Prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket

Abstract

Prepayment apparatus with coded ticket including a movable reading and erasing head for the data written on the ticket, first mechanical means for introducing and setting in place the ticket, second mechanical means for effecting the successive steps of the working cycle, and means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket to control said second mechanical means, wherein said first mechanical means is designed so as to store during the introduction of a ticket the mechanical energy necessary for the working of said second mechanical means.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket paticularly of the kind wherein the ticket may allow a plurality of partial utilizations until the exhaustion of the prepaid sum.

Devices are known in which the ticket, and particularly a ticket having a magnetic code, is absorbed by the device, the sum written magnetically is recorded in an electronic counter whereas the magnetic code is erased; when the ticket is withdrawn before the exhaustion of the prepaid sum, the remainder sum in the counter is magnetically re-written on the ticket in the course of the return travel of the ticket.

All these known devices employ a source of energy which is independent of the installation of exploitation for operating the mechanical means for shifting the ticket, the mechanical means for punching or marking and for supplying power to the electronic circuits required for the reading, the erasing and then the magnetic rewriting of the sum remaining available.

In some cases, this is a serious drawback, since there is then incurred the expense of a special installation for supplying the energy which, bearing in mind the costs and taxes for the installation of an electric line, renders the exploitation costly, and, moreover, renders said installation dependent on the energy distributed by the network whereas it could very well be required to operate in the case of breakdown of the network.

This is the case for example with parkmeters employing the prepayment system in which the sum recorded on a coded ticket is used up as a function of the parking time.

This is also the case with prepayment telephone apparatus employing coded tickets in which the sum recorded on the ticket is spent in accordance with a number of basic telephone units used up, the sole available energy in the telephone installation consisting in brief pulse at the start (or at the end) of each basic telephonic unit and a watching current of the order of one milli-ampere in the line when it is not being used.

This could also be the case with a prepayment device employing a coded ticket for the use of a hired or rented car without chauffeur in which the sum written on the ticket would be spent as a function of time and of the number of kilometers travelled through.

The invention has for its object the elimination of these drawbacks of the known devices.

Accordingly, the invention concerns a prepayment apparatus with coded ticket including a movable reading and erasing head for the data written on the ticket, first mechanical means for introducing and setting in place the ticket, second mechanical means for effecting the successive steps of the working cycle, and means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket to control said second mechanical means, wherein said first mechanical means is designed so as to store during the introduction of a ticket the mechanical energy necessary for the working of said second mechanical means.

Preferably, said means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket includes an electronic circuit supplied with low voltage current, with low intensity and during a very short duration at each use.

In one embodiment, the first mechanical means includes a ticket-carrying slider slidable on a slide fitted with a movable member including two coaxial pinions meshing respectively with a rack fixed to the frame of the apparatus and with a rack fixed to said ticket-carrying slider. Relative movement between these two elements produces the setting of helical springs and the movement of a weight. The slide is also fitted with a retaining pawl and, advantageously, the second mechanical means includes a lever associated with a crank which transmits an alternative motion to the magnetic head, a locking pawl for said lever, a setting lever coupled with said lever through a crank and including at one end thereof a longitudinal aperture, said both levers being permanently urged towards each other by a spring whose attachment points determine unequal lever arms, governor means for moving the magnetic head, a rack slider carrying an electrical feeler whose motion is controlled by a step-by-step escapement which is itself controlled by electrical impulses through an electromagnet.

With a view of lowering the current consumption, the invention provides that the means for exploiting the coded data includes a counter-subtracter with reset controlled by a contact, a diode matrix decoding a plurality of N discrete positions of the counter and a switch a branch of which scan a series of N contacts connected to the conductors representing the N discrete positions of the counter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by the ensuing description made with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively front and side elevational views of a telephone device according to the invention, the receiver shown on the left of FIG. 1 giving an idea of the overall size;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the device, the case having been removed;

FIG. 4 is a view of the right side of FIG. 3 in which a plate has been removed;

FIG. 5 is a view equivalent to FIG. 4 after a manual arming;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the push-member in the position shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the push-member taken along line VII--VII of FIGS. 4 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a part of the elements taken along line VIII--VIII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a view of the left side of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an electronic circuit diagram;

FIG. 12 is an example of a ticket;

FIG. 13 is a view of a part of FIG. 8 representing a modification for marking the ticket instead of punching the latter; and

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of display means.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are views of the outside of a prepayment telephone device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device is contained in a case or housing B, the receiver C being at rest suspended from a movable lever L which cuts off in the known manner the communication. Shown on the front side of the case B are: a window F in which a counting roller indicates the available credit expressed in basic units, a recess N the end wall B.sub.1 of which has an opening B'.sub.1 for allowing the passage of a manual actuating button 15 having a slot 15c for inserting a ticket.

The frame (FIGS. 3 and 4) comprises essentially a fixed slideway 1, a plate 2 and a plate 3. The slideway 1 is fixed to the plate by short pillars, such as 4 and 5, and the plates 2 and 3 are interconnected by square pillars 6 and round pillars 6', 7 and 7'. The square pillars 6 carry transverse tapped holes 6a and the slideway 1 has tapped holes 1a for fixing the apparatus to the interior of the case B, against its front face B.sub.1. The rear end of the slideway 1 and the rear edge of the plates 2 and 3 are at a distance from the rear inner face B.sub.2 of the plate B.

