Improvements in Prepayment Gas-meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Prepayment Gas-meters.
We, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, of Reid's Court Gas Station, Canongate, Gas-meter
Maker, and JAMES MILNE, Milton House Works, Abbeyhill, Engineer, both in the
City and County of Edinburgh do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the mechanism of
pre-payment gas-meters which deliver a regulated and measured quantity of gas,
after the prepayment mechanism has been actuated to open the gas valve by the
insertion of a coin or coins, which improved mechanism will be very simple and
efficient.
The improved pre-payment mechanism as applied to an ordinary dry gas-meter
which would be fitted with the usual spindle, tangent, worm, worm wheel, and train of
wheels for indicating the amount of gas passing through the meter, or it might be to
a wet gas-meter, would be constructed as follows.
The improved mechanism would be placed in the upper part of the meter case
beside the ordinary train of wheels registering the consumption of gas, and the coin
receiver which actuates the mechanism to open the gas valve would consist of two
discs connected together at the edges at a small distance apart, in such a manner as
to leave two openings at opposite sides sufficiently wide to allow a penny or other pre-
arranged coin to drop through. The disc placed next to the front of the meter case
would have a collar or hollow trunnion on it at its centre, and the other have a stud
spindle or trunnion carried by a standard, on the end of which trunnion would be
secured a small pinion to actuate the valve opening mechanism, as will be described.
A segmental spring or curved plate would be secured to the upper part of the standard
and press against the face of the disc to act as a brake.
Between the two discs another disc would be carried secured to the end of a
spindle passing out through the hollow trunnion and eye on a standard to the outside
of the meter case where it would be furnished with a handle for turning and would
also be fitted with stops to regulate the amount of rotation. This disc would have
a crescent shaped rim formed on one face around part of its circumference, which
rim would be so arranged that when a coin was dropped into the coin receiver it
would not pass completely in, but sufficient would project as to cause it to engage
with the duplex disc described, so that when the inner disc was turned a half turn
by the handle the duplex disc would be carried along with it and by means of the
pinion mentioned actuate the mechanism to open the gas valve.
The gas valve which opens to allow the gas to pass through the meter, which
may be an ordinary plunger valve, would be opened and closed by a lever
fulcrumed on a standard, the free end of which would be formed as a fork, the
lower limb of which would be longer than the upper and be curved downwards,
and a pin projecting from the side of a crown wheel actuated by means of the
coin receiving appliance, when turned on insertion of a coin, would come into
contact with the forked end of lever to open or close the valve.
The crown wheel mentioned would be secured to a spindle carried in eye
bearings in the tops of standards, and the outer end of the spindle would be
furnished with an index pointer to indicate the amount of gas paid for, or the
number of coins inserted, on a dial behind a glazed opening in the case...
toothed wheel would be carried by a sleeve or collar and loose on this spindle,
A

page_text: and on the other end of this collar a smaller toothed wheel would be secured,
while another and larger loose toothed: wheel would be carried on the collar
between the two wheels secured to it.
A small loose pinion would be mounted on the face of the larger toothed wheel,
so as to engage with the. teeth of the smaller wheel on the collar, and also with
the teeth of the crown wheel secured to the spindle carrying them all. The larger
loose wheel would be revolved by a pinion on the trunnion of the.coin receiver, either
direct, or by means of an intermediate wheel, while the larger of the wheels on the
collar would gear, with the ordinary gas indicating mechanism.by means of a toothed
wheel.
The action being that when the coin was inserted into the receiver, and the same
turned, the pinion on the receiver trunnion would turn the larger loose wheel which
by means of the loose pinion attached thereto would turn the crown wheel, when the
projecting pin on same would come into contact with the lower limb of fork on gas
valve lever to depress same and open the valve. When gas was being consumed the
consumpt train of wheels would turn the wheels on the loose collar and the smaller
wheel by gearing with the pinion on the large loose wheel would turn the crown
wheel in the opposite direction, till the gas paid for was consumed, when the
projecting pin on the crown wheel would come into contact with the upper limb
of valve lever fork and close the valve.
