| Automacheckit machine
- also called Bellgraphic |
| Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co Ltd, Dewsbury
(based on the tickets in the machine). |
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| The Automacheckit was produced by
the Bell Punch company for about ten
years from 1939 and remained in use
until at least the 1960s. |
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| This one is marked M6090 (serial number),
3865 (?) and 137 (also on a label inside,
so probably Yorkshire Woollen's machine
number). |
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| The conductor wrote on the ticket
in the appropriate places then used
the handle to issue the ticket. The
date and hour were then marked on the
back and the ticket was handed to the
passenger. |
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| On busy journeys this system must
have been too slow to give everyone
a ticket. More than once I had to write
emergency tickets when my Setright jammed.
I certainly would not have wanted to
do this all the time! Nevertheless,
this type of machine was widely used. |
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| A carbon copy is retained within the
machine, to be checked back at the depot. |
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| I have
a second machine (serial
M18686). This one has nothing
to identify its owner and
there is no machine number. |
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| I have
one harness shared by the
two machines. |
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| To open the machine. |
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| Below the large disc on the
front of the machine there is a crescent-shaped
cover. Rotate this anti-clockwise to reveal a slot.
Insert a pointed instrument into the hole in the
right-hand corner of the slot. Rotate this clockwise
and the cover will be released. It can now be hinged
fully back. |
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| Make a note of how the tickets
sit in the machine. |
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| To close the machine. |
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| The small, knurled disc in
the cover needs to be pressed in and rotated in
a clockwise direction as far as it will go. In the
correct position the wires in the centre should
be horizontal. Lift the cover over the end of the
machine and close it. Apply pressure to the case
and partially depress the ticket issuing lever until
you hear a click. Maintain the pressure on the machine
while releasing the lever. and the cover should
snap home. It may be necessary to raise the bottom
plate slightly to clear the cover as it is lowered. |
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| The manual refers to a seal to
inside the machine. This is unlikely to be present. |
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