IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC REGISTERING AND CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Beck, of 139 Cannon Street, in the City
of London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC REGISTERING AND CONTROLLING APPARATUS
FOR CARRIAGES communicated to him, from abroad by Xavier Portafax,
Physician in the French Navy, residing at Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Beck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October 1882.
"
WILLIAM HENRY BECK of 139 Cannon Street in the City of London, Con-
sulting Engineer and Patent Agent, IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC REGISTERING
AND CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES" [communicated to him from
abroad by Xavier Portafax, Physician in the French Navy, residing at Paris, in
the Republic of France.]
'
The object of the present invention is to produce an arrangement for registering
and controlling automatically the journeys made by hackney or other carriages and
the receipts of the drivers, that is to say, for registering, on an endless band to
which a uniform traversing motion is imparted, the time that the carriage has
remained at rest and the time it has been occupied, whether engaged by the
journey or by the hour, and whether within certain defined limits or beyond them,
as for example whether within a town or beyond its boundaries. Certain accessory
arrangements allow the traveller or any one connected with the control to assure
himself at any moment by external indications, whether the apparatus registers in
conformity with the hiring contract of the said traveller.
The controlling apparatus is connected to the seat of the carriage by mechanism
which, at the moment the traveller enters, effects the action of the corresponding
registering and controlling parts.
The automatic controller is composed essentially of a clockwork movement
exactly the same as an ordinary watch, but of sufficient power to rotate a cylinder
of about, say six centimetres in circumference, and of say three and a half

page_text: centimetres in length which draws forward a paper and in
mobile drum.
This band of paper is divided longitudinally into, for example, four equal parts,
and transversely into bands of five millimetres width. As the band of paper
advances over the cylinder at the rate of sixty millimetres an hour, each cross
stroke on line represents five minutes.
Four springs are fastened by one of their ends to a fixed piece; the other ends,
serving as tracing points, rest lightly on the paper band at a point where is placed
a bearing which supports the band without friction. These four springs correspond
to the four longitudinal strips of the band of paper, and trace four lines thereon
during its movement of translation. If a mechanism be provided which allows of
raising any one, or several of these springs at once, and consequently of removing
the tracing point or points from the paper, one or several lines may be traced on
the said paper at pleasure and the length of these lines will indicate the time
during which the point or points have been left in contact with the said paper.
This mechanism is of the following character: In order to raise the first spring
there is placed by the side thereof a bar or rod carrying a staple. In the upward
sliding movement of this rod the staple meets and raises the said first spring and
as the rod is always pressed upwards by a pressure spring, the said first spring is
kept raised, also except when the tracing point is required to mark. In order to
allow the first spring to mark on the paper it is necessary to draw down the
aforesaid rod;
•
When the passenger takes his place on the seat of the carriage the said seat is
depressed and pulls a cord which draws down the rod. The line drawn by the first
spring indicates the length of time that the passenger will have remained seated.
For the other three springs the mechanism is different. The second spring for
example carries at a certain point of its lower face a projection which rests upon a
wheel or cam that can be turned by means of a. handle operated by the driver.
This wheel or cam is placed so that it raises the aforesaid projection during three
fourths of a revolution of the said, wheel or cam whilst a notch formed on one
fourth of the circumference thereof allows the said projection to fall when the
latter comes opposite the said notch, and then the point of the second spring can
draw a line on the paper. Now supposing similar mechanism to be applied to the
third and fourth springs and that the three wheels or cams are fixed on a single
axis in such manner that by turning this axis by a handle into the four positions
upwards, to the right, downwards, and to the.left, any two or three springs can be
raised at pleasure, the trace of one of the three springs can be obtained. This result
may also be obtained by replacing the three wheels or cams with a cylinder carrying
three hollows in which the projections of the springs engage.
Supposing the handle to turn over a dial face; when there is no one in the
carriage, the handle should occupy say the downward position. When a passenger
enters the carriage his presence is marked by a line drawn on the band of paper
by the first spring. If he has liired the carriage by the journey the driver will
place the handle in the right hand position, and there will be a line drawn on the
paper by the second spring, equal in length to that drawn by the first spring, for
as soon as the passenger leaves the carriage, the driver replaces the handle into
the downward position and then none of tlie springs will trace on the paper.
Supposing that a passenger has taken the carriage by the hour at the moment
when the cross line on the paper corresponding to a quarter to one o'clock is
opposite the tracing points a line will be commenced by the first spring at that
cross line, and the driver, by putting the handle in the vertical position, will
commence to draw a line by the third spring which line also commences at the
same cross line. At five minutes past one the passenger leaves the carriage to
make a call, for example, the passenger's line drawn by the first spring is interrupted
and recommences say a quarter of an hour after when the passenger takes his seat
again in the carriage, but the driver's line continues without interruption as far as
.

