Improvements in Prepayment-mechanism for Gas, Electricity, and other Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment-mechanism for Gas, Electricity, and
other Meters.
We, HENRY ALFREI WILLEY, Gas Engineer, of the Firm of Willey & Co.,
Gas Engineering Works, Exeter, in the County of Devon, and STEPHEN SIMPSON,
Engineer, of 32 Powderham Crescent, also in Exeter, in the County of Devon, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in mechanism for use in connection with
gas, electricity and other meters, and whereby, upon the insertion of a coin or
coins of a predetermined value, the said mechanism can be adjusted or set so as to
permit the supply or delivery of an equivalent quantity of gas or other fluid or of
electricity.
Our said invention relates more particularly to mechanism of the kind or class
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to the said Stephen
Simpson and dated 20th April 1893 No. 7,991, wherein differential wheels geared
together through spring-connected pinions are employed, one of which wheels is
adapted to be moved through a predetermined angle in one direction by means of
an external handle through the medium of each coin inserted, whilst the other or
measuring wheel is adapted to be moved in the reverse direction by the operation
of the meter, and, being geared with the first wheel, will simultaneously effect the
return movement thereof at a different rate of speed.
In mechanism of this kind or class as described in the said former specification,
the lever that is used for adjusting the quantity-mechanism also serves as the means
for closing the valve or cutting off the supply of gas when the prepaid quantity
thereof has been delivered or consumed; the said lever is, for this purpose, made
with a bent arm adapted to enter slots or notches in flanges projecting from the
differential wheels, when such slots or notches are in alignment with each other.
It is evident that, with such an arrangement, the supply of gas will be cut off
suddenly and without warning to the consumer.
According to one part of our present invention, we provide for the gradual
cutting off of the supply of gas so that the consumer will be warned by the lowering
of the light that the gas is about to be shut off and can make the necessary prepayment
for a further supply. For this purpose, we employ a separate lever for closing the
valve or cutting off the supply of gas or other fluid, and we provide novel means
for actuating such lever.
For this purpose, we fix on one of the said wheels, preferably on the measuring
wheel or that having the greater number of teeth, a suitably-shaped lever or
cam-piece which is free to turn or swivel about a pivot carried by the said wheel;
and we provide the opposite wheel with a pin or stud which, when the quantity of
gas or the like paid for is nearly consumed, comes in contact with the said cam-piece,
and projects it outward towards the circumference of the wheels. In the further
rotation of the wheels, the said cam-piece comes in, contact with a weighted lever
pivoted to the frame and connected to a valve or other suitable contrivance, and,
by turning the said lever about its pivot, gradually closes the said valve or operates
the said contrivance, thereby cutting off the supply of gas or the like at the proper
time, but previously giving warning to the consumer that the supply is about to
be cut off.

page_text: In the prepayment-mechanism as hitherto constructed, a metal shoot of considerable
length is employed extending from the coin-slot to the coin-holder, this shoot is
liable to become choked by the insertion of several coins one after another without
the adjustment or setting of the mechanism. To obviate this inconvenience,
we now provide a vertical tube having one of its sides arranged to swivel or rock
upon a rod near its centre. This swivelling or rocking side of the tube is so
formed and arranged that, when a coin enters the upper part of the tube, it turns
the rocking side so as to close the lower part of the said tube, and, when the coin
falls to the bottom of the tube, it turns the rocking side so as to close the upper
part of such tube; thus the insertion of more coins is effectually prevented until
the mechanism is operated and the first coin passed into the money-box. This
arrangement also prevents the pushing of pieces of wire or other instruments into
the meter-attachment. Instead of making the entire side of the tube to rock as
above mentioned we sometimes provide a suitable rocking lever for the purpose
specified.
We prefer to combine, with the rocking side or lever of the vertical coin-tube,
a weighted or spring locking-lever or latch so arranged that, when the full number
of coins which the mechanism is adapted to receive at auy one time, has been
inserted and each of them has been used to adjust or set the mechanism, the said
locking lever or latch will be automatically caused to engage with the upper end
of the rocking side or lever of the tube and thus prevent the insertion of any more
coins until a certain quantity of gas has been consumed. The said locking lever or
latch may be operated by a disc nounted on the shaft carrying the differential
wheels, and provided with a pin which extends through one of the wheels and is
arranged to be pushed outward by an incline on the other wheel.
