A USEFUL INVENTION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1931, 3 May 1880, Page 3

A USEFUL INVENTION.

Mr Maskelyne, of the Egyptian Hall, London, has invented an apparatus for checking the fares paid by passengers in omnibuses and tramcars. It may be briefly desoribed as follows: —The machine consists of a disc about 12m. in diameter, which is made to rotate by clockwork, and a ticket receptacle, divided into a number of compartments corresponding to the number of stages of the particular journey. Befcra each journey is takon a sheet of paper is placed upon the disc, upon whioh is printed three concentric circles and radial lines, indicating minutes, and the box is oharged with tickets. Upon each ticket is printed the stage at which it is issued, also the fares to the end of the journey. The conductor cannot get at the tickets until he moves the first compartment of the ticket box, opposite an aperture through which they are withdrawn, and each movement of the box causes a lever to press upon the disc and perforate the paper in the centre circle, thus indicating the ex'ict time at which such movement was made. By means of a very Bisiplo mechanical arrangement of the steps, every person entering the vehicle causes a second lever to perforate the disc in the outer circle, and upon leaving the vehicle a third lover perforates the disc in the inner circle, thus registering the exact time at which a passenger entered or loft the vehicle. The number of tickets issued must correspond with the number of perforations, and at the end of the journey an inspector can readily ascertain tha amount of money the conductor has received. The apparatus is simple, durable, and inexpensive. With it a journey may be divided into any number of 6tages, aud any amount of fare may be charged over any portion of the journey, and it most effectually protects both the public and the proprietors against fraud.