Improvements in and in connection with Fare and like Tables for Railways and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Fare and like Tables for
Railways and the like.
I, FRANKLIN EIKOFF COATES, residing at Montpelier, County of Stanislaus,
State of California, United States of America, Railroad Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
My invention relates to a device which is especially designed for exhibiting
rate or fare sheets, such as are used in railway offices for the purpose of giving
freight, passenger, or other rates between different stations.
It consists in the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts herein-
after described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my cabinet. Figure 2 is a rear view of
the same with the case partially broken away. Figure 3 is a sectional detail
of one of the keys. Figure 4 is a front view, its front cover being removed.
Figure 5 is a side view, its cover being removed also. Figure 6 is an edge
view of one of the tablets. Figure 7 is a top view of a portion of the tablets.
In railway offices a system of "rate-sheets," as they are called, is employed
in which the passenger or freight rates or other like matter are arranged alpha-
betically or otherwise upon sheets, so that the station agent may by examining
these sheets inform himself as to the rates between various stations. The great
number of combinations necessary upon any line of railway make these sheets
very cumbersome and it requires considerable time to find and determine the
particular rate to be charged. In my invention I provide an apparatus in which
these rate sheets are alphabetically arranged and the names and entries thereon
so reduced that any one sheet can be easily examined and a means whereby the
required sheet may be separated from all the others and exposed for inspection.
A is the case, which may be of any suitable or convenient form for the purpose.
As here shown, it consists of an elevated rear portion having guides A2 at the
sides, within which vertically movable tablets B are adapted to slide. The
vertical depth of the case is such that when the tablets are all located at either
top or bottom there will be a sufficient space remaining so that any one of the
tablets may be withdrawn from the remainder and completely exposed in the
open space. In the present case I have shown the tablets as normally located

page_text: in the lower part of the case, and when either one of them is to be exposed it is
moved into the upper part of the case; but it will be manifest that the arrange-
ment and operation might be reversed without materially altering the character
and operation of the device. Each of the tablets is provided with clasps b,
which are designed to receive and hold the rate sheet which is to be attached
to the tablet, so that any changes which are made in these sheets can be readily
effected by removing the old sheets and slipping the new one into the clasps. The
tablets are here shown as centrally suspended by cords C, which pass over guide
pulleys D, thence extend outwardly in the upper part of the apparatus and over
other guide pulleys D', and thence extending down to counterbalance weights E,
which are movable in suitable chambers or ports at the sides of the case.
In order to allow a sufficient amount of room for the considerable number of
tablets, with their counterbalance weights, I have shown the weights as arranged
alternately upon opposite sides of the cabinet, the cords in each case leading
over the central guide pulleys and connecting with the centres of the tablets,
which are counterbalanced thereby. In this manner I am enabled to dispose
of the counterweights without crowding or unduly enlarging the apparatus.
The counterweights are sufficient to normally draw the tablets into the upper
part of the case, and when the tablets are not in use they are drawn down and
are held in position by means of spring hooks F, here shown as fixed to the
lower part of the tablets and adapted to engage with a bar G, which extends
from front to rear beneath the center of the tablets, so that when any tablet
has been drawn down its hook F will pass the bar G and engage with it, and
thus retain the tablet in place. These hooks are also arranged alternately upon
opposite sides of the bar, and when a tablet is to be exposed the hooks are dis-
engaged by means of keys H, which are arranged in the projecting front por-
tion A¹ of the case, these being arranged somewhat in the manner of a typewriter,
with as many keys H as there are tablets to be operated thereby. If, for instance,
there may be as many as thirty of the keys, they can be arranged in three or
other number of rows, and each key will control a single tablet, each tablet having
one or more letters, figures, or desired character thereon, the sub-division being
so considerable that no one tablet and sheet will show so great a number of
places and rates as to make them difficult of inspection. The keys H have
vertical stems I, and these are connected by bell crank levers, as shown at J,
with transversely movable rods K. Each of these rods is so disposed that it
will press upon and disengage one of the spring hooks F so that whenever a
certain key is pressed down the hook of the correspondingly marked tablet will
be disengaged from the bar G and the counterweight will immediately draw
the tablet up and expose it for inspection.
L L are bars extending from front to rear in the upper part of the cabinet
and may have rubber or other soft faces, against which the tablets strike when
they rise into the upper part of the case, thus preventing noise and shock.
upon
The key-heads H are made in the form of shallow cups having small projecting
points h in the bottom, and the letter or indicator for the key may be imprinted
upon a circular disk, which is placed in this shallow cup and pressed down
the points h, so as to prevent its turning around. Over this is placed a glass
or other transparent plate h¹, and the whole is held together by an annular
clamping ring h², which screws down upon the cup-shaped head, thus forming
an easily removable or changeable indicator for each key, which corresponds
with the tablet sheet which is operated thereby. Whenever a tablet has thus
been thrown up, it must be again drawn down after inspection. This is effected
by a bar M, which extends across centrally above the tablets and which, as
shown in Fig. 7, is slotted or divided, so that the counterbalance cords C,
connecting with the tablets, may pass through the slot in the bar M.
This bar is here shown as bent at right angles at the rear of the case and
extending down through suitable guides, as at N. It is slidable through these
guides by means of the following connections:

