Improvements in Turnstiles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
Improvements in Turnstiles.
I, PULTENEY JOHNSTONE FORREST, of 59, Chepstowe Street, Carrisbrooke Road,
Walton, Liverpool, 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:-
-
Turnstiles for the purpose of counting the number of persons passing a given
point, or barrier, have hitherto been more or less defective since it has been
possible for the receiver of tolls, or other person, in charge thereof to tamper
with or prevent or retard the proper working of the same; but in the improved
turnstile presently to be described such manipulation is impossible by reason of
its absolutely automatic action.
The construction of the improved turnstile is described as follows, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure I is a side view and
Figure II a plan view the lettering being applied to indicate the same parts in
each figure.
On to the lower portion and at a convenient distance from the end of the
turnstile spindle A a cam B is keyed or otherwise fitted. This cam B has
rectangular slots in the periphery thereof at equal distances from one another:
these aforesaid slots have their trailing edges 6 chamfered or rounded for a
purpose presently to be mentioned. I prefer to make the slots four in number,
but it is obvious that other numbers might be used I do not therefore restrict
myself to the use of only four slots but claim to use any desired number of slots.
The cam B has further on its lower side a semicircular groove corresponding
to a similar groove in the spindle bearing A', for the purpose of providing a
suitable recess for a number of small metal balls 62 whereby friction may
be reduced to a minimum.
When the turnstile is at rest a bolt C, having a longitudinal and horizontal
movement, forced into and retained in position by the action of the spring C¹
engages in one of the aforesaid slots and prevents any unauthorised movement
of the turnstile. The bolt C has one corner of its end chamfered or rounded
to correspond with the edge of the slot 6' against which during the first move-
ment of the turnstile it bears and as the cam B revolves recedes from the slot
and rides on the periphery of the cam B till it engages with the succeeding
slot into which it shoots by the action of the spring C. The bolt C is partially
withdrawn from the slot by a pawl D so constructed that it only acts on the
bolt C till the cam B engages with it to force it against & to compress the spring Cl
when the pawl becomes disengaged in manner presently to be shown.
pawl 1 is acted upon by a lever E which is kept in its normal position by a
counter weight F and worked by means of a foot plate G (or in the alternative a
handle). The lever E and pawl D are pivotted on an axis e which is common to
both. The lever E acts on the pawl D through two studs JJ; one of which
Joperates the pawl D and bolt C during the depression of the lever E and foot
The

page_text: plate G to permit turnstile to move while the other acts to restore the pawl (which
is jointed at a convenient point) to its normal position.
The action of the whole being as follows:-The foot plate being depressed acts
through the lever E and stud Ji and pawl D on the bolt C, which being thereby
partially withdrawn from the slot in the cam B is by its rotation forced back
'till the pawl D becomes disengaged from it when it is shot into the succeeding
slot by the spring C¹. Pressure being removed from the foot plate the pawl is
restored to its normal position by the counter weight F acting through the lever E
and stud J. It will be obvious that the foot plate must be depressed for each
person and the counting mechanism may therefore be connected to and worked
by the footplate G.
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 use in a turnstile of a horizontal bolt to automatically lock the same sub-
stantially as herein before described and shown.
2. The use of balls in a turnstile to reduce friction as is herein before described
and shown:
3. The use in a turnstile of the mechanism which is herein before described
and shown.
4. The use in a turnstile of the combination of a horizontal bolt with a pawl and
cam such as is here in before described and shown.
Dated this 7th day of October 1899.
HAROLD HY. LINDON,
Inventors' Model Maker and Electrician, 54, Jolliffe Street, Liverpool,
On behalf of the Applicant.