Improvements in Turnstiles, Barriers, or Doors, and in Apparatus connected therewith for Collecting Fees.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1890-Accepted, 21st June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Turnstiles, Barriers, or Doors, and in Apparatus
connected therewith for Collecting Fees.
I GEORGE WILLIAMSON of 14 Ward Street Hunslet Road, Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of a part of my Invention is to effect automatically, that whenever a
person passes through a Turnstile (whether reversable or non-reversable) the Turnstile
shall move to a definite point in its revolution, and no further, and that it shall be
held there until the next person uses it.
For this purpose I pivot two L shaped levers to the base of the Turnstile. The
short arms of these levers are formed with toothed segments at their extremities, and
gear together, so that the two long arms of the levers always move in opposite
directions. One of these is set to press against one of the wings of the Turnstilo in
one direction, and the other one is set to press against the adjacent wing in the
opposite direction, a spring connected to the levers supplying the requisite presure,
and so holding the Turnstile in position.
When a person passes through the Turnstile, one of the wings of same pushes
forward the arm of the lever which is in contact with it, and this causes the arm of
the other lever to leave its contact with the adjacent wing, and to move backwards to
meet the first lever midway; in doing which an additional tension is put upon the
spring. The length and angular position of the two lever arms is such, that at this
point, the actuating wing of the Turnstile can pass the ends of both of them.
Immediately this is done that which was the idle lever, is brought into contact with
the reverse side of what was the actuating wing of the Turnstile; and the tension of
the spring causes this lover to push in the same direction that the wing was previously
moving, until another wing of the Turnstile comes into contact with the disengaged
first lever, when the Turnstile is stopped as before.
It will be evident that if the movement of the Turnstile is reversed, the action
of the two lovers will be reversed also.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in coin-freed locking
mechanism for Turnstiles and the like, such as that described in the Specification
of my Patent No. 89 of 1888.
When it is required that the Turnstile shall be locked against movement in either
direction, and that by using a proper coin it shall be possible to liberate it, so that it
can be passed through either one way or the other as may be desired, I arrange two
pawls or catches, with their points in opposite directions, and on the ratchet circle
I also arrange sets of ratchet teeth pointing in opposite directions, so as to engage
with these catches. The bosses of the two catches have each a segment of teeth
formed on them, and the two segments gear together, so that when one catch is lifted
clear of one set of teeth, the other catch is also lifted clear of its set of teeth, and the
Turnstile can be moved in either direction. In this case the coin is inserted between
the two catches, that is behind the heels of both catches, so that it can operate on
either of them according as the Turnstile is moved.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Turnstiles, Barriers, or Doors, and in Apparatus
connected therewith for Collecting Fees.
I GBORGE WILLIAMSON of 14 Ward Street, Hunslet Road, Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer 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:-
on a
The object of a part of my Invention, is to effect automatically, that whenever a
person passes through a Turnstile fitted with my apparatus, (whether the Turnstile bo
a reversable or a non-reversable one) it shall move to a definite point in its revolution,
and shall be held there until it is again used. For this purpose I pivot two levers to
the base of the Turnstile; these are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of drawings, and
larger scale in Figs. 3 and 4, which represent the base of the Turnstile, (with
cover removed) in plan and elevation. The two levers referred to, A and B, are
formed with toothed segments attached, which gear together, so that the two levers
always move in opposite directions. The lever A is set to press against a striking
piece C, attached to one of the wings E of the Turnstile, in one direction; and
the lever B is set to press against the striking piece of the adjacent wing F, in the
opposite direction. A spring G connected to one of the levers, and to the base of the
Turnstile, supplying the requisite pressure, and so holding the Turnstile in position.
When a person passes through the Turnstile in the direction from H to E, Fig. 2,
the wing E through its striking piece C, pushes forward the lever A, which is in
contact with it, and this causes the lever B, (Figs. 3 and 4) to leave its contact with
the striking piece D, and to move backwards to meet the lever A, and in so doing an
additional tension is put on the spring G. The length and angular position of the two
levers is so arranged, that at the place where they come together, the striking piece C
of the actuating wing E, can pass the ends of both of them, (for which purpose it is
bevelled at c and c').
↓
Immediately after C has passed the ends of the two levers, that which was the
idle lever B, becomes the actuating one, and under the influence of the spring G,
it presses against the reverse side of the striking piece C, so as to cause it to continue
moving in the same direction that the wing was previously moving, until another
wing H of the Turnstile comes in contact with the disengaged lever A, when the
Turnstile is stopped. The wing E then occupies the position previously held by the
wing F, and the wing H takes the place of the wing E; that is the Turnstile has
been moved one quarter of a revolution. It will be evident that if the movement of
the Turnstile is reversed the action of the two levers will be reversed also; and that
this apparatus is applicable to both coin freed Turnstiles, and to ordinary ones.
