Improvements in and connected with the Prepayment Mechanism of Gas Meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1995-Accepted, 5th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Prepayment Mechanism
of Gas Meters.
We, THOMAS THORP of Whitefield, near Bury, Engineer, THOMAS GARDINER
MARSH of 6 Rosamond Street East, Manchester, Mechanical Engineer, and
JOHN HAYNES of 5 Albert Drive, Aintree, near Liverpool, Gas Engineer, all in
the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-:
This invention relates to gas meters supplying gas against prepayment by coins
inserted into the meter case and consists in improved arrangements of mechanism
or devices for receiving and delivering the coin and actuating the gas valve and
indices of coins inserted and in the manner of attaching the same to the meter,
the objects of our invention being to simplify such mechanism and to render the
same more readily applicable to existing meters without disarranging the gas
consumption index connected to them.
The improved coin receiving and delivering device or coin carrier consists of
two conaxial cylinders arranged so that they can turn independently when not
connected by a coin inserted into slots in the opposite faces of said cylinders, and
mechanism connected thereto for pushing the coin out of the slots after half a
revolution or thereabouts of the cylinders and connecting the two cylinders
after the coin has been pushed out 80 as to make them jointly complete the
revolution.
The front cylinder is fixed upon or formed with a spindle carried in a bearing in
the front plate of the casing of the mechanism which is fitted outside with a
suitable knob or handle for turning the same and a pointer to indicate the position
for receiving the coin. The slot in the face of the cylinder is made on oue side of
the centre, so that it coincides with the slot in the top of the casing for the
insertion of a coin only in one position of the cylinders, the slot in the back
cylinder being opposite to that in the front cylinder. The back cylinder rotates in
other bearings connected to the back plate or side of the casing.
In order to prevent a smaller coin than the one intended, for instance a penny,
being used to operate the mechanism, we arrange in one of the slots, for instance,
in the back cylinder, a tumbler lever which when the correct coin is inserted is
turned by it so as to be withdrawn into the cylinder but if a smaller coin is used
projects from the same against a suitable fixed stop and prevents turning of the
cylinders.
In order to prevent frauds by using coins smeared with wax or other sticky
substances with the object that they may remain in the slots and allow the
cylinders to be turned round several times we form one of the cylinders with a
cylindrical segment projecting from its face, the faces of the opposite cylinders
being distant from each other by the height of this projection. On a pivot fixed
to the casing we mount a lever projecting into the space between them and held
down by a spring. When after the insertion of the coin the two cylinders are
turned, the segmental projection lifts this lever up above the coin and liberates it
when about half a revolution has been completed. The spring then depresses it
again and the lever pushes the coin out of the slot.
This lever may be formed as a bellcrank and have a pawl attached to it for

page_text: operating a coin totalizing index in a similar manner as described in our
Specification No. 23924 A.D. 1892.
As the dropping out of the coin disconnects the two cylinders, we provide for
their reconnection at this point by means of a lever working on a pivot in a slot of
the front cylinder, which lever is acted on by a cam fixed to the casing, so that
before the coin drops out, it is protruded from the face of the front cylinder and
engages a peg or its equivalent on the face of the back cylinder and the latter
continues to be turned till a complete revolution has been made when the cam
causes the lever to be withdrawn from the peg and the back cylinder to be disengaged
thereby.
The rotation of the back cylinder for one entire revolution may be used to
operate any suitable kind of mechanism for controlling the gas valve and index of
gas paid for but not consumed-either in volume or in coins, for instance by
causing an excentric or its equivalent attached to the back cylinder to operate a
ratchet, by means of a lever and pawl in a similar manner as described in our
Specification aforesaid.
I
Preferably however we arrange the mechanism for opening and closing the
valve and operating the index as follows: To the back cylinder we fix a pinion
gearing either directly or through a carrier wheel with a spur wheel turning loose
upon a shaft to the face of which spurwheel a bevil wheel is fixed. A bevil pinion
mounted on a pivot fixed in the shaft at a right angle thereto gears with the bevil
wheel, on one side and on the other with a similar beril wheel likewise running
loose upon the shaft. The second bevil wheel has an exchangeable crown wheel
attached to it, which is in gear with a pinion on a horizontal shaft carrying at its
other end a worm wheel in gear with a worm on the vertical shaft which drives the
gas consumption index. The pivot on which the bevil pinion revolves is prolonged
and in one position encounters the spindle of the gas inlet valve which is pre-
ferably arranged above the mechanism described with its spindle in a vertical
position.
This arrangement acts as follows:-When the coin carrier is turned after the
insertion of a coin, the spurwheel and bevil wheel attached to it are turned for a
certain distance, while the opposite bevil wheel is held in position by the crown
wheel and gearing described, in consequence the bevil pinion rolls on the same
away from the valve spindle and the valve is opened by the gas pressure, sub
sequent insertions of coin removing the pinion and pivot further from the valve
spindle. When the coin carrier is stationary and gas consumed, the index shaft
rotates through the worm and worm wheel, pinion and crown wheel described, the
other bevil wheel, in consequence of which the bevil pinion rolls on the beril wheel
fixed to the spur wheel in the opposite direction to the previous one, until the gas
paid for is consumed, when the pivot encounters the valve spindle and by lifting
it closes the valve. In place of the bevil-wheels and pinion aforesaid the equivalents
thereof may be used.
To the front of the shaft to which the pivot of the bevil pinion is fixed we fix a
dial, or a pointer moving in front of a dial, which advances by one division for
each coin inserted, and is rotated backwards by one division when the corresponding
quantity of gas has been consumed, showing thus the value of the gas paid for but
not yet consumed. By changing the crown wheel the quantity supplied for each
coin can be varied.
When the shaft carrying the bevil pinion and pivot has been rotated by the
insertion of coins as far as the mechanism will permit, an arm or its equivalent on
the shaft pushes a spring bolt over the coin slot and prevents further insertion and
damage to the apparatus.
The mechanism described occupies only a small space and is enclosed in a
box which can be fitted to the meter at the side of the box containing the
usual consumption index, the horizontal shaft actuating the crown wheel being
made long enough to pass underneath the index beyond the same. The bux
is preferably connected to the meter by means of the valve inlet. This inlet may

page_text: consist of a screwed pipe which is fixed to the bottom of the gas inlet chamber. by:.
means of a cap screwed upon the same either with external or internal thread
through an opening in the top of the gas inlet chamber, the cap being formed with.
a flange bearing upon the top of said chamber. Either the cap or the pipe ate.
provided with lateral openings through' which the gas passes into the inlet pipe.
. Dated this 3rd day of. July 1894.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
Improvements in and connected with the Prepayment Mechanism
of Gas Meters.
We THOMAS THORP of Whitefield near Bury, Engineer THOMAS, GARDINER
MARSH of 6 Rosamond Street East, Manchester, Mechanical Engineer, and
JOHN HAYNES of 5 Albert Drive, Aintree near Liverpool, Gas Engineer, all in the
County of Lancaster, 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 :-
J
This invention relates to gas meters supplying gas against prepayment by coins
inserted into the meter case and consists in improved arrangements of mechanism
or devices for receiving and delivering the coin and actuating the gas valve and
indices of coins inserted, and in the manner of attaching the same to the meter, the
objects of our invention being to simplify such mechanism and to render the same
more readily applicable to existing meters without disarranging the gas consumption
index connected to them.
In the prepayment mechanism hitherto made the motion of the coin-receiver or
carrier is usually transmitted to the valve and index of the quantity of gas paid'
for and unconsumed by means of pawls and ratchet wheels or equivalent mechanism
depending upon gravity or spring pressure for its correct action, which is unreliable
as the pawl may miss a tooth of the ratchet or the equivalent parts may slip,
whereby the consumer or the gas company is detrimentally affected according to
the arrangement of the mechanism. The object of our invention is mainly to
remedy this defect by arranging the mechanism so that the coin carrier must make
an entire revolution for each coin inserted, and transmitting such rotary motion to"
the valve operating mechanism, by toothed gearing, and further to simplify the
prepayment mechanism and arranging it so that it can be bodily attached to or
removed from a meter so that the latter can be used either as a prepayment or
ordinary meter.
On the drawings annexed hereunto
Figure
shows a vertical section through the prepayment mechanism, as seen
from the front;
Figure 2 a plan with the top and valve removed;
Figure 3 a view of the front plate with parts attached thereto as seen from the
back;
Figure 4, a side view of the same;
Figs. 5, 6 and 9, a back, side and front view of the back coin carrying
cylinder.
Figures 7, 8, and 10 a. side front and back view of the front coin carrying
cylinder..
The improved prepayment mechanism is contained in a casing A which is

page_text: attached to the upper part of the gas meter at the side of the usual consumption
index. The coin. is inserted through a slot a into a slot b formed in a hollow
cylinder 61 63 which is made in parts, the part 6 being fixed to the front plate A'
of the casing A, by screws al and the part 6 to the side of the back plate A' by
screw a. The slot b is placed to one side of the centre line of the cylinder and is
made about as long as the diameter of the coin to be used for prepayment. The
bottom side of the cylinder has a wider slot 63 extending for nearly the full length
of the bottom side. Into the cylinder 6' 6, are placed two solid coin carrying
cylinders c and d, shewn separately by Figs. 5 to 10. The front coin cylinder c
is formed with or has fixed to it a spindle c which passes through the front
plate A and has a winged handle or other handle or button fixed upon it by
means of which the cylinder c can be turned, a mark on the wing and casing
indicating the position in which the cylinder must be for receiving the coin;
and an arrow on the casing showing the direction in which the handle is to be
turned.
с
The catch or pawl g hereinafter referred to catches against the abrupt end of
the raised segmental rim g' when the handle is turned in the wrong direction and
stops it.
The back coin carrying cylinder d is formed with a projecting rim partly cut
away for the greater part except the lengths d' so that while the latter rests
against the face of the front cylinder c, there is a space between the cylinders for
the rest of the circumference. The cylinder has a pinion d³, fixed upon its back
end which butts against the back plate A² or a pap thereon at d and holds the
cylinder in position in its longitudinal direction.
Each coin carrying cylinder has a slot d in its face opposite the other, the slots
being to one side of the centre and coinciding with the slot b in the top of the
hollow cylinder, so that a coin dropped into the latter passes into the slots in the
cylinders c and d when their position coincides with the upper slot. In order to
prevent the coin from dropping through, a tumbler levere is arranged in the
slot d. On the insertion of a coin of the prescribed size this pushes back the
upper end of lever e and lifts the ended up into the cylinder, so that the lever e
forms a rest for the coin. A coin of smaller size will simply drop through the slot
into a receptacle at C.
When a correct coin has been inserted, it will connect the two cylinders c and d or
act as a driver, so that when the front cylinder is turned by means of the handle c³,
the back cylinder is turned with it by means of the coin till the latter is expelled
after about half a revolution which is done in a similar manner to that described
in our Specification No. 7899 A.D. 1894. For this purpose the lever f, is arranged
fulcrummed on a stud f', on the front plate, A', which lever fis pressed downwards
by a spring and extends into the space between the coin cylinders c and d,
through a slot in the outer cylinder 6. When the cylinders c and d are in their
starting position the end of lever frests in the notch x Figures 1 and 9 formed in
the projecting rim part d' and holds the back cylinder d in this position, till a coin
is inserted and the handle is turned. The lever then rides on the rim d' till the
end slips from under it after the cylinders have made about half a turn, when
the lever is pulled down by the spring upon the stop into the position shewn in
dotted lines on Fig. 3 and pushes the coin out of the slots into the coin receptacle C
arranged below them. This arrangement prevents frauds by the insertion of
coins smeared with wax or other sticky substance with the object of turning the
mechanism round several times with one coin.
When the coin has been expelled, the connection formed by it between the front
and back coin cylinders c and d is dissolved, and the back cylinder d would remain
in the position it then occupies while the front cylinder is turned further round,
unless in the meantime another connection between the cylinders were made.. This
is done in the following manner :- In a slot in the front coin cylinder c, a catch or
pawl g is mounted on a pivot g', and is in the position shewn on Fig. 4, when the
cylinder is placed in the coin receiving position. The cylinder is recessed at the

page_text: front and in the recess a raised segmental rim g³ Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is formed on
the front plate A¹ the inclined end 9 Figure 2 of which, the nose g³ of the catch g
encounters before the cylinder has made half a turn. The catch g is thereby
turned backwards and the other end 9' of the same protruded from the face of the
cylinder, as shewn on Fig. 7 so that it catches behind the abrupt end d³ of an
inclined projection formed in the face of the back cylinder d. Figs. 6 and 9, and
this cylinder continues to be turned by the front cylinder after the coin has been
ejected, until the end g' of the lever g drops off the raised segmental rim while at
the same time the leverf which has been raised by the projecting part of rim d¹
next to the slot d' drops into the notch and holds the back cylinder in the
starting position so that it makes exactly one revolution. When the revolution is
completed the nose g³ of the catch g drops off the rim g³ by its weight and assumes
the position indicated in Figure 4.
By these means the two cylinders are constrained to make an entire revolution
after the insertion of each coin before another coin can be inserted. The number
of revolutions and coins paid in may be registered on an index in any convenient
manner, for instance, by attaching a pawl h Figs. 3 and 4 to the lever f, which
pawl acts on a ratchet wheel h¹ and advances it by a tooth for each rotation of the
coin cylinders; this movement being indicated by a pointer on a dial face D in front
of the meter. Other dials may be arranged with pointers actuated from the spindle
of the ratchet wheel through single cogs and spur wheels so as to indicate the sum
total of the coins inserted into the meter in pounds, shillings and pence, or dollars,
dimes and cents, or other denominations of the coinage used, if desired. This index
may be omitted if not desired.
