Improvements in Coin-controlled Electric Meters, Fan Motors or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-controlled Electric Meters, Fan Motors or the
like.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, of 83, Cannon Street,
in the City of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by Charles E.
Holmes, residing at Lynn, in the County of Essex, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, Electrical Engineer) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present invention relates to coin-controlled meters fan motors or similar
devices, in which the insertion of a proper coin or token in a receptacle adjusts
the operating parts of the meter or other device, so that the depositor of the coin
or token may receive an equivalent in the form of electric energy.
Owing to the small torque developed by meters on small loads, as one lamp,
for example, it is necessary to arrange the coin-controlled mechanism in such
manner that it does not increase the friction of the moving parts of the meter;
otherwise the meter may, upon light loads, fail to register, and the consumer
may take without paying for it a considerable amount of energy in the aggregate,
providing the amount used is at all small as compared with the capacity of the
meter; if, however, the torque of the meter is sufficient to overcome the friction
of the coin-controlled mechanism, the meter will register in the ordinary manner.
And, further, if the friction of the coin-controlled mechanism is of any substantial
amount, the readings of the meter will be slow at all loads, resulting in a loss
to the central station.
Our invention has for one of its objects to provide a coin-controlled meter,
which is so arranged that it will accurately register the, consumption of energy
at all loads.
A further object of our invention is to provide, in a coin-controlled mechanism
in which the coin or token is employed to form part of an electric circuit, an
arrangement such that any ordinary variation in the size of the coin or token,
as, for example, a variation caused by wear, will not affect the operation of the
device, nor affect the length of time during which the circuit is maintained
closed, in any apparatus in which time is an element, nor, in general, affect
the amount of electric energy or other service received for a given coin. Further,
we provide apparatus by which several coins may be inserted at once, if preferred,
and will then be retained in a receptacle and fed to the coin-controlled mechanism
one at a time, each as the effect of the prior coin is exhausted.
In the accompanying drawings, we have shown an embodiment of our inven-
tion, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a recording watt meter, with. our
improvements applied; Fig. 1" is a detail view of a device for preventing the
improper manipulation of the coin-controlled mechanism; Figs. 2 and 3 are
details of the coin-controlled mechanism; and Fig. 4 is a diagram of the circuit
connections.
Our invention is shown as applied to a recording watt meter for electric circuits,

page_text: as it has great utility in connection therewith, but it is applicable also to fan
motors or the like.
Mounted upon a cast metal base A are the working parts of the meter, com-
prising a pair of field coils B, within which revolves the armature C. The arma-
ture is mounted upon shaft C, and is provided at its lower end with a metal
disc D arranged to rotate between the poles of the stationary magnets E, and
damp the rotations of the armature. On the upper end of the armature shaft is
a worm C, shown in dotted lines, which meshes with one of the gears in the
registering mechanism F. On the side of frame A is a relay magnet G arranged
to control the action of the meter switch H. The front plate of the registering
mechanism is extended upward to form the back part of the coin chute I, and
plate J forms the front part of the chute.
To prevent the improper manipulation of the coin-controlled mechanism, an
automatic device is placed in the upper end of the chute, and so arranged that if
a coin or token is lowered on the end of a fine string or thread, with the idea
of withdrawing it after the meter has been set in operation, it will be severed
as soon as the attempt is made, and if the thread or string is of any substantial
size, it is impossible to drop the coin into operative position. This is accom-
plished by means of a pivoted lever J', which is provided with a portion j
making a right angle with the general plane of the lever, and having a knife
edge on the part which passes through the slot in the coin chute. On the
lower end of the lever is a second edge 3, which normally stands across the
chute I in the position shown the counterweight acting to return it to place
as soon as a coin passes. When a coin enters the upper end of the chute, it
drops freely, until its lower edge strikes the lower portion of lever J¹; this
causes the lever to be deflected, permitting the passage of the coin at the same
time the upper end of the lever passes through the slot j'. The upper and lower
ends of lever J¹ are so shaped that the upper knife end j must cross the coin slot
before the lower knife end 3 leaves it; by this arrangement any coin or token
will be prevented from passing into operative position unless it is entirely free,
and any string or thread will be severed by the knife edge.
