Improvements in Fare-indicating Devices for Use in Cabs and other Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 26th June, 1889
TRUVIDIONAL SIEVITRATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHANN AUGUST STANISLAUS BIERNATZKI, of
Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant.]
Improvements in Fare-indicating Devices for Use in Cabs and
other Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare tho nature of
this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due on a
cab or other public conveyance according to time or distance and the objects of these
improvements consist, first, in a considerably simplified construction of the fare
indicator forming the object of the British Patents No. 16097, 37617 37214
and 139(1887, second to afford means by which defraudation by the driver of the
passenger as well as of the cabholder is entirely obviated; and third, to provide
means for indicating upon the same dial plate a different fare-unit as for instance
"t day or night fare or an increased fare when the cab is occupied by more than one
or two passengers.
The main shaft of the apparatus is operated as usual by a time-work while the cab
is stopped or when its speed has not reached a certain rate and by a cam or excentric
connected to one of the hind wheels of the carriage when the latter moves in the
ordinary way, which however forms no part of this invention.
Fixed to the main shaft is a crank having a stud or pin which enters the slot of n
ratchet wheel. The latter is acted upon by a pawl pivotted to a lever and bearing
against a stud on tho said lever.
When the ratchet wheel rotates in one direction the pawl will rise and carry with
it the lover acted upon by a spring bearing against the stud fixed to the said
lever.
Through the medium of two pawls suspended by the lever two ratchet wheels of
equal diameter and having an equal number of teeth are rotated in a certain direction
so that at each stroke of the lever the ratchet wheels will advance one tooth while the
rotation in the opposite direction is prevented by means of pawls. Each tooth of the
ratchet-wheels corresponds with one division of the dial plate so that the hand will
advanco one division when the ratchet-wheels are rotated by action of the pawls a
distance equal to one tooth. In the present arrangement each division of the dial
plate corresponds to a fare of 10 cents and a full revolution of the hand indicates a
fare of five dollars. If the fare to be paid for one hiring amounts to more than
five dollars another dial will show the amount to be added to that indicated by the
hand. For this purpose the ratchet-wheel carries a stud which will lift at each revola-
tion of the ratchet-wheel a pivoted lever and the pawl attached to the same.
As soon
as the stud releases the lever the latter will drop by action of the spring and the pawl
meshing the small ratchet-wheel will turn the latter one tooth.
The shaft of this ratchet wheel carries also a disc in front of the bed-plate which
has as many divisions as the ratchet-wheel has teeth; in one form of apparatus there
are seven divisions corresponding to the seven teeth of the ratchet wheel. Each
division of the dial indicates one revolution of the wheel or the hand and consequently
in the present case the numbers 0'5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 have to be marked upon
the dial. These numbers representing the additional fee in dollars become succes-
sively visible for the passenger through the square hole of the dial plate.
After the hire is finished all parts above mentioned have to be brought back to
their initial position and to be put out of gear by lifting the disengaging bolt by any
convenient means

page_text: As soon as the bolt is liftod, its shoulder bearing against the arm of the pawl dis-
engages the pawl from the ratchet wheel. While the ascending motion of the bolt
is continued its upper end guided in a bracket strikes the lever, the extreme end of
which bearing against a stud will raise the lever. The object of tho said levor is to
reduce the way of the bolt in order to effect that the least ascending motion of the
bolt will cause all parts of the fare indicating mechanism and the hand to suddenly
occupy their initial position.
The point of the one pawl meshing the wheel is somewhat longer than that of the
other pawl in order to cause the latter to already release its ratchet-wheel and the
return movement of the same and of the hand secured on the same shaft by action of
a spiral spring when the lover is but very little lifted while the second ratchet-wheel
loosely attached to the shaft is still locked by its pawl. The ratchet wheel will
continue its return motion until the stud thereon hears against the blunt end of the
lever. This position of the stud is that in which the land will point to zero.
The raising of the lover will further more cause by means of the stud fixed theroon
the pawl to release the small wheel because at the same time the stud on the said pawl
has moved along the upper curved part of the pawl and thus bringing it out of gear
with the wheel. The latter and the dial both fixed to the same shaft will now return
to their zero position by action of the spiral spring. At the same time however the
pawl will be released from the influence of the stud fixed to the lever thereby
allowing the ratchet-wheel acted upon by a spring secured to the wheel and bearing
against the crank to revolve so much that the pin entering the slot will move from
one end of the same to the other. The pin may advance without any effect upon the
ratchet-wheel. The length of the slot corresponds to a minimum fare, which is
50 cents in the present case and is equivalent to the pitch of five teeth of the ratchet
wheels. While the lever is raised also the arm with the pawls attached thereto have
quit five teeth of the ratchet-wheels as the projection of the arm was guided mean-
while along the edge of the plate.
