Improvements in Pre-payment Gas Meters for Automatically Supplying a Pre-determined Quantity of Gas in Exchange for an Inserted Coin or Coins or Tokens or Equivalents for Value.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pre-payment Gas Meters for Automatically
Supplying a Pre-determined Quantity of Gas in Exchange
for an Inserted Coin or Coins or Tokens or Equivalents for
Value.
I DANIEL ORME of the firm of George Orme and Company, of the Atlas Meter
Works, Oldham in the County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
My said invention relates to pre-payment gas meters through which a pre-
determined quantity of gas is allowed to pass to the consumer on the insertion into
a slit or receptacle of a coin or coins or other equivalent token or tokens
representing the value of the required quantity of gas. The invention is applicable
to either wet or dry gas meters.
A salient feature of my improved meter is that while adopting a fixed coin, for
example a penny or other equivalent or token as the medium of payment the
delivery of its value in gas can be regulated according to the market or local price
of gas.
The improved mechanism consists of an arrangement of gearing and parts
operated by the ordinary "up" shaft, which in dry meters is rotated by the bellows
or by other moving part or parts as is well understood by gas meter makers. At
the end of this shaft is a bevel or it might be a worm wheel gearing with another
bevel or worm wheel or worm gearing running loosely on a sleeve and carrying a
disc having a number of recesses in its periphery. On the same axis there is a
worn wheel which gears with a worm on an upright shaft which derives motion
through a train of worm and worm wheel gearing from the aforesaid revolving
"up" shaft. The "up" shaft or equivalent moving part thus drives two parts of
the mechanism independently. The worm wheel which has been referred to as
being on the same axis as the bevel wheel, has a reduced sleeve or extension which
carries the aforesaid bevel wheel and its attached recessed disc. At the end of the
sleeve extension there is a paw) carrier, to which is loosely pivotted a spring pawl
having two teeth, one at one side of the pawl, being capable of engaging at times
with a single recess in a disc which is connected to and revolves with a worm wheel
which is operated from the coin receiver, while the other tooth at the other side of
the pawl is capable of engaging with one of the several recesses in the aforesaid
disc which revolves with and is a part of the bevel wheel which receives its motion
from the bevel wheel at the top of the up shaft as already described. Thus the
pawl is capable of connecting at times the single recess disc (which is operated only
from the coin receiver) and the disc having several recesses which turns constantly
so long as the meter is at work. The pawl tooth opposite to the constantly
revolving recessed disc may be fixed, but the pawl tooth opposite to the other
single recess or coin receiver disc, is preferably pivotted to the pawl, so as to yield
in one direction and permit disengagement when the coin receiver disc is turned as
hereinafter described. This tooth might however also be fixed. The coin receiver
mechanism consists or might consist of a bobbin shaped circular frame or of two
discs connected by a half sleeve, and supported loosely on a shaft which carries the
coin pocket, which is simply a holder of sufficient capacity to receive, say for
example a penny. A handle is fixed to the outer end of the shaft so that it can be
operated by a purchaser. Concentric with the frame is a semi-circular ratchet
segment which engages with the penny as the pocket is being rotated and prevents
the return of the pocket when it has once been started. A curved guard extends
from the coin pocket backwards so as to stop the outer slit when the pocket has

page_text: been moved away and thus prevent the insertion of money except when the pocket
is in position to receive it. A stop arrests the pocket when opposite to the slit.
An adjustable stop extends across from one disc or between the two side discs and
in the path of the penny and the coin receiver frame is only turned when the penny
comes in contact with this stop so as to rotate the frame. The stop is fixed in the
frame at a point in the circumference of the frame which bears a fixed ratio to the
price of the gas and provision is made in the frame so that the position of this stop
can be altered to suit any price. One of the discs or end flanges of the coin
receiver carries a spring pawl which engages with a ratchet wheel carried loosely
on the axis of the coin receiver frame. A sleeve on this ratchet wheel carries a
worm which gears with a worm wheel which has been already referred to as
turning the single recess disc beneath the aforesaid double toothed pawl. The
working of the apparatus will now begin to be apparent.
