Improvements in Prepayment Meters for Gas and other Fluids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Meters for Gas and other Fluids.
I, HENRY NIELD BICKERTON, of 6 Richmond Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to prepayment meters for gas and other fluids, and have
for object the more certain operation of such meters in practice.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I employ a slide valve for the
control of the entrance to the meter of gas or fluid.
This slide valve may either be a flat cover sliding over a port, or, by preference,
a plug sliding in a cylinder, the gas port being formed to open in the side of such
cylinder. A small receptacle for tallow or the like is preferably provided so as to
assist in keeping the valve sound.
The sliding valve is operated by means of a screw and nut in such manner that
the forward motion of the one shall tend to open the valve, and the forward motion
of the other shall tend to close it.
The turning of one of these, by preference the nut, is actuated by the index of
the meter, whilst the turning of the other, by preference the screw, is accomplished
as required in the following manner.
A disc of suitable diameter is mounted on a stud.or shaft, and in the periphery
thereof notches are cut the width of a penny, or other desired coin; and as close
together as practicable. Connected with this disc is a toothed wheel which is
geared to a small pinion, mounted on or attached to the beforementioned screw, and
capable of turning the same. On the axis of the disc is mounted a lever carrying
a pocket in such manner that when a coin or its equivalent is dropped into the
pocket, the coin will project therethrough, and enter one of the notches in the
periphery of the disc, and thus engage the disc so as to cause it to turn, when
the lever will be forced over by hand and thus turn the screw and withdraw the
slide of the valve to the required extent. .
In order that the quantity of the gas supplied for each coin may be varied in
accordance with the price per 1,000 cubic feet, a movable stop is provided- in the
path of the lever.
By preference the handle portion of the lever is arranged to slide along a slot in
the meter casing, and the length of such slot may be varied as required by means
of a sliding cover provided with a graduated index, showing the quantity of gas
supplied for each stroke of the lever.
Variations in detail may be made without departing from the peculiar character
of the invention.
Dated this 10th dex of October 1891
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Meters for Gas and other Fluids
I, HENRY NIELD BICKERTON, of 8 Richmond Street, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Gas 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:-
The improvements relate to prepayment meters for gas and other fluids, and
have for object the more certain operation of such meters in practice.

page_text: towards the valve port e¹, by the action of the nut revolving, and so tends to close
the valve.
. The other end of the spindle gg is formed with a square in cross section, or
any other shape which will permit of the same passing freely through a second
nut and yet so that such second nut or pinion will turn the spindle g. g. during
its revolution. This second nut or pinion, as at j. is prevented from moving
along the spindle and engages the toothed wheel k k mounted on the shaft or
spindle, rigidly connected with the ratchet, or similar toothed wheel m m.
Mounted upon the spindle is the lever or arm n which carries or is formed with
the pocket or coin holder o o at its outer end. This pocket being open or partially
open at the bottom allows the coin to project through the same, and to engage in
one of the recesses of the ratchet or other teeth on the wheel, in such manner that
when the lever n is moved, the wheel is moved therewith.
A paul permits such motion in one direction only. The spindle passing through
the door may have attached thereto a lever handle as rr to enable the operation to
be effected from the outside; but a projection from the lever arm n may pass
through a curved slot for this purpose.
s is a stop for the purpose of measuring the extent of throw of the lever
arm n, and is made capable of variation by the position at which it is fixed to the
door, to which end a number of small holes, may be arranged in a curve as
shewn; or other convenient mode of variable stop may be employed such as by
allowing the handle portion of the lever n to project through a slot in the door,
and a sliding cover with moveable stop may be in that case provided for such slot.
The rack t connected with the end of the spindle g g actuates an index wheel u
for the purpose of shewing the amount of gas at any time unused which has been
prepaid; but in case of a sliding cover before named being employed this index
wheel may be dispensed with and, in lieu thereof, an index marked on such cover
or along the edge of the curved slot as is found most convenient.
In operation, the apparatus acts as follows:-
A coin is passed through the slot in the casing, immediately over the pocket o o
on the lever n. This pocket oo having no front thereto, or means for confining
the coin therein, excepting the cross bar o' at the upper portion, only retains the
coin in its forward travel by the assistance of the toothed disc engaging with the
lower edge of such coin. On this coin engaging in one of the recesses of the teeth
on the disc or wheel mm the operator turns the lever handlerr towards the stop ss,
(which has previously been adjusted and the door closed and sealed by the proper
authority, when the lever handle may be carried back to the slot thereby releasing
the coin from the pocket, and allowing the same to fall within the casing; and
the operation repeated with another coin or coins, either at the same or a subsequent
occasion.
It will be seen that the turning of this disc or wheel actuates the pinion nut j
which turns and thus draws forward the screwed spindle g g with its plug or
piston ff and thus uncovers the valve port e', thereby allowing the delivery of gas
to the burners of the fittings to be supplied.
As soon as this is commenced to be used, the ordinary measuring mechanism b
commences.to revolve, and, being geared to the pinion nut h h, the same is caused
to turn and thus draw back the screwed spindle gg and with it the plug ff until it
again covers the port e.
The amount of gas which can be prepaid on one occasion depends on the length
of the spindle gy, and is a matter of simple convenience or advisability.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for the purpose of controlling the delivery of a predetermined
quantity of gas or other fluid by means of a prepaid coin or coins, a lever arm,

page_text: with the toothed wheel, or disc, into the recesses of which the coin engages,
employed in operating a slide valve, in manner substantially as herein shewn and
described.
2. In apparatus for the purpose of controlling the delivery of a predetermined
quantity of gas or other fluid by means of a prepaid coin or coins, a screwed
spindle forined with a plug or plunger or other sliding face at one end, and acting
as a glide valve, combined with two pinion nuts arranged so that the turning of one
nut draws the screwed spindle in one direction, and the turning of the other causes
the said spindle to travel in the opposite direction, when one is actuated by the
measuring mechanism of the meter, and the other by means of a communication with
an operator outside substantially as herein-shewn and described.
3. In an apparatus for the purpose of controlling the delivery of a predetermined
quantity of gas or other fluid by means of a prepaid coin or coins, the com-
bination, construction, and arrangement of parts substantially as herein shewn
and described.
•
Dated this 9th day of Jul▼ 1892
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.