An Improved Portable Apparatus for Receiving and Automatically Registering the Receipt of Tramway or other Tickets, Money, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Apparatus for Receiving and Automatically
Registering the Receipt of Tramway or other Tickets, Money,
and the like.
We, JOHN THOMAS STAMP, of 20, Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, in
the Colony of Victoria, Engineer, and GEORGE EDMUND BROWN, of Little Arden
Street, North Melbourne aforesaid, Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has been devised for the purpose of providing a simple and
inexpensive apparatus which can be conveniently carried by tram conductors and
others having to receive passengers fares and which will automatically register the
number of such fares and will at the same time effectually foil any attempt at
tampering with the money or tickets received.
Our improved apparatus consists of a receptacle into which the tickets or coins
are placed, said receptacle being fitted with an automatically closing lid adapted to
be opened through the medium of suitable mechanism by means of conveniently
arranged thumb levers. The front of this receptacle is made of glass in order that
the coin or ticket placed therein may be examined by the guard or conductor
before he allows it to fall through a long flexible tube leading from said receptacle
into a box or bag for containing said coins or tickets, the said box being securely
closed by a Chubb's or other reliable lock.
On either side of the receptacle above referred to is a dial and pointer adapted to
register the number of times the lid is opened to receive a coin or ticket. One of
the thumb levers above referred to is connected to the pointer of the dial plate on
one side, and the other to the pointer of the dial plate on the other side, so that they
can be used for registering different classes or amounts of fares such for instance as
"halves" or "wholes." These pointers are, as above mentioned, arranged to be
operated when the lid is opened by one or other of the thumb levers and at the
same time a cut-off plate or shelf is caused to move forward to prevent the ticket
or coin placed in the apparatus from dropping down into the aforesaid flexible tube
leading to the final receiving box before such a ticket or coin has been examined.
A shelf is arranged inside the apparatus in such a way as to prevent the coins or
other articles from being withdrawn from the coin and ticket receptacle, whilst a
number of thin springs or wires project inwardly from the lower end of the lid of
said receptacle and act as a tell-tale in the event of any attempt being made to
tamper with the apparatus. A bell or gong is likewise operated by the hereinbefore
mentioned thumb levers cach time they are released to close the lid of the apparatus
after each coin or ticket has been received.
Motion is imparted from said thumb-levers to the different instrumentalities
above referred to through the medium of suitably arranged cams or other gearing.
For instance, pawls connected to said levers are adapted to engage in a ratchet-
wheel, upon whose spindle the pointer or pointers hereinbefore mentioned are
secured, whilst the lid of the coin or ticket receptacle is opened by said levers
through the medium of a pivotted rocking cam and a downwardly projecting arm or
short lever upon the pivot of said lid.
The cut-off plate or shelf (which as hereinbefore mentioned prevents the coin or
other article from dropping down before it is examined) is similarly connected to
and operated by said fevers, whilst the gong is caused to sound when either of the
levers returns to its normal position by disengaging a small catch or equivalent

page_text: device provided at or near the end of an extended arm which is connected to said
levers.
Dated this Twenty-first day of February One thousand eight hundred and
JNO. T. STAMP.
GEO. E. BROWN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Apparatus for Receiving and Automatically
Registering the Receipt of Tramway or other Tickets, Money,
and the like.
We, JOHN THOMAS STAMP, of 20, Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, in
the Colony of Victoria, Engineer, and GEORGE EDMUND BROWN, of Little Arden
Street, North Melbourne aforesaid, Carpenter, 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:-
This invention has been devised for the purpose of providing a simple and
inexpensive apparatus which can be conveniently carried by tram conductors and
others having to receive passengers fares and which will automatically register the
number of such fares and will at the same time effectually foil any attempt at
tampering with the money or tickets received.
Our improved apparatus consists of a receptacle into which the tickets or coins
are placed, said receptacle being fitted with an automatically closing lid adapted to
be opened through the medium of suitable mechanism by means of conveniently
arranged thumb levers. The front of this receptacle is made of glass in order that
the coin or ticket placed therein may be examined by the guard or conductor
before he allows it to fall through a long flexible tube leading from said receptacle
into a box or bag for containing said coins or tickets, the said box being securely
closed by a Chubb's or other reliable lock.
"
On either side of the receptacle above referred to is a dial and pointer adapted
to register the number of times the lid is opened to receive a coin or ticket. One
of the thumb levers above referred to works in connection with the dial plate on
one side, and the other with the dial plate on the other side, so that they can be
used for registering different classes or amounts of fares such for instance as
"halves or "wholes." These counters are, as above mentioned, arranged to be
operated when the lid is opened by one or other of the thumb levers and at the
same time a cut off plate or shelf is caused to move forward to prevent the ticket
or coin placed in the apparatus from dropping down into the aforesaid flexible
tube leading to the final receiving box before such a ticket or coin has been
examined.
The shelf is arranged inside the apparatus in such a way as to prevent the coins
or other articles from being withdrawn from the coin and ticket receptacle, whilst
a number of thin springs or wires project inwardly from the lower end of the lid of
said receptacle and act as a tell-tale in the event of any attempt being made to
tamper with the apparatus. A bell or gong is likewise operated_by_the_herein-
--before-mentioned-thumb levers each time they are released to close the lid of the
apparatus after each coin or ticket has been received.
Motion is imparted from said thumb levers to the different instrumentalities
above referred to through the medium of suitably arranged cams or other gearing.
For instance, pawls connected to said levers are adapted to engage in ratchet
wheels upon whose spindle the dials hereinbefore mentioned are secured, whilst the
lid of the coin or ticket receptacle is opened by said levers through the medium of
a pivotted rocking cam and a downwardly projecting arm or short lever upon the
pivot of said lid.

