Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1895.
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
We JOHN HAWKYARD of Shaws L'ane Upper Mill, Saddleworth, in the County
of York, Foreman, and JOSEPH BRADDOCK of 72 Windsor Road, Oldham in the
County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to such gas meters (either wet or dry) as are provided
with apparatus for supplying a definite amount of gas upon prepayinent, either to
the gas supplying authorities or into 'a dévice (combined with our apparatus) for
receiving a coin or coins or a token or tokens by means of which the apparatus is
set free.
Our apparatus consists mainly of a suitable shaft or spindle mounted in the
framework of the apparatus so that it may revolve or oscillate freely. Upon one
end (or at any convenient point) of this shaft or spindle is fixed an arm or lever
which carries a suitable valve which can be removed from or brought up to its
seating, to open or shut off the gas supply, by the oscillation of the said shaft or
spindle.
"
'
At a suitable point upon the latter we secure or fix a disc (or its equivalent)
which carries an arbor or pin set radially with regard to the shaft or spindle and
provided with a spur or bevel pinion capable of revolving on the arbor or pin and
projecting from either side of the' diso (or its equivalent) eo that it can gear with
two crown wheels or bevel wheels mounted loosely upon the shaft or spindleɩone
on each side of the said dise and facing each other.
Where a coin receiving device is employed one of these crown wheels or bevel
wheels is fixed to or formed with a toothed or ratchet wheel (or its equivalent)
actuated directly or indirectly by a coin or token in a receiver say for example
as shewn and described in the Specification of our Patent No. 14655 dated
17th September 1890.
1 1
The other crown-wheel or bevel, wheel is actuated by suitable gearing by the
working of the meter but is caused to revolve in the reverse direction to the
motion of the crown or bevel wheel first described.
The result of this., combination is that when the coin or token in the receiver
toros its corresponding crown or bevel wheel in one direction, the other crown, or.
bevel wheel only revolving by the action of the meter mechanism, a rolling motion
is imparted to the small pinion gearing into both crown or bevel wheels which will
cause the disc or radial arm (or their equivalents) and the shaft or spindle to
revolve in one direction and open the gas supply by withdrawing the valve from
its seating.
When any desired number of coins or tokens have been inserted 'the wheel:
actuated directly or indirectly by the coin or token is held out of action as usual,
or by, any suitable locking arrangement, and arrests the further motion of the
corresponding crown or bevel wheel.
2
.
..
11
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1.
$
The action or working of the meter after the opening of the gas supply valve,
will cause the second crown or bevel wheel 'to rotate in the reverse direction as
before described, and will thus return the diso (or its equivalent) and the shaft
or spindle to their original positions and gradually close the gas supply valve
Bgain.

page_text: The rim (or other convenient part) of the disc is divided into any suitable
number of spaces or divisions (or it may be enamelled or engraved, or arranged to
carry any suitable figures, letters, or marks to form an indicator) to represent or
show the value or amount of the gas prepaid and unconsumed through a suitable
opening made in the cover for that purpose. Instead of using a disc the pinion
may be directly mounted upon a radial arm (or its equivalent) fixed to the shaft
or spindle and carrying an annular rim or ring (or its equivalent) or any portion of
same, divided, enamelled, engraved or marked so as to form an indicator of the
value or amount of gas prepaid and unconsumed as before mentioned.
If instead of the crown or bevel wheels a spur wheel working inside an internally
toothed wheel he employed, with the rolling pinion arranged to gear with both
the internally and externally toothed spur wheels, the arbor or pin carrying the
pinion will be parallel to the shaft or spindle and revolve with it, whilst a rim (or
its equivalent) projecting from the disc (or its equivalent) would form or carry
the indicator in the manner already described.
To prevent a leakage of gas the valve spindle may pass through a stuffing box
on entering the valve box or chamber or it may pass through a cork or other
suitable packing instead of an ordinary stuffing box, or carry a collar made of
cork or other equivalent substance moving in a suitable opening in the framework
of the apparatus.
The valve chamber may be in any convenient position to suit the circumstances
of the case and the whole apparatus may be applied to the inlet or outlet of the
meter.
If the apparatus is to be used without a coin receiver, it is so arranged that one
of the crown or bevel wheels can be set by hand so as to indicate the amount
prepaid on the opening or removal of a sealed or locked cover by any authorized
person:
We would romark in conclusion that the oscillating motion of the shaft or
spindle may be applied to open and close an oscillating slide valve; or by means
of a rack and pinion, an ordinary reciprocating valve or slide-valve.
: Dated this 11th day of November 1895...