As soon as the bolt acted upon by a spring is lowered at the beginning of another
ride the lever and all parts connected with the same turn into the normal position,
the ratchet-wheels being rotated through an angle equal to the pitch of fivo teeth and
the hand advances the same amount to indicate the minimum-fare. The ratchet
wheels will at first not be effected by the clockwork or by the other mechanism until
the stud in the slot strikes the opposite end of the said slot which will occur as soon
as the vehicle has passed a certain distance or a certain time has elapsed equivalent to
the determined minimum-fare ie. 50 cents in the present case. Now the ratchet-
wheel will actuate the pawl and the other parts of the apparatus as described
abovo.
The wheel adapted to turn only in one direction on its shaft continuously serves to
sum up the fares indicated by the hand and the small dial by transunitting motion
to the other small dials. As ench tooth of the ratchet wheels corresponds to one
division of the main dial and as the latter is composed of fifty divisions the ratchet-
wheels are to have fifty teeth each. At every tenth tooth the wheel has small studs
the object of which is to mosh with the small dial. Every stud gearing with the diul,
periodically locked by a spring will cause the latter to make one tenth of a full
revolution. The small dials or discs gearing with one another form a counting
apparatus, as frequently used for different purposes. The one disc will make ono
revolution when the other disc has made ten and the other dials work in the same
proportion so that the one will indicate the thousands, a second the hundreds, a third
the tens and a fourth the units. The respective numbers will appear beneath the
small holes in the main dial plate. Through one hole in the dial plate the corre
sponding ratchet-wheel can be observed, which has as many divisions as there are
teath, every division is equivalent to ten cents. In this way the cab-holder will
always be able to control the amount of money the driver hus cashed during a day,
week or month as long as the amount paid by the passenger does not exceed the sum
of $9999.90 cts.
With this improved apparatus the coachman cannot defraud the passenger,
us
has

page_text: been the case with former apparatus, because if the driver tries to turn the hand of
the otherwise secured dial plate by lifting the disengaging bolt as was formerly the
case, the hand will return to its zero position and cannot by any means be moved
further, than the minimum fare i.e. 50 cents. The result of such experiment of the
driver would be, that he had to refund a larger amount of money to the cab-holder,
than he has received from his passengers.
One of the small dials is to control the labor of the horse it is operated in the
common well-known way by means of a lever and other intermediate parts.
The mechanism, by which a different unit of fare for day- or night-biring or when
the cab is occupied by more than a predetermined number of passengers is described
hereafter.
A pivoted forked arm carries at its terminals discs and connected with its hub three
studs. The first stud enters into the square slot of a lover for which a strap serves
as a guide.
To the extreme end of the lever a link is connected, the lower end of which is
joined to a quadrant or eccentric. The quadrant is provided with a projection against
which the operating bar strikes when being oscillated by the eccentric or cam of the
hind wheel of the vehicle. According to the relative position of the projection the
angle of oscillation of the rod and of the pawl suspended thereto can be easily
determined.
The disc is fitted just in the centerline of the whole apparatus and adapted to be
under the control of the passenger. In the present arrangement the pawl is adapted
to advance for two teeth of the ratchet wheel at every oscillation of the bar. If
however the arm is moved by means of a special key suiting the two studs the one
disc will occupy the position of the other disc whereby the link is caused to turn the
quadrant with its projection in such a manner, that the angle of oscillation of the rod
will be increased and a greater number of teeth passed by the pawl when actuating
the wheel.
"
"
With regard to this arrangement the one disc may be marked for example, "Ono
or two passengers or "day-rate" and the other disc "Three or four passengers" or
Night-rate.'
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fare-indicating Devices for Use in Cabs and other
Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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 relates to apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due on a
cab or other public conveyance according to time or distance; and the object of the
said invention consists, first in a considerably simplified construction of the fare
indicator forming the subject of British Letters Patents No. 16097, 37617, 3721
und 43907; second to afford means by which defraudation by the driver of the
passenger as well as of the cab holder is entirely obviated; and third, to provide
means for indicating upon the same dial plate a different fare-unit as for instance
"day and night fare" or an increased fare when the cab is occupied by more than
one or two passengers.
