Patent GB-189921175-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Prepayment Attachments for Gas and other Fluid Meters.
Inventor: BROOKES ALFRED GEORGE
Filed: 1899-10-24
Granted: 1899-12-23
Abstract: 21,175. Brookes, A. G., [New Haven Novelty Machine Co.]. Oct. 24. Gas meters.-The casing B, containing the prepayment attachment, can be fitted to an ordinary meter and service pipe. The general action is as follows. The insertion of a coin couples the sleeve G<x> of a hand-wheel G with a central spindle C, so that they rotate together but the spindle also slides to the left, owing to the engagement of a projection c<1> on the hub of a toothed wheel c<4> with a helical groove c. With the arrangement shown, four coins may be inserted in succesion, and four turns given to the handwheel, before the spindle C comes to the end of its sliding movement by striking the wall of the casing p. This movement opens the gas valve b<3> in the following manner:- The rod b<4> carries at its end a cam piece b<7>, having a sloping slot b<8> in which plays a projection from the collar b<10> ; the collar is adjustably secured upon the screwed end of the spindle C by the nuts c<5>, and, as it moves to the left guided by a long pin b<13>, its finger, acting in the cam slot, depresses the valve. As gas is delivered, the indicator gear drives the worm d<10>, and so the toothed wheel c<4>. The parts are thus slowly returned toward normal position. To regulate the quantity of gas supplied according to the current price, the angle through which the coin coupling- device acts may be varied as afterwards described. Coin action.-The coin e<3> is inserted through a slit f<1> into a pocket or carriage E, secured to the sleeve G<x>, and, resting on springs 16, 16, it rocks the tumbling pawl e<3> into the teeth of a crown-wheel e<5>, which is connected with the spindle C by a key e<6> entering a groove. Coin-slit closing-devices.-The coin is forced well home :into its pocket by the bevel-ended slide f<2>, pushed across the slit f<1> by a finger piece 20. Money shoots; coin-discharging mechanism.-As the coin pocket E rotates, it carries the coin over guides formed by a slotted cylinder H, H, which are at first spaced widely apart and then contract to less than the width of the coin. The contracted portions are nearer the cylinder's axis than the others, with which they are connected by inclined shoulders, up which the coin rises, and becomes more firmly jammed on its springs 16, 16. Finally, a wide slot and a coin stop are reached, and the springs 16 expand and eject the coin into the money box m. The slotted cylinder H can be turned on its axis and clamped in any desired position in the part B<1> of the casing, so as to vary the effective stroke of the apparatus according to the price of gas, for, as soon as the coin is discharged, the hand-wheel G is uncoupled from the shaft C. The requisite position of the cylinder is indicated by a pointer on a scale. Fraud, preventing.-The price-varying mechanism is only accessible on removal of the money box m. Shears are formed on the edge of the carriage E and the coin stop to cut a string or wire inserted through the coin-slit. The slide f<2> must be pushed in before the wheel G can be turned, as the finger piece 20 must be brought from between two ribs g on the sleeve Gx and into the annular space between the casing and the flange 50. The hand-wheel G can be turned in one direction only, a spring pawl and ratchet mechanism holding it from reverse movement. To prevent an inserted wire from being pushed between the valve b<3> and its seat, a guard plate a<31> with apertures at the sides only is arranged just over a flange a<33> against which the wire must strike.