An Improved Detector Apparatus for Showing the Time Worked and for Preventing Fraud by Workpeople on Employers and others.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June. 1887
Complete Left, 13th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 8th June, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Detector Apparatus for Showing the Time Worked
and for Preventing Fraud by Workpeople on Employers and
others.
"
I, JOSEPH BURCH of Highfield House Stepping Hill near Stockport in the County
of Chester Consulting Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be "AN LMPROVED, DETECTOR APPARATUS FOR SHOWING THE TIME WORKED AND
FOR PREVENTING FRAUD BY WORKPEOPLE ON EMPLOYERS AND OTHERS," to be as
follows:-
In many large Corporations, manufacturing and other establishments, every newly
engaged worker receives a' check or token bearing a consecutive number, and in the
Books of his employers the amount of time worked and wages earned is generally
known and distinguished by his number and not by his name.
It is known that amongst a certain class of workpeople such as day laborers and
others a fraudulent system of what is termed "working the checks" has frequently
prevailed. This system consists in two or more workpeople conspiring together to
obtain full wages for each, whilst actually only one goes to work, which one when
commencing labour for the day or after meals, deposits in the appointed place
unobserved, not only his own check but the checks of his confederates, thereby
enabling them to obtain wages, they never earned, and by this means Corporations
and other employers of labour have been defrauded of considerable sums of money.
Now the object of my invention is not only to ascertain the time that each of the
Workpeople returns to his or her work, but also to prevent the nefarious practice of
working the checks," and when such is attempted, to detect the delinquent and
detain him until his own name and the names of his confederates are clearly
ascertained.
'The checks or tokens suitable for my purpose are circular pieces of bronze about
the size of a crown piece and about th of an inch thick; impressed on one side
with a progressive number, so that no two checks are numbered alike, and on the
other side with the name of the Corporation or firm who employ and to whom it
belongs.
4
"

page_text: Now it is very certain that a delinquent who surreptitiously deposits in the
Receiver on returning to work one or more checks in addition to his own, would take
care to do it quietly and unobserved, and as there will be nothing to indicate the
presence of an extra check or checks such extra checks must themselves be made
the unfailing instruments of detection, and to this end my invention consists as
follows:-
I employ two turnstiles placed a suitable distance apart in a passage or entry
through which all the workpeople as they severally arrive, successively pass. These
Turnstiles are double the usual height, the arms of each being capable of barring the
passage from floor to ceiling. They are free to turn only in one direction, and are
so constructed and disposed, that the extreme ends of the four radial arms of each
which in the form of a cross are 90° apart, pass close to say the left side wall of the
passage which may be hollowed out or shaped accordingly. By means of rollers and
inclines beneath the floor, both turnstiles are when making one fourth of a revolution
caused to rise during about 40°, of the movement, then move on a level for about 10°,
and gravitate during the remaining 40° thereby regulating their own normal position
when at rest, which consists of two of the arms of each turnstile being on a line that
intersects their axis, say North and South respectively, whilst their other two arms
point East and West. "So far both Turnstiles are complete as seen in the passage,
No. 1 being nearest the entrance, and No. 2 near to the exit to the works. Beneath
the floor on the vertical axis of No. 2 is the detecter wheel-This wheel has a broad
flange projecting all round from the underside of the rim; it is fitted to turn with the
axis of No. 2, but does not rise and gravitato with it. The flango is divided to corre-
spond with the four nominal positions of the turnstile and intermediately 45° from
each division, a notch is made in the edge of the flange to receive the end of a falling
bolt, which otherwise rides upon the flange and is so placed that it cannot be reached
and raised excepting by the person who is passing through.
On arriving the Workpeople in succession enter through No. 1 Turnstile which is
made free to turn as soon as the person preceding has passed out through No. 2.
Having passed through No. 1 the worker deposits his or her check in a narrow slotted
opening made in a receiver which opening is sufficiently large freely to admit the
check edgewise. The receiver is fixed on the upper end of a guiding tube, through
which there is a narrow passage corresponding in size with the slotted opening, and
down which the check passes in the direction of the projecting flange of the detecter
wheel about two inches above which the tube suddenly terminates. A small piece
which I call the "auxiliar" forms a continuation of the tubular passage but is so
independently fixed that it neither touches the flange of the wheel beneath it, nor
the end of the tube above it, there being fully a quarter of an inch space left between
it and the lower end of the tube, which space I call the "crevice."
The detecters,
which consist of four projecting flat pieces of steel or iron about th of an inch
thick, are so fixed 90° apart upon the upper side of the rim of the detecter
Wheel, that their projecting ends pass freely through the crevice when there is no
obstruction.
