Patent GB-878145-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to prepayment time meter
Inventor: MULFORD WALTER JAMES
IPC: G07F17/24
Filed: 1957-01-12
Abstract: 878,145. Coin-freed time-controlled apparatus. UNITED GAS INDUSTRIES Ltd. March 31, 1958; [Jan. 12, 1957; March 29, 1957], Nos. 27929/56 and 10447/57. Class 27 [Also in Group XXV] A prepayment time-controlled mechanism for a parking meter, washing machine, pleasure boat or vehicle, television set, gramophone or other apparatus comprises an operating member which is moved to the limit of its travel in one direction on insertion of a coin, either directly by the coin insertion or by a handle coupled to the setting mechanism by the coin insertion, and is then permitted to move under a biasing force to the limit of its travel in the other direction as determined by the value of the coin and under the control of a timing or escapement mechanism. The operating member may move horizontally and be biased to its returned position by a spring or, in the parking meter described, is a weight 7 movable on vertical pillars 6 of round or non- circular section. Jaws 15 are pivoted in a coin channel 12 and are interconnected by links 17 to a spindle 18 so that as a coin is inserted to force the jaws apart the spindle is raised and a hook lever 20 pivoted on it raises a lever 24 connected to the weight 7. The weight is raised to its upper limit, where it is held by a latch 27, and the hook lever engages an adjustable stop 29 so that it is disengaging from the lever 24. The jaws 15 slowly return to their original positions under the control of a dashpot 105 and the jaw 15 releases the latch 27 so that the weight can descend. A rack 62 on the weight meshes with a gear 63 connected to a timing escapement 9 through a clutch 65 that over-runs as the weight rises and includes a pin working with lost motion in an angular slot so that when the weight is freed it falls freely as the pin moves from one side to the other of the slot and picks up with the timing escapement at a uniform position. Alternatively the latch 27 may have a vertical pivot and the weight may rest on it until it is released by an element of the dashpot 105. The coin has fallen to a release plate 31 where it remains in view through a window until the movement of the jaws 15 on insertion of a subsequent coin cause a cranked element 35 to move the plate 31 for rleease of the coin to a collecting box. The coin on the release plate, according to its diameter, sets a lever 13 mounted on a leaf spring 14 or pivot and, through linkage 48, 49, a selector plate 43, Fig. 7, is adjusted along a spindle 46 carried in pivoted arms 54. For the smallest coin, a shallow cut-out 58 in the plate is brought into the path of a stepped cam 41 on the descending weight and the first step 60 of the cam presses the plate outwardly. A slotted arm 75 then disengages the clutch 65 and the weight, freed from the timing mechanism, sinks rapidly to a resilient stop 30. For an intermediate coin, the cut-out 59 is effective to cause the step 61 to release the weight at a later stage and, for the largest coin, the cutout 44 allows the weight to fall under timed control for the full period until it meets the stop 30. If a coin of incorrect size is inserted, the selector plate will be positioned so that it is moved by the rising weight to maintain the clutch disengaged. The coin may be pressed between the jaws 15 by a presser handle which is locked in the down position by the raised weight acting on a spring-loaded plunger to insert it in a hole in the presser handle. In an alternative arrangement, Figs. 9 and 10, the rack is formed on a member 90 which is slidable in a groove 88 in the weight 87 and has a plate 91 resting on the upper surface of the weight so that it rises with it. When the weight is raised to its upper limit, a plunger 95 is depressed and through a lever 99 moves a catch 101 so that, after a short fall of the weight, it will engage the bottom of a recess 103 on the member 90 and lock the weight to the rack for descent under the control of the timing mechanism. As the weight and rack become connected only if the weight is raised to its full extent, the mechanism cannot be operated by repeated insertion and withdrawal of a coin or implement. Indicators. To indicate the passing of prepaid time, masks 78 may be moved gradually over a graduated scale as the weight 7 falls. The masks may carry a legend TIME EXPIRED at their upper ends and to bring the legends smartly into view, the bracket 80 carrying the masks may have pins 81 engaging in a slideway 79 and bearing on a lobed cam 82. As the weight rises, a pin 84 on the cam contacts an abutment 86 and rotates the cam to cause the pin 81 on the bracket to rise to the top of a cam lobe and lift the bracket through a distance additional to the movement of the weight. As the weight reaches its lowermost position, another pin 84 of the cam strikes a lower abutment 85 to rotate the cam so that the pin 81 falls into the space between two lobes and the legend is brought quickly into view. Alternatively, the weight may carry a pointer and as the weight reaches its lowermost position it may allow a counterweighted flag to spring into view and mask the dial. Casings.-A lower casing 122, Fig. 14, is slidable downwards on a support post 125 to provide access to a coin box 153 after release of a hook latch 128 by a cylinder lock. The key in the lock turns a crank pin 133 through about 90 degrees to move a pawl 136 pivoted on the latch against a stop 138 and pivot the latch clear of a bar 127 extending across the post. The casing, together with the lock, can then be pulled down and, as the pin 133 clears the pawl 136, the latch returns to normal position ready to engage the bar again when the casing is returned to its upper position. To prevent removal of the key when the casing is lowered, an elongated stop within the post may prevent movement of the crank pin and the upper part of the stop may follow the sweep of the pin. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 16, a latch 146 may engage a radial edge 142 on a cam 141 on the lock spindle except when a fixed stop 152 causes it to disengage as the casing is moved into its upper position; the pin 143 corresponds to the pin 133. Coin-boxes.-A coin opening 154, Fig. 17, in the box 153 is masked by an arcuate shield 155 until the box is fitted by means of guides 166 into the meter. As the box is slid in, an unlocking rack 167, Fig. 18, on the meter depresses plungers 163 so that lugs 164 are in line with a slot 160 in a locking bar 158 connected to the shield. As the lower part 122 of the casing is moved to its closed position, a plunger enters the hole 168 and moves the bar and the shield against spring action to unmasking position. Where two mechanisms are combined on a single support, the two coin boxes may be controlled by two plungers operated by contact with the bar 127. A tool for moving the shield when the box is removed from the meter may comprise a bar having a replica of the unlocking rack, a plunger for moving the locking bar and a lug for engagement with the opposite end of the box to take the reaction of the locking bar spring.