IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO CHECKING APPARATUS FOR OMNIBUSES, TRAMCARS, AND THE LIKE WHERE FARES HAVE TO BE COLLECTED to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, ROBERT WILLOUGHBY VINING, of Church Street Liverpool, in the county
of Lancaster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO CHECKING APPARATUS FOR OMNIBUSES,
TRAMCARS, AND THE LIKE WHERE FARES HAVE TO BE COLLECTED
to be as
follows:-
""
This invention has for its object an improvement on the various contrivances at
presont in vogue for checking the returns of tramway and omnibus conductors, or
the like.
.
By my invention the guard is enabled to carry a day's tickets of one or more
kinds and to denote on the ticket what part of the journey each passenger gets on
at and thus see if he over-rides his fare. The apparatus also mutilates the tickets
keeps the counter-foil of each, rings a bell while mutilating the ticket, and keeps
an accurate count on a counting apparatus visible from the outside of the box of
the number of tickets mutilated. The whole is enclosed in a small locked box
carried by the guard by means of a belt or strap over his shoulder.
The apparatus is as follows: Close to the top of the box at the back or outer side
of the box is an orifice or slit somewhat wider than the width of the ticket and
having a mouth-piece outside to enable the guard to more easily hit the orifice with
the tickets. The slit is preferably only of sufficient width to allow one ticket to
enter at a time.. Inside the box at. this orifice is a stationary knife, and also
a movable one, the pair forming the two blades of the shearing apparatus. The,
movable blade is carried by crank arms from the main spindle, which spindle passes
through the box at one end, is armed with a suitable handle preferably T shaped,,
and has a bearing at the other end inside the box and a spring at any convenient
point to bring it back to normal position when temporarily pressed out. On the
continuation of this shaft or its axis beyond the knife, are a series of counting
wheels. The unit wheel is worked by a ratchet wheel of ten teeth attached thereto
and a spring pawl on an arm of the spindle. Consequently whenever the shaft is
oscillated, the unit wheel moves forward a unit. A single socket and pair of teeth
on a flange on the side of the unit wheel turn forward, for one turn, a gear wheel
on a parallel shaft, having twice as many teeth at one side where it gears with the
two teeth of the unit wheel as at the other side where it can gear into the recess
in the unit wheel. On the shaft of this wheel is a similar wheel gearing into

page_text: •
a similar contrivance on the decimal wheel, and two similar wheels and shaft can
be used to give motion from the decimal to the hundred wheel and so on. The
ratchet wheel attached to the unit wheel also actuates a tappet which is formed in
one with the bell clapper rod and is pivoted by the side of the counter and
controlled by a spring. The bell is placed inside the box by the side, and the box
is perforated at this point to let out the sound. The lower part of the box has one
or more slits, and the bottom one or more finger holes and above each of these
finger holes a compartment the right width and breadth to hold a column of tickets.
The slits are just deep enough to let 'ticket be pulled out at a time through
the slits. Weights or springs keep the tickets in place. The weight may be
provided with arms projecting upwards bearing against the sides to prevent the
weight rising when the pressure of the fingers is applied to withdraw the tickets.
I usually slope the top of these compartments towards a well at the end, so that
the ticket ends after clipping shall slide down that top to the said well. The lid
of the box is arranged to lock with a padlock or other lock. The tickets I form
with a slip or counterfoil at end with the number of the ticket and price-the body.
of the ticket has also that number and price, but this number is so printed, or the
ticket it is on is so printed or colored as to be very different from the slip, so that
it cannot be used a second time to form a second slip. I place a guard plate at
such a distance from the slit in the box that the tickets can only be inserted to the
depth of the slit, and on the knives I place an
used to mark the tickets, and as the slitindent at one point. This indent is
is by placing the ticket nearer one
side or the other this mark is put at one part of the ticket at another, the purpose
of this I will describe hereafter.
The mode of action is as follows:
The ticket chambers being filled each with tickets of its given value and the box
locked, the numbers on the counter wheels (seen through a glass plate at the top)
being noted, the box is given to the guard. A person gets in at the first stage-
the guard asks how far he is going-if he is only going. the first stage he takes a
penny ticket, if three stages a threepenny ticket, and places the ticket in the slit
close to the right side and turns the spindle. This cuts off the counterfoil or slip
leaves it in the box, rings the bell and counts one. The ticket having been cut
close to the right side of the slit, the notch of the ticket is near the left side of the
ticket indicating that the person got in at the first stage. A person gets in at the
second stage he wants to go two stages-a twopenny ticket is given to him, and
it and all other tickets given out at this stage are cut at the centre of the slit
instead of at the right side as in the first stage, showing that they got in at the
central stage. At the third stage the tickets are cut close to the right side of.the
box, so that the notch shall be on the left side of the ticket. By this means if a
person gets in at the first or second stage and pays only a penny saying he is only.