Dated the
1000
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Prepayment-mechanism for Gas, Electricity, and
other Meters.
We, HENRY ALFRED WILLEY, Gas Engineer, of the Firm of Willey & Co.,
Gas Engineering Works, Exeter, in the County of Devon, and STEPHEN SIMPSON,
Engineer, of 32 Powderham Crescent, also in Exeter, in the County of Devon, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in mechanism for use in connection with
gas, electricity and other meters, and which, upon the insertion of a coin or coins
of a predetermined value, can be adjusted or set so as to permit the supply or
delivery of an equivalent quantity of gas or other fluid or of electricity.
Our said invention relates more particularly to mechanism of the kind or class
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to the said Stephen
Simpson and dated 20th April 1893, No. 7991, wherein differential wheels geared
together through spring-connected pinions are employed, one of which wheels is
adapted to be moved through a predetermined angle in one direction by means of
an external handle through the medium of each coin inserted, whilst the other or
measuring wheel is adapted to be moved in the reverse direction by the operation
of the meter, and, being geared with the first wheel, will simultaneously offect the
acturn movement thereof at a different rate of speed.

page_text: In mechanism of this kind or class as described in the said former specification,
the lever that is used for adjusting the quantity-mechanism also serves as the
means for closing the valve or cutting off the supply of gas when the prepaid
quantity thereof has been delivered or consumed; the said lever being, for this
purpose, made with a bent arm adapted to enter slots or notches in flanges
projecting from the differential wheels, when such slots or notches are in alignment
with each other. It is evident that with such au arrangement the supply of gas
will be cut off suddenly and without warning to the consumer.
According to one part of our present invention, we provide for the gradual
cutting off of the supply of gas so that the consumer will be warned by the
lowering of the light that the gas is about to be shut off and can then make the
necessary prepayment for a further supply and thus prevent extinction of the light
by the shutting off of the supply. For this purpose, we employ a separate lever
for closing the valve or cutting off the supply of gas or other fluid, and we provide
novel means for actuating such lever.
We find it advantageous to attach to one of the said wheels, preferably to the
measuring wheel or that having the greater number of teeth, a suitably shaped
lever or cam-piece which is free to turn or swivel about a pivot carried by the said
wheel; and to provide the opposite wheel with a pin or stud which, when the
quantity of gas or the like paid for is nearly consumed, will come in contact with
the said cam-piece, and project it outward towards the circumference of the
wheels so that it will act upon the aforesaid separate lever for cutting off the
supply of gas.
In the prepayment-mechanism as hitherto constructed, a metal chute of
considerable length is employed extending from the coin-slot to the coin-holder,
this chute is liable to become choked by the insertion of several coins one after
another without the adjustment or setting of the mechanism.
According to another part of our present invention, in order to obviate this.
inconvenience, we provide a vertical tube having one of its sides arranged to
swivel or rock upon a rod near its centre. This swivelling or rocking side of the
tube is so formed and arranged that, when a coin enters the upper part of the
tube, it turns the rocking side so as to close the lower part of the said tube, and,
when the coin falls to the bottom of the tube, it turns the rocking side so as to
close the upper part of such tube; thus the insertion of more coins is effectually
prevented until the mechanism is operated and the first coin passed into the money-
box. This arrangement also prevents the pushing of pieces of wire or other
instruments into the meter-attachment. Instead of making the entire side of the
tube to rock as above described, we sometimes provide a suitable rocking lever for
the purpose specified.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved prepayment-mechanism, the casing.
being shown in section, and
Figure 2 is a rear elevation, the casing being removed, showing the parts in the
position which they occupy when the shut-off valve is closed.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the said prepayment-mechanism, the parts being
shown in the position which they occupy whilst the said mechanism is being set by
means of a coin.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the said mechanism, the parts being shown in
the position which they occupy after the mechanism has been set.
