Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1886.
"Complete Left, 5th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th May, 1887.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for cancelling cheques, tickets and the like by
removing pieces therefrom, and for registering the number of cheques, tickets or the
like thus cancelled.
An important object of the said invention is to provide for preventing the
operation of the apparatus until a cheque or ticket has been placed in position to be
cancelled thereby. I attain this object by combining with the punch whereby the
pieces are removed from the cheques or tickets, a pin or rod which is connected with
devices whereby the parts are locked and the operation of the cancelling and
registering mechanisni thus prevented, but which may be operated, by the insertion
of a cheque or ticket into position to be punched, for the purpose of unlocking the
parts and permitting the operation of the said mechanism.
The said invention, moreover, comprises improved means for ensuring the regis-
cation of every cheque or ticket cancelled. It also comprises improvements in the
registering mechanism. It also comprises an improved lock for preventing fraudulent
opening of the apparatus. And it further comprises various other improvements
hereinafter set forth.
The said invention is conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.as
follows, that is to say :-A ratchet-wheel is fixed upon a shaft fitted to rotate in a
bearing in the frame or casing of the apparatus. This ratchet-wheel is so arranged in
combination with the lever for operating the punch and with the hammer of a bell,
that, when the said ratchet-wheel is rotated through a distance equal to the length of

page_text: 8
one of its teeth, it will effect the punching or cancelling of the cheque or ticket and
the ringing of the bell. A sliding rod provided with a pawl is provided for imparting
intermittent or step-by step rotation to the said ratchet wheel. Springs are combined
with this rod for effecting the return movement of the said rod, after it has been
pushed in to operate the apparatus, and for causing the said pawl to engage with the
ratchet-wheel. The combination of the said ratchet-wheel, its operating pawl, the
punching lever and the bell-hanımer in the manner above set forth is an important
feature of my invention as it enables me to make the apparatus very compact without
weakening the parts or reducing the area of their wearing surfaces.
Another ratchet-wheel is fixed upon the aforesaid shaft, and backward rotation of
this shaft is prevented by a retaining pawl pivotted to the frame or casing and held
by a spring in engagement with this ratchet-wheel.
The punch is preferably hollow or tubular and is fitted to slide longitudinally in a
hole in a block secured to the frame or casing. This block is slit to permit the
insertion of a cheque or ticket to be punched. The said punch is formed with two
collars between which extends a forked arm of the punching lever. A spring is
attached to the frame or casing and bears against the punching lever in such a
manner as to hold back the punch and press the said lever against the first named
ratchet-wheel. A pin or rod is fitted to slide longitudinally in the punch and is
formed with a head against which one arm of a bent lever is held by a spring. This
lever is pivotted to the frame or casing. The other arm of the said bent lever is
adapted to enter one or other of a series of notches formed in the second ratchet-wheel
and thus prevent the operation of the apparatus. Whon a cheque or ticket is inserted
in the slot in position to be punched, the said pin or rod is moved longitudinally
by the said cheque or ticket and is thus caused to turn the said bent lever upon
or about its pivot and thus disengage it from the ratchet-wheel. The said bent
lever is sometimes pivotted upon the pin or stud upon which the punching lever is
pivotted.
The bell-hammer consists of a spring firmly attached to the frame or casing and
provided with a head or knob for striking the bell and with a projection or tappet
upon which the ratchet-wheel acts to operate the said hammer.
To simplify the construction of the apparatus and avoid multiplication of the parts
.thereof, I prefer to secure the bell to the aforesaid shaft and allow it to rotate
therewith.
The registering mechanism comprises numerical rings which are fitted to rotate
upon or about a common axis and are operated as hereinafter described. The units
ring is fixed upon the aforesaid shaft so that it is intermittently rotated with the first
named ratchet-wheel. The tens ring is fitted to rotate upon the units ring, the
hundreds ring upon the tens ring, and so on. Each ring is connected with the
succeeding ring by means of suitable gearing so that the units ring, in making one
revolution, will partially rotate the tens ring: the tens ring, in making one
revolution, will partially rotate the hundreds ring; and so on.
For this purpose, I
prefer to provide each ring with a tooth which, in each revolution, will engage with
one or other of a series of notches in a wheel formed like the notched wheel of a
Geneva stop. This wheel is fitted to rotate upon a pin or stud fixed in the frame or
casing, and a toothed wheel is firmly attached to the said wheel so that it will rotate
therewith. This toothed wheel is geared with a toothed wheel firmly attached to the
succeeding numerical ring.
