A NEW CAB FARE INDICATOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Runkel, of the United States of America, at pre-
sont residing at No. 7, Golden Squaro, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "A NEW CAB FARE INDICATOR."
Scaled the 28th October 1876, and dated the 5th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Runkel at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1876.
MARC RUNKEL, of the United States of America, at present residing at No. 7,
Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex. "A NEW CAB FARE INDICATOR."
This Invention consists of a new cab fare indicator, and the object and purpose of the
instrument is to indicate to the traveller within a cab what distance he has travelled.
and how much he has to pay to the driver according to tho established tariff, no
matter whether hired by the distance or by the hour. It also shows to the public
whether a cab is vacant for hire.
I fasten to the axle of the vehicle, near the nave of the wheel, a box, on the out-
side of which is a side lever, which is set in motion by an eccentric pivot fastened
to the nave; this side lever works a ratchet wheel within the box, in such a way as
to push it one tooth ahead at every rotation of the driving wheel. The number of
teeth of the ratchet wheel is determined by the circumference of the driving wheel.
At every rotation of the ratchet wheel, that is to say, at every half a mile it pulls, by
means of an eccentric by which it is provided, on a string or chain, which is fastened
on its extremity to a dog within another box adapted to the inside of the carriage. This
dog gives a movement to one of the teeth of a ratchet wheel whenever the distance
of a half mile is travelled over. This ratchet wheel is rigidly fastened to a rotating
shaft, which carries a hand or arrow indicating on a stationary dial the figures
representing the number of miles and half miles, with their respective price, accord-
ing to the existing tarif of cab hire. A common tooth wheel or gear wheel is also
rigidly fastened to the shaft; it is similar to a second one, which is sitting on a
moveable lever, and which serves as a pinion to gear the rotating shaft to the clock
barrel in its proximity, and which turns with the same speed and precision as that
of a common clock movement. The lever which carries the pinion is in connection
with an outer signal, which is to be operated by the driver, and the position of
which causes the hand on the dial to be moved by the agency of the clockwork
or not.
•
1

page_text: The transmission of the effect of the driving wheel to the hand or arrow after
the travel of each half a mile presents the difficulty that the distance between the
two extremities of the string varies constantly, on account of the play of the springs
while the carriage is rolling. To obviate this inconvenience I apply an articulated
bar, consisting of three parts and two articulations; within each articulation I insert a
pulley, over which I let run the string or its equivalent. As the bar works on the
system of the parallelogram, and is changing only in form, but keeping its normal
length, it is evident that the string which is tended on it will do the same, and by
that it will keep always the saine'tention under all circumstances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Marc Runkel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th November
1876.
MARC RUNKEL., of the United States of America, at present residing at Number 7,
Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex. "A NEW CAB FARE INDICATOR."
This Invention consists of a new cab fare indicator, and the object and purpose
of the instrument is to indicate to the traveller within a cab what distance he has
travelled, and how much he has to pay to the driver according to the established
tariff, no matter whether hired by the distance or by the hour. It also indicates to
the public whether the vehicle or cab is vacant or for hire. It shows to the cab
owner the receipt realised, and with what speed the horse was driven.
And in order that this my Invention may be properly understood I will
proceed to describe the same, with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
wherein
Figure 1 represents a box containing the apparatus which counts the rotations of
the driving wheel of the carriage.
Figure 2 shows the face of the indicator; Figure 3, the inner mechanism of the
same.
Figure 4, the chain or other equivalent for transmission of motion to Figures 1
and 2 from Figure 3.
The box, Figure 1, is attached to the axle of the carriage in proximity to the
nave of the wheel; an eccentric pivot adapted to this latter raises at each rotation
of the driving wheel a side lever C outside of the box. On the rotating shaft of C
is adapted the lever A within the box, and which at every rotation of the driving
wheel pushes the ratchet wheel B one tooth ahead. The number of teeth of the
ratchet wheel is determined by the circumference of the carriage wheel. To
diminish the dimension of B a transmission wheel B" may be applied. This latter
is provided with an eccentric B', which whenever it meets with the trigger C will
rise it so as to pass underneath, by this circumstance the arm C" being rigidly
fastened to the shaft of C' is compelled the follow the movement given to C by B",
and in this way the arm C will act on the indicator, Figures 2 and 3, by means of
a chain f, string, or other equivalent suitable for the purpose, and as applied to bell-
hanging purposes.
The indicator consists of two dials, D and D', which are destined to show to the
traveller, as well as the cab owner, what may be of their respective interests to
know. These two dials are within a box, the cover of which may be provided with
a wicket, behind which progressively appears the ciphers denoting the number of
miles travelled with the fare due.
The second dial D', invisible to the traveller, is for the purpose of shewing to the
cab owner the work performed during the journey. These two dials, according to
circumstances, may work by co-operation or independently, as will be seen here-
after.
A ratchet wheel E is adapted to the rotating shaft of the dial D, and is pushed

