IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF ENUMERATING PASSENGERS IN TRAMWAY AND OTHER CARS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Early at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
February 1873.
I, JOSEPH EARLY, of 25, New Row, West, in the City of Dublin,
Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF ENUMERATING PASSENGERS IN
TRAMWAY AND OTHER CARS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement
of apparatus for enumerating or indicating the number of passengers
travelling in tramway cars or other public conveyances, and consists
of a box or case which is fitted to any convenient part of the interior
of the car, and contains a peculiar arrangement of counting mechanism,
which is actuated by pulling a cord each time a fresh passenger enters
the vehicle.
The said counting mechanism consists of one, two, or more discs
placed when two or more are used side by side in the same plane with

page_text: their peripheries nearly touching each other. One of these discs, namely
the left hand one, when two are employed has the numerals 1 to 9
inclusive marked thercon or attached thereto on its face near its
circumference, such numerals indicating tens. The other disc has the
numerals 1 to 9 and the cypher, as zero 0, similarly marked thercon i
or attached thereto, such numerals indicating units. The first men-
tioned disc carries ten pins or projections on the back, disposed at equal
distances thereon, and the second disc carries a single tooth or
projection, which as it comes round engages into one of the pins on the
first disc and moves it one-tenth of a revolution so as to bring the next 1
higher figure into view. In addition to the said single tooth the second
disc or its axis is provided with a ratchet wheel having ten teeth
therein, into which engages a spring or weighted pull in connection
with one of the lovers or cranks of a bell spring; the other crank of
the bell spring is connected by a chain to a short upright lever which 1
is again connected to the striking mechanism of an ordinary gong. A
cord is attached to the last mentioned crank of the bell spring and is
connected to an ordinary bell crank, to the opposite end of which bell
crank another cord is attached and is carried along the vehicle in a
tube or otherwise to be pulled by the conductor. Another cord is 2
also attached to the same bell crank after passing under a guide pulley
is carried out through the opposite side of the box or case. The discs
may be prevented from overturning or from being fraudulently set
back by the application to their peripheries or to the periphery of one
of them (by preference the disc containing the numerals indicating 2
tens) of a friction spring or an ordinary spring detent and ratchet. As
the box or case however is provided with a lockod lid or door having
a glazed opening therein through which to see the figures any
tampering of the apertures will be rendered practically impossible.
In front of and between the two discs there is a stationary disc, 3
more or less ornamented if desired, having two apertures mado therein
corresponding in position to tho contiguous numerals in the two discs,
so that no other figures are exposed to view. On pulling one or other
of the cords which lead to both ends of the vehicle in tramway cars
the right hand disc will be caused to rotate to the extent of one-tenth 3
of a revolution by the action of the pall, whilst at the same time the
gong will be sounded, thus indicating that a fresh passenger has
entered the vehicle. By the time the disc of units has made a completo

page_text: revolution the single tooth or projection thereon will have come in
contact with one of the ten pins or projections on the disc of tens and
will move it round one step, thus the enumeration may be carried on
up to 99 inclusive, when the apparatus will recommence at the
unit 1.