Perpendicular to the plate 2 and secured to the latter by folded tabs are two other plates 9 and 10 which are braced by pillars 8.

Although numerous functions are carried out simultaneously they will be described separately in order to render the description more clear.

INSERTION OF THE TICKET IN THE READING POSITION

A slide 11 is guided by a T-section male portion in a T-section female portion of the slideway 1 whose lip 1b is provided with teeth of a rack. The slide 11 has on the upper face of T-section male portion for guiding a slider 12 provided with a T-section female portion one of the lips 12a of which is provided with teeth of a rack.

The slide 11 (FIG. 8) has a shouldered cylindrical cavity 11a in which there is movably mounted a member 13 having pivots 13a which are journalled in a centre aperture at the end of the cavity 11a and in an aperture in a plug 14 constituting a bearing. The movable member 13 has a small gear pinion 13b meshed with the rack 1b and a larger gear pinion 13c meshed with the rack 12a.

Owing to the action of the movable member 13, any movement of the slide 11 with respect to the slideway 1 results in a movement in the same direction but to a greater extent of the slider 12 with respect to the slide 11 so that the total movement of the slider 12 with respect to the slideway 1 is equal to the sum of the two relative movements.

The slide 11 is returned to its position of rest by a return spring 16 disposed in a longitudinal recess in the slideway and attached, at one end, to a pin 11b integral with the slide 11 and, at the other end, to a pin 1c integral with the slideway 1 (FIG. 7).

In the position of rest (FIG. 4), the slide 11 extends from the front of the wall B.sub.1 of the case by a certain distance (for example 3 cm) and the slider 12 is in abutment with the inner wall 15a of the push-member 15 slightly projecting with respect to the slide 11. The push-member 15 is secured by screws to bosses 11d (FIG. 7) at the end of the slide 11.

The purpose of the bosses 11d is to define a space between the front end of the slide 11 and the inner wall 15a for the discharge of dust and foreign bodies which might hinder the abutment of the slider 12 against the wall 15a.

The slider 12 (FIG. 7) is adapted to carry the ticket on its upper face; a flat attached member 17 (on the right in FIG. 7) and a thicker attached member 18 (on the left in FIG. 7) define with the slider 12 a slideway for maintaining the ticket.

The member 18 (FIG. 8) has ten piercing punches 180 each one of which has a return spring, a back plate 18' maintaining the punches 180 and allowing the heads 180a of the punches to extend therethrough.

The push-member 15 has on the outer face and on the lateral faces thereof a wall in the shape of a skirt 15b which surrounds, without contact, the parts of the slider 12 and of the guides 17 and 18 which are, in the position of rest, outside the case B.

The opening B.sub.1 ' (FIG. 7) of the face B.sub.1 of the case B has the same profile as the skirt 15b.

The push-member 15 has on its front face a slot 15c (FIGS. 1 and 4) for the insertion of the ticket and the upper face of the skirt 15b has an opening 15d (FIG. 6) to allow the passage of one finger for enabling pushing the ticket into position and withdrawing it after use.

In an advantageous modification (FIG. 8), the fixed ticket-guiding member 17 is replaced by a movable jaw 17' which is pivotable about a pin 17'a biased by a spring disposed in an aperture 12b guided by a stud 17'b so that the lip 17'c clamps the ticket against the upper face of the slider 12 when the latter is in the reading position (FIG. 5). On the other hand, when the slider 12 is in the position of rest (FIG. 4), the convex head of the stud 17'b is inside the lateral wall of the skirt 15b, the spring is compressed and the lip 17'c is slightly raised and then allows the insertion or withdrawal of the ticket.

When, after having inserted the ticket through the slot 15c, the push-member 15 is depressed, the slider 12 carrying the ticket comes into the reading position shown in FIG. 5. A pawl 19, pivotable on a pin 1d of the slideway 1, cooperates with a notch 11e to prevent the return of the slide 11 to the position of rest under the action of the spring 15.

SAFETY MEASURE ENSURING THE PRESENCE OF THE TICKET IN THE PROPER POSITION

The push-button 15 must be prevented from being pushed in when the ticket is absent or insufficiently inserted.

A pawl 20 (FIG. 4), pivotable on a pin 12c integral with the slider 12, carries a finger member 20a which assumes a position over the end of the ticket, which it overlaps to the extent of about 1 mm in the direction of the length, when the ticket has been suitably inserted.

At rest, a heel portion 20b of the pawl 20, bearing against the stud 11f integral with the slide 11, maintains the pawl 20 in the position shown in FIG. 4, the finger member 20a being sufficiently raised to allow the end of the ticket to be engaged thereunder. Under these conditions, when the push-member 15 is pushed in, the movement of the slider 12 with respect to the slide 11 disengages the heel portion 20b from the stud 11f, the finger member 20 bears against the edge of the ticket whose thickness is sufficient to maintain the end 20c of the pawl 20 above a notch 11b in the slide 11, and the relative movement between slider 12 and slide 11 is possible. On the other hand, if the ticket is absent or insufficiently inserted to the extent of a very short distance such as one millimetre, the nose portion 20c descends low enough to engage in the notch 11b and prevent the relative displacement between slider 12 and slide 11.

STORAGE OF THE ENERGY FOR SHIFTING THE READING HEAD IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN IN THE OTHER

In FIG. 4, the plate 3 has been removed to show a lever 21 integral with a pin 21a journalled between the plates 2 and 3, and a lever 22 integral with a pin 22a also journalled between the plates 2 and 3. The lever 21 is pivoted at 21b to a link 23 which is pivoted at its other end at 22b to the lever 22, this pivotal connection being achieved by means of a longitudinal slot 23a. The lever arms 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b are equal and constitute with the link 23 a parallelogram structure. The two levers 21 and 22 are elastically yieldably interconnected by a drive spring 24 attached to two studs 21c and 22c. In the position of rest shown in FIG. 4, the spring 24 is under tension, that is to say, its length, when free, is shorter than the distance between the points 21c and 22c determined by the link 23.

The lever arm between the pin 21a and the connecting stud 21c is smaller than the lever arm between the connecting stud 22c and the spring 22a. The lever 21 is therefore biased by the spring 24 to rotate in the clockwise direction (in FIG. 4) with a torque c which is proportional to the distance between 21a and 21c whereas the lever 22 is biased in the counterclockwise direction by the same spring 24 with a larger torque C which is proportional to the distance between 22a and 22c. As the torque C is transmitted in the ratio of 1/1 by the link 23, the lever 21 is biased in the counterclockwise direction with a torque c' = C - c, which, in the position of rest (shown in FIG. 4), maintains the lever 21 against a stop 3a integral with the plate 3.

A catch 25 keyed on a shaft 25a which extends completely through the slide 11 in which it is freely rotatable and on which is keyed, on the other side of the slide, an actuating lever 25b, is maintained by the effect of its weight in the illustrated position against a pin 11b integral with the slide 11.

At rest (FIG. 4), a finger member 22d of the lever 22 is in front of the catch 25 with a slight clearance therebetween. When the member 15 and the slide 11 begin to be pushed toward the right, the clearance between the lever 25 and the finger member 22d is first taken up, then the lever 22 is driven in the clockwise direction against the action of the spring 24 so as to bring it to the set position shown in FIG. 5.

As soon as the lever 22 has started to be driven, the stud 22b is no longer bearing against the bottom of the notch 23a; under the action of the spring 24 the lever 21 leaves the stop 3a and comes in contact, through a pin 21d, with the narrow front face 26a of a pawl 26 which is pivotable on the pin 1d flat against the pawl 19. The position of the pawl 26 with respect to the pawl 19 is determined by a pin 19a and a small return spring 26'.

The narrow front face 26a and an inclined upper face 26b and an inclined lower face 26c are the faces of a small prism the base of which has a diamond shape and whose edges are perpendicular to the plane of the pawl 26.

When the push-member 15 and the slide 11 are pushed home, the pawl 19 cooperating with the notch 11e and holding the slide 11, maintains, through the catch 25, the lever 22 in the position in which the spring 24 is fully set (FIG. 5).

PARTIAL RESTORATION OF THE ENERGY STORED IN THE SPRING 24 FOR THE READING OF THE TICKET IN A FIRST DIRECTION (FORWARD TRAVEL)

As soon as the push-member 15 and the slide 11 reach the end-of-travel position (FIG. 5), the pawl 19 cooperating with the notch 11e has undergone a small rotation which it transmits, through the pin 19a, to the pawl 26 which thenceforth no longer presents to the pin 21d its narrow front face 26a but its inclined face 26b.

The lever 21, under the action of the spring 24, rotates in the clockwise direction, the pin 21d acting on the inclined face 26b and the pawl 26 withdraws so as to allow it to pass. The speed of rotation of the lever 21 is regulated to be substantially constant by a centrifugal governor 27 controlled by a toothed sector 21a integral with the lever 21. The rotation of the lever 21 is pursued until the end of the slot 23a of the link 23 is once more in contact with the stud 22b.

RESTORATION OF THE STORED ENERGY FOR THE READING IN THE RETURN DIRECTION

This operation could have been described later as it is the penultimate operation of the procedure. However, as the means employed are the same as those just described it is preferred to refer thereto now.

When at the end of the communication interrupted deliberately by the user or automatically by the exhaustion or running out of the credit, the lever 25b is shifted downwardly by a means which will be explained hereinafter, the catch 25 is raised and leaves the finger member 22d of the lever 22 which is then free to rotate under the action of the spring 24 in the counterclockwise direction. The rotation of the lever 22 is transmitted by the link 23 to the lever 21 whose rotation in the counterclockwise direction occurs at a speed which is substantially constant and is regulated, as already mentioned, by the governor 27. At the end of the return rotation, the lever 21 has returned to abutment with the stop 3a as shown in FIG. 4.

MECHANICAL RESETTING OF THE SYSTEM

At the end of the return travel of the lever 21, the pin 21d has encountered the lower inclined face 26c of the pawl 26 which consequently undergoes a small rotation in the clockwise direction, this small rotation being transmitted through the pin 19a to the pawl 19 which escapes from the notch 11e and thus allows the slide 11 to return to the position of rest under the action of the return spring 16.

MECHANICAL READING HEAD DRIVING OPERATION (FIGS. 4 AND 5)

A magnetic reading head 28 is maintained in a rectangular-sided support 29 on the lower face of which there is secured a first resilient strip 30 by means of a counterplate 290 and a second identical strip 13 is secured to the upper face of the support 29 by means of a counterplate 291.