From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the punching mechanism
cannot be operated without simultaneously operating the registering mechanism.
I prefer to employ a permutation lock for preventing the opening of the apparatus
except by some authorized person; and my invention comprises an improved lock for
this purpose. The casing of the apparatus is so constructed that one or more of the
parts slide into their proper position and then serve to prevent the removal of
the other parts thereof. These sliding parts are held in position by a lever formed
with a projection which enters slots in the said sliding parts. This lever is pivotted
to the frame or casing and is acted upon by a spring which tends to hold it in its

page_text: locking position. In combination with this lever, I employ one or more notched
discs or wheels fitted with a capability of rotation upon a pin or stud fixed in the
frame or casing. One or more springs are attached to the frame or casing and are
provided with studs or projections adapted to enter the notches in the said wheels.
One notch in each of the wheels is made sufficiently deep to permit the projection on
the said lever to enter the same and thus move out of the slots in the said sliding
parts, so that they can be removed. I provide a key whereby the said notched wheels
can be rotated step by step to bring the deep notches into position for the projection
on the said lever to enter the same, or to move the deep notches out of this position.
The notched wheels and the said key are so formed that the key, in each rotation,
will turn the said wheels through a distance equal to the pitch of their notches. By
preference I use three of these notched wheels, so that I am enabled to obtain a
very large number of variations in the arrangement of the deep notches when the
apparatus is locked.
The apparatus is, in some instances, provided with a cavity or receptacle for the
pieces which are punched out of the cheques or tickets.
The construction of the apparatus may be somewlint modified, if desired. For
instance, the pawl for operating the ratchet-wheel may be carried by a lever instead of
by a sliding rod. Moreover, instead of arranging the aforesaid pin or rod within the
punch, 1 sometimes arrange it at one side thereof.
Dated this 10th day of November 1886.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: WEV
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firın of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus for cancelling cheques, tickets and the like by
punching holes in the same, and for registering the number of cheques, tickets or the
like thus cancelled.
A novel and peculiar feature of the said invention is the employment of a ratchet-
wheel or equivalent device, which is so arranged in combination with suitable
mechanism that, when partially rotated, it will simultaneously operate the punch and
the registering mechanism, and, if desired, ring a bell.
Another important feature of the said invention is the combination, with the punch,
of a pin or rod which is fitted to slide longitudinally within or at one side of the said
punch, and is connected with a locking device whereby the operation of the cancelling
and registering mechanism is prevented until a cheque or ticket is inserted into.
position to be punched. By this feature of my invention, I provide in a more
effectual manner than heretofore for the prevention of fraud by ensuring that a ticket
shall be punched or cancelled every time the registering mechanism is operated.
Another important feature of the said invention consists in the provision of means
for preventing the return movement of the operating rod or lever after the apparatus
has been partially operated, whilst permitting such return movement after each
complete operation of the apparatus.
My said invention, moreover, comprises improved registering mechanism and an
improved lock for preventing fraudulent opening of the apparatus, and it further
comprises various other improvements all hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of an apparatus constructed according to my
said invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view, the casing being removed to show the internal
mechanism.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the other side of the said apparatus, the casing being
shown in vertical section, and the bell being removed.
Figure 4 is an underside view of the said apparatus, a portion of the casing being
partially withdrawn as hereinafter explained.

page_text: igure
mechanism.
the casing ingre
Figure 6 is a plan of the said apparatus, partly in horizontal section.
Figuro 7 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figures 2 and 3, showing the
upper half of the apparatus.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are different views hereinafter referred to, showing
details of construction.
Figures 13 and 14 are sectional elevations illustrating a modification of my said
invention.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a central plate or frame, to which the several parts of the mechanism are
attached, and which is provided with a handle A'. B is a ratchet-wheel which is fixed
upon a shaft B fitted to rotate in a bearing in the said frame.
•
C is a rod, which is fitted to slide. longitudinally in guides a, a¹ formed on or
attached to the frame A, and which has pivotted thereto at C a pawl C working in a
slot in the said rod and adapted to engage with the said ratchet-wheel for the purpose of
imparting intermittent or step-by-step rotation thereto as hereinafter described. The
said rod is provided with a head or push-knob C³ for operating it, and with a
spring C³ for effecting its return or outward movement after it has been pushed
inward to operate the apparatus. A spring c is secured to the rod (in the slot therein
and nets upon the pawl C so that, when the said rod is pushed inward, the said spring
pushes the said pawl into position to engage with the ratchet-wheel B. D is the
punch, and E is a lover for operating the same.
