IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF ENRICV
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomson Goude Ellis of Glasgow in the County
of Lanark for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING
THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF ENRICV"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomson Goude
Ellis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1883.
WILLIAM THOMSON GOUDE ELLIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF
EMPLOYÉS
"
To facilitate the keeping of workmen's time in workshops where a large number
of workmen are employed, it is usual to check the workmen's time by means of
checks or tallics, which are deposited in boxes or receptacles by the men as they
enter or leave the works. One box or compartment is placed to receive the checks
of the men who arrive at a fixed hour, and separate boxes or compartments to
receive the checks of late-comers, according to the time at which they arrive.
The boxes or receptacles are presented in succession and at the proper intervals,
either by the time-keeper, or automatically by means of checking apparatus. In
the latter case the apparatus commonly used is of an extremely complex character,
being operated also by expensive clockwork mechanism; and when it gets out of
order, it can only be repaired at great cost by skilled workmen.
The object of the present Invention is to provide simple and inexpensive
apparatus for automatically checking the time of employés entering or leaving
workshops, factories, warehouses, and similar establishments, and which is of such
construction that any clockmaker or mechanic may be able to repair or clean it
when out of order. The improved apparatus is also adapted to be operated by any
ordinary clock or time piece, and may be fitted in any convenient position
accessible to the time keeper or time-clerk of the works, the workmen's checks
being conveyed to it by suitable tubes or conductors.
In one modifications of the improved apparatus, a hopper or shoot is carried by
a disc or plate, which has an intermittent inotion communicated to it from clock-
work mechanism through the incdium of a device similar to that used in lever
[Pasion C/1

page_text: "
watches and timepieces to maintain the motion of the "works" while winding,
and which is commonly known as the "maintaining power" or
going fusee."
The upper end of the shoot is adapted to receive the workmen's checks, which
are led into it by suitable tubes or conductors, and the lower end delivers the
checks into receptacles or conducting tubes, over which it travels in a circular
path, the conducting tubes being used to convey the checks into boxes or
compartments of a drawer or drawers fitted below.
The rotating disc or hopper is actuated as hereinafter described, at predetermined
intervals, which may be, for example every five, ten, or fifteen minutes during the
entire day, or for every five minutes or other short interval after each hour fixed
for commencing or ceasing work. Each movement brings the hopper or shoot over
a fresh receptacle, so that the checks of the workmen who arrive or leave at the
proper hour are received by one receptacle, while the second receptacle receives the
checks of those who are, say, five minutes late, the next those dropping in ten
minutes late, and so on.
The hopper disc is fitted on the spindle of the hour hand or wheel of clock work
mechanism or similar wheel work, and is so connected to the hour wheel that it
makes a complete rotation (though at intermittent intervals) once in 12 hours, or
in 24 hours, or once in every interval of time constituting the workman's day in
the workshop or other establishment in which the apparatus is fitted. The
connection between the hopper disc and the hour wheel or other impelling wheel,
is made by the device abovo referred to as the "maintaining power" i,e, a fine
ratchiest or detent wheol is fixed on the 'hopper disc or on its spindle, and is
connected to the impelling hour wheel by a curved or spiral spring, secured at one
end in the impelling wheel, and at the other provided with a pin which is fitted to
slide freely in a slot in the ratchet or detent wheel. The use of the slot is
advantageous but not essential, as the other end of the spring may be directly
connected to the ratchet.
As the impelling wheel rotates the connecting pin on the spring slides in the slot
in the ratchet wheel, which is held by a detent, so that the hopper disc is not
continuously rotated by the motion of the impelling wheel. The detent is with-
drawn at intervals which correspond to the intervals at which it is desired to
check the workmen's time, that is, every five, ten, or other number of minutes as
before mentioned, and the ratchet wheel, and the hopper disc to which it is
connected, are suddenly impelled round by the spring until checked by the pin
reaching the end of the slot in the ratchet. The detent, at the same time, falls
into the teeth of the ratchet and again retains it while the impelling wheel
continues its rotation without intermission. The detent is actuated at the proper
intervals, to release the ratchet wheel, by pins fitted on the ininute wheel of the
clockwork mechanism, and which lift the detent against the power of a spring.
The number of pins, in a convenient arrangement, may be 12, in which case, as the
'minute wheel revolves once an hour, the detent will be raised and the ratchet
freed every five minutes; and as the shoot or hopper is thereby impelled to an
extent to bring it over a fresh receptacle at each action, the workmen's time will,
by this arrangement, be checked once in five minutes during the entire day. By
varying the number of actuating pins, the intervals at which the hopper disc is
impelled forward will be correspondingly varied, and by using change. wheels for
the hour and minute wheels of the clockwork mechanisin, the period over which
the checking is to extend may be altered as required.
