A New or Improved Passengers' Luggage Check System.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepter, 28th Sept., 1895
A New or Improved Passengers' Luggage Check System.
We, JOHN BEEBY EDMONDSON, of Knowsley Street, Cheetham, Manchester,
Railway Ticket Printer, and THOMAS JAMES LEWIS, of 12 Eustace Street,
Dublin, Ireland, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention has reference to a new or improved check system for the purpose
of ensuring in a convenient and efficient manner the safety of passengers' luggage
while in transit, and at the same time reducing the carrying company's liability or
risk for lost or stolen luggage.
In carrying out our said invention we propose in the first instance that the
carrying company should be supplied with luggage check tickets specially prepared
to suit the requirements of each railway or carrying company as regards colour,
dimensions, lettering, and such like matter; and numbered consecutively. Secondly,
we propose that each company should provide itself with special luggage labels
bearing in addition to the present matter thereon, the words "Check ticket number,"
or these words may be added to the ordinary luggage labels at present in use.
The check tickets and labels thus proposed are put in operation in the following
manner.
A passenger upon commencing a journey demands a luggage check ticket and
receives one somewhat different in colour or shape from the usual passenger ticket
and bearing a certain number, whereupon he proceeds to see that each packet
constituting his luggage is labelled for the destination station, and that upon each
label is marked the number which his luggage check ticket bears. This one luggage
check ticket will be sufficient for any number of packages belonging to the same
passenger, and is retained by him until he requires delivery of the luggage
whereupon he produces the check ticket and claims the several packages bearing
the number in question. The production of the check ticket therefore is evidence
that the packages thus correspondingly numbered are his property and the danger
of luggage belonging to others being carried away in mistake or otherwise is thus
obviated.
Should the passenger desire to avoid the incouvenience and trouble of personally
looking after his luggage at the destination station, he may hand the check ticket
to a porter or other official who can claim and remove the luggage at the passenger's
pleasure who may meanwhile proceed to his hotel feeling assured that his luggage
will be forthcoming in due course.
Another advantage in thus luggage check system is that should luggage be last
or stolen the presence of the check ticket will assist considerably in tracing it.
The system is also simple and does not involve any appreciable extra labour on
the part of the railway or carrying company's officials while it considerably
facilitates the safe conveyance and delivery of passengers luggage.
Dated the 22nd day of November 1894.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9 Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicants.

page_text: A New or Improved Passengers' Luggage Check System.
We, JOHN BEEBY EDMONDSON, of Knowsley Street, Cheetham, Manchester,
Railway Ticket Printer, and THOMAS JAMES LEWIS, of 12 Eustace Street,
Dublin, Ireland, Manager, 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 or improved check system for the purpose
of ensuring in a convenient and efficient manner the safety of passengers luggage
while in transit, and at the same time reducing the carrying company's liability or
risk for lost or stolen luggage.
In carrying out our said invention we propose in the first instance that the
carrying company shall be supplied with luggage check tickets specially prepared
by the inventors to suit the requirements of each railway or carrying company,--as
regards, colour, dimensions, lettering, and such like matter-and numbered con-
secutively.
Secondly, we propose that each company should provide itself with special
luggage labels bearing in addition to the present matter thereon the words "Check
ticket number," or these words may be added to the ordinary luggage labels at
present in use.
The check tickets and labels thus prepared are put in operation in the following
manuer.-
A passenger upon commencing a journey demands a luggage check ticket and
receives one somewhat different in colour or shape from the usual passenger ticket,
and bearing a certain number, whereupon he proceeds to see that each packet
constituting his luggage is labelled for the destination station, and that upon each
label is marked the number which his luggage check ticket bears. Thus supposing
the traveller to be proceeding from London to Rugby, he receives with his
ordinary travelling ticket, a luggage check ticket bearing, say, the number 50.
This number he proceeds to see marked on the Rugby label placed on each packet
of his luggage.
The check ticket may be issued from the booking office, or at large stations
from suitable tube cases arranged in proximity to the ordinary luggage label
cupboard.
One check ticket will be sufficient for any number of packages belonging to the
same passenger, and is retained by him until he requires delivery of the luggage
whereupon he produces the check ticket, and claims the several packages bearing
the number in question. The production of the check ticket therefore is evidence
that the packages thus correspondingly numbered are his property, and the
danger of luggage belonging to others being carried away in mistake or otherwise
is thus obviated.
Should the passenger desire to avoid the inconvenience and trouble of personally
looking after his luggage at the destination station, he may hand the check ticket
to a porter, or other official who can claim and remove the luggage at the passenger's
pleasure, who may meanwhile proceed to his hotel feeling assured that his luggage
will be forthcoming in due course.
Another advantage in this check system is, that should luggage be lost or stolen,
the presence of the check ticket will assist considerably in tracing it.
The check tickets being issued in consecutive order, or as may be otherwise
pre-arranged, renders each ticket a duplicate check, once the number is marked on
the luggage label.
It is imperative, in order to make the system as effective and complete as possible,
that the name of the issuing station should appear on the ordinary luggage label.

page_text: Thus for example, assuming the passenger is proceeding from Cambridge to
Manchester, the ordinary luggage label should bear the words "From Cambridge
to Manchester."
It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the check system herein
proposed is extremely simple, and does not involve any appreciable extra labour
on the part of the railway, or carrying company's officials, while it considerably
facilitates the safe conveyance and delivery of passengers luggage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would have it understood
that what we claim is:-
In connection with railway travelling, the check system herein proposed,
whereby a passenger receives at the starting station a check ticket bearing a certain
number, which number being marked on the ordinary luggage label placed on his
luggage serves to facilitate and ensure the recovery of such luggage at the
destination station, and at the same time to reduce the carrying company's liability
or risk for lost or stolen luggage.
Dated this 26th day of August 1895.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9 Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicants.