IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATORS FOR CABS DVATTEN TO " PRO AND SUCH-LIKE PUBLIC VEHICLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Gaskell, Brassfounder, and Henry Moon,
Indicator Manufacturer, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATORS FOR CABS
DVATTEN TO "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Gaskell and
Henry Moon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 23rd September 1870.
We, PETER GASKELL, Brassfounder, and HENRY MOON, Indicator
Manufacturer, both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INDICATORS FOR CABS AND SUCH-LIKE PUBLIC VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
:-

page_text: vibration of the cab wheel and the oscillation of the body of the same.
This spring being secured to a pinion which takes into a worm on the
hubb of the cab wheel, and is coupled to the indicator which is secured
to the body of the cab or carriage in any suitable position.
2nd. An improved method of showing the fares on the indicator dials,
and consists in making the finger point always distinctly to the fare
chargeable at any time or place during a journey or hiring. For this
purpose the finger is made to pass quickly from the divisional lines of
distance and fares on the dial when such distance has been arrived at
corresponding thereto, and to remain between that division until the
next chargeable distance is completed, and to pass again quickly to the
next division, and so on during the journey. On the opposite end of the
spindle attached to the centre of dial a wheel is fixed, having as many
teeth as the dial has divisions; the points of these teeth are set true with
the divisional lines on the dial. When therefore a mile has been run
by the cab and the measure ascertained by the action of the worm,
pinion, and wheel communicating with the wheel of the cab the spindle
attached to the wheel by means of a clutch moves the finger on the
dial and the wheel a corresponding distance. When the finger arrives
at the divisional line the point of the wheel will be under the point
of the ratchet, and is acted on by the spring and forces the wheel
forward, and also carries the finger on the dial between the divisional
lines.
3rd. Registering on the dials of indicators the amount of fares earned.
For this purpose when the fares are charged unequally, that is, when
a portion of the first mile or of the first two miles are charged as much
as the full distance of one or two miles the indicator shall register the
fare chargeable, and give the subsequent earnings, and enable the owner
to ascertain the total earnings for a journey equal or unequal. This is
accomplished in the following manner :--When the charge is one uniform
'rate of sixpence or other sum per mile the pinion is made to act on onc
tooth of the wheel, having a finger on its opposite end and which passes
over the index; each successive mile is thus registered, the wheel is
prevented from returning when the centre wheel is brought back by
means of a ratchet and catch. When the first charge is a double rate,
as any distance under two miles is charged the same as the two miles,
an arm is made to bring forward two teeth of the wheel and will show
a corresponding value on the index. This index is arranged to register

page_text: twenty single mile fares, and to further show by a second figure twenty
of these twenty miles, being equal to four hundred paid miles.
4th. Improvement consists in connecting a lever with the indicator
with the words "for hire," or other suitable words thereon to show that
the cab is at liberty or engaged; and to couple this lever with the
indicator, so that when the cab is engaged and the flag or lever is put
down the fare finger shall be in geer and will show the amount of the
fare to be paid at the completion of the journey, and on the lever being
raised to show that the cab may be again engaged the finger of the
indicator will be moved back to zero, and remain there until again
brought into gear by the lever being put down on re-engagement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Peter Gaskell and Henry Moon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PETER
GASKELL, Brassfounder, and HENRY Moon, Indicator Manufacturer,
both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Peter Gaskell and Henry Moon, Her special
licence that we, the said Peter Gaskell and Henry Moon, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Peter Gaskell
and Henry Moon, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATORS FOR CABS AND SUCH-LIKE PUBLIC VEHICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Peter Gaskell
and Henry Moon, our executors or administrators, by an instrument.
in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same