When it is only desired to check the time at certain intervals of the day, such
as immediately after the hours usually set apart for commencing and ceasing work
in the morning or evening, or at the breakfast and dinner hours, the ratchet or
detent wheel may be cut with sets of teeth at intervals only, of its periphery.
A plain portion without teeth is left at the intervals corresponding to the time the
checking apparatus is to be out of action, and on this plain portion the detent
cannot act to stop the ratchet wheel periodically.
As an alternative arrangement, the wheel may be entire and the detent kept out

page_text: of action during the requisite intervals by the pins on the minute wheel, or be
kept out by a spring while the pins may press the detent into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel to retain it periodically out of action. In such cases the number of
receptacles for the reception of the checks need not be greater than is required for
the number of intervals at which the time of the workmen is to be checked.
The spindle of the minute wheel may be actuated direct by clockwork
mechanism provided for it, or it may be actuated by any clock or time piece fitted
in proximity to the apparatus, by connecting the minute wheel spindle of the
apparatus through suitable gearing, to any of the impelling wheels of the clock.
As such an arrangement would throw a greater amount of work on the impelling
works of the clock or time piece than they would be constructed to do, the
checking apparatus is by preference operated by a separate weight or by a spring
and fusce, or similar impelling power, and is only controlled in its movement by
the clock or timepiece to which it is connected.
In another modification of the improved checking apparatus, the shoot or hopper
is made stationary, while the series of receptacles is carried by a disc or spindle,
which is made to rotate intermittently by clockwork devices similar to those
before described, the arrangement of the hopper and receptacles being the converse
of that described as forming the first modification.
The whole of the mechanism required to operate the hopper disc intermittently
as described, consists only of the few wheels constituting the "motion work" of a
watch or clock,.and the apparatus is thus of a much more simple and less expensive
kind than any checking apparatus hitherto in use.
"
The improved apparatus, in an extremely simple form, may be adapted to check
the time of seamen changing the "watch on board ship, by connecting the
apparatus to a controlling time piece provided with a compensating or other
balance instead of a pendulum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of an
Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said William Thomson Goude
Ellis in the Patent Office on the 31st May 1884.
WILLIAM THOMSON GOUDE ELLIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF
EMPLOYES
"
To facilitate the keeping of workmen's time in workshops where a large number
of workmen are employed, it is usual to check the workmen's time by means of
checks or tallies, which are deposited in boxes or receptacles by the men as they
enter or leave the works. One box or compartment is placed to receive the checks
of the men who arrive at a fixed hour, and separate boxes or compartments to
receive the checks of late comers, according to the time at which they arrive. The
boxes or receptacles are presented in succession and at the proper intervals, either
by the time-keeper, or automatically by means of checking apparatus. In the
latter case the apparatus commonly used is of an extremely complex character,
being operated also by expensive clockwork mechanism, and when it gets out of
order, it can only be repaired at great cost by skilled workmen.
The object of my Invention is to provide simple and inexpensive apparatus for
automatically checking the time of employes entering or leaving workshops,
factories, warehouses, and similar establishments, and which is of such construction
that any clockmaker or mechanic may be able to repair or clean it when out of
order. The improved apparatus is also adapted to be operated by any ordinary
clock or time piece, and may be fitted in any convenient position accessible to the
timekeeper or time-clerk of the works, the workmen's checks being conveyed to it
by suitable tubes or conductors.
My Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1
is a Sectional Elevation, and Figure 2 is a sectional plan, of one modification of the
improved time-checking apparatus. Figuro 3 is a side Elevation, and Figure 4 an
inverted plan of the mechanism I employ to actuate intermittently the hopper
which distributes the checks of the workmen, or to actuate the boxes or receptacles
which receive the checks from a fixed hopper or shoot. Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are
views of details of such mechanism.
In the modification of the improved apparatus illustrated by the Drawings, a
hopper or shoot A is carried and actuated by a disc wheel or plate B, which has an
intermittent motion communicated to it from a clock or clockwork mechanism C
through the medium of a device similar to that used in lever watches and time-
pieces to maintain the motion of the "works" while winding, and which is
commonly known as the "maintaining power" or "going fuzee."
