Improvements in Coin Freed Mechanism for Gas Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Freed Mechanism for Gas Meters.
We, STEPHEN JOHN WHITBREAD and JOHN RICHARD GRIFFITHS, both
of 10 Great Percy Street, Kings Cross Road, County of London, Gas Meter
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to arrange coin freed mechanism in connection
with a gas meter which when the mechanism is put in action after reception of a
predetermined coin, it will continue in operation for automatic collection of other
similar coins which may have been put into the coin receiver, each coin in succession
being discharged into the till automatically.
For the purpose of our invention, we fix in the coin receiver, a couple of uprights
on separate rods, one of which has a bottom plate on which the coin rests after
insertion through the slot, the coin forming a block for the time being between the
two uprights.
One of the rods has a branch nearly at right angles, the end of which is
weighted and has a slip paul which when in an upright position can be struck or
pushed against by the link of the back flag wire. This rod has, a stem projecting
at about right angles, engaging in a slot of the second rod which is also weighted
and secured to the valve rod, this being cranked for raising a ball a cup or other
suspended valve in the upper gas chamber.
The weight on the second rod is lipped and this is arranged within reach of a
stud pin on the shaft of a change wheel which is supported in adjustable bearings
governed by screws for regulating the height of the shaft to the diameter of the
change wheel placed in according to the quantity of gas to be consumed for each
inserted coin. The change wheel is operated by a worm on the usual indexing
shaft.
The first named rod passes through a casing in which is a spring to return it to
a normal position when the coin receptacle is empty, but while other coins remain
in the receptacle the meter does not wholly stop the supply, therefore the meter
mechanism causes the second rod to lift and allow the superposed coin to auto-
matically fall into place for the flag stem to operate the first rod and discharge the
coin in the same manner, as the consumer would do from the front of the meter,
this being continued as long as there are any superposed coins unused.
Deted this 9th day of January 1896
H. GARDNER,,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said S. J. Whitbread and J. R. Griffiths.

page_text: We, STEPHEN JOHN WHITBREAD, and JOHN RICHARD GRIFFITHS, both
of 10 Great Percy Street, Kings Cross Road, County of London, Gas Meter
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the saine is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The object of this invention, is to arrange coin freed mechanism in connection
with a gas meter which when the mechanism is put in action after reception of a
predetermined coin, it will continue in operation for automatic collection of other
similar coins which may have been put into the coin receiver, each coin in succession
being discharged into the till automatically.
For the purpose of our invention, we fix in the coin receiver a couple of uprights
on separate rods, one of which has a bottom plate on which the coin rests after
insertion through the slot, the coin forming a block for the time being between
the two uprights. One of the rods has a branch nearly at right angles, the end
of which is weighted and has a slip paul which when in an upright position can be
struck or pushed against by the link of the back flag wire. This rod has a stem
projecting at about right angles, engaging in a slot of the second rod which is also
weighted and secured to the valve rod, this being cranked for raising a ball, a cup,
or other suspended valve in the upper gas chamber.
The weight on the second rod is lipped and this is arranged within reach of a
stud pin on the shaft of a change wheel which is supported in adjustable bearings
governed by screws for regulating the height of the shaft to the diameter of the
change wheel placed in according to the quantity of gas to be consumed for each
inserted coin.
The change wheel is operated by a worm on the usual indexing shaft.
The first named rod passes through a casing in which is a spring to return it to
a normal position when the coin receptacle is empty, but while a coin remains in
the receptacle the meter does not wholly stop the supply therefore the meter
mechanism causes the second rod to lift and allow the superposed coin to auto-
matically fall into place for the flag stem to operate the first rod and discharge
the coin in the same manner as the consumer would do from the front of the meter,
this being continued as long as there are any superposed coins unused.
Our invention is clearly shown in the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan elevation about full size with sufficient of the casing removed
for indicating the coin freed and adjacent mechanism.
Figure 2 similar elevation on a smaller scale.
Figure 3 front elevation of upper part of meter with coin shoot.
Figure 4 end elevation and partly in section, the casing being cut away to show
the mechanism.
Figure 5 represents a check paul to prevent coin being withdrawn after
insertion.
Figure 6 side elevation of meter valve and appliances connected.
Figure 7 face view of vertical coin shoot with sliding flap.
Figure 8 detached view of coin receiving crutch with coin resting on it.
Figure 9 similar view with crutch canted and coin released.
A, meter casing. B, valve box on same. C, C, C, the ordinary meter mechanism
working from worm and pinion and flag wires due to the inflation and deflation of
the bellows for registering the consumption on the index or counter which is
enclosed in front box in the usual manner. D, are uprights between which the

