Control of Railway or other Ticket Offices and the Issue or Delivery of Tickets therefrom.
Year: 1885

page_text: Control of Railway or other Ticket Offices and the Issue
or Delivery of Tickets therefrom.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MEANS FOR FACILI-
TATING THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TICKET OFFICES AND THE ISSUE OR
DELIVERY OF TICKETS THEREFROM to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to cases for holding railway or other tickets and to
apparatus for arranging the said tickets in a convenient manner to issue or deliver
the same.
The objects of the said invention are to facilitate the supervision of the ticket
issuing office not only by enabling the cashier to examine the tickets in the caso
and the packs of tickets received, thereby excluding the possibility of taking away
or adding a ticket, but as long as there are any tickets in the pigeon hole, to show
who has printed, arranged and put them in the case; to enable the examination
of a full case of tickets to take place in a very short time; to enable a larger
number of different tickets to be contained in a given space than heretofore;-to
enable the filling or emptying of the whole case or of single rows of pigeon-holes to
be effected by the cashier alone or in presence of other persons; and in case of
a substitute acting for the cashier to indicate the pigeon holes from which tickets
have been taken.
In the ticket cases now in use, the tickets are taken from below, therefore the
higher numbers must be placed upon the others. The improved case necessitates
the reverse succession so that the higher numbers are behind the lower ones.
In order that the tickets numbered in the customary manner can be placed in
the reverse succession, a specially constructed apparatus is required, which can be
used by itself as well as in combination with ticket printing machines.
This apparatus is hereinafter specified.
According to the present invention, upon one or more edges of the tickets
printed and numbered consecutively, of which tickets a hundred or more are put
together, are stuck strips or bands of paper, or the like.

page_text: By means of stamping devices regular lines or figures are impressed upon the
edge surfaces of the bundles of tickets in a diagonal direction; or incisions are
made in the edge, surfaces in a diagonal direction.
In some cases the band is stuck upon one edge-surface of the bundle, so that
all the tickets therein are connected. The two ends of the band are stuck together
and the stamp of the printing office is so pressed upon the band that part of the
impression is visible upon the back of the ticket. After verification the receiver,
if necessary, sticks the portion of the band which passes over the opposite edge-
surface upon the tickets, and puts his name upon the band or last ticket. If the
examination shows irregularities, the pack or bundle is returned to the issuing
office, and the line, drawing, or incision permits an official to recognise immediately
whether the pack is still intact or not.
To show whether a ticket has been removed from a pack, a pin pushed through
a perforation in the pack from the back thereof, is provided with a hole in front
through which a string may be passed and sealed. On putting such sealed pack
into the case the rear end of the pin is screwed into a cross piece.
For the reception of many such ticket-packs as described above, and for the
purposes of their sale, I provide a case or box which consists of a frame provided
with doors capable of being lifted, which frame according to requirements, contains
a greater or sinaller number of pigeon-holes for receiving the tickets.
Each of these pigeon-holes has on its lower side a flat spring pressing upwardly.
The said spring serves to hold back the tickets pushed forward by a spiral spring in
the rear of the pigeon-hole, and it can be pressed so far down that packs may be
conveniently pushed in, and taken out.
A small spring fastened by means of a screw to the upper side of a pigeon-hole
prevents the tickets, which may lie loose in a pigeon-hole, from falling out.
An indicator for showing from which pigeon-hole tickets have been taken is
provided, the indicator in this case being pushed upwards.
The appliance for pushing forward the tickets consists of a small wooden block
having a tube fixed to it, a guiding cylinder therefor, a spring surrounding the
latter, and a projection against which the said spring bears.
A bar, having incisions or holes, serves to prevent tickets from being removed
'from the several pigeon-holes; This bar can be replaced by a shaft with pro-
jections. When the pigeon-holes are to be closed, the bar or shaft is so turned
that the projections prevent the flat springs from being pressed downwards ;
when the bar or shaft is in its norinal position the spring can be pressed downwards
and each pigeon-hole be filled; or tickets removed therefrom.
A special device is provided for permitting loose tickets without a band stuck
upon them, only to be put into the pigeon-holes under supervision. For this
purpose two sets of teeth are formed upon the guiding-cylinder, and upon the tube
attached to the push block are two corresponding pawls. The said block is
prevented from being moved backward by one pawl and the other permits the
small block to move backward but not forward.
The proper engagement and disengagement of these pawls and teeth are effected
by a cam-groove formed in the guiding cylinder, which groove acts upon a pin
fixed in the tube attached to the sliding block.
When the tickets are being put in, they are pushed forward until the lower pawl
is liberated. This takes place by pressing back the tickets put in until the guiding
cylinder, which can be turned and which follows the curve of one portion of the
cam groove, has turned so much that the other portion thereof acts on the cylinder.
The same operation takes place in a reverse manner when the pigeon-hole is
emptied, but not until the lower flat spring permits the push block to advance and
the first mentioned portion of the groove to engage again.
A pin baving tongues or knives is provided to prevent tickets being put back
into the pigeon-hole without injury. The said pin filled with perforated tickets is
pushed through a closing piece and when so inserted it cannot be drawn back,
because a plate having an incision permits the head of the pin to be put in but not

page_text: to be moved back again. It is not until the last tickets are taken out, that tho
pin, which is retained in a hole in the closing piece by the wire spring, allows of
being pressed so much downwards that the neck of the pin passes through a slit
into a larger hole and is thus taken out.
In case of one official acting as a substitute for another when it is desirable to
know from which pigeon-holes tickets have been taken, a claw coupling is pro-
vided. Upon the shafts of this coupling are toothed claws, of which one slides
longitudinally of the shaft on pins and which is acted upon by a spring between
the teeth of another claw. The latter turns loosely upon the shaft, being held by
an adjusting-ring. Two adjusting-rings are fixed upon the shaft. To the second
claw is fastened a bent wire which lies upon the outermost ticket in a pigeon hole
and has various forms according to the purpose it serves. In no case can a ticket
be taken out without opening these bent wires. As they can be turned only to
one side, that is to say outwards, by reason of the teeth, it is at once noticeable
from which pigeon-hole tickets have been taken. To place these bent wires upon
the tickets again, it is only requisite to turn a crank which is placed upon the shaft
and which through the medium of bevel-wheels or a worm and wheel moves all
the shafts in one direction and brings all the bent wires or closers back into their
original positions.
In the frame of the ticket-arranging apparatus which is secured in a table, is
supported in bearings a small shaft upon which are fitted two pentagonal or
polygonal prisms. The larger of these prisms, each of whose lateral surfaces can
carry a ticket, is turned by means of a ratchet-wheel, a lever and a pawl cach time
through the distance of one surface. These tickets are pushed forward from the
box containing them by a slide moved to and fro by a handle. As soon as a ticket
has reached the claw at one edge of each surface, the prism turns and the ticket is
passed on, when the next turn is made, to the point where it is removed from the
said prism by two projecting hooks and conducted, on the prism being turned
again, into the receiving channel.
In order that, after the movement the surface for the reception of the following
ticket shall not change its position the small prism is held. For this purpose a
plate is provided in which two pins aro secured by means of screw-nuts. This
plate is connected with the frame and guided through the medium of a connecting
piece and a pin sliding in a hole. Springs cause the surface of the connecting pieco
to come in contact with the uppermost surface of the prism so that, at each turn,
the said connecting piece is lifted and then brings the prism rapidly and surely to a
standstill.
Springs press against the inner sides of the claws on the surfaces of the prism
and hold the tickets whether they are thick or thin.
79
1
1005
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Means for Facilitating the
Control of Railway or other Ticket Offices and the Issue
or Delivery of Tickets therefrom.
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MEANS FOR
FACILITATING THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY OR OTHER TICKET OFFICES, AND THE
ISSUE OR DELIVERY OF TICKETS THEREFROM" 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 means for facilitating the control of railway or other
ticket offices, and the issue or delivery of tickets therefrom.
The objects of the said invention are to enable the cashier of a ticket office to
readily examine the packs of tickets received, thereby excluding the possibility of
taking away or adding a ticket to a pack without discovery, and when the tickets
are in the pigeon-holes or divisions of the ticket case to ascertain who has printed,
and arranged them and put them in the said case; to enable the examination of a
full case of tickets to be effected in a very short time; to enable the largest
number of different tickets possible to be contained in a given space; to enable the
filling or emptying of the whole case or of single rows of pigeon holes to be effected
by the cashier alone or in presence of other persons, and in case of a substitute
acting for the cashier to indicate the pigeon holes from which tickets have been
taken.
In the ticket cases now in use, the tickets are taken from the bottom of the pack,
therefore the highest number must be placed upon the top of the pack, and the
lowest at the bottom. The improved arrangement necessitates the reverse
succession, that is to say the highest number is at the bottom of the pack and
the lowest at the top.
In order that tickets numbered in the customary manner can be placed with the
numbers in the order last mentioned special apparatus is required. This apparatus
can be used alone or in combination with a printing machine as hereinafter
specified.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the various
figures of which are hereinafter referred to.
According to the said invention each pack which contains say one hundred
printed and consecutively numbered tickets is arranged as shewn in Figure 1.
A strip or band a" of paper or the like is then stuck to the edges of the pack
and by means of stamps regular lines or designs a are impressed upon the edges
thereof and upon the band in a diagonal direction or incisions a are made in the
edges of the pack in a diagonal direction prior to the application of the band.