The two resilient strips 30 are, at their end opposed to the support 29, secured to the arm 31a of a slider 31 by means of a spacer member 310, having the same height as the support 29, and a counter-plate 311. The support 29, the two strips 30 and the spacer member 310 constitute a parallelogram structure which ensures that the reading head 28 exerts an elastically yieldable pressure on the ticket and guides the head in a direction parallel to the vertical axis. The slider 31 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 9) is formed by a sheet which is folded at right angles and has a horizontal branch which is cut to constitute the head-holder arm 31a and a vertical branch which extends downwardly so as to constitute a vertical arm 31b (FIG. 3).

Two vertical spindles 31c, fixed to the horizontal branch, carry rollers 32 and two horizontal spindles 31d, fixed to the vertical branch, carry two identical rollers 320, whereas the vertical arm 31b carries a single roller 321 having a vertical axis of rotation.

The plate 3 (FIGS. 3 and 9) has in the front and at the rear two folded tabs 3b, 3c which support two parallel rods 3d and 3e. The plate 3 between the tabs 3b, 3c has an aperture 3f throughout its length so as to allow the passage therethrough of the horizontal branch 31a of the slider. The rod 3e is trapped with clearance in the right angle of the slider 31 by the rollers 32 and 320. The pressure exerted downwardly by the head 28 on the ticket, owing to the effect of the strips 30, produces an upward reaction on the slider 31 which maintains the rollers 320 in contact under the rod 3e.

This upward reaction tends to rotate the slider 31 in the clockwise direction (FIG. 3) and this maintains the roller 321 in contact with the rod 3d and the rollers 32 laterally in contact with the rod 3e.

The head 28 is in contact with the ticket by a cylindrical surface whose generatrices are perpendicular to the axis of displacement, that is to say, perpendicular to the rod 3e. It is necessary, in order to achieve a good reading, that the head be in contact with the surface of the ticket throughout the lenth of the generatrix; now, the precision of a folding operation and errors of construction do not permit guaranteeing the perfect application of the generatrix of contact of the head 28 on the plate of the ticket.

The support has therefore been bent in such manner as to define an angle which is greater than 90.degree., for example 92.degree., and a second rigid arm 31f which carries an adjusting screw 31g has been fixed to the vertical arm 31b. By tightening this screw 31g, the arm 31b is deformed in the direction which corrects the angle of folding at 92.degree. so as to make it equivalent to a precise angle of 90.degree.. This adjustment is carried out after assembly and corrects all the errors of construction.

The forward and rearward displacement of the slider 31 is ensured by a link 33 of which one end is pivoted to a tab 31b which is folded to be in a vertical plane from the horizontal branch of the slider 31, whereas the other end of the link is pivoted to the end 21e of the lever 21.

RAISING OF THE READING HEAD AT REST

At rest, the reading head 28 must be raised slightly to permit the passage without rubbing of the part of the slider 12 which is not covered by the ticket and to permit without hindrance the insertion of the ticket to its reading position under the head 28. This is achieved (FIG. 4) by means of a member 34 having a generally U-shaped section and provided with an aperture 34a for the passage of a pillar 7 on which the member 34 is held fast by a screw 340.

The two branches of the U are spaced apart enough to leave only the intermediate portion of the U which interconnects the branches above another piller 7' and only two thin lips 34b under this pillar 31. An adjusting screw 240 extending through the top branch of the U-sectioned member bears against the second pillar 7'.

The other end of the two branches of the U-section member 34 is bevelled so as to form two inclined planes 34c which are located on each side of the head support 29. The counter-plate 291 carries on each side two projecting tabs which, at the end of travel, in arriving at the position of rest cooperate with the inclined plane 34c so as to raise the head slightly. By tightening more or less the screw 341, the lips 34b are made to bend more or less and the member 34 is rotated slightly about the pillar 7 to adjust the height of the raising of the head 28 at the end of travel.

STORAGE OF THE ENERGY REQUIRED TO PUNCH OR MARK THE TICKET SO AS TO INDICATE THE REMAINING CREDIT ON THE TICKET (SEE FIGS. 3, 4, 5 AND 9)

A shaft 35 is journalled in the plate 2 and in a folded ear 10a of the plate 10 (FIG. 9). A lever 350 is keyed on the shaft 35 in front of the plate 2 and a crank arm 351, carrying a crank pin 351a, is keyed on the shaft 35 behind the ear 2a. The assembly 35-350-351 assumes, under the simple effect of gravity, the position of rest shown in FIG. 4.

A stop block 36 is secured to the end of the slide 11 and carries a projecting portion 36a in the vertical plane containing the lever 350. When the push-member 15 and the slide 11 are pushed in, the stop block 36 moves from the positon shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 5 and, during this movement, the projecting portion 36a drives the lever 350 through a certain angle and then leaves it so as to allow it to return to its position of rest. During the movement of the lever 350, the crank pin 351a moves from the lower position of rest, shown in dotted line in FIG. 4, to a higher position and then returns to the position of rest.

