An Improved Detector or Recording Mechanism for Hackney Carriages.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar, 1889-Accepted, 27th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Detector or Recording Mechanism for Hackney
Carriages.
I MICHAEL PRANDSTÄTTER of Brunnstrasse 9, München in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide in an improved manner a detector or
recording apparatus to be applied to hackney carriages, cabs etc. for recording the
time during which the vehicle is employed by travellers for informing each traveller
of the time during which he has employed the vehicle and for recording the distances
travelled by the vehicle when occupied.
To these ends I use a clock movement with the following devices. The clock
movemement may be continuous in its action and drive at uniform rate a paper strip
or the like for reception of the record and also a toothed wheel, usually running free.
There is also arranged a toothed wheel upon a vibrating lever in such connection by
lever devices, pawls etc. with the seat of the vehicle, that when a person enters the
vehicle and seats himself the lever is vibrated to bring the two toothed wheels afore-
said in gear and thus to gear with the clockwork a wheel having pins or equivalent
devices on its circumference adapted to strike against and move a vibrating lever
provided with a recording pencil or punch and thus making a mark upon the paper
strip once every five minutes or for such other period as may be required. This
secondary movement brought thus into gear with the clock work is provided with
hands or index fingers operating as ordinary clock hands to show the duration of time
in hours and minutes. When the journey is finished the driver may set out of action
this device by returning the seat levers to their original position and the clock move-
ment will be disengaged from the recording and hand movement and the latter not
now driven forward by the power of the clock movement will be returned to zero by
a spring or springs which were automatically brought into tension by the movement
of the parts. The record on the strip remains. The return movement of the pin
wheel deflects another vibrating lever, provided with a spring controlled pawi so that
the pins may pass it in one direction without action but engage with it on the other
or return direction. This lever causes a special record on a paper strip of the exact
time of termination of the journey.
To record the distance traversed by the vehicle when in occupation, the aforesaid
mechanism is in connection with a lever carrying a pawl in such manner that when
the mechanism is in action, the pawl of the lever is brought into such a position that
it is periodically vibrated by a rod controlled directly or indirectly by a cam disc
on the wheel of the vehicle so that after a desired number of revolutions of the wheel
equal to a certain known distance, the lever is vibrated a record is made thereto on a
strip. A visible sign of the distance may be given to the passenger in the same
manner as heretofore described with regard to the time.
Dated this 27th day of June 1888.
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Detector or Recording Mechanism for Hackney
Carriages.
I MICHAEL PRANDSTÄTTER of Brunnstrasse 9, Muinch in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
Price 8d 1

page_text: the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide in an improved manner a detector or
recording apparatus to be applied to hackney carriages, cabs etc., for recording the
time during which the vehicle is employed by travellers, for informing each traveller
of the time during which he has employed the vehicle and for recording the
distances travelled by the vehicle when occupied.
To these ends I use clock movement with the following devices. The clock
movement may be continuous in its action and drive at uniform rate a paper strip
or the like for reception of the record and also a toothed wheel usually running
free. There is also arranged a toothed wheel upon a vibrating lever in such
connection by lever devices, pawls etc. with the seat of the vehicle, that when a
person enters the vehicle and seats himself the lever is vibrated to bring the two
toothed wheels aforesaid in gear and thus to gear with the clock work, a wheel having
pins or equivalent devices on its circumference adapted to strike against and move a
vibrating lever provided with a recording pencil or punch and thus make a mark upon
the paper strip once every five minutes or at such other interval of time as may be
required. This secondary movement brought thus into gear with the clockwork is
provided with hands or index fingers operating as ordinary clock hands to show the
duration of time in hours and minutes. When the journey is finished the driver may
set out of action this device by returning the seat levers to their original position,
and the clock movement will be disengaged from the recording and hand movements
and the latter, not now driven forward by the power of the clock movement will be
returned to zero by a spring or springs which were automatically brought into tension
by the movement of the parts. The record on the strip remains. The return move-
ment of the pin wheel deflects another vibrating lever, provided with a spring
controlled pawl so that the pins may pass it in one direction without action but
engage with it on the other or return direction. This lever causes a special record
on the paper strip of the exact time of termination of the journey.
To record the distance traversed by the vehicle when in occupation, the aforesaid
mechanism is in connection with a lever carrying a pawl in such manner that when
the mechanism is in action, the pawl of the lever is brought into such a position
that it is periodically vibrated by a rod controlled directly or indirectly by a cam
disc on the wheel of the vehicle so that after a desired number of revolutions of the
wheel equal to a certain known distance, the lever is vibrated, and a record is made
thereof on the strip. A visible sign of the distance may be given to the
passenger in the same manner as heretofore described with regard to the time.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the novel parts of the mechanism for
carrying this invention into effect, Fig. 1 being an elevation of the front mechanism A.
Fig. 2 a similar view of the back mechanism B.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the apparatus.
Between the two mechanisms A and B is a clockwork C of any known construction.
connected with both mechanisms to operate the same as described hereinafter.
