IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TURNSTILES, OR CHECKING APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF PERSONS ENTERING OR LEAVING VEHICLES OR PLACES OF PUBLIC RESORT."
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Miller at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1879.
WILLIAM MILLER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO TURNSTILES, OR CHECKING APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND
REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF PERSONS ENTERING OR LEAVING VEHICLES OR PLACES
OF PUBLIC RESORT."
My Invention relates to a novel form of turnstile, being a reciprocating turnstile
for recording and registering the number of persons entering or leaving vehicles
or places of public resort.
A reciprocating turnstile constructed according to my Invention, consists of
arranging in duplicate radial arms upon vertical spindles so as to leave a reciprocating
radial movement for inlet and exit. The number of radial arms is by preference
three. These arms are mounted on a vertical spindle, the arrangement being used
in duplicate, namely, one spindle with its three radial arms on each side of the
doorway, the centre one of each of the three radial arms being arranged to bar
the entrance, the arms projecting towards each other so as to prevent passage
between them. The other two radial arins of each apparatus are set, at such an
angle to the central arm, so as to permit of a person entering between their ends and
to have space between such bars and the central bars for entrance between the
bars, and when the central bars are pushed forward so as to open inwards or
outwards and allow passage, the outside bars close behind the person passing
through, and at the same time bar or prevent the entrance of more than one person
at a time. The duplex radial arms are fimly keyed or fastened to their vertical
spindles, which are free to have radial reciprocating movement, being carried by
suitable brackets or their equivalent. The duplex radial arms of the turnstile are
set to reciprocate radially together. This is effected by a lever or its equivalent
keyed or fastened onto each of the turnstile spindles. The levers are provided with
a long slot or equivalent adjusting arrangement, and take onto a spring regulated and
governed boss or its equivalent. This spring arrangement keeps the central radial
arms of the duplex turnstile always across the entrance, which they bar in a norml
condition, and after an entrance or an exit, the spring causes the central arms to bar
the entrance again. The outside arms of the turnstile are provided with suitable
shields fixed on each side of the entrance. The vertical spindles of the turnstiles
are geared to work suitable registering apparatus of any known description, one of
which may be used for recording the entrances and the other the exits. The
outside radial arms may be hinged and rise and fall by riding over inclines.

page_text: A modification of the beforegoing arrangement consists in using two radial arms
instead of three on each of the vertical spindles. In this case the turnstile re-
ciprocates radially and registers entrances only, the exits being permitted by the
folding back, lifting up, or telescoping of the arms which bar the entrance, such
arms after an exit regaining their normal position by means of springs.
It will be understood that my Invention is applicable for all positions where
turnstiles are used, and by its simplicity of construction and reduction of parts
over ordinary turnstiles a great saving in weight and cost is effected.