page_text: say the cross line corresponding to ten minutes to two or up to the moment when
the passenger finally leaves the carriage.
If the passenger takes the carriage to go beyond a certain boundary the driver.
places the handle in the left hand position and a line is drawn by the fourth
spring..
In order to mark packages on the paper band an analogous arrangement is
employed. Supposing three blades of steel forming springs which for convenience
may be called the package springs and numbered 1, 2, 3, each being secured at one
end to a fixed piece, and each terminated by a marking point at the other end
which end is kept removed from the paper except when pressed against it by the
following mechanism. Below the three springs is placed a cylinder carrying a
projection at each of three extremities of two perpendicular diameters in such
manner that these projections come to press successively upon the three springs
when the cylinder is rotated and force the points of the springs to prick the paper.
When the driver has three packages he causes the cylinder to rotate by means of a
handle which he places in say the left hand position;-when he has discharged the
packages he places the handle in say the lower position, when no further mark will
be made on the paper. If he has only one or two packages, he stops the handle in
the right hand or in the upper position and there are only one or two points
marked on the paper.
If therefore, the driver is honest all that is done during the day will be marked
on the paper and one will be able to ascertain whether the journeys made have
been before or after midnight by calculating the point of the paper band which
was under the tracing points at midnight, which is easily done because the
movement of the paper is uniform and it is divided into intervals of five minutes
each.
In order to guard against a dishonest driver or conductor, the following
arrangements are made:-
In the first place, the box containing the apparatus has a clockwork mechanism;
and is placed under the seat of the driver in such manner that one of its faces
(that against which the clock movement is placed) is visible to the passenger,
and by placing an ordinary clock dial face, the hour may be indicated to him.
At the sides of the dial face are two rectangular openings. Behind each of these
openings is a cylinder or prism which turns on its axis so as to present all its
faces in succession to the opening. This rotary movement is communicated to
the cylinders or prism by means of simple gearing. At the moment when the
third spring (that which indicates upon the paper that the carriage is taken by
the hour within the boundary) is caused to make a mark there appears at one
of the openings, one face of its cylinder or prism on which is marked the words
by the hour" aud the price per hour. The other cylinder or prism is marked
on one of its faces with the words "packages, two pence" for example which
appear when one point only is marked on the paper, another face is marked with
the words "packages, four pence" for example which appear when two points
have been marked, and so on
"
Besides this internal control there is also an external one by means of two
openings formed on the sides of the driver's seat by the side of the lantern.
Behind the upper opening which is larger than the lower one is a cube turning on
itself round a vertical axis; one face of this cube is white with the word
disengaged" written on it; the two next faces are black with the word "hired"
written on them; the last face is red. The circular movement of a handle
causes the rotation of this cube which according to the position of the said handle
When the carriage
will present to the opening the white black or red faces.
"
passes beyond the boundary the red mark is visible to an employé of the carriage
proprietor placed there, the same red mark should also be visible when it passes
the boundary on returning. Similarly for the packages. Behind the lower
opening is another small cube similar in all respects to the cube behind the

page_text: upper opening, and carrying on its faces the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3—The rotation of
the package handle causes the said cube to turn in the same way as the other
handle turns the other cube and by a similar mechanism so that when the package
handle stands at 0, 1, 2, 3 the corresponding figures 0, 1, 2, 3, are seen. behind the
lower opening and no driver will risk putting the figure 1 when he has 2 or 3
packages on the carriage, for the first policeman could detect him. To still further
facilitate public control the openings and the mechanism may be repeated on both
Bides of the carriage.,
For journeys, or for hirings by the hour whether in the town or beyond the
boundary a study of the lines drawn on the paper render it easy to detect
dishonesty of the driver even without external control.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Henry Beck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1883.
WILLIAM HENRY BECK of 139 Cannon Street in the City of London, Con-
sulting Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC REGISTERING,
AND CONTROLLING. APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES" [communicated to him from
abroad by Xavier Portafax, Physician in the French Navy, residing at Paris; in
the Republic of France.]
The object of the present invention is to produce an arrangement for registering
and controlling automatically the journeys made by hackney or other carriages,
and the receipts of the drivers, that is to say, for registering, on an endless band to
which a uniform traversing motion is imparted, the time that the carriage has
remained at rest, and the time it has been occupied, whether engaged by the
journey or by the hour, and whether within certain defined limits, or beyond them;
as for example, whether within a town; or beyond its boundaries. Certain
accessory. arrangements allow the traveller, or any one connected with the control,.
to assure himself at any moment by external indications, whether the apparatus
registers in conformity with the hiring contract of the said traveller.
