IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF MONEY FROM PERSONS RIDING IN PUBLIC VEHICLES OR ENTERING PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Melton Black of Bell Yard City Road, in the City
of London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING
THE RECEIPT OF MONEY FROM PERSONS RIDING IN PUBLIC VEHICLES OR
ENTERING PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Melton Black at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1883.
JOHN MELTON BLACK of Bell Yard City Road in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF MONEY FROM
PERSONS RIDING IN PUBLIC VEHICLES OR ENTERING PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
"
The object of this Invention is the construction of a portable box or case
designed for containing rolls of consecutively numbered tickets representing classes
or fares, the arrangement of the said box being such that the tickets contained
therein can be readily withdrawn therefrom and severed with facility from their
respective continuous rolls the ticket or piece so severed being given by the person
in charge of the box as a receipt or check for money received from persons riding
in public vehicles, entering places of amusement or otherwise.
The manner of carrying my invention into practice may be thus described
I construct a cylindrical box or case the size of which will be proportioned to
the number of fares or different classes of tickets which the various rolls of
consecutively numbered tickets represent, for example if three different classes are
represented and the tickets or rolls are one inch wide the receptacle or box containing
the rolls side by side would be a fraction more than three inches long or of a length
which would allow freedom of movement to the said rolls individually when being
unwound the diameter of the box being limited. to the number of tickets contained
on any one of the said rolls. One segment or side of the Cylindrical box forms
the lid or cover which is hinged to the main portion of the box, the said lid being
provided with a suitable lock and is so arranged that when unlocked and open the
whole interior of the box or receptacle for the ticket rolls is exposed in a manner
which will allow the consecutively numbered rolls of tickets to be dropped in
their place side by side the end of each roll of paper is then passed over a ledge of
the main box which when the lid is closed and locked forms with the lid a slot or
space for the passage of the ticket strip

page_text: The ends of the protruding tickets passed through the slot or space in the box
when the lid is closed are placed over an inclined surface which terminates in a
sharp turned down angle or plate the side of which forms a radial line projecting
from the surface of the box. The tickets so protruding by reason of the spring
they naturally have when withdrawn from their respective rolls, enables each
length as withdrawn when over the inclined surface before mentioned to lay flat
thereon and in a position convenient for being taken hold of.
The slot or orifice through which the ends of the tickets pass from the box and
also the inclined surface before mentioned are shielded by an outer covering and a
spring flap or flyer hinged to the outer portion of the box. This said flap or flyer
opens and closes like the lid of a box, and is provided at its edge opposite to its
hinge, and parallel thereto with a rib or strip of metal which when the flyer is
pressed down closes on to the aforesaid angle over which the strips of continuous
lengths of paper lay. A false lid or cover is also provided covering a portion of
the main box and under which the "way bill" or private check slip is placed.
The manner in which the box is used for checking the receipt of money will
more readily be understood by the following description,
The rolls of consecutively numbered tickets representing classes or fares are
readily dropped or placed in the box side by side when the lid is open and their
ends passed through the slot and over the inclined surface covered by the swinging
spring flap or flyer. The lid of the box is then closed and locked and the ends of
the tickets when the swinging spring flap or flyer is opened or thrown back are
placed so that the consecutive numbers of each strip from the rolls of tickets will
rest on the inclined plane immediately behind the sharp inclined angular edge of
the same, a portion of each roll being allowed to protrude beyond the said angle
which when the swinging spring flap or flyer is closed can be readily severed or
torn off, the consecutive numbers of the tickets then laying on the inclined surface
are copied on the "way bill" or slip of paper provided for the purpose which is
then covered by the false lid and locked, the box in this state is ready for being.
delivered to the Conductor or other person in charge authorized to receive money.
Each person then paying an amount of money to the conductor or other person
in charge of the box receives a consecutively numbered ticket the color of which
represents the fare or amount so paid, the said ticket being withdrawn from the
box by such authorized person who first raises the flap or flyer which enables him
to readily take hold of the ticket required and draw it out from the roll into a
position over the angular or projecting edge of the incline before mentioned at
which time the flyer is closed which brings its projecting lip or strip of metal
inside the said angular projecting edge and on to the strip of protruding ticket
which is firmly held or gripped and thereby allows the protruding portion
representing one ticket to be cleanly severed or torn from the continuous strip.
Each ticket delivered can be defaced by a punch if desired, to accomplish this I
provide the flyer flap with punches one to each ticket and the inclined bed upon
which the ticket to be delivered rests with matrices or punch holes so that each
time the flyer is closed on to the ticket preparatory for being torn off from the
strip such closing of the flap or flyer punches holes through those tickets next in
consecutive order for being torn off. I can also provide the box with a bell which
with every closing of the flyer and separation of a ticket will give an alarm or
call. Finally it will be seen that when the box after use is handed in with the
Cash received, the person in authority will check the consecutive numbers then
represented on the tickets next to be delivered, and place such numbers over those
first marked on the way Bill, the difference between the two sets of numbers will
give the actual number of checks with their amounts which have been paid out to
persons as receipts for money paid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Melton Black in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th November 1883.
