Patent GB-435332-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to coin-freed prepayment mechanisms for meters
IPC: G07F15/02
Filed: 1934-05-04
Abstract: 435,332. Prepayment mechanism for meters. BRITISH ELECTRIC METERS, Ltd., and JOLLY, R. W., Mordon Road, Mitcham, Surrey. May 4, 1934, No. 13553. [Class 27] Coin-action, thrust and with delivery proportionate to value of coin ; coin-discharging mechanism.-In meter prepayment mechanism, insertion of a coin serves to effect an operative connection between a hand operated member and a quantity wheel, the coin resting in a stationary receptacle during the setting action. As applied to a meter for use with either shillings or pennies and giving proportionate delivery, a prepayment handle 6 is fast with a toothed wheel 8 adjacent to a pair of quantity wheels 10, 11 connected respectively with a sun-wheel 13 and a planet carrier 14 of an epicyclic reducing gear which transmits movement of the quantity wheels to the quantity differential 19, and the coin actuated operative connection comprises a pinion 24 carried on a multi - armed lever 22 pivoted at 20. Shillings are inserted in a slot 27, and raise an abutment 28 pivoted at 29 which engages and rotates the lever 22 to bring the pinion 24 into engagement with all the wheels 8, 10, and 11 where it is held by a pivoted counterweighted catch 63, so that movement of the handle 6 is transmitted at unit ratio through the epicyclic gear 13, 14. Pennies are inserted in a second slot 26, and act on a plate 32 carried on a fixed pivot 33, and pivoted at 34 to a sliding plate 35 having an upstanding part 38 resting against the lever 22. Movement of the plate 32 by direct engagement, causes the lever 22 to rotate and, through the plate 35, to move laterally on its pivot 20 against a coiled spring 25, so as to bring the pinion into engagement with wheels 8 and 10 only, as shown in Fig. 8 ; wheel 11 is engaged by a fixed pinion 39 so that movement of the handle is transmitted at a reduced rate through the epicyclic gear. The coin is discharged when a pin on the inner face of a disc 5 turning with the handle engages with a bell-crank lever 54 to move an apertured slide 41 so that its apertures register with corresponding discharge apertures in the base of the coin receptacles. The slide 41 has an extension 57 pivoted at 58 to a lever 59 rotatable about a fixed pivot 60, so that, simultaneously with the discharge of the coin, an abutment 61 on the lever 59 tilts the catch 63 to release the lever 22 and pinion 24, and the end of the extension 57 engages and locks the wheels 10 and 11 against overrunning. The wheels 10 and 11 are locked when no coin is present in the apparatus by a pawl 44 on an arm 42 of the lever 22, and the wheel 8 by a pivoted spring pawl 46 engageable with an arm 43 of the lever 22. Backward rotation of the wheel 8 is prevented by a pawl 51 pivoted at 49, which is lowered into operative position at the same time as the pinion 24. After a certain number of coins have been inserted, a cam 66, rotating with the coin wheel of the differential 19, tilts a lever 64 so that an end engages in a slot in the slide 41 thereby preventing discharge of the coin from its receptacle and insertion of further coins. Specification 362,158 is referred to. Coin-slit closing-devices.-The disc 5 rotating with the handle has pivoted in a slot therein a lever 69 provided with a projection normally engaging a notch in the fixed price-change plate 4. When the handle 6 is rotated, the projection on the lever 69 rides out of the notch so that the lever thrusts back a plate 72 pivoted about an axis 73, the free end of the plate 72 engaging a cam part 74 on an apertured plate 75 which closes the insertion slots 26, 27. Insertion of a shilling in the penny slot is prevented by the inturned end 92 of a rod, freely pivoted at 93, which engages a shilling at its horizontal diameter, but is thrust to one side by the lower curved edge of a penny. Registers.-Separate counters for pennies and shillings are provided having operating spindles 82, 81 with adjacent driving star wheels 84, 83. A counterweighted driving pawl 86 is moved axially into a position opposite the appropriate star-wheel by a lever 48 pivoted at 49 having a cam part engaged by a projection 47 on the lever 22, a projection 91 on the plate 72 then tilting the pawl 86 to step up the appropriate counter during rotation of the operating handle. Price-changing arrangements.- The initial position of the handle 6, and hence its amount of rotation during setting, is determined by the position of the notch in the rear of the price-change plate, the angular position of which can be adjusted after axial withdrawal of the handle against the action of a spring 6a.