:
The Drawings hereto annexed show clearly the automatic registering and
controlling arrangements forming the subject of the present invention:
Figure 1 shows an internal elevation of the mechanism.
Figure 2 a corresponding plan, the upper part of the case being supposed to be
removed.
Figure 3 shows an external view of the apparatus next the driver, and Figure 4
a similar view next the traveller.
Figure 5 shows that the controlling apparatus is connected to the seat of the
carriage by mechanism which allows the controlling apparatus to begin working
the moment the traveller takes his seat.
Figure 6 shows, to full size, a portion of the endless paper band on which the
mechanism marks the required indications.
Figure 7 shows a plan of the whole apparatus as placed in the driver's seat, and
Figures 8 and 9 show the two sides of the said seat.
The automatic controller is composed essentially of a clockwork movement. A of
sufficient power to rotate a cylinder a, Figure 10, which draws forward a paper
band p held in reserve on a very mobile drum b.
This band of paper is divided longitudinally into, for example, four parts, and'
transversely into bands of say five millimètres width. As the band of paper
advances over the cylinder a at the rate of sixty millimètres an hour, each cross
stroke or line represents five minutes.
The drawing-forward roller a (Figures 1; 2, and 10) is furnished near its ends
with points which prevent slipping of the paper. As the roller turns, these points
are pressed into the paper, their distance apart may serve to indicate to the
inspector the time which has elapsed; for this purpose all the points corresponding
to the quarter hours are placed either inside or outside the general line as shown
at a* in Figure 10.
The paper pis supported between the drum b and the cylinder a by the
intermediate rollers a a²; and is pressed against the drawing-forward cylinder a
by pressers a³ which can be raised by means of the key a', so as to allow of the
removal of the paper.

page_text: Above the path of the paper is arranged a series of four levers V, C, H V and
HB turning on fulcra at and upon which bear four springs fastened by one of
their ends to a fixed piece d. These springs tend to force the ends of the levers
into contact with the paper. At their acting ends these levers are furnished with
rollers armed with points at their circumferences, the object of which is to mark
their contact with the paper by a continuous line of sufficiently clear small dots or
perforations. These four levers correspond to the four longitudinal strips of the
band of paper, and trace four dotted lines thereon during its movement of
translation. If a mechanism be provided which allows of raising any one or
several of these levers at once, and consequently of removing the tracing wheel
from the paper, one or several lines may be traced on the said paper at pleasure,
and the length of these lines will indicate the time during which the tracing wheel
or wheels have been left in contact with the said paper.
This mechanism is of the following character:-
-
First, as to the lever V (Figures 1, 2, and 3). This lover V pivots at c and is
bent down to carry, in a heel piece V', a roller which meets the inclined plane V'
of a vertical sliding piece V when the latter is lowered, this raises the lever V.
A spring R constantly tends to press the tappet V V³ upwards, and the lever V is
always lowered with its tracing wheel on the paper when the said tappet is raised.
In order to raise this tracing wheel off the paper it is only necessary to pull the
spring R so as to lower the tappet VV. When the passenger takes his place on
the seat 8 of the carriage, see Figure 5, the said seat is depressed, and a cord f, the
end of which is tied at R' to the spring R, allows the said spring to contract, and
to raise the tappet V2 V3; the tracing wheel of the lever V will then trace n line
on the paper during the whole time that the passenger will have remained seated,
but immediately he leaves the carriage the springs a raise the seat 8, pulling, the
cord f, and extending the spring R, whereby the tappet V2. V is lowered, and the
tracing wheel of the lever V is raised.
For the other three levers C, HV, HB, the mechanism is different. These
lovers are placed over a cylinder c which keeps them raised until it is turned
so as to present to the levers a recess or notch formed in it which allows the said
levers to fall. The cylinder acts as a kind of cam to each of the levers. The
recesses or notches are not made in the same plane, but divide the circumference
of the cylinder into three parts, so that, when the lever C falls into the recess
corresponding to it, the others remain raised; when by turning the cylinder c the
lever C is raised, the lever HV or the lever HB (according to the direction in
which the cylinder is turned) falls into its appropriate recess or notch.
The axis c of the cam cylinder c is provided with an external handle which
can be turned into and stopped in either of four positions, namely, upwards, to the
right, downwards, or to the left, in order to raise at the same time two or three
levers C, HV, HB, so as to trace on the paper with one or two tracing wheels as
may be required.
