Patent GB-480552-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in coin mechanism for use on prepayment meters
IPC: G07F15/02
Filed: 1937-03-06
Abstract: 480,552. Prepayment mechanism for meters. LANDIS & GYR AKT. - GES. March 6, 1937, No. 6726. Convention date, Sept. 4, 1936. [Class 27] Coin action, thrust and multiple - coin ; coin - slit closing - devices.-A coin mechanism for prepayment meters for use with coins of different values comprises a rotary drum 18 enclosed in a casing 19, Fig. 1, and having a slide 20 disposed in a recess 18<1> forming a coin shoot arranged transversely to the axis of the drum and with its plane parallel to the end faces thereof. The slide 20 is spring-controlled so that in the normal position of rest its end closes the coin shoot, which is in register with a coin insertion slot 21. The bottom of the slide has three notches 23, 24, 25 which come in line with an arm 31 on a second slide 29, disposed at right-angles to the first, when the slide 20 is pushed back by the insertion of a penny, a shilling, and a sixpence respectively. The slide 29 has a second arm 41 engaging a fixed cam 16 which holds the slide depressed until the arm 41 comes on to the low part of the cam after a certain rotation of the drum 18, whereupon the slide 29 is raised by a spring 32 and the arm 31 enters one of the notches 23-25. The slide 29 carries three series of pins 33, 34, 35, which are thereby moved into a position to engage and rotate a quantity wheel 36 on a shaft 37, the pin 33 alone coming into engagement for a penny, the pins 33, 34 for a sixpence, and all the pins for a shilling. The quantity shaft 37 is thus rotated proportionately to the coin inserted. If a coin or disc of incorrect diameter is inserted, the notches 23-25 are not aligned with the arm 31 so that the slide 29 is held in its depressed position. The drum 18 is rotated by a knob 1 on a shaft 2 having a lost motion connection by an arm 3 and slot 4 with a bevel wheel 5 engaging with a 1 : 2 drive a bevel wheel 17 secured to the drum shaft. When a coin is first inserted, a pin 22 on the slide 20 is pushed in out of engagement with a fixed abutment 26, normally preventing rotation of the drum, and the wheel 5 is then rotated by a spring 6,.this rotation being permitted by the slot 4 and causing enough rotation of the drum to bring the slide 20 and shoot 181 out of alignment with the coin slot 21. After about half a revolution of the drum, the arm 41 is moved back by the cam 16 to free the slide 20 and the coin drops out through a slot in the casing 19 after about two-thirds of the revolution. The pin 22 passes between the periphery of another abutment 27 and the circular wall of the casing until it meets the abutment 26. If the coin does not drop, the pin 22 passes inside the abutment 27 and the drum cannot be turned far enough to reach its initial position to allow another coin to be inserted. Backward rotation of the knob 1 is prevented by a detent 12 engaging a wheel 8 on the shaft 2, which has a cam 9 for closing the main switch 13, 14. The wheel 8 engages a worm 10 on the shaft of a centrifugal brake 11. which prevents the shaft 2 from being rotated too rapidly. In a modification, Figs. 2 and 4, the coinactuated slide 20<1> through a pin 221 and slot 43 sets a disc 42 having two concentric rows of slots 55, 551, 55<11> and 56, 57, 58 disposed respectively opposite a pin 47 and eleven pins 46, these pins being spring-controlled and slidably guided in two discs 44, 45 rotating with the drum. The pin 47 and the first and sixth pins 46 are longer than the others, and all the pins have radial fingers 49 which engage and rotate a quantity wheel 361 when the pins are moved towards the disc 42, during the rotation of the drum, by a resiliently mounted incline 51. If the disc is incorrectly set by a coin of wrong diameter, the long pin 47 cannot pass through the hole 55 and the incline 51 is pressed back out of action and retained inoperative by a catch 52. When the drum reaches its initial position, a projection on the disc 44 acts on a lug 53 on the catch to release it. When a sixpence is used, the sixth pin 46 presses back the incline, so that only six pins 47, 46 are effective for actuating the quantitywheel. A shilling renders all the pins effective, while a penny causes the pin 47 alone to act on the wheel 36<1>. In another modification, the actuating pins are mounted on the coinactuated slide which also has a rib to pass, when the slide is set correctly, between collars on the shaft of the quantity wheel. This shaft is resiliently mounted so that, if a wrong coin is used, the rib engages one of the collars and moves the shaft with the quantity wheel aside out of range of the pins. In a further construction, Fig. 6, the coin-actuated slide 20<111> has an extension with a lug 65 which engages, when the slide is set and the drum rotated, with one or other of three levers 67, 68, 69 according to the coin inserted. The actuated lever 67 &c. releases one of three corresponding levers 72, which is then rotated by a spring to a stop 76, 78, or 77 for a penny, shilling, or sixpence respectively, the actuated lever through a pawl 73 setting forward a quantity ratchet wheel 75 through the space of one, twelve, or six teeth. A pin 80 on an arm 79 on the coin drum resets the lever 72.