page_text: to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Peter Gaskell and Henry Moon,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
These improvements consist of the following. Reference being made
to accompanying Drawings:
First. In giving motion to the indications by means of a spiral spring a,
Fig. 1, of steel or other suitable material, and of sufficient length to
allow for the vibration of the cab wheel and the oscillation of the body
of the same. This spring being secured to a pinion d which takes
into a worm ẹ on the hubb ƒ of the cab wheel, and is coupled to
the indicator g, which is secured to the body of the cab or carriage in
any suitable position.
Second. An improved method of showing the fares on the indicator
dials, and consists in making the finger point always distinctly to the
fare chargeable at any time or place during a journey or hireing. For
this purpose the finger is made to pass quickly from the divisional lines
of distance and fares on the dial b, b, b, see Fig. 2, when such distance
has been arrived at corresponding thereto, and to remain between that
division b, b, until the next chargeable distance is completed, and to
pass again quickly to the next division, and so on, during the journey,
more particularly described as follows:-On the opposite end of the
spindle d, Fig. 2, a wheel k, Fig. 3, is fixed, having as many teeth
as the said dial has divisions. The points of these teeth are set true
with the divisional lines on the dial. When therefore a mile has been
run by the cab, and the measure ascertained by the action of the
worm a, pinion b, and wheel d, d, Fig. 4 and 5, communicating with
the wheel of the cab, the spindle d, Figs. 2 and 3, attached to the
wheel d, d, Fig. 4, by means of a clutch r, r, Fig. 5, moves the
finger a, Fig. 2, on the dial and the wheel k, Fig. 3, a corresponding
distance. When the finger arrives at the divisional line the point of
the wheel will be under the point of the ratchet c, c, Fig. 3, and is
acted on by the spring o, o, Fig. 3, which forces the wheel forward,
and also carries the finger on the dial between the divisional lines. On
the completion of a fare the spindle d is acted on by the lever on the

page_text: spur t, Fig. 3, which brings back the spindle with the wheel k and the
finger on the dial to 0 or zero.
Third. Registering on the dials of indicators the amount of fares
earned. For this purpose when the fares are charged unequally, that is,
when a portion of the first mile or of the first two miles are charged as
much as the full distance of one or two miles the indicator shall register
the fare chargeable and give the subsequent earnings, and enable the
owner to ascertain the total earnings for journies equal or unequal; this
is accomplished in the following manner :-When the charge is one
uniform rate of sixpence or other sum per mile the pinion x, x, Fig. 5,
is made to act on one tooth of the wheel ff, Fig. 5, having a finger p,
Fig. 2, on its opposite end, which passes over the index M, Fig. 2,
each successive mile is thus registered, the wheel f, f, is prevented
from returning by the catch m, Fig. 5, when the centre wheel x, x,
is brought back by means of a ratchet 9, 9, Fig. 5. When the first
charge is a double rate, as any distance under two miles is charged the
same as two miles, an arm 8, 8, Fig. 3, is made to bring forward two
teeth of the wheel f,f, Figs. 4 and 5, and will show a corresponding
value on the index m, Fig. 2. This index is arranged here to register
twenty single mile fares, and to further show by a second finger twenty
of these twenty miles, being equal to four hundred paid miles.
Fourth improvement consists in connecting a lever with the indicator
with the words "for hire," or other suitable words thereon, to show
that the cab is at liberty or engaged, and to couple this lever with the
indicator, so that when the cab is engaged and the flag or lever is put
down the fare finger shall be in gear and will show the amount of the
fare to be paid at the completion of the journey, and on the lever being
raised to show that the cab may be again engaged the finger of the
indicator will be moved back to zero, and remain there until again
brought into gear by the lever being put down on re-engagement.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode
of carrying the same into effect, what we claim and desire to be secured
to us by Letters Patent is,-
First. Giving motion to cab indicators by means of spiral springs.
Second. Making the fare finger on the dial of indicators always to
point to the chargeable fare during a journey.
Third. Showing the earnings of cabs on indicator dials.

page_text: Fourth. Coupling the flag used to show when cabs are engaged or not
with indicators so as to make them show the distance of each journey.
and the correct fare to be charged.
And, lastly. The general arrangement and combination of parts,
substantially as herein described and as shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Peter Gaskell and Henry Moon,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.
Witness,
CHRISTOPHER BRUCE EDMONDS.
PETER GASKELL. (L.S.)
HENRY MOON.
(L.S.)