Suppose a penny is put into the pocket through the slit and the handle and shaft
turned, as soon as the penny strikes the stop across or attached to the frame, the
frame also is rotated. The pawl on the side disc connects the ratchet wheel to the
disc and thus causes the ratchet wheel also to rotate thus turning the sleeve and
worm and of course the engaged worm wheel and single recess disc. When the
penny has been turned clear of the ratchet segment it drops or is forced by a spring
into a lock fast receptacle from whence the money is removed from time to time by
the collector of the company.
In returning the pocket and coin receiver frame the ratchet on the side disc slips
on the ratchet wheel which is thus not affected by the said return movement. The
disc in turning carries the recess away from the pawl tooth and in advance thereof,
the flexible nature of the tooth or its peculiar shape if fixed, permitting its dis-
engagement from the recess and at the same time lifting the pawl so as to disengage
the opposite fixed tooth from the other recessed disc connected with the bevel
wheel driven by the up shaft as aforesaid. This second disc being thus released from
the pawl the up shaft is liberated and begins to revolve, the pre-paid quantity of gas
passing through the meter to the purchaser. The revolution of the up shaft also
sets the aforesaid train of worm and worm wheel gear to work thus slowly carrying
the pawl carrier and pawl round towards the single recess which has just been
advanced by rotating the single recess disc in the manner described. Now suppose
a pennyworth of gas has been purchased and the single recess disc rotated through
a corresponding distance whether a twentieth or a twentififth or a fiftieth part of a
revolution, the recess remains there and awaits the arrival of the slowly advancing
pawl tooth. When the pawl tooth arrives and drops into the recess the required
quantity of gas has been furnished. At the same time the opposite tooth in the
pawl drops into one of the recesses in the more rapidly revolving several recess
disc and the rotation of the up shaft being thereby at once arrested the meter
ceases to supply gas. A pointer is operated simultaneously with the operation of
the single recess disc showing the number of feet of gas paid for, and a dial
operated at the same speed as the slowly advancing pawl carrier shows the
consumer during use how much gas he has still to burn.
In conjunction with or in addition to this indicating apparatus I may use the
ordinary indicator. As a modification of the means for arresting the working of
the meter I might use a ratchet wheel instead of the aforesaid disc with several
recesses. The tooth pawl would carry a ratchet pawl which when the tooth
dropped into the recess would push the ratchet wheel back bringing a pin against
the free end of a pivotted lever and thereby moving the other end into the path of
a peg projecting from the revolving up shaft and thus stopping the rotation of the
said shaft consequently the working of the meter. I do not however confine myself
to the exact disposition or construction of any specific part of the apparatus as they
are all capable of modification to a greater or less degree. The drawer or
receptacle into which the money or equivalent token falls may be secured by an
ordinary lock and key or it might be arranged to be unlocked by an object of a
specific and secret shape, put into the coin receiver and turned so as to be brought

page_text: against certain parts the actuation of which would unlock or release the drawer
and allow it to be opened, the locking being effected by the act of closing or
otherwise. By another means we might secure the drawer or receptacle by soft
metal or other bolts passing through snugs and held in position by or in com-
bination with soft metal washers applied and stamped with a private mark or scal
by means of a cramp, the same or another cramp being used to force the bolts out of
the holes. Any suitable means might however be adopted to render the receptacle
thief-proof or to ensure the honesty of collectors. One of the discs of the coin
receiver frame is or may be fitted into an index so that the adjustable stop may be
fixed on the disc or discs in a position corresponding to the price of the gas and a
card may also be placed outside of the meter with the various prices of gas
marked thereon and set to correspond with the index at which the adjustable stop
is fixed so that the consumer knows at what price he is purchasing his gas.