If the arrangement of the pack is to be verified the band a" is stuck upon one
edge-surface only, so that the tickets are only connected at one side, and the two

page_text: ends a of the band are stuck together. The stamp all of the printing office is
then so placed upon the band that part of the impression is visible upon the back
of the ticket, After verification the examiner, if necessary, sticks the opposite side
of the band to the tickets and writes his name over the stamp of the printing-
office or upon the last ticket, as at all. If the examination shows irregularities,
the pack is returned to the printing office, and the line, design or incision enables
an official to see immediately whether the pack is still intact or not.
To further ensure that no ticket shall be removed from a pack, a pin b is inserted
through a perforation in the pack from the back, and is provided with a hole in
front of the pack through which a string may be passed and sealed as at av. In
putting such pack with a sealed pin into the case the rear end of the pin is screwed
into the piece 6", Figure II.
The case for the reception of a number of ticket packs such as above described
consists of a frame Figure III provided with doors or revolving shutters u which
frame according to requirements contains a greater or smaller number of pigeon-
holes for receiving the tickets.
Each of these pigeon holes has on either its lower or upper side a spring c,
figure II pressing downwardly or upwardly which spring is contained in a
grove c and is held in place by means of a loose strip c figure II entering the
sides of the groove or by a strip c" Figure II* rivetted thereto and capable of
being turned so that its ends enter slots or incisions in the groove. The said
spring serves to prevent the tickets d¹ Figure II from being forced out of the
pigeon hole by the spiral spring d it can however be pressed so far downwards or
upwards that packs of tickets may be conveniently pushed into and taken out of a
pigeon hole.
Instead of the spring c the ledge d" may be employed for retaining the tickets
in place. The spring e secured to the upper side of each pigeon hole by means of
a screw f¹ prevents the ticket, which may lie loosely in a pigeon-hole, from
falling out.
f Figure 4 is an indicator for showing from which pigeon-hole tickets have been
taken. The indicator is pushed upwards as shown at f¹ Figure 4, when a ticket is
removed.
The appliance for pushing forward the tickets consists of the small wooden
block g figure II having a tube g¹ fixed to it the guiding-cylinder g" the spring d
and the projections 6 and 611
The bar h Figure V provided with incisions or holes serves to prevent tickets
from being removed from the pigeon holes.
When the pigeon holes are to be locked, the bar h is pushed so that the projec-
tions & beneath the springs prevent the said springs c from being pressed downwards
or upwards. When the bar is in its normal position the springs c can be pressed
downwards and each pigeon hole be filled or tickets removed therefrom.
Instead of the bar h and projection i, a shaft Figure VI having projections i',
adapted to be turned so as to bear against the under sides of the springs, may
be used.
A special device Figure VII is provided for permitting loose tickets without a
band stuck upon them to be put into the pigeon-holes under supervision. For this
purpose two sets of teeth are formed upon the guiding-cylinder and upon the
tube are two corresponding pawls kk. The block is prevented from being
moved backward by the pawl ; the other pawl IV permits the block to move
backwards but not forwards. The proper engagement and disengagement of these
pawls and teeth is effected by the cam grooves m¹ and n formed in the cylinder /
When the tickets are
which grooves act upon a pin m fixed to the tube k".
being put in they are not pushed forward until the pawl k is disengaged from its
teeth. This takes place by pressing backwards the tickets until the cylinder k,
which can turn at m' and which follows the groove m", has turned so much that
the other groove n acts on the cylinder. This operation takes place in a reverse

page_text: .
manner when the pigeon-hole is empty but not until the lower spring c permits the
block to advance and the groove m to engage again.
In order to prevent tickets from being put into the pigeon-holes unobserved,
I provide the pin o Figures VIII and X having tongues A, B, C D which would
injuro a ticket. The said pin, in case of perforated tickets, is pushed through the
pack into the block o', and when so inserted it cannot be drawn back, because the
plate o has an aperture which permits the entrance of the head oII of the pin but
not its withdrawal. It is not until the last ticket is taken out of a pigeon-holo
that the pin which is retained in the hole o of the block of by the spring o can
be pressed sufficiently far downwards for the neck VI of the said pin to pass
through the slit o into the larger hole oVIII from which it can be withdrawn.
