Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed or Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1894--Accepted, 6th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed or Prepayment
Gas Meters.
I, JOHN SHARP of 11 Windsor Terrace, in the City and County of Glasgow,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of the parts of mechanism, appliances and mechanical
motions for being fitted to and used in combination with the mechanism of ordinary
gas meters to enable householders to obtain a measured supply of gas on prepaying
same by inserting a coin or series of coins within a slot in the case of the meter,
and which new or improved mechanism and appliances will render such meters
more reliable, simple and efficient in action than they have been as heretofore
constructed.
And in order that this said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, there is hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a plan view with the top of the meter case removed showing
my improved arrangement of coin-freed mechanism as applied to a dry gas
meter.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the coin receiving organ as
taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. While Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the
mechanisin at right angles to the view shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse section showing the adjusting segmental wheels to suit
variations of price in the prepaid gas, and Figure 5 is a corresponding view of a
ratchet toothed wheel and pawl and brake connected to the rotating mechanism, and
Figure 6 is a detached detailed view of parts of mechanism.
Referring to these drawings:-The whole mechanism is carried in a light open
framing in the upper part of the meter case, said framing essentially consisting of
longitudinal parallel plates A, A', end plates A2, A3, intermediate transverse head-
stocks A, A, and transverse stays A°. A horizontal oscillating main spindle B is
mounted longitudinally in this framing, its front end being carried in the central
bearing of a bow shaped bracket a³ in the end plate A³ while its inner end is carried
in a socket a on the inner face of the end A2 of framing, and a projecting pin B³ on
spindle B is made to come against stops a¹ in the bearing a at the extreme travel
limits of spindle B in its to and fro oscillations, and this spindle B is made to carry
all the essential operating mechanism.
This spindle B is turned as bereinafter described by a handle B' on its outer
front end after the insertion of each coin within a slot z in the meter case, and
revolves or oscillates a half or rather more than a half revolution, and a pointer B
on spindle preferably formed in the same casting or piece as the turning handle B'
indicates by its positions opposite fixed graduations on a dial plate on front of bow
bracket a³ the starting position of the turning handle and the stopping position to
which it should be turned. A vertical hollow coin receiving and holding chamber b
is formed on or fitted to this horizontal spindle B preferably towards its back end,
and this chamber is formed with end discs b₁b and with a series of vertical

page_text: projecting out feathers or ribs on its two opposite inner open sides, such as two b² b*
on the one side and a central one 6 between them on the opposite side and a
longitudinal rib connects the two sides at the lower centre, all so as to guide the
penny, or regulation coin inserted into its proper receiving and holding position,
while any coin of insufficient size would pass through into the hollow chamber and
have no actuating effect on the mechanism. An annular outer hollow casing or
mantle is mounted loosely over or round this coin holding chamber b preferably
consisting of semi-circular rings C with connecting ribs at the ends of the
segments and having a slot C through it in line with the slot in holder and with
the coin inserting slot z in top of meter case. If the handle B' on horizontal
spindle be turned when no coin is inserted, or one of insufficient size, it will do so
without acting on the outer annular case C or operating the gas supply mechanism
and consequently no passage of gas to the consumer can take place; but when the
regulation coin, such as a penny is inserted through slot z in ineter case it drops
down through guides and passes through slit C2 in annular case and into chamber
holder where its lower end bears on the centre bead 4 and its side surfaces rest
between the vertical feathers while its top end will project up within the slot C³
in the outer annular casing. If the primary hand spindle B be now turned the
regulation coin will by its bearing surface turn the outer annular casing C along
with the holder on spindle B until the latter has made a half or nearly a half
revolution and come to its stop position when the coin will drop out through the
slot in holder b and annular casing C into a receiving angled shoot Z and pass by
gravity into a coin receiving locked box, on meter case, and this action of turning the
annular casing C will operate on power transmitting mechanism to pass a measured
quantity or volume of gas through meter to consumer as hereinafter described.
A ratchet toothed wheel e is mounted on the disc end of the annular casing C, and
a spring acting pawl c (Figure 5) bears on it so as to make the casing C,
always move in the forward direction and prevent it slipping back on the return
oscillation of the coin holder b, and projecting spring wire or other lugs are fitted
to bear on the side of said wheel c and act as a brake to prevent slip in the event
of the bearings getting worn. Two segmental spur toothed wheels D, D' are
mounted over the other end disc D" of casing C on the opposite side of spindle and
coin holder to that of the ratchet wheel e one of these wheels D being fixed
to casing C, and the other D to rotate loose but capable of being fixed in any
desired adjusted position such as by having a pin with screwed head D³ on
wheel D passing through a slot D³ in wheel D', while a collar C³ would be secured
on the outer end of rim of casing C bearing up against the loose wheel D'. Teeth d
would be formed at two opposite segments of each of these wheels D D¹ so as to
drive always in the same direction when put in motion at each half revolution of
the annular casing C. The teeth d of both of these segmental wheels D, D' would
be capable of gearing into the teeth of a broad spur pinion E mounted on a short
horizontal spindle below them and the loose segmental wheel D' can be turned and
adjusted in relation to the teeth in the fixed wheel D and then fixed by the screw
head D2 to regulate the number of teeth and length of travel which these
wheels D, D¹ shall have gearing into the pinion E so as to transmit a degree of
motion proportionate to the varying price of gas in any district, and the disc D
on end of sleeve C would be graduated to show the distance between it and a fixed
mark on the loose wheel D¹ and thus illustrate to the eye in say cubic feet
measurements the volume of gas being supplied for the time being for a coin in
that district. A spur pinion E would be mounted on the opposite end of the short
rotating spindle E to that of the spur pinion E and would gear into and drive a
spur wheel F soldered or secured to a sleeve F' carried on a hollow spindle F"
mounted loosely on the main central spindle B. This sleeve F¹ is formed with
a differential coiled or cam slot F in which works a pin g fitted in the arm G' of a
sleeve G mounted on a hollow spindle G2 and secured to turn round with it by a
longitudinal feather and groove joint. This hollow spindle G2 has a spur wheel G