Dated this 15th day of November 1890.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pre-payment Gas Meters for Automatically
Supplying a Pre-determined Quantity of Gas in Exchange
for an Inserted Coin or Coins or Tokens or Equivalents for
Value.
I DANIEL ORME of the firm of George Orme and Company of the Atlas Meter
Works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturers, 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My said invention relates to pre-payment gas meters through which a pre-
determined quantity of gas is allowed to pass to the consumer on the insertion into
a slit or receptacle of a coin or coins or other equivalent token or tokens
representing the value of the required quantity of gas. The invention is applicable
to either wet or dry gas meters. A salient feature of my improved meter is that
while adopting a fixed coin for example a penny or other equivalent or token as the
medium of payment the delivery of its value in gas can be regulated according to
the market or local price of gas.
To render my invention clearly understood I will now proceed more particularly
to describe the same, reference being had to the annexed four sheets of illustrative
drawings.
ON SHEET 1.
uonno with mo

page_text: Fig. 6 is a side view of the mechanism of the meter.
Fig. 7 is a separate view of the pawl carrier and notched stop disc.
The mechanism is contained within a suitable casing similar to that shown in the
drawing and may be said to consist of two divisions namely, the gearing and stop
mechanism situated behind the dial A. and operated by the up shaft B, and the coin
receiving mechanism situated at the back and operated by the handle C. I will
describe the apparatus behind the dial first and then I shall describe the coin
mechanism and show its effect in operating and controlling the said apparatus. As
already said the gearing behind the dial is operated from the up shaft B or it might
be from any other suitable working part of the meter. The shaft B carries a
worm a which gears with a worm wheel which is fast on the spindle of the
pointer. The same spindle e carries a second toothed wheel d and a pinion e.
The wheel gears with a toothed spur wheel. The axis upon which the spur
wheel is mounted consists of a central through spindle g carrying at one end and
fixed thereon the worm wheel and escapement disc and at the other end the
finger. Upon the spindle there is also mounted a sleeve the said sleeve
carrying a fixed-on toothed wheel and also an outer revolving dial. Upon a
prolongation of the sleeve there is mounted loosely the aforesaid spur wheel and
the said spur wheel carries affixed to it a toothed or recessed disc k. The end of
the prolongation of the sleevej carries fixed thercon a pawl carrier. Upon the
said pawl carrier is pivotted at a pawl m which is arranged to engage with the
toothed disc k. Upon the pawl m I pivot a secondary smaller pawl n (see Fig. 5)
which is intended to drop into the notch in the escapement disc i when the said
notch and pawl come opposite to cach other. It will be observed that owing to the
presence of a prop or projection m³ from the pawl m the raising of the pawl raises
at the same time the larger pawl m and clears it from the toothed disc k. Similarly
when the smaller pawl n drops into the notch in the escapement disc i the larger
pawl m is at the same time permitted to engage with the toothed disek. A spring o
extending from an arm of the pawl carrier presses on the back of the pawl m
and thus forces the two pawls into gear when the notch in the escapement disc i
comes opposite to the pawl n. The periphery of the toothed disc & is formed with
as many notches or recesses as conveniently possible so as to provide that practically
one of the notches in the disc & shall always be beneath and ready to receive the
pawl m when the pawl z drops into the notch in the escapement disc i. The
toothed disc and the escapement disc thus provide a double locking arrangement
and the reason why I provide the toothed disc k in addition to the escapement disc i
is simply because there is so long a train of gearing between the up shaft and the
axis of the escapement disc i that to attempt to stop the action of the meter against
so much multiplying gearing would almost certainly entail breakage of some of the
intermediate wheels and pinions. It would in other words be like applying force
to the shortest portion of a fulcrumed lever instead of to the longest end. 1
therefore provide the toothed disc fixed to its companion spur wheel which
gears as has been said with a toothed wheel alongside of the worm wheel which is
driven from the up shaft B. Thus when I arrest the motion of the disc and spur
wheel it immediately binds the worm wheel operated from the up shaft and stops
the meter without any straining of intermediate parts. The gearing which operates
the pawl carrier and pawl and the pointers on the dial is as follows: The pinion
on the axis a gears with the wheel e. On the axis of the wheel e' is a pinion e
which gears with a wheel e. On the axis of the wheel is a pinion gearing
with the wheel already referred to as a fixture on the sleevej. The wheel also
drives a train of gearing p. p¹³ ³ p the axes of the wheels carrying the
pointers which appear in Fig. 1. The pointer or index c is chiefly for the
purpose of testing the meter. The finger g' shows the consumer the amount of gas
paid for and not yet consumed. The pointers 9 show a continuous and cumulative
record of the gas passed through the meter. It will be evident that as the finger o¹
is fixed on the axis g the turning of the axis y will move the finger g' forward say
in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1 and afterwards when the meter begins to work,
C

page_text: the dial revolves slowly in the same direction until the amount of gas paid for is
consumed when the aforesaid pawls drop into their respective notches and the meter
is stopped and prevented from passing any more gas until a further payment has
been made.
