Improved Means for Recording the Number of Persons Passing through Turnstiles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Recording the Number of Persons Passing
through Turnstiles.
I, EDWARD CHARLES DAVIS, of 10, Rowcroft, Stroud, in the County of
Gloucester, Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to apparatus of a simple and inexpensive kind for recording
the number of persons entering or leaving buildings or enclosures, and consists in
the employment of a rectangular framework the upper portion of which is closed
and forms a chamber within which the working parts are contained, doors being
provided for affording access. Through the top or cover and the bottom of this
chamber is passed a shaft which carries at its upper extremity a hub or capstan
provided with means for attaching a suitable number of arms or spokes. I prefer
to employ five such spokes and to colour them differently. They may be screwed
into the hub, or the hub may be formed with sockets, into which the spokes
can be pushed. Immediately beneath the top and secured to the said shaft by
means of a thumb-nut is a ratchet-wheel, the teeth of which engage with a
spring-pressed pawl. Below the ratchet and pawl the indicator is secured to the
shaft, and consists of a hub fitting upon and secured to the shaft and carrying
an arm, in the outer extremity of which is mounted a wiper of leather or other
suitable material; the position of the wiper being adjustable in the fork by means
of a set-screw. This indicator is mounted to revolve and at intervals to press
the tape against an inked pad. The latter is by preference of cylindrical form
and is mounted upon a block sliding between guides provided with set-screws,
the guides being carried by and secured to the bottom of the before mentioned
chamber. To the bottom are also secured two brackets carrying drums; the
one for containing a supply of tape, and the other, the winding drum, for
receiving the tape after having been subjected to the action of the marking
finger or indicator. Suitable guides are provided between the drums for
ensuring the tape being kept at the required tension and sufficiently clear of
the inking roller or pad as to avoid contact therewith except when pressed by
the indicator. The winding drum receives its motion by means of a driving
band from the main shaft.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-One of the arms or spokes (say,
the red one) being in position across the passage or gangway and the indicating
finger being just past the inking pad or roller, a person in passing the turnstile
forces the spoke round a certain distance, and with it the ratchet-wheel and
indicating finger. Upon the passage of the fifth person through the turnstile, the
indicating finger comes into contact with the tape and presses it against the
inking roller, thereby causing a mark or record to be made upon the tape; the
latter being subsequently fed forward by the rotation of the winding drum.
When it is desired to determine the number of persons who have passed through
the turnstile the drum whereon the tape has been wound is removed and the
marks borne by the tape are counted, the number thereof indicating the number
of times the turnstile has been rotated, each rotation (in the present example)
representing the passage of five persons. Should the red handle not be in its
original position, an allowance would have to be made, according to how far it
had passed such position.
The ratchet and pawl above described are to prevent any backward move-
ment of the turnstile. In order to obviate any risk of over-running, a pentagon,
arranged beneath the compartment, and secured upon the main shaft may be

page_text: employed; the same having a strong spring or springs bearing against one or more
of its sides. A bolt or other suitable appliance may also be fitted for locking the
apparatus and preventing rotation of the turustile.
If desired an indicator or index wheel provided with as many marking fingers as
there are arms in the turnstile may be employed, either in addition to or in substi
tution for the single fingered indicator previously described.
Under such circum-
stances each person passing the turnstile would be recorded separately.
The indicator fingers, in lieu of pressing against the tape and causing the same to
be marked, might be arranged to punch holes therein; the necessity for inking
appliances being thereby dispensed with.
Dated this 4th day of September 1890.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Recording the Number of Persons Passing
tarough Turnstiles.
1, EDWARD CHARLES DAVIS, of 10. Roweroft, Stromal, in the County of
Gloucester, Solicitor, 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 relates to apparatus of a simple and comparatively inexpensive
kin for recording the number of persons entering or leaving buildings or
enclosures.
The way in which I prefer to carry out my invention is shown in the accom-
panying drawings, whereof
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, part of the door of the chamber being
broken away to expose the internal mechanisin.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan; the top of the chamber being removed.
Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the indicator and the ratchet device.
A is a closed rectangular box or casing forming a chamber within which the
working parts are contained; duors being provided for affording access. l'art of
one door is represented in Fig. 1. The door is hinged to the box at a a, and is
provided with a catch a'. It is also furnished with a lock not shewn in the drawings.
The box A is secured to the standard 13 by brackets b, or by any other suitable
arrangement. Through the top or cover and the bottom of the box or chamber is
passed a vertical shaft B, which carries at its upper extremity a hub or capstan B
provided with means for holding a suitable number of arms or spokes C, C¹, C, C³
and C I prefer to employ five such spokes, and to colour one of them (C)
distinctively. They may be screwed into the hub, or the hub may be formed with
sockets or loops, into which the spokes can be pushed. Immediately above the
bottom, and secured to the said shaft by means of a thumb-screw or in any otlier
suitable way, is a ratchet-wheel D. A pawl D' actunted by the spring d, engages
with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. The indicator E is secured to the shaft B
above the ratchet and pawl by a set-screw e, and consists of a hub fitting upon and
secured to the shaft and carrying an arme, in the outer extremity of which is
mounted a wiper e' of leather or other suitable material. The wiper is held in the
fork by means of a set-screw its position can, therefore, be adjusted. This
indicator revolves with the shaft, and at intervals presses the tape F against an
inkel pnd . The latter is by proference of cylindrical form, as illustrated, and is
mounted upon a sliding block y provided with a set-screw, which screws
into a bush carried by and secured to the bottom of the chamber A.
ratchet-wheel D and pawl D' may, if preferred, be placed immediately
beneath the top of the chamber A. To the bottom of the chamber
are also secured two brackets h and carrying drums H and H'; the former
The

page_text: containing a supply of tape F, and the latter receiving the tape after it has
been subjected to the action of the marking finger or indicator E. The drum H' is
preferably mounted on a removable spindle *, which can be taken out from the top.
Suitable adjustable guides K and K are provided between the drums H and H' for
ensuring the tape being kept at the required tension and sufficiently clear of the
inking roller or pad G that contact therewith is avoided except when the tape is
pressed by the indicator E. The winding drum H¹ is rotated from the shaft B
through an elastic driving band M and driving riggers N and N¹. The band may,
however, be driven directly from the shaft B without the intervention of the
rigger N.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The distinctively-coloured arm or
spoke C is over the indicating finger E, and, the said finger being just past the
inking pad or roller G, a person in passing the tunstile forces the arms or spokes
around a certain distance; the ratchet-wheel and indicating finger moving therewith.
Upon the passage of the fifth person through the turnstile, the indicating finger
comes into contact with the tape F and presses it against the inking roller, thereby
causing a mark or record to be made upon the tape; the latter being subsequently
fed forward by the rotation of the winding drun H. When it is desired to ascertain
the number of persons who have passed through the turnstile, the marked part of
the tape, having been severed from the unmarked part, is unwound and the marks
borne by it are counted, the number thereof indicating the number of times the
turnstile has been rotated; each complete rotation (in the present example)
representing the passage of five persons. Should the arm or spoke C not be in
its normal position, either at the commencement or at the termination of a record,
an allowance or addition would have to be made, according to how far it has
passed such position. For readily denoting what allowance or addition should
be made, a dial is placed below the hub carrying the arms; this dial being
marked with numerals corresponding with the number of arms. For instance, with
five arms, the numerals "1," "2,"",""4" and "5" appear on the dial; the "5"
being placed beneath the distinctively-coloured arm when in its normal position.
Then, if the distinctively-coloured arin be over the "4," four must be subtracted
from the record at the commencement or added to the record at the termina-
tion, as will be readily understood. It is convenient to mark the allowance or
addition to be made in pencil on the end of the tape.
The ratchet D and pawl D' are to prevent any backward movement of the
turnstile. In order to obviate any risk of overrunning, a pentagon (or, when
there are more than five arms, a polygon having as many sides as there are
arms), arranged beneath the chamber A, and secured upon the shaft B may be
employed; the same having a strong spring or springs or a spring-actuated limb
or limbs bearing against one or more of its sides. A bolt or other suitable
appliance may also be fitted for locking the apparatus and preventing the rotation
of the turnstile.
Instead of the tape being forced against the pad G, it is obvious that the
pad G might be movable and be forced against the tape, in which case the tape
may be caused to move across the face of an upright or support.
If desired, an indicator or index-wheel provided with as many marking fingers
as there are arms in the turnstile may be employed, either in addition to or in
substitution for the single-fingered indicator previously described. Under such
circumstances, each person passing the turnstile would be recorded separately,
and there would be no necessity for noting the position of the first arm, either
at the commencement or at the termination of the record.
The indicator-fingers, in lieu of pressing against the tape and causing the same
to be marked, might be arranged to punch holes therein; the necessity for
inking appliances being thereby dispensed with.
The arms C, C¹, C, etc., may be connected by means of bars c to corre-
sponding arms projecting from a collar C* mounted to rotate freely on the
standard B*. If the box A, instead of being carried by the standard B* or a

page_text: tripod, he mounted on legs placed at the edges of the box, then the ends of the
arins C, C, C, etc., can be bent down at right angles, so that the arms may
enclose the top and sides but not the bottom of the box A.
In replenishing the supply of tape, the empty drum may be taken out and a
full one substituted, or a fresh supply of tape may be wound on the empty
drum without removing it from the machine.
The arms may be arranged to rotate in both directions. Under these circum-
stances, two ratchet-wheels and two pawls are used; one wheel and pawl acting
in one direction and the other wheel and pawl in the other direction. Means
are employed to throw either pawl out of gear according to the direction in
which the arms are desired to rotate. Two sets of numerals in different colours
may appear on the dial under the capstan; one colour for one direction of
rotation and the other colour for the other direction.
The arms which, for the time being, do not project into the gangway or
passage, may be covered or partially covered by a table or board. The vertical
shaft may have a bearing in the table.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :—
1. The improved apparatus for recording the number of persons passing
through turnstiles constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for reconling the number of persons passing through turn-
stiles, the employment, substantially as herein described, of a travelling tape and
an appliance for marking the same, both being operated by the rotation of the
turnstile.
3. In apparatus for recording the number of persons passing through turn-
stiles, the employment of a series of movable armis, of which one is distinctively
marked, in combination with a series of stationary numerals for denoting how
much, if anything, ought to be subtracted from or added to the record, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
4. In apparatus for recording the number of persons passing through turnstiles,
the combination, with the box or casing A containing the recording device and the
standard B of the arms C, C¹, C², etc., and the vertical shaft 13, substantially as
herein set forth.
5. In apparatus for recording the number of persons passing through turnstiles,
the combination, with the arms C, C¹, C², etc., the shaft B, the ratchet-wheel D and
pawl D and the indicator E, of the drum 11, the tape F, the winding drum II', the
guides K and K, the band M and the inking pad i, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of June 1801.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.