JOHN MELTON BLACK of Bell Yard City Road in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT OF MONEY FROM
PERSONS RIDING IN PUBLIC VEHICLES OR ENTERING PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
"
The object of this Invention is the construction of a portable box or case
designed for containing rolls of consecutively numbered tickets representing
classes or fares the arrangement of the said box being such that the tickets
contained therein can be readily withdrawn therefrom and served with facility
from their respective continuous rolls, the ticket or piece so severed being given
by the person in charge of the box as a receipt or check for money received from
persons riding in public vehicles entering places of amusement or other places of
public resort.
In order that the Invention shall be clearly understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings made, about full size similar letters
of reference being marked on corresponding parts on all the Fig's. alike.
Fig 1. represents a transverse section of the simple form of box constructed as
according to my Invention and in which the fly is shewn closed as when the
ticket is being torn off The portion shewn in dots represents the box open and as
it would appear when being supplied with its roll of consecutively numbered
tickets and way bill and Fig 2 represents a plan view of the same.
:
The box here shewn is constructed to contain three rolls of consecutively
numbered tickets representing three classes or fares In these Figs a is a Cylin-
drical box or case the size of which would be proportioned to the number of fares
or different classes of tickets which the various rolls of consecutively numbered
tickets represent for example if three different classes are represented and the
tickets or rolls are one inch wide, the receptacle or box a containing the rolls side
by side would be a fraction over three inches long or of a length which would
allow freedom of movement to the said rolls individually when being unwounḍ
the diameter of the box being limited to the number of tickets contained on any
one of the said rolls. One segment or side of the Cylindrical box a¹ forms the lid
or cover which is hinged at a to the main piston of the box a the said lid is
provided with a spring lock or fastener b the spring catches of which are seen
more clearly in that segmental portion shewn in dots which represents the box
open. The box when open causes the spring catches b. to snap on to secret fixed
projections and so become locked. The box when open as shewn in dots exposes
the whole interior in such a manner as will allow the consecutively numbered
rolls of tickets to be dropped in their places side by side or such rolls may be
placed on a central pin or spindle which when the box is open is placed so as to
slide down slots in the mid feathers which separate the rolls one from the other
and so rest and be retained centrally in the box whilst being unwound The ends
of each roll of paper whilst the box is open are passed over a ledge of the main
portion of the box which when the lid is closed and locked forms a slot with the
edge of such lid or slot d for the passage of the strips e as they are each one
separately drawn from the box.
The ends of the ticket strips protruding through the slot d when the lid a¹ is
closed are passed under the cross bar f so as to lay flat on the inclined surface or
bed g this incline terminates in a deep indentation h and then joins on to a
plate i projecting radially from the box a the said plate i terminating so as to

page_text: present a straight edge a little above the indentation h and on a line with the
incline surface 9 The ticket strips so protruding from the box by reason of the
spring they naturally have when withdrawn from their respective rolls enables
each length as withdrawn when on the inclined surface g to lay flat thereon and so
placed that when acted on as hereinafter described can be readily taken hold of
and withdrawn from the box a length representing one ticket which is then
severed from the continuous roll contained in the box.
The slot or orifice d through which the ends of the tickets pass when being
withdrawn and also the inclined surfaces before mentioned are shielded by the flap
or flyer grip m hinged to the segmental lid a' This said flyer m opens and closes
like the lid of a piano and when closed is by preference so retained when not
otherwise acted upon by a slight spring break or frictional contact The upper
inside surface of the flyer lid m is provided with a projecting rib or strip of
metal n which when the flyer is pressed down on the protruding strip of paper
representing one ticket forces the paper immediately over the indentation h into
the same and at the same time grips that portion over the top of the protruding
plate between which and such plate the protruding paper representing one ticket
is firmly held and whilst so held is taken hold of and pulled so as to be severed
from the continuous roll by the sharp edge of the protruding plate i.
Immediately this Action is complete. the flyer lid m is opened as shown, which
causes the natural spring of the paper forced by the strip of metal n into the
indentation h to rise therefrom and present a clear édge a little. distance above the
cutting edge of the plate i offering thereby a length of the ends of the continuous
strip of ticket. which can be easily taken hold of and withdrawn from the box in
the manner and for the purpose as previously described. I also provide the box
with a false lid or cover o under which and against the surface of the box a a
way bill" is placed. The lid o when open as shewn in dots allows a new way
bill to be inserted or the old one inspected. The form of "
way bill" which I
prefer being shewn at Fig 3.
$5
"
The foregoing description together with the drawings referred to represent the
simplest form of box designed. for checking the receipt of money by offering a
ready means of severing intermittently and giving in exchange for money con-
secutively numbered tickets of different hues or colors representing given and
stated amounts the last ticket so delivered being according to its consecutive
number in contradistinction to the first ticket withdrawn a debit of the aggregate
amount as against the next ticket in succession to be severed forming a portion of
the consecutive numbered roll contained in the box.