A fork 37 (FIGS. 3 and 9) which is integral, through its side walls 37a and 37b folded at right angles, with a shaft 370 pivoting in the plates 9 and 10, carries a bar 371 parallel to the shaft 370 and extending through the plates 9 and 10 by way of openings in the shape of an arc of a circle 9b, 10b concentric with the shaft 370. The bar 371 is resiliently biased to the position of rest in abutment with the lower part of the openings 9b, 10b by a spring 38 which bears against the fork 37 and against a pillar 8.

A fork 39, whose side portions 39a, 39b bend at a right angle and are guided between the side portions 37a, 37b, defines with the fork 37 a hinge pivoted to the bar 371.

The fork 39 carries a hammer 390 the intermediate portion of the fork 37 and the intermediate portion of the fork 39 being maintained in abutment with each other and in the same plane by a very light spring 40 whose ends extend through apertures 37c and 39c.

The side portion 37a of the fork 37 constitutes a cam whose profile 37d is concentric with the shaft 370 and has a slope 37b so as to meet a portion 37f of smaller radius.

A lever 41, biased by a small spring 410 pivotably mounted on a pin 10c of the plate 10, follows by its feeler heel portion 41a the profile 37d and is capable of hooking by its nose portion 41b a pin 42a of the armature 42 of an electric relay 420 when the slope 37e is in front of the feeler heel portion 41a.

The armature 42 has a branch 42b constituted by an attached resilient strip.

In the position of rest shown in FIG. 3, the bar 371 is a little above the position of rest of the crank-pin 351a and the hammer 390 touches no member placed therebelow.

When upon pushing on the push-member 15, the assembly 35-350-351 is made to rotate as explained hereinbefore, the crank-pin 351a in assuming the upper position raises the bar 371 and rotates the assembly 390-39-37 about the shaft 370 in opposition to the action of the spring 38, the heel portion 41a of the lever 41 engages the slope 37e and the nose portion 41b is maintained by the lug 42a of the armature 42. Thus, the energy which will be employed for punching or marking the ticket is stored in the spring 38.

PRODUCING THE PUNCHING (OR MARKING) OF THE TICKET

There are two cases provided for:

1. The user decides to interrupt the communication and hangs up the receiver and, in doing so, causes a mechanical means (not shown) integral with the conventional hook for hooking the receiver, to exert a force in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 3) on the resilient strip 42b. The armature 42 rotates slightly and its lug 42a releases the nose portion 41b of the lever 41 whose heel portion 41a is urged by the slope 37e. The assembly 390-39-37 suddenly falls under the action of the spring 38 and the bar 371 suddenly abuts the lower ends of the openings 9b, 10b.

Owing to the speed attained and its inertia, the hammer 390 travels during a very short period of time downwardly beyond the position of rest shown in FIG. 3 and bends the spring 40 and causes that one of the punches 180 selected for punching a numbered box of the ticket the number of which indicates the number of basic units still available on the ticket.

After punching (or marking), the hammer 390 resumes its position of rest under the action of the spring 40.

2. The user uses the whole of the credit: as soon as the last basic unit has started, the coil 420 is energized, the armature 42 is attracted, the punching is effected by the same process as just described. The zero box of the ticket is punched.

PUNCHING OR MARKING OF THE TICKET

An example of a ticket is shown in FIG. 12: it has, for example, a rectangular shape, 4.4 cm long and 3 cm wide, a longitudinal band 0.5 cm wide is coated with a magnetic substance for the recording of the coded information of the number of counting units represented by the new ticket, for example 10 units. The coded information is recorded in a median region, that is to say that about 1 cm at each end of the magnetic band is not employed.

The two edges of the ticket are divided into 11 boxes numbered 0 to 10.

When the ticket is placed on the slider 12 and the push-member 15 has been depressed, the ticket is in the reading position, the ten punches 180 (FIGS. 8 and 10) are each above one of the ten boxes numbered 0 to 10 on one side of the ticket. The box numbered 10 has never to be punched. It is marked with a cross by a typographic printing of the ticket since, if the telephone call is successful, that is to say if the correspondent replies, there is at least one unit consumed and in this case the box to be punched (or marked) is the box numbered 9.

Ten small dies 120 (FIG. 8) of hard metal placed in the slider 12, each one on the axis of one of the ten punches 180, communicates with an elongated opening 11k of the slide 11 which itself communicates with an elongated opening 1e of the fixed slideway so as to discharge the confetti or slugs produced by the punching.

The heads 180a of the ten punches 180 are at a certain distance under the hammer 390 (position of rest).

A selecting block 430, carried by a resilient strip 43, is displaced selectively step-by-step a few tenths of a millimetre above the row of the ten heads 180a of the punches 180 and a few tenths of a millimetre below the lower face of the hammer 390 (position of rest).

It has been explained hereinbefore that when the hammer falls, it travels downwardly beyond its position of rest and strikes the block 430, the strip 43 bends, and the block 430 transmits the blow of the hammer to that one of the punches 180 which is located under the block 430.

FIG. 12 shows, by way of example, a ticket which has been employed a first time when it consumed two units, the box numbered 8 indicating that there are 8 units left to be used.

The ticket was then employed a second time, inserted in the apparatus by its other end, three units were consumed, the punched box numbered 5 indicating that 5 units are left.

In an advantageous modification, instead of punching the ticket, which gives rise to problems of discharge of the confetti or slugs, the ticket is merely marked by striking with a stamp. FIG. 13 reproduces a part of FIG. 8 which is modified to replace the punching by a marking.

