A DASHBOARD EXPENSE-RECORDING SYSTEM.
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A Systein Which Simplifies the Task of Keeping a Correct Account of a DriVer's Out-of-pocket Expenses.
INACCURACY in the keeping of records of expenditure on the operation of motor vehicles arises more often from forgetfulness and from inability to make notes of expenditure when they are incurred than from any other cause. The driver may, for example, make small purchases on the road, Ior which he is repaid by the cashier out of petty cash, and no further note is taken of the matter. Even if the driver be provided with some kind of note-book in which to enter such items, he, often enough, fails in that duty, generally because the note-book has been left in his locker, or is in his other coat pocket, or for some other reason, equally trivial, but equally effective in its disturbance of the proper routine of cost recording.
Some of these opportunities for oversight at least are eliminated in the system which has been introduced by Messrs. Juvet and Snortland, of Ferndale, State of Washington, 17.S.A. In that system provision is made for each vehicle to carry its own set of records, in a specially designed and equipped receptacle formed in the dashboard, so that the records, and provision for their keep, become an integral part of the vehicle itself.
A metal casing of suitable dimensions is let into the dash. board, and contains, hinged to its walls, folding shelves or carriers to which the record sheets can be temporarily attached. The cover, or lid, of the casing is designed to serve as a desk, and for that purpose it is hinged to the casing at its lower edge, and, when open, supported in a nearly horizontal position by slotted links such as those usually employed to retain the falling fronts of cameras in a similar position. When closed the lid is kept secure by means of a spring latch.
The supports for the record sheets are in two parts. There is first the holder proper, which is hinged to the inside of the case. This is a rectangular frame of channel steel, with the webs of the channel turned inwards. This frame lacks its fourth side, the lower one. The other part is a sheet of metal, with its longitudinal edges turned, part up and part down, iso that the. edges thus turned fit inside the channel framework of the first-described part.
The record sheets themselves are spring clipped to the carriers, one to each side and, as there are two carriers, it follows that there are four different sheets always available for use, allowing the items to be classified into 'four sets. On two of the sheets the recording may be done with the sheets
in the horizontal position, resting upon the desk like cover of the casing. On the other two the entries must be made with the sheets in the vertical position, resting against the intericu of the case, The carriers for the sheets are arranged so that this may be done without inconvenience. The cover of the
case is glazed, exposing one of the sheets to view, where it serves as a reminder to the driver of the necessity for entering any expenditure which he makes. Blank and completed sheets may be stored at the back of the case, where a spring clip is provided for their reception.
In practice, it has been found that the driver using such a system quickly becomes interested in it and is prepared to use it, particularly when he finds that the recovery of out-ofpocket expenses incurred by him can only be secured by the production of the sheets, duly entered up, from the holders. The usual excuse of the "lost pencil" is easily frustrated by attaching the pencil to a cord the other end of which is fastened to one of the spring clips in the casing.