AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF TICKET PRINTING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE FOR CHECKING FARES RECEIVED FROM PASSENGERS IN TRAMWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Vincent Newton at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1878. A communication
from abroad by Wilhelm Motz, of Berlin, in the Empire of Germany.
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
OF TICKET PRINTING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE FOR CHECKING FARES RECEIVED
FROM PASSENGERS IN TRAMWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
[A communication from abroad by Wilhelm Motz, of Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany.]
The object of this apparatus is to produce printed tickets designating the variable
payments levied, and to record the total sums received; also, in the case of tramway
passengers, the number of the station at which the passenger entered the vehicle,
and the number of the journey then being performed.
To this end a web of paper is wound upon a reel, and the reel is enclosed in a
box which will admit it end wise and allow of its facilo withdrawal to permit of the
removal of an empty reel and its replacement by a full one. For this purpose the
reel is contained in a cylindrical case composed of two parts, the ends of which are
fitted with bosses that form bearings for the reel. Projecting from the centre of
one of these bosses is a clip spring, the free ends of which enter a central hole in
the other boss. These extremities are formed with catches that spring over a
shoulder in the hollow boss, and thus serve to connect the bosses together. The
paper is drawn from the reel between guide rolls, and thence upwards to a pair of
feed rolls which nip the paper, and by being rotated draw it out and force it through
a curved guide which lays it flat upon an elastic cushion fitted to the upper part of
the box. Hinged to the top of this box is a hollow lid or case which fits upon the
box as a cover, and contains within it an arrangement of printing and counting
apparatus for producing tickets, and recording the fares or fees received in
exchange for such tickets. This apparatus consists of a type cylinder which is
keyed to a horizontal axle, and receives rotary motion through frictional contact
with a disc which is mounted loosely upon the same axle, and is driven by
means of a pawle and ratchet wheel actuated by a spring pusher.
This mode of driving the printing cylinder is adopted to allow of the cylinder
after each printing to return to its normal position. The contact of the cylinder
Prise 971

page_text: with its disc is maintained by a pressure spring, and when relieved from this contact,
which occurs on lifting the cover from the box, a coiled spring comes into action
and rotates the axle of the cylinder, thereby returning the cylinder to its starting
position. The spring pusher and pawl are pivotted to a rock lever which also
carries a pawle that engages with the ratchet wheel of the counting apparatus.
This apparatus, which carries numbers on the periphery of its counting wheels, is
visible through a transverse slit in the top of the hinged case, and by its means the
total amount of axial motion given to the printing cylinder (which motion indicates
the total sums received) is recorded.
On the axle of the cylinder two printing discs are loosely mounted carrying
numbers for indicating respectively the numbers of the stations and the numbers of
the journeys reached.
These discs are also actuated by spring pushers through pawls and ratchet wheels,
but their rotation is always progressive or in the same direction.
For inking the printing surfaces a travelling inking roller is provided, which takes
its supply from running in contact with some spongy material saturated with the
coloring matter. This roller is mounted in bearings carried by a lazy-tongs frame,
which as the hinged lid is raised meets with a contracting guide fitted to the box,
and is thereby contracted laterally and extended in length sufficient to shoot the
inking rollers past the printing surfaces. When the lid is shut down a reverse
action will take place, the lazy tongs being then contracted in length by the action
of an expanding spring. In this way the inking roller is drawn back clear of the
printing surfaces, as the lid is shut down to give the requisite pressure for printing
a ticket. In order to present the paper to the printing surfaces as they descend-
rotary motion is given to the feed rollers by the descent of the hinged cover.
This is effected through a segment rack pivotted to the hinged cover, and taking
into a ratchet wheel secured to one of the feed rollers. When the cover is lifted
this rack will slide past the teeth of the ratchet wheel and its roller will remain
quiescent. When-the inked printing surfaces make their impression on the paper,
a pair of shears will come into action and cut off the printed ticket from the
web of paper. The fixed blade of these shears is fitted to the box in advance
of the curved guide before mentioned, and the moving blade is fitted to the
hinged cover. The axle of the printing cylinder is free to receive an endway
motion in its bearings to free the cylinder from contact with its friction disc.
This takes place as the hinged cover is raised by its striking against a fixed
incline on one side of the box.
Supposing the apparatus to be used by the conductor of a tram car, it will
conveniently be attached to his person by a belt or otherwise, and a handle being
fitted to the hinged cover an up and down motion may be readily given thereto.
The conductor will work the several spring pushers with his fingers, and the
printing cylinder being furnished with transverse lines of type indicating different
fares for varying lengths of journey, will work round the cylinder to bring up the
fare to which the passenger is required to pay. He will also change from time to
time the position of the printing dises to indicate the progress of the day's work,
and the result will be recorded on the counting apparatus.
It will be obvious that the apparatus may be modified to suit varying circum-
stances, but the principle of construction will under all circumstances be retained.
To prevent the counting apparatus being tampered with, the hinged cover must be
put together in such manner as to prevent access to the interior by surreptitious
means. Thus the screws used for connecting the parts together may be soldered
into their place, and thereby be prevented from yielding to the action of a screw
driver.