Now so long as only one check is deposited in the Receiver by each of the Work-
people as they severally arrive and pass through No. 1 Turnstile, all that they have
to do while passing through and out between the arms of No. 2 Turnstile is to lift
the falling bolt out of the notch in the flange of the detecter wheel. The bolt is so
placed that it can only be reached and lifted by the person passing through and
when in the notch it locks the turnstile, so that it must be lifted before the person
can pass out to his or her work. The check deposited having passed down through
the tube into the auxiliar, remains there resting edgewise upon the flange of the
detecter wheel until it falls through one of four openings made in the flange
which openings come under the auxiliar in rotation, just before the arms of No. 2
Turnstile arrive at one of their four normal positions.
But if a delinquent having passed through No. 1 turnstile, unobserved and silently
deposits two or more checks his own and the other or others belonging to confederates,"
the first check deposited falls edgewise right through the guiding tube into the

page_text: auxiliar and is stopped by the flange; the second cheque falling through the tube
will be stopped by and will rest upon the edge of the first, the lower half or portion
of it being in the auxiliar, and its upper half or portion in the bottom of the tube
so that it completely blocks the crevice. Having done thus much he proceeds to
pass out between the arms of No. 2 Turnstile but is stopped in an intermediate
position by the falling bolt. This however he is in the position to lift, but imme-
diately afterwards the turnstile is stopped by one of the detecters coming in contact
with the check that blocks the crevice, and as the turnstile is prevented turning
back by a ratchet wheel and spring pawl, the delinquent remains à prisoner between
its arms.
Or, supposing a delinquent attempts to turn No. 2 Turnstile without going
between its arms; when the bolt falls he becomes a Prisoner between the two
Turnstiles.
And any person attempting to pass out on the opposite side between the arms
of No. 1 turnstile, or in between the arms of No. 2, will be stopped and captured
between the arms of either by means of spring bolts or catches.
When the Checks fall through the openings made in the flange for that purpose,
they alight in one of a certain number of receptacles made in the upper side of a
time wheel, which is moved by simple clockwork or otherwise either continuously
or at intervals regulated according to the number of receptacles in the Wheel, which
must make one complete revolution in an hour-thus, twelve receptacles would give
5 minute intervals, fifteen receptacles four minute intervals, and twenty receptacles,
intervals of 3 minutes each, and so on.
This time wheel need not be kept in constant motion, as an hour after the usual
time of commencing work in the morning, and an hour after each meal will be
sufficient, and it must be under the control and superintendence of a trustworthy
incorruptible, honest time keeper, who will clear the checks, keep the time account
and do all that is required to be done in that department.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Detector Apparatus for Showing the Time Worked
and for Preventing Fraud by Workpeople on Employers and
others.
I, JOSEPH BURCH of Highfield House, Stepping Hill, near Stockport, in the
County of Chester, Consulting Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In many large, corporations, manufacturing and other establishments, every newly
engaged worker receives a check or token bearing a consecutive number, and in the
books of his employers the amount of time worked and wages earned, is generally
known and distinguished by his number and not by his nanie.
It is known that amongst a certain class of workpeople such as day labourers and
others, a fraudulent system of what is termed "working the checks" has frequently
prevailed. This system consists in two or more work people conspiring together to
obtain full wages for each, while actually only one goes to work, which one when
commencing labour for the day or after meals, deposits in the appointed place
unobserved, not only his own check but also the checks of his confederates, thereby
enabling them to obtain wages they never earned, and by this means, corporations,
and other employers of labour have been defrauded of considerable sums of money.
Now the object of my invention is not only to ascertain the time within a few
minutes that each of the workpeople returns to his or her work, but also to prevent the
nefarious practico of "working the checks," and whenever such is attempted, to detect
the delinquent and detain him until his own identity and the name or names of his
confederates are clearly ascertained.
The ordinary checks or tokens in general use are suitable for the purpose. They
consist of circular pieces of bronze about the size of a crown piece, and rather under
th of an inch thick impressed on one side with a progressive number and on the
obverse side with the name of the corporation or firm who employ, and to whom they
belong.
Now it is very certain that any delinquent who surreptitiously deposits in the
receiver of the apparatus on returning to his work one or more. checks in addition to
his own, would be careful to do it stealthily and unobserved, and as there will be no
visible sign to indicate the presence in the apparatus of an extra check or checks,
such extra checks are therefore according to this invention necessarily made the
unfailing instruments of detection.
Beyond its present use as a detector, it will when its detecting power becomes known,
always act as a deterrent, for no workman possessed of the smallest atom of common
sense, would ever attempt or dare to deposit more than his own check in the face of a
certainty of its being immediately discovered and himself covered with disgrace,

page_text: Also the daily usefulness of the apparatus in ascertaining the time the several
employés of an establishment return to work, either in the morning or after meals,
will go on day after day continuously and unerringly.
