Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 23rd Dec., 1SS7
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseliine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due in a
cab or other public conveyance according to time or distance.
The said invention comprises an improved arrangement of the dial plate, upon which
the fare to be paid for each hiring is indicated in order that when the hand of the
indicator has passed around the whole or part of the circumference of the dial, a
number corresponding to the distance passed through presents itself opposite an opening
and serves for the calculation of the fare independently of the motion of the indi-
cating hand and improved mechanism for presenting these numbers opposite the said
opening.
The said invention also comprises means for indicating upon the dial the minimum
fare which must be paid for hire no matter whether the corresponding distance or
duration of time has been attained or not.
The improvements are preferably applicable to the apparatus described in the
specification of Letters Patents No. 1606 and 2998 but they can be applied to other
apparatus of similar construction.
According to the first part of the said invention the main shaft of the apparatus is
operated by clockwork for charging by time or from a wheel of the vehicle, for
charging by distance. A ratchet wheel is fixed upon this shaft and causes the lever
which engages with the said ratchet wheel by means of a projection to oscillate upon
its pivot. Through the medium of a pawl suspended from said lever two ratchet
wheels of equal diameter and having an equal number of teeth are rotated. One of
these two ratchet wheels is rigidly connected with the shaft which carries the hand

page_text: and is supported in a back plate. The other moves loosely upon an arm projecting
from the said plate. The last-named ratchet wheel is connected with a toothed wheel
which operates the wheels of the dial mechanism.
Upon the front part of the hand shaft which is square is placed a cam the projection
of which engages with the pinion of a star-wheel. On the surface of the star-wheel
are placed numbers which serve for calculating the amount of fare.
A
The cam projection after it has passed behind a pin of the pinion turns this pinion
forward a distance equal to one tooth during the next displacement of the hand.
spring pawl materially assists the rapid movement of the star-wheel.
The first of the two ratchet wheels has however also for its object to return the dial
mechanism to the zero position, when the hiring is terminated without affecting the
operating mechanism. For this purpose the said wheel is arranged as a spring box
which during its movement stretches a spring inserted therein. The said spring is
fixed at its outer end to the interior wall of the spring box and at the other end to the
stationary plate serving as a bearing for the hand shaft. When a disengaging bolt is
depressed in opposition to a spring the pawl lever is raised, the said bolt pushing
against a projection of the said lover. The operating pawl as well as a stop pawl are
thus moved out of engagement with the main ratchet wheel, the action of the spring
therein then turns the said wheel and, by the engagement of its projection with the
star-wheel pinion, the star-wheel, so far that an arm on the said pinion strikes against
a projecting pin on the cam-disc and thereby stops the ratchet wheels.
In order that during every full rotation of the cam the star-wheel shall only turn a
distance equal to one tooth a notched disc is fixed upon the said cain the notch in
which disc is in a circumferential direction, exactly long enough for a tooth of the
star-wheel to pass through when the disc turns. The notch then changes its position,
so that the next tooth strikes against the periphery of the disc.
The division of the pinion of the star-wheel should be such as to admit of a
maximum duration of the hiring or of a maximum length of the drive respectively,
which maximum cannot be reached under ordinary circumstances.
The arm on the star-wheel pinion is stopped by a pin.
The second part of my invention comprises the improvement for indicating the
minimum fare at the time of hiring.
As above set forth a ratchet wheel displaces a lever whose pawl sets the shaft carry-
ing the hand in rotation. However in order to obviate inconveniences, a minimum
fare is usually fixed for public vehicles which fares have to be paid in every case. The
pawl lever is therefore provided with mechanism which allows it, as soon as the vehicle
is occupied by a passenger, to at once turn the shaft carrying the hand so far that the
latter indicates the minimum fare, but then stops it until the vehicle has either passed
over the equivalent distance or until the equivalent time has elapsed to allow it again
after this to enter into operation.
As long as the vehicle is not used the disengaging bolt is pushed in against the
pressure of its spring, and consequently keeps the pawl lever below the projection
against which it bears, in a raised position. As soon as a passenger enters the vehicle,
the bolt is disengaged and descends by reason of the action of the spring. The lever
acted upon by a spring follows the bolt, and its pawl engages with the ratchet wheel
of the hand shaft and accordingly moves the said shaft carrying the hand round the
dial to indicate the minimum fare, at the same time, however the projection on the
pawl lever has penetrated between the teeth of the main ratchet wheel and is then
gradually lifted by the displacement of the latter, in correspondence with the distance
passed over or with the time.
Besides the pawl lever there is a lever of exactly similar shape only shorter, that
does not reach to the disengaging bolt. The projection on this auxiliary lever which
is pressed down by a spring engages with the main ratchet wheel and consequently
the auxiliarly lever makes at first the same motions as the pawl lever.
On the auxiliary lever however, is arranged a dise which tends to turn a spring. A
pin limits the angular movement of the disc. With teeth, which are arranged upon
the periphery of the disc almost diametrically opposite the notch for the stop pin,

page_text: engages a pawl pivotted upon the auxiliary lever and one arm of an angle lever
pivotted upon the casing of the apparatus. As the fulcrum of the angle lever is fixed,
the disc when the auxiliary lover rises, is turned a little, in opposition to the tendency
of the spring so that the pawl can engage with the next tooth above the disc. On
the descent of the auxiliary lever the lever arm engages with the next tooth and thus
the disc is gradually turned within the limits of the notch for the stop pin.
In the motion of the disc however, a cam disc rigidly connected therewith par-
ticipates, the latter controlling the position of a second angle lever pivotted in the
casing.
One arm of the said angle lever is acted upon by the spring and bears against the
periphery of the cam disc. The lower projecting part of the latter enters first into
action, and keeps the second angle lever in such a position that a hook on one arm
cannot engage with a pin on the pawl lever. But as soon as the projection passes a
tooth of the main ratchet wheel the disc is turned a distance equal to one tooth and
the other arm of the double armed lever now passes into the recessed part of the cam
disc which has likewise turned a little downwards. A projection then passes below
the pin of the pawl lever and thus stops the latter in the raised position. This
stoppage lasts as long as the second arm of the second double armed lever rests in the
notch of the cam disc. If the latter is however, turned round so far that its upper
projection presses back the said second arm a projection releases the pawl lever which
now springs up and down with the auxiliary lever and consequently by means of its
pawl turns the similar ratchet wheels and with the former also the shaft carrying the
hand.
said first
A spring
When subsequently the pawl lever is raised by the disengaging lever the projection
of a lever arm of the first angle lever pushes back a pawl inasmuch as the
angle lever is turned a little by an ascending pin that bears against one arm.
then pushes the cam disc back into its original position.
Dated this 32nd Ja
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Fare Indicating Apparatus for Cabs and other
Vehicles.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 relates to apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due on a
cab or other public conveyance according to time or distance.
The said invention comprises an improved arrangement of the dial plate, upon
which the fare to be paid for each hiring is indicated in order that when the hand of
the indicator has passed around the whole or part of the circumference of the dial, a
number corresponding to the distance passed through presents itself opposite an
opening and serves for the calculation of the fare independently of the motion of the
indicating hand and improved mechanism for presenting these numbers opposite the
said opening.
The said invention also comprises means for indicating upon the dial the minimum
fare, which must be paid for hire no matter whether the corresponding distance or
duration of time has been attained or not.
The improvements are preferably applicable to the apparatus described in the
Specifications of Letters Patents No. 1609 37617 and 3721 respectively but they
can be applied to other apparatus of similar construction.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is also a front view of the apparatus with the hand and the dial plate
removed.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the same.
Figure 4 is a front view with some parts omitted.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show details of construction.
Figures 9 to 14 show the arrangement to indicate upon the dial plate the minimum
fare.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
According to the first part of the said invention the main shaft a of the apparatus
is operated by clockwork for charging by time or from a wheel of the vehicle, for
charging by distance. A ratchet wheel b is fixed upon the shaft a and causes the
leverd which engages with the ratchet wheel by means of a projection d¹ to oscillate
upon its pivot. Through the medium of a pawl c suspended from the lever d two
ratchet wheels e, f, of equal diameter and having an equal number of teeth are rotated.
The lower ratchet wheel e is rigidly connected with the shaft e¹ which carries the
hand and is supported in a back plate h. The upper ratchet wheelf moves loosely
upon an arm projecting from the plate h. The ratchet wheelf is connected with a
toothed wheel which operates the wheels 23 of the dial mechanism.
Upon the front part of the hand shaft e¹ which is square is placed a came
(Figures 4 and 5) the projection 3 of which engages with the pinion g of the
star-wheel (Figures 6 and 7). On the surface of the star-wheel 9 are placed
numbers which serve for calculating the amount of fare.

page_text: The cam projection e³ after it has passed behind a pin of the pinion g¹ (Figures 6
and 7) turns the latter forward a distance equal to one tooth during the next
displacement of the hand. A spring pawl 2 materially assists the rapid movement
of the star-wheel, by means of the special shape of its nose, which will bring the
pinion into the right position and fix it there, as soon as the respective pin of the
pinion has passed the nose of the pawl g².
The ratchet wheel e has however also for its object to return the dial mechanism
to the zero position when the hiring is determinated without affecting the operating
mechanism. For this purpose the ratchet wheel e is arranged as a spring box which
during its movements stretches a spring inserted therein. The said spring is fixed at
its outer end to the interior wall of the spring box and at the other end to the
stationary plate serving as a bearing for the hand shaft e¹. When the disengaging
bolt is depressed in opposition to the spring d³ the pawl lever d is raised, the
bolt pushing against a projection d' of the lever d. The operating pawl c as well
as the stop pawl care thus moved out of engagement with the main ratchet-wheel e,
the action of the spring there-in then turns the said wheel and, by the engagement
of its projection e with the star-wheel pinion g', the star-wheel g, so far that the
arm on the pinion g' strikes against a projecting pin e¹ on the cam-disc e² and
thereby stops the ratchet-wheels.
In order that during every full rotation of the came the star-wheel g shall only
turn a distance equal to one tooth, a notched disc e³ is fixed upon the came², the
notch in the disc e is in a circumferential direction, exactly long enough for a tooth
of the star-wheel to pass through when the disc e² turns. The notch then changes
its position, so that the next tooth strikes against the periphery of the disc e³.
The division of the pinion g' should be such as to admit of a maximum in duration
of the hiring or of a maximum length of the drive respectively which maximum
cannot be reached under ordinary circumstances. The arm 2 on the star-wheel
pinion g¹ is stopped by a pin g³ (Figure 2).
As above set forth a ratchet wheel displaces the lever d, whose pawl e sets the
shaft e carrying the hand in rotation. However in order to obviate inconveniences,
a minimum fare is usually fixed for public vehicles, which fares have to be paid in
every case. The lever is therefore provided with a incchanism hereinafter described
which allows it, as soon as the vehicle is occupied by a passenger, to at once turn
the shaft carrying the hand so far, that the latter indicates the minimum fare, but
then stops until the vehicle has either passed over the equivalent distance or until the
equivalent time has elapsed to allow it again after this to enter into the action.
As long as the vehicle is not used the disengaging bolt d² is pushed in against the
pressure of its spring and consequently keeps the pawl lever d below the
projection against which it bears in a raised position. As soon as a passenger
enters the vehicle the bolt is disengaged and descends by reason of the action of
the spring d. The lever d acted upon by the spring d³ follows the bolt and its
pawl c engages with the ratched wheel e and accordingly moves the shaft e' carrying
the hand round the dial to indicate the minimum fare. At the same time however
the projection d' of the pawl lever d has penetrated between the teeth of the main
ratchet wheel and is then gradually lifted by the displacement of the latter in
correspondence with the distance passed over or with the time. Besides the pawl
lever & there is a lever & of exactly similar shape only shorter that does not reach to
the disengaging bolt 2. The projection 8 of this auxiliary lever 8, which is pressed
down by a spring engages with the main ratchet wheel b and consequently the
auxiliary lever & makes at first the same motion as the pawl lever d.
On the auxiliary lever 6 however is arranged a disc which tends to turn the
spring acting upon the pin 8. A pin & limits the angular movement of the disc 8.
With teeth which are arranged upon the periphery of the disc 8 almost diametrically
opposite the notch for the stop pin 6, engages a pawl k pivotted upon the auxiliary
lever and the arm m of an angle lever m, n upon the casing of the apparatus.
As the fulcrum of the angle lever mn is fixed the disc 2 when the auxiliary
lever rises, is turned a little in opposition to the tendency of the spring & so that

page_text: k
the pawl & can engage with the next tooth above in the disc. On the descent of the
auxiliary lever & the lever arin m engages with the next tooth and thus the disc 82 is
gradually turned within the limits of the notch for the stop pin 8° (Figures 9, 11,
12 and 13).
In the motion of the disc 8 however a cam disc rigidly connected therewith
participates, the latter controlling the position of another angle lever op pivoted in
the casing.
The arm p of the angle lever op is acted upon by the spring p¹ and bears against
the periphery of the can disc 1. The lower projecting part of the latter enters first
into action and keeps the lever op in such a position, that a hook o' on the arm o
cannot engage with the pin i on the pawl lever d (Figure 9). But as soon as the
projection passes a tooth of the main ratchet wheel the disc is turned a
distance equal to one tooth in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow and
the arm p now passes into the recess of the cam disc which has been turned likewise
a little downwards. A projection o' then passes below the pin i of the pawl lever d
and thus stops the latter in the raised position (Figure 11). The number of teeth of
the disc must therefore be in correspondence with the number of teeth which the
main ratchet-wheel e is previously moved by the operating pawl c when the bolt d² is
disengaged and descends by the action of the spring d³.
This stoppage lasts as long as the arm prests in the notch of the cam disc
(Figures 12 and 13). If the latter is however turned round so far that its upper
projection presses back the arm p the projection o¹ releases the pawl lever d
(Figure 13) which now swings up and down with the auxiliary lever & and consequently
by means of its pawl c turns the ratchet wheels e and fant with the former also the
shaft e carrying the hand.
When consequently the lever d is raised by the disengaging bolt d' the projection m
of the lever arm m pushes back the pawl & inasmuch as the angle lever m n is turned
a little by the ascending pin i that bears against the arm ..
The spring then pushes back the cam disc into its original position (Figure 8).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my 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 fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the arrangement
of the two pawl levers d and 8, the discs 82 and and the angle levers m n and op
for the purpose of automatically stopping the movement of the hand after its first
leap over a certain part of the divisions on the dial plate to a point indicating the
minimum fare, in combination with the mechanism for automatically disengaging the
stop after a certain distance or time equivalent to the minimum fare, lias been
exceeded, substantially as set forth.
Second-In a fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination
of the disce having the projection e³ the star-wheel g and the notched disc e
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Third In combination with a fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles
the device for bringing back the hand to its zero position substantially consisting of
a special spring box-e the spring of which is bent by the movement of the pawl
lever d as above described.
21
90 1 1
T
1007