The mechanism for opening the inlet valve for the gas by the rotation of the
coin cylinders and closing the same by the meter when the quantity paid for has
been consumed, may be arranged in any convenient way; for instance, by
actuating a ratchet wheel by means of a pawl reciprocated by the rotation of the
cylinder, but this arrangement has the disadvantage that a tooth of the ratchet may
be missed and we prefer to arrange the mechanism to act in a positive manner as
follows:-
Upon the end of the back cylinder d, we fix or form a pinion d meshing with a
carrier wheel i, which meshes with a spur wheel mounted loosely upon a studi
and formed with or attached to a crown wheel, or an equivalent bevil wheel.
Opposite to the wheel, another equal crown wheel k, or equivalent bevil wheel, is
likewise loosely mounted upon a sleeve n on the stud, and formed with a boss upon
which another crown wheel is detachably fixed in the position shewn in Figure 2
which wheel can be changed for others having a greater or less number of teeth
for the purpose of varying the quantity of gas supplied for each coin. This crown
wheel meshes with a pinion 7, formed on a spindle which is supported in
brackets and in some cases carries a spurwheel gearing with a pinion m upon
a shaft m¹, that passes through a stuffing box m³, soldered to the case of the
prepayment mechanism. The shaft m¹ is rotated through a worm and worm wheel
or otherwise from the shaft which drives the usual consumption index of the gas
meter. The arrangement for driving the spindle may be varied according to the
constructive arrangements of the meter and index driving mechanism. The long
sleeve n, which is loose upon the stud, is formed with a boss between the crown
wheels and k, into which is screwed or fixed a stud n' upon which a spur wheel n³
is mounted, meshing with both crown wheels. If bevil wheels are used instead of
crown wheels, a bevil wheel meshing with both is used instead of the spur wheel n².
The stud n' extends beyond the wheel n', and the valve is so placed that the stem o
of the same is encountered by the stud when the sleeve is turned in the opposite
direction to that indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2.
The action of this arrangement of mechanism is as follows:-When the handle c
is turned after insertion of a coin the back cylinder d is turned in the manner
before described and through the wheels d', i and turns the crown wheel ³ in the

page_text: direction shewn by the arrow on Figs. 1 and 2. The crown wheel k connected
to is held by the pinion 1, as this pinion is not rotated through the gearing
described when the shaft m' is 'stationary while no gas is consumed, or rotated
very slowly while gas is consumed. In consequence the wheel n' is rolled along
the wheel k by the wheel, and the stud n' moves through half the arc described
by a tooth of wheel and in the same direction away from the valvė stém ó. The
valve is so arranged that it opens by the gas pressure in the main or its weight or
a spring o³ placed round the spindle, and consequently gas enters the meter.
For each additional turn of the handle and coin inserted, the stud moves through
a further equal arc away from the valve spindle. As the gas is consumed, the
crown wheel is rotated by the shaft m' through the gearing described in the
opposite direction to that in which the wheel is rotated on the insertion of
a coin, while this wheel is kept stationary by the back cylinder d. In
consequence, the wheel n' rolls on the wheel, and the sleeve n and stud n¹
are turned in the opposite direction until when the gas paid for has been entirely
consumed, the stud n'encounters the valve spindle o and lifting it closes the inlet
-valve.
This epicyclic differential wheel mechanism may be used for operating the valve
with other arrangements of prepayment mechanism having a rotative coin carrier
-or receiver.
:
Obviously coins may be paid in while gas is being consumed, the motion of the
wheel n being a differential one in that case. If bevil wheels are used instead of
crown and spur wheels, the action of course is the same. The sleeve n which
passes through the wheel k and its boss, has a boзs n³ fixed upon it to which a
dial is attached, visible through a glazed opening in the front plate A', on
which the number of coins for which gas may be consumed is indicated. In order
to prevent the sleeve being turned too far by the insertion of coins and the valve
spindle bent by the stud n or other injury done, a notch n Fig. 3 is formed in
the boss n which before the stud n' comes against the side of valve spindle o,
encounters the end pl of a bar p, which if fulcrumed on a bell crank lever p*
weighted at the lower limb so as to hold the parts in the position shewn on
Figs. 2 and 3. The other end p of bar p, rests upon the top of the fixed cylinder
part at the side of the coin slot 6, and when the notch n³ pushes the end p³ is
brought over the slot and prevents the insertion of further coins. Obviously a
sliding bar or bolt under spring action may be substituted for the hinged bar and
bell crank.
