Improvements in Prepaid Electric Meters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Prepaid Electric Meters.
We, ALFRED SOAMES and CHARLES WILLIAM SCOTT CRAWLEY, both of 16, Red
Lion Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby. declare..
the nature. of this invention to be as follows;-
-
According to this invention the coin or coins are received into a pivotted tube
so balanced that when it is empty the consumer's circuit is broken but when it
contains" either one or more coins the circuit is closed at this point' so that the
consumer can obtain the current when desired.
C
At the bottom of the tube are two slides which may be connected together in
a similar manner to the slides of a shot flask and be worked by a single electro;
magnet but which are preferably worked independently by two 'magnets., A
rotating part of the meter closes a circuit or successively closes circuits as the case
may be through the magnet or magnets once in every revolution each, time causing
a coin to drop out of the tube into a receptacle. The slides may also, be actuated,
meclianically.
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In order to prevent the tube being held down by the insertion of wire from the
outside through the coin slot the latter does not lead directly into the tube but
the coins are conveyed from one to the other by a slide worked by
händle and having in it a slot which is loosely, fitted by the
proper coin Beneath the slide directly below the "mouth of the coin "slot
is a sinaller slot so that coins of smaller size than is proper pass directly through
the slide and are not conveyed by it. The edges of the small slot are elastic so,
that if a coin by reason of being bent or from any other cause sticks in the slide
it can be forced out through the small slot by the next coin.
The revolving parts of the meter are driven by an oscillating horizontal tube
containing mercury and having an air bulb standing up from it at each end.
In each tube there is a resistance coil and the, tube carries a contact maker
whereby a circuit from the, mains is closed through the coil in that bulb,which
at any time is the lower. The effect of this is to heat and expand the air in that
bulb and thereby force mercury from it into the other bulb until the preponder-
ance of weight in it rocks the tube closing the circuit through the coil in the
latter bulb which is now the lower and breaking the circuit through, the other coil
and so on. The 'breaking of the consumers circuit breaks the circuits through
both coils.
If it is desired to operate the meter, proportionally to the current flowing we
do so by causing the ratchet to engage with the wheel at different places so that
each rocking movement 'moves it forward one two three or more teeth according to
the current flowing this we may do by any suitable form of ammeter.
, ניירות! ווי
Dated this 18th day of D ambar 1007

page_text: Improvements in Prepaid Electric Meters.
We, ALFRED SоAMES and CHARLES WILLIAM SCOTT CRAWLEY, both of 16, Red
Lion Street, Clerkenwell, in 'the County of Middlesex, Engineers, 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:—
According to this invention the coin or coins are received into a pivotted tube
so balanced that when it is empty the consumers circuit is broken but when it
contains either one or more coins the circuit is closed at this point so that the
consumer can obtain the current when desired.
At the bottom of the tube are two slides which may be connected together in
a similar manner to the slides of a shot flask and be worked by a single electro-
magnet but which are preferably worked independently by two magnets: A
rotating part of the meter closes a circuit or successively closes circuits as the case
may be through the magnet or magnets once in every revolution each time causing
a coin to drop out of the tube into a receptacle. The slides may also be actuated
mechanically.
In order to prevent the tube being held down by the insertion of wire from the
outside through the coin slot the latter does not lead directly into the tube but
the coins are conveyed from one to the other by a slide worked by
a handle and having in it a slot which is loosely fitted by the
proper coin. Beneath the slide directly below the mouth of the coin slot
is a smaller slot so that coins of smaller size than is proper pass directly through
the slide and are not conveyed by it. The edges of the small slot are elastic so
that if a coin by reason of being bent or from any other cause sticks in the slide
it can be forced out through the small slot by the next coin.
The revolving parts of the meter are driven by an oscillating horizontal tube
containing mercury and having an air bulb standing up from it at each end.
In each tube there is a resistance coil and the tube carries a contact maker
whereby a circuit from the mains is closed through the coil in that bulb which
at any time is the lower. The effect of this is to heat and expand the air in that
bulb and thereby force mercury from it into the other bulb until the preponder-
ance of weight in it rocks the tube closing the circuit through the coil in the
latter bulb which is now the lower and breaking the circuit through the other coil
and so on. The breaking of the consumers circuit, breaks the circuits through
both coils.
If it is desired to operate the meter proportionally to the current flowing we
do so by causing the ratchet to engage with the wheel at different places so that
each rocking movement moves it forward one two three or more teeth according to
the current flowing--this we may do by any suitable form of ammeter.