The said punch is hollow or tubular as shown more clearly. in Figure 12, which is a
sectional elevation. The said punch is fitted to slide longitudinally in a holo in
a block A² formed on or firmly secured to the frame A. This block is formed with a
slit A in which are to be inserted the cheques or tickets to be punched.
The lever E is pivotted at E to the frame A; its short arm is forked as shown in
Figure 6, and engages with the punch D between two collars d, d' formed or fixed
thereon; the long arm of the said lever is pressed against the ratchet-wheel B by
means of a spring E' attached to the frame A.
F is a hell, which is supported by a bracket F1 firmly secured to the frame A.
F is the haminer for striking the said bell; the said hammer is fixed on one end of a
spring F3 which is firmly secured at its other end to the frame A. The said spring F
is provided with an arm, tappet or projection, through the medium of which the said
hammer is operated by the ratchet-wheel B as hereinafter described.
I sometimes socure the bell F to the ratchet-wheel B or to the shaft B¹ and allow it
to rotate with the said ratchet-wheel. I am thus enabled to dispense with the
bracket F¹.
G is a stop-wheel, which is fixed upon the shaft B' so that it rotates with the ratchet-
wheel B. His a retaining pawl, which is pivotted at H' to the frame A, and is held
by a spring in engagement with the stop-wheel G. This pawl serves to correct the
motion of the wheels B. G and shaft B' when necessary.
I is a pin or rod, which is fitted to slide longitudinally within the punch D and is
formed with a head or flange i. Jis a bent lever which is pivotted at E' to the
frame A. The short arm of this lever is pressed against the head of the rod I by
means of a spring J' attached to the lever . The extremity of the long arm of the
lever is adapted to enter one or other of a series of notches g formed in the stop-
wheel G, and thus prevents the operation of the apparatus until the said lever is
disengaged from the said stop-wheel as hereinafter described.
The improved registering mechanism comprises numerical rings which are arranged
concentrically one within another and are operated as hereinafter described.
,,, are the said numerical rings; the units-ring & is fixed upon the shaft B'
so that it will be intermittently rotated with the ratchet-wheel B; the tens-ring k
is fitted to rotate upon the units-ring, the hundreds-ring upon the tons-ring, and
the thousands-ring upon the hundreds-ring. Each of the rings k,..k³‚_F_is

page_text: I
connected with the ring next succeeding it by means of suitable gearing, so that the
units-ring in making one revolution will partially rotate the tens-ring, the tens-ring
For this
in making one revolution will partially rotate the hundreds-ring, and so on.
purpose, I prefer to provide each of the said rings k, k¹, k³ with a tooth which, in
each revolution of the said ring, will engage with one or other of a series of notches /
in a wheel formed like the notched wheel of a Geneva stop. The wheels are fitted
to rotate upon a pin or stud fixed in the frame A, and a toothed wheel m is firmly
attached to each of the said wheels so that it will rotate therewith. Two of these
toothed wheels m are geared with toothed wheels or rings n firmly attached to the
numerical rings k, k'; the remaining toothed wheel m is geared with the toothed
periphery of the ring k³.
The hundreds-ring with the toothed ring n attached thereto is shown in side
elevation in Figure 8; and one of the stop-wheels with a toothed wheel m attached
thereto is shown in side elevation in Figure 9.
The mechanism is enclosed by a casing consisting of two plates L, L¹ secured to
the frame A, and of a plate or bar M.
The apparatus is preferably provided with a box or chamber P, as shown, for the
reception of the pieces which are punched out of the cheques or tickets. This box.
is provided with a lid P which is locked in position by means of an extension M³ of
the bar M, which extension enters a hole in the said lid as shown in Figure 3.
The operation of the apparatus above described is as follows, that is to say:-When
a ticket is inserted in the slit A³ in position to be punched, the pin or rod I is
thereby moved longitudinally upward and thus caused to turn the bent lever J upon
or about its pivot and disengage it from the stop-wheel G. The rod C is then to be
pushed inward, so that the pawl will engage with the ratchet-wheel B and rotate
the same through a distance equal to the length of one of its teeth; in this partial
rotation of the ratchet-wheel B, one of its teeth acts upon the lever E and turns the
same upon or about its pivot, thereby effecting the punching or cancelling of the
ticket; the registering mechanism is simultaneously operated through the medium of
the shaft B', and, at the same time, another tooth of the said ratchet-wheel acts upon
the tappet and thereby moves the hammer F away from the bell F, so that the
ringing of the bell will be effected by the reaction of the spring F³ as soon as the
said tooth has moved away from the tappet f.
