC VEHICLES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Joseph Curtis, of Tufnell Park Road,
Holloway, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE
FARES AND EARNINGS OF PUBLIC VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Joseph Curtis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th August 1862.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH CURTIS, of Tufnell Park Road, Holloway, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING
THE FARES AND EARNINGS OF PUBLIC VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of checking the receipts of and
determining the fares of passengers in public conveyances. In adapting the
Invention to a cab or omnibus, I provide a packet of cards having on their
face a graduated dial, numbered and representing distances in miles, half
miles, and quarter miles, if necessary. Each omnibus passenger or hirer of a
cab will receive one of these cards on entering the vehicle, it having been
pierced by a punch to indicate a starting point on the dial. On leaving the
vehicle the card is to be again pierced, and the distance between the two
nicks in the card will show the distance traversed. The punch will, however,
when making the second nick, which indicates the termination of the passenger's
journey, strike out a portion of the card, and discharge it into a receiver,;

page_text: which is accessible only to the proprietor of the vehicle. This punched-out
portion will have a counterpart of the nicks retained by the passenger, and
will therefore shew the amount of the fare chargeable to the passenger. The
manner in which I prefer to attain this end is as follows:-I provide a small
rotating table, which I mount on an open tube, and give rotation to the tablo
by means of a worm wheel and worm, the worm shaft being driven from one
of the carrying wheels of the vehicle. The amount of axial motion the table
will receive will therefore be relative to the distance run by the vehicle. If
thus the relation be such that the graduated card when placed on the tablo
would indicate by its rotation under a fixed pointer the distance run, it will
be understood that the nicking of the card, as above explained, will give an
accurate measurement of the distance travelled. The rotating table is fitted
with a recess to receive the card in a given position, and above it is placed a
cylindrical punch fitted with a projecting knife blade. This punch is worked
by a hand lever, and when forced down to give the first nick to the card a
spring stop will prevent the punch from descending further than is requisite to
bring the knife blade into operation. When the card is next applied to the
rotating table, the duty of the omnibus conductor or cab driver will be first to
draw back the stop, and then to depress the lever. By this movement the
punch will cut a second notch in the card, and then strike out the centre of
the graduated dial,. forcing it into the tubular receptacle below.
I also propose to mount in the vehicle a rotating dial (with a fixed pointer)
corresponding to that on the card. The dial I connect with the gearing
which drives the rotating table, and thereby ensure a corresponding rotary
motion between the dial and the table. The use of this rotating dial is to
afford passengers a means of checking the marks on their card when entering
and leaving the vehicle.
In vehicles hired by time the rotating table may be operated by clockwork,
and the dial on the card to be pierced may represent a clock face. The
distance between the nicks made on entering and leaving the vehicle will in
this case shew the time consumed in the journey.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Joseph Curtis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOSEPH CURTIS, of Tufnell Park Road, Holloway, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
ller reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Joseph Curtis, Her special license that I, the said William
Joseph Curtis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the
said William Joseph Curtis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any 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 "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE FARES AND EARNINGS
OF PUBLIC VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Joseph Curtis, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Joseph Curtis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and, to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of checking the receipts of and
determining the fares of passengers in public conveyances. In adapting the
Invention to a cab or omnibus, I provide a packet of cards having on their
face a graduated dial, numbered and representing distances in miles, half
miles, and quarter miles, if necessary. Each omnibus passenger or hirer of a
cab will receive one of these cards on entering the vehicle, it having been
pierced by a punch to indicate a starting point on, the dial. On leaving the
vehicle the card is to be again pierced, and the distance between the two
nicks in the card will shew the distance traversed. The punch will,, however,
when making the second nick, which indicates the termination of the passenger's
journey, strike out a portion of the card, and discharge it into a receiver,
which is accessible only to the proprietor of the vehicle. This punched-out
portion will have a counterpart of the nicks retained by the passenger, and
will therefore shew the amount of the fare chargeable to the passenger. The
manner in which I prefer to attain this end is as follows:-I provide a small
rotating table, which I mount on an open tube, and give rotation to the table