When a fare takes his place in the vehicle the rod a is drawn down by suitable
levers operated by the lowering of the seat under the weight of the fare.
The rod a which when out of action occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 being
held up by the spring carries the pin c which supports the lever d pivoted at di
when in the position of Fig. I from fall downwards. This however takes place
when a is drawn downwards. The other arm of the lever d then ascends and
releases a pawl by means of pin d² and so puts the clockwork into motion. In
consequence also of this upward novement of the said arm the lever system e f g
becomes released. The bell crank lever e is pivoted at e¹, lever fat f¹ and bell
crank lever g at g' the latter carries as shown in the drawing pin with spring g
which presses on the arm 2 of the lever. The lever is pressed by the lever e
into the position of Fig. 1 the lever d being in the position shown. When the
rod a descends upon the fare taking his seat it is evident that spring g' will act in

page_text: conjunction with the gravity of the lever to revolve the latter on a gudgeon 3. On
the lever is journalled the tooth wheel h and over the latter on the samo axis, the
pinion securely connected to the toothed wheel™ h.
When lever falls as aforesaid, the toothed wheel meshes with both the toothed
wheels (minute wheel) and 2 (change wheel) of equal size. The latter is there-
fore put into motion in the direction of the arrow when the clockwork is moved.
The former is secured on the arbor a which carries outside the box the hand on the
dial (Fig. 3). Upon the gearing of the toothed wheel the latter is immediately
revolved by which in consequence occasions the revolution of . revolves once
per hour, therefore also hand as well as hand c. With the wheel is securely
connected a wheel / having 12 pins at equal distances around it. Upon revolution
of the wheel the pins successively touch the rocker m revolvable on m', the
rovolution of which is prevented in this direction by pin m³ in consequence of which
the arm of the bell crank lever n carrying the rocker is pressed downwards whilst
its other end lifts the lever o by means of the pin o', so that the pin on the end of
the lever p fixed on the arbor which carries the lever o makes a mark upon a paper
slip passing thereunder as shown in Fig. 2. A spring should be arranged with the
clockwork to bring the lever apparatus back again into its normal position until the
next pin repeats the operation just described. As the wheel carries 12 pins and
revolves once in a hour this marking takes place every 5 minutes as soon as the
mechanism is in action.
Upon the gearing of the wheel h with the toothed wheels and ², the pinion i
gears at the same time into the large toothed wheel or counting wheel, which is
situated above the toothed wheel on a sleeve q' on the arbor which sleeve carries
outside the box the hour hand ¹. The fare can therefore read on dial the hours and
minutes and the owner has a strict control over his driver.
At the end of the journey the driver has to disengage a lever arranged near his seat
so that the rod a can return upwards into its normal position, the end of the journey
is then marked in the following manner; the rod a which is drawn upwards again
lifts the lever arm a by means of the nose a¹ and so causes the other lever arm a³
Fig. 2 to be depressed and mark the paper strip mentioned above with a mark
indicating the end of the drive. When the rod a arrives at its uppermost position the
nose a passes from under the lever a² as and the latter is brought back into its original
position by a spring arranged within the clock case.
In consequence of the upward movement of the rod a after the passenger has
alighted that is to say at the end of the journey when the coachman has disengaged
the lever a the clockwork is brought to a stop by influence of pin c on lever d by
the downward movement of 2. "The levers return to the position of Fig. 1., the
wheel is brought out of gear with the other wheels. When another passenger
enters, the recording commences afresh. It is necessary for this that upon the alighting
This is done by two spiral springs r.
of a passenger the two hands return to zero.
Fig. 3 and s Fig. 1 as well as by two stop arrangements t and u. The minute wheel h¹
is influenced by spiral spring r Fig. 3. The same is so connected that when it
has reached its utmost tension in the turning according to the arrow it drags on
the arbor.
Likewise the hour wheel 9 is provided with a spring & which is tensioned by turning
in the direction of the arrow.
When wheel h¹ becomes released the two springs will act to bring the hands and
wheels back into their zero position. The wheels are respectively provided for this
purpose with pins t¹ and u³ which when the hands arrive at zero butt against the stops t
and u.
The stop lever t is so constructed that during motion of the clock work it gives
way by spring action to the passage of the pin t' and arrests it upon its return.
Likewise during return motion of the wheels to zero the pawl m gives way by spring
action to the pins 7.
For measuring and recording the speed or distance travelled, are arranged the rod j
Fig 1. with spring lever g toothed wheel v with 20 teeth in connection with marking
lever w Fig. 2 and the marking is done in the following manner.

page_text: Upon the gearing of toothed wheel / Fig. 1 into the other wheels, the spring g³ of
lever g is stretched, acts upon the bell crank lever g and the lower arm g* of this lever
is pressed upwards, the tooth g³ of this lever (Fig. 4 detail view) giving way in spring
action to the teeth of the wheel and in descending taking with it a tooth of the wheel v.
Lever g will in this case take the position indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1.
