Improvements in Coin-operated Mechanism, specially applicable for Electric and other Meters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-operated Mechanism, specially applicable for
Electric and other Meters.
We, EDWARD DuBois, Instrument Maker, and THE MUTUAL ELECTRIC TRUST
LIMITED, both of 111, Gloucester Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in coin operated mechanism specially
applicable for electric and other meters but applicable also wherever integrating
or clock mechanism is employed. In the following description however of. a
typical form of the invention we describe the invention as applied in the case of
an electric meter.
In this invention we employ a coin chute on the under part of which two
notches are cut. Below the said coin chute is pivotted a rocking lever (herein-
after termed the rocker), one end of which, (hereinafter termed the inner end),
projects into the lower of these notches whilst the other or outer end of the rocker
is weighted so that the inner end, when free, rises and normally lies within the
said notch in such manner that when a coin is caused to roll down the chute it
comes against and depresses the inner end of the said rocker and rolls past it.
When the coin has passed the rocker would rock back into its former position
again were it not that its inner end is engaged by a detent to which a counter-
spring is attached and which holds the rocker with its inner end depressed. We
shall hereinafter speak of this position of the rocker as the detained position.
Upon the rocker and at a position intermediate between the pivot and the
outer end is a projection (in practice a roller may be used) which, when the rocker
is in its detained position, enters into the other or upper notch hereinbefore men-
tioned. The effect of this is that should a second coin be inserted whilst the
rocker is in its detained position it will be held by the projection and thus be
prevented from passing through into the coin receptacle.
In proximity to the rocker and the detent is pivotted another rocking lever,
hereinafter termed the releasing lever. To the inner end of the releasing
lever I attach a click with counter-spring pressing thereon which click is pivotted
on a centre and abuts against a pin or projection upon the releasing lever in
such manner that the said click is free to move in one direction against the action
of its spring but cannot move in the other direction on account of the projecting
pin. The end of the said click meets, during oscilla of the releasing lever,
with a projection upon the detent so that when the inner end of the releasing
lever moves downwards the projection on the detent meets the click which turns
against the action of its spring without moving the said detent. On moving
back however the click coming against the projecting pin cannot give way and
in consequence it presses upon the projection of the detent and moves the latter
out of the way so that it no longer detains the rocker but allows it to rock back
into its. normal position in which position its inner end engages its notch. In
rocking back however it will be obvious that the projection on the rocker is

page_text: moved out of its notch so that if a coin in the coin chute is resting upon that
projection it is allowed to pass, when it rolls onwards and again depresses the
inner end of the rocker. causing the latter to be again retained by the detent
and so on through the same cycle of operations.
To the rocker is attached a circuit closing device such for example as two pins
designed to enter two mercury cups at each depression of the inner end of the
rocker.
Thus it will be seen that whilst the inner end of the rocker is depressed the
electric circuit is closed and current passes through the meter until the removal
of the detent causes the rocker to again resume its normal position.
It will also be seen that the circuit is closed each time that a coin passes over
the inner end of the rocker..
In order that the circuit may be broken after a given amount of current has
passed through the meter or after a given time has passed according as the open-
ing of the circuit may be brought about by integrating or clock mechanism,
I mount upon an arbor of the said integrating or clock mechanism a snail or its
equivalent designed to make one revolution for a given movement of the integrat-
ing or of the clock wheels as the case may be. This snail bears upon the outer
end of the releasing lever and moves it angularly so that at the proper time the
click of the releasing lever presses the detent aside and allows the rocker to return
to its normal position.
+
We have herein before spoken of a spring as pressing upon the click, but it is
obvious that such spring may be dispensed with and the weight of the click
relied on.
Instead of causing the rocker to actuate a circuit closing device, we may
employ it, in the case of fluid meters, to actuate a valve, connected to the said
rocker by a link and lever or the like.
We desire it to be understood that we do not bind ourselves to the precise details
of construction herein before described as it is obvious that anyone skilled in the
art to which our invention appertains may modify such details to an indefinite
extent.
Dated this 15th day of May 1899.
Improvements in Coin-operated mechanism, specially applicable for
Electric and other Meters.
We, EDWARD DuBois, Instrument Maker, and THE MUTUAL ELECTRIC TRUST
LIMITED, both of 111, Gloucester Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex, 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 coin operated mechanism specially
applicable for electric and other meters but applicable also wherever integrating
or clock mechanism is employed. In the following description however of a
typical form of the invention we describe the invention as applied in the case
of an electric meter.

