IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE FARES OF PAS- SENGERS ON PUBLIC CONVEYANCES.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Pottin, of Paris, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE FARES OF PAS-
SENGERS ON PUBLIC CONVEYANCES.'
Sealed the 22nd January 1878, and dated the 4th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Pottin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1877.
HENRY POTTIN, of Paris, Gentleman. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
REGISTERING THE FARES OF PASSENGERS ON PUBLIC CONVEYANCES."
My Invention consists in the combined use of a registering instrument carried by
the conductor or other person receiving the fares on tramways, steamboats, and the
like, for registering a fare as it is paid, and of perforated tickets, which are detached
from a counterfoil book by the conductor and given to the passenger at the same
time that he effects the registration on the instrument, whereby a double control of
the payment of the fare is provided, rendering cheating very difficult, if not
impossible.
The registering instrument consists of a closed metal casing, within which is
either a counter consisting of the well-known arrangement of rotatable discs placed
side by side, and numbered on their peripheries, or a dial with registering index.
A rod having a spring pawl in gear with a ratchet wheel on the counter or index
spindle passes through the top of the casing, and is provided with a button by which
the conductor for effecting a registration presses the rod inwards, so as to turn the
counter or index, the rod being afterwards moved back into its original position by
the action of a spring. The rod has also a stud, which in being depressed is
caused to actuate a spring hammer so as to strike a bell inside the casing. The
lower part of the casing opens on a hinge for the inspection of the counter or
index, but is ordinarily kept locked or sealed; and if a counter is employed, the
figures on the disc may be made in relief, so that on opening the casing an impression
can be taken upon paper of the number registered.
The tickets consist of a part on which the fare is marked, and which is separable

page_text: by perforations from another part on which advertisements, caricatures, or other
amusing matter may be printed, such part being retained by the passenger after
delivering up the other part at the end of the journey.
If a number of different fares are used, the value of each fare is printed on a
piece of the ticket, which can be separated from the rest, so that on giving the
ticket for a certain fare the conductor retains that part containing the fares of
higher value.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Pottin in the Great Seal Patent Office the 2nd February
1878.
HENRY POTTIN, of Paris, Gentleman.
REGISTERING THE FARES OF PASSENGERS ON PUBLIC CONVEYANCES."
"IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
"
My Invention consists in the combined use of a registering instrument carried by
the conductor or other person receiving the fares on tramways, steamboats, and the
like, for registering a fare as it is paid, and of perforated tickets, which are detached
from a counterfoil book by the conductor, and given to the passenger at the same
time that he effects the registration on the instrument, whereby a double control of
the payment of the fare is provided, rendering cheating very difficult, if not
impossible.
The registering instrument consists of a closed metal casing, within which is
either a counter consisting of the well-known arrangement of rotatable discs placed
side by side and numbered on their peripheries, or a dial with registering index.
A rod having a spring pawl in gear with a ratchet wheel on the counter or index
spindle passes through the top of the casing, and is provided with a button, by which
the conductor, for effecting a registration, presses the rod inwards so as to turn the
counter or index, the rod being afterwards moved back into its original position by
the action of a spring. The rod has also a stud, which in being depressed is caused
to actuate a spring hammer, so as to strike a bell inside the casing. The lower part
of the casing opens on a hinge for the inspection of the counter or index, but is
ordinarily kept locked or sealed, and if a counter is employed the figures on the
disc may be made in relief, so that on opening the casing an impression can be taken
upon paper of the number registered.
The tickets consist of a part on which the fare is marked, and which is separable
by perforations from another part on which advertisements, caricatures, or other
amusing matter may be printed, such part being retained by the passenger after
delivering up the other part at the end of the journey.
If a number of different fares are used, the value of each fare is printed on a
piece of the ticket which can be separated from the rest, so that on giving the
ticket for a certain fare the conductor retains that part containing the fares of higher
value.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS...

page_text: conductor, has a bell or gong b, and below this a counter c of the well-known arrange-
ment, with a number of discs side by side, marked with divisions bearing numerals
on their edges, so connected that on the completion of the revolution of one disc it
causes the next to move one division. The bottom a¹ of the casing is formed as a
hinged lid, by opening which access is gained to the counter, but which when in
use is closed by a seal at d. A rod e passes through the top of the casing, and has
at its upper end a button f for depressing it, while at the lower end it has hinged
to it a spring pawl in gear with a ratchet wheel on the first disc of the counter, so
that on depressing the rod the counter is turned one division. The rod has further
a spiral spring, by which after each depression it is raised again to its original
position. It has also a projecting finger g, which in moving downwards actuates a
stud h on the rod i of a spring striker j, so that on depressing the rod the bell 6 is
sounded at the same time that the registration is effected on the counter. The con-
ductor every time he delivers a ticket to a passenger is bound to depress the rod e,
and thus effect the double registration described.
If the numerals on the discs of the counter are made in relief, the number
registered thereby may be permanently recorded by stamping on paper when the
lid a' is opened.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively a front sectional view and a cross section of the
arrangement, in which a dial with index hands is substituted for the counter, the
one index p having attached to it a ratchet wheel o, in gear with which is the pawl n,
carried by the rod k with spring m, so that at each depression of the rod the index
is moved one division over the dial C. At the side of the ratchet wheel o is a
second one o', which by means of a deep notch at one tooth of o is acted upon by
the pawl so as to be turned one division at every complete revolution of o. The
ratchet wheel o' is on a hollow axis, through which the axis of o passes, and which
carries the second index p¹, which consequently is moved one division on the dial
at every complete revolution of p, in the same manner as the hands of a clock;
jis, as before, a spring hammer actuated by the ratchet wheel o for striking the
bell b.
Whichever arrangement of registering apparatus may be employed, the fare ticket
issued in connection therewith forms part of a strip of paper from which it can be
readily separated by perforations, such strip being folded up, and having printed
thereon advertisements, caricatures, or other matter that will attract the attention
of the public. Fig. 5 shews such a strip having a ticket with a single fare; Fig. 6
shews a similar strip with fares of different value marked thereon separated by
lines of perforations, as indicated. The strip is handed entire to the passenger by
the conductor, and when the passenger has to deliver up his ticket he separates
that part on which the fare is marked, retaining the part with the caricatures and
advertisements.
Thus by my Invention I provide a double registration of the fares, and at the
same time a most effective means for advertisements.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim the means herein described of effecting a double control
and registration of the payment of fares by the use of a registering apparatus con-
taining a counter or dial and index actuated by a rod, which also strikes a bell or
gong, and of a fare ticket having advertisements and attractive matter thereon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Pottin, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY POTTIN. (L.S.)