Patent GB-804272-A (GB)
Title: Coin-controlled metering apparatus
Inventor: CARDING ALBERT HERBERT
IPC: G07F17/24
Filed: 1955-02-18
Abstract: 804,272. Parking meters. SMART & BROWN (MACHINE TOOLS), Ltd. May 18, 1956 [Feb. 18, 1955], No. 4873/55. Class 27 A parking meter comprises a timing wheel K' driven by a spring T<6> or a weight, time-setting arms M, M' which are engageable with the timing wheel teeth by means of a pawl M<2> and are carried by a time-setting ratchet wheel L, an operating lever H which, after being raised by insertion of a sixpence or shilling, rotates the wheel L during its return stroke by amounts corresponding to a parking time of one or two hours, and an arm P<1> operated by the timed return of the setting levers into their datum position to control a time-expired indicating device. Before the coin can be inserted in a slot C<1>, a handle B must be raised to withdraw a pivoted member D and, on return of the handle, the member D pushes the coin over a lever E' and between a fixed roller H<4> and a roller H<3> on the operating lever H. The roller H<3>, through levers X, X<2>, starts a timing escapement and the lever E<1> depresses the left-hand end of a lever G and withdraws the other end of a lever from a stop Q on the operating lever so that the right-hand end of the lever moves down by an amount corresponding to the diameter of a sixpence or a shilling and, through a link K, rotates a ratchet arm K<1> clockwise until, according to the coin inserted, a spring-loaded pawl K<3> on the arm picks up the first tooth L<4> or last tooth L<5> of a series of teeth L<1> on the ratchet wheel. When the coin has passed beyond the rollers H<3>, H<4> and fallen to a visible position where it is held by a spring feeler J<1> until the next coin is inserted, the operating lever can return to its initial position and, through the pawl K<3>, drive the wheel L anticlockwise. A pawl R co-operates with teeth L' on the wheel L to prevent over-run of the wheel when the lever H approaches a stop S and the pawl K' is lifted by a stop K<6>. Initially the arm M moves slightly away from the arm M' and withdraws a cam surface M' from a pin M<5> on the pawl M<2> so that the pawl can ride over the teeth on the timing wheel K' until at the end of the anticlockwise movement, the pawl spring M<3> draws the two arms together again so that the cam surface M<4> urges the pawl into engagement with one of the teeth. The wheel K' then drives the arms M, M<1> and wheel L back clockwise until a cam surface M<6> on the lever M<1> hits a detent N' on an arm N adjustable on a lever O and, through a crank O<3>, operates the pivoted indicator arm P<1>. The arm P' controls an indicating device which may be a red ball or cylinder movable into invisible and visible positions or a shutter comprising four fixed and four movable plates which are coloured red and white on their faces and arranged so that movement of the movable plates through 90 degrees will expose all the red or all the white faces. If a sixpence is inserted when less than on hour remains unexpired, the mechanism will be re-set so that the pawl K<3> engages one of the intermediate teeth L<1> but if a shilling is inserted when there is still unexpired time, the pawl will move past the last tooth L<5> and pick it up on its return movement, thus limiting the maximum time that can be set to two hours. In a modification in which there is no provision for adding to the unexpired time, the teeth L' and L<6> are replaced, respectively, by a pair of projections and a single projection. Preventing fraudulent operation. If a coin of a diameter less than a sixpence is inserted, the pawl K<3> does not move beyond a smooth portion L<3> of the wheel L and cannot engage the teeth L<1> and, if a farthing is inserted, the lever G is withdrawn from the stop Q but as the stop moves down the side of the lever beyond the position Q<3> a spring G<5> pulls the lever so that a slot Q<1> engages the stop and prevents the operating lever H from returning until a further coin deflects the levers G and H by the correct amount. The lever O connected to the indicating device has a surface O<2> co-operating with a roller H<5> on the operating lever to prevent an indication beng removed by an inserted instrument while the operating lever is deflected by an incorrect coin. Counting coins. A counter W coupled by levers W<1>, W<2> to the operating lever H is set to register one movement if the lever deflects by the full amount corresponding to a sixpence and two movements on insertion of a shilling. Farthings are not recorded because the slot Q<1> prevents return of the operating lever. Winding mechanism. The handle B is connected by a chain U<2> to an arm U' carrying a pawl T<5> engaging ratchet teeth T<2> on a drum to which one end of a spring T<6> is anchored, the other end of the spring being anchored to a sleeve T' keyed to the timing wheel K'. Raising the handle B to allow insertion of a coin rotates the drum and winds up the spring, return movement being prevented by a second pawl pivoted on the drum and engaging a ratchet on the frame of the meter and overwinding being prevented by a cam which is fixed to the sleeve T<7> and engages the second pawl to lift it from its ratchet when rotated beyond the fully-wound position.