Improvements in Adjusting Gear for Coin Freed Fluid Meters.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
Improvements in Adjusting Gear for Coin Freed Fluid Meters..
I, FRANK WRIGHT, of No. 21 Old Queen Street, Westminster, in the County
of London, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to gear applicable to coin freed fluid meters, by which the
quantity of gas or other fluid supplied for an introduced coin can be varied and
adjusted to suit variations in the price of the fluid. In the case of gas, for
instance, a certain quantity, such as 25 cubic feet, may, under ordinary circumstances
be supplied for a penny introduced into the slot of the meter, but, as the price of
gas varies, it may be desirable to diminish or increase the quantity supplied
between certain limits, such for instance as a minimum of 20 cubic feet and a
maximum of 40 cubic feet. 1 shall describe gearing for effecting such adjustment
referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 a vertical section of adjusting
apparatus according to my invention.
A is a spindle worked by the meter as for instance the spindle of the first index
of the counter, B is a sleeve loose on the spindle A and connected by worm or
other gear to the coin freed mechanism which may be of any known kind. C is
a disc fixed on the spindle A. and having an arm D fitted to slide radially on it,
and urged outwards by a spring d. The outer end of the arm D is thickened and
has one side shaped as a tooth d¹. E is a disc loose on the sleeve B but fixed on
the framing of the meter, F is another disc which, by means of a pinion K gearing
with a toothed part of its circumference or otherwise, can be partly turned around
the spindle A and can be held in any desired position. Both the discs E and F
have at their peripheries inwardly projecting flanges cut away for half the
circumference. His a toothed wheel fixed on the sleeve B.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
As the counter spindle A. revolves, it carries round the dise C and arm D the
tooth d¹ of which being held engaged with the teeth of the wheel H by the flange
of the disc E or F causes the sleeve B to revolve driving the coin freed
mechanism. But, when after revolving a certain distance, the end of D escapes
from under the flange of E or F its tooth d' becomes disengaged from H, and
A goes on revolving without driving B until the end of D again passes under the
lange of E or F which causes its tooth d¹ to engage again with and drive the
vheel H.
Thus every revolution of the spindle A causes a less or greater fraction of a
evolution of the sleeve B according as the disc F is set with a greater or less
nterval between its flange and the flange of E, and consequently the coin freed
nechanism driven by B requires a greater or less number of revolutions of A,
nd therefore the passage of a greater or less quantity of fluid to receive the
novement necessary to give effect to the action of the introduced coin.
As an example of the application of the apparatus to a coin freed gas meter,
will assume that every revolution of A registers a passage of 2 cubic feet, that
he wheel H has 120 teeth, and that the sleeve B has to make 10 revolutions for
he passing of 1 penny through the coin freed mechanism.
If the disc F be set so that the end of its flange coincides with the end of the
ange of E, then the tooth d¹ is held engaged with the wheel H during the

page_text: whole revolution of A and consequently the penny introduced in the slot of
the coin freed mechanism will purchase 20 cubic feet, the product of 10 revolutions
of A. by the 2 cubic feet delivered at each revolution.
If now the disc F be turned round relatively to E so that there is between the
ends of their flanges a gap uncovering 60 of the teeth of H, then.as the tooth d¹
is during half a revolution of A disengaged from H, it will require 20 revolutions
of A to cause 10 revolutions of B, and consequently the penny will purchase
40 cubic feet.
By turning F. to.intermediate positions, various quantities, between the minimum
of 20 and the maximum of 40 cubic feet can be made to be delivered for a
penny.
Although I have described and shewn the tooth d held in gear with the
wheel H by the flanges of the discs E, F, it is obvious that by applying a spring
to urge the slide D inwards insteads of outwards, and arranging the tooth d¹ to
be held out of gear with H by its moving over the exterior peripheries of discs
such as E and F made without flanges, a like result would be attained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
-
A diustino year for coin freed fluid meters. constructed and operating substantially
as described.
Dated this 14th day of February 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.