Year: 1886

page_text: I GEORGE BOND SMITH of the Oaks Heathfield Road Handsworth in the County
of Stafford Engineer 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for indicating the
distance travelled in Cabs and other vehicles so that the passenger can tell the
distance he has been carried in the dark.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which is
illustrated one mode of applying it to apparatus similar to that shown in my
Specification No 656 A.D. 1886 as it is intended generally to combine the two
together though the bell may be attached to any other system and the foreign
Patent may also be worked without the latter which will be quite obvious.
Figure 1 is a front sectional elevation on line A B. of part of the apparatus some
of the wheels shown in my previous Specification before mentioned being shown by
dotted lines to make the action of the parts about to be explained clearer.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus but only those parts are shown
which are necessary for a clear explanation thereof,
In my previous Specification I showed how the distance travelled by a cab or
other vehicle would be indicated upon the face of the apparatus and also how
another index not accessible to the passenger or driver would be made for the
proprietor of the vehicle showing the exact length of each particular journey as
well as the total number of journeys made in any given interval of time but no
provision was therein made for indicating audibly such intervals. This I now
accomplish in the following manner:-The bell or other alarm E is fixed in any
suitable or convenient position in the apparatus such for instance as that shown on
the wheel 2 is fixed the pin f which has to carry round the arm h¹ of the hammer
arbor H each revolution thereof before it can pass. This arbor also carries the
hammer h and which is operated and kept up to its work by the spring K bearing
upon the projection h³. It will thus been seen that each revolution of this wheel will
bo indicated by one stroke upon the bell or alarm E. It will be evident that by

page_text: fixing a number of pins upon any revolving part that would travel say one revo-
lution for each mile that special indications could be given such for instance as
two rings at the completion of each mile and the quarters and half miles might
likewise be specially indicated.
The ratchet M shown with the flats m¹ upon the faces of which the spring N
bears is an improvement upon the one set forth in my previous Specification and is
arranged to allow the spindle to revolve backwards without moving any part of
the mechanism by means of the pawl P which is fixed to the spindle Q and
engages in the teeth p¹ formed on the ratchet M which revolves on and independent
of the spindle and forms part of the pinion R which is revolved one way thereby
but on reversing the motion of the spindle the pawl P slips over the teeth which
are kept stationary by means of the spring N bearing upon the flats m¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st The improvements in apparatus for indicating the distance travelled in cabs
and other vehicles by an audable sound given at known intervals some of which
may be distinguished by repeated sounds substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
2nd In apparatus for indicating the distance travelled by cabs and other vehicles
the loose ratchet wheel M having flats m' formed thereon and controlled by a
spring substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Doted this 8th day of June 1886
GEORGE BARKER,
Agent for Applicant.