page_text: lower of the coins in the shoot E can fall. E' is the bottom end of a pivoted
crutch on which said coin rests, those above being retained by a lip F which when
pushed over takes a position slightly out of the centre to enter between the two
lower coins for the upper of those two to bear on and to support the others above,
should there be any.
The appliance, E, F and K (all in one piece), is attached to a rod G provided
with a crank H encircled by a couple of strips I, I, affixed to the stem J of the
lift valve which closes the valve and stops the passage of gas to the meter.
The arm K before mentioned projects in the path of a curved stud L extending
backwardly from the face of a toothed wheel M, said wheel being in gear with the
ordinary index operating wheels and being operated thereby for the backwardly
extending stud to lift the said arm K and close the gas valve; but said arm K
can be automatically pushed clear in the manner and for the purpose afterwards
explained.
The arm K also has a looped projection N on one side and a pin P on the other,
said pin bearing on a supporting plate Q. The loop of the projection N is
arranged at an incline vertically, and an arm R of a second rod S is passed into it
for being thrown up when the arm K is lifted. The rod S leads to the back of the
meter box, and its crook carries a slip paul T, against the tooth of which an arm U
of the back flag wire can come into contact when the determined quantity of
gas
to represent the value of the coin is ending consumption in order to draw back the
rod S under power of the working bellows for the automatic discharge of each
succeeding coin which has fallen into the coin receiver composed of the crutch and
plate aforesaid. The arm R in the loop of the projection N bears the weight of
the crook and slip paul T and only partakes of a lift motion when the curved rod L
comes round to lift the arm K.
The coin first passes into its cradle composed of the uprights D, D, and of a.
sliding piece V which can be moved to and fro without affecting the meter
mechanism if no coin be therein, said sliding piece having a short rod W connected
to the rod S by the tie plate X, the rod S having a button head Y which can be
pushed by hand to start the first or lower coin for delivery and to set the meter
going.
To prevent the first inserted coin being held by a wire or thread and then be
surreptitiously withdrawn after the push button has been acted upon, we hang a
balance paul Z in the shoot E, the nose of which occupies a position in the hollow
formed by the adjoining round part of the upper half of the coin.
The shoot E is of a depth to suit the maximuin number of coins it is desired to
insert for the supply of a given quantity of gas, said coins being held superposed
on edge, and should either of the inserted coins be sufficiently out of shape that
would prevent it descending into crutch D, E, F, although it may have been forced
through the insertion aperture, we provide a sliding shutter a which can only be lifted
after the index casing & has been unlocked and turned up to free the headed stud c
of the shutter a, said casing being hinged to the upper end of the box 6 and kept
in a closed condition by the flap d of the money till which is hinged at its lower
part to the body casing of the meter and provided with a lock at e.
The dotted lines in Figure 1 indicate the distance the rods G, S, and arms K, R,
can be pushed by a pressure on the push button Y for first starting the appliances
after the desired number of coins be put into the machine, these also corresponding
to the distance they are moved by the lever and slip paul for each succeeding coin
of the inserted number until they are all used for the purpose of continuing the
supply at the termination of which the curved rod L lifts the arm K and with it
the valve.
The spring 9 returns the rod S to its normal position and also the rod W by
reason of the connection by the tie piece X, and this only while the coin is in the
crutch D, E, F where it is temporarily employed as a block, otherwise the rod S
and end piece V with W and X can be moved to and fro without affecting the
rod G.

page_text: The cycle of operation is as follows:
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A number of coins, say six, having been passed into the shoot E, the lower one
drops upon the crutch E', a person now pushes the button Y, and this by the
connection of its rod S, tie' piece X, and rod W causes said coin to abut against
the end of the rod G, so, that they nove simultaneously with S into the position
shown by dotted lines, Figure, l',, the arins K and R moving also which take the
end P off its ledge Q, and free of the bent crank L, giving a partial, rotation to
the rod G for crank H to turn and open the valve for the passage of gas, this
movement by the connection of the crutch with the arm K withdraws the
platform E and allows the operating coin to drop and to tilt forward, the end F
to intercept and prevent the upper coins falling, in addition to the foregoing the
loop N in dropping takes the arm R with it and partially rotates the rod S for the
paul T to escape from the lever U and fall to the position shown by the dotted
fines at Figure 6.
The coin having escaped enables the spring q to return the rod S, and by the
arm R, the loop N and arm K are drawn back, the arm K being then within range
of the stud L which as the wheel M is rotated by the meter mechanism, lifts the
arm K and the paul T into the path of the lever U, the valve gradually closing in
consequence. During this movement the crutch is returned to its normal position
and a fresh coin falls on the platform E.
The continued action of the meter mechanism causes the lever U to exert a push
on paul T and rod S and this by drawing back the rod W and the fresh coi in
place removes the arm K back to clear the stud L and the end P from its ledge Q,
so that the valve is' re-opened automatically by this means. The valve never
actually closes until all the coins have been discharged into the till, when since
there is no coin on the platform E¹, there can be no abutting with the end of the
rod G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The improvements in coin freed gas meters as herein set forth, consisting of
appliances arranged in the manner described and shown in the annexed drawings
for the purpose explained.
2. As part of the mechanism of a coin freed gas meter, the arrangement and
operation of the two rods G, S, with arms or levers K, R, and loop N, as and for
the purposes explained.
The 7th day of Narambon 1906.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said S. J. Whitbread and J. R. Griffiths.