Improvements in Coin-freed Electricity Meters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Coin-freed Electricity Meters.
I, WALTER EMMOTT, of No. 1, South Parade, Halifax, in the County of York,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in electricity meters specially designed
for use in combination with the automatic prepaid apparatus or well known
penny in the slot machines" where when a coin or voucher is placed in the
machine a given quantity of electricity may be consumed. The objeet of the
present invention is to construct a simple and inexpensive meter for use in com-
bination with penny in the slot machines, and one which besides measuring the
electricity, will indicate to the consumer that the supply is about to run out, so
that another coin or voucher may be placed in the machine before the current
supply is finished.
According to this invention I employ a vessel containing liquid, fine sand, or
other body which will freely flow therefrom through an aperture the size of which
is varied or regulated by the amount of the current passing through an electro
magnet or other device. The aperture is made larger or smaller by utilizing
an arrangement similar to the "iris shutter" used in photographic apparatus,
which is opened proportionately to the amount of current or the Watts passing in
a circuit, thus causing more or less of the sand, liquid, or other substance to flow
from the containing vessel, and the amount of which is proportional to the current
passing through the circuit. When a predetermined amount of the sand, liquid,
or other substance has passed through the aperture the circuit is opened and can
not be again closed until a coin or voucher has been placed in the automatic coin
freed apparatus as at present in use. In order to warn the consumer the supply
is about to be interrupted unless a further coin or voucher be placed in the recep-
tacle, I automatically bring into circuit an impedence coil or resistance, the former
applicable to alternating current supply, and the latter to continuous current
supply, or I momentarily interrupt the current as an indication that the supply
is about to be cut off.
A suitable dial indicates the amount of liquid or other substance displaced, and
is thus an indication to the authorities supplying the electricity, the amount
which has passed.
The sand or fluid as it escapes from the container falls into a lower vessel or
receptacle, and as the fluid or sand collects in the latter, its weight will cause it
to fall and the current to be interrupted as a warning, or as the fluid or sand
rises, a float may be utilized to answer the same purpose.
1000
BRIERLEY & HOWARD,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WALTER EMMOTT, of No. 1, South Parade, Halifax, in the County of York,
Electrical 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: —
..
This invention relates to improvements in electricity meters specially designed
for use in combination with the automatic prepaid apparatus or well known
penny in the slot machines" where when a coin or voucher is placed in the
machine a given quantity of electricity may be consumed. The object of the
present invention is to construct a simple and inexpensive meter for use in com-
bination with penny in the slot machines, and one which besides measuring the
electricity will indicate to the consumer that the supply is about to run out, so
that another coin or voucher may be placed in the machine before the current
supply is finished.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a com-
plete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,
which is a side elevation (with a portion of the framing removed) of the apparatus
for purpose aforesaid.
According to this invention, I employ a vessel 1, containing liquid, fine sand, or
other body which will freely flow therefrom through a valve or shoot 2 the size of
the aperture of which is varied or regulated by the amount of the current passing
through a solenoid or electro magnet or other device 3. The aperture may be
made larger or smaller by utilizing an arrangement similar to the "iris shutter
used in photographic apparatus, or by an ordinary valve as shewn in the drawing.
The end of the handle or spindle 4 of the valve 2 is weighted and provided with
an adjusting screw 5 resting on the tappet 6 on the stud 7, said tappet 6 being
provided with an arm or rod 8 to which is suspended the core 9 of a solenoid or
electro magnet 3. The sand or liquid is contained in the vessel or cistern 1 and
escapes through the valve or aperture 2 and falls into the lower vessel or
receptacle 11 carried on the rod 12 mounted on the fulcrum 13 and provided at
its opposite end with a counter balance weight 14 and tray or receptacle 15 for
the coin or voucher. At 16, 16 and 17, 17 are springs or contact makers two on
each side of the fulcrum pin 13. At 18 is the supply main, a wire 19 from
which leads to one of the contact makers 17, and at 20 is the supply main con-
nected to the lamps 21 by wire 22.
1
When a coin or voucher has been placed in the prepaid supply machine it falls
down a shoot or guide into the tray 15 and its weight tips the lever or rod 12 into
the position shewn in the drawing and the coin or voucher then slides out of the
open end of the tray 15. The lever or rod 12 is pivoted or balanced in such a
manner as to remain tipped up after the coin has left the tray, & also to remain
tilted in the opposite direction after the liquid or sand has filled the vessel 11
& run out. The current from the main + supply 18 now passes along the wire 19,
contact maker 16, rod 12, second contact maker 17, solenoid 3, and by wire 23 to
the lamps 21. As the sand or water falls from the vessel 1 into and fills the
vessel 11, the rod 12 is gradually turned on its fulcrum and contact between the
rod 12 and contact makers 17 is broken, but immediately afterwards contact
is made between the rod 12 and the contact makers 16, 16 when the circuit is com-
pleted through wire 24 contact makers 16 and rod 12 by wire 25 to and through
the impedence coil 26 in the case of alternating current supply or a resistance in
direct current supply and by wire 27 to the lamps 21.
At the time the circuit is broken the lights are momentarily extinguished which

page_text: acts as a warning to the consumer that another coin or voucher must be placed
in the machine, but in order that the consumer may not be left in darkness the
circuit is again completed, but the current passing through an impedence coil or
resistance, the lights are very low and little electricity is consumed and the
contacts 16, 16 are so set that when the rod 12, falls below a certain point the
circuit is entirely broken and the lights extinguished. The interval of time be-
tween the momentary darkness and the lights being altogether extinguished may
be varied as desired by adjusting the contact makers 16, 16 in relation to the
rod 12.
The valve or aperture 2 is more or less opened by the tappet 6 which is operated
by the rod 8 and core 9 of the solenoid 3, the core being drawn further into the
solenoid 3 and the aperture 2 opened to a greater extent the greater the amount
of electricity being consumed. A counterbalance weight 28 withdraws the core 9
when the circuit is broken.
An indicating dial may be attached to the apparatus similar to the dial of an
ordinary meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constitut-
ing the improvements in electricity meters as and for the purpose herein described
and substantially as illustrated by the annexed drawings.
(2) The combination of any impedence coil or resistance with a prepayment
electricity meter so arranged as to give warning that the current is about to be
cut of as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 26th day of May 1898.
Dated this 26th day of May 1898.
WALTER EMMOTT,
By his Agents, Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.