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed
according to this invention, and Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
In these figures much of the casing is omitted.
a is a coin slot from the exterior of the apparatus leading into a corresponding
slot in the slide a which works in a tube or casing a² and is operated by the
handle a being normally kept raised by the spring a one end of which is fixed
to the handle and the other to the tube a3 at a³. The slot is prolonged through
the side of the tube a² so that small coins run straight through without, operating
the apparatus but proper sized coins are retained by the spring arm or catch a
in the position shown. If the handle a³ be pulled down the coin travels down with
the slide a¹ moving slightly to the right on account of the shoulder a¹ forming the

page_text: inner edge of the slot in the side of the tube a³. Ultimately the slot in the slide a¹
comes opposite the upper end of the tube b (pivotted at 6) and rolls down the
tube. If however the coin is bent its friction against the slide a¹ and the inside
of the tube as prevents it from rolling and it is carried up again by the slide a
and is discharged past the catch a when the next coin is inserted, this prevents the
tube 6 from being stopped. Unbent coins of the proper size roll down the tube b
until arrested by the slide or stop b¹ carried by the spring arm 62 fixed at 63 to the
tube b and carrying the armature c of the electro-magnet c'. Below the stop b¹
is a second stop 64 on the spring arm 64 similarly fixed to the tube b and carrying
the armature of the electro-magnet c³. Circuits are sucessively closed and
broken as hereinafter described through the magnets c¹ and c³. The closing of
the circuit through c¹ withdraws the stop 61 and allows the coins in the tube to
roll down until the bottom coin is arrested by the stop b. Breaking the circuit
through c replaces the stop 61' below the bottom coin but one in the tube b. The
circuit through is then closed withdrawing the stop 6 and allow-
ing the bottom coin in the tube b to roll out, the others being
retained by the stop b'. Breaking the circuit through replaces the stop 64.
The tube 6 carries on its underside the moving contact 65 of a switch in the con-
sumers circuit. When the tube b is empty of coins (as shown in the drawings) it
is raised by the spring 66 carrying the contact 65 out of engagement with the fixed
contact 67 so that the consumers circuit is broken but the weight of a single coin
is sufficient to overcome the spring 66 and the circuit remains closed so long as
there is a single coin in the tube b.
d is a ratchet wheel carrying a contact spring d¹ in a branch of the consumer's
circuit which once in every revolution of the wheel d comes against the con-
tacts and successively closes the circuits through the magnets c¹ and c³ so
That one coin is discharged from the tube b as above described for each revolution
of the wheel d. The wheel & turns in the direction of the arrow Figure 2 being
prevented from turning in the reverse direction by the retaining spring pawl d
and is driven by the pawl e carried at the end of a long spring e fixed to the
arm on the shaft . This shaft also has fixed to it arms carrying the adjust-
able counterbalance weights e 5 and the magnet f attracted by the coil f¹.
e
The coil f' is in the consumers circuit whilst the magnet f is in a branch from
that circuit or it might be a permanent magnet. The greater the quantity of current
being used at any time the closer is the magnet f attracted to the coil f¹ and the
higher is the pawl e raised. When the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 2
and in the diagram Figure 4 the pawl è does not engage with the wheel d for the
fork which puts it into gear is held back by the arm h on the fixed standard h¹
which engages with the hook g¹ on the long spring g2 by which the fork g is con-
nected to the standard 1 fixed to the rocking frame j. Immediately however this
frame begins to rock from left to right about its pivot the hook gl disengage's
from the arm has shown in the diagram Figure 5 and the spring 92 carries the
fork to the left putting the pawl e into gear. This movement also after a time
causes a fork 3 fixed to the frame j to engage with the cross bar e fixed to the
lower end of the spring e¹ which carries the pawl e so that during the remainder
of the motion of the frame j the wheel d is carried with it, the angular movement
of the latter being dependent on the height to which the pawl e had been raised
when it was put into gear that is to say on the quantity of current passing at the
time.
When the frame j rocks back again into the position shown in Figures 2 and 4
the hook gl again engages with the arm h and the spring e¹ carries the pawl e
out of gear.
On the rocking frame j are two bulbs j j connected: by a tube 16 containing
mercury. Each of the bulbs j and j³ are loosely packed with a considerable length
of thin wire forming a resistance coil. This wire should be as evenly packed as
possible so as to expose its surface to all parts of the air in the bulb the ends of
these coils are connected to the terminals 1718 1710 the terminals 18 and 19 being con-

page_text: 19
nected together and to one pole, of the consumers circuit whilst the terminals ...
and are connected respectively to the spring contacts fixed at 13 to
the frame jone above and the other below it. The contacts and have
between them the contact connected to the other pole of the consumers circuit
one or other of them touching according to the direction in which the, frame -j is 5
tilted the arrangement being such that the circuit is always, through the coil in
the bulb which happens to be the lowest. The angle through which the frame j
can rock is limited by stops, 14...
