AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING, PUNCHING, REGISTERING, AND DELIVERING TICKETS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE CONDUCTORS OF OMNIBUSES AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES.”
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Henry Small, of Buffalo, New York,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING,
PUNCHING, REGISTERING, AND DELIVERING TICKETS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR
THE CONDUCTORS OF OMNIBUSES AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Henry Small at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th June 1874.
I, JAMES HENRY SMALL, of Buffalo, New York, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR HOLDING, PUNCHING, REGISTERING, AND DELIVERING TICKETS, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR THE CONDUCTORS OF OMNIBUSES AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES," to be
as follows:-
-
My Invention relates to a simple and convenient apparatus which is
chiefly designed for the use of omnibus and tramway car conductors,

page_text: and is so constructed that it will hold any number of tickets in such a
manner that the conductor can promptly take a single ticket therefrom
with one hand and deliver it to a passenger, at the same time punching
the ticket and registering its delivery and the amount of money received
therefor by the conductor.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the combination of a peculiarly
constructed case or box for containing the tickets, with the registering,
punching, and alarm apparatus, described in the Specifications of Letters
Patent of the 18th January, A.D. 1871, No. 124, and of the 11th May,
A.D. 1874, No. 1667. The said apparatus as described in these former
Specifications has a punch for punching holes in the tickets as they are
delivered, and combined with this punch is a receptacle for the punchings,
an alarm bell, and registering mechanism, all simultaneously actuated
through the handle by the conductor. I attach this punching, registering,
and alarm apparatus to the aforesaid case or receptacle for the tickets,
and preferably at the top or upper end of the same, by a tongue and
groove, a metal strap, or by screws, or other suitable fastenings.
The said case or receptacle has a cross sectional form corresponding
with the form of the tickets, and of such a size as to permit them to move
freely endwise in the same, while guiding them and keeping them in the
proper position for delivery. The said case or receptacle may be formed
of brass, tin, or other suitable metal or material. It is closed at the top
or upper end and open at the bottom, and at the lower portion of its
front side, to permit the conductor to have access to the tickets when
the apparatus is in use. The bottom of the case is removable, and is
fitted to slide in grooves at the bottom of the case. The said sliding
bottom has its central portion cut away from its front edge nearly to its
back or inner edge to expose the surface of the bottom one of the pile
of tickets in the case, and by applying his finger to the ticket thus
exposed the conductor can draw it from the case; he then presents it
to the punching, registering, and alarm mechanism at the top of the
said case, punches it, and delivers it to the passenger.
It is desirable that the conductor should be able to take the ticket
from the case and punch, register, and deliver it with one hand when
he has to support himself by the other hand. I therefore provide the afore-
said punching and registering apparatus with a spring clip, so arranged
that the conductor can insert the ticket to be punched in the said clip

page_text: and leave it there while with the same hand he actuates the handle of
the apparatus and thereby effects the punching and registering of the
ticket and the sounding of the bell.
It will probably be found desirable that the said apparatus should be
carried upon the person of the conductor. I therefore provide the said
box or case with metal loops or eyes for the attachment of a strap or
belt; but if desired it may be supported upon the door or other portion
of the vehicle.
I combine in one apparatus two or more of the aforesaid cases, so that
the tickets of different values or denominations may be held separately.
The said cases are secured together side by side by bolts or rods passed
through eyes or tubes fixed outside of each case, the said rods being
secured by screw nuts or pins. Or I may unite the separate portions of
the said apparatus by other suitable and convenient means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Henry Small in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HENRY SMALL, of Buffalo, New York, United States of America, now of
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Henry Small, Her special licence
that I, the said James Henry Small, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Henry Small, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR HOLDING, PUNCHING, REGISTERING, AND DELIVERING TICKETS,

page_text: CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE CONDUCTORS OF OMNIBUSES AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Henry
Small, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Henry Small, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
My Invention relates to a simple and convenient apparatus which is
chiefly designed for the use of omnibus and tramway car conductors for
carrying tickets to be delivered to the passengers on the payment of their
fares. This apparatus is so constructed that it will hold any required
number of tickets in such a manner that the conductor can promptly
take a single ticket therefrom with one hand and deliver it to a
passenger, the said apparatus registering its delivery and the amount of
money he receives for the same.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the combination of a peculiarly
constructed case or box for containing the tickets with the registering,
punching, and alarm apparatus, described in the Specifications of Letters
Patent of the 18th January, A.D. 1871, No. 124, and of the 11th May,
A.D. 1874, No. 1667. The said apparatus as described in these former
Specifications has a punch for punching holes in the tickets as they are
delivered, and combined with this punch a receptacle for the punch
cuttings, an alarm or indicating bell, and registering mechanism, con-
nected with a handle or lever, and by simply pressing the latter the
conductor punches the tickets, registers their delivery, and sounds the
said bell to indicate to the occupants of the car or omnibus that he has
properly used the apparatus.
The manner in which my said Invention is carried into practice may
be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying Drawing, of
which Figure 1 is a front view of my improved apparatus; Figure 2 is
a plan or top view of the same; Figure 3 shows the interior of the said