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 1, and
Figure 6 is a section partly on the line, and partly on the line ',,
Figure 1, illustrating different positions of the device for controlling the introduction
of coins into the apparatus...
A is the frame of the prepayment-mechanism; B, C, are the differential gear-
wheels, of which B is the measuring wheel and C the wheel which is displaced or
moved relatively to the said measuring wheel when the mechanism is set by means

page_text: of a coin. The wheel C is provided with a sleeve C¹ and turns on a stud a fixed in
the frame A; the measuring-wheel B is also provided with a sleeve B' and turns
on the sleeve C. The dial 6 is fixed on the sleeve B' and the pointer c is fixed on
or otherwise arranged to turn with the sleeve C', so that the position of the
pointer c relatively to the graduations on the dial b will indicate the value of the
gas prepaid at any particular time. The wheel C is moved to set the mechanism
by means of a pinion D geared therewith, which pinion turns on a stud d mounted
on the frame A, and to which pinion is rigidly secured a ratchet-wheel E. The
ratchet-wheel E is operated through a pawl. F, Figures 2, 3 and 4, pivotally
mounted on a weighted arm or lever F which turns freely on the stud d and
normally rests on a projection A¹ on the frame A, as indicated in Figure 2. The
said pawl F is provided with a slotted extension F, in the slot of which works a
pin e fixed in one arm of a weighted lever G. The lever G turns about a pivot f
and is provided with an arm or extension G against which the coin H projecting
from the rotary coin-pocket J will act, as shown in Figure 3, when the said coin-
pocket is turned about its axis. The coin-pocket J is mounted on an arbor J',
provided with a suitable exterior handle J' for operating it, and also with a
ratchet-wheel g controlled by a pawl g¹ to prevent the turning back of the coin-
pocket J after the coin has once acted upon the extension G' of the lever G to set
the prepayment-mechanism.
The shut-off valve of the meter (which is not shown in the drawing, but which
may be of any suitable construction) is connected through the medium of a link h,
to a weighted bell-crank-lever K pivoted at K' to the frame A and provided with
an arm or extension. K³, in such a manner that the valve remains open except
when closed by the depression of the arm K2 as hereinafter described. L is a
cam-piece which is pivotally attached at L' to the measuring-wheel B on the side
thereof adjacent to the wheel C. The arm K' of the bell-crank-lever K extends
into the path of the cam-piece L, and a pink is fixed in the wheel C and is so
arranged relatively to the said cam-piece that, in all positions except when the
pointer c is at or near zero on the dial b, the cam-piece L will yield freely when
passing over the said extension K. When, however, the said pointer has almost
arrived at zero, the free end L³ of the cam-piece L will be pressed against a pin j
on the wheel B by means of the said pin k as shown in Figure 1, so that the
cam-piece L is rigidly held or locked in position and, in the further rotation of the
measuring-wheel, will depress the arm K and thereby gradually close the valve
through the lever K and link h, and cut off the supply of gas or the like at the
proper time, previously giving warning to the consumer, by the lowering of the
light, that the supply is about to be cut off.
In order that the wheel C, after being displaced or turned about its axis
relatively to the wheel B through the medium of a coin or coins, shall be returned
to its original position by the meter-mechanism, the wheel B is provided with a
projecting flange or surface l with which engages a "silent-feed" clutch M mounted
on a balanced frame M' turning freely on the sleeve B¹. The frame M' is turned
about its axis alternately in either direction, through the medium of a link m,
crank-pin m³ and gear-wheels O,. O' driven by the meter-mechanism as the gas
passes through the meter. The link m is connected to the frame M' by means of
an adjustable pivot m² so as to enable the travel of the "silent-feed" clutch M to
be varied in accordance with variations in the price of the gas. A suitable spring
clutch t is attached to the frame A and engages with the Hange of the wheel B
so that the latter can only be turned in one direction. The number of teeth on
the wheel B is greater than the number of teeth on the wheel C (the wheel B
baving one more tooth than C in the arrangement shown), and the wheel B is
geared with a pinion N having the same number of teeth as the pinion D and
mounted adjacent thereto on the stud d, the pinion N. being provided with a
spring-pawl N engaging with a toothed wheel D¹ fixed on the pinion D. By these
means, when the wheel B is rotated by the meter-mechanism through the "silent-
feed" above described, the wheel C is turned through a greater angle than the

page_text: wheel B, until the pointer c is finally returned to zero on the dial band
the main-valve of the meter is closed by the cam L and lever K as above.
described. Whilst, however, the wheel C is being set by means of a coin as
hereinabove described, the wheel B and pinion N are locked by means of the
clutch t, and the teeth of the wheel D' slide beneath the spring-pawl N'; the
pinion D and wheel C can, therefore, rotate whilst the pinion N and wheel B
remain stationary.