In order that the mechanism may be arranged to snit variations in the amount of
gas to be delivered for each coin inserted, the small pinion might be so secured
to the trunnion of the coin receiver as to be easily removed and replaced by a
larger or smaller one and in this case the intermediate wheel might he mounted
on the end of an oscillating lever fulcrumed at any convenient part of case which
would allow of change of position to suit the different sizes of the pinion.
Otherwise pinions of different sizes may be used and the intermediate wheel made
interchangable also corresponding with the teeth on the pinion. The oscillating
lever carrying this intermediate wheel may be formed partly as a tube and slip on
to a pivotted spindle to which it may be secured by a pinching screw so as to allow
the length to be varied, or the intermediate wheel may be carried adjustably in a slot
on lever end.
When the full number of coins which the apparatus is constructed to receive at one
time have been inserted a plate mounted on a lever would be made to pass over the
coin receiver and under the coin slot in top of meter case and so prevent the intro-
duction of more coins.
A small shoot fixed under the coin receiver would receive and guide the coin into a
receptacle fitted at one side of the case.
35
We; WILLIAM ALEXANDER of Reid's Court Gas Station Canongate, Gas
Meter Maker, and JAMES MILNE, of Milton House Works, Abbeyhill, Engineer
both in the City and County of Edinburgh do hereby declare the nature of our
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is to
say :-
;
Our invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the mechanism of
prepayment gas meters which deliver a regulated and measured quantity of gas,
after the prepayment mechanism has been actuated to open the gas valve by the

page_text: insertion of a coin or coins, which improved mechanism will be very simple anu
efficient.
In order that our said invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect
or practice may be properly understood we have hereunto appended two sheets of
explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to indicate the
same or equivalent parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet is a front elevation of the upper part of a meter partly
Figure 2 is a corresponding end view,
broken away.
Figure 3 is a plan of the meter top with the cover removed and
Figure 3 shows details to an enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the coin receiver and coin actuated mechanism to
an enlarged scale, and
Figure 5 shows the form of the coin holding disc, all in illustration of one
modification of my improvements as applied to a dry gas meter.
Figure 6 on Sheet 2 is a sectional front elevation of the coin operated mechanism
and Figure 7 is a corresponding elevation taken from the opposite side while
Figure 74 shows details.
Figure 8 is a plan of the meter top with the cover removed and Figure 9 is an
end view of same.
These views illustrate another and analogous modification of my improvements
in which the coin receiver and coin operated mechanism are practically the same
as in the first.
Referring to these drawings the improved prepayment mechanism as applied to
an ordinary dry gas meter which is fitted with the usual spindles 1, tangent 2, worm 3,
worm wheel 4 and train of wheels 5 for indicating the amount of gas passing
through the meter is constructed as follows.
The improved mechanism is placed in the upper part of the meter case beside
the ordinary train of wheels 5 registering the consumption of gas and the coin
receiver A which actuates the mechanism to open the gas valve 6 consists of two
discs a a¹ connected together at the edges at a small distance apart in such a manner
as to leave two openings at opposite sides sufficiently wide to allow a penny or other
prearranged coin to drop through. The disc a placed next to the front of the meter
case may have a-collar or hollow trunnion on it at its centre but as shown in the
drawings, Figure 4, this can be dispensed with and the disc a be held in position by
a stud spindle from the centre of the disc B and the other disc a¹ has a stud
spindle a both carried by standards or a forked bracket C on the end of which
stud spindle a is secured a small pinion D to actuate the valve opening mechanism,
as will be described. A segmental spring or curved plate a³ is secured between the
bracket C and the face of the disc a to act as a brake.