The handle m turns over a dial face (see Figures 7 and 12); when there is no
one in the carriage the handle should occupy the position O. When a passenger
enters the carriage his presence is marked by a line A B (Figure 6) drawn on the
band of paper by the first lever V. If he has hired the carriage by the journey,
the driver will place the handle in the right hand position C, and there will be
a line D E drawn on the paper by the second lever C equal in length to A B drawn
by the first lever, for as soon as the passenger leaves the carriage the driver replaces
the handle into the zero downward position at O, and then none of the levers will
trace on the paper.
Supposing that a passenger has taken the carriage by the hour at the moment
when the cross line on the paper corresponding to a quarter to one o'clock (see
Figure 6) is opposite the tracing wheels, a line will be commenced by the first
lever at the point o on that cross line, and the driver, by putting the handle in
the position H V (Figure 12), will commence to draw a line at the point I by the
third lever which line also commences at the same cross line. At five minutes past

page_text: one the passenger leaves the carriage to make a call for example; the passenger's
line drawn by the first lever is interrupted at P, and recommences at R a quarter
of an hour afterwards when the passenger takes his seat again in the carriage,
but the driver's line continues without interruption as far as H up to the moment
when the passenger finally leaves the carriage. At that moment the driver returns
the handle m to zero, and the tracing wheel of the lever V is raised, its line then
ceases at S on the same transverse line as H.
If the passenger takes the carriage to go beyond a certain boundary, the driver.
places the handle m in the left hand position at H'B (Figure 12), and a line K L
is drawn by the fourth lever instead of the line I H.
In order to mark packages on the paper band, an analogus arrangement is
employed.
Three levers 1, 2, 3 (Figures 1 and 2) oscillating at g, are furnished with
springs 1, 2, 3 which force down their ends on to the paper p, they are raised by
the cylinder j, which is formed into cams by recesses or hollows made below the
levers 1, 2, 3 and dividing the circumference of the cylinder j into three parts. The
axis carries the handle m which turns over .the dial face (Figure 11) with three
stops 1, 2, 3 corresponding to the levers 1, 2, 3. When the handle is at o all the
levers are raised; if it be turned a complete revolution, it will lower the levers 1, 2, 3
one after the other; the points of these levers successively pierce the paper at 1, 2, 3
(Figure 6) indicating thereby that the driver has taken up three packages. If
only one or two packages are taken up the driver stops the handle at the point I
or 2 Figure 11 and returns it to zero immediately after. When no packages are
taken up the handle is left at zero.
If therefore; the driver is honest all that is done during the day will be marked
on the paper, and one will be able to ascertain whether the journeys made have
been before or after midnight by finding the point of the paper band which was
under the tracing wheels at midnight, which is easily done because the movement
of the paper is uniform and it is divided into intervals of five minutes each.
In order to guard against a dishonest driver or conductor the following arrange-
ments are made:-
In the first place, as the box containing the apparatus has a clockwork
mechanism, it is placed under the seat of the driver in such manner that one of its
faces F (Figures 2, 5, and 7), (that against which the clock movement is placed),
is visible to the passenger; and by placing an ordinary clock dial face k (Figure 4)
the hour may be indicated to him. At the sides of the dial face are two rectangular
openings n n' (Figure 4), behind which are fitted two discs fixed by their centres
on the axes and 1 of the cams or eccentrics c and j. In correspondence with
the levers C, HV, HB, and V the disc n² behind the opening n (which has marked
round it the words "Fares, day, night") has marked on it the words "by the
journey," and the corresponding prices; which correspond to the lever C, the words
"by the hour, in town," and the corresponding prices; which correspond to the
lever HV, the words " by the hour, out of town," and the corresponding prices;
which correspond to the lever HB; and a blank space, which corresponds to the
lever V, when the carriage is unoccupied. These indications become intercallated
with those on the face of the box and complete their meaning.
The second opening n' round which is
following indications marked on the
"1-2 pence, 2 - - 4 pence, 3
is one package, and when the lever 1 has
packages and the lever 2 has acted, and the
and the lever 3 has acted.
----
written "Extra for packages" allows the
disc n³ to appear through it, namely
6 pence.
The first appears when there
acted, the second when there are two
third when there are three packages
Besides this internal control by the passenger, there is also an external one, by
means of two openings formed on the sides of the driver's seat by the side of the
lantern (see Figures 7, 8 and 9).
:
Figures 5 and 7, which are general views in elevation and plan, show at X the

page_text: position of the apparatus which is contained in the box of the seat in such manner
as to enable the passenger to see the indications on the face F (Figure 4)
The handles m m', which are similar to each other, are fitted, as shown in
Figure 13, with spring buttons r which take into the holes in the plates m² m³ over
the front face of which the handles move (Figures 11 and 12).
The axes and 2 of the cam cylinders c and j are furnished with small
handles and which are connected with the handles m m' by the axes t and w
of the said handles, such axes being furnished for that purpose with forks 12 and u
which embrace the pieces t' and '. The axest and are supported by brackets t³
and fixed to the box X.
Near the middle of the axes t and u are fixed the pullies and w which, by
means of straps vw, impart similar movements to the drums which are
fixed to the cylinders N and Q. These cylinders N and Q are like clock barrels,
being provided with internal spiral springs which tend at all times to turn the
said cylinders backwards and to return the respective handles m m' to zero.
On the
Openings N and Q' formed in the sides of the driver's seat (see Figures 7, 8
and 9) allow one quarter of the surfaces of the cylinders NQ to be seen.
cylinder N one of these quarters is coloured red, with the word " * disengaged"
marked thereon, and is visible when the handle mis at o; two other quarters are
coloured black, with the words "by the journey in town" or "by the hour in
town" marked thereon, and are visible when the handle is in the position C or HV;
the other quarter is white, and is visible when the handle is in the position H B,
and indicates "by the hour out of town."
The mechanism for moving the cylinder Q is exactly similar, but, the cylinder
is smaller and carries; the figures 0, 1, 2, 3 in white on a black ground.
The control or examination by the inspectors or others is thus effected on one
side of the carringe as regards the nature of the hiring, and on the other side as
regards the packages, but it will be obvious that the arrangements can be so
modified that both indications can be måde at one side of the carriage, and that
both may be repeated on each side thereof if preferred.
On the face, (Figure 3) will be seen a clock face k which repeats the indications
of the clock dia! (Figure 4); a key s by which the clockwork may be started and
stopped; a key which serves for winding up the said clockwork; a key a
which serves for raising the presser a from the paper on the drawing-forward
roller a; and finally a key which is used for stretching and guiding the paper by
the guide (Figure 1).
3.
""
The doors T T afford access to the interior of the apparatus for enabling the
paper to be put in place, and for the examination of the "hiring" and " package'
levers. These doors can only be opened by the inspector.
Whatever kind of carriage be employed the box X containing the automatic,
apparatus properly so called can be employed without any modification. It affords
the means of external inspection by the passenger, and of the inspection of the.
band of paper (the most important point of all) by the inspector. The mechanism
which affords the external control to the inspectors or others, and transmits the
movement from the hand of the driver to the apparatus may be varied according
to the shape of the driver's seat, and according to the space and position occupied
by this seat in the carriage. An essential point is to turn the apparatus containing
the indicating dials towards the passenger, and to place the handles within reach
of the driver.
For journeys, or for hirings by the hour, whether in the town or beyond the
boundary, a study of the lines drawn on the paper renders it easy to detect
dishonesty of the driver even without external control.
Having now described the nature of the said invention, and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim as the Invention to be secured by the within in part recited letters
patent is :-
First. The arrangement of the four levers V, C, HV and HB furnished with

page_text: tracing wheels or rollers corresponding respectively to four longitudinal
divisions formed on a band of paper p which is moved forward chrono-
metrically, the said levers being adapted to mark lines on the said band of
paper, the lever V marking the exact time the carriage remains occupied,
the lever C the exact time the carriage is taken or hired by the journey, the
lever HV the exact time the carriage is taken or hired by the hour within
certain defined limits, and the lever H B the exact time the carriage is taken
or hired by the hour outside the said defined limits, as herein before
described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
1. The mechanical arrangements whereby the passenger's seat is connected
with the registering apparatus for the purpose of putting the tracing wheel
or roller of the lever V into contact with the paper p when the carriage is
occupied, that is to say when the passenger is seated in the said carriage,
as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 of the
drawings.
The apparatus consisting of a handle and cams, which enable the conductor
or driver to raise one or other of the levers C, HV, HB, or all three at
once, to prevent contact of their tracing wheels or rollers with the paper p,
or to allow one only to touch as may be required, as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 of the drawings.
h. The arrangement of the spring levers 1, 2, 3 for pricking the paper at the
moment the carriage is taken in order to indicate thereby the number of
packages taken by the passenger in or on the carriage, as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
The arrangement of dials which indicate to the passenger the exact hour,
whether he has hired the carriage by the journey or by the hour, whether
without or with -luggage, and the number of packages of such luggage, as
herein before described, and illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.
The arrangement of similar indicating dials at the sides of the driver's seat
for the purpose of facilitating inspection by persons connected with the
control or supervision of the carriages, as herein before described, and
illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings.
"
n witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Beck, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty-first day of April in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.