page_text: A is the aforesaid case or box for holding the tickets, and B is the
said registering, punching, and indicating apparatus; C is the receptacle
for the punch cuttings. This box or casc A is shown with threc com-
partments for tickets of different values, but it is obvious that the said
box may be constructed with any desired number of such compartments.
I attach the punching, registering, and indicating apparatus B to the
aforesaid case or receptacle A preferably at the top or upper side of the
same by a tongue and groove, as shown at a, or by a metal strap, or by
screws, or other suitable fastenings. The compartments b, c, d, of the
said case or receptacle are made of a form and dimensions suitable for
conveniently receiving and holding the tickets, and permitting them to
move freely in the same while keeping them in the proper position for
delivery. The said case or receptacle may be formed of brass, tin, or
other suitable metal or material, and covered with leather. It is closed
at all parts except where the apertures e are formed in the front and top to
permit access to the tickets f, g, h, when the apparatus is in use. The
cover A' opens on a hinge or pivot i, and is secured when closed by a
pin or rod at j, or it may be made removable and fitted to slide in
grooves at the top of the case. This hinged or removable cover permits
the tickets to be conveniently placed in the compartments b, c, d. It is
necessary that the tickets in the said compartments should be kept up
to the front of the same with enough pressure to hold them firmly but
yet allow them to be readily taken out. For this purpose I use an
clastic or spring device, consisting of two plates k, l, and spring m,
which as clearly shown in Figure 3 keeps the tickets pressed up to the
front of the box. This device occupies but a very slight space when
pressed back to the rear of the compartment, but has sufficient expansion
to compensate for the diminution of the number of tickets and to
maintain its pressure upon the same till the last one has been removed.
By applying his finger and thumb to the outermost ticket which is
exposed by the said apertures e the conductor can turn down its edge
free of the projections and then draw it from the case, while the said
projection keeps the other tickets from coming out. After drawing the
ticket out of the case the conductor presents it to the punching,.
registering, and indicating apparatus B at the top of the said case,
punches it, and delivers it to the passenger.

page_text: It is sometimes desirable that the conductor should be able to take
the ticket from the case and punch, register, and deliver it with one
hand when he has to support himself by the other hand, as in an
omnibus. I therefore provide the aforesaid punching and registering
apparatus with a spring clip or holder o, so arranged that the conductor
can insert the ticket to be punched in the said clip and leave it there
while with the same hand he actuates the handle of the apparatus and
thereby effects the punching and registering of the ticket and the
sounding of the bell.
It will probably be found desirable that the said apparatus should be 3
carried
upon the
person of the conductor, I therefore provide the said
case or box with means for the attachment of a strap or belt q; but if
desired it may be supported upon the door or other portion of the
vehicle.
Instead of constructing the box or case A as above described I may 1
combine two or more cases for tickets of different values or denomina-
tions by securing them together side by side by bolts or rods passed
through eyes or tubes fixed outside of each case, the said rods being
secured by screw nuts or pins. Or I may unite the separate portions of
the said apparatus by other suitable and convenient means.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and shown how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I
wish it understood that although I have herein-above particularly
described the punching, registering, and alarm or indicating apparatus,
constructed as described in the aforesaid former Specifications, yet I do
not limit myself to a punching or registering apparatus of the precise
construction described in those Specifications, but may combine with a
case or box for holding the tickets other suitable punching or registering
devices; and I claim,-
-
First. The combination of a box or case for holding tickets with a
device for punching or perforating the said tickets, and with or without
apparatus for registering their delivery, as herein set forth.
Second. The apparatus consisting of the box or case constructed with
any convenient number of compartments provided with delivery
apertures and spring devices, in combination with the punching,
registering, and alarm or indicating mechanism described in the said
former Specifications, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Third. The spring clip or holder in combination with the said
punching and registering apparatus, as herein set forth and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof I, the said James Henry Small, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
HENRY JAS. NOONE.
JAMES H. SMALL. (L.S.)