Taximeters

971, 014. Taximeters. GEECEN Ltd. March 21, 1963 [April 3, 1962; Jan. 11, 1963; Jan. 16, 1963; Jan.21, 1963; March 14, 1963 \ Nos. 12780/62, 1352/63, 1962/63, 2543/63 and 10138/63. Heading G4T. In a taximeter having a rotary member driven by mixed time and distance drives, the rotary member is connected to the fare indicator by means which automatically changes the rate of advance of the indicator relative to the rotary member after a predetermined amount of movement of the rotary member. An additional change in the gearing of the distance drive (Fig. 8 not shown). may also be made automatically. In one embodiment (Fig. 2) the mixed drive rotates a shaft 16 carrying a cam 15 which cooperates with an arm 12 pivoted at 13 so that it is lifted and lowered under the influence of a spring 22, A pawl 11 on the arm 12 indexes a ratchet wheel 10 each time the arm is lowered. One end of a rod 24 is biased to enter an aperture 25 under spring pressure and thus prevents the arm 12 from being lowered. A contact on the shaft 16 closes once per revolution to energize a solenoid (not shown) to withdraw the rod 24 so that the arm 12 is allowed to drop once per revolution of the cam 15. A lever 39 is thus reciprocated causing a ratchet wheel 44 to rotate against the action of a spring 43 under the assistance of a non return pawl 40. After the lever 12 has been reciprocated a predetermined number of times i.e. when a predetermined fare has been reached, a pin 45 on the wheel 44 closes a contact pair 30, causing the solenoid to be energized continuously, so that the rod 24 is permanently withdrawn so that lever 12 drops twice for each revolution of the cam 15 thus increasing the indexing rate of the wheel 10 thus doubling the tariff. Release bars 41, 42 are rotated when it is required to return the wheel 44 to its initial position. In another embodiment (Fig. 4 not shown) an eccentric on the shaft 16 reciprocates a ratchet arm, which causes a cam to be indexed bringing alternate highs and lows on the cam to a position below a pin on the arm 12, thus alternately preventing and allowing the arm 12 to be lowered for each drop of the cam 15. For a high tariff charge the cam is stopped with a low below the pin so that the arm 12 drops for each drop of the cam 15. A continuous high on the cam allows an initial rotation with no charge being made. In a further modification (Fig. 7 not shown) a cam having a single low is used and this is oscillated from a high to a low and back again