IMPROVEMENTS IN OMNIBUSES TRAM CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES PARTS OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR CHECKING THE FARES PAID THEREIN
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Herbert William Hart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1882.
HERBERT WILLIAM HART of Mansion House Chambers Queen Victoria Street
in the City of London [Engineer] "IMPROVEMENTS IN OMNIBUSES TRAM CARS
AND OTHER VEHICLES PARTS OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR
CHECKING THE FARES PAID THEREIN
"
My Invention relates to Improvements in Omnibuses, tramcars and other vehicles
parts of such improvements having for their object the checking of all fares paid
by the passengers therein. My Invention consists firstly in arranging the seats
in the centre of the Omnibus or Tramcar both inside and out diagonally zigzag or
otherwise obliquely so as to ensure a separate seat for each passenger with greater
comfort and leg-room than is obtained by any other arrangement at the same time
preventing the possibility of one passenger occupying undue space.
Or arrange the rows of inside seats back to back and place them along the
centre of the Omnibus the admission to these rows of seats is obtained through
separate doors at the end of the omnibus. If preferred one of these doors may be
used for entrance only and the other for exit only a transverse passage at about the
centre of the Omnibus allowing the passengers to pass from one side to the other.
The body of the Omnibus I propose shall be much nearer the ground than usual
and to enable me to obtain this result I use cranked axles for the hind wheels the.
springs supporting the body being connected by link rods. The reduction in the
height from the ground will necessitate a change in the position of the fore carriage
which instead of being under the body as at present will be arranged in front of
it. This arrangement will give me an opportunity of providing if desired an
additional seat on either side of the Omnibus, the passenger occupying such seats
facing in the direction of the doors.
In order however that the distance between the wheels shall be as nearly as
possible as in Omnibuses at present in use I advance the hind wheels so as to bring
the body nearly in equilibrium on the hind axle-the inside of the Vehicle will be
reached by one step which will take the contour of the back of the body and will
be provided with suitable handrails,

page_text: The Omnibus will in general remain open at the ends but sliding doors will be
provided for use when required and handrails will be placed along the sides of the
Vehicle for the convenience of passengers passing to or from their seats.
The means for getting on to the roof will consist of a light iron ladder provided
with suitable hand rails and which will project slightly from the rear of the 5
Vehicle to leave room underneath for the Conductor to stand.
One or
The ventilation of the Vehicle will be effected in the following manner.
more trumpet-shaped mouths will be placed outside the front of the body to catch
and collect the currents of air. These mouths will communicate with an internal
diffusing Chamber containing means for dividing up the currents of air before 1
they enter the Vehicle. In order to carry off the vitiated air displaced by the
fresh air a collecting Chamber communicating with the outside will be provided at
the rear of the Vehicle. Tubes connected with the diffusing Chamber may also
convey air under the inside seats.
The arrangement of the Omnibus here described will allow of the better lighting 1
that at present, as the light can be fixed to the body of the Omnibus instead of
swinging backwards and forwards with the doors. Provision will also be made
at the back and front to signal to the public the fact of the Omnibus being full.
The Vehicle will be provided with a break arrangement of any approved
construction which will be actuated by the driver in any convenient manner.
I also propose to form the pole and splinter bar in one and to connect the pole
of the fore carriage by a vertical bolt which will be connected in any convenient
manner to a hand level within reach of the driver so that should either of the
horses fall the pole and splinter bar can readily be released from the Omnibus by
the driver rocking the hand level and thus the difficulty at present experienced in
releasing the traces and breast chains to allow the fallen horse to rise will be over-
come in a simple manner. If desired, stays between the splinter bar and the axle
of the front wheels may be provided.
It will be obvious that the arrangements for ventilation may be adapted to
other kinds of carriages whether for road or rail and the pole arrangement or its
equivalent can be rendered applicable but with slight modifications to four wheeled
carriages and other Vehicles both for single and two horses.
Secondly, in means for assuring to the Proprietors of any Omnibus, tramcar, cab
or other vehicle the due receipt of any money paid by any passenger. To effect
this object I fix opposite each seat in an Omnibus or Tramcar a small box fitted
with glass windows or faces and bearing a number corresponding with the seat
opposite. This box is slotted behind the glass front for the reception of coin and
has a false or moveable bottom. Each passenger will be requested to put the
amount of bis fare through the slot and on doing so the Conductor will give a
ticket being a receipt for the amount of the fare, whether it be one penny or more
and as soon as the Conductor has delivered the receipts for the fares paid he turns
a lever (or its equivalent) by means of a special key in his possession, which
causes the money to fall into an inclined channel V shaped or otherwise down
which the money slides into a drawer (fastened with a safety lock) at the end of
each side of the omnibus and to which none but an authorized servant of the
Proprietors can have access the same arrangement being applied to the frame work
of the outside or top of each omnibus or tramcar. The total sum collected from
the boxes at the end of the Journey should correspond with the number of tickets
given by the Conductor to the passengers in transit.
Each passenger retains the ticket received from the conductor until he leaves the
vehicle and in case any passenger should ride past the distance for which he has
paid his fare he will have to pay the excess into the box and receive another ticket
from the Conductor for its amount the Conductor to be furnished with sufficient
change which may be kept in a lock up box provided for the purpose beneath his
own seat.
Thirdly. For ensuring increased comfort to outside passengers during inclement
weather I may fix to each side of the omnibus on the outside spring rollers

page_text: attached to which will be an apron or aprons of oil cloth or other suitable material
to be drawn over the knees at pleasure. This spring roller system for keeping the
oil cloth always ready for use may be extended over the heads of the passengers
by fixing two roller blinds on a suitable frame down the centre of the top of the
omnibus. These blinds may be drawn out at a moment's notice in case of rain or
snow.
Fourthly For causing the vehicle to ride smoothly I suspend it from three
points only on its springs or on compensating beams which I may interpose
between the said springs and the body of the vehicle.
If desired my invention as far as applicable to the checking of money may be
used for any purposes where money is received by subordinates.