Improvements in and relating to Fare Collecting Boxes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by T. B. KISCH, Secretary and Manager of the City
Tramways Co., Ld., of Cape Town, Cape Colony, South Africa.]
Improvements in and relating to Fare Collecting Boxes.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433 Strand, in the County of London,
Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, relates to a
box in which fares or tolls are collected and retained; and it is adapted for use in
or upon omnibuses, tramway cars, ferry boats, piers, and for analogous purposes.
The box itself may be carried by the conductor or other person authorised to collect
the said fares or tolls, or it may be fastened to any suitable part or position of the
conveyance or place in or upon which the said fares are collected, in order that the
passengers or users shall themselves place their fares in the box. The box is
adapted to be locked or otherwise fastened to secure its contents, and special means
are provided for detecting any attempt to withdraw money through the slot whereby
it was previously inserted.
In the further description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fare box;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section ;
Fig. 3 is a plan;
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the detector or means for indicating any attempt to
withdraw money through the slot ;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a closed fare box; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the box opened.
In the drawings the box is shown as constructed in two parts, a being the lower
part or receptacle for the fares, and the upper part through which the fares are
inserted and passed before entering the lower receptacle a. The money is inserted
through the slot c, drops upon a hinged tray d, which forms the bottom of four
inclined sides of a funnel shaped diaphragm, and when the tray is deflected upon
its hinge or axle e, by means of an outer lever or crank, the money is deposited
from the hinged tray (or false bottom) d into the lower part or receptacle a.
The lower and upper parts, a and ↳ respectively, are hinged together at their
junction g at the back of the box, and securely fastened together in the front by a
staple h and flap i (or equivalent device) by any suitable lock, seal, or other means
which would prevent or indicate any attempt to abstract the contents by opening
the box. Consequently, the only remaining way (apart from breaking into the box)
would be to upset and shake the box until some of the money would find its way
back through the slot. This operation is made very difficult to perform by the lower
end of the slot tube c being raised above and apart from the back portion of the
diaphragm which would tend to divert the coin from entering the lower end of the
slot tube. But in addition to this, any attempt to abstract the contents of the box
is indicated by the detector k placed inside the lower receptacle a.
The detector consists of two tubes (preferably of glass) placed one within the
other, and the inner one k is made small enough to leave a clear annular space
between it and the interior of the outer tube l. One end of each tube should be
effectually sealed up, and the inner tube k has its sealed end fitted into a cork or
other stopper m that will fit into and close the open mouth of the outer tube 1. The
open end of the inner tube k does not reach the bottom of the outer tube 1, and a
small amount of sand, spelter, shots or other granular matter is poured into the

page_text: inner tube k by the official in charge, who inserts the detector upright within
supports in the receptacle a, with the open end of the tube k upwards, and locks or
otherwise secures a and b together. Should the box be inverted to abstract any of
its contents, the granular matter immediately drops out of the open end of the inner
tube into the space between it and the sealed bottom of the outer tube, and on
inspection indicates that the box has been inverted.
The detector is about as long as the depth of the lower receptacle and is made
to stand upright within loops or supports n soldered at one of the corners of the said
receptacle; and is kept in its position vertically by the upper receptacle b covering
it over and enclosing it. Above the tray a piece of glass o is fitted into the box,
as into a frame, so that any money inserted can be seen clearly before the lever fis
moved to drop the money into the receptacle a. A striking or check plate p may
be secured to the box to limit the movement of the lever fand tray d; or suitable
stops may be made upon the axle e of the tray d, for the same purpose.
Staples 7 of any convenient form are riveted or otherwise secured to the box to
receive the straps by which the box is carried, or fastened in any required position.
The inclined sides of the diaphragmn; and the tray d are usually made of tin, to
reflect light through the glass o, but the remainder of the box is preferably made
of sheet brass, although I do not confine myself to any particular material or
materials. A suitable spring is caused to act upon an arm s secured to the under-
side of the tray d, to return the latter to its normal position after it has been opened
by the lever and this spring is sufficiently strong to withstand the weight of
money usually left on the tray before dropping the same into the receptacle a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A fare collecting box, consisting of a lower receptacle a, and an upper
receptacle b containing a slot for the insertion of the fares, a pivoted tray to receive
the same, and an inclined diaphragm j, the said receptacles being hinged to each
other and secured in position together from tampering by a suitable lock, seal, or
other fastening, and by a detector placed within the said box to indicate an attempt
to abstract money through the said slot by inverting the box, substantially as and
for the purpose herein shown and described.
2. A detector for fare collecting boxes consisting of an inner and an outer tube
arranged with an annular space between, a space between the open end of the
inner tube and the sealed end of the outer tube and closing the same, and a small
amount of granular matter, operating substantially as and for the purpose herein
shown and described.
3. In a fare collecting box, the combination with the money receptacle of two
vertically arranged vessels or spaces, and granular material normally placed in
one of the said vessels or spaces, arranged and operating so that when the said
receptacle is inverted the said granular material shall fall out of its normal vessel
or space into the other vessel or space, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein described.
Dated this 14th day of June 1892.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.