Between the two discs a a' another disc B is carried secured to the end of the
stud spindle b passing out through an eye bearing on the bracket C to the outside of
the meter case where it is furnished with a handle & for turning and is also provided
with stops 3, 3, to regulate the amount of rotation. This disc B has a crescent
shaped rin b, Figure 5, formed on its inner face around part of its circumference,
which rim is so arranged that when a coin is dropped into the coin receiver A it
will not pass completely in, but a sufficient portion projects to cause it to engage
with the duplex disc a a' described, so that when the inner disc B is turned a half
turn by the handle b' the duplex disc a a¹ is carried along with it and by means of
the pinion D actuates the mechanism to open the gas valve 6.
The gas valve 6 which opens to allow the gas to pass through the meter and
which may be an ordinary plunger valve may be opened and closed by a lever E
fulcrumed on a standard ex as shown in Figures 7 and 7 on Sheet 2 of the
drawings, and as is to be more fully described; or as shown in Figure 3 Sheet 1
the lever E is connected to the end of an oscillating spindle e having an arm e', at
right angles, on the end of which is fitted the forke one limb of which is moved
to open the valve by oscillating the spindle e and lever E, and the other limb to
close the valve by means of a pin f (projecting from the side of a crown wheel F

page_text: actuated by means of the coin receiving appliance when turned on insertion of a
coin) which comes into contact with the lower limb of the fork e*, Figures 3 and 3ª,
to open the valve; and by coming into contact with the upper limb of the fork e
(when the wheel F has been revolved in the opposite direction by the consumption
of the gas) to close the valve.
The crown wheel F is secured to a spindle carried in eye bearings in the tops
of standards and the outer end of the spindle may be furnished with an index
pointer to indicate the amount of gas paid for, or the number of coins inserted,
on a dial behind a glazed opening in the case, or conversely it may be furnished
with a disc F' and the pointer be stationery as shown in Figures 6 and 8, on Sheet 2
of the drawings. A loose toothed wheel G is carried by a sleeve or collar g on
the spindle and on the other end of this collar g a smaller toothed wheel H is
secured, while another and larger loose toothed wheel I is carried on the collar gl
between the two wheels G and H secured to it.
A small loose pinion J is mounted on the face of the larger toothed wheel I, so
as to engage with the teeth of the smaller wheel H on the collar g and also with
the teeth of the crown wheel F secured to the spindle f¹ carrying them all. The
larger loose wheel I is revolved by a pinion D on the stud spindle a² of the coin
receiver A either direct or by means of an intermediate wheel K, while the
wheel G on the collar g gears with the ordinary gas indicating mechanism 5 by
means of a toothed wheel L.
The action is that when the coin is inserted into the receiver A and the same
turned, the pinion D turns the larger loose wheel I by the toothed wheel K which
by means of the loose pinion J attached thereto turns the crown wheel F, when the
projecting pin fon same comes into contact with the lower limb of fork e² connected
with gas valve lever E to depress same and open the valve 6. When gas is being
consumed the consumpt train of wheels 5 turns the loose wheels G and H on the
collar and the smaller wheel H by gearing with the pinion J on the large loose
wheel turns the crown wheel F in the opposite direction until all the gas paid for
was consumed when the projecting pin on the crown wheel F would come into
contact with the upper limb of valve lever fork e² and close the valve.
In order the the mechanism may be arranged to suit variations in the amount of
gas to be deliverd for each coin inserted, the small pinion D might be so secured
to the trunion of the coin receiver as to be easily removed and replaced by a
larger or smaller one and in this case the intermediate wheel K might be mounted
on the end of an oscillating lever fulcrumed at any convenient part of case in the
manner shown more particularly in Figures 8 & 9 of Sheet 2 of the drawings which
would allow of change of position to suit the different sizes of the pinion. Otherwise
pinions of different sizes may be used or the intermediate wheel K may be made
interchangeable, and as shown in Figure 4 on Sheet 1 of the drawings may be
mounted by the screw k on a short spindle carried in a slot so as to be capable
of being raised when a larger intermediate wheel was used.