The upper end of the shoot A is adapted to receive the workmens checks which
are led into it by suitable tubes or conductors D, and the lower end delivers the
checks into receptacles or conducting tubes E, over which it travels in a circular
path, the conducting tubes being used to convey the checks into boxes or
compartments F of a drawer or drawers fitted below, and which may be periodically
withdrawn to examine the checks. The hopper may either be supported on a
central spindle A¹ to which the wheel B is connected by rods a attached to a cross
bar al on the spindle, or the hopper may be directly suspended from the wheel B
by which it is actuated, in which latter case the spindle may be dispensed with.
The rotating disc or hopper A is actuated as hereinafter described at
predetermined intervals, which may be for example every five, ten, or fifteen

page_text: minutes during the entire day, or for every five minutes or other short interval after
each hour fixed for commencing or ceasing work. Each movement brings the
hopper or shoot A over a fresh conducting tube and receptacle E, F, so that the
checks of the workmen who arrive or leave at the proper hour are received by one
receptacle, while the second receptacle receives the checks of those who are, say five
minutes late, the next those dropping in ten minutes late, and so on.
The hopper disc or wheel B is fitted loosely on the spindle b of the hour hand or
wheel of the clockwork. mechanism or similar wheel work, and it is so connected
to the hour wheel G that it makes a complete rotation (though at intermittent
intervals) once in 12 hours, or in 24 hours, or once in every interval of time
constituting the workmen's day in the workshop or other establishment in which
the apparatus is fitted. The connection between the hopper disc or wheel B, and
the hour wheel or other impelling wheel G is made by the device above referred to
as the "maintaining power," i,c, a fine ratchet or detent wheel is fixed on the
hopper disc, or on its spindle, or the disc or wheel B to which the hopper is
attached forms the detent wheel which is connected to the impelling hour wheel G
by a curved or spiral spring H, as clearly shown in figures 7 and 8, secured at one
end in the impelling wheel G, and at the other end secured to the detent wheel. "
The end of the spring may be provided with a pin which is fitted to slide freely in
a slot in the ratchet or detent wheel, or the hour wheel G, and detent wheel B
may be connected by a slot and pin g', g, as shown in figure 4.
slot is advantageous, but not essential.
The use of the
As the impelling wheel G rotates, the connecting pin g slides in the slot g',
while the ratchet wheel B is held by a detent J, so that the wheel or the hopper
disc and hopper are not continuously rotated by the motion of the impelling wheel.
The detent J is withdrawn at intervals which correspond to the intervals at which
it is desired to check the workmen's time, that is every five, ten, or other number
of minutes as before mentioned, and the ratchet wheel B, and the hopper disc to
which it is connected, or of which it forms part, are suddenly impelled round by
the spring H until chocked by the pin g reaching the end of the slot g¹. The
detent J at the same time falls into the teeth of the ratchet B and again retains it
while the impelling wheel G continues its rotation without intermission.
In Figures 3 and 4 in which the mechanism which actuates the hopper is shown,
the wheel B is fitted with pins instead of ratchet teeth, and the wheel is held by a
stop J entering between the pins, the action being the same as that of a ratchet
and detent. The detent or stop J is actuated at the proper intervals to release the
ratchet or pin wheel, by means of pins k fitted on the minute wheel K of the
clock work mechanism, and which lift or withdraw the detent or stop J against
the power of a spring by acting through a lever or set of levers L. The number
of pins in a convenient arrangement, as indicated in figure 6, may be 12, in which
case, as the minute wheel revolves once an hour, the detent or stop J will be raised,
and the ratchet or pin wheel B freed every five minutes; and as the shoot or
hopper A is thereby impelled to an extent to bring it over a fresh receptacle at each
action, the workmen's time will, by this arrangement, be checked once in five
minutes during the entire day. By varying the number of actuating pins k, the
intervals at which the hopper disc or wheel is impelled forward will be corre-
spondingly varied, and by using change wheels for the hour and ruinute wheels G, K,
of the clockwork mechanism, the period over which the checking is to extend may
be altered as required. The hour wheel G is actuated from the minute wheel K
by means of the gearing K1, K2, the arrangement being similar to the ordinary
motion work of a clock.
To prevent vibration or backward motion of the hopper, a fine ratchet disc or
wheel M is fixed on a stud N, and a series of spring pawls or catches m fitted on a
ring which is fixed to and revolves with the detent wheel B, are provided to engage
with the teeth of the ratchet M.