The rod jis drawn down at each revolution of the carriage wheel by the mechanism
shown in Fig. 5. The carriage wheel hub j¹ is provided with a tooth which at each
revolution of the wheel strikes upon the lever j³. This lever is pivoted on disc j*
rotating on j³ on any suitable place on the carriage spring or carriage wheel support
and is kept in the position shown in Fig. 5 by spring je the one end of which is secured
to the wrist pin. The revolution of the lever j³ in the one direction is prevented by
pin. Disc carries a hook on its periphery, to which hook is attached a chain,
cord or the like which at the other end is securely connected with the rod j of the
recording apparatus. When therefore the tooth 2 strikes the lover j³ during forward
travel of the vehicle, the disc is turned in the direction of the arrow, lever j³ not
being able to give way by spring action but stopping at pin whereby the chain etc.
and consequently also rod j is drawn downwards.
No operation upon the recording contrivance will take place when the cab is
unoccupied. In this case the rod j. does not act upon g. After the sliding off of the
tooth from under the lever ³, a spring, arranged at any convenient place on the
vehicle draws back the whole mechanism into the position of Fig. 5. If the cab is
moved backward the lever ³ can give way to the passage of the cam *. The disc does
not turn therefore in this case. The chain, cord, etc. is connected with the rod j by
lever apparatus, rollers, according to the respective positions of the parts. If the
vehicle is occupied as described just now, the rod j in descending causes its pin j³ to
draw down likewise the lever arin g', so that the tooth g³ moves the toothed wheel v
forward by one tooth.
Toothed wheel v carries at its side a pin v'. The latter touches the marking lever w
on each revolution of the toothed wheel, Fig 2 and presses it into the paper strip,
whereby a record is made, that the carriage wheel has made a certain number of
revolutions during a given time (in this case 20) equivalent to a certain distance.
When pin ceases to act, the lever w rises again under influence of a spring. The
lever g returns to its upper position during the upward movements of ; the rod being
influenced by spring g³ Fig. 1.)
If the clockwork does not go, namely if the lever g is in the position of Fig. 1 the
same will never be drawn down by pin as the latter does not reach it. In Fig. 2 is
represented also an arrangement suitable for cabs having a seat for use by a third
person being for recording the use of such seat. This recording takes place in
conjunction with the distance indicating device and depends upon the latter. In
folding down the spare seat or seat for the third person, and in occupying the same
the lever y, Fig. 2 is drawn down by any optional lever system connected therewith.
The recording lever y' is therefore no longer supported thereby and drops until its pin
is just out of contact with the paper strip, it being there arrested and upheld by
the detent y² of the lever y arriving against the detent w³ of lever w.
When the next revolution of the toothed wheel v is indicated and the lever 10
descends for the purpose of marking, the lever y' ascends as the two detents y² and w
engage one another.
When the marking by the lever w has taken place, the latter,
rises again, the lever y falls down at the same moment occasioned partly by a weak
spring, partly by its own weight and thus indicates upon the paper slip the presence
of a third person. In the meantime the lever wo has returned to its resting position
and thus lifts again the lever y' from the marking strip.
It may be mentioned that the paper roller can be conveniently driven by the arbor
of the wheel passing to the other side and carrying a suitable toothed wheel gearing
into another wheel on the shaft of the roller.
The whole system of the paper roller is on a slide Fig. 2, guided in grooves so
it may be withdrawn for replacing the roller and controlling the paper strip without
interfering with the apparatus otherwise.

page_text: 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
In detector or recording apparatus for hackney carriages.
1. The combination with a clockwork of a wheel 2 revolved thereby, a wheel h', a
wheel h on a vibratory lever moved automatically by the fare, whereby the wheels /
and 2 are geared with the wheel h and minute and hour hands with suitable wheel
train operated by revolution of the wheel for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with indicating hands brought into gear with a clock work
by the fare, of spring or springs and devices for returning said hands to zero upon
release from the clockwork for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a moving clockwork and paper record strip, of a record
lever and mechanism for operating same adapted to be engaged with the said clockwork
upon entrance of the fare whereby a periodical record is made upon the said
paper strip during the occupation by the fare substantially in the manner herein
specified.
4. The combination with a periodical recording device brought into operation and
operated for the purpose described, of a device for recording the exact termination of
the respective journey and means for operating the same substantially as set
forth.
5. The combination of the reciprocating rod ; driven by the movement of the
vehicle, a lever adapted to be brought automatically by the fare under influence of
said rod, a pawl on said lever, a toothed wheel to be driven by said pawl, a recording
lever operated by a pin on said wheel and a paper strip driven by clockwork sub
stantially as and for the purpose sot forth.
6. The combination of a distance recording device with a pin on the wheel hub
or other rotary part of the carriage wheel or the like a disc or equivalent, pivoted
lever pin and spring jadapted to operate said mechanism substantially as
set forth.
7. For vehicles with a third seat as specified the combination therewith of the
record lever y adapted to be operated for record and rod y adapted to hold said lever y¹
out of action or to release the same in the manner set forth.
8. The special construction of recording mechanism for the several purposes above
set forth as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of March 1889
.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.