At the lower end of the coin-chute is a four-armed wheel K, which is loosely
mounted on a shaft, and acts, together with the stationary contact piece L, to
form a coin receiver. The arms of the wheel K are slightly curved, and form
cam surfaces with which the arms of the cam wheel M engage. The coin on
passing through the upper part of the chute I drops into the wheel K and is
held by one of its arms, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, until after the cam
wheel M, which is geared to some part of the motor mechanism, has made a
certain portion of a revolution, (it being understood that the wheel M may be
directly connected to the motor mechanism, or geared thereto by any form of
gearing), after which the coin drops to the position shown in Fig. 3, and is
retained until the hooked end M¹ disengages the arm of the wheel K and allows
it to revolve to a position corresponding to that of Fig. 2, thus releasing the
coin N. It will be seen that the weight of the coin N is employed to drive the
four-arm wheel K, which in turn tends to drive the cam wheel M and the meter
mechanism. The arrangement of the parts is such that the wheel M controls the
rotary movement of the wheel K. Under ordinary circumstances the arm wheel K
tends to drive the cam wheel M, but if, for any cause, the armed wheel sticks, the
cam wheel M will drive it.
The wheel K is connected electrically to one side of the relay magnet circuit,
and stationary piece L to the other, the coin or token N forming the bridge
between them. Practically, any variation in the diameter, thickness or weight
of the coin or token. has no effect upon the successful operation of the mech-
anism in order words, a coin or token can be so much worn that it is scarcely
recognizable, and still it will operate the meter. This is accomplished by the
peculiar shape of the arms of the wheel K and also of the cam wheel M. The
space between the lower end of the stationary contact piece L and arm K¹ of

page_text: the wheel is considerably less than the diameter of the determined coin or token,
no matter how much it is worn, and the coin will be held in the position shown in
Fig. 3 until the hooked arm M¹ of the cam releases the arm of the wheel K.
The wheel K being loosely mounted on its spindle, is free to move until one of
its arms strikes an arm of the cam wheel M; this position is represented in
Fig. 2. The lost motion between positions 1 and 2 of the wheel K has no effect
upon the registration of the meter, for the rotation of the wheel M is controlled
by the moving parts of the meter.
If more than one coin or token is deposited in the mater at any time, the second
one will advance to an operative position and form a circuit for the current in
multiple with the first before the first coin drops into the lower chute I¹ and
passes to a suitable receiver. This prevents the temporary interruption of the
lights which would be occasioned if the circuit were broken during the interval
between the changing of the coins.
The cam wheel M is rotated in the direction of the arrow by the meter mech-
anism, and by referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that by reason of the coin N
resting on an arm of the wheel K, its weight is utilized to assist the operation
of the meter. In practice the parts are so proportioned that the weight of the
coin is sufficient to balance the friction of the moving parts so that the meter
will register accurately for all loads.
a,
In Fig. 4, we have illustrated the circuit connections for our improved meter;
b are the main circuit wires, and a¹, b¹ are the circuit wires supplying cur-
rent to the translating devices c. The field coils E are connected in series with
the mains a, a¹, and the armature C is connected between mains b and a¹. In
series with the armature is a resistance R, for reducing the flow of current
therein, and a starting coil T which is so arranged that it will balance the fric-
tion of the armature. The circuit of the meter, and also that of the consumer,
is controlled by means of the switch H, the operation of which is regulated by
the relay magnet G. The fixed terminal L is connected to the main a, and the "
wheel K is connected to one end of the winding of the relay magnet G, the
other end of the winding being connected to the contact terminal 9. With the
circuits arranged as described, the current flows from main a to terminal L,
through the coin or token N. to wheel K, through the winding of the relay
magnet G, to contact terminal g and to the opposite side of the circuit. This
energizes the magnet, which attracts its armature and closes the circuit of the
meter and also of the consumer, and the circuit will remain closed until the coin
or token is released by the cam wheel H, after a certain predetermined amount
of energy has been used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion (which has been communicated to us from abroad) and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-
1 In a mechanism controlled by a coin or other token, the combination of a
normally open circuit arranged to he bridged by a coin or token, and a moter
mechanism, with a coin receiver which is so arranged that the weight of the
coin closing the circuit is utilized to assist the motor mechanism.
2 In a mechanism controlled by a coin or other token, the combination of a
motor mechanism, terminals arranged to be bridged by a coin or token to com-
plete an electric circuit, and a receiver for the coin, comprising a moving and a
stationary part, so arranged that the weight of the coin is utilized to assist the
motor mechanism.
3 In a coin-controlled motor mechanism, the combination of a normally open
circuit which is arranged to be bridged by a coin or token, a train of registering
gears, and a coin receiver which is so arranged that upon the insertion of a coin
or token the circuit is closed through the coin, and the weight of the coin is
utilized to assist the motor mechanism.
4-In a coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a normally open-

page_text: circuited relay magnet, a switch controlled thereby, and a coin receiver which is
so arranged that the coins are received and held in a position to close the circuit
of the magnet, and their weight utilized to assist the action of said mechanism.
5 In a mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or other token, the
combination of a coin-holder composed of a moving and a stationary part respec-
tively connected to opposite sides of the circuit and arranged to be electrically
connected by the coin or token, and an actuator for the moving part of the holder,
which is so arranged that the circuit is maintained through the coin until it has
travelled at certain distance irrespective of the exact size of the coin.
6 In a mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or other token, the
combination of a coin holder composed of a stationary and a moving part between
which the coin is held, and means for controlling the operation of the moving part
of the holder, the arrangement being such that the coin or token is held until a
certain operation has been performed, irrespective of its diameter, or thickness.
In a mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or token, the com-
bination of a coin holder composed of a stationary and a moving part between
which the coin is held, and an actuator having a lost motion between it and the
moving part of the holder.
8 In a mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or other token, the
combination of a rotary armed wheel forming one terminal of a circuit, a
stationary piece forming the terminal for the opposite side of the circuit, a cam
for controlling the movement of the armed wheel, arranged to have a certain
amount of lost motion between it and the armed wheel, and a motor for driving
the cam.
9 In a mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or other token, the
combination of a rotary armed wheel forming one terminal of a circuit, a
stationary piece forming the terminal for the opposite side of the circuit, a
rotary cam having a number of hooked arms corresponding to the arms of the
wheel, the hooks being arranged to engage with the arms and prevent the coin
or token from being released until the cam has moved a certain angular distance.
10 In a prepayment electric motor, the combination of a coin chute, a fixed
and a loosely mounted terminal respectively connected to opposite sides of an
electric circuit, and arranged to be bridged by a coin, a cam for actuating the
movable terminal having a certain amount of lost motion between it and the
terminal, and gearing between the motor and the cam.
11 In a prepayment motor mechanism, the combination of a fixed terminal
connected to one side of an electric circuit, a rotating terminal connected to the
opposite side of the circuit, and having a plurality of projections or extensions
for receiving the coin or token to close the circuit, a rotary cam wheel having a
number of arms corresponding to the number of projections on the terminal and
so arranged that there is a certain amount of lost motion between each arm and
the projections on the rotary terminal.
12-In a prepayment mechanism, in which a coin or token is employed to com-
plete an electric circuit, the combination of a pair of terminals arranged to
receive and hold the coin in a position to complete the circuit, and means for
including the succeeding coin or token in circuit before the first one leaves.
13 In a prepayment mechanism in which a coin or token is employed to com-
plete an electric circuit, the combination of a pair of terminals arranged to
receive and hold the coin in a position to complete the circuit, means for advanc-
ing the coin or token which is forming a part of the circuit, at the same time
moving the next succeeding coin into a position, where it will form a multiple
circuit with the first coin or token and prevent the interruption of the circuit at
the time the first coin or token is released.
14 In a prepayment meter in which a coin or token is employed to complete
the circuit of a relay magnet, a main circuit controlled by the relay, a pair of
terminals arranged to receive and hold a coin for completing the relay circuit,

page_text: and means for closing the relay circuit through the succeeding coin or token
before the first one is released.
15 In a prepayment meter, in which a coin or token is employed to complete
the circuit of a relay magnet, a main circuit controlled by the relay, a moving
and a stationary terminal, arranged to receive and hold a coin for completing
the relay circuit, and means for actuating the moving terminal so that it will
advance the coin or token which is then closing the circuit, and also the next
succeeding coin, so that the latter will form a path for the current in multiple
to the first, to prevent the interruption of the circuit.
16 In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of a coin chute, a slot
extending through the sides of the chute, and a pivoted lever for preventing the
improper manipulation of the mechanism, the said lever being provided with
knife edges at both ends, which are so arranged that when the upper knife edge
projects through the slot in the coin chute, the bottom edge is withdrawn from
the chute.
This 90th day of November 1899