It will be seen that, before the ticket can disengage the locking lever J from the
stop-wheel G in the manner above described, the said ticket must be made to occupy
such a position that the punch, when operated, will cut a piece therefrom; moreover
the said pin or rod I will pass through the ticket with the said punch. It is, therefore,
impossible to operate the punch without cutting a piece from the ticket or the like
which is used for unlocking the parts.
The notches g in the wheel & are made of such width that, should a ticket be
inserted far enough to disengage the lever J from the said wheel, and then be with-
drawn before the punch has moved far enough to cut a piece out of the ticket, the suid
lever will be moved back by its spring and will again engage with the wheel G.
Therefore the registering mechanism cannot be operated without, at the same time,
punching a ticket. Fraudulent use of the apparatus is thus effectually prevented.
The number of cheques or tickets registered may be seen through an aperture in the
casing of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1.
The end of the pin or rod I next the slit A' is preferably rounded as shown to
facilitate the insertion of the tickets and the movement of the said pin or rod thereby.
The lever J, in the apparatus shown in the drawings, is pivotted upon the same pin
or stud as the punching lever E, and is arranged to work in the forked part of this
lever. The said lever may, however, be otherwise arranged, if desired.
To prevent the opening of the apparatus except by some authorized person, I
prefer to employ a permutation lock, and my invention comprises an improved lock
for this purpose.
•
The two plates L, L' of the casing are secured by screws to the frame A, one on

page_text: each side thereof. The screw (Figure 3) which secures the plate L to the frame A
is inserted from the inside, so that it cannot be withdrawn until the plate L' has been
removed. The bar M is adapted to engage with and is fitted to slide upon one edge
of the plate L' and the corresponding edge of the frame A as shown in Figure 4 and
in Figure 10, which is a transverse section. The plate L' is thus retained securely in
position at this edge. A screw L³ (Figure 1) socures the other edge of the said plate;
the sliding bar M inust, however, be withdrawn before the plate L' can be removed.
This bar is shown partly withdrawn in Figure 4. The said bar M is securely held in
position by a locking lever or latch N formed with a projection N' which enters a
slot M' in the said sliding bar. This lever or latch is pivotted at N to the frame A,
and has attached to it a spring N which bears against the inner side of the bar Mans
shown in Figure 3, and tends to hold the said lever in its locking position. In
combination with this lever, I employ toothed discs or wheels O, which are fitted upon
a pin or stad O' fixed in the frame A, so that they can be rotated upon the said pin
or stud. A spring O' is attached at one end to the frame A and is split or divided
longitudinally at its other end into three parts, which are bent, as shown in Figure 2,
so that they may enter the spaces between the teeth of the wheels O and thus serve as
retaining pawls. A notch O is formed in each of the said wheels, of sufficient depth to
permit the projection N¹ on the lever N to enter the same, and a holo M³ is formed in
the sliding bar M to permit the insertion of a pin or rod for the purpose of turning the
lever or latch N upon or about its pivot-and thus moving its projection N¹ out of the
slot M in the said bar M, so that the latter can be withdrawn from the frame A and
plate L'.
I provide a Key Q (shown in side elevation in Figure 11), which fits upon a pin or
stud Q fixed in the frame A and is formed with projections Q. By means of this
key, the said toothed wheels O can be rotated step by step to bring their notches 0*
into position for the projection N' to enter the saine, or to move their notches out of
this position. The said wheels and key are so formed that the key, in each rotation,
will turn the said wheels through a distance equal to the pitch of their teeth.
In some instances, I use two or more keys such as that shown in Figure 11, each
having one or more projections Q³, which are differently situated on the different
keys, so that one or more of the notched wheels O may ho turned by each key as
desired.
It will be readily understood that, to enable any person to unlock the apparatus
without great difficulty, he must know the exact number of turns to give to the
key, or to each of the keys, in order to bring the notches of the wheels into their
proper position to permit the lever or latch to enter the same. By preference I use
three of these notched toothed wheels, so that I am enabled to obtain a very large
number of variations in the arrangement of their notchos 0 when the apparatus is
locked. may, however, use any other suitable number of the said wheels.
I sometimes provide for preventing the return movement of the operating rod to
its normal position after any partial operation of the apparatus, whilst permitting such
return movement when the apparatus has been completely operated. For instance, 1
provide for preventing the outward or return movement of the rod after it has been
moved a certain distance inward, and for releasing it to permit its return movement as
soon as it has been pushed inward the requisite distance to effect the operation of the
apparatus. For this purpose, I prefer to employ the means illustrated in Figures 13
and 14, in which R is a lever or catch which is pivotted at, r to the frame, A, and is
acted upon by a spring r which tends to push its lower end towards the rod C.
This rod is formed with a series of teeth c' so that the said catch may engage therewith
to prevent its return movement. The upper end of the lever or catch R extends
upward into the path of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel B.
The operation of this device is as follows, that is to say:- When the parts are in
their normal position as shown in Figure 13, the catch R is held out of contact with
the rod C by one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel B. As soon as the rod C has been
pushed inward far enough to move the said tooth out of engagement with the catch,

page_text: the said catch is forced by its spring into engagement with one of the teeth on the
rod C, as shown in Figure 14, consequently the return movement of this rod cannot
take place until the said rod has been pushed in far enough to cause the disengagement
of the catch R therefrom by means of the next succeeding tooth of the ratchet-wheel B.
It is evident, therefore, that the apparatus must be fully operated, after onco pushing
inward the rod C, before the said rod can resume its norinal position.
The construction of the apparatus may be somewhat modified, if desired, without
departing from the nature of my invention. For instance, other means than those
above described may be employed for intermittently rotating the ratchet-wheel B.
Moreover, instead of arranging the aforesaid pin or rod within the punch, I sometimes
arrange it to slide longitudinally at one side thereof. It is obvious that I can, if
desired, employ, as an equivalent for the ratchet-wheel B, a disc provided with pins or
projections extending laterally therefrom.
The improved registering mechanism hereinbefore described may be used in com-
bination with any suitable punching mechanism, and is also applicable in other cases
where registering mechanism is required.
I am aware that ticket-punches have, in some instances, been provided with devices
intended to prevent the operation of the punch until a ticket is inserted in the slit
or aperture provided for its reception. In such ticket-punches, however, as heretofore
constructed, it is possible to release the punch without placing a ticket between the
said punch and the dic; whereas, in my improved apparatus, a ticket or the like
must be inserted between the punch and the die in order to release the said punch,
and a piece must be cut from the said ticket or the like in operating the punch and the
registering mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
Correspondent I wish it understood that I do not claim generally or irrespectively of
my improvements as herein set forth a ticket punch provided with a locking device
designed to prevent the operation of the punch until a ticket is inserted in the slit or
aperture provided for its reception, but I claim:-
First. The employment, in an apparatus for cancelling and registering cheques,
tickets and the like, of a ratchet-wheel or equivalent device so arranged in combination
with the punch and the registering mechanism that, when partially rotated, it will
operato the said punch and registering mechanism, substantially as above described.
Second. The combination, with the punch, of a locking device for preventing the
operation thereof, and a pin or rod fitted to slide longitudinally within or at one sido
of the said punch and so connected with the said locking device, that the insertion of
a ticket or the like between the punch and the die will effect the release of the said
punch, substantially as above described.
Third. The provision of means for preventing the return movement of the operating
rod or lever after the apparatus has been partially operated, whilst permitting such
return movement after the complete operation of the apparatus, substantially as aboye
described.
Fourth: The combination of parts comprising the ratchet-wheel B, the stop-wheel G,
the tubular punch, the pin or rod fitted to slide therein, the lever for operating the
said punch and the bent lever adapted to engage with the said stop-wheel, substantially
as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with the ratchet-wheel B, of a bell secured to and rotating
with the said wheel, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The employment of two or more numerical rings arranged concentrically one
within another substantially as described, and connected by suitable gearing for the
purpose above specified.
· Seventh. The combination of parts comprising the frame A, the plates L, L¹ the

page_text: sliding bar M, and means for locking the said sliding bar in position, substantially as'
and for the purpose, set forth.
Eighth. A permutation lock comprising a locking lever or latch and one or more
discs or wheels provided with notches which permit the said lever or latch to be
moved out of its locking position, and with teeth whereby a step-by-step rotation
may be imparted to them by means of a key, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Ninth. The combination, with the ratchet-wheel B and the sliding rod C, of the
lever or catch R, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Tenth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts (with or without the lever or
catch R) constructed and combined substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes, specified.