Patent GB-383343-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in electricity prepayment meters
IPC: G07F15/06
Filed: 1931-09-09
Abstract: 383,343. Prepayment mechanism for electricity meters. SOC. DESCOMPTEURS DE GEN’VE, Grand-Pre, Geneva, Switzerland. Sept. 9, 1931, No. 25288. Convention date, Sept. 18, 1930. [Class 27.] Preparing basic charges; indicator8.-In a prepayment electricity meter having two interconnected epicyclic gears, one 1, 2, 5, Fig. 1, being connected to the meter rotor 4 and to the control switch, and the other 12, 13, 17 to the coin-freed mechanism and to a basic charge device 21 .. 37, which is set by an official according to the basic charge payable, so that the quantity of current received for a coin is less than is obtained after payment of the basic charge, the coin-operated shaft 3 carries a fixed wheel 7 and a loose wheel 8 held in frictional engagement with the wheel 7 by a spring 46. The wheel 7 meshes with a wheel 9 fixed on a shaft 11 and the wheel 8 with a wheel 10 on a sleeve 16 rotatable on this shaft. The planet wheel 12 is fixed to the shaft 11, one sun-wheel 16 being carried by the sleeve 16 and the other 13, loose on the shaft 11, driving through gearing the sun wheel 2 of the first epicyclic gear, the other sun wheel of which is driven by the rotor 4. A wheel 18 on the sleeve 16 drives through wheels 19, 20 a wheel 21 loose on the shaft 22 of the basic charge device but coupled thereto by a toothed sleeve 32 slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 22. The rotation of the shaft 22 causes notched cams 25, 28 to be rotated until a pawl 26 engages the notches 25, 29 therein. The basic charge is then fully paid and the shaft 22 is locked against rotation, as well as the sleeve 16 and wheels 10, 8, the frictional coupling 46 allowing slip between the wheels 7, 8 when further coins are inserted; Before the charge is paid, only a portion of the rotation of the shaft 11 is transmitted through the sun wheel 13 to the first epicyclic sun wheel 2. When the sleeve 16 is locked, the whole of the rotation is transmitted and the planet wheel 5 of the first differential set forward in the usual manner a greater extent for each coin inserted. The cams 24, 28 are connected respectively to the units and tens wheels 23, 31 of a basic charge indicator, the units wheel 23 being fast on the shaft 22. To reset the basic charge device for another period, the official inserts the blunt end of a pencil into a funnel 30 connected to the -coupling sleeve 32. By pressing, the sleeve 32 is disengaged from a counterpart on the wheel 21 and the shaft 22 can be rotated to set forward the wheels 23, 31 to the amount of basic charge. When the wheels 23, 31 again return to zero, the pawl 26 engages the notches 25, 29. The wheel 21 drives through a lay shaft 34, integrating numeral drums 37 showing the total amount of basic charges paid. The first epicyclic gear actuates indicator drums 14 showing the amount of electricity prepaid but unconsumed. An indicator showing the total of the amount of money inserted available for the purchase of current is driven from the shaft 11 through a shaft 48. The sum of the amounts shown on the indicators 15, 37 gives the total amount of money inserted. In a modification, Fig. 2, the integrating drums 37 can be driven in one direction only by a wheel 38 through an inversing pinion 39, the wheel 38 being loose on the shaft 22 and being driven through a ratchet and pawl 40, 41. Ratchet and pawl devices 42, 43 are provided to permit the rotation, in one direction only, both of the wheel 21 and of the shaft 22.