REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS BY OMNIBUSSES AND OTHER VEHICLES AND CONVEYANCES
Year: 1856

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Latham at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th October
1856.
I, JAMES LATHAM, of Liverpool, in the the County of Lancaster, Broker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "REGISTERING THE NUMBER
OF PASSENGERS BY OMNIBUSSES AND OTHER VEHICLES AND CONVEYANCES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of a box or step with hinged lid, which shuts inside
of a rim put upon the front and two ends of the box. The lid is held up a
given distance by two springs inside, and kept from rising beyond that distance
by chains attached to the bottom of the box.
The machinery of this box is placed between two upright plates fastened
together at a given distance, into which there are five shafts or axles
A, B, C, D, E. When a person steps upon this box they force down rod A,
which is fastened to the lid; this, by means of a small projecting rod B held
by a spring, presses down escapement wheel ① upon axle A one tooth, which
also turns with it an outer axle F fastened to the front of the wheel; the other
end of this axle has a face fixed upon it to indicate one motion or degree; but

page_text: the second time the top is put down it will turn the face to 1, thus allowing
for the coming out; so that every alternate time the top is put down it adds
one to the number, till that face has made a revolution, when it moves another
face one degree by a cog wheel, and thus registers upon the second face every
revolution of the first, and the second to the third, and so on as often as
required. The rod A is continued below the small projecting rod B, to a bar
or lever C, fastened a short distance to the left of A to. the front plate,
the other end of which is carried up to axle B, upon which is attached a
chain wound once round B, the other end of this chain is fastened to lever C,
so that when the pressure comes from the top it forces down A, which takes
with it C, and unwinds the chain, turning axle B; and also a cog wheel
thereon, which works into a smaller cog fixed to the end of a drum containing
a clock spring upon axle A, thus winding it up and setting the machinery in
motion; but when the pressure is taken from the top A, releasing C, the
spring flies back and winds up the chain, until C touches axle B and stops.
When the spring is wound up it turns the axle A, without affecting axles
F&G, upon which is fixed large cog wheel No. 1 working into No. 2, a
small one upon axle C, which turns with it another large cog upon C, No. 3;
this works into No. 4, a small one, upon axle D, which turns with it No. 5, a
cog wheel, to the outer edge of which is fixed an endless screw with fly
attached to regulate the motion. Upon axle A is fixed a ratchet or escape-
ment wheel to the front of which is fastened an axle G, working under
axle F, which also turns with it a small face attached to the other end of G,
this works in the centre of the face upon F, and marks every revolution of its
face as above. The wheels 1 to 5 can be made any size, so that escape-
ment wheel (2 can only move one degree every certain time, say three to ten
seconds. Upon this escapement wheel, as also upon ①⑪ there is a spring catch
to prevent the wheel moving without being acted upon; so, that if the top is
not held down the given time, as arranged in wheels 1 to 5, escapement
wheel (2) with its axle and face, will fly back to the catch without having
registered, by a cog lever fastened to the lid pressing upon No. 1, when the
pressure is taken off the top. But if the top is kept down, wheel (2)&c. will
indicate one passenger every given time, till the clock spring has run down.
To keep the spring always wound up.-To the right of axle B is an escapement
wheel with a small rod hooked at one end, the other being fastened to the lid,
so that when the lid is put down, this hook fastens upon one of the teeth, and
pulls it up with it; when the top is released this wheel turns with it axle E,
on the back part of which is fixed a cog wheel which works into a smaller

page_text: one upon axle A, and thus winds up the clock spring, but is prevented from
overwinding by some of the teeth being knocked out of the cog wheel. At
the back of wheel 1 is a common ratchet wheel to allow axle A to turn to the
right without interfering with the other parts of the machine, which are set
in motion by axle A going to the left.