A single stamp 431, carried by two strips 43 separated by a spacer member so as to constitute a parallelogram structure, is displaced selectively above boxes numbered 0 to 10. The end 431b carrying the mark to be marked is a few tenths of a millimetre above the ticket whereas the other end of the ticket 431b is at a few tenths of a millimetre below the hammer 390 in the latter's position of rest.

MECHANICAL CONTROL OF THE SELECTIVE POSITIONING OF THE PUNCHING OR MARKING (FIGS. 3, 9 AND 10)

The plate 2 has two folded ears 2a, 2b (FIG. 9) for supporting two parallel rods 2d, 2c on which is freely slidable a light slider 44 comprising a thin sheet folded in the shape of a U, one side portion 44a of slider 44 being provided with two apertures through which pass with very slight clearance the rods 2c, 2d and cut so as to constitute the attachment 44b of a spring 45. The other side portion 44c of slider 44 is provided with an aperture for allowing the passage with little clearance of the rod 2c and a larger aperture for the rod 2d. The slider 44 is thus guided at three points. The profile of the slide portion 44c is so arranged as to allow the passage of the spring 45 without touching the latter. An arm 44d is folded at a right angle and supports the strip 43 and the block 430. The lower edge of the slider 44 is cut in the form of a rack 44e (FIG. 10) so as to mesh with a gear pinion 46 integral with a ratchet wheel 46a. A wheel 47 is freely rotatable on the shaft of the pinion 46 and is driven in the counterclockwise direction by a pawl 47a which cooperates with the ratchet wheel 46a. The wheel 47 drives in the clockwise direction the pinion 48a integral with an escape wheel 48 having three teeth. An escape anchor 49 has an arm with a nose portion 49a, an arm with a heel portion 49b, and an arm 49c defining a moving armature of a relay 490. When the relay 490 is unenergized, one tooth of the wheel 48 is stopped by the nose portion 49a, the slider 44 is fixed and the block 420 is in one of the selected positions.

When the relay 490 is energized, the nose portion 49a releases one tooth of the wheel 48 another tooth of which abuts the heel portion 49b, the slider 44 advances to the left (FIG. 10), under the action of the spring 45, a fraction of a step and the block 430 is in a position intermediate two selected positions.

When the relay 490 has ceased to be energized, the anchor resumes the illustrated position, the tooth of the wheel 48 which was on the heel portion 49b is released and abuts the nose portion 49a. The slider 44 has finished an advance through one step, the block 430 has arrived at a new selected position.

The slider 44 still carries an arm 44f in which is secured in an electrically insulated manner a contact switch 440 having two lips 440a, 440b. The lip 440a is in permanent contact with a continuous band 50a of printed circuit 50 whereas the lip 440b explores or scans a series of eleven conductive contacts 50b connected to eleven terminals 50c. Ten unconnected contacts 50d are placed in the intervals between the eleven contacts 50b. The coincidence of the lip 440b with each one of the contacts 50b corresponds to that of one of the selected positions.

The electrical operation of this device which is shown only in FIGS. 10, 11, will be understood from the ensuing description.

SETTING AND RETRUN OF THE SELECTING DEVICE TO THE INITIAL POSITION

A slider 51 (FIGS. 3 and 10) constituted by a sheet with two side portions 51a and 51b folded at right angles freely slides, in the same way as the slider 44, on the two rods 2c, 2d, the side portion 51c being cut out so as to constitute an attachment 51b for the other end of the spring 45.

In the position shown in FIG. 10, the slider 44 is in its initial position (position corresponding to the selection for a new ticket before the correspondent has replied), the block 430 is in the position corresponding to the box 10 of the ticket.

The spring 45 is fully tensioned since the slider 51 has been brought to the illustrated position (fully to the left of FIG. 10) by a finger member 121 integral with the ticket-carrying slider 12 when, in depressing the push-member 15, the ticket has been brought to the reading position. The finger member 121 traverses the plate 2 without touching it in an opening 2e and its end enters an opening 51d of the slider 51. The finger member 121, bearing against the left edge 51e of the opening 51d, maintains the slider 51 against the action of the spring 45.

Starting from the original or initial position shown in FIG. 10, the slider 44 can move toward the left in a step-by-step manner until the selection of the box zero of the ticket; the side portion 44c is then very near to the side portion 51c.

When, at the end of the procedure, the push-member 15 has moved out of the case, the slider 12 has returned to the position of rest shown in FIG. 4. The finger member 121 has moved to the right of the opening 2e and, in cooperating with the right edge 51f of the opening 51d, has returned the slider 51 to the right, the side portion 51a assuming a position close to the ear 2a.

In the course of this displacement of the slider 51 toward the right, the side portion 51c comes in contact with the side portion 44c and urges the slider 44 a little further to the right than the initial position shown in FIG. 10, that is to say to an extent equal to the number of steps employed for the selection in the course of the last procedure plus one fraction of a step, so as to be sure that the pawl 47a does not lose a step of the ratchet wheel 46a. A pawl 47b prevents the wheel 47 from rotating in the clockwise direction.

When the system is reset, the fraction of a step is taken up and the slider is in the initial position corresponding to the new ticket.