These objects are obtained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which :
Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus showing the hand and the dial plates.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the former showing the mechanism for adjusting the

page_text: Figuro 2ª is a similar view showing a modified mechanism for the aforesaid purpose.
Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus, the hand and the dial-plate being removed.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the apparatus on the line I II III IV Figure 3, the
timo-work being removed.
Figure 5 is a front-view of the main boil-plate showing an auxiliary dial plate und
the wheels indicating the total amount received by the cabiman.
Figures 6 and 7 are back-views of the main hed-plate showing steps in the
operation of the auxiliary mechanism attached to it, and
Figure 8 is a horizontal section of the apparatus on the line V VI Figure 4.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the soveral views.
The main shaft D of the apparatus is operated as usual by a time-piece while the
cab is stopped or when its speed has not reached a certain rate, and by a cam or
eccentric connected to one of the hind wheels of the carriage, when the latter moves
in the ordinary way, neither of which means are shown, as they form no part of this
invention.
Fixed to the main shaft D is the crank of having a stud or pin g (Figures 3 and 4)
which entors the slot el of the ratchet-wheel e. The Intter is acted upon by a pawl
pivoted at to the lovor i and bearing against a stud on the lever which is
pivoted at it.
When the ratchet-wheel e rotates in the direction shown by the arrow the pawl h
will rise and carry with it the lever i, acted upon by the spring ♬ bearing against the
stul fixed to the lever i.
r
Through the medium of two pawls and el suspended by the branch of the lever i,
two ratchet-wheels d d of equal diameter and having an equal number of teeth are
rotated in a certain direction, so that at each stroke of the lever i, the ratchet
wheels d d will advance one tooth while the rotation in the opposite direction is
prevented by means of the pawls & and n. Each tooth of the ratchet-wheels à d'
corresponds with one division of the dial plate (Figure 1) so that the hand a will
advance one division when the ratchet-wheels d d are rotated by action
of the pawls cca distance equal to one tooth. In the present arrangement each
division of the dial plate corresponds to a fare of 10 cents and a full revolution of the
hand indicates a fare of five dollars. If the fare to be paid for one hiring amounts to
more than five dollars another dial will show the amount to be added to that indicated
by the hand z. For this purpose the ratchet-wheel d¹ carries a stud & (Figures 6
and 7) which will lift at each revolution of the ratchet-wheel d' the lover pivoted
at and the pawl attached to the same. As soon as the stud k releases the lever ³
the latter will drop by action of the spring and the pawl moshing the small
ratchet-wheel will turn the latter one tooth.
The shaft of this rutchot-wheel carries also a disc m in front of the bed-plate A,
which has as many divisions as the ratchot-wheel has teeth; in the apparatus illustrated
there are seven divisions corresponding to the seven teeth of the ratchet wheel 1.
Each division of the dial m indicates one revolution of the wheel or the hand z and
consequently in the present case the numbers 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 have to be
marked upon the dial m. These numbers representing the additional feo in dollars
become successively visible for the passenger through the square hole m' of the dial
plate.
After the hire is finished all parts above mentioned have to be brought back to their
initial position and to be put out of gear by lifting the disengaging bolt a by any
convenient means thus bringing the different parts into the position shown in Figure 7
As soon as the bolt a is lifted, its shoulder a bearing against the arm n³ of the
pawl na disengages tho pawl from the ratchet wheel d. Whilo the asconding
motion of the bolt a is continued its upper end a guided in a bracket a³, strikes the
levor pivoted at, the extreme end of which bearing against a stud will raise the
lever. The object of the lever is to reduce the way of the bolt a, in order to effect
that the least ascending motion of the bolt will cause all parts of the fare indicating
mechanism and the hand z to suddenly occupy their initial position.

page_text: The point of the pawl c meshing the wheel d is somewhat longer than that of the
pawl cl in order to cause the latter to precede pawl c in releasing its ratchet-wheel d'
and the return movement of the same and of the hand z secured on the same shaft by
action of a spiral spring d³ (Figure 6) when the lever i is but very little lifted, while
the second ratchet-wheel d loosely attached to the shaft is still locked by the pawl c.
The ratchet wheel d will continue its return motion until the stud k will bear against
the blunt end of the lever (Figure 7). This position of the stud k is that in which
the hand z will point to zero.