When the full number of coins which the apparatus is constructed to receive at
one time have been inserted a plate M mounted on a lever m fulcrummed at m³ is
made to pass over the opening of the coin receiver A and under the coin slot, not
shown in the drawings, in top of meter case and so prevent the introduction of more
coins. This lever m being oscillated to cover and uncover the opening by means of
a round pin on the spindle acting on the forked eud of the lever m one limb m
of which is angled downwards, and the other m³ upwards, as shown in Figure 1.
According to the direction in which the spindle ƒ¹ is being turned, the pin f acting
on the lower limb m¹ to oscillate the lever m to cover the opening and on the
reverse revolution of the spindle f¹, when some gas has been consumed, acting on
the higher limb m² to uncover the opening, the first named movement bringing the
. limb m² into the path of the pin f.
A small shoot fixed under the coin receiver receives and guides the coin into a
receptacle fitted at one side of the case; or the coin is simply allowed to drop
therein.

page_text: In the modification illustrated by Figures 6 to 9 on Sheet 2 of the drawings the-
construction of the coin receiver A is the same as in that already described, the
spindle 6 passing through an eye in the lower part of the oscillating frame N and
supporting saine in position, a stop on spindle and stops 63 on case preventing it
from making more than a half turn. The train of coin operated wheels D, K, K',
H, I, J, and F, for opening the gas valve are also practically the same as in.
previous modification. The gas valve 6 which in this arrangement is situated
within a partitioned gas chamber which receives the gas from the inlet pipe 01
and passes it into the meter by the pipe O2 is opened and kept open until all the
gas paid for is consumed by the end of the valve lever E shown more particularly
in Figure 7 which reciprocates its spindle E' engaging with the cam groove P¹ in.
the face of the revolving disc P also shown more particularly in Figure 7^.
end p of this cam groove P' acts as a stop when as much gas has been paid for as
the mechanism is constructed to deliver, while the other end p' of the groove-
opening to the edge of the disc causes the end of the gas valve lever to be
depressed when all the gas is consumed, the disc P being revolved, when the gis
is being consumed, by the wheel G operated from the ordinary recording mechanism.
In this modification instead of the wheel L connecting the wheel G with the
recording mechanism a spindle Q is used operated by a worm Q' on the spindle 7
turning the spindle by the worm wheel Q and which turns the wheel G by another
worm Q.
One
In this modification the plate M is made to cover and uncover the opening to the
coin receiver A by the lever m being oscillated by the cam groove R₁ on the
circumferential surface of the boss R which along with the disc P is secured on.
the spindle of the wheel F.
The interchangeable wheel K is secured to the end of the spindle, carrying the
wheel K', through which wheel it receives its motion from the pinion D, so that it.
can be easily removed and replaced with one having a different number of teeth
when it is necessary to adjust the mechanism so as to suit a variation in the price.
of gas. The spindle of the wheels K and K' are carried in an eye at the upper
part of the oscillating frame N which is adjustable in position by the screw n
screwing on to a projection on meter case so as to hold the wheel K in working
contact with the wheel I.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In prepayment gas meters the construction and general arrangement and
combination of the parts of the coin receiver and coin operated mechanism to open.
and close the gas valve all substantially as herein described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In prepayment gas meters the construction and arrangement of the parts
of the coin receiver all substantially as herein described and shown in the accom--
panying drawings.
Third. In prepayment gas meters the construction and arrangement of the coin
operated mechanism for opening and closing the gas valve all substantially as.
herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In prepayment gas meters the mounting of the interchangeable wheel K
adjustably in a slot in order to regulate the supply of gas delivered in exchange for
a coin to suit variations in the price of the gas all substantially as described and
shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In prepayment gas meters the mounting of the interchangeable wheel K
on an adjustable oscillating lever or frame N in order to regulate the supply of gas
delivered in exchange for a coin to suit variations in the price of gas all
substantially as herein described and shown in Figures 8 and 9 on Sheet 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In prepayment gas meters the construction and arrangement of the plate.

page_text: and lever M, m, for closing the entrance to the coin receiver and means for
operating same all substantially as herein described and shown in Figures 3 and 4
Sheet 1 and Figure 8 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 10th day of September 1895.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.