4, St.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the 'A riplicants
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
We JOHN HAWKYARD. of Shaws Lane, Upper Mill, Saddleworth in the County
of York, Foreman, and JOSEPH BRADDOOK, of 72 Windsor Road, Oldham, in
the County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturer, 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 such gas meters (either wet or dry) as are provided
with apparatus for supplying a definite amount of gas upon prepayment, either to
the gas supplying authorities or into a device (combined with our apparatus) for
receiving a coin or coins or a token or tokens by means of which the apparatus is
set free.
".
Our apparatus consists mainly of a suitable shaft or spindle mounted in the
framework of the apparatus so that it may revolve or oscillate freely. Upon one
end (or at any convenient point) of this shaft or spindle is fixed an arm or lever
which, carries a suitable valve which can be removed from or brought up to its
seating, to open or shut off the gas supply, by the oscillation of the said shaft or
spindle.
I
•
At a suitable point upon the latter we secure or fix a disc (or its equivalent)

page_text: which carries an arbor or pin set radially with regard to the shaft or spindle and
provided with a spur or bevel pinion capable of revolving on the arbor or pin and
projecting from either side of the disc (or its equivalent) so that it can gear with
two crown wheels or bevel wheels mounted loosely upon the shaft or spindle one
on each side of the said disc and facing each other.
Where a coin receiving device is employed one of these crown wheels or bevel
wheels is fixed to or formed with a toothed or ratchet wheel (or its equivalent)
actuated directly or indirectly by a coin or token in a receiver say for example
as shewn and described in the Specification of our Patent No. 14655 dated
17th September 1890.
The other crown wheel or bevel wheel is actuated by suitable gearing by the
working of the meter but is caused to revolve in the reverse direction to the
motion of the crown or hevel wheel first described.
The result of this combination is that when the coin or token in the receiver
turns its corresponding crown or bevel wheel in one direction, (the other crown or
bevel wheel only revolving by the action of the meter mechanism) a rolling motion
is imparted to the small pinion gearing into both crown or bevel wheels which
will cause the disc or radial arm (or their equivalents) and the shaft or spindle to
revolve in one direction and open the gas supply by withdrawing the valve from its
seating.
When any desired number of coins or tokens have been inserted the wheel
actuated directly or indirectly by the ooin or token is held ont of action as usual,
or by any suitable locking arrangement, and arrests the further motion of the
corresponding crown or bevel wheel.
The action or working of the meter after the opening of the gas supply valve,
will cause the second crown or bevel wheel to rotate in the reverse direction as
before described and will thus return the disc (or its equivalent) and the shaft or
spindle to their original positions and gradually close the gas supply valve
again.
The rim (or other convenient part) of the disc is divided into any suitable
number of spaces or divisions (or it may be enamelled or engraved, or arranged to
carry any suitable figure, letters, or marks to form an indicator) to represent or
show the value or amount of the gas prepaid and unconsumed through a suitable
opening made in the cover for that purpose. Instead of using a disc the pinion
may be directly mounted upon a radial arm (or its equivalent) fixed to the shaft
or spindle and carrying an annular rim or ring (or its equivalent) or any portion of
same, divided, enamelled, engraved or marked so as to form an indicator of the
value or amount of gas prepaid and unconsumed as before mentioned.
If instead of the crown or bevel wheels a spur wheel working inside an internally
toothed wheel be employed, with the rolling pinion arranged to gear with both the
internally and externally toothed spur wheels, the arbor or pin carrying the
pinion will be parallel to the shaft or spindle and revolve with it, whilst a rim (or
its equivalent) projecting from the disc (or its equivalent) would form or carry the
indicator in the manner already described.
To prevent a leakage of gas the valve spindle may pass through a stuffing box
on entering the valve box or chamber or it may pass through a cork or other
suitable packing instead of an ordinary stuffing box, or carry a collar made of
cork or other equivalent substance moving in a suitable opening in the framework
of the apparatus.
The valve chamber may be in any convenient position to suit the circumstances
of the case, and the whole apparatus may be applied to the inlet or outlet of the
meter.
If the apparatus is to be used without a coin receiver it is so arranged that one
of the crown or bevel wheels can be set by hand so as to indicate the amount
prepaid on the opening or removal of a sealed or locked cover by any authorized
person.
We would remark in conclusion that the oscillating motion of the shaft or

page_text: spindle may be applied to open and close an oscillating slide valve; or by means
of a rack and piniou, an ordinary reciprocating valve or slido valve.
