IMPROVE MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF FARES AND PASSENGERS, OR THE NUMBER OF FARES ONLY, IN OMNIBUSES, TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward John James Comer at the
Office of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1878.
EDWARD JOHN JAMES COMER, of Kennington, Surrey, Engineer.
« IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF FARES AND PASSENGERS,
OR THE NUMBER OF FARES ONLY, IN OMNIBUSES, TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
VEHICLES."
This Invention has for its object to precisely ascertain and check the exact
amount of the several fares taken by the conductor of an omnibus, tramway car,
or other similar vehicle, for all the journeys made during the entire day. This I.
effect by the employment of a single specially arranged way-bill which shews tho
total traffic of each day instead of employing a fresh..way-bill for each journey.
during the day as now practised.
To carry out my Invention-I provide a way-bill of any convenient size and form,
and divide the same into twice as many vertical columns as there are stations or
stages to and from which the vehicle plies; and I insert therein the names of such
stations or stages in rotation, according to their. respective distances from the two
starting points, when the vehicle starts either upon its up or down journey, one at:
the head of each of such vertical column.
In addition thereto I provido in such way-bill a vertical index column, in which:
the names of such stages or stations are arranged one under the other, and I provide
as many horizontal lines running across the entire width of the way-bill as there
are names of stations appearing in such index column, so that the conductor may
insert in each column the number of fares taken by him during the day for: the-
respective distances. At the foot of such index column I place three additional;
horizontal lines also extending in a similar manner across the entire width of the
way-bill, whereon to mark the respective totals of such fares both for the up and
down journeys.
This columnar arrangement occupies about one-half of the entire depth of the
way-bill, whilst I again divide the remaining half beneath it into a corresponding
number of vertical columns, wherein the words "up," "down," are inserted in con-
venient positions, and suitable spaces are left, wherein perforations or other suitable

page_text: marks are made by means of a depresser arm and punch as presently mentioned.
The number of these perforations exactly tallies with the number of passengers who
travel in the vehicle during the day.
One of the great advantages of my employing a single way-bill only is that it
prevents all necessity for the conductor having access thereto, for the purpose of
removing the same and replacing it by a fresh one, as is now practised, and so
prevents his tampering therewith.
At the commencement of the first journey in the day the greater portion of such
way-bill is coiled around suitable rollers, and supported by a back plate so as to
give steadiness thereto. These rollers work in a suitable frame, and when the way-
bill is rolled thereon, such frame is placed in a box or recess at the back of the
vehicle conveniently situated to afford the conductor access to the way-bill. Such
box or recess is shut in by a suitable door or sliding panel or its equivalent, which
is furnished with a lock or other similar fastening which is secured by a master key.
Such master key is kept by the proprietor or superintendent of the vehicle, and so
all unathorised access to the way-bill is effectually prevented. Such door or panel
is provided with an opening of sufficient size to display so much of the surface of
the way-bill as is required for the conductor's use between each stage, and the
before-mentioned rollers are caused to revolve by means of clockwork, so that as
the vehicle arrives at each stage or station the proper column is displayed for the
succeeding stage..
In order to insure such fresh column being brought round to the opening in the
box or recess, I provide for the conductor's use a handle conveniently placed at
the back of the vehicle, which when pulled down by the conductor actuates two
internal slides. To the bottom of one of such slides a suitable cord or catgut is
fastened. When the conductor pulls such handle downward this slide is brought
down, and the catgut or cord passing round two or more pulleys causes a spindle to
revolve so as to turn round a roller one revolution. Such roller works against the
face of the way-bill, and so brings another column across the back plate before
mentioned at the same time that a spring is wound up which locks the before-
mentioned slide for a convenient space of time (say 5 or 6 minutes) at the end
of each stage, when the same is unlocked by means of any suitable mechanical
arrangement, such as a coiled spring.
The clockwork movement before referred to, at the end of say 2 minutes, causes.
the rollers whereon the way-bill is wound to move the same about 1th of an inch.
forward across the back plate, so that passengers entering or leaving the vehicle
during its progress between each stage would be correctly registered by the auto-
matic registering apparatus as so doing.
In order to ensure the accurate working of the clockwork and other parts of the
registering apparatus, it is necessary that the conductor should pull down the handle
just before each stage, as should he fail to do this a discrepancy would at once
occur between his written register and the mechanical one effected by the punch,
and would thus lead to his detection.
The downward movement of the handle when pulled by the conductor produces
a compound effect, as thereby two slides are brought down as already mentioned.
The action of one of these has already been described, that of the second is as
follows:When brought down the required distance the first slide is released, and
at once flies back to its original position by means of the spring and catgut, and.
when such first slide is pulled down it also brings down suitable racks and punches
conveniently arranged for producing marks in the lower vertical columns of the
way-bill tallying with the number of passengers getting intor or alighting from the.
vehicle..
'
The racks and punches just mentioned form part of a suitable registering.
apparatus, which is so arranged that when a passenger either on entering or leaving
treads on the first back or side step of the vehicle, it prepares the remainder of
the registering apparatus to act, for by so doing he depresses a suitable spiral or
helical spring and bring down suitable depressing arms which lodge on the top of

page_text: a slide fixed beneath the foremost of such depressing arms. Such slide is actuated
by means of suitable levers and connected by means of wires or their equivalents to
a perforating apparatus placed over the door of the vehicle, so that when the first
step is depressed, such depressing arms lodge on the top of the slide, and move it
forward th of an inch. This slide is also provided with an arm which actuates
suitable levers, and thus causes a corresponding slide in the next step to move the
reverse way, thus allowing the depresser arms just mentioned to come down and
lodge on a convenient flange which is cast on the first and second steps of the
vehicle. By so doing, two supplementary depresser arms are brought down, which
actuating a suitable cam and spring and also the connecting wires thereby, impart
motion to the perforating apparatus and cause it to register. Such wires are
carried round the vehicle through suitable metal tubes or cylinders, and are con-
nected with each other by means of cranks, or in any other convenient way.
When it is only necessary to register the number of passengers and not the
various distances traversed by them (as in cases where the saine fare is charged for
a portion of as for the entire journey), I fix a suitable registering apparatus beneath
the bottom step of the vehicle fitted with suitable slides and levers similar to the
first arrangement, but having the registering punch or apparatus fitted in the
bottom of the step instead of over the door as before described.
The frame containing the rollers is also similar, but somewhat smaller in size,
and is fitted in addition with a ratchet wheel on the journal of one of the rollers, so
that as each passenger depresses the step on alighting, a perforation is made by an
automatic punch.
A suitable arm furnished with a pawl and spring works the ratchet wheel round
one tooth, and thus causes the rollers whereon the way-bill is rolled to move
slightly forward so as to present a fresh surface for the succeeding perforation
being made therein.
It will be obvious that if the conductor does not correctly mark the way-bill, his
entries thereon will not correspond with the automatic register kept by the
registering apparatus, and also that if he neglects to pull the handle the registering
mechanism will not act, and his own omission will effectually lead to discovery.
All the mechanism of the registering apparatus is enclosed within the framework
of the vehicle, so as not only to be out of sight, but to preclude all tampering
therewith either by the conductor or others, as only the superintendent or other
person entrusted with the master key can either remove the way-bill or inspect the
mechanism when necessary.