The raising of the lever i will furthermore cause by means of the stud /¹ the pawl l
to release the sinall wheel ' because at the same time the stud e' has moved along the
upper curved part of the pawl 7 and thus bringing it out of gear with the wheel P.
The latter and the dial m, both fixed to the same shaft, will now return to their zero
position by action of the spiral spring e³ (Figures 3 and 4).
At the same time however also the pawl will be released from the influence of the
stud fixed to the lever thereby allowing the ratchet-wheel e acted upon by a
spring g secured to the wheel and bearing against the crank g₁, to revolve so much
that the pin g, entering the slot e' will travel from one end of the same to the other.
The pin is now occupying the position in the slot e as shown in Figure 3 and
may advance in the direction of the arrow without any effect upon the ratchet-wheel e.
The length of the slot el corresponds to a minimum fare, which in the present case
is equivalent to the pitch of five teeth of the ratchet-wheels d and d. While the
lever (Figure 7) is raised also the arm b with the pawls c, c' attached thereto have to
quit five teeth of the ratchet-wheels d, d', as the projection 6' of the arm b was guided
meanwhile along the edge 6 of the plate A.
As soon as the bolt a acted upon by a spring a³ is lowered at the beginning of
another ride, the lever i and all parts connected with the same turn into the position,
as shown in Figure 3; the ratchet-wheels d, d being rotated an angle equal to the
pitch of five teeth and the hand advances to the same extent to indicate the
minimum fare. The ratchet-wheels will at first not be effected further by the
clockwork or by the other mechanism until the stud g in the slote strikes the opposite
end of the said slot; which will occur as soon as the vehicle has passed a certain
distance or a certain time has elapsed equivalent to tho determined minimum fare;
i.e., 50 cents in the present case. Now the ratchet-wheel e will actuate the pawl h
and the other parts of the apparatus as described above.
The wheel d adapted to turn only in one direction on its shaft continuously serves
to sum up the fares indicated by the hand and the small dial m. by transmitting
motion to the dials pyst. As each tooth of the ratchet wheels d d corresponds to
one division of the main dial, and as the latter is composed of fifty divisions, the
ratchet wheels d d are to have fifty teeth each. At every tenth tooth the wheel d has
small studs r, the object of which is to mesh with the dial p. Every stud r gearing
with the dial p, periodically locked by a spring u will cause the latter to make one
tenth of a full revolution. The dials pst gearing with another form a counting-
apparatus as frequently used for different purposes. The disc q will make one
revolution when the disc has made ten, and the other dials work in the same
proportion, so that the dial t will indicate the thousands, dials the hundreds, dial y the
tens and the dial p the units. The respective numbers will appear beneath the small
holes in the main dial plate. Through the hole in the dial plate the
ratchet wheel d can be observed which has as many divisions as there are teeth, every
division is equivalent to ten cents. In this way the cab-holder will always be able to
control the amount of money the driver has received during a day, week or month as
long as the amount paid by the passenger does not exceed the sum of $9999, 9 cts.
With this new improved apparatus the coachman cannot defraud the passenger, as
has been the case with former apparatus, because if the driver tries to turn the hand =
of the otherwise secured dial plate by lifting the disengaging bolt a, as was formerly
the case, the hand will return to its zero position and cannot by any means he moved
further, than the minimum fure i.e. 50 cents. The result of such experiment of

page_text: the driver would be that he had to refund a larger amount of money to the cab-holder
than he has received from his passengers.
The dial tc (Figure 5) is to register the full distance travelled by the vehicle or by
the horse during the course of a day or part of the day it is operated by means of
the lever 1, in the manner described in the specification of the above mentioned
British Letters Patent No. 3721 and it need not therefore be herein explained as it
formis no part of this invention.
The mechanism by which a different unit of fare is indicated for day or night
hiring or when the cab is occupied by more than a predetermined number of
passengers is hereinafter described.
A forked arm K pivoted at K³ carries at its terminals the discs K' and K² and
connected with its hub are three studs N, N', N. The stud N enters into the
square slot of a lover L pivoted at L, for which the strap L serves as a guide.
To the extreme end of the lever Lat La link L' is connected, the lower end of
which is jointed at L to a quadrant or excentric M (Figure 2). The quadrant M
pivoted at 12 is provided with a projection M' against which the operating har E
strikes, whon being oscillated by the oxcentric or cam of the hind wheel of the
vehicle. According to the relative position of the nose M³ the angle of oscillation of
the rod E and consequently of the pawl E suspended thereto can be easily adjusted
so as to allow the latter to advance for either one two or more teeth toward the ratchet
wheel and to turn the latter at every oscillation of said rod E respectively, and in
necordance thorowith all the mechanism employed in this fare-indicating apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings (Figure 1) the dise K2 is situated just in the centre
Ime of the whole apparatus and adapted to be under the control of the passenger. In
the present arrangement and in the position as shown in Figure 2 the projection M³ of
the quadrant Al is met by the actuating rod E and the pawl E is adapted to advance
for two teeth of the ratchet-wheel Fat overy oscillation of the bar E. If however
the arm K is moved by means of a special key suited to the two studs N1, N2, so that
it will have the position as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 or in full lines in
Figure 3, the dise K' will occupy the position of the dise K³, whereby the
link Lis caused to turn the quadrant Al with its nose M' in such a manner, that
the angle of oscillation of the rod will be increased and a greater number of
teeth passed by tho pawl E, when actuating the wheel F.
The motion so imparted to the wheel is transmitted by its shaft B and suitable
gearing upon the registering and controlling mechanism of the apparatus. As how-
over this gearing and the mode of its operation upon the dial-work does not form a
part of this present invention it is not specifically illustrated or described.
The essential moans employed therefor are not particularly distinguished from those
illustrated and described in the specification of the former Letters Patent heretoforo
referred to.
99
With regard to this arrangement the disc K² may be marked for example "One
or two passengers" or "day-rate" and the disc K₁ "Three or four passengors
"Night-rate."
ог
Instead of the quadrant M connected to the lever L by the aid of the link L',
an arm ML may be rigidly attached to the latter. This arm being provided with two
or more gradually arranged stops, against which bears the pin or nose M' of the
oscillating bar E so that according to the position of said lever L the nose M
strikes against the surface of the first or second or another stop when actuated and
therefore the angle of oscillation of this operating bar E is limited in correspondence
with the desired fare us aforesaid. In this case however the link L' is to be
guided in such a manner that only a to- and fro-movement of the arm M³ can be effected.
Although in the foregoing description dollars and conts denote the standard of
value upon which the action of the apparatus is based, it will be evident and I
wish it understood, that the proportions of the latter may easily be altered so as
to correspond with another standard of value and without departing beyond the
limits of the present invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign Correspondent I declare that what claim is :-
First. In combination with an apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due
on a cab or other vehicles, the mechanism by which the apparatus is regulated to
indicate a different unit of fare and essentially consisting in a quadrant or an
excentric M, provided with one or more projections M* or in any equivalent arrange-
ment to determine the angle of oscillation of the rod E and of the pawl E³ sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination of
the quadrant or eccentric M provided with one or more projections M² or of any
equivalent arrangement to determine the angle of oscillation of the rod E with the
connecting rod Ĺ, the lever L and the arm K engaging with the former and carrying
the indicating diss K' K² all substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with an apparatus for automatically indicating the fare due
on a cab or other vehicle, the crank g' fixed to the main shaft D' and having a stud
or pin g which enters the slot e¹ of a ratchet wheel e and a spring g² bearing against
said crank g substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination of
the crank g fixed to the main shaft D and having a stud or pin g which enters the
slot e¹ of ratchet-wheel e with a pawl / engaging with said ratchet-wheel and pivoted
to a lever, the stud h' of which bears against the pawl substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Fifth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs or other vehicles the combination of
the lever i actuated from the ratchet-wheel e with the arm & carrying the pawls c cl
which mesh with the ratchet-wheels d and and the projection of which is
guided along the edge 6 of the plate A substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Sixth. In fare indicating apparatus for cubs and other vehicles the combination of
the ratchet-wheel with a spiral spring one end of which is connected to a second
spring which is only held by friction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs or other vehicles the combination
of the ratchet-wheel d' with the pawl n n the arm of which bears against a
shoulder a of the disengaging bolt a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination
of the bolt a with the lever bearing against a stud of the lever i, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Ninth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination of
the ratchet-wheel d¹ with a stud k bearing against the blunt end of the lever k³,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Tenth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination of
the stud & with the lever carrying a pawl which meshes with a ratchet-wheel /¹
attached to the shaft of the disc m, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles, the combination
of the pawl with the pawl engaging with the ratchet-wheel 1, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. In fare indicating apparatus for cabs and other vehicles the combination of
the pawls and ratchet-wheel with the stud or projection h¹ of the lever i, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 25th day of March 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.