IV
VII
In case of one official acting as a substitute for another, when it is desirable to
know from which pigeon-holes tickets have been taken, the device p Figures IV
and IX is provided for cach pigeon hole. Upon the shaft of this device are
clutches of which one part 2, slides longitudinally of the shaft 2 upon the
pins p of the ring II and the teeth of which part are pressed by means of said
spring p into engagement with the teeth of the other part 2 of the clutch. The
latter turns loosely upon the shaft, being supported by the adjusting-ring p VI
Both adjusting-rings p" and pII are fixed upon the shaft. To the part p is
fastened a bent wire indicator qqq or q which, as shown in Figures III
and IV of the drawing, lies upon the outermost ticket in a pigeon-hole, and has
various forms according to requirements. In no case can a ticket be taken out of
a pigeon-hole without turning these indicators to one side. As they can be turned
only in one direction, that is to say outwards, and cannot be turned back again by
an unauthorized person, by reason of the shape of the teeth, it is at once noticeable
from which pigeon-holes tickets have been taken. To place these indicators upon
the tickets again, it is only requisite to turn a crank which can be placed upon the
shaft, which shaft through the medium of bevel gear wheels s, or of worms and
worm wheels t, moves all the shafts in one direction and brings the indicators
which have been moved back into their original positions. The apparatus for
laying the tickets in their proper order is illustrated in Figures XI to XIII.
In the frame v Figure XII which is carried by the lugs II in a recess in
a table, is supported a small shaft upon which are fitted two polygonal
prisms ww, preferably pentagonal. The larger w of these prismns, each of whose
faces can carry a ticket, is turned by means of a ratchet wheel wII, a lever wIII and
a pawl w the distance of one surface at a time. The tickets are pushed forward
from the box x containing them by the slide moved to and fro by the lever y. As
soon as a ticket has reached the groove F¹ one of which is at the edge of each
surface the prism w is turned and the ticket is passed on to the point G where it is
removed from the said prism by two projecting hooks H H and conducted, on the
prism being turned again, into the receiving channel g.
3
In order that after the movement the surface for the reception of the following
ticket shall be in its proper position to receive a ticket the small prism w¹ is
employed in the following manner;-K Figure XII is a plate in which two
pius L L are secured by means of screw nuts L". This plate is connected with
the frame and is guided by a connecting-piece L, and pin LV sliding in a
hole M. The springs N N cause the surface O of the plate K to come in contact
with the uppermost surface of the prism w so that at each movement the said plate
is lifted and then by means of the springs brings the prism rapidly and surely to a
stand-still.
PP Figure XI are springs which are fastened at G and press against the inner
sides of the grooves F and hold the tickets, whether they are thick or thin.
Instead of the mechanism just described for laying the tickets in proper order,
the channel Figure XIII may be employed. The ticket binserted at a falls upon
the edge chaving the stop d and gradually turns in falling as shewn In this
manner the desired succession of the tickets is obtained, that is to say the higher
numbers are placed behind the lower numbers.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. In a case for containing railway or other tickets, the arrangement of the
tickets in a vertical or inclined position in such a manner that their printed front
surfaces are wholly or partly visible and that their numbers increase in numerical
succession from the front to the rear of the pack.
Second. The method of treating a pack of tickets so as to indicate whether
tickets have been taken therefrom, and consisting (a) in making one or more
incisions a in a diagonal direction upon one or more edges of the pack; (b) in
sticking a band or strip all of paper or the like upon one or more edges of the pack
and stamping the united ends of the band so that one portion of the impression aIII
is still visible upon the last ticket, (c) in printing upon the edge surfaces of the
packet and upon its band a design or lines a; and, (d) in the employment of a
pin b which extends through the entire pack of perforated tickets and has in the
rear a projection and screw-thread, and in front a hole for receiving a string and
seal a, all substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.
Third. The employment of a pin o having a knob o at its rear end and
tongues, or knives A, B, C or D at its front end, in combination with the plate o¹,
so that the said pin cannot be taken from the pigeon-hole until the last ticket is
removed therefrom, the said tongues or knives preventing tickets being placed into
the pigeon-hole unnoticed, substantially as described with reference to figures VIII
and X of the drawings.
Fourth. The locking bar / Figures IV and V, in combination with the spring c
Figure 11 and the door u Figure III for permitting the filling and emptying of the
pigeon holes with tickets to take place only under supervision.
Fifth. The indicating device Figures III and IV, consisting of the shafts t
having the clutches and indicators q, q', q, qIII in combination with the driving
gear consisting of bevel wheels or worm wheel gearing which is common to all the
said shafts.
Sixth. In the above described apparatus for arranging the tickets in proper
order, the pentagonal or polygonal prism for receiving and carrying away the
consecutively numbered tickets, so that the higher numbers are placed behind
the preceding lower ones, in combination with the channel g for the reception of
the tickets.
Seventh. The means whereby the small prism w is rapidly brought into position
after its operation, consisting of the connecting-piece LI, the guiding pin LIV, the
springs N N, and the plate K.
Eighth. The employment of the springs P P pressing upon the inner sides of the
grooves F for enabling the latter to hold thick and thin tickets.
Ninth. The channel figure XIII provided with a movable or fixed edge c and
stop d, so that the tickets falling into the saine from above turn in falling.
Dated this 13th day of October 1885.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.