page_text: O is a cord connecting with the lower end of the bar M and passing around
a guide pulley P, which is led forward to a winding-pulley Q, which is operated
by a crank R. When this crank is turned, the cord, winding upon the pulley Q,
will pull the bar M down and, pressing upon the center of the tablet B, will
draw the latter down until its hook F is engaged with the bar G. As soon as
the crank is released the bar M will be raised to its normal position by means
of a counterweight M¹, connected with the bar by a cord passing over a guide
pulley as at M. By this construction I am enabled to expose any one of a
large number of tablets for inspection, and by reason of the great number of
these tablets the subdivision of the matter imprinted upon them is so considerable
that it takes but little time to locate the particular rate, fare or other matter
which it is desired to find.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A rate or similar cabinet consisting of an exterior case, vertically slidable
counterbalanced tablets movable in parallel lines therein, latches by which said
tablets are normally locked in the lower part of the case, a disengaging mechanism
for each tablet and releasing the same from its latch so that the counterbalance
operates to expose the tablet to inspection and an operating key for each of the
tablets.
2. A rate or similar cabinet consisting of a containing case, vertically guided
counterbalanced tablets containing the rate sheets, latches by which said tablets
are normally retained in the lower part of the case, disengaging devices connected
with each of the tablets consisting of correspondingly lettered or numbered
depressible keys, connections between the shanks of said keys and the latches
whereby the depression of the key disengages the corresponding catch and
permits the counterbalance to operate to expose the tablet to inspection.
3. In a rate or similar cabinet, an exterior case, vertically slidable and guided
tablets having central cord connections at the upper edges, guiding pulleys
over which the cords pass and counterbalance weights to which the cords are
connected, said weights being disposed alternately upon opposite sides of the
case, latches by which the tablets are normally held down and devices whereby
either of the tablets may be released and allowed to rise into view.
4. A rate cabinet consisting of an exterior case, vertically slidable, guided
and counterbalanced tablets, with means for removably attaching the rate sheets
thereto, a bar extending centrally from front to rear in the lower part of the
case, spring-latches connected with the center of the bottom of each tablet, said
latches being disposed to engage the transverse bar alternately from opposite
sides, and depression keys and intermediate connections whereby either of the
latches may be released from the bar to allow the tablet to rise above the
remaining ones.
5. A rate or similar cabinet, consisting of an exterior case, vertically slidable,
guided counterbalanced tablets, with means for removably securing rate sheets
thereto, spring catches secured to the lower edges of the tablets, a bar extending
from front to rear in the lower part of the case and adapted to be engaged by
said catches, depressible keys and intermediate connections by which the catches
are disengaged and the tablets released so as to be raised by their counterbalance
weights, and elastic bumper bars extending across the upper part of the case
against which the tablets are checked at the end of the upward movement.
6. A rate or similar cabinet consisting of an exterior case, vertically slidable
guided and counterbalanced tablets, latches by which said tablets are normally
retained at the lower part of the case, depressible keys and intermediate connec-
tions whereby either of the latches may be disengaged and a tablet released and
raised to the upper part of the case by its counterbalance weight, means for
depressing the tablets comprising a vertically movable guided bar extending

page_text: across above the tablets and means whereby said bar may be drawn down to
depress any one of the tablets to its latching point.
7. A rate or similar cabinet consisting of an exterior case, vertically slidable,
guided and counterbalanced tablets, with means for normally latching them
in the lower part of the case, means for disengaging the latches to allow any one
of said tablets to rise into the upper part of the case for inspection, a transverse
slotted bar extending centrally above the tablets having a vertical arm at one
side and guides within which said arm is slidable, a cord connecting with said
arm, guide pulleys over which said cord passes and a winding pulley and crank
whereby the arm may be depressed and any tablet returned to its normal position.
8. In a rate or similar cabinet of the character described, a containing case
and vertically slidable, counterbalanced tablets, latches by which they are nor-
mally retained at the bottom of the case, means whereby either of the tablets
may be disengaged and allowed to rise to the upper part of the case, a slotted
bar extending centrally above the tablets having a vertically guided arm at
one side with cord and winding connections whereby the bar may be drawn
down so as to depress any tablet to its latching point, and a counterbalance
weight connected with the depressing arm, whereby the latter is returned to its
normal position when released.
Dated this 14th day of August 1899.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.