&
As
I will now show how the coin receiving mechanism is utilised to receive the
money and permit or effect the rotation of the spindle g to such a degree as will
allow the meter to pass a quantity of gas corresponding to the sun paid.
clearly seen from the drawings the coin receiving cylinder is contained within a
casing t. The coin receiving cylinders consists of a simple ring supported on a
central spindle which is supported in a sleeve bearing formed for it in the cover u.
The spindle and cylinder are turned by the handle C. The cylinders contains a
pocket to receive the coins which are dropped into the said pocket through a
slit in the casing t. A spring at the bottom of the pocket gives the coin an
elastic support. Two stops are provided to limit the play of the coin receiving
cylinders. One stop w projects from the adjustment disc and prevents the coin
receiving cylinder from moving further to that side; another stop y projecting
from the cover u prevents the cylinder from being moved round further than is
necessary to discharge the coin through another slit 2 in the casing into the coin
receptacle Z. Terminal stops y1 y2 are also provided one being on the casing & and
the other on the disc r. The inner circumference of the casing carries an internal
ratchet rack extending from the inlet slit to the outlet slit.
As the penny is
carried round by the cylinders it is held with an clastic pressure by the spring
against the ratchet rack the edge of the penny serving as a pawl which perinits of
the rotation of the coin cylinder in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4) but prevents
it from being moved back until after the coin cylinder has been moved round
sufficiently far to drop the penny through the delivery slot into the coin receptacle.
The adjustment disc is carried on a porter which is slid into a hollow spindle 1
which is supported in bearings in the casing and the spindle 1 is formed with a
worm 2 which engages with the worm wheel already referred to as being fast on
the spindle. Consequently any movement of the spindle 1 will correspondingly
revolve the spindle y. As I have already said in the former part of my Specifi-
cation a salient feature of my invention is the capability of adjusting the mechanisın
so that with a coin or token of a fixed value, say for example a penny, the quantity
of gas to be delivered therefor can be regulated according to the local or current
price of gas. To effect this adjustment I place a movable stop 3 on the face of the
adjustment disc and in the path of the penny as it is carried round by the
cylinder s.
In Fig. 5 the circumference of the penny appears projecting from
the side of the pocket and over against the stop 3 which it will strike when carried
round. The adjustment disc a: has a number of holes 4, screwed to receive a set
screw 3 which passes through the movable stop 3. The range of adjustment given
by the holes 4 represents the range from the minimum to the maximum price of
gas. It will be evident therefore that the stop 3 can be adjusted and fixed in any
position corresponding to a certain current price of gas. If the price of gas should
increase or decrease the stop 3 can be adjusted to meet the variations. As the
penny or other coin or token is carried round by the coin cylinders it encounters
the stop 3 sooner or later according to the position of the stop and then carries
round with it the disc a. This turns the spindle 1 and worm and effects the
rotation of the spindle g escapement disc and finger g¹ which plainly indicates on
the revolvable dial what quantity of gas stands to the credit of the consumer.