page_text: in the accompanying drawings
Figure I is a side view, with the coin chute shown in longitudinal section.
Figure II is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow A of Figure I
showing the coin chute in section through the line x-x of Figure I and the rocker
in its normal position.
Figure III is a partial view of a portion of Figure II but showing the rocker
in its detained position and showing the coin chute in section through line y-y
Figure I.
In this invention we employ a coin chute 1 on the under part of which two
notches 2 and 3 are cut. Below the said coin chute is pivotted at 4 a rocking
lever 5 (hereinafter termed the rocker), one end of which 6, (hereinafter termed
the inner end), projects into the lower of these notches whilst the other or
outer end 7 of the rocker is weighted so that the inner end, when free, rises
and normally lies within the said notch (as shown in full lines) in such manner
that when a coin is caused to roll down the chute it comes against (see position
of coin as shown in full lines) and depresses the inner end of the said rocker
and rolls past it. When the coin has passed the rocker would rock back into its
former position again were it not that its inner end is now engaged by a detent S
to which a retractile spring 9 is attached and which detent holds the rocker with
its inner end depressed (as shown in dotted lines). We shall, hereinafter speak
of this position of the rocker as the detained position.
Upon the rocker and at a position intermediate between the pivot and the outer
end is a projection (in practice a roller 10 may be used) which, when the rocker
is in its detained position, enters into the other or upper notch 2 hereinbefore
mentioned. The effect of this is that should a second coin be inserted whilst the
rocker is in its detained position it will be held by the projection (in the
position shown by the dotted circle 24) and thus be prevented from passing through
into the.coin receptacle.
In proximity to the rocker and the detent is pivotted another rocking lever 11,
hereinafter termed the releasing lever. To the inner end of the releasing lever
I attach a click 12 with counter-spring 13 pressing thereon which click is pivotted
on a centre 14 and abuts against a pin or projection 15 upon the releasing lever
in such manner that the said click is free to move in one direction (upwards in
the case illustrated) against the action of its spring but cannot move in the other
direction on account of the said projecting pin 15. The end of the said click
meets, during oscillation of the releasing lever, a projection 16 upon the detent
so that when the inner end of the releasing lever moves downwards the projection
on the detent meets the click which turns against the action of its spring without
moving the said detent. On moving back however the click coming against the
projecting pin cannot give way and in consequence it presses upon the projec-
tion 16 of the detent and moves the latter out of the way (into the position shown
in dotted lines) so that it no longer detains the rocker but allows it to rock
back into its normal position in which position its inner end enters its notch,
that is to say into the position shown in full lines in Figure I. In rocking back
however it will be obvious that the projection (roller 10) on the rocker is moved
out of its notch so that if a coin in the coin chute is resting upon that projection
it is allowed to pass, when it rolls onwards and again depresses the inner end of
the rocker causing the latter to be again retained by the detent and so on through
the same cycle of operations.
To the rocker is attached a circuit closing device such for example as two
pins 17, 18 designed to enter two mercury cups 19, 20 at each depression of the
inner end of the rocker.
Thus it will be seen that whilst the inner end of the rocker is depressed the
electric circuit is closed and current passes through the meter until the removal
of the detent causes the rocker to again resume its normal position.
It will also be seen that the circuit is closed each time that a coin passes over
the inner end of the rocker.

page_text: In order that the circuit may be broken after a given amount of current has
passed through the meter or after a given time has passed, according as the open-
ing of the circuit may be brought about by meter integrating or clock mechanism,
I mount upon an arbor 21 of the said integrating or clock mechanism a snail 22
or its equivalent designed to make one revolution for a given movement or amount
of movement of the integrating or of the clock wheels as the case may be. This
snail bears upon the outer end 23 of the releasing lever and moves it angularly
so that at the proper time the click of the releasing lever presses the detent aside
and allows the rocker to return to its normal position. To lessen friction a
this point we find it convenient to mount a roller upon the end of the releasing
lever, as for example upon a pin projecting from the said lever, but we lay no
claim to such roller. Any device which will actuate the releasing lever and
cause the circuit to be broken may be employed instead of the snail. 26 is a
stop to limit the movement of the detent under the pull of the retractile spring 9.
Let us assume that the circuit is to be maintained closed during a definite
period or until a definite amount of current has been passed. In that case the
snail or its equivalent is arranged to begin its revolution as soon as the rocker
has been depressed and the circuit closed and it is arranged to actuate the
releasing lever in such manner as to cause the circuit to be opened as soon as the
requisite amount of current has passed or the requisite period of time has elapsed.
In many cases, as for example in the case of an electric meter on a lighting
circuit, it is desirable that the current should not be permanently cut off as soon
as a single coin's worth of electricity has been supplied. Hence provision is
made for the introduction of a second coin into the chute prior to the opening
of the circuit. Such second coin will be retained in the position shown by the
dotted circle 24 by reason of the projection or roller 10 preventing further rolling
down of the coin whilst the said projection is in the notch 2. Let us now assume
that a coin is in the said position 24 and that the amount of electricity given in
exchange for the last coin has been supplied. The circuit is now opened and
the rocker returns to its normal position. In doing so roller 10 comes out of the
notch and the second coin passes from the position 24 down the chute and causes
the circuit to be again closed, when the equivalent in electricity of the second coin
is supplied. During the passage of this coin from the position 24 to the position
shown by the dotted circle 25 it will be seen that the circuit is momentarily opened.
This momentary opening of the circuit causes a flicker to take place in the light
and gives a warning that a further coin should be placed in the coin chute. Such
further coin will rest in the position 24 and be in readiness to again close the
circuit in due course.
We have herein before spoken of a spring as pressing upon the click, but it is
obvious that such spring may be dispensed with and the weight of the click
relied on. Similarly instead of using the pins 17, 18, and the mercury cups
19, 20, as the contact points we may use contact points of any of the other con-
venient kinds used in switches or circuit closing devices.
Instead of causing the rocker to actuate a circuit closing device, we may employ
it, in the case of fluid meters, to actuate a valve, connected to the said rocker by
a link and lever or the like.
We desire it to be understood that we do not bind ourselves to the precise details
of construction herein before described as it is obvious that anyone skilled in the
art to which our invention appertains may modify such details to an indefinite
extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth.
2. In mechanism of the kind set forth the combination of a notched coin
chute, a rocking lever serving to make and break the circuit, contact points, a
detent, and a releasing lever, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. The specific form of coin operated mechanism set forth with reference to
Figures I, II and III.
4. The means, substantially as set forth, for producing a momentary opening
of the circuit for the purpose of giving a warning.
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