Patent GB-826068-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to automatic parking meters
Inventor: WILKINSON JOHN GRIMAULT
IPC: G07F17/24
Filed: 1957-05-17
Abstract: 826,068. Parking meters. VENNER Ltd. May 12, 1958 [May 17, 1957], No. 15833/57. Class 27 An automatic parking meter comprising a visible time scale 1 with a pointer 2 movable relatively thereto has a first indicating device 9 movable into a first indicating position when the pointer has moved a predetermined distance relative to the time scale and a second indicating device 8 movable into a second indicating position upon movement of the pointer through a further predetermined distance. The insertion of coins of appropriate value in a mechanism of the kind described in Specification 724,592 causes a pointer-carrying segment 3 on a shaft 4 to rotate anti-clockwise to indicate, say, a two-hour parking period on a part, 26, of the time scale 1, the two indicating flags 8 and 9 having also being rotated about the shaft 4 to a position away from the time scale as shown in Fig. 1. The head of the flag 8 is in two parts 8a and 8b (joined by bridging members 10) disposed one on each side of the head of the flag 9 to mark it when in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The time scale is divided to provide a first period, 26, representing the "legal" parking time, and a second period, 27, during which an excess charge is levied, which could be met by an "on the spot" payment to a meter attendant. When this period has expired the pointer moves into an "Offence" sector 28. As the clockwork mechanism driving the segment 3 moves the pointer 2 beyond the end of the part 26 of the scale 1 a pin 11 on the segment 3 engages with an arm 19 of a catch-lever 13 to rotate it anti-clockwise about a shaft 15 against a spring 16 until an arm 18, also forming part of the catch lever 13, is disengaged from the stem 7 of the "excess charge" flag 9, which is spring-loaded to move into the positions shown in Fig. 2. Further rotation of the segment 3 carries the pin 11 along the arm 19 until the pointer 2 reaches the end of the "excess charge" part 27 of the scale 1, when an abutment 20 on the catchlever 13 engages with an arm 21 of a catch-lever 14 and moves it out of engagement with the stem 6 of the "Offence" flag 8 which, under the influence of a spring 6a, is moved to a coincident so that the heads 8a and 8b cover the head 9a of the flag 9. When the pointer 2 reaches the end of the part 28 of the scale an abutment 12 on the segment 3 engages with the arm 18 of the catch-lever 13 to rotate it further in an anti-clockwise direction until an abutment 22 bears on the end 23 of a lever 24 to bring its further end 25 into engagement with a toothed wheel 5 in mesh with the clockwork mechanism to stop it thus completing the cycle of operations initiated by the insertion of the coin or coins appropriate to the initial parking period. In a modification, not shown, both flags may be rendered visible in their indicating positions by a change of shape or by varying their angle of rotation. In a further modification the time scale may move instead of the pointer, a segment marked "Expired", corresponding with the flag 9, being spring-actuated to cover the time scale and to reveal an "Excess Time " scale which would continue to indicate the passage of time until a further segment, corresponding to the flag 8, is actuated.