Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale of Gas in Fixed Quantities.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
Th'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.,
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale of Gas in Fixed
Quantities.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER, and JOHN GEORGE 'GLOVER trading as
Thomas Glover and Company of 214 to 222 St. Johns Street, Clerkenwell,
London, Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows.-
This invention has for its object arranging upon the exterior of a prepayment
gas meter a circular or other shaped plate in such a manner that it can be moved
and set to allow the coin operated mechanisin to be moved a greater or less distance
to supply a greater or less quantity of gas to the consumer, the actual amount to
be obtained for a given coin being visible to the consumer by the exterior
position of the circular, or as hereinafter termed the price changing plate which for
this purpose is suitably divided and marked off into quantities of cubic feet.
In carrying our invention into practice, we mount the price changer upon a
spindle either vertically, horizontally, or in any other convenient position outside
the meter case and cut a slot in same through which a coin is inserted into a
pocket arranged immediately behind said price changer, the pocket being attached
to or forming part of a shield that covers the slot when the spindle to which the
shield is attached is rotated by means of a handle on its outward extremity
The slot or opening of the money pocket must coincide with the slot in the price
changer in front of it before a coin can be inserted, so as to ensure that this 14
easily accomplished, and to prevent the rotation of the handle in the wrong
direction after the insertion of a com, a stop is fixed to the inside of the pice
change, against which the money pocket abuts whon turned back.
The front of the price changer is suitably divided off and holed or slotted for
the reception of a fixing pin which when the change is set to the required position
18 put under a seal.
By breaking the seal and withdrawing the pm, the price changer can be moved
round to alter the position of the slot and stop to allow the money pocket and shield
to move a greater or less distance as the case may be before the pocket makes
contact with another stop arranged against an orifice through which the coin falls
into the till.
The beforementioned money pocket may be in connection with a notched plate
with which after the insertion of a coin it becomes locked to open the meter valve
the requned distance.
Dated this 29th day of December 1894

page_text: Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale of Gas in Fixed
Quantities.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER and JOHN GEORGE GLOVER, trading as
Thomas Glover and Company, of 214 to 222 St Johns Street, Clerkenwell,
London, Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same 18 to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained ja and by the following statement
This invention has for its object, arranging upon the exterior of a prepayment
gas meter a circular or other shaped plate in such a manner that it can be moved
and set to allow the coin operated mechanism to be moved a greater or less
distance to supply a greater or less quantity of gas to the consumet, the actual
amount to be obtained for a given com being visible to the consumer by the
exterior position of the circular, or as hereinafter termed the price changing plate,
which for this purpose, is suitably divided aud marked off into quantities of
cubic feet.
In carrying our invention into practice, we mount the price changer upon a
spindle, either vertically horizontally, or in any convenient position outside. the
meter case and cut a slot in same through which a coin is inserted into a coin
eceiver or pocket arranged immediately behind said price changer, the com
receiver or pocket being attached to or forming part of a shield that covers the
slot when the spindle to which the shield is attached 1s 1otated by means of a
handle on its outward extremity.
The slot or opening of the money coin receiver of pocket must coincide with the
slot in the price changer in front of it before a coin can be inserted, and to ensure
this, and to prevent the rotation of the handle in the wrong direction after the
insertion of a coin, a stop is fixed to the inside of the price changer against which
the coin receiver or pocket abuts when turned back.
The front of the pince changer is suitably divided off and holed or slotted for the
reception of a fixing pin which when the changer is set to the required position is
put under a seal By breaking the seal and withdrawing the pin the price changer
can be adjusted to alter the position of the slot and stop to allow the coin receive
or pocket and shield to move a greater or less distance, as the case may be, before
the com receiver or pocket makes contact with another stop arranged against an
orifice through which the coin falls into the till.
The before mentioned coin receiver or pocket may be in connection with a
notched plate with which after the insertion of a coin it becomes locked to open the
meter valve the required distance.
Our invention will be thoroughly understood upon reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an exterior elevation of the apparatus as applied to the side of a diy
gas meter.
.
Figure 2 is a similar view of part of the meter side with the external cover
removed to show the coin receiver shield.
Figure 18 a back view of the cover and shield showing more particularly the
position of the limiting stop against which the coin receiver abuts; and
Figure 4 is a plan or edge view of the cover.
Figure 5 represents a sectional elevation of the till, and a view of the notched
and ratcheted plate as seen when the cover and coin receiver shield are removed
Figure 6 is a front elevation of the apparatus and till as applied to the side of a
meter.

page_text: Figure 7 is a part front sectional elevation of the apparatus with the 'coin in
position just at the moment of discharge into the till.
We preferably arrange the apparatus A, hereinafter fully described, immediately
above n money holder or till B, and attach them to the side of a meter A¹.
The cover Ċ of the apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the price changer, that
being its function) is a round, flat plate having a com slot D thiough which a com
can be inserted.
The circumference of the price changer is wholly or partially divided and marked
off by holes E, or their equivalents, with or without numerals beneath them
representing quantities in cubic feet of gas, so that by placing a given hole over
the hook E fixed to the apparatus, the com slot D and stop F behind the price
changer are located in the position required to control the degree of movement of
the mechanism by the consumer and allow a quantity of gas, conesponding to the
number of the hole in which the hook appears, to be supplied.
The price changer C can be moved to allow any quantity, preferably from one
to fifty cubic feet of gas to be supplied, and is secured in the desired position by
means of a lunged clasp or binder G and screw II which is put under a seal f,
Figure 6
The character or construction of this seal is unimportant, and therefore we do
not deem it essential to more fully illustrate or describe the same, nor do we wish
to be considered as limiting ourselves to the seal shown, as other equivalent means
cf securing the puce change in the desired position may be employed.
By arranging the price changer outside the apparatus it is immediately apparent
to the consumer that the mechanism is actually set to deliver the quantity of
gas designated by the numeral or number of the hole hung upon the hook, thereby
dispensing with the use of an indicator dial set by hand, which may possibly
thiough negligence, be set to indicate one amount, although the price changer,
if enclosed within the meter, may be adjusted to deliver a greater or less quantity
as the case may be.
The central spindle J may be connected to any known device operated by the
ordinary meter mechanism for stopping the supply of gas, for instance such device
as that shown and described in our Letters Patent No. 8327 dated 26th April
1894, and may be operated by means of a plate K, which is mounted upon the
spindle J projecting from the meter.case A' into the box A, and is secured thereto
by a pm L or other means, said plate having side notches M facing the price
changer.
Between the notched plate K and immediately behind the price changer C, is a
shield N to which 18 secured a coin receiver or pocket P, into which a coin is passed
through the slot D of the price changer to rest in one of the notches M of the plate K,
and so cause the plate K and com receiver or pocket P to move together when
the handle R is turned, said handle being screwed upon the centrally and outwardly
projecting stem Q of the coin receiver or pocket P. The shield N serves to
prevent the insertion of a com through the coin slot D, so long as the con
receive or pocket P is out of coincidence with the coin slot D.
The shield N caying the com receiver or pocket is loosely mounted upon
the extremity of the spindle J, so that when no coin is inserted, said shield and
con receiver o pocket can be turned without affecting the notched plate.
The rotative movement of the coin receive or pocket and shield N in the
direction of the arrows, Figure 5, is limited by a part of the coin receiver P
striking the stop plate S, which is placed contiguous to the orifice T nt the bottom
of the box A, through which a com, if one be in the com receiver or pocket, falls
by gravity to the money holder or till below.
The rotative movement in the reverse duection is of course vaiable according to
the position of the price changer C, as before explained, but whatever the latter's
position may be, the return movement is arrested by contact with the projecting
stop against which a part of the coin receive Pabuts.
The distance between the stop and stop plate S, by determining the amount.

page_text: of rotative, movement imparted to the spindle J when a coin is inserted, regulates
therefore the degree of movement of the valve opening mechanism and so allows
a proportionate quantity of gas to be supplied before the said valve is closed by the
action of the meter mechanism.
Ratchet teath U, into which a spring pawl V engages, are circumferentially cut
in the plate K to prevent any back movement of the same.
To alter the quantity of gas to be supplied for a given coin, it is only necessary
to break the seal I, withdraw the set screw E, and swing the binder G back upon
its hinge, unscrew the handle R, unhook the price changer, turn it, place the
hole corresponding to the number of cubic feet it is desired to supply in engage-
ment with hook E, then fasten the price changer by replacing the handle and
binder G.
A spring a is inserted between the price changer C and the com receiver or
pocket to retain the latter in any position, and the arm on the coin receiver
or pocket P, prevents the coin from falling when said coin receiver or pocket 18
turned vertically upwards.
The coin receiver or pocket is in the form, of an aim mounted on the shield N
as clearly shown in Figure 3
The us eution herein described, may be used in connection with any gas meter
valve controlling mechanisin for converting it into a coin freed meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim 18 -
1. The combination, in a coin freed apparatus for a meter, of a price changer
composed of an adjustable plate located outside the meter casing and provided
with a coin slot aud divisions representing debnite quantities of cubic feet, means
for locking the plate in any position to which adjusted, a com receiver or pocket
located in car of and movable relatively to the adjustable plate, and a stop for
the coin receiver or pocket when it has been moved into coincidence with the coin
slot in the plate, substantially as described.
2. The combination, in n coin freed apparatus for a meter, of a price changer
composed of an adjustable plate located wholly outside the meter, casing, and
provided with a cointalot and divisions representing definite quantities of cubic feet,
means for locking the plate in any position to which adjusted, a shaft for connecting
with a meter supply valve, a coin receiver or pocket movable relatively to the
adjustable plate, a stop for the coin,eceiver or pocket when it has been moved
into coincidence with the coin slot in the plate, and mechanism acted on by the
com in the coin receiver or pocket for rotating the said shaft, substantially as
described.
3. In a coin freed apparatus for the sale of gas, a cucular plate C divided or
marked off by holes or slots E on its outer circumferential face into diviчions
representing definite quantities of cubic feet and having a coin slot D and a
projection or stop F on the inside face of said plate C, and the combination there-
with of a hook or fixing pin E adapted to enter the said holes or slots E to fix the
plate C with its slot D and limiting stop F in a given position for hunting and
controlling the movement in one direction of a. com receiver or pocket Pand
shield N arranged behind said plate C, the com receiver or pocket being adapted
to receive a coin when in contact with the limiting stop, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
4. In a coin freed apparatus for the sale of gas, the combination with a plate C
having holes E, slut D, and stop F, and revolving coin receiver or pocket Paud
shield N arranged behind said plate C, of a stop plate S arranged on the inner
periphery of a box for limiting the rotative movement of said money tube, as and
for the purpose described.
5. In a com freed apparatus for the sale of gas, the combination with a plate C
having holes E, slot D and stop F, and a revolving con receiver or pocket Pand

page_text: sheld N arranged behind said plate C, and a stop plate S arranged on the inner
periphery of a box A of which the plate C fornis the cover, a plate K with face
notches M adapted to be rotated by the handle R on the insertion of a coin into
the tube P, the amount of rotation being determined by the position and distance
of the stop F from the stop plate S, as described and shown.
The 7th day of Tune 1905
R. CORE GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Richard Thomas Glover and John George Glover.