When it is only desired to check the time at certain intervals of the day, such as

page_text: immediately after the hours usually set apart for commencing and ceasing work in
the morning or evening, or at the breakfast and dinner hours, the ratchet or detent
wheel B may be cut with sets of teeth or fitted with pins at intervals only of its
periphery. A plain portion without teeth is left at the intervals corresponding to
the time the checking apparatus is to bo out of action, and on this plain portion the
detent cannot act to stop the ratchet or pin wheel periodically. At such intervals
the ratchet wheel may rotate with the hour wheel, its continuous motion being
arrested by the ratchet teeth, or the pins coming in contact with the detent or
stop.
As an alternative arrangement, the wheel B may be entire, and the detent or
stop J kept out of action during the requisite intervals by the pins & on the minute
wheel K, or be kept out by a spring while the pins & may be used to press the
detent into the teeth of the ratchet wheel to retain it periodically out of action.
In such cases the number of receptacles for the reception of the checks need not be
greater than is required for the number of intervals at which the time of the
workmen is to be checked. The spindle of the minute wheel K may be actuated
direct by clock work mechanism C provided for it, or it may be actuated by any
clock or time-piece fitted in proximity, to the apparatus, by connecting the minute
wheel spindle of the apparatus, through suitable gearing to any of the impelling
wheels of the clock. As such an arrangement may in some cases throw a greater
amount of work on the impelling works of the clock or time-piece than they would
be constructed to do, the checking apparatus may be operated by a separate weight,
or by a spring and fuzee or similar impelling power, and is then only controlled in
its movement by the clock or time-piece to which it is connected.
The conducting tubes E into which the hopper drops the checks which pass
through it, are, in the example illustrated, arranged to direct the checks into boxes
or receptacles F placed in two circles in a single drawer, and the boxes F are fitted
loosely in compartments of the drawer from which they can be raised and
withdrawn to collect the checks. The boxes receive the checks deposited at the
time marked on the drawer opposite to the respective boxes. A separate drawer
may however be provided for each receptacle, particularly in cases in which the
apparatus is employed to check the workmen's time at few intervals of the day.
The improved apparatus may be fitted within a casing of any suitablo construction
such as that illustrated, or it may be placed within a desk or in a pillar inside or
outside a building, and be operated from a clock or time-piece connected to it by
suitable gearing. The workmen in each case require only to drop their checks
through a slit or slits in the casing or in the wall, the checks passing thence by
their own weight through a tube which dischargos them into the intermittently
rotating hopper. By fitting the hopper with a pointer, and fitting a dial plate
round the upper edge of the conducting tubes E, the position of the hopper may be
made to indicate the time. Each movement of the hopper may also be made to
sound a gong or bell by connecting a spring lever and hammer to be acted on by
pins on one of the moving wheels, as indicated at P in figure 1.
In another modification of the improved checking apparatus the shoot or hopper A
is made stationary, while the series of receptacles E or F is carried by a disc or
spindle which is made to rotate intermittently by clockwork devices similar to
those before described, the arrangement of the hopper and receptacles being the
converse of that described as forming the first modification.
The whole of the mechanism required to operate intermittently the hopper disc
and hopper, or the series of receptacles as described, consists only of the few wheels
constituting the "motion-work" of a watch or clock, and the apparatus is thus of
a much more simple and loss expensive kind than any checking apparatus hitherto
in use.
The improved apparatus, in an extremely simple form, may be adapted to check
the time of seamen changing the "watch" on board ship, by connecting the
apparatus to a controlling time-piece provided with a compensating or other
balance instead of a pendulum.

page_text: Having now particularly described my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,―
First. The combination of parts forming the improved time checking machine
herein described and illustrated.
Second. The combination of parts of the mechanism for communicating an
intermittent movement to the hopper or to the receptacles for the checks of time
checking apparatus, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Third. The adaptation in time checking apparatus of the "maintaining power”
or "going fuzee" of a watch or timepiece to transmit and convert the continuous
inotion of a controlling clock or timepiece into intermittent motion of the hopper
which delivers the workmen's checks, or of the receptacles for the checks,
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Fourth. The mode herein described of varying the times of movement of the
hopper, or of the receptacles of time checking apparatus, by varying the numbers
or positions of the pins or teeth on the actuating minute wheel, or on the "detent"
wheel, substantially as herein described.
Fifth. The mechanism herein described and illustrated for retaining and releasing
at the requisite intervals, the detent wheel or hopper disc of the time checking
apparatus.
In Witness Whereof, I the said William Thomson Goude Ellis, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
WILLIAM T, G, ELLIS. (L.S.)