An Improvement in Gas Meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: An Improvement in Gas Meters.
FRANK MOORE 22 Eleanor Grove Barnes Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to gas meters which have a coin feeding arrangement or
device for opening the supply valve of meters, by the inserting of a penny, or other
suitable coin.
My improvement relates to the coin feeding arrangement of such meters, so that
by ny improvement the supply valve can be opened by inserting a penny, or other
suitable coin, into the apperture provided, (which apperture may be in any conveient
position) and so opening the supply valve without having to turn or move a handle
wheel or key after inserting the coin.
To carry out my invention I provide a fitting with lever pawl or wheel arrange-
ment so that when the coin is inserted in the fitting, the lever pawl or wheel will
lift or turn to allow the coin to pass in ;
To the above lever pawl or wheel I fix a suitable cam and locking pin so that
the coin pressing against the cam will connect the lever to the push bar or ratchet
lever or other arrangement to turn regulating valve the desired distance. The
lever pawl or wheel may be made to return to its first position by the aid of
springs or weights ready to receive the next coin.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1894.
I FRANK MOORE late of 22 Eleanor Grove Barnes in the County of Surrey but
now of 7 Eleanor Terrace Barnes aforesaid 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 :-
My invention relates to the coin feed arrangement of such gas meters as have a
.coin freed arrangement or device for opening the supply through the meter by
means of a penny or other suitable coin or token. By means of my invention the
supply of gas can be opened by inserting and pressing a penny or other suitable
coin or token into the aperture provided (which aperture may be in any convenient
position) without having to turn or move a handle wheel or key or other device
after inserting the coin or token.
To carry out my invention I provide a fitting with a lever pawl or wheel
arrangement such that when the coin or token is inserted and pressed past the
fitting, the lever pawl or wheel will lift or turn to allow the coin or token to
pass in.
To the said lever pawl or wheel I fix a suitable cam or lever and locking pin so
that the coin or token. pressing against or acting on the cam or lever, will connect
the first named lever pawl or wheel to a push bar, or ratchet lever or other

page_text: arrangement to turn the regulating or measuring out wheel (which opens the valve
or gas supply) the desired distance. The lever pawl or wheel may be made to
return by the aid of a spring or weight or springs or weights to its first or normal
position ready to receive the next coin or token.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the manner in which it may be performed and for
that purpose I will refer to the several figures on the annexed drawings the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures. I do not
however restrict myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts
hereinafter described as it will be evident that they can be varied without
departing from the nature of my invention.
Fