Improved Indicating and Recording Mechanism for Cabs, Carriages, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Indicating and Recording Mechanism for Cabs, Carriages,
and the like.
I, REINHOLD KERSTEN, Gentleman of Hamburg in the Free State of Hamburg in
the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 an improved indicating and recording mechanism whereby
proprietors of cabs or carriages let out for hire may be able to control their drivers
this mechanism accurately recording the number of and the duration of journeys
travelled in a given time as well as the number of persons who have been seated
during such journeys.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of the device or
mechanism Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 a section of the box or case enclosing the
clockwork. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of the "number of passengers
indicator box.
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The seat a Fig. is pressed upwards by one or more springs a height of
about 4 inches. A rod e¹ is fixed at a¹ and passes through an opening d of the scat
being attached to a cord e passing round a pulley and connected at g₁ to a lever g
fulcrummed at h. This lever is pressed upwards by a spring i and thus holds the
cord in a constantly stretched position. As soon as a fure or a person using the
vehicle depresses the seat, the lever g is released and pressed upwards by the spring i.
In consequence of this movement the arm k mounted below the lever g is likewise
released, this arm branches from the ring placed as illustrated in Fig. 2 over the
dial of a clock A and fixed at its free end to a spiral spring m.
A box A¹ (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is arranged in the position shown in Fig. 1 is a cab
or carriage and can be inserted therein or withdrawn therefrom at will; it contains
the clockwork A furnished with the hour hand and a pin projecting from its
under side. This clockwork rests in a block p upon which is fixed a piece of paper o
divided radially into 12 times 12 parts. The brackets limit the motion of the
lever g. The spring pawl or catch c is used to lock the seat a in position as soon as
it has been depressed.
When the seat is unoccupied as shown in Fig. 1 it operates on the lever g which
presses the ring upon the hand of the clock and so forces the pin through the
paper o thus stopping the said clock. When on the contrary the vehicle is occupied
the seat a is depressed and the lever y is raised as already stated by the spring i so
that the aru k releases the hand of the clock. This band will now move until the
fare has accomplished his or her journey and the driver has brought the seat a into
its normal position by releasing the spring c when the pin r presses again through
the paper o and the clock is stopped afresh.
With the aid of the mechanism above described a cab proprietor can accurately
determine the duration and number of the journeys made. In order moreover to
enable him to ascertain likewise the number of fares using the vehicle during each
journey a suitable apparatus is devised and illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the
drawings. By the side of the driver's seat is arranged a box B furnished on its outer
and open side with a frames which is capable of being locked. One of the sides u of
this box is pressed outwards by a spring t in the direction of the frames so that the
number board w inserted through a slot can be placed between the two the flat
spring pressing the same in front of the frame s. The numbers on each board w
indicates the number of passengers so that not only the passengers but also the
passers by can convince themselves of the accuracy of the number of persons indicated
on the said number board. After a journey is accomplished the driver inserts a
board without a number. The successive order of such number boards nust
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page_text: correspond with the period of time indicated by the pin of the clock hand and so
that the proprietor can always reckon with his driver for such time and number of
passengers carried.
The rod e is used to prevent the driver from tampering with the cord e. The cord
may however be directly connected at a¹ with the seat in which case the rod e' is
dispensed with.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A passenger indicating and recording mechanism for carriages, cabs and the
like characterized by a spring seat a which is connected by a cord e or by a cord e
and a rod e¹ to a spring lever g the downward motion or depression of which caused
by the load of one or more persons placed on the seat a has the effect of allowing the
band of a clock furnished with a pin to move until the weight upon the seat a is
removed by the said persons or fares and whereby in consequence of the rising of the
seat the lever presses in connection with an arm & the pin of the hand through a
paper disc thus stopping the said land and affording an exact record of the time
occupied upon the journey substantially as herein before described and illustrated on
the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with the device or mechanism claimed above the use of a box B
visible from the outside and against the opening of which a card indicating the
number of fares is inserted at the commencement of each journey and held by a
spring substantially as herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
3. The improved indicating and recording device or mechanism arranged con-
structed and operating substantially ns and for-the-purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawing:
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office, 55, Market Street, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.