PRODUCING THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE READING HEAD IN THE RETURN DIRECTION (FIGS. 3, 4, 5 AND 9)

It has been seen hereinbefore that the displacement of the reading head in the return direction is produced by downwardly urging the end of the lever 25b so as permit the catch 25 pivoting with the pin 25a to release the finger member 22d of the lever 22 (FIG. 5) which, thenceforth, is free to move under the action of the spring 24. This displacement is produced at the moment of punching.

A pusher 52, supported by a support 53 fixed to the plate 2, is biased upwardly (FIGS. 4 and 5) by a very light spring 54 and its lower end is above the end of the lever 25b.

When the hammer 390 carried by the member 39 falls in order to effect the punching, a resilient strip 391 fixed to the member 39 (FIGS. 4 and 9) urges the pusher 52 downwardly against the action of the spring 54 and brings about the return movement of the reading head.

ELECTRONIC MEANS FOR SELECTING THE MARKING POINT

The electronic means comprise (FIG. 11: a countersubtracter 55 having a reset controlled by a contact 56 and a counting input K and a subtracting input D, a diode matrix 57 decoding eleven discrete positions of the counter and numbered 0 to 10; a slidable or rotatable switch 440 having firstly a branch 440b scanning a series of eleven contacts 50b connected to the conductors representing the discrete or separate positions of the counter, the contacts 50b being separated by unconnected contacts 50d and, secondly, a branch 440 a which travels along a continuous line 50a.

The voltage received by the line 50a and amplified by an amplifier 58 controls the selecting relay 490.

The conductor corresponding to the discrete zero position is connected to an amplifier 59 whose output controls the relays 420 and an input of an AND gate 60 whose other input is controlled by a contact 61 and whose output controls a static reversing switch 62 connecting the reading head 28 selectively either to the amplifier 63 or to the eraser 64.

The signals of the head 28 amplified by the amplifier 63 are sent through a contact 65 closed selectively by the inverter 610 which is mechanically integral with the contact 61, either to the counting input K or to an input 66a of an OR gate 66 whose output is connected to the subtracting input D and whose other input 66b receives from the telephone line the signals counting the basic units consumed.

The common point of the relays 420 and 490 is earthed through a switch 67.

The assembly is supplied with power through a switch 68 which closes as soon as the push-member 15 and the slide 11 are depressed.

OPERATION OF THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS.

The electronic circuits are arranged in such manner that, in the matrix 57, the eleven outputs numbered 0- 10 carry current to the exception of that whose row represents the discrete position defined by the counter 55.

At rest, the slider 440 (FIGS. 10 and 11) has its arm 440b on the contact 50b corresponding to the output numbered 10 of the matrix 57 (corresponding to the position of the selector for a new ticket before the correspondent has replied).

The switches 56, 65 and 67, 68 are open, the switch 61 closed, the reversing switch 610 is on the subtracting input D (position inverse to that shown in FIG. 11). The mechanical operation of the switches will be explained hereinafter.

SETTING

When the push-member 15 and the slide 11 are depressed so as to bring the ticket under the reading head 28, the following switchings are effected in the indicated order:

the supply switch 68 is closed definitively for the whole duration of the procedure,

the contact 61 is opened and the reversing switch 610 is put on the counting input K of the counter 55,

the resetting switch 56 is closed,

the resetting switch 56 is opened.

Note that the resetting puts the counter 55 and the matrix 57 in the state corresponding to that of a ticket whose credit has been used up. This is without effect of the relay 420 which causes the fall of the hammer 390 and on the relay 490 which ensures the step-by-step displacement of the slider 440 since the switch 67 is open; this is also without effect on the static reversing switch 62 since the AND gate 60 does not allow energy through, the switch 61 being open.

Note, moreover, that the passage of the ticket under the head 28 for placing it in position for reading, which terminates after the resetting by the contact 56, is without effect on the resetting since the switch 65 is open.

SCANNING OF THE READING HEAD IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION

As soon as the arming has finished, the reading head 28 is made to effect its scanning movement mechanically and the following operations occur:

- the scanning commences,

- the switch 65 is closed,

-the reading of the coded message on the ticket commences and is recorded unit by unit in the counter 55 and matrix 57; in the course of the reading, the partial filling of the matrix 57 is without effect on the relay 490 since the switch 67 is open,

- the reading is terminated.

The switch 67 is closed and three cases are to be considered:

1st case: the ticket is new, the discrete position defined by the counter corresponds to the output numbered 10 which is the sole output which is not under tension, the relay 490 is not energized and the slider 440 does not advance a step so long as the correspondent has not replied.

2nd case: the ticket has been partly used (it is good for example, for a further eight units): it is the output numbered 8 which is the sole not to be under tension when the switch 67 is closed, the relay 490 is energized, the slider 440 advances a fraction of a step, arrives on an electrically unconnected contact 50d, the relay 490 ceases to be energized and the slider 440 terminates the started step and reaches the contact 50b corresponding to the output numbered 9. The relay 490 is once again energized and the same cycle recommences, the slider 440 arrives at the contact 50b corresponding to the output numbered 8 which is not carrying current and remains there so long as the correspondent has not replied in the case of failure to obtain the communication, the box numbered 8 of the ticket which was already punched (or marked) is punched once again without inconvenience.

3rd case: the ticket is invalid (previously fully used up): the relay 420 is energized and the system is mechanically reset.