For instance supposing the box has been charged with the consecutively
numbered tickets forming continuous rolls of paper and locked by an Inspector
or other person appointed for that purpose and delivered to the conductor or
Guard or other person in authority appointed to receive and check money the
consecutive numbers first to be withdrawn would be duplicated on the "
way bill "
say as Number 1460 I will now suppose that when the box after a journey has
been returned to the Office the next numbered ticket to be withdrawn is 1730 the
total amount withdrawn during such journey from one class would be 270 which
at one penny would be £1. 2. 6, if at twopence £2. 5. 0. and if at three
pence £3. 7. 6, thereby offering a certain record of the amount received by the
Conductor and also protecting him from any overcharge upon the receipts,
In order to satisfy a further requirement I have shewn at Figs 4, 5, 6, and 7
(the fly m in Fig. 7 is removed) an arrangement in connection with the box shewn &
at Figs 1 and 2 of the apparatus which will punch or deface the ticket withdrawn
from the box and simultaneously with such punching will ring a bell and actuate
a counting apparatus which will give in consecutive order the number of tickets
withdrawn from the box which will correspond with and check the consecutive
number of the tickets delivered.
.
It will be seen on reference to the Figs.4, 5, 6, and 7 that the arrangement of
box-there shewn is similar to that shewn at Figs 1. and. 2, but. having adapted

page_text: thereto the addition of punches p p. bell q and counting apparatus. the per-
formances of which are simultaneously effected by the closing of the flyer lid m
the pressure exerted by such lid when being pressed down to grip the protruding
ticket forces the punches p. p. through the paper laying on the inclined surface g
and the strip of metal n (which when punches are used is yielding) into the
indentation h. Each time the lid m is closed and a ticket delivered the pawl 8
through the lever s¹ gives motion to the ratchet wheel ta distance equal to one
tenth of such wheel which may be one thirtieth of its revolution-the motion thus
given to the ratchet t gives an advance to the long finger on the dial requal to
one unit and one revolution of this finger counts thirty tickets delivered from the
box at which time the short finger of the dial 7 is caused to advance to figure one-
this intermittent advance of the short finger over the consecutive numbers of the
dial takes place with every compléte revolution of the long finger so that by the
time it has completed the revolution of the dial it will indicate that 900 tickets
have been delivered from the box any number short of this being at once ascer-
tained by the position of the fingers on the dial r.-The intermittent movement of
the ratchet with the closing of the flyer lid also actuates through the wheel q' the
hammer of the bell g which calls attention to the fact that a ticket has been
delivered from the box
The Segment is a projecting portion of the guide plate f under which the
paper is punched and forms a shield which prevents the punches or other working
parts being exposed when the box is opened and also prevents the fly m opening
too far back.
At Fig 6 I have shewn a modification of the punching and counting apparatus-
The arrangement here shewn is designed for the purpose of enabling the Conductor
or other person in charge of the box to punch only the ticket withrawn from the
box and advance the consecutive number of that ticket only on a dial to which
that particular class of ticket belongs.-To accomplish this I independently support
each punch p by means of a bell crank lever w the punch rod terminates outside
the flyer lid m with a button head legibly marked with the figure or price such
button indicates. The bell crank lever w of each punch is connected by a link s
with a pawl s supported on a radial arm vibrating on the axis of the ratchet
wheel t giving motion to the fingers on the dial reach punch and bell crank being
provided with its own dial it will be readily understood that when any one of the
punches are depressed so as to deface a ticket the consecutive number of such
ticket will be indicated on its own particular dial thus enabling the supervisor or
other person in authority to ascertain the exact number of tickets delivered from
each particular class-the aggregate amount of tickets delivered from the box being
the sum of the numbers represented on the various dials-The discs of paper
punched from the tickets fall into the space a³ from which they are readily removed.
when the box is open.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing.
the same I wish it to be distinctly understood in conclusion that I am aware that
continuous consecutively numbered tickets have heretofore been drawn from a
box and given to persons as checks for the receipt of money but such boxes did
not efficiently answer the purpose of their design therefore what I claim as new
and as of my Invention is.
First The novel construction and arrangement of a hinged Cylindrical box which
when open can easily be supplied with one two or more rolls of consecutively
numbered tickets and when closed and locked will admit of such tickets being
withdrawn therefrom from the slot d over an inclined platform g
indentation h and the cutting edge of the plate i all arranged substantially as
described.
Secondly Adapting to and combining with the said Cylindrical box the fly presser m
employed for forcing a portion of the protruding paper into the indentation h
and gripping the said paper in the manner and for the purpose as herein
substantially described and set forth in the drawings annexed.

page_text: Thirdly Adapting to the Cylindrical box the lid or cover o which shields the "way
bill" in the manner and for the purpose as herein substantially described and
set forth in the drawings annexed.
Lastly. The general arrangement construction and combination of the several
parts herein described, such as the punches p and bell q, together with any
slight modification of the same when adapted to a Cylindrical box for con-
taining consecutively numbered strips or lengths of paper to be employed in
the manner and for the purpose as herein substantially described set forth
and fully illustrated in the drawings annexed:
In witness whereof I the said John Melton Black havé hereunto set my hand
and seal this the eighth day of November in the year of our Lord-One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
LAT