going to travel one stage and travels two or three-he can be at once detected. If
desirable a changeable guide can be used to guide the ticket to the right part of the
slit, or what is the same thing, the mouth piece can be capable of being shifted a
little forward at each stage. If there were many stages the figures 1, 2, 34, 5
etcetera could be printed at given points on the ticket and the mouth piece arranged
with stops so as to be. moved at each stage in such manner that the notch come
opposite the next figure,-the figure corresponding to the number of the stage.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ROBERT WILLOUGHBY VINING, of Church Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO CHECKING APPARATUS FOR OMNIBUSES,
TRAMCARS, AND THE LIKE WHERE FARES HAVE TO BE COLLECTED," and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:--
The object of this invention is to improve the various apparatus and methods
invented or in use for checking the returns of tramcar conductors, omnibus
conductors, or the like for the purpose of providing a better and more effectual
check.
It is designed to enable the conductor to carry a supply of tickets of one or more
kinds as may be required; sufficient for his use for a given period of time, say one
day, to cut off and retain the counterfoil or end of the ticket thus mutilating the
ticket and keeping a check on the number and value of the tickets issued, to mark
or denote on each ticket. and its counterfoil, the stage or part of the journey for
which the fare has been paid and during the operation of mutilating the ticket to
ring a bell and on a counting apparatus record the number of tickets cut and
delivered.
Referring to the annexed drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of outside of the apparatus seen from the
front.
Figure 2 elevation, looking at front with a plate or side of the case removed:
Figure 3 elevation, looking at back with plate or door removed.
Figure 4 transverse sectional elevation on line x-x looking to the right.
Figuro 5 transverse sectional elevation on line y-y looking to the left.
Figure 6 plan of ticket with counterfoil cut off.
.In these A is a case or framing of sheet metal such as brass (though it may be
made of wood or other material) preferably rectangular in shape. The case A
encloses the several parts of the mechanism, access to which is had through a locked
lid or door B, and it is carried by the guard suspended by a belt or strap C from
his shoulder. D is a slit or orifice cut at or near the top of the front plate
sufficiently wide to receive one ticket at a time but long enough to allow of the
ticket being placed in it with any one of its sections-under the indicator of
projection d. The slit D is provided with a mouth piece & bevelled inwards to
guide the ticket in entering. E is the face of an indicator through the small
discs e of which the numbers on a counter placed beneath as hereinafter described
may be read. F is a spindle passing through the box from end to end which
carries at one end the handle F¹ and has a bearing in the box at the other.
fixed or stationary knife or blade, fixed to the front of the case immediately inside
G is a
the slit D, and H a movable blade pivoted at working in conjunction with the
fixed blade G, the pair forming the shearing apparatus. H' is a crank arm or

page_text: quadrant fixed to, and moving with the spindle F and engaging with the end of the
movable blade. The action of the crank H¹ as the spindle is moved causes the
movable blade H to approach the fixed blade. At or near the centre of the fixed
blade G is made or cut an indent g preferably a groove of V-shape and to the
movable blade H is affixed a projection g¹ corresponding to the groove in the
movable blade, anything therefore cut between the blades will have on one part an
indent, and on the other a projecting part similar to those on the blades themselves.
The handle F¹ makes only a half revolution and is then returned to its original
position by the spring fat the same time raising the movable blade. A guard or
stop plate O is fixed to the top of the case projecting downward below the slit D
and the ticket is inserted until its end abuts against the plate O.
A series of counting wheels are placed on one end of the spindle F worked by
ratchets, wheels and pawls. The unit wheel L is worked by a ratchet wheel Lof
ten teeth attached thereto, and a spring pawl on an arm of the spindle F.
Consequently whenever the shaft is oscillated or moved one half or part revolution,
the unit wheel L moves forward one tenth of a revolution. A single socket and
pair of teeth on a flange on the side of the unit wheel convey motion from it to
a gear wheel m on a parallel shaft m¹. The wheel m is moved a given distance
each time the teeth on the flange come in contact with it, and it also being
geared with a piniou m¹¹ on the side of the tens wheel M each movement of the
wheel m causes the wheel M to make one tenth of a revolution. A .similar
mechanism moves the hundreds wheel N. The ratchet wheel L' which actuates
the unit wheel also actuates a tappet p which is formed in one with the bell clapper
rod and is pivoted by the side of the counter and controlled by a spring. The
bell P is placed inside the box by the side, and the box is perforated at this point
to allow of the passage of the sound.
i
A
The space in the interior of the case below the shearing and counting mechanism
is divided into a number of compartments R, into which the tickets K are placed.