page_text: ahead always one tooth at the timo whenever the arm C", in Figure 1, pulls on the
wire or string f, and by that acts on the levers o", o¹, and o.
The wheel E is pro-
vided with toeth on its face, as well as on its edge, and a stopper or catch g holds it
on its place and prevents the spring d, which is likewise adapted to the shaft of D,
to bring it back to its starting place (0 mile), only when pressed down by the hoel
or projection on the short extremity of the lover H the stopper g disengages itself
and allows D to take its normal position.
Gis a common clock barrel, which turus once in twelve hours, or, if desired, once
in 24 hours, and which is regulated by a minutery or an escapement, of which C
represents the pinion. The dial D, being fixed on the axle of G, is necessarily
carried along with the same speed as developed by G itself. This dial is divided▸
like an ordinary time dial, and there is near the division a place where the marks
produced by the two hands, C and C', will become visible. These hands may be pro-
vided with a pencil or scriber or a stile; in this latter case only the dial will require
to be marked with a black zone, on which tho, stile will trace white lines, and so
that the scriber e is marking vertical lines, the number of which indicate the num-
ber of miles travelled, while e' is tracing horizontal or circular lines on the black
zone, which denote the time when the carriage was hired. In this way all the
vertical lines underlined by circular ones are productive miles, while on the contrary
they are unpaid distances travelled. As the dial turns always with the same velocity
the distances left between the vertical lines show whether the carriage was travel-
ling with more or less speed; fractions of miles may be marked by simply multi-
plying the number of cogs or teeth like B", in Figure 1, but these additional teeth
must be shorter, so that they will raise C¹ less, and by that produce a smaller effect
on the hand e, and cause it to mark a shorter line, while it does not produce any
effect on the ratchet wheel E, and consequently any on the dial D.
The time dial D' is brought in relation with the distance dial D by means of a
set of gear wheels C and C", placed on a moveable lever F, the position of which
depends on that of the lever H, which acts on various parts of the instrument..
The outer signal (vacant) becomes visible or disappears according to the position of
H; it exercises the effect of it changing position to hand h, which push I and I'
forward; I by means of a recess and pin turns in I; it has an inclined cavity i,
which by means of a stationary pivot forces it to make a quarter of a rotation by
advancing, and by this means the signal will become visible by taking a vertical
position whenover I' is pushed forward, while on the contrary, by going backward,
it will disappear by taking the horizontal position.
The position of H also determines that of the lever L, which by means of a
secondary lever L' guides the hand e.
On the shorter extremity of F is a heel which passes on g, and by that the spring
d is taking back the dial D to its starting place 0 mile whenever H is placed so as
to pass on g..
The articulated bar or connecting link represented in Fig. 4 has in each articula-
tion or connexion a pulley, over which runs the chain or string f, and which leads
from C (Fig. 1) to the indicator. This way of transmission is especially necessary
as the play of the springs causes the distance between the axle and the carriage box
to vary constantly; this articulated bar or connecting link is fastened at one extre
mity to the axle, and at the other to the carriage box. It is based on the system of
the parallelogram; it varies in form, but it preserves its normal strength, and tho
chain doing the same will be always under the same tension.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would observe in con-
clusion that I do not limit or restrict myself to the precise details as herein given as
to the number of pieces, or their form, shape, or configuration, but what I claim
and desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Patent is,-
Firstly. The application to carriages of a registration box, like that represented
in Fig. 1, and co-operating with the instrument shewn in Figures 2 and 3, as herein-
before described.

page_text: Secondly. The ratchet wheel E with the dial D and its accessaries, for the pur-
poses described..
Thirdly. The clock barrel with its dial D' and the hands e and e', as herein-before
described and shown in Drawing.
Fourthly. The system of gearing the clock barrel to the dial D, as herein-before
described.
Fifthly. The use of the articulated bar or connecting link as a means of trans-
mission between the two co-operating instruments, as herein-before mentioned and
illustrated on the Drawings.
And Lastly. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming the new
cab fare indicator, as shewn and described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Runkel, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of November in the year of our Lord One thou-
Band eight hundred and seventy-six.