In order to be able to vary the quantity of gas supplied for each coin inserted,
the crown wheel k³, which is so fixed to the crown wheel k that it shall turn there-
with, may be slid off the sleeve n and replaced by a larger or smaller crown wheel
as desired. To permit of this being done, the bracket carrying the pinion l'aud
the dial * are first removed, these parts being suitably formed and so fixed as to
be readily detached. If a crown wheel be used having a larger number of teeth
than the crown wheel & the quantity of gas supplied for each coin is increased, and
if the crown wheel * be smaller than the crown wheel & the quantity supplied will
be less, the same sized pinion l being used in each case. To thus alter the mechanism
it is first necessary to remove the front plate A'.
As the pressure of the gas actuating the gas meter mechanism gradually decreases
as the inlet valve is more and more closed, the final closing of the valve presents
great difficulties in prepayment meters, which we overcome by constructing the
valve in the way described in our Specification No. 12334 A.D. 1894. The main
is connected to the inlet q, and the gas passes into the chamber q' to the bottom of
which the valve chamber is soldered or otherwise fixed. The valve chamber has
inlets and outlets opening into the passage 9. Underneath the inlets r¹ a valve
seating is formed on the chamber as shewn. The valve consists of a recessed
disc of fixed upon the stem o, which disc is somewhat larger in diameter than the
valve seating and has stretched over it a leather or other flexible diaphragm o²

page_text: fixed preferably by means of a hoop driven on and with a central hole therein..
Between the disc o' and a shoulder on the spindle o, another leather or rubber
diaphragm is nipped and attached gas tight to the valve chamber by means
of a cap. A spring o³ may be placed between the cap and a collar or its
equivalent on the spindle o, to assist in opening the valve. The diaphrag:n
serves instead of a stuffing box and ensures a gas tight closure of the valve
chamber.
When the valve is lifted up against the seating till the diaphragm o' comes int.
contact with the same, the gas under pressure passes into the space behind the
diaphragm and as the area of the same is larger than the valve seating, presses the
diaphragm upon the seating and tightly closes the valve, without requiring any
great exertion of pressure upon the valve spindle.
There is a second notch in the raised rim d' into which the lever fdrops when
the cylinder & has been turned for a short distance, for the purpose of preventing a
user of the meter from turning the gas slightly on and turning the cylinder back
again after the valve has closed through the consumption of the gas, and thereby
straining or breaking the parts.
From the passage q² extending over the top of the casing containing the prepay-.
ment mechanism, the gas descends through the passage q* at the back of the casing
into the chamber q. Into the top of this chamber a hollow screwed caps is fitted,.
having holes & in its circumference. This cap is screwed upon a screwed pipe.
end t, which is secured to the top of the passage t' formed in the gas meter casing
and conducting the gas to the inside of the meter. After the front plate A¹ has
been removed, the caps can be screwed off the pipet and the casing containing the
prepayment mechanism bodily removed. This arrangement permits the meter
prepared for the attachment of the prepayment mechanism to be used either with
or without the same, the gas main being in the latter case directly connected to the
pipe t.
The prepayment mechanism described occupies only a small space, the drawing
showing the same in full size, and is positive in its action in consequence of the
rotation of the coin cylinder being transferred to the valve operating mechanism by
means of toothed gearing. The details of the apparatus may be varied and replaced
by their mechanical equivalents.
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:
1. The general arrangement or combination of mechanism for opening the gas
valve of a meter by means of a coin inserted into said mechanism and closing the
valve by the rotation of the shaft actuating the ordinary gas consumption index
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In prepayment mechanism for gas meters the arrangement of two detached
cylinders on the same centre line connected for part of one revolution by a coin
inserted into opposite slots in the two cylinders and for the remainder of said
revolution by a catch operated so as to connect the cylinders before the coin is
ejected from them and release them when the revolution has been completed,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination of a rotative coin receiving and delivering cylinder and
a lever (f) for expelling the coin and locking the cylinder in the coin receiving
position substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
4. In prepayment gas meters the arrangement of differential epicyclic gearing
for opening and closing the gas valve, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
5. The arrangement of the casing, ports and mechanism of prepayment
apparatus for gas meters in such a manner that it can be attached to the gas
meter by means of a cap or its equivalent screwed upon the gas inlet pipe

page_text: of the meter substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated the 4th day of April 1895.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.