OPERATION IN THE COURSE OF A COMMUNICATION

During the communication, each time a new basic unit has commenced, a pulse is sent through the line to the input 66b of the OR gate 66 and enters the subtracting input D of the counter 55 producing the offsetting of the slider 440 through one step.

SCANNING OF THE READING HEAD IN THE RETURN DIRECTION

The scanning, in the return direction, is initiated by the interruption of the communication, either when the user decides this interruption and hangs up the receiver and mechanically shifts the armature 42 of the relay 420, or when the last unit of credit on the ticket has been started and the counter 55 and the matrix 57 define the discrete position Nr O.

In both cases, the fall of the hammer punches the ticket in the selected box and causes the head 28 to move in the return direction and release the lever 22.

The following operations occur:

- the scanning in the return direction commences,

- the switch 61 is closed and the reversing switch 610 is placed on the input 66a of the OR gate 66 controlling the subtracting input D of the counter 55.

The reading is started in the return direction and the counter 56 and the matrix 57 indicate the discrete positions decreasing unit by unit until the position Nr O.

the static reversing switch 62 is actuated as soon as the state of the counter is O, since contact 61 is closed, the head 28 is connected to the eraser 64,

the remaining coded information is erased,

the scanning movement in the return direction is terminated and this mechanically causes the push-member 15 and the slide 11 to return to the position of rest,

the supply switch 58 is opened.

PROGRAMMED MECHANICAL CONTROL OF THE SWITCHES 56, 61, 610, 65, 67, 68

The general supply switch 68 (which has only been diagrammatically represented in FIG. 11) is closed as soon as the slide 11, upon arming, leaves the position of rest; it is open when, at the end of the procedure, the slide 11 returns to the position of rest.

The resetting switch 56 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 11) is closed by an insulating crank-pin 352a of a crank 352 keyed on the shaft 35. The crank pin 352a reaches the upper position to raise the strip 56 before resuming, at the end of the arming, the illustrated position.

The switch 61 and reversing switch 610, which are mechanically integral with each other, are controlled by a cam 220 integral with the shaft 22a of the lever 22.

In the position of rest (FIG. 4), the switch 61 is closed, the reversing switch 610 is closed onto the subtracting circuit D. In the set position (FIG. 5), switch 61 is open, switch 610 is closed onto the counting circuit K.

As soon as the released lever 22 has started the scanning in the return direction, switch 61 will be closed and switch 610 will be closed onto D.

The switch 65 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 11) is open at rest; as soon as the lever 21 starts to rotate to effect the scanning in the forward direction, a cam 210 keyed on the shaft 21a of the lever 21 closes the switch 65.

The switch 67 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 11) is opened in the position of rest when the lever 21 has sufficiently rotated to terminate the reading in the forward direction, a cam 211 keyed on the shaft 21a closes the switch 67.

DISPLAY OF THE AVAILABLE CREDIT (FIGS 1, 10 AND 14)

In order to display the available credit, the shaft 46b of the pinion 46, whose angular position is related to the selected discrete position, is connected by a mechanical transmission, of any type having a suitable ratio diagrammatically represented by the dotted line 69, to a driving shaft 70 carried by bearings 70a carrying a small transverse magnetized bar 71. A shaft 72, carried by bearings 72a, located in the extension of the shaft 70, carries at one end a horse-shoe magnet 73 the arms of which face the poles of the bar 71 whereas the other end carries a graduated drum 74 which appears in the window F of the case B (FIG. 1).

The connection between the shafts 70 and 72 through the magnets 71 and 73 transmits a torque which is sufficiently small not to hinder the operation of the assembly in the case where a user, with intention to fraud, would have the idea of blocking the drum 74. Only the display would be put out of use in this case.

The invention may be employed for parkmeters or prepayment telephone apparatus.

Claims

What we claim is:

1. Prepayment apparatus with coded ticket including a movable reading and erasing head for the data written on the ticket, first mechanical means for introducing and setting in place the ticket, second mechanical means for effecting the successive steps of the working cycle, and means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket to control said second mechanical means, wherein the first mechanical means includes a ticket-carrying slider slidable on a slide fitted with a movable member including two coaxial pinions meshing respectively with a rack fixed to the frame of the apparatus and with a rack fixed to said ticket-carrying slider, relative movement between these two elements producing the setting of helical springs and the movement of a weight, the slide being also fitted with a retaining pawl, the second mechanical means includes a lever associated with a crank which transmits an alternative motion to the magnetic head, a locking pawl for said lever, a setting lever coupled with said lever through a crank and including at one end thereof a longitudinal aperture, said both levers being permanently urged towards each other by a spring whose attachment points determine unequal lever-arms, governor means for moving the magnetic head, a rack slider carrying an electrical feeler whose motion is controlled by a step-by-step escapement which is itself controlled by electrical impulses through an electromagnet and the means for exploiting the coded data includes a counter-subtracter with reset controlled by a contact, a diode matrix decoding a plurality of N discrete positions of the counter and a switch a branch of which scans a series of N contacts connected to the conductors representing the N discrete positions of the counter.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attachment point of said spring on the levers are such that the lever arm on the first lever is lower than the lever arm on the setting lever.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a retaining pawl acting on the slide and the locking pawl for the lever are fixed to the frame of the apparatus, co-axial, and connected through a pin so that the locking of one of them assumes the delocking of the other.