According to circumstances either of cost, space, or preference I employ for the
purposes of my invention, either one or two turnstiles, the first to be passed through
when two are used, and acting simply as a safeguard to the other, the check depository
being disposed at one side in the space intervening between them. But the second is
the principal operating turnstile, carrying and controlling all the essential actuating
and other parts, and by the transposition of the check depository and the time wheel
it is complete in itself and may be employed alone, especially where cost and space
have to be considered. The turnstiles employed, whether singly or in pairs, are about
double the usual height, so as to be capable of blocking the passage from the floor to
the ceiling of the entry in which they are placed. They are freo to turn only in one
direction and are so disposed, that the extreme ends of their four radial arms, which in
the form of a cross are 90° apart, when turning pass close to the side walls of the
passage, which must be hollowed out or shaped accordingly. The turnstiles when
either one or two are employed are, whilst making th of a revolution, caused to rise
during about 40°.of the movement, then when in intermediate position move
level for about 10°, and gravitate during the remaining 40°, thereby regulating and
stopping in their own normal position, which consists of two of the arms being length-
wise of the passage and the other two crosswise as seen in Figs. 1 and 7, the inter-
mediate position of the arms being shown in Figs. 5 and 6 on Sheet 2..
on a
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents a. plan and Fig. 2 an elevation of the operating
turnstile in connection with the figures on sheet 2, where Fig. 5 represents a plan and
Fig. 6 an elevation of a safeguarding turnstile, and Fig. 3 on Sheet 1 and Fig. 4 on
Sheet 2 show two ways of stopping and releasing the revolving tube of each. On
Sheet 3, Fig. 7 shows a plan and Fig. 8 an elevation of a complete turnstile to be
employed alone, Figs. 9 and 10 and the Figs. 11 to 17 on Sheet 4 are operating
details, (viz.) Fig. 9 showing the auxiliar H in position, and Fig. 10 shows it detached.
Fig. 11. exhibits the method by which the detector wheel D is actuated by the spur
wheel C, the detector wheel remaining stationery whilst the spur wheel moves up and
down, both wheels turning at the same speed. Fig. 12. shows a plan of the detector
wheel of Figs. 7. & 8 on Sheet 3. Fig. 13. is a plan of the time wheel E. Fig. 14.
is a section of the time wheel. Fig. 15. shows a plan of the broad flange F on the
revolving tube j and the position of the receiver slot g when the arms are in inter-
mediate, position,, and Fig. 16 shows the position of the receiver opening in the
flange F when the arms of the turnstyle are normally at rest.
The arrows denote
the direction in which the workpeople pass through the apparatus.
The principal operative parts are arranged concentrically beneath the floor. The
lower end of the axis of the main operating turnstile forming the centre.
These parts
are inounted on antifriction rollers to avoid friction, and make them easy to move.
B marks the foot stand, and a small b marks the cain circle which causes the turn-
stiles to rise and fall as the anti-friction rollers a² pass round, resting on the top of the
undulating cam circle b, the studs on which the rollers revolve, being screwed into
the enlargement a fixed on the axis of the turnstile. Above the enlargement also.
fixed on the axis beneath the floor is a spur wheel with 80 teeth and marked C. This
wheel carries the ratchet circle c' which by means of three pawls jointed to the under-
side of the floor, prevents the turnstiles being turned backwards. The spur wheel C
engages with a broad intervening wheel with 20 teeth marked I, which in turn.
actuates another wheel with 20 teeth marked J, that is fixed on the lower end of j¹,.
which marks the revolving tube of each turnstyle. These tubes by means of the.
gearing wheels make one complete revolution every time a person passes through and
moves the turnstyle 90°, and their special use will be explained further on. b' unrks the
detector wheel circle of the Foot stand, and d³ marks the anti-friction supporting
rollers whereon D, which marks the detector wheel, is placed. D¹ marks the
detectors and (see Figs. 11 & 12) the actuators which, by means of the fixed
vertical drivers C, that are fixed to the spur wheel C, (see Figs. 2 & 11) cause the

page_text: detector wheel to revolve with the turnstyle witbont rising or falling with it. d marks
the flange of the detector wheel, d³ the stop notches in its outer edge, and shows
the four check ways in the flange, and through which the checks fall into the check
holders e, of the time wheel E beneath. When two turnstyles are employed the time
wheel E is placed intermediately between them beneath the floor, sce sheets 1 & 2, but
when only one complete operating turnstyle is used the time wheel E is mounted
resting on the antifriction rollers e' which revolve on studs fixed in the time wheel'
circle of the foot stand. In the intermediate space between the turnstyles
(see Fig. 1), F marks the check receiver in the passage in which the workpeople as
they pass through deposit their checks and G is the guiding tube which forms the
communication between the receiver F, and H which marks the auxiliar, the check
passing edgewise down the tube into the auxiliar direct, its edge resting lightly on the
flange of the detector wheel D, inside the vertical passage of the auxiliar, in addition
to which there is a transverse slot which is called the crevice, and is marked 7.