:..
Figure 6 is a diagram of the circuits the principal ones being shown in dark,
lines and the branch ones in fine lines.
.T.
The mains are connected to the terminals (see also Figures 1 and. 2), and the..
consumers circuit containing his lamps m to the terminals 2,13. The principal
circuit passes from the main to the terminal through the electro-magnet n the,,
electro-magnet coil f the terminal. the lamps.m the terminal.13 the fixed contact 67.
moveable contact on the tube b to the terminal . back to the main.
The branch circuits go from the terminal. to a contact n¹ and the armature.n
of the magnet n, all branch circuits being broken when no current is. being con-
sumed and the magnet n therefore not attracting its armature....At the armature
the circuit divides, one branch passing through the coils which form the armature
of the magnet to the contact k and so, to either the contact terminal.. coil
in the bulb terminal to the terminal 3 or. else (if the frame be tilted. in, the
other direction) from the contact k to the contact 12 terminal 10 coil in the bulb
terminal to the terminal
The other branch circuit passes from the armature na to the wheel d contact d
contact dor d³ (as the case may be) magnet c or c³ to the terminal, 3
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...
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A
Figure 7 is a side elevation and Figure 8 a front elevation (partly in section).
of a modified coin receiving apparatus to be used in. conjunction with similar
electrical arrangements to those already described. The casing in both of these
figures is omitted...The coin slot a leads into one or other of four slots o¹ in a
cylinder o free to turn on the spindle o fixed in, standards o³. The cylinder o has a
fixed to it the toothed wheel op is a handle fixed to an arm pl free to turn on
the spindle and carrying a cylindrical pusher pª. If therefore the handle, p
be turned when a coin is in one of the slots o¹ it revolves the cylinder o and wheel o
with it... The handle p can only be turned to and fro through a quarter revolution,
being stopped by the bent portion of the arm, p coming, against, the standard, o.,
The wheel of gears, with a long pinion q which in its turn gears with the pinion r
which is a nut on the screw to which the ratchet. wheel d is fixed. The pawl e
and rocking frame (with the parts operating, with them) by, which the wheel d
is turned as the current is used are exactly the same, as those shown in Figures 1
to 5, and are therefore not repeated in Figures. 7 and 8. Each time, the handle p
is moved downwards with a coin in the corresponding slot of the pinion r is moved
a. certain distance from right to left of Figure. 7 (the. screw, rl being, stationary)
and this operation can be repeated until the pinion comes against. the left hand
standard when any convenient apparatus (not shown in the. drawings), prevents
the introduction of more coins. The use of the current on the other hand turns
the wheel d and screw, rl in the direction of the arrow Figure 8 and carries, the
pinion from left to right of Figure 7...s is the fixed, contact of a switch, in the
consumers circuit and s pivotted at 2 is the moving contact. The latter is operated
and held in and out of contact. by a spring tone end. of, which is fixed to it and
the other end to a push and pull t.. is the fixed contact of another switch in the
consumers circuit and u pivoted at 2 is the moving contact. The
contact is caused. to, engage with by pulling the rod t which
moves s from left to right of Figure 7 and the latter carries u with it in the same
direction. If the coins introduced into the apparatus, have not been expended, and
the pinion is therefore not at the right, hand end of the screw the contacts u
and are kept in engagement by the catch v pivotted at, but if r is at the right
hand end of r¹ then this catch is raised by it (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7)
T
.

page_text: and ul is pulled by the spring w out of engagement with u immediately t is pushed
in and s moves to the left again. It will thus be seen that both switches can only
be closed simultaneously when the coins in the apparatus have not been expended.
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 combination of the rocking frame substantially as described a part driven
by it and means actuated by that part whereby after a time the circuit is broken.
2. The combination with the subject matter of Claim 1 of means whereby the
rate of driving at any time is dependent on the quantity of current being used.
3. The combination of a pivotted receptacle or tube which closes the circuit
when it contains one or more coins and means whereby the coins are discharged
from it by the use of the current.
4. The combination of a pivotted receptacle or tube which closes the circuit when
it contains one or more coins and a pair of stops or slides at the lower end of it
which are successively withdrawn and re-inserted by the use of the current.
5. Prepaid electric meters substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 1898.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.