IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGISTERING THE ENTRY AND EXIT OF PERSONS INTO AND FROM OMNIBUSSES, TRAM CARS, AND LIKE VEHICLES."
Year: 1878

page_text: $
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Albert Gordon Smith at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1878.
ALBERT GORDON SMITH, of Wrotham Road, Gravesend, in the County of Kent
IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGISTERING THE ENTRY AND EXIT OF PERSONS INTO
AND FROM OMNIBUSSES, TRAM CARS, AND LIKE VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for registering the entry and exit
of persons into and from omnibusses, tram cars, and like vehicles, and consists of a
frame fitted under the floor of an omnibus or like vehicle. This frame has within
it a couple of barrels, one of which takes a strip of paper or canvas from the other
through the action of gearing under the control of a shaft, having an universal
joint connection with a star wheel fitted to a portion of the vehicle close to one of
the travelling wheels. The star wheel is geared into by a second star wheel, so
that it moves a step only at each revolution of the 2nd one. The 2nd one
likewise is geared into by a 3rd star wheel, the 3rd star wheel takes its motion
from a projection on the hub or nave of the travelling wheel. On the shaft that
actuates the draw roller is a bevilled toothed wheel gearing into a pinion on a
spindle at right angles thereto. This spindle receives an intermittent angular
motion at each motion of the first-mentioned star wheel. On this spindle is fixed
a cam, which lifts the pauls off from ratchet wheels (hereafter described), and
allows two rack bars to move endwise, the rack bars having lugs fitted for carrying
needles or piercing points for piercing the paper when a depression of the lower
step of the vehicle occurs.
Two steps are used fitted to rise under the action of springs after each depression
by the tread of the person entering or leaving the vehicle. At each depression' the
steps act upon rock levers, whose inner ends carry slip pauls. That from the lower
step acts upon a hinged plate, in which slides a slotted plate, the solid portions of
which comes into contact with the tails of the needles or piercing points, and force
them through the paper or canvas, then slips past the frame, and allows the needle
to return to their former position, the paul resuming its former position ready to
work through the action of the spring on its rock lever immediately the step is
released.

page_text: The slip paul from the upper step comes into contact with a pair of levers, to
which are attached two draw pauls; these actuate two saw-shaped masked rachet
wheels, to the working wheels of which are connected two pinions, which move
the above-mentioned racks. One of the draw pauls has a tail piece, which engages
with an arm on a spindle carrying a tumbler, a claw of which draws a sliding plate
outwards, and a bellied portion pushes it in, a spring compelling the tumbler to be
always in contact with the sliding plate.
The paper is of sufficient length to last, say one day, for a thirty mile travel,
and each length of paper is easily adjusted upon one of the rollers by a clip bar
before it is rolled thereon, the other or free end of the paper being fixed upon the
other roller in a similar manner.
The rollers can be easily slipped off from their axles by simply removing an end
plate, which could be under the care of a responsible person, and removed only at
fixed intervals of time.
By this Invention the entry of passengers is registered by punctures made on
one side of the centre line of the paper or canvas, and their exit by punctures on
the opposite side of the centre line, the punctures during the intermittent motion
of the paper occuring in a straight line at right angles to centre line of paper at
convenient distances apart, starting from the centre line towards the outer edge.
I fit a separate punch or blade to a spindle, which can be caused to puncture
the paper by the movement of a button or other appliance at any desired place.