"
The accompanying drawings illustrate convenient apparatus constructed
according to our present invention in order that it may be clearly understood how
the same may be carried into practical effect.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an elovation partly in section of an apparatus for
automatically supplying gas on prepayment constructed according to this
invention:
Fig. 2 ista vertical section through about the line A B`on Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through about the line C-D on Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through about the line EF on Fig. 2; and
Fig. 5 is a detached view of the disc keyed or fixed on the valve spindle and
carrying the rolling pinion of the epicyclic train of gear hereinbefore described.
a-is the valve spindle passed through the stuffing box 6 separating the valve
chamber b from the 'casing 6 of the rest of the apparatus; ³ is the valve
seating.
a' is a disc carrying the pinion e which gears with a crown wheel e fast on the
boss of the wheel d which revolves loosely upon the fixed boss 6 through which
the spindle a passes; a³ is an arm carrying the valve a³ which fits the seating b³ ;
b' is the gas inlet.
This wheel d may be indirectly actuated by a coin in a receiver, similar to 'that
described by us in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 14655 of 1890, turned
by the handle e; each coin inserted' in the receiver causes the wheel e to make
part of a revolution actuating the screw wheel e which gears with the wheel d
and causes it and the wheel c to make part of a revolution. The crown wheel c¹
gears with the pinion which also gears with the crown. wheel c'. This
wheel is loose on the spindle a and driven by the changeable crown wheel c³ the
boss of the latter being slotted to receive projections from the wheel c
(see Fig. 1) the wheel creceives its motion from the pinion et driven from the
meter mechanism as described in the Specification of our Letters Patent No. 9771
of 1893.
This wheel is held stationary when the meter is not at work and thus the
wheel c is caused by the wheel c' (wheu'n coin or token is put in the receiver and
the latter is caused to make part of a revolution by the handle e) to roll round
the crown wheel and carry the disc a¹ with it.
0-12 upon
The disc a' is made with a suitable rim marked with numerals say
its peripheral surface so that if the wheel dis caused to make th part of a
revolution 12 pennies can be inserted into the apparatus and the numeral 12 will
show through an opening b+* in the casing see Figs. 1 and 2, and the number
shown will indicate the value of the gas to be passed through the valve opening b³
before the valve on the spindle a closes it. By altering tlie marks on the indicator
the quantity of gas paid and unconsumed may be indicated.
On Sheet 2 Fig. 6 shews in vertical section how the oscillation of the spindle a
can be made to move an oscillating slide valve at (seen in plan detached at Fig. 7).
Fig. 8 shews the valve chamber and seating &³ of this modification in horizontal
section and plan respectively.
Fig. 9 shews how a sliding valve a' may be actuated by a pinion a on the
spindle a a rack u' fixed to the valve a, this figure being a horizontal section taken
through the valve cbamber 6' seating 63 and inlet ^.
Fig. 10 shews how the wheels d'and' c may be set by hand. The wheel dis
moved by a worm d enclosed in a box forming part of the casing of the apparatus
the end d² of which is hinged and held closed (as shewn) by a padlock d³ or other
equivalent device'; the end d' is preferably provided with a pin or pins d' fitting
into a small corresponding hole or holes in the worm d'. Thus the end d cannot
be closed until the pin or pins de fit into the bole or holes in the worm, and the
worm d¹ (which can be turned by the attendant who has the key of the padlock d³)
is obliged to be turned exactly one whole revolution, or such part of a revolution,

page_text: as will exactly correspond to the quantity of gas to be passed through the meter-
before the valve closes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we-
claim is :-
1. In prepayment gas meters the combination of a spindle capable of oscillating,.
two bevel or crown wheels loose upon the same axis or central line, a pinion.
between and in gear with them mounted upon an axis radial with regard to the
said spindle and carried by a disc or its equivalent fixed upon the said spindle and
oscillating therewith, change gear between the meter mechanisin and one of the
loose bevel or crown wheels, means for actuating the other crown wheel directly
or indirectly by hand or by a coin or token and a valve actuated positively by the
Oscillating spindle to admit or cut off the gas substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
2. The combination with a valve actuated positively by a wheel set by a coin
or token or by hand to open the valve and by a second wheel worked by the meter.
mecbanism to close the said valve, of an intermediate pinion completing the train
of epicyclic gear for these operations such pinion being carried by a disc or its
equivalent fixed on the spindle which moves the valve, the disc or equivalent.
being provided with a rim or ring marked so as to indicate through an opening in
the casing of the mechanism the quantity or value of gas to pass before the valve-
is closed upon its seating substantially as herein before described.
D
L
1906
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants..