Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Cancelling Tickets and the like and Registering or Recording the Number thereof.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ODEL FRISCLKNECHT, of Geneva, Switzerland.]
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Cancelling Tickets
and the like and Registering or Recording the Number thereof.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for cancelling tickets and the like by
removing pieces therefrom, and for registering the number of tickets or the like
thus cancelled.
An important object of my said invention is to provide in a more simple and
efficacious manner than heretofore, for preventing the operation of the apparatus
until a ticket has been placed in position to be cancelled thereby.
I accomplish the desired result, according to the present invention, by utilizing
the resistance offered by a ticket to the movement of the punch, for the purpose of
rendering inoperative for the time being, a catch or similar device which, previous
to the insertion of such ticket, served to prevent the action of the operating push-
rod or lever upon the mechanism. The operation of the said mechanism is thus
permitted when, but not until a ticket of the proper thickness is inserted in the
slit or opening wherein it is to be punched.
Several ticket-punches have been devised in which a catch or locking device
prevents the operation of the mechanism until such catch or locking device is
disengaged by a ticket or the like inserted in the slit or opening. It has been
found in practice, however, that although somewhat difficult, yet it is possible,
with such ticket-punches, to punch a ticket without operating the registering
mechanism or sounding the bell. But my ticket-punch differs from those heretofore
devised, inasmuch as, instead of the catch or locking device being acted upon
directly by the ticket, such catch or locking device is so arranged that it will be
automatically held out of action when, but not until a certain amount of resistance
is offered to the movement of the punch, and so long as the punch can move freely,
the said catch or locking device cannot be put out of action. Moreover the parts
are so constructed and arranged that, by the time the punch is forced through the
substance which resists its movement, the catch is moved beyond its stop, and
another locking device prevents the return of the push-rod or lever until the
registering mechanism has been operated and the bell sounded. It is evident,
therefore, that, if a ticket inserted is not of the proper thickness, the punch cannot
be operated to perforate the same, and that, when a ticket of the required thickness
has been punched, it cannot be released and withdrawn until the registering
mechanism has been operated and the bell sounded.
Another object of my said invention is to so construct the apparatus that, whilst
there is a comparatively large space therein for the reception of the clippings or
pieces punched from the tickets, the said apparatus is nevertheless very compact
and can be conveniently carried in the waistcoat or other pocket of the conductor
of an omnibus or tram-car. For this purpose, I make the casing of the apparatus
with rounded sides so that it has a form somewhat resembling a watch; and I
arrange the mechanism in one side of the said casing, leaving the other side clear
to receive the clippings or punched-out pieces.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter
mentioned.
My said invention is conveniently and advantageously carried into practice as

page_text: follows, that is to say :-I provide a punch which is arranged to be operated by a
lever, the said punch being coupled to the short arm of the said lever. The long
arm of the said lever extends between a spring plunger and a pivoted catch, both
fitted in the sliding rod or bar for operating the punching and registering
mechanism and the hell-hammer. The punch-lever, the pivoted catch and the
spring plunger are so arranged that, so long as no resistance is offered to the
movement of the punch, the spring plunger presses the long arm of the punch-
lever against the pivoted catch thereby causing the latter to engage with a stop
when the sliding rod or bar is pushed inward. The movement of the said rod or
bar is thus arrested and its action upon the mechanism prevented. When, however,
the required resistance is offered to the movement of the punch by a ticket or the
like, the long arm of the punch-lever will, in the inward movement of the said
sliding rod or bar, compress the spring of the aforesaid plunger, and the pivoted
catch will be held out of action by a spring and will consequently not engage with
its stop. The mechanism can, therefore, be operated by the continued inward
movement of the said rod or bar. The parts are, moreover, so constructed.
that the free end of the long arm of the punch-lever. has a considerably
greater range of movement than the punch, and the catch will move beyond its
stop before the punch has perforated the ticket.
I provide improved means whereby, as soon as the ticket has been punched, the
return movement of the sliding rod or bar will as above mentioned, be prevented
until the said rod or bar has been moved inward to the end of its stroke or travel,
thus preventing the withdrawal of the punched ticket until after the bell has been
sounded and the registering mechanism operated. I also provide for preventing
the repeated inward movement of the said rod or bar until the same has moved
outward to the end of its stroke or movement, so that, after the punch has been
withdrawn sufficiently to permit the removal of the ticket, it is impossible to insert
and punch another ticket, without first allowing the sliding rod or bar to complete
its outward or return stroke or movement (which movement is effected by a spring)
and thus bring the catch again into operation. This double locking of the parts is
provided for by the use of a spring catch which is pivoted to the sliding rod or bar
and operates in conjunction with a fixed cam-piece provided with shoulders or
projections adapted to engage with a tooth on the said spring catch. This catch,
by preference, has fitted upon it a spiral spring which tends to keep it in its central
position and returns it to this position after it has been moved aside in either
direction and then released.
The bell-hammer consists of an arm having a bent or curved piece at right
angles to it, which is perforated to permit a rod to be passed through it. This rod
is firmly secured to the inner or central plate of the casing of the apparatus, and a
spiral spring is placed upon the said rod and tends to keep the said arm or hammer
in its central position and to return it to this position after it has been moved aside
in either direction and then released. The said rod may conveniently serve for
guiding the sliding rod or bar for operating the mechanism, and I sometimes use
the said spiral spring for effecting the return movement of the said sliding rod or
bar. Although the above arrangement of the bell-hammer is very simple and
advantageous, yet it is obvious that I can, if desired, employ any other well known or
suitable arrangement of bell-hammer.
The registering mechanism may consist of a series of numerical rings arranged
to rotate about a common axis and operating upon the well-known "deep tooth"
principle, the pawl being suitably pivoted to the aforesaid sliding rod or bar. The
casing of the apparatus is provided with a small window of mica through which
the number registered may be seen. Any other suitable registering or recording
mechanism may, however, be used as may be found most convenient.
For preventing the unauthorized opening of the casing, I employ a lever-lock
which is so constructed that the key cannot be withdrawn from the key-hole until
the parts of the lock are returned to the locking position. For this purpose, the
sliding part or bolt of the lock is provided with a stud or projection adapted to

page_text: enter a notch or slot in the set of levers, and to bear against the end of such notch
or slot, when the key has been turned through a certain angle, and thus limit the
movement of the key.
I prefer to make the apparatus, as above mentioned, in a form somewhat similar
to that of a watch, so that it can be conveniently placed in the pocket. And I
mount the whole of the mechanism on one side of the central plate of the casing,
leaving a clear enclosed space on the other side of the said plate for the reception
of the clippings or pieces punched from the tickets. Therefore, although my
apparatus is very compact and occupies but a small space, it can hold a very large
number of such clippings.
I find it advantageous to provide the aforesaid sliding rod or bar with a suitable
push-knob, and to make the casing with two eyes or rings into which the fingers
may be inserted to hold up the casing whilst the said rod or bar is being depressed
or moved inward by the thumb. A chain may also be attached to the casing by
which to suspend the apparatus from the neck of the person using it. My improved
ticket-punch can, therefore. be readily worked with one hand, the ticket being
inserted with this hand and the operating rod or bar depressed with the same hand,
the other hand being thus left free for other purposes.
Dated this 15th day of July 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Cancelling Tickets
and the like and Registering or Recording the Number thereof.
I, HENRY HARRIS Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained. in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus for cancelling tickets and the like by.removing
pieces therefrom, and for registering the number of tickets or the like thus
cancelled.
.
An important object of my said invention is to provide in a more simple
and efficacious manner than heretofore, for preventing the operation of the
apparatus until a ticket has been placed in position to be cancelled thereby.
"I accomplish this result, according to the present invention, by utilizing the
resistance offered by the ticket to the movement of the punch for the purpose of
rendering inoperative for the time being a catch or pawl which, previous to the
insertion of such ticket, served to prevent the action of the operating push-rod or
lever upon the punching and registering mechanism. The operation of the said
mechanism is thus permitted, when but not until a ticket of the proper thickness is.
inserted in the slit or opening wherein it is to be punched.
Several ticket-punches have been devised in which a catch or pawl prevents the
operation of the mechanism until such catch or pawl is disengaged by a ticket or
the like inserted in the slit or opening. It has been found in practice, however,
that, although somewhat difficult, yet it is possible, with such ticket-punches, to
punch a ticket without operating the registering mechanism or sounding the bell.
But my ticket-punch differs from those heretofore devised, inasmuch as, instead of
the catch or pawl being acted upon directly by the ticket, such catch or pawl is so..
arranged that it will be automatically held out of action when, but not until a certain
amount of resistance is offered to the movement of the punch, and so long as the
punch can move freely, the said catch or pawl cannot be put out of action. More-
over the parts are so constructed and arranged that, by the time the punch is forced
through the substance which resists its movement, the catch or pawl is moved

page_text: beyond its stop and a locking device prevents the return of the push-rod or lever
until the registering mechanism. has been operated and the bell sounded. It is
evident, therefore, that if a ticket is inserted which is not of the proper thickness
and strength to offer a predetermined resistance to the movement of the punch, the
said punch.cannot be operated to perforate the same, and that when a ticket of the
required thickness has been punched, it cannot be released and withdrawn until
the registering mechanism has been operated and the bell sounded.
Another object of my said invention is to so construct the apparatus that, whilst
there is a comparatively large chamber or space therein for the reception of the
clippings or pieces punched from the tickets, the said apparatus is nevertheless very
compact and can be conveniently carried in the waistcoat or other pocket of the
conductor of an omnibus or tram car. For this purpose, I make the casing of the
apparatus with rounded sides so that it has a form somewhat resembling a watch,
and I arrange the mechanism in one side of the said casing, leaving the other side
clear to receive the clippings or punched-out pieces.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my improved ticket-punch, a portion
of the casing being removed, and
Figure 2 is an edge view of the said ticket-punch partly in vertical central section.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts in these two figures.
a is a central plute or frame forming part of the casing of the apparatus. bare
the two sides of the said casing, one of which (b) is firmly attached to the central
plate a, and the other of which (6¹) is connected to the said plate a by a hinge-
joint at 1.
c is the punch, which is coupled at c¹ to a leverd pivoted at d¹ to a supplementary.
casing e firmly secured to the plate a. f is a sliding rod or bar provided with a
push-knob f, for operating the punching and registering mechanism and the bell-
hammer as hereinafter described. A spring f' hereinafter more particularly
referred to, is arranged in combination with the rod f for the purpose of effecting
the outward or return movement of the said rod. 9 is a catch or locking pawl
which is pivoted at gl to the push-rod fand is adapted to engage with a shoulder
or stop h formed on the central plate a, and thus arrest the inward movement of
the said rod before it has been moved far enough to punch the ticket or operate
the registering mechanism. This pawl or catch g is acted upon by a spring g³
secured to the push-rod which spring tends to move the said catch out of its
locking position. j is a rod or plunger fitted to slide to and fro in a hole in the
rod, and acted upon by a spring which tends to move it downward. The free end
of the punch-lever d extends between the lower end of this rod or plunger j and the
catch 9, and these parts are so arranged that, so long as no resistance is offered to
the movement of the punch c, the spring plunger; by pressing the punch-lever d
against the said catch, will retain the latter in the position indicated in Figure 2,
so that it will engage with the shoulder or stop h when the operating push-rod fis
moved inward or downward. The movement of the said rod will thus be arrested
and its action upon the mechanism prevented. When however, the required
resistance is offered to the movement of the punch by a ticket or the like inserted
in the slit e' of the casing e, the free end of the punch-lever d will, in the downward
movement of the said push-rod bear against the plunger ; so that the spring. j
will be compressed and the plunger ; forced into the hole in the said push-rod, and
the pivoted catch g, being moved away from the said punch-lever by the push-rod,
will be turned out of its locking position by the spring g'; the said catch will,
therefore not engage with the stop k in the continued downward movement of the
said rod f, and consequently the mechanism can be operated. The parts are,
moreover, so constructed and arranged that the free end of the punch-lever will
have a considerably greater range of movement than the punch, and the catch g
will consequently move beyond its stop h before.the punch has perforated the ticket.

page_text: The ticket-punch shown in the drawing is provided with an improved locking
device for the push-rod f, whereby, as soon as the ticket has been punched, the
return movement of the said rod will be prevented until the same has been moved
inward or downward to the end of its stroke or travel, and the withdrawal of the
punched ticket will consequently be prevented until after the bell has been sounded
and the registering mechanism operated; moreover, by means of this locking
device, the next inward or downward movement of the said rod will be prevented
until the said rod has been moved outward to the end of its stroke or movement, so
that, after the punch has been withdrawn sufficiently to permit the removal of the
ticket, it is impossible to insert and punch another ticket without first allowing the
push-rod to complete its outward or return stroke or movement and thus bring
the catch y again into operation.
This double locking device comprises a hook or catch k which is pivoted at k¹ to
a projection or arm on the push-rod f, and is provided with a tooth k³ adapted
to engage with one or other of the shoulders or projections on a cam piece!
firmly secured to the plate a. The hook or catch k has fitted upon it a spiral
spring which tends to keep it in its central position, and returns it to this position
after it has been moved aside in either direction and then released. The tooth **
of the hook or catch k, will therefore, be caused to move around the cam-piece / in
the to-and-fro movement of the push-rod f.
m is the bell which is mounted upon a stud fixed in the plate a. n is the bell-
hammer which consists of an arm having a bent or curved piece n' at right angles
to it, which is perforated to permit a rod p to be passed through it. This rod is
firmly secured at its lower end to the central plate a, and the spiral spring f², which
is placed upon the said rod p, acts upon the part n' of the bell-hammer n and tends
to keep the said bell-hammer in its central position and to return it to this position
after it has been moved aside in either direction and then released. The said rod p
extends through a hole in the arms and serves for guiding the push-rod f, and
the spiral spring f' serves, as above stated, for effecting the return movement of
the said push rod. The arm f³ is provided with a projection or tooth f adapted
to engage with and move around a cam-piece n' on the free end of the bell-hammer n,
so that, when the push-rod is depressed, the bell-hammer will be moved away
from the bell by the tooth f and then released, and will then be caused by the
spring to strike the bell. Although the above arrangement of the bell-hammer
is very simple and advantageous yet it is obvious that I can, if desired, employ any
well known or other suitable arrangement thereof. And I can, if desired, substitute
any other suitable spring for the spiral springs, for effecting the return movement
of the operating push-rod or lever.
The registering mechanism consists of a series of numerical rings arranged to
rotate about a common axis and operating upon the well known "deep tooth."
principle the pawl being suitable pivoted to the push-rod f. Any other suitable
registering or recording mechanism may however, be used if desired. The casing
of the apparatus is preferably provided with a small window of mica or other
suitable material through which the number registered may be seen.
For preventing the unauthorised opening of the casing I employ a suitable lever-
lock 7.
I prefer to make the apparatus, as above mentioned in a form somewhat similar
to that of a watch, so that it can be conveniently placed in the pocket. And I
mount the whole of the mechanism on one side of the central plate a of the casing,
leaving a clear enclosed space or chamber on the other side of the said plate for
the reception of the clippings or pieces punched from the tickets. Therefore,
although my apparatus is very compact and occupies but a small space, it is capable
of holding a very large number of such clippings.
I find it advantageous to make the casing with two eyes or rings s, which are
attached to the plate a, and into which the fingers may be inserted to hold up the
casing whilst the push-rod is being depressed or moved inward by the thumb. A
chain may also be attached to the said casing, for suspending the apparatus from

page_text: the neck of the person using it. My improved ticket punch can, therefore, be
readily worked with one hand, the ticket being first inserted with this hand and
the operating push rod being then depressed with the same hand, the other being
thus left free for other purposes.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, substitute a suitable lever for the operating
push-rod above described and that I can further modify the construction of the
apparatus in detail without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. A ticket-punch so constructed that the resistance offered by the ticket to
the movement of the punch is utilized for effecting the unlocking of the mechanism
for the purpose above specified.
Second. A ticket-punch wherein a catch or pawl which prevents the operation
of the mechanism, is arranged to be automatically moved out of its locking position
by the depression of the operating push-rod or lever, when but not until a ticket is
inserted of the proper thickness and strength to offer a predetermined resistance to
the movement of the punch.
Third. The combination with the operating push-rod or lever of a spring catch
or pawl pivoted thereto and adapted to engage with a shoulder or stop on the casing,
a spring plunger arranged in the said rod or lever, and a punch lever the free end
of which extends between the said catch or pawl and the plunger, substantially as,
.and for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The combination with the operating push-rod or lever, of a locking
device which acts to prevent the return or outward movement thereof until its
inward movement has been completed, and to prevent the repeated inward move-
ment thereof until its outward movement has been completed, substantially as, and
for the purposes, above specified.
Fifth. The locking device comprising the notched cam piece attached to the
casing and the lever pivoted to the operating push-rod and provided with the tooth
or projection and with the spring, substantially as, and for the purposes, above
.specified.
Sixth. The combination of parts comprising the bell hammer pivoted upon the
stationary rod and acted upon by the spiral spring surrounding the said rod, and
the tooth or projection on the operating push-rod, substantially as and for the
purposes above specified.
Seventh. A casing for a ticket-punch shaped like a watch and adapted to contain
the mechanism in one side thereof and to receive in the other side thereof the
clippings or pieces punched from the tickets, substantially as, and for the purposes,
-above specified.
Eighth. The improved casing having the two compartments and the rings or
-eyes one on each side of the guide for the push-rod, substantially as described and
-as shown in the accompanying drawing, for the purposes above specified.
Ninth. The improved ticket-punch constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing and operating as, and for the purposes
_above specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.