IMPROVED TICKETS FOR RAILWAY, STEAMBOAT, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED TICKETS FOR RAILWAY, STEAMBOAT, AND
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES "A communication from abroad by James H.
Ross, of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th July 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED TICKETS FOR RAILWAY, STEAM-
BOAT, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of tickets generally designated
station tickets, which are bought by the passengers before entering the
carriage or boat, and afterwards taken up or "lifted" by the conductor.

page_text: These tickets are required to be punched or otherwise defaced by the
conductor when presented by the passenger, in order to prevent such
tickets being resold by the conductor, or the agent who sold the same,
or other person in collusion with him
The object of my Invention is the production of a ticket which is
designed to necessitate the defacing of the ticket in order to ascertain
the terminal station of the trip for which the same is issued.
-
The main portion of this improved ticket has on its face the name of
the rail or other company by which the ticket is issued, the number
of the ticket, the name of the ticket agent by whom it is sold, and a list
or partial list of the stations of the railway. One portion is provided
with a flap or extension, designed to be folded over and secured to the
rear side of the said portion, the flap being preferably of the same size.
The name of the terminal station of the ticket, or a number representing
the same, is printed on the reverse side of the flap, or of that part of
the ticket which is covered by said flap, so that by securing the latter to
the rear side of the main portion by mucilage or otherwise this name or
figure will be concealed from vicw This name or figure is preferably
arranged near the folded edge of the ticket, and around said name or
figure the ticket is perforated, so that the portion of the ticket enclosed
by the perforations is readily separated from the ticket by the conductor.
The perforated circle is preferably so arranged that the fold divides the
same into two unequal parts, the larger part being formed in the flap, so
that when the said enclosed part is separated from the ticket a cresent-
shaped portion of the larger part of the circular piece which contains
the name or number of the terminal station will be exposed to view,
without requiring the said portion to be unfolded.
If desired the number or name of the terminal station of the ticket
may be printed on that portion of the reverse side of the main part of
the ticket which is exposed when the unequally folded portion is
separated therefrom.
The first station in the list of stations on the main portion of the
ticket is preferably made the initial station of the ticket, or the one from
which the ticket is issued, but if desired any other station contained in
the list may be selected as the initial station, when its name or number
is concealed by being arranged on the inner or reverse side of the smaller
part of the detachable portion. .

page_text: A coupon is formed with the main portion of tho ticket, and designed
as a check upon the ticket agent. It has printed upon its face the name
of the railway corresponding with that on the said main portion, the
starting point and terminal station of the trip for which the ticket is
good, and the price of the ticket. It also contains a direction for the
ticket agent to return this coupon to the main office with the daily
collections or report of tickets sold
These improved tickets being numbered consecutively, and having the
flaps secured to the rear side of the main portion, are delivered to the
ticket agent The latter when selling a ticket detaches the coupon from
the main portion, and hands the latter to the purchaser, while he retains
the coupon. The passenger presents the ticket to the conductor, who
in order to ascertain the point of destination is compelled to detach the
portion enclosed by the perforations, when the number is exposed on tho
inner side thereof The conductor is preferably required to mark in
the list of stations the starting and terminal stations of the trip by
punch marks, and then returns the ticket to the passenger, who retains
the same until it is "lifted" at the end of the trip. The ticket so marked
or defaced answers all the purposes of the ordinary station ticket between
the stations punched
The list of stations on the main ticket preferably contains both the
names and numbers of the stations, so that the passenger may, after the
aforesaid portion has been detached by the conductor, ascertain by
comparing the number exposed on the rear side of the ticket with the
number on the list, and the name of the station corresponding therewith,
whether he has received the proper ticket for which he has paid his fare,
thereby dispensing with the necessity of punching or otherwise marking
the terminal station of the trip.
The agent's coupon being returned to the main office, and having the
number of the ticket and price paid therefor printed thereon, enables
the company, by comparing it with the ticket returned by the conductor,
to determine whether the latter has discharged his duty and properly
punched the ticket. By thus compelling the conductor to deface the
ticket when first presented by the passenger, it is evident that the resale
of the ticket and the loss resulting to the company therefrom arc
effectually prevented.
The return of the ticket "lifted" by the conductor to the office of
the company will furnish a means for determining whether the agent

page_text: has discharged his duty by returning the coupon detached therefrom at
the time of the sale of the ticket By these means the conductor and
agent each act as a check upon the other against fraud.
These improved tickets are also applicable to roads consisting of several
divisions, or as a through ticket for routes including several railways
The conductor of the first division or load marks the terminal station
by two punch marks, and then punches the stations of his part of the
route as they are passed, as well as cach of the succeeding conductors,
until the ticket is lifted. As cach conductor has a peculiar or individual
punch mark, it can be readily determined whether they have discharged
their duty and properly punched the ticket.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, m the
thirty-ninth year of Iler reign, did, for Herself, er hens and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during
the term therein expressed. should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Licland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED TICKETS FOR RAILWAY, STEAMBOAT, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," a
communication to me from abroad by James II. Ross, of Buffalo, New
York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands

page_text: and scals, should particularly describe and ascertam 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 Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification.-
This Invention relates to that class of tickets goncrally designated
station tickets, which are bought by the passengers before entering the
carriage or boat, and afterwards taken up or "lifted" by the conductor
These tickets are required to be punched or otherwise defaced by the
conductor when presented by the passenger, in order to prevent their
being resold by the conductor, or the agent who sold them, or other
person in collusion with lum.
The object of the said Invention is the production of a ticket which is
designed to necessitate the defacing of the ticket m order to ascertain
the terminal station of the trip for which the same is issued.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a face view of my improved
ticket previous to folding the same, Figure 2 is a back view thercof
Figure 3 is a face view of the folded ticket after it has been defaced or
cancelled by the conductor, Figure 4 is a back view thereof
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the main portion of the ticket, on the face of which is printed
the name of the railway or other company by which the ticket is issued
(being the Buffalo and Syracuse 1.R. in the Drawing), the number of the
ticket (375), the name of the ticket agent by whom it is sold, and a list or
partial list of the stations of the railway. The portion A is provided with
a flap or extension A' designed to be folded over and secured to the back
of the portion A, the flap A' being preferably of the same size as the
latter, as represented in the Diawing. The name of the terminal station
of the ticket, or a number representing the same (being 25 in the
Drawing, and representing Batavia), is printed on the reverse side of thic
flap A', or of that part of the ticket which is covered by said flap, so

page_text: that by securing the latter to the back of the main portion A by
mucilage or otherwise said name or figure will be concealed from view.
This name or figure is preferably arranged near the folded edge a of the
ticket, and around said name or figure the ticket is perforated, as
indicated at a³, so that the portion of the ticket enclosed by the per-
forations a¹ is readily separated from the ticket by the conductor, as
shown in Figure 3. The perforated circle a¹ is preferably so arranged
that the fold a divides the same into two unequal parts, the larger part
being formed in the flap A¹, so that when the part 6 is separated from
the ticket a crescent-shaped portion of the larger part of the circular
piece b, which contains the name or number of the terminal station, will
be exposed to view, as shown in Figure 3, without requiring the portion b
to be unfolded.
If desired the number or name of the terminal station of the ticket
may be printed on that portion of the reverse side of the main part ▲ of
the ticket which is exposed when the unequally folded portion b is
separated therefrom, as shown in Figure 4
The first station in the list of stations on the main portion A of the
ticket is preferably made the initial station of the ticket, or the one from
which the ticket is issued, but if desired any other station contained in
the list may be selected as the initial station, which its name or number
is concealed by being arranged on the inner or reverse side of the smaller
part of the detachable portion b, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, which is
however equally desirable when the first station on the list is the initial
station of the ticket.
B is a coupon formed with the main portion A of the ticket, and
designed as a check upon the ticket agent It has printed upon its face
the name of the railway corresponding with that on the portion A, the
number of the main portion of the ticket (which is 375 in the Drawing),
the starting point and terminal station of the trip for which the ticket
is good (Buffalo to Batavia in the Drawing), and the price (754.) of
the ticket. It also contains a direction for the ticket agent to return
this coupon to the main office with the daily collection or report of
tickets sold.
My improved tickets being numbered consecutively, and having the
flaps A¹ secured to the back of the portion A, are delivered to the agent.
The latter when selling a ticket detaches the coupon B from the main

page_text: portion A, and hands the latter to the purchaser, while he retains the
coupon B
The passenger presents the ticket A to the conductor, who
in order to ascertain the point of destination is compelled to detach the
portion enclosed by the perforations a¹, when the number 25 is exposed
on the inner side thereof, which represents the station of Batavia. The
conductor is preferably required to mark in the list of stations the
starting and terminal stations of the trip by punch marks, and then
returns the ticket to the passenger, who retains the same until it is
taken at the end of the trip The ticket so marked or defaced answers
all the purposes of the ordinary station ticket between the stations
punched.
The list of stations on the main ticket preferably contains both the
names and numbers of the stations, so that the passenger may, after
the portion b has been detached by the conductor, ascertain by comparing
the number exposed on the back of the ticket with the number on the
list, and the name of the station corresponding therewith, whether he
has received the proper ticket for which he has paid his fare, thereby
dispensing with the necessity of punching or otherwise marking the
terminal station of the trip.
The agent's coupon B being returned to the main office, and having
the number of the ticket and price paid for it printed thereon, enables
the company, by comparing it with the ticket returned by the con-
ductor, to determine whether the latter has discharged his duty and
properly punched the ticket By thus compelling the conductor to deface
the ticket when first presented by the passenger, it is evident that the
resale of the ticket and the loss resulting to the company therefrom are
effectually prevented.
The return of the ticket received by the conductor to the office of the
company will furnish means for determining whether the agent has
discharged his duty by returning the coupon B detached therefrom at
the time of the sale of the ticket. By these means the conductor and
agent will act as a check upon each other to prevent fraud.
My improved ticket is also applicable to roads consisting of several
divisions, or as a "through ticket" for routes including several railways.
The conductor of the first division or road marks the terminal station by
two punch maiks, and then punches the stations of his part of the route
as they are passed, as well as each of the succeeding conductors, until

page_text: the ticket is taken. As cach conductor has a peculiar or individual
punch mark, it can be readily determined whether all of the conductors
have discharged their duty and properly punched the ticket.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,--
First. A passenger ticket printed with a list of stations, and with the
number or name of the terminal station of the ticket, which number or
name is so̟ concealed from view as to require the ticket to be defaced by
the conductor in order to determine the terminal station, as herein-before
set forth
Second. The combination with the main portion A. of the ticket and
folded extension A² of the detachable portion b, arranged to be folded
into two unequal parts, and having the name or number of the terminal
station of the ticket printed on its inner side, as above specified and for
the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination with the ticket A, provided with the ex-
tension A¹ and detachable portion b, of the agent's coupon B numbered
to correspond with the ticket A, and containing the stations between
which the passenger has paid his fare, and the amount of the fare, as a
above described and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
JA'. EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT, LAKE. (L.S)