page_text: secured to it which I term the prepaid gas wheel. When coins have been
inserted in the receptacle of meter the mechanism is set in motion and the wheel F
and its sleeve F' are turned proportionately round so that if the maximum quantity
of gas has been prepaid the pin g will come against the end stop of groove F' and
prevent further rotation of the wheel F. As gas is being consumed the wheel G³
on hollow spindle G2 and sleeve G will rotate and the pin g will follow in the
groove F until all the prepaid gas has been consumed when it will slide into the stop
position of groove F2 and this latter action may be assisted by the recoil of a
A lever or
helical spring g so that the sleeve G will slide on the spindle G³.
vertical arm H with toothed shaped lower end H' is mounted or fulcrumed to
cscillate at its fork shaped upper end H2 by a transverse pin passing through
eyes in it and in cheek projections A' of fixed framing. Screw pins are fitted on
each side to project through this forked part of lever H and fit within a grooved or
recessed part of the sleeve G. This enables the latter to rotate without acting
on the pins h but when the sleeve G receives its longitudinal movement on
spindle G (when the prepaid gas has been consumed) it acts on the pins h and
gives a corresponding travel or oscillation to the lever H so that its lower end H¹
will come in the path of and stop the arm H³ on the ordinary worm spindle H*
actuated by the bellows, and so stop the action of the meter.
The prepaid gas
wheel G³ gears with a pinion G and it through a train of the usual wheel gearing
work in unison with the ordinary wheel of meter index which indicates 100 cubic
feet per revolution. In this way the ratio may be made so that one revolution of the
first mentioned or prepaid gas consumption wheel G³ will correspond with three
revolutions of the last mentioned wheel and thus indicate 300 cubic feet of gas. A
graduated dial I to indicate cubic feet of gas is formed on or secured to the front of
the prepaid gas wheel G³ and which is visible through a glass window at I' in front of
A pointer I2 is mounted in front of this dial I on a sleeve F!" secured
to the hollow spindle F". When a coin or series of coins is or are inserted through
slot in meter and the mechanism set in motion and the slotted sleeve F' is turned,
this pointer I will also be turned a corresponding amount, and indicate by its
position in front of the dial I the number of cubic feet or volume of gas which has
been prepaid and unused. As the gas is being consumed the prepayment wheel G³
will revolve and with it the sleeve G and the hollow spindle G on which it is fixed
and the dial I mounted on this sleeve will thus be carried round and by its
graduations and distance from the then position of the pointer 12 will at any
time show in cubic feet the volume of gas prepaid and still to be used.
the meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is.
-
First. In coin-freed gas meters the arrangement and combination of the
operating mechanism on a single horizontal spindle and portable framing,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. In coin-freed gas meters the construction and arrangement of coin
receiving organ on horizontal spindle and an outer sleeve organ turned by the
coin to operate the gas freeing mechanism substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In coin-freed gas meters the fitting of a segmental toothed wheel
on the sleeve turning or coin-freed orgau in combination with a loose segmental
toothed wheel made adjustable to suit the varying price of gas substantially
as and for the purposes berein described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
Fourth. In coin-freed gas meters, the fitting of a rotative sleeve formed
with a differential coiled slot or cam groove, in combination with a pin and
sleeve capable of combined rotative and longitudinal movement, and having

page_text: connecting gearing and fittings to set on and stop the movements of meter, substan-
tially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated 26th March 1801
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.