page_text: The cut off plate or shelf (which as herein before mentioned prevents the coin or
other article from dropping down before it is examined) is similarly connected to
and operated by said levers, whilst the gong is caused to sound when either of the
evers returns to its normal position by disengaging a small catch or equivalent
device provided at or near the end of an extended arm which is connected to said
levers.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into.
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
opping
cy
and operated by said levers, whilst the gong is caused to sound when either of the
evers returns to its normal position by disengaging a small catch or equivalent
device provided at or near the end of an extended arm which is connected to said
levers.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into.
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 is a plan of the complete apparatus,
Figure 3 is a side view to a larger scale of part of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an underside view with a portion of the casing removed.
Figure 6 is a side view with one of the side caps of the framing removed.
Figure 7 is a side view with the cap and other parts removed.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section with the lid closed, and
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section with the lid open.
a a is the framework and casing of the apparatus; it is connected by a flexible
throat b with the coin or ticket box or bag c. This box or bag is provided with a
lock and the money or tickets can be taken out only by the person who holds the
key. d is the receptacle which receives the coin or ticket before it is allowed to
fall into the bag or box c. e is the lid of the receptacle, it is pivotted to the frame
at e el and upon each of the pivots or axes an arm or lever is fixed. There is a
spring pressing upon the arm f on one side of the apparatus to hold the lid in the
closed position.
is a glass plate which closes the receptacle d in front. h¹² are
two thumb levers pivotted to the frame at ; they are independent the one of the
other and they operate upon independent but similar mechanism arranged on either
side of the apparatus. Either of the thumb levers however when pressed upon
opens the lid e.
Upon the pivot or axis of the thumb lever in each case an arm i is fixed and
upon this a rocking cam k rests; it is pivotted to the frame at . The rocking
cam k when raised by the thumb lever thrusts against the arm and thus raises the
lid e against the resistance of the spring, which spring immediately closes the lid
again when the thumb lever is released. The coin or ticket which may then be
placed in the mouth of the receptacle rests upon the shelf a' which forms a part of
the frame, it does not enter beyond the mouth of the receptacle until the lid is
again closed, but it rests against the spring fingers e' which are attached to the lid
and which bar the entrance to the throat of the apparatus whilst the lid is open.
When the lid is open access to the throat of the apparatus is also cut off by the
plate or shelf which is pivotted to the frame at . On either side of the plate or
shelf a pin projects through a slot in the frame so that when the thumb lever is
depressed the plate or shelf is lifted. The depression of the thumb lever also
brings a shoulder upon the arm i against the tail m¹ of a piece m which is jointed
to the frame at m³ and which carries a hammer m³. n is a spring pressing upon the
piece m, this spring yields to the action of the thumb lever and when the spring is
released it brings back the hammer and causes it to strike upon a bell o.
p is a
pawl centered at p and provided with a spring p²; when the arm i brings the
tail m' within reach of the pawl p this engages with the tail and holds it. When
the thumb lever is released the arm i comes against the pawl p and presses it back;
the tail m' escapes from the pawl and the bell then sounds. Thus the bell can only
be sounded when the thumb lever moves its full distance each way, for a complete
depression of the thumb lever is required in order to cause the tail m' to be engaged
by the pawl and a complete return of the thumb lever is necessary to withdraw
the pawl and to liberate the tail. In connection with each of the thumb levers
also a counter is provided to count and record the depressions of the lever. Each
of the counters is carried upon a platform a³ which is fixed to the side of the main

page_text: frame a.
is
frame in such a manner as to leave room for the levers i and k and other parts to
work beneath it. There is a circular recess in the platform in which the ratchet
wheel or ring 9 lies and it is kept in its place by the spring buttons a³. Upon the
armi a driving pawl i¹ is mounted and this is made to engage with the teeth of the
ratchet by a spring so that each time the thumb lever is depressed the ring
turned partly round. The ring 7 has a dial fixed upon it and the figures marked
upon this dial are seen at through a glazed opening in a cap a fixed to the main
s is a smaller ratchet wheel mounted upon the platform a² concentrically
with the ring q; it is able to rotate about a stud s¹. The ring 9 carries a spring
claw which whenever it is allowed to do so drops into the teeth of the wheel &
and then the ring q carries the wheel round with it; but this is only allowed to
take place during a tenth part of the rotation; at other times the claw q' is held
out by a rim or flange ax on the platform a². The rim or flange a* is cut away to
allow the claw to pass when it comes round to the place where it is required to act.
The wheels also carries a dial and the figures upon this are seen at t through a
window in the cap a*. There are pointers marked upon the glazed windows and to
these the figures upon the two dials are brought round. By these arrangements
the depressions of the keys are counted and registered by the dials.
It will be seen that the apparatus described receives the coin or ticket; retains
it registers the transaction by means of counting mechanism; gives an audible
signal of the whole being duly done;. and one movement of the thumb is all that is
required to cause it to perform its functions. This completeness and simplicity in
working is a great merit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a portable ticket or money receiver the combination of the thumb levers,
the lid and the cut off plate all pivotted to the frame and the counting apparatus
actuated by the thumb lever all substantially as described.
2. In combination with the apparatus defined by the preceding claim the bell
and hammer controlled by the thumb lever and cooperating to give audible signals
when the thumb lever is moved in such a manner as operate effectively on the
counting apparatus.
3. Apparatus substantially as herein described and shewn.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1891