page_text: by means of a worm wheel and worm, the worm shaft being driven from one
of the carrying wheels of the vehicle. The amount of axial motion the table
will receive will therefore be relative to the distance run by the vehicle. If
thus the relation be such that the graduated card when placed on the table
would indicate by its rotation under a fixed pointer the distance run, it will be
understood that the nicking of the card, as above explained, will give an
accurate measurement of the distance travelled. The rotating table is fitted
with a recess to receive the card in a given position, and above it is placed a
cylindrical punch, fitted with a projecting knife blade. This punch is worked
by a hand lever, and when forced down to give the first nick to the card a stop
will prevent the punch from descending further than is requisite to bring the
knife blade into operation. When the card is next applied to the rotating
table, the duty of the omnibus conductor or cab driver will be first to draw
back or otherwise prevent the action of the stop, and then to depress the lever.
By this movement the punch will cut a second notch in the card, and then strike
out the centre of the graduated dial, forcing it into the tubular receptacle below.
I may in some instances mount in the vehicle a rotating dial (with a fixed
pointer) corresponding to that on the card. The dial in this instance I
connect with the gearing which drives the rotating table, and thereby ensure
a corresponding rotary motion between this dial and the table. The use of
this rotating dial is to afford passengers a means of checking the marks on
their card when entering and leaving the vehicle.
In vehicles hired by time the rotating table may be operated by clockwork,
and the dial on the card to be pierced may represent a clock face. The
distance between the nicks made on entering and leaving the vehicle will in
this case shew the time consumed in the journey.
Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings illustrates the means I adopt for
applying the Invention to cabs or carriages in which the fares may be charged
by time or distance at the option of the passenger. Fig. 1 shews a front view;
Fig. 2, a back view; Fig. 3, a top plan with the punches removed; Fig. 4, a
top plan showing the punches; Fig. 5, a section in the line of the axis of the
distance indicator. The same letters refer to the same parts of the apparatus
as they are shown in each of the Figures.
A is the dial of the clock, the movement of which may be similar to
an ordinary clock movement. On the axis of the fusee is fixed a mitre
bevil wheel G, which gears into another mitre bevil wheel F, working loose
on the upper part of the vertical bolster ✗ fixed firmly vertically in the
box O, O'; H is a vertical punching machine, similar to those in common
use for stamping paper, the piston being raised and depressed by the lever M

page_text: and handle N. The punch K is connected with the lower part of the
piston in the usual way, and the marker K, like a thin chisel or knife,
is firmly connected with the punch. The dial bevil wheels and punch
connected with the distance indicator are the same as those for the time or
clock indicator just described, the movement being effected by means of the
worm wheel Q worked by the worm E connected with one of the carriage
wheels (I prefer the hinder or larger wheel), the divisions on the distance
dial shewing the miles and parts of a n.ile travelled by the carriage, as the
time dial shews the time occupied by the journey. Upon the axis of the worm
wheel Qis a pinion working into a cog wheel five times its diameter, upon
which divisions are formed and figured, shewn by the dotted lines and figures
behind the distance dial in Fig. 1. As the figures pass the hole shown in
the dial the number of miles travelled in a day or any determinate time can
be noted. The mitre wheels fixed upon the axles of the clock and distance
dial hands gearing into the horizontal wheels F, F, the revolutions of the
whole perfectly coincide, so that cards printed with a dial (as shown in Fig. 3),
and kept in the centre of the horizontal wheels, the same numbers and
divisions on the cards will point to a fixed point in the same way as the fixed
numbers or divisions on the dials are pointed out by the moving hands or
pointers C, C. The cards are kept accurately in their place by being dropped
into the frame t, t', fixed on the back of the horizontal wheels, and one corner
being cut off (see Fig. 3) the cards will only fit in the right way, and no possible
mistake can ever arise whether the distance or time side of the card be used,
and by printing the cards, as shewn in Fig. 3, no error can arise in working
the machine. A drawer is placed under the punches to receive the centres
of the cards cut out by the punches, which drawer being only accessible to the
proprietor of the carriage the centres of the cards or vouchers cannot be
tampered with by the driver. A notch is left in the upper part of the fixed
bolster in order to allow the markers K, K¹, to pass through the cards. On
the face of the box a projection R is formed, against which the back of the
handle N works, and stops, r, r³, are placed (as shewn in Fig. 2) to limit
the movement of the handle, thus regulating the stroke of the punches
when the card is to be marked by the chisel K, K', in the first instance ;
but when the longer stroke is required for the last operation to cut out the
centre of the card, the driver pulls the handle forward by means of the knob N,
when the handle will be sprung outwards, and caused to pass the stops ror 11,
and the stroke lengthened as may be required. D is the dial plate, both dials
being shewn upon one plate; they may be detached, if preferred. Fig 6 repre-
sents the elevation of a cab with the apparatus applied to it, and Fig. 7 the

page_text: plan of the gearing and shaft connecting the hind wheel A with the indicator.
The mode-shewn is to fix a cog wheel 1 on the back of the nave of the wheel,
around or over which a pitched chain works connected with another wheel 2
of the same size keyed upon one end of a shaft 3. Upon its opposite end a
worm is formed, working with a worm wheel 4 on the lower end of the
vertical shaft 5, which has a mitre wheel keyed at its upper end in gear with
another 6, keyed upon one end of the horizontal shaft 7 laid along the roof of
the carriage. Upon the opposite end of this shaft 7 is a mitre wheel 8 in
gear with one keyed on the worm spindle 12. This worm and spindle repre-
sent the worm E and spindle shewn in the Figures 1 and 2, which work the
worm wheel of the indicator. The apparatus is supposed to be placed on
the roof of the coach convenient for the driver to use it, a hole being cut iu
the roof so that the passenger can see the dials. A glass window is placed
diagonally behind the apparatus, against which at night a lamp 10 may be
placed to illuminate the dials and light the coach at the same time. The
wheel A being four feet in diameter, and the first worm eighty-eight to one, and
the second sixty to one, the pointer C' of the indicator will make one revolution
over the dial whilst the wheel turns round five thousand two hundred and
eighty times, measuring twelve miles, consequently the space between each of
the figures on the dial will mark one mile and the divisions between each
corresponding portion of a mile. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the wheel 8
in Fig. 7; against the back of the wheel a toothed rack wheel is placed which
is fixed on the shaft of the worm E, so that the indicator can only turn in the
right direction. If the driver or others desire to turn the indicator back by
lifting up the carriage and turning the coach wheel backwards, this fraud
would be prevented. The pawl y drives the wheel, and the spring z acting
against a rack on the outside prevents the wheel turning back, so that it can
only work in the direction shown by the arrow.
The "modus operandi" is as follows:-The cards placed upon the hori-
zontal wheels or tables F, F¹, turn round in the same time as the hands of
the clock and distance indicator, and consequently any point of the dials
pointed out by the hands corresponds with a like point under the chisel or knife
of the punch, so that when a passenger enters the carriage, a card being placed
in either of the frames tor t, and the handle N drawn right or left by the
driver until it is stopped by the projection or r³, the chisel will cut through
the card, thus marking the time or distance at starting, then when the journey
is ended, a second punch being given by the chisel denotes the time occupied
or distance travelled, thus denoting the fare payable by the passenger, but in
the second operation the. punch is made to give a longer stroke, so that the