will be evident that the return of the coin cylinders to its normal position that is
to say with the coin pocket & opposite to the receiving slit must be effected
without at the same time reversing the spindle 1 since this would merely return the
various parts to the position from whence they started. I therefore form a ratchet
connection between the disc r and the spindle 1 so that the said spindle can be
casily turned in the direction which will advance the parts but is locked and held
while the coin receiving cylinder is being brought back to its starting point. To
effect this mount the disc .e loosely upon the end of the spindle (see Figs. 3
It

page_text: and 5) a stump or porter entering a hole bored in the spindle 1. A. ratchet wheal 5
is fixed on the spindle 1 behind the disc and a pawl 6 pivotted to the disc
engages with the ratchet wheel 5 in such a manner that when the disc. is rotated
in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3 the pawl 6 takes round with it the said ratchet
wheel 5 thus revolving the spinille I and advancing the parts as already described.
On the return of the disc r by the reversal of the coin cylinder the pawl 6 slips
over the teeth of the ratchet wheel while at the same time the weighted pawl 7
which is pivotted at 7' to the casing locks the ratchet wheel 5 and prevents it
from being dragged back by the pawl 6. Thus the spindle 1 is rotated in one
direction only.
Having thus set forth all the parts in detail I will now describe the operation of
the mechanism. When the apparatus is at rest and the finger g' stands at o on the
revolvable dial the escapement disc i and the toothed disc k are both held by
the pawls mn which have dropped into their respective notches as shown for
example at Fig. 5. The coin receiving cylinder being in the position shown at
Fig. 4 drop a suitable coin or token say for example a penny into the pocket s²
through the slit . I then turn the coin cylinders by means of the handle C the
edge of the penny engaging with the internal rack as it is carried round until
the coin comes opposite to the delivery slit through which it drops into the coin
receptacle Z. By thus turning the coin cylinder the shaft 1 is rotated, thereby
revolving the spindle, escapement disc and finger g. By this movement the
pawl is forced out of its notch in the escapement disc i so as to rest on the
periphery of the disc and this displacement of the pawl n also lifts the pawl m
clear of the toothed disc. The escapement disc i is moved round a distance the
extent of which is regulated by the position of the stop on the disc which as has
been said is adjusted to correspond with the current price of gas. Suppose as an
illustration that gas were sold at the rate of 20 cubic feet for a penny then the
successive insertion of five pennies would bring the pointer g' round to 100 on the
revolvable dial as shown at Fig. 1 or the insertion of one penny would turn
the pointer through one of the divisions shown on the dial in Fig. 1. The turning
of the escapement disc i and the consequent displacement of the pawls releases
the apparatus and the up shaft begins to revolve and actuate the hereinbefore
described gearing in such a manner that the wheel and sleeve jare rotated, the
sleeve carrying round the pawl carrier and pawls mn. The pawls are thus
carried slowly round until the pawl n overtakes and drops into the notch in the
stop disc i the pawl at the same time dropping into one of the notches in the
disc. This happens when the quantity of gas paid for has becu consumed and
the apparatus is thereby locked and held until again released by the insertion
of money and the operation of the coin receiving cylinder as hereinbefore
described.
The coin receptacle for receiving the coins or tokens dropped out of the coin
receiving cylinder consists of a box secured by means which are most clearly shown
at Fig. 5. A pap 9 on the front of the box carries a screw 8 which engages with
a nut 8 projecting downward from the casing t. The head of the screw 8 is
formed so as to engage with a similarly formed key whereby the screw can be
turned. The screw 8 engages with a nut 8 forming part of the casing. To
secure the box or to disengage it the key is inserted into the pap and is caused to
turn the screw 8 and thus release or secure the box Z. As an additional security
I might introduce across the bore of the pap 9 a soft metal rivet 10 placed in
position and stamped or impressed at one or both ends with the private mark or
stamp of the company or collector. This would forin a safeguard against dis-
honest attempts to open the box and abstract the coins. Any other suitable or
sufficiently secure lock or fastening might be substituted for the contrivance
described.
1t
The foregoing figs. illustrate the application of my invention to a wet meter.
will however be apparent that with some slight modifications the invention can be
used in conjunction with a dry meter. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 on Sheet 4 illustrate

page_text: such an application. In the said drawings 11 indicates the horizontal shaft which
is driven by the operation of the up wires from the bellows as is well understood.
A worm operated by these means gears with and rotates the worm wheel 12 which
is fixed on the shaft 11. A pinion 13 on the shaft 11 gears with and drives a spur
wheel 14 and a pinion 15 on the shaft of the wheel 14 gears with the wheel 16
(whereby motion is communicated to the usual or other indicators) and also with
the wheel 17 whereby motion is transmitted through the gearing 18 and 19 to the
sleeve which is thereby rotated so as to carry round the pawl carrier and
pawls mn not shown in the present figs. as they are already illustrated in the
foregoing sheets. The notched wheel (Figs. 8, 9, and 10,) corresponds to the
notched wheel in the foregoing drawings and is as before carried loosely on
the extension of the sleeve j. The present notched wheel k does not revolve as in
the case of the wheel already described but is oscillated to and fro through an arc
of a circle by the bell crank lever 20 which is itself oscillated by a stud projecting
from a crank 21 on the upper end of the oscillating wire 22 which is one of the two
wires extending from the bellows and giving motion to the shaft 11 as aforesaid.
The hole in the bell-crank lever 20 through which the stud of the oscillating
crank 21 passes, has sufficient clearance to allow for the rock of the lever 20 ns
indicated in Fig. 10. The shaft y carries the worm wheel h and escapement disc i
as before and is operated from the coin receiver by the worm 2. As in the former
case the shaft is rotated so as to advance the escapement disc, the pawl carrier
and pawls afterwards overtaking and engaging with the escapement disc i and
vibrating notched disc k as before. The pawl which engages with the vibrating
disc locks it and prevents any further movement of the bellows until another
coin or token has been introduced and the mechanism again released.
It will be observed that although I have in one or two instances used the term
"automatic" as applied to my improved gas meter it is not strictly so as the mere
insertion of the coin or token will not in itself suffice to put the meter in action.
In addition to this insertion of the coin the receiving cylinder must be operated by
the handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement construction and combination of parts comprising
the improved pre-payment gas ineter substantially as described and shown.
2. In meters for supplying pre-determined quantities of gas in exchange for
inserted coins or tokens the employment of an internal rack to engage with the
edge of the coin or token as it is carried round by the coin cylinder so as to prevent
the coin or token and cylinder from being returned before delivery of the coin or
token substantially as described and shown.
3. In meters of the indicated nature the employment of an adjustable stop in
connection with the coin receiving mechanism whereby the quantity of gas to he
delivered in exchange for a coin or token can be varied at pleasure in accordance
with the local or current price of gas substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown.
4. In a gas meter of the indicated nature the disc a carrying an adjustable stop
in combination with a ratchet wheel and pawls for effecting the rotation of the
actuating shaft 1 in one direction only whereby the stop disc and measuring pointer
are rotated in advance of the pawls which overtake and engage with the disc and
arrest the working of the meter substantially as described and shown.
5. The escapement disc i fixed upon the spindle g in combination with the
toothed or recessed disc k pawl holder and pawls m n for the purposes and
substantially as described and shown.
6. In prepayment gas meters, actuated through the agency of an inserted coin
or token and provided with means for varying the quantity of gas to be delivered
in exchange for such coin or token, the employment of a revolving dial plate

page_text: marked with numerals indicating cubic feet of gas, and a pointer operated by the
coin receiving mechanism, the said dial and pointer serving to show the customer
the quantity of gas paid for and still unconsumed substantially as described
and shown.
Dated this 15th day of September 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.