(see Fig. 10 on sheet 3). The auxiliar is formed on the end of a lever marked / and
is free to move on its fixed fulcrum . The four detectors marked D¹ are fixed 90°
apart upon the upper rim of the detector wheel, the four stop notches d³ in the edge
of the flange being slightly in advance and the four check ways d through which the
checks fall into the check holders of the time wheel being a short distance behind,
and so long as there is no obstruction the detectors pass freely through the crevice in
the auxiliar, but if an extra check be deposited, it rests in the auxiliar edgewise upon
the first, right across the crevice (see Fig. 8), which is so blocked that the detectors
cannot pass through, and as the turnstyle will not turn back, it becomes fixed in the
intermediate position, and the depositor of the two checks is trapped between
its arms.
The attendant then by means of the auxiliar lever h¹, moves the auxiliar off the
flange of the detector wheel, and the two checks dropping out, their numbers are
taken, and by this means the name of the depositor of the checks, who is set free to be
dealt with afterwards, and the name of his confederate will become known. I, marks
the broad intervening wheel with 20 teeth; by means of this wheel, the tube wheel J
which is fixed on the lower end of the vertical revolving tube j' is caused to rotate,
3 marks an opening in the tube, and N³, an opening in the wall of the entry which
two openings coincide in position only when the arms of the turnstyle are in the
intermediate position, and the latter is stopped there automatically by either a spring
catch lever K or a falling bolt marked Las are seen respectively in the Figs. 3 & 4
on sheets 1 & 2 and it will also be noted that the tube opening cannot be reached
excepting a person is at that time between the arms, for the coincidence in the position
of the two openings and N2 changes the moment the turnstyle moves forward, but
being there he can set the turnstyle free by reaching his hand through the openings
and either pulling the top end of the catch lever K towards himself, (see Fig. 3) or
lifting the falling bolt L, (see Fig. 4 sheet 2) according to the method employed for
automatically stopping the revolving tube. The catch lever, and the falling bolt are
both free and do not revolve with the tube. In one arrangement the lower end of the
spring catch lever K engages with one of the notches d³ in the flange of the detector
wheel, and in the other arrangement, the lower end of the falling bolt L, enters a hole
in the tube wheel J. M marks the tube stand, m, the vertical bolt stand, L the falling
bolt, the small lifting lever and the top cap.
When an operating turnstyle is employed alone (see Figs. 7 & 8 sheet 3) the position
of the check receiver F, is changed and a broad flange F¹ is horizontally fixed on the
revolving tube J. Made in this flange is a small slot or opening 9, which, when the
turnstyle is stopped automatically, becomes the check receiver; it is then immediately
over the guiding tube G and the lower end of the tube is immediately over the
auxiliar, into which as the checks are deposited they fall direct. H³ marks the auxiliar
in its new position; it is attached to a ring that loosely embraces the lower end of the
revolving tube J' and when required is moved by the handle H³..
The time wheel E must be made to make by means of any suitable clockwork, one
complete revolution in an hour. It need not be kept in constant motion, as an hour after

page_text: the usual time of commencing work in the morning and an hour after each meal will
be sufficient, and it must be under the control and superintendence of a trustworthy
honest time keeper, who will clear the checks, keep the time account and do all that
is required to be done in that department.
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 :-
First. I claim the construction of detector apparatus capable with either one or two
turnstyles of detecting and detaining those work people who practice the nefarious
system of working the checks" that is, depositing in the receiver of the apparatus,
not only their check but also the check of some other person for the purpose of enabling
such person to obtain payment of wages he never earned.
Second. I claim the combining with such detector apparatus, of means and appli-
ances actuated by clockwork for the purpose of ascertaining the time of the return of
work people severally to commence work in the morning, to resume work after meals
and otherwise.
Third. I claim the concentric disposal on anti-friction rollers of the principal opera-
ting parts of detector apparatus, and the use therewith of the revolving tubes, for the
purposes herein described.
Fourth. I claim the use of a tube of suitable construction for guiding the checks to
the auxiliar, as they are deposited in the receiver, and also the construction of the
auxiliar with a vertical check passage, and a transverse crevice for the passage of the
detectors, as herein described.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant..