An Improved Bell Punch for Marking and Recording the Issue of Tickets for Omnibuses, Tramcars, or similar purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1993-Accepted, 17th June, 1993
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bell Punch for Marking and Recording the Issue of
Tickets for Omnibuses, Tramcars, or similar purposes.
I, DAVID MCGILL, of 135 Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey,
Veterinary Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the improved construction of a bell punch, as used to
mark and record the issue of tickets for omnibuses, tramcars or similar purposes,
and is designed by a very simple and strong construction to effect the punching,
recording and audible indication of the punching, with accuracy, and certainty, and
with every safeguard that the conductor cannot use the punch in any other than
the prescribed way, the clippings of the punch being received into a spring locked
chamber protected by a seal or wafer.
As a special safeguard that the ticket shall be absolutely punched when the
audible signal is given, I construct the punch so that whilst it is held in one hand,
the other hand of the operator is required to turn a thumb-screw head, to punch
the ticket, and ring the bell, the ticket being thus absolutely left free in the slot-
month of the instrument, when the punching operation takes place.
The said thumb-screw-head has, fixed to its axis within the casing, an eccentric
cam, by which the reciprocating movement of the punch is effected. The cam after
it has made one revolution, and effected the, punching operation is secured by a
detent, which rises outside the case and must be pressed by the thumb, of the hand
of the operator which holds the instrument, before a second stroke can be made.
The punch in its downward movement, enters a loose die, held up by a spring,
and when so held up, the tail off the die forms a lock that prevents the bell from
being rung or the stroke from being recorded.
If therefore the punch is depressed without any ticket being properly placed in
the slot-mouth, the punch enters the die without resistance and the recording
apparatus remains locked. When however a ticket of the usual substance is
properly inserted in the slot-mouth the pressure, before punching, upon the die.
through the substance of the ticket, depresses the die against the spring reaction for
a short distance, releasing the recording and ringing mechanism, and allowing the
operation to be properly completed.
The completed movement of the punch operates by a stud upon suitable angular
teeth of a first recording wheel, which visibly indicates through an aperture of the
box that a ticket has been punched, and at the same time the said movement.
operates a spring hammer which rings a beli situated in one end of the under
cylindrical receptacle, that receives the clips from the punch.
A series of counting wheels of ordinary construction are added to the first
recording wheel, so that visible indications through apertures in the casing may
be given either to the operator, or the checker, of the total number of punches
effected.
To the under side of the casing containing the punching and recording mechanism,
is detachably attached a cylindrical receptacle for the clippings from the punch.
This chamber is attached to the upper frame by a pin or pins within the said
receptacle which cannot be got at, or tampered with, when the receptacle is
locked.
To effect secure locking of the receptacle I use a hinged lid at one end provided
with a good spring lock, so that it automatically locks on closing, and can only be
opened by a special key in the hands of officials. To protect the said lock from
being tampered with, I provide a slotted recess over the ker hole into which the

page_text: official can insert a seal or wafer, covering the keyhole, or I may provide a sliding
steel shutter covering the keyhole which may be secured in position by a seal or
special wafer used by the official.
The upper case is put together by the two checks being held by grooved or
rabbetted edge plates, which are put on in such succession that they are clenched
and secured in place by the addition to the under side of the case of the said
cylindrical receptacle. The final attachment of the said receptacle is secured by a
pin or pins within the said receptacle which cannot then be got at, after the
receptacle is locked.
There are thus no external screw heads to be seen on the outside of the case or
used in its putting together, and there is thus nothing that can be tampered with to
get unlawful access to the interior of the mechanism or receptacle.
Dated this 27th day of June 1892.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bell Punch for Marking and Recording the Issue of
Tickets for Omnibuses, Tramcars, or similar purposes.
1, DAVID MCGILL, of 135 Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey,
Veterinary Surgeon, 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 the improved construction of a bell-punch, as used to
mark & record the issue of tickets for omnibuses, tramcars, or for similar purposes,
and is designed by a very simple and strong construction, to affect the punching,
recording, and audible indication of the punching, with accuracy and certainty, and
with every safe-guard that the conductor cannot use the punch in any other than
the prescribed way, the clippings of the punch being received into a spring locked
chamber, protected by a seal or wafer.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same, reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my bell-punch, with the lower cylindrical case
partly detached and the end cover open.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my bell-punch complete, with the cylindrical case.
securely attached and closed.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through my bell punch.
Fig. 4 is an end view of same.
Fig. 5 is a detail of the punch and operating cam.
Fig. 6 is a detail of detent slide and thumb lever.
Fig. 7 is a detail, on a reduced scale, of the punch case, and sliding parts by
which it is held together.
As a safeguard that the ticket shall be absolutely lying in the slot, and punched
when the audible signal is given, I construct the punch so that, whilst it is held in
one hand by the holes A. A. provided for two of the fingers, the other hand of the
operator is required to turn a thumb-screw head B or an equivalent disc and hand
pin to punch the ticket and ring the bells the ticket being thus absolutely left free
in the mouth a of the instrument, when the punching operation takes place.
The said thumb-screw-head B has fixed to its axis within the casing an eccentric
cam b, which gives reciprocating motion to the punch C and frame c, and is held by
a spring detent & from turning in a reverse direction.
After the cam has made one complete revolution, and effected the punching
operation, it is stopped by a detent slide D that is lowered by the cam and the

page_text: further rotation of the cam is checked by the stud y coming into contact with the-
shoulder Z of the depressed slide D. This slide is connected to a thumb pivotted
leverd which rises outside the case on the depression of the slide D, and must be-.
pressed by the thumb of that hand of the operator which holds the instrument to.
lift the slide D out of engagement with the stud y before a second stroke can be-
given.
The punch centers a pivotted die E held up by a spring e, and when so held up
as shown a ridge at the back of the die forms a detent which prevents the record'
wheel F from being revolved and the bell from being rung.
If therefore the punch is depressed without any ticket being properly placed in
the slot mouth a the punch enters the die E without resistance and the recording
and ringing apparatus remains locked.
When however a ticket. of the usual substance is properly inserted in the slot.
mouth a the pressure upon the die E, owing to the resistance of the ticket to
punching, depresses the die against the re-action of the spring e, releasing the first.
recording wheel F and permitting it to revolve and operate the ringing mechanism
The completed movement of the punch operates by a wing g situated on the cam
the angular teeth of the first recording wheel F, which visibly, by its part rotation,.
indicates through an aperture H of the box that a ticket has been punched, and at
the same time the same movement of the wheel F operates the end of the hammer
lever against a spring h, which hammer on release, strikes a bell K, situated in
the cylindrical case L.
A series of multiple counting wheels kk of ordinary construction, kept from
over-running by springs 11, are added to the first recording wheel F so that visible.
indications through apertures H H in the casing may be given either to the.
operator or the checker of the total number of punches given.
To the under side of the casing containing the recording mechanism, is detachably,
attached a cylindrical receptacle M, for the clippings from the punch. This.
chamber is hinged to a shoe m (Figure 3) which slides over the outer edges of the
casing and engages by a tongue m' under a fixed part of the casing, so that it can
only be withdrawn by a sliding motion when the cylindrical case M is not fixed in
place.
The other ends of the main case are also held together by loose pieces N. P..
(Figure 3) the first of which engages under a reverse rabbet n and a tooth n¹, so
that it is fixed in-place when the second piece P is slid over along the edge of the
main case engaging in rabbetted grooves p. This last sliding piece P and the hinge.
piece m are firmly secured in place by the cylindrical chamber M being closed down
on the main case over the projecting pins QQ, one of which is secured by a long
bolt y within the chamber. When the cylindrical chamber M is thus secured in
place all the sliding parts of the frame are also locked in place and cannot be.
removed or tampered with.
To effect the secure closing of the interior of the chamber M, I use a hinged
lid R at one end provided with a good spring lock so that it automatically locks.
on closing, and can only be opened by a special key in the hands of the officials.
To protect the said lock from being tampered with, I provide a slotted recess.
over the key-hole into which the official can insert a seal or wafer covering the key
hole or I may provide a sliding steel shutter covering the key hole which may be.
secured in position by a seal or special wafer used by the official.
There are no external screw-heads to be seen on the outside of the case or used
in putting it together and there is thus nothing that can be tampered with to get.
unlawful access to the interior of the mechanism or receptacle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
Ist. In a ticket punch the combination of a punch operated by thumb-rotated
cam or equivalent disc with hand pin a detent thereon preventing reversal of

page_text: movement, and a stop thereon engaging with a slidé also operated by the cam
locking the punching mechanism after one operation until released by thumb lever,
substantially as described.
2nd. In a ticket punch, the combination with a reciprocating punch of a spring
supported and pivoted die forming by a detent when not depressed by insertion of
ticket a lock upon the recording mechanism, substantially as described.
3rd. In combination in a ticket punch, a rotary thumb fly-nut carrying a cam to
operate punch, a wing formed also thereon operating a train of recording wheels
and a bell and spring pressed hammer operated by one of the said wheels substan-
tially as described.
4th. In combination, a case formed of two cheeks held together by sliding
rabbetted locking pieces adapted to be so placed in succession, and a cylindrical
chamber with spring catch cover and fitted over and internally locked upon pins on
frame so that all sliding parts of case are thereby finally secured and locked in
place substantially as described.
5th. The arrangement and combination of parts forming a complete ticket
punching and recording device substantially as described and illustrated herewith.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.