New and Improved Method of and Apparatus for Collecting and Registering Rates levied by Corporations and other Public Bodies.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New and Improved Method of and Apparatus for Collecting and
Registering Rates levied by Corporations and other Public
Bodies.
I, THOMAS PICKUP, of 103, Hollingreave Road, Burnley, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a new and improved method of and apparatus for
collecting and registering rates levied by corporations and other public bodies. The
object of the invention is to furnish the ratepayer with a rate collecting and recording
apparatus, which shall be the absolute property of the corporation or other public
body, and cannot be readily tampered with by the owner of the house, the same being
securely fixed to a pre-payinent gas, or other ineter, or to the wall of a room.
The apparatus partakes of the nature of a save-all combined with a recording
apparatus, so that on dropping a shilling or a coin of greater or less value, as
circumstances permit, through a suitable slot in the apparatus, such money will be
deposited in part payment of the rates of the house, and the amount thereof will be
indicated or registered by the aforesaid recorder, so that the owner of the house is
always aware of the exact amount he has placed towards the rates.
When once
deposited, the money will belong to the corporation, the apparatus being their property,
and the money being paid indirectly to them. My invention is intended to encourage
thrift in the household with the point of view that it is easier for people of slender
means to pay their rates in this way, than it is for them to raise lump sums for their
disbursement. It is obvious also, that the provision of a save-box by the parties
themselves would not answer the same purpose, because in a time of need, or as
occasion requires, they could readily open such box, extract the money, and the
desired end would not be attained.
Quarterly or at other definite periods, it shall be the duty of a collector, or other
servant of the corporation, to collect the money so deposited in the apparatus, and he
shall give a receipt for the same in satisfaction, or in part satisfaction of the rate or
rates as the case may be.
I prefer the apparatus employed to be constructed as follows, although the method
of recording the number of coins may be varied :-
It may consist of a box or case constructed of metal provided with a hinged lid or
door, which may be securely locked. At the top of the box is formed a vertical
receiver or inouth-piece for the coin, which may have a vertical side slot formed in it,
which extends into the interior of the box or case. Passing through the box or case
and through the slotted receiver or mouth-piece below the point where the coin is
inserted is a shaft, provided with a thumb piece or T head, by which it may be turned
round. This carries a finger, which previous to the coin being inserted, stands
vertically below the vertical opening of the mouth-piece, and a spiral spring mounted
on the shaft, and one end of which is pushed through a hole in the shaft, while its
other end is fixed to the side of the mouth-piece, brings the finger into this
Dosition.

page_text: In the case or box is pivotted a two armed lever, the upper arm of which comes
close to the bottom opening of the mouth-piece. At this point the upper arm of
the lever is provided with a projection or lip, and the mouth-piece is recessed or cut
away in such a manner that when a shilling is dropped into the mouth-piece from
the exterior, it will fall between the recessed portion of the mouth-piece and the lip
A spiral or blade
or projection on the upper extremity of the two-armed lever.
spring acting on the lower limb of the said lever brings the upper limb in the
required position..
Now, when a coin has been dropped into the mouth-piece, it gravitates to a
position between the bottoin recessed portion of the mouth-piece and the projection
or lip on the said lever. The depositor now turns the thumb-piece, so as to turn the
shaft, and bring the finger against the top edge of the coin, forcing the coin past the
projection.or lip into the box. This has the effect of depressing the upper arm of
the said lever, and drawing forward the bottom arm or extremity sufficiently to cause
A blade
a catch suspended at its extremity to take up a tooth of a ratchet wheel.
spring bears against the catch to keep it in gear with the ratchet wheel, and a
retaining catch or blade spring is employed for preventing a recoil of the ratchet
wheel.
It will be evident therefore, from the foregoing description, that a tooth of the
ratchet will be taken up for every coin deposited.
The ratchet wheel is mounted on a shaft, to which is fixed a finger, which indi-
cates on a suitable dial the number of coins deposited. The case is provided with a
glass front cr disc, through which may be seen the position of the finger on the dial,
and consequently the amount deposited in the box may be ascertained at a glance.
The case or box is fixed in the desired position by screws, which pass through
holes in the back of the case, so that when the lid is locked, the box cannot be
removed except by considerable force or violence.
Cantaba 1908
RICHMOND & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 12, Standish Street, Burnley.
New and Improved Method of, and Apparatus for Collecting and
Registering Rates, levied by Corporations and other Public
Bodies.
J, THOMAS PICKUP, of 103, Hollingreave Road, Burnley, in the County of Lancaster,
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 :-
This invention has reference to a new and improved method of and apparatus for
collecting and registering rates levied by corporations and other public bodies.
The object of the invention is to furnish the ratepayers with a rate collecting and
recording apparatus, which shall be the absolute property of the corporation or other
public body, and which cannot be readily tampered with by the tenant of the house,
the same being securely fixed to a pre-payment gas or other meter, or to the wall of
a room.
The apparatus partakes of the nature of a money box, combined with a recording
apparatus, so that on dropping a shilling, or a coin of greater or less value as
circumstances perinit through a suitable slot in the apparatus, such money will be

page_text: deposited in part payment of the rates of the house, and the amount thereof will be
indicated or registered by the aforesaid recorder, so that the tenant of the house
When once
is always aware of the exact amount he has placed towards the rates.
deposited, the money will belong to the corporation, the apparatus being their
property, and the money being paid indirectly to them. My invention is intended
to encourage thrift in the household, with the point in view that it is easier for people
of slender means to pay their rates in this way that it is for them to raise lump sums
for their disbursement. It is obvious also, that the provision of a money-box by the
parties themselves would not answer the same purpose, because in a time of need, or
as occasion required, they could readily open such box, extract the money, and the
desired end would not be attained.
Quarterly or at other definite periods, it shall be the duty of a collector, or other
servant of the corporation to collect the money so deposited in the apparatus, and he
shall give a receipt for the same, in satisfaction, or in part satisfaction of the rate or
rates, as the case may be.
I prefer the apparatus employed to be constructed as follows, although the method
of recording the number of coins deposited may be varied :-
It may consist of a box or case constructed of metal provided with a hinged lid or
door, which may be securely locked. At the upper end of the box there is formed
for the purpose of receiving the coin a vertical or lateral mouth-piece or slot, which
extends into the interior of the box or case. Passing through the box or case, and
through the slotted receiver or mouth-piece below the point where the coin is inserted
is a shaft, provided with a thumb-piece or T head, by which it may be turned round.
This carries a finger, which previous to the coin being inserted, stands vertically
below the vertical opening of the mouth-piece, and a spiral spring mounted on the
shaft, and one end of which is pushed through a hole in the shaft, while its other
end is fixed to the side of the mouth-piece brings the finger into position.
In the case or box is pivotted a two armed lever, the upper arm of which comes
close to the bottom opening of the mouth-piece. At this point, the upper arm of the
lever is provided with a projection or lip, and the mouth-piece is recessed or cut away
in such a manner that when a shilling is dropped into the mouth-piece from the
exterior, it will fall between the recessed portion of the mouth-piece and the lip or
projection on the upper extremity of the two armed lever. A spiral or blade spring
acting on the lower limb of the said lever brings the upper limb in the required
position.
Now, when a coin has been dropped into the mouth-piece, it gravitates to a position
between the recessed portion of the mouth-piece and the projection or lip on the
said lever. The depositor now turns the thumb-piece, so as to turn the shaft, and
bring the finger against the top edge of the coin, forcing the coin past the projection
or lip into the box. This has the effect of depressing the upper arm of the said
lever, and drawing forward the bottom arm or extremity sufficiently to cause a catch
A blade spring
suspended at its extremity to take up a tooth of a ratchet wheel.
bears against the catch to keep it in gear with the ratchet wheel, and a retaining
catch or blade spring is employed for preventing a recoil of the ratchet wheel.
It will be evident therefore, from the foregoing description, that a tooth of the
ratchet wheel will be taken up for every coin deposited.
The ratchet wheel is mounted on a shaft, to which is fixed a finger, which indicates
on a suitable dial the number of coins deposited. The case is provided with a glass
front or disc, through which may be seen the position of the finger on the dial,
and consequently the amount deposited in the box may be ascertained at a glance.
The case or box is fixed in the desired position by screws, which pass through holes
in the back of the case, so that when the lid is locked, the box cannot be removed
except by considerable force or violence.
The accompanying drawing represents the apparatus employed by me in my
improved method of collecting and recording rates levied by corporation and other
public bodies.

page_text: A is the box or case, which may be firmly secured to a pre-payment gas meter, or
to the wall of a room, or in any other desired position. In the drawing, it is repre-
sented with the door A¹ open. to expose the working parts.
Through the slot B, the coin is deposited in the box by the occupier of
the house, who desires to employ this system of paying his rates. The
slot internally is somewhat wider at the top, and gradually converges to a width a
shade larger than the edge of the coin, by which means the coin gravitates to a
vertical position against the horizontal projection C of the finger D). This finger is
mounted on a shaft E, to which is fixed a thumb-piece F.
When the coin G has been deposited in the slot, it falls into the position shewn.
On the depositor turning the thumb-piece F, the finger D is brought against the
top edge of the coin, forcing the latter past the lip H of the lever J and the side of
the slot.
This has the effect of turning the lever J on its pivot K against the push of the
spiral spring L. The coin now drops into the money box M, and the catch N at the
extremity of the lever J takes up a tooth of the ratchet wheel O, fixed to the shaft O¹,
provided with the pointer P, which indicates by its position on the face of the dial,
the number of coins deposited in the box.
My apparatus may be arranged so that it will indicate every coin of a certain value
deposited, say a shilling, or a two shilling piece for instance, the movement of the
lever J for the larger coin taking up two teeth of the ratchet wheel.
The catch or blade spring Q prevents recoil, and the spring R ensures the engage-
ment of the catch N with the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
After the coin has fallen into the box, a spiral spring mounted on the shaft E, and
fixed to it and the mouth-piece respectively, returns the finger D to its normal
position, and in like manner the spring L returns the lever J in readiness for the next
coin. Should the depositor forget to turn the thumb-piece F, and deposit two coins
in the instrument before turning the thumb-piece, both coins will not fall
simultaneously with one indication on the recorder, but each coin will be separately
recorded, the finger D preventing the fall of the second coin until the first has been
delivered into the box and recorded.
A sight opening of glass is formed in the lid or door of the box, whereby the
depositor can ascertain at a glance the exact amount he has deposited. The lid is
securely fastened by a lock.
Quarterly or at other convenient periods, a collector or other official of the
corporation, may call and unlock the box, collect the money therefrom, and give a
receipt therefor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do
not limit myself to the particular apparatus herein described for effecting the object
of my invention, as other mechanism may be employed to effect the same result, but
what I claim is :--
1. The improved method of collecting and recording rates levied by corporations
and other public bodies by the employment of a suitable collecting and recording
instrument, securely fixed in some desired position, substantially as described and
shewn.
2. The arrangement and construction of apparatus for collecting and recording rates
levied by corporations and other public bodies, substantially as described and
illustrated.
3. In an instrument for the purpose described, the finger D mounted on shaft E,
operated by thumb-piece F, and returnable by spiral spring, for delivering the coin
and actuating the recording mechanism, substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In an instrument for the purpose described, the pivotted lever J provided with
lip H, placed in juxta-position to the mouth of the slot for receiving the coin, and
having a catch N, arranged to act upon a ratchet wheel of recording mechanism,
substantially as described and shewn.

page_text: 5. In an instrument for the purpose described, the improved arrangement of
mechanism for delivering the coin, in combination with mechanism for recording the
same, substantially as described and illustrated.
T
1000
RICHMOND & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 12, Standish Street, Burnley.