AN INDICATOR FOR REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS USING AN OMNIBUS OR OTHER PASSENGER VEHICLE
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KNIGHT, of Durham Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-eighth day of June, in the fifth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself,. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Knight, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said William Knight, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Knight, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at
any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "AN INDICATOR FOR REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF
PASSENGERS USING AN OMNIBUS OR OTHER PASSENGER VEHICLE;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William Knight, should
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Knight, do liereby declare the nature of my said Invention to consist

page_text: in the combination of a counting apparatus with an apparatus having two
pairs of arms or levers sliding at right angles to each other through a shaft
placed across the upper part of the doorway of an omnibus or other the liké
passenger vehicle, one pair of arms when at rest lying horizontally under the
roof, and the other pair of arms hanging down against the doorway to form
an obstruction, which must be removed out of the way by the passenger on
entering and on leaving the vehicle; and, in further compliance with the
said proviso, I, the said William Knight, do hereby describe the manner in
which my said Invention is to be performed, by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:---
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a transverse vertical section of an omnibus near the
middle, with a view of the inside seen from the front, and shewing my said
apparatus as affixed within the doorway and near the roof.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the back half of an omnibus
from A to B, of Figure 1, with the door shut, shewing a section of the main
shaft of my apparatus and a side view of the sliding arms or levers.
Figure 3, a longitudinal vertical section of the back half of an omnibus
with the door open, representing a passenger taking hold of the pendant arms
of the apparatus and removing them out of the way to allow of entering the
vehicle.
Figure 4, a longitudinal vertical section of the back half of an omnibus,
shewing a passenger holding the pendant arms, having removed them from
their pendant position to allow of passing out.
Figure 5, a front view of the exterior of the box containing the counting
apparatus, into which one end of the axle of the revolving main shaft passes,
and moves certain wheels to register and indicate the number of quarter turns
which the shaft has at any time made in one direction; that is to say, either
on the passengers entering or on leaving the vehicle, but not both on entering
and on leaving.
Figure 6, a plan of the counting apparatus as seen in its box when the
cover or top is removed.
Figure 7, a vertical section of the box from C to D of Figure 6, shewing
the works to the right of the dotted line.
Figure 8, a vertical section of the box from E to F of Figure 6, shewing
the works to the left of the dotted line.
.
Figure 9 is an elevation of a check plate which I place in a box at the

page_text: opposite end to that already described of the main shaft, and into which the
axle of that shaft passes; this plate, which I have marked L, it will be seen
has four rests or flattened sides upon which the two springs act, so that at
every quarter of a revolution of the main shaft the springs come upon the
rests or flat sides and disincline it to make more than the quarter turn without
extra force be applied. This plate must, of course, as to its position be set
so as to correspond with the click plate in the counting box.
Figure 10, an edge view of the check plate and springs shewn in Figure 9.
And it may be as well here to observe with respect to the Drawings that
similar letters of reference are used to denote similar parts in all the Figures.
a, part of an omnibus; b, the door; c, the main shaft of my apparatus; d, two
sliding levers each consisting of a pair of rods or arms united together with a
pair of cross bars, one pair of arms sliding through the shaft at right angles
to the other pair; e, cross bars at the ends of the arms to keep them parallel
and free to slide, and, at the same time, to serve as handles for the passengers
to take hold of; f, the bearing on which one end of the main shaft rests and
turns, carrying around with it the check plate; g, the box for the counting
apparatus, on which the other end of the main. shaft rests and turns, and.
carrying around with it a circular plate with four clicks to move the wheels.
of the counting apparatus; h, the said circular click plate revolving on an
arbor, having a square hole to receive a square formed on the end or axle of
the main shaft; k, the arbor of the click plate, revolving in the side of the
box and in a cock screwed to the bottom of the box; l, the cock; m, the
square hole in the arbor of the click plate; n, part of the end of shaft as
entered into the square hole in the arbor of the click plate; p, four clicks
working on the click plate to move the ratchet wheel of the first cylinder, on
the circumference of which the Numbers 7, 8, 9, 0, are apparent; p¹, four
springs to return the clicks to their resting positions; q, the ratchet wheel with
ten teeth; r, a spring detent to hold the ratchet wheel from being turned
backwards; s, the first or units cylinder having the nine digits and a cypher
engraved around the periphery, the Numbers 7, 8, 9, 0, being visible in
Figure 6, and Number 6 in Figure 5; t, the second or tens cylinder having
the nine digits and a cypher engraved on the periphery, the Numbers
8, 9, 0, 1, being visible in Figure 6, and Number 7 in Figure 5; u, the
third or hundreds cylinder, having also the nine digits and a cypher engraved,
on the periphery, the Numbers 9, 0, 1, 2, being visible in Figure 6, and
Number 8 in Figure 5; v, an axle upon which the three cylinders revolve;
w, x, two spur wheels of ten teeth each, one wheel fixed against the right-
hand end of the second cylinder, and the other wheel against the corresponding

page_text: end of the third cylinder; y, z, two driving wheels of ten teeth, each engaged
respectively in the teeth of the cylinder wheels. The driving wheels are
made considerably thicker than the cylinder wheels in order to allow of being
turned by studs or teeth projecting from the left-hand ends of the cylinders.
G is a stud or tooth projecting horizontally from the left-hand end of the first
cylinder, and taking once in every revolution in a tooth of the driving wheel
of the second cylinder so deeply as to move that wheel the distance of one
tooth, which, by means of its engagement with the wheel of the second
cylinder, will move that cylinder the distance of one number on its periphery;
H, a similar stud or tooth projecting from the left-hand end of the second
cylinder to move the driving wheel of the third cylinder in like manner;
1, J, two spring detents to prevent the wheels and cylinders from being turned
by the agitation of the vehicle; K, a plate of glass to allow the numbers
to be seen but not meddled with; L, the check plate, already described as to
its action under Figure 9; M, the two springs to keep the check plate steady;
N, a cock in which the arbor of the check plate revolves; P, a square hole in
the arbor to receive the square at the end of the axle of the main shaft.
Now it is obvious that an apparatus with three cylinders will only indicate
from Nos. 1 to 999; but, should a greater number be required, the addition of
a fourth cylinder will afford 9000 more numbers, and by adding cylinders any
number may be indicated.
In describing the mode of putting the apparatus into operation, it is
assumed, for the sake of facilitating the description, that the persons leaving
or going out of the vehicle shall only move the obstructing arm outwards,
and without acting on the wheelwork, the back of the elick (for each click it
will be seen turns on an axis) coming in contact with a tooth of the ratchet
wheel, in that which may be called the backward position, yields to the
pressure, so that no motion of the ratchet wheel can take place; but the
passenger on entering the vehicle moves the obstructing arms inwards, which
turns the click plate in the direction of the arrows, causing the face of one
of the clicks to move the ratchet wheel the distance of one tooth, which wheel
being fixed to the units cylinder turns that cylinder the distance of one number,
and makes a different number appear in the opening in the front of the box
Figure 5. Now supposing the three cylinders to exhibit an 0 at each of the
three openings as a starting position, and the units cylinder be moved one step
at a time from 0 to 9, no motion will take place in either of the other
cylinders, but in moving from 9 to 0 the stud at the left-hand end of this
cylinder will take in one of the teeth of the driving wheel of the tens cylinder
aud cause that to exhibit 1, which make the two cylinders together to read 10;

page_text: and when these two cylinders together come to exhibit 99, the next move will
bring 0, 0, into view, while the stud of the second cylinder will take in the
driving wheel of the third cylinder and cause it to change to No. 1; and thus
the three cylinders together will read No. 100.
The mode of using the apparatus is as follows:-When the vehicle is in
motion the apparatus may remain as shewn at Figure 2; but if it stops, and
a passenger wishes to enter, the conductor must draw out the sliding arms
which lie under the roof towards him through the main shaft till they assume
the position shewn in this Figure by the dotted lines; for it is evident that
if a passenger were to attempt to enter while the arms laid along under the
roof the main shaft could not be turned in the direction required; and this
operation must, of course, be performed for each passenger that enters in
succession, while for each passenger that goes out of the vehicle in succession
the arms, which, by the act of going out, are pushed out as shewn in Figure 4,
must be slided in again by the conductor to the resting position, shewn in
Figure 2; unless, indeed, it should happen that for each passenger going out
of, another enters the vehicle; in which case the conductor will not have any
operation to perform, his services being only called for, as regards the appa-
ratus, when two or more passengers are passing out in succession without
one entering, then the horizontal arms must be slidden in after each passenger;
or when two or more are entering in sucession without one passing out, then
the horizontal arms must be drawn out after each passenger, as before
described; and if it be required that the passenger should register his entrance
on going out of the vehicle instead of on getting into it, the clicks on the
click plate, the ratchet wheel, the studs of the cylinders, and the order of the
numbers on the cylinders, need only be placed in reversed positions.
Now whereas I claim as my Invention the combination of a counting
apparatus and such an apparatus as aforesaid for causing the said counting
apparatus to register the number of passengers travelling in any omnibus or
other the like vehicle, such last-mentioned apparatus being a revolving shaft
placed across the upper part or roof of the vehicle near the doorway, such
shaft having two pair of arms or levers sliding through it at right angles to
each other, and when at rest one of the said pair of arms lying horizontally
under the roof or upper part of the vehicle, while the other pair hang down
against or in front of the doorway to form an obstruction, wbich must be
moved out of the way by the passenger on entering and leaving the vehicle,
and such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief, entirely
new and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Ier said Dominion of

page_text: Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be my
Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specification
doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the
proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained.
Wherefore I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my
said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Knight, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.

page_text: In the Matter of a Patent granted to William Knight, of Durham
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for his Invention of
"An Indicator for Registering the Number of Passengers Using
an Omnibus or other Passenger Vehicle," bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-eighth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-one.
DISCLAIMERS AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATIONS pro-
posed to be entered by William Knight with the Clerk of the Patents
of England pursuant to an Act passed in the fifth and sixth year of His
late Majesty William the Fourth's reign, intituled An Act to amend
the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
"
I, the said William Knight, do hereby disclaim in the title the words
"indicator," "using," and "passenger," and substitute the word "apparatus"
for the word "indicator," and the words "travelling in" for the word " using."
and also the words "the like" for the word "passenger." And my reasons
for making such alterations are, that I prefer the word "apparatus" to the
word "indicator," because I wish to limit my Invention to the apparatus
which moves the machinery indicating the numbers, as I intend to employ
without claiming them any indicating machines already in public use..
And I prefer the words "travelling in" to the word "using," because I
do not intend to register the outside passengers who may be said to use an
omnibus.
And I prefer the words "the like" to the word "passenger," because there
are several kinds of "passenger" vehicles to which I do not intend to apply
my Invention.
And I, the said William Knight, do hereby further declare that the above
Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration is not such Disclaimer or such
Alteration as will extend the exclusive right granted by the said Letters
Patent.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and forty-two.
W KNIGHT. (LS.)

page_text: To the Clerk of the Patents of England.
This is to certify, that the above-named William Knight, of Durham Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, has applied to me for leave
to enter with you the above-written Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alter-
ation of a part of the title of a certain Invention for which Letters Patent
were duly granted to him under the Great Seal of Great Britain, dated at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of June, One thousand seven hundred
and forty-one.
And on considering the said application, and that the said William Knight
had advertised the said Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration in the
London Gazette, and in the Morning Post and Morning Chronicle News-
papers on the Fourteenth day of December last, and no objection having been
made to the said application, I have accordingly granted leave to the said
William Knight to file his said Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration
pursuant to the Statute passed in the fifth and sixth years of the reign of
His late Majesty King William the Fourth, entitled An Act to amend the
Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid William Knight came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Disclaimer afore-
said and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Disclaimer aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.