page_text: round part I or I' is made to punch out the centre of the card, which dropping
into the drawer S of the box, and having upon its outer edge the cuts of the
chisel, remains a voucher to the proprietor of the fare received and distance
run by the carriage when the fare is determined by distance only. If it
should be desirable to ascertain both time and distance, by nicking the card in
the time frame, and then turning the card upside down and nicking it in the
distance frame at starting, when the journey is ended nicking the card in
the distance frame, and then nicking it in the time frame, one side of the card
will shew the distance travelled, and the other the time occupied in travelling.
The passenger by inspecting the dials, or by taking the card upon starting, and
handing it to be nicked by the driver when leaving the coach, can never suffer
any imposition.
Sheet II. of the Drawings illustrates the means I adopt for applying the
Invention to an omnibus or other carriage.
Fig. 1 is a front view of the dial and indicator; Fig. 2, a plan of the card
table or frame with a card in position; Fig. 3, a section of the dial plate and
indicator; Fig. 4, a side view of the punch and card table, and worm wheel
and box for the vouchers; Fig. 5, a section of Fig. 4. The general construc-
tion of this modification is similar to that already described for distance in
Sheet I. Upon the back of the nave of the wheel is fixed the chain wheel Q
into which works the pitched chain R, working into a corresponding
wheel P, upon the spindle of which is cut the worm N, which works the worm
wheel O, upon the shaft of which M is fixed, the worm S working into the
worm wheel T, which forms the table for the card frame w (in which the card
is placed). By means of shafts, bevil wheels, or other suitable means the
movement is communicated to the worm wheel D of the indicator, so that the
pointer of the indicator points to the same point on the dial that the chisel of
the punch does to that on the card, as explained with regard to Sheet I. of the
Drawings. The dial is fixed in any suitable part of the carriage so that it
may be seen by the passengers, and for the outside passengers, it would be
better for a second dial to be placed at the back of the coachman lighted by a
lamp at night, so that the passengers would see the indicator, and it would
serve as a signal to the public. The punch and chisel are the same in form,
and perform the same office as before described with reference to Sheet I.
The box for the centres of the tickets may be formed, as shewn, like a telescope
tube, secured by a padlock or other suitable means. The variation of stroke
of the punch is effected in this instance by means of the spring latch a¹, as
shewn, which, when a short stroke is required, prevents the punch descending
lower than the slot c' formed in the punch case; but, when a longer stroke is

page_text: required, by the hand grasping the spring latch at the same time as the punch
handle a, the end c of the latch is withdrawn, and the stroke of the punch
increased, so that the centre of the card is cut out, and drops into the
box z, z.
The "modus operandi" is as follows:-The conductor is supplied with
cards, which he may keep in a suitable box or receptacle, for instance, like
those of a railway office. The cards may be numbered both on the centre
and face. When a passenger enters the carriage he receives a card marked
by the chisel of the punch, which mark corresponds exactly with the position
of the indicator on the dial, which can be seen by the passenger; when the
passenger leaves the carriage he presents his card to the conductor, who puts
it upon the card table, and nicks it a second time, and by the same operation
cuts out the centre, which falls into the box X; the second chisel mark exactly
agrees with the point on the dial shown by the indicator, thus the distance
shown on the card between the two chisel nicks shows the distance travelled
by the passenger, which supposing the charge at one penny a mile, or other
rate, the charge is accurately ascertained.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of An Improved Mode
of and Apparatus for Ascertaining the Fares and Earnings of Public Vehicles,"
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that, under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim the
means above described, or any mere modification thereof, whereby a graduated
card or its equivalent, being the counterpart of an indicator dial affixed to the
vehicle, may be made to indicate like such dial the total of the time consumed
or distance run (as the case may be) during one or more hirings, and also
afford a check both to the passenger and the cab or omnibus proprietor.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Joseph Curtis, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. J. CURTIS. (L.B.)