Improvements in Apparatus for Coin-Freed Prepayment Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coin-Freed Prepayment Meters.
We, JOHN TOURTEL and THE TOURTEL GAS AND GENERAL ENGINEERING COMPANY,
LIMITED, both of 67. Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for coin-freed prepayment
meters for gas and other fluids and more particularly relates to apparatus in which
the coin-operating mechanism consists of a coin-pocket or holder mounted upon a
lever arm or its equivalent which is always capable of being rotated by the
operator and of a notched disc into the recesses of which a coin engages when placed
in the said coin-pocket thus causing both coin-pocket and notched disc to be locked
and rotated together and by this means actuating a screw or other equivalent
device until a limiting stop is reached at which the coin becomes liberated.
Now whereas it has hitherto been customary to make the said limiting stop move-
able so that by altering its position the travel of the coin-pocket may be varied
(thus varying the quantity of gas to be delivered for each coin inserted) by this
invention the travel of the coin-pocket is fixed and invariable. And whereas it
has hitherto been necessary to provide the notched disc with large number
of recesses (each recess being usually equivalent to one cubic foot of gas
supplied) this invention allows of a smaller number of such recesses being employed
in such a manner that whatever the quantity of gas to be supplied consecutive
coins may engage with consecutive or equidistant notches in the said disc. For
these purposes and for the purpose of effecting a change in the quantity of gas
to be delivered for each coin without varying the travel of the coin-pocket the
apparatus according to this invention is constructed substantially as follows:-
A spindle, upon the outer extremity of which is placed an operating handle, has
fixed near its inner end a lever arm, or equivalent, bearing a coin-pocket, or holder.
In an intermediate position between the said operating handle and lever arm a
loose sleeve, working in a bracket, supports the said spindle which is hereinafter
called the operating spindle. Upon-the-inner-end of the loose sleeve is fixed a
disc-bearing two or more notches or recesses near its periphery, whilst upon the
outer end of the sleeve is placed a wheel which may be removed. Gearing with
the said wheel is a second removeable wheel which is placed upon a second spindle
(hereinafter called the measuring-out spindle) working parallel with the onerating
spindle. Either cut into or fixed upon the said measuring-out spindle or in
operative connection therewith is a screw or spiral so arranged that upon the said
spindle being turned a supply valve is opened, and additional apparatus in connec-
tion with the said screw or spiral (which additional apparatus not being the
subject of this invention it is unnecessary to more fully describe) is set back in
such a manner that the ordinary gearing of the meter train can operate and return
the said additional apparatus to its normal position and thus close the supply valve.
whilst the said screw or spiral is unaffected by this return motion.
Upon the periphery of the said notched disc ratchet teeth may be cut which

page_text: teeth engage with a fixed pawl so as to prevent the said disc from being rotated in
the wrong direction.
By varying the proportion between the number of teeth in the aforesaid remove-
able wheels varying quantities of gas may be supplied; such variations, however,
may be equally well effected by changing the wheel on the operating spindle only
and interposing another wheel between the two aforesaid wheels and placing this
third wheel upon an adjustable pivot.
Dated this 17th day of December 1896.
⚫
We, JOHN TOURTEL and THE TOURTEL GAS AND GENERAL ENGINEERING COMPANY,
LIMITED, both of 67 Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for coin-freed prepayment
meters for gas and other fluids and more particularly relates to apparatus in which
the coin-operating mechanism consists of a coin-pocket or holder mounted upon a
lever arm or its equivalent which is always capable of being rotated by the
operator and of a notched disc into the recess of which a coin engages when placed 2
in the said coin-pocket thus causing both coin-pocket and notched disc to be locked
and rotated together and by this means actuating a measuring-out screw or equiva-
lent device until a limiting stop is reached at which the coin becomes liberated.
Now whereas it has hitherto been customary to make the said limiting stop move-
able so that by altering its position the travel of the coin-pocket may be varied
(thus varving the quantity of gas to be delivered for each coin inserted) by this
invention the travel of the coin-pocket is fixed and invariable. And whereas it
has hitherto been the general practice to provide the notched disc with a large
number of recesses (each recess being usually equivalent to one cubic foot of gas
supplied) this invention allows of a smaller number of such recesses being employed:
in such a manner that whatever the quantity of gas to be supplied consecutive
coins may engage with consecutive or equidistant notches in the said disc. For
these purposes and for the purpose of effecting a change in the quantity of gas
To be delivered for each coin without varying the travel of the coin-pocket the
apparatus according to this invention is constructed substantially as follows:-
A spindle, upon the outer extremity of which is placed an operating handle, has
fixed near its inner end a lever arm, or equivalent, bearing a coin-pocket, or holder.
In an intermediate position between the said operating handle and lever arm a
loose sleeve, working in a bracket, supports the said spindle which is hereinafter
called the operating spindle. Upon the inner end of the loose sleeve is fixed a
disc bearing two or more notches or recesses near its periphery, whilst upon the
outer end of the sleeve is placed a wheel which may be removed. Gearing with
the said wheel is a second removeable wheel which is placed upon a second spindle
(hereinafter called the measuring-out spindle) working parallel with the operating
spindle. Either cut into or fixed upon the said measuring-out spindle or in
operative connection therewith is a screw or spiral so arranged that upon the said

page_text: spindle being turned a supply valve is opened, and additional annaratus in connec-
tion with the said screw or spiral (which additional apparatus not being the
subject of this invention it is unnecessary to more fully describe) is set back in
such a manner that the ordinary gearing of the meter train can operate and return
the said additional apparatus to its normal position and thus close the supply valve
whilst the said screw or spiral is unaffected by the return motion.
Upon the periphery of the said notched disc ratchet teeth may be cut which
teeth engage with a fixed pawl so as to prevent the said disc from being rotated in
the wrong direction.
By varying the proportion between the number of teeth in the aforesaid remove-
able wheels varying quantities of gas may be supplied; such variations, however,
may be equally well effected by changing the wheel on the operating spindle only.
and interposing another wheel between the two aforesaid wheels and placing this
third wheel upon an adjustable pivot.
Referring to the. accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation, Figure 2
a back elevation, Figure 3 a side elevation, Figure 4 a part section, and Figure 5
a plan of one form of apparatus according to our invention; Figures 6 and 7 show
respectively an end elevation and a plan of a slightly modified arrangement of the
said apparatus. Similar letters are used throughout as far as possible to designate
similar parts in the various figures.
In Figures 1 to 5 A is an operating spindle bearing a coin-pocket A¹ supported
by a disc A and flange A3. The said operating spindle passes through the
brackets B1 B2 of a frame B and has secured to its outer end a handle C which
works in a boss K¹ of the meter case K. Between the handle C and the coin-
pocket A a sleeve E is loosely mounted upon the spindle A and bears a disc F
the periphery of which is provided with ratchet teeth engaging with a pawl fi
fixed on the bracket B. The face of the disc F is provided with a cylindrical
flange F in which two slots f f are cut diametrically opposite each other. Gis
a wheel which is secured by means of a pin g to the sleeve E the said wheel being
retained in position by the handle C. A measuring-out spindle H passes
through the brackets B1 B2 and. is provided at its outer end with
a flange or collar h the said flange having a pin by means of
which a wheel G₁ gearing with G, is secured to the said spindle H. A strap or
spring J secured to the bracket 133 bears against the end of the spindle H and thus
retains the wheel G on the said spindle.
The coin pocket can always be rotated through a half revolution without
affecting the rest of the mechanism but should a coin be previously inserted into
the coin-pocket the said coin will project into one of the slots f of the disc F thus
locking together the said disc and the coin pocket and upon turning the handle C
the coin-pocket and disc will be together rotated until a fixed stop S is reached
when the coin will be free to drop into a coin recepacle below. The disc Fis
secured in its position and prevented from a contrary rotation by means of the
spring pawl The coin pocket being disengaged from the said disc may be
returned to its original position and another coin may now be inserted but this
coin will engage with the shot. f of the disc F which slot is now uppermost, and
upon turning the handle C the operation previously described will be repeated.
The motion of the disc F is transmitted through the wheels G. G¹ to the measuring-
out spindle H which spindle may be provided with screw gear which is set back
by such motion and set forward by motion of the meter index. This screw gear is
not shown in the drawings as many forms of such gear are in general use for the
purpose any anyone of these forms would be suitable.
The apparatus shown in Figures 6 and 7 is substantially the same as that
The coin
previously described the modifications being merely structural.
pocket A passes through the centre of the spindle A and by this means its height
is reduced. This enables the flange F of the disc F to project over and partly
cover the said coin pocket.. The frame is also modified by connecting the

page_text: brackets B1 B2 by means of the studs B³. B and the strap J is shown prolonged so
a to retain the wheel G as well as the wheel G¹.
In both forms of apparatus a guard is provided so as to prevent the coin dropping
from the coin-pocket before the stop S is reached but in order to avoid confusion
this guide is omitted in the drawings.
In order to vary the quantity of gas supplied it is only necessary to change the
gearing wheels G. G and to substitute for them other wheels having a different
proportion of teeth and this is very simply affected owing to the particular con-
struction of the apparatus which permits of a rapid removal of the wheels without
disturbing the rest of the mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The improved coin-freed prepayment meter apparatus constructed and
operating in the manner substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In coin-freed prepayment the combination of a spindle A, coin pocket A',
notched disc F, stop S, with the wheels G. G¹ and measuring-out spindle H sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this seventeenth day of September 1897.