The coin-chute P is made with a pivotel or rocking side-wall Q turning about a
rod Pand provided at its upper end with a lip Q' extenting into a slot p in the
opposite side-wall of the chute. The rocking side-wall Q of the chute is mide
of such form and dimensions that, when the upper end of the chute is open to
permit the introduction of a coin, the lower part of the same will be closed by the
lower end or edge Q of the rocking aide-wall Q. and, when the lower on of the
chute is opened by the rocking of the wall Q to allow the coin to fall into the coin-
pocket J, the upper end of the chate will be closed by the lip Q' entering the
slot p. The rocking wall Q is preferably so weighted as to keep the upper end of
the chute closed and the lower end open, except when the said wall is acted upon
by a coin.
To prevent the further introduction of coins into the apparatus after the
wheel C has been displaced through nearly a cumpleto revolution relatively to
the wheel B, we provide a weighted lever R bearing a hook or catch R and fixed
on an arbor q mounted in suitable bearings on the frame A. At the other end of
the arbor is mounted an arm or projection g' adapted to engage with a discr
sliding freely on the stud a; the disc is provided with a pin extending through
an aperture in the wheel C and adapted to engage with an incline or projection s
on the wheel B when the amount of gas prepaid has reached its maximum value,
that is to say, when the wheel C has been turned through nearly a revolution
relatively to the wheel B. When the projections engages with the pin it forces
the disc r away from the wheel C and causes the arbor q to be turned about its
axis so as to bring the hook or catch R' into engagement with the upper edge of
the rocking side-wall Q of the chute P, and thus prevents the introduction of
any additional coin or coins until, by the action of the meter-mechanism, the
projections has been moved out of engagement with the pin r¹.
In applying our improvements to electricity meters, we sometimes arrange
the rod in direct connection with a suitable switch for completing or inter-
rupting the circuit, or the movement of this rod may be caused to effect the said
operation by the aid of an auxiliary or relay circuit comprising an electro-
magnet for operating the said switch. In cases where the meter contains a
rotating shaft, such as a "motor" meter, the crank m² may be arranged to be
operated thereby.
It is obvious, that we can employ springs instead of weights on the aforesaid
levers. Moreover the construction of our improved mechanism can be further
somewhat modified without departing from the nature of our said invention.
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 :-
First. The employment, in prepayment-mechanism for gas and other meters,
of a lever or cam-piece which is pivoted to one of the differential wheels of the said
mechanism and which, when the quantity of gas or the like paid for has been nearly
consumed, will be projected outward by a stud or projection on the opposite wheel
and thus caused to gradually cut off the supply.
Second. The combination of the weighted or spring lever connected with the valve
or other controlling device, the lever or cam-piece pivoted to one of the differential
wheels and the stud or projection on the opposite wheel, substantially as, and for the
purpose, above specified.
Third. The coin-tube having the rocking side or lever beat or curved inward at

page_text: its upper and lower ends, substantially. as berein before described, so that, when one
.coin has been placed in the tube, another coin cannot be inserted therein until the
first has been utilized to adjust or set the mechanism.
Fourth. The combination, with the rocking side or lever of the coin-tube, of a
weighted or spring locking-lever or latch actuated by a disc mounted on the same
shaft as the differential wheels and having a pin projecting through one of the said
wheels into the path of an incline on the opposite wheel, substantially as, and for
the purpose, above specified.
Fifth. The improved prepayment-mechanism constructed substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating as and for the purposes
above specified.
Dated the 23rd day of I
1007
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.