In order to reduce the friction, and the consequent tension of the spring G
required to overcome it, and to move the Turnstile, I prefer to mount it on ball
in the upper
bearings in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and in Figs. 8 and 9.
surface of the pillar I, I turn a semicircular groove in which are placed six balls b
which are kept equidistant by the plate ring K; the central boss of Turnstile, or
ratchet circle L, fits over this, and rests on the balls; which rotate under it as it is
moved, carrying the plate ring K along with them.
lt will be evident that any convenient number of balls may be used; also that a
similar object may be attained by using rollers pivoted in the pillar I, or to the centra
boss L.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in coin freed locking
mechanism for Turnstiles and the like, such as that described in the Specification o
my Patent No. 89 of 1888.
When it is required that the Turnstile shall be locked against movement in eithe
direction, and that by using a proper coin it shall be possible to liberate it, so that i
can be passed through either one way or the other, as may be desired, I use th
arrangement shown in Fig. 9. I pivot two pawls or catches M and N, to the pillar ||

page_text: at m and n, with their points in opposite directions, and with a small segment of teeth
formed on the boss of each, so that they can gear together. I also form teeth d in the
ratchet circle, or central boss L, to engage with these pawls, so as to prevent more
than a limited amount of movement.
When a proper coin is inserted in the space P between the heels of the two
catches, and the circle L is moved towards M, the coin will be pressed against
the heel of the catch M, and will lift it, and in doing so the catch N will also
be lifted clear of the tooth d, and the Turnstile will be free to be moved forward until
the coin gets past the point of the catch M, when it will drop into the chamber Q,
and the two catches will be ready to engage with the next set of teeth. R is a
spring for keeping the catches in position. It will be evident that if the movement
of the Turnstile is reversed, the catch N will be operated on by the coin, and will
move M.
The ratchet circle or central boss L is covered by a slot-plate which is not
shown in the Fig., but which is like the one, a quarter of which is shown at S Fig. 5,
and it is carried by the projections O; when in position it forms with these projections,
four slots for the reception of coin, three of these are covered by the cover plate T
shown in Fig. 7.
The cover plate does not move with the Turnstile, but is held by the central
asis;
and the slot in it at U is arranged so as to be directly over the space between
the two pawls, so that each of the slots in the slot plate comes under it in turn when
the Turnstile is rotated.
Figs. 5 and 6 show an improved arrangement of my coin freed locking mechanism,
for collecting fees when the Turnstile is moved in one direction, and permitting
free egress when moved in the reverse direction.
When a coin is inserted in the space P, and the ratchet circle L is moved towards
the catch M, the coin acts on the catch, so as to lift it out of the way of the tooth d,
and of the succeding teeth; and the coin is carried forward until it passes the catch,
when it drops into the chamber Q, and the catch is pressed by the spring R against
the ratchet circle. The catch has a tailpiece a, formed with it, this comes in contact
with one of the four cam projections formed on the underside of the slot plate S, and
as the slot plate is carried round with the ratchet circle L, by the projections O, one
of the cam projections presses on the tail of the catch just after the coin has got
liberated from it, this lifts the point of the catch, and allows it to pass over the
tooth d¹ to its normal position as shown; the Turnstile having advanced one quarter
of a revolution. The four quarters of the ratchet circle are alike, so that a fresh coin
has to be inserted, and the operation repeated each time that the Turnstile moves a
quarter of a revolution in that direction. But it can be moved in the reverse direction
continuously, without hindrance, so as to permit free egress. Fig. 7 shows the cover
plate for this arrangement.
Fig. 8 shows another arrangement of my improved coin freed locking mechanism,
which works in the same manner as that just described, except that there are four
catches to be moved instead of one, and consequently four coins are required to move
them, any one, or all of the catches can be held out of contact, by the set screws e, so
that the working of he Turnstile can be made to depend on the number of catches
that are operative, and consequently on the number of coins required to be inserted
to operate them. The cover plate for this arrangement has four slots in it, any of
which can be covered when not required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement of apparatus for automatically moving and stopping a
Turnstile or the like, at definite points in its revolution, substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.
2. The method of forming ball bearings or anti friction bearings for use with my
moving and stopping lever apparatus as applied to Turnstiles or the like, substantially
as described and shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

page_text: 3. The arrangement of coin freed locking mechanism for enabling a Turnstile to
automatically collect fees when passed through consecutively in one direction, or when
passed through consecutively in the reverse direction, or when used alternately
in one direction or the other, substantially as described and shown in Fig. 9.
4. The combination of the moving and stopping lever apparatus of claim 1 with
an arrangement of coin freed locking mechanism, for enabling a Turnstile to auto-
matically collect fees when passed through in one direction, but permitting free
egress when moved in the reverse direction, substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.
5. The combination of claims 1, and 3; or of claims 2 and 3.
6. The combination of claims 2, and 4.