A compartment is provided for each particular description of ticket carried by the
conductor. v are weights placed on the top of the tickets to press them down, and
resist the pressure of the finger from below when applied to withdraw one.
At the
spring might be used if found more suitable under certain circumstances.
bottom of each of these compartments a slit S is made in the front of the case and
a slot S¹ is made in the bottom so that by the application of the finger below, the
tickets may be withdrawn as required. The slits are preferably of a size to allow
the withdrawal of but one ticket at a time. The weight may be provided with
arms projecting upwards bearing against the sides to prevent the weight rising
when the pressure of the fingers is applied to withdraw the tickets. The top of
these compartments is sloped towards a well I so that the ticket ends, after
clipping, shall slide down that top to the said well. The lid or door of the box is
arranged to fasten with a lock J.
Each ticket K denotes a fare of one particular value, say two-pence, fourpence,
or sixpence, and they are formed as shewn in Figure 6 with a slip or counterfoil Ķ¹
at one end and divided into a series of sections k marked with the particular stage
or section of the journey, these may be of different colour or otherwise marked to
distinguish them, all the sections on each ticket representing a fare of equal value.
This value is printed conspicuously on the ticket and also on the counterfoil, and
the counterfoil in addition bears the consecutive number which is printed on the
ticket. The tickets and counterfoils are so printed or coloured that a ticket could
not be cut a second time without such being detected.
The mode of action is as follows:
The ticket chambers R being filled each with tickets of its given value and the
box locked the numbers on the counter wheels L, M, N (seen through a glass plate
at the top) being noted the box is given to the guard. A person gets in at the
first stage the guard asks how far he is going, if he is only going the first stage he
takes a twopenny ticket, if three stages a sixpenny ticket, and places the ticket in
the slit. D, close to the right side and turns the handle F. This cuts off the
:

page_text: counterfoil or slip K¹ leaves it in the box, rings the bell and counts one on the
counter. The ticket having been cut close to the right side of the slit the notch T
of the ticket is near the left side of the ticket, or in section ¹ indicating that the
person got in at the first stage. A person gets in at the second stage, he wants to
go two stages a fourpenny ticket is given to him, and it and all other tickets given
out at this stage are cut at the centre of the slit, instead of at the right side as in
the first stage, the notch T in the ticket being in section -k showing that they got
in at the central stage. At the third stage the tickets are cut close to the right side
of the box, so that the notch shall be on the left side of the ticket or in section ..
By this means if a person gets in at the first or second stage and pays only for å
single stage, saying he is only going to travel one stage, and travels two or three,
he can be at once detected. The projection d indicates the position detent in the
fixed knife, so that the conductor can easily see in what position to insert the
tickets, or if desirable a changeable guide can be used to guide the ticket to
the right part of the slit, or what is the same thing the mouth, piece can be
capable of being shifted a little forward at each stage. If there were many stages
the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etcetera could be printed at given points on the ticket and
the mouth piece arranged with stops so as to be moved, at each stage in such
manner that the notch come opposite the next figure, the figure corresponding to
the number of the stage.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I do not claim broadly the use of knives or shears in a checking
apparatus such as described, nor the use of a counting apparatus in same, as such
have, I am aware, been previously employed, but I declare that what I claim is
1st. The manufacture and use of checking apparatus for omnibuses, tramways,
or the like, having shearing apparatus (for shearing off the counterfoil) in which
a projection, punch, or die on one of the shears fits into a corresponding recess,
indent, groove or die, on the other shear for the purpose of marking the ticket or
counterfoil in any one of several particular positions, so as to indicate the fare
paid, time of payment, length of journey, or other circumstances relating to the
transaction, for which the ticket was given.
2nd. The means for checking the payments on a tramcar, boat, or omnibus
having more than one stage consisting of a ticket divided into sections correspond-
ing to the said stages, a counting device and a shearing apparatus, which while
cutting off the counterfoil can be made to mark the section of the ticket corre-
sponding to any given stage, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3rd. In a checking apparatus for omnibuses, tramcars, and the like the combina-
tion inside a closed case of the shearing blades or their equivalent a punch, or die,
the actuating spindle, the counter, the alarum bell, and the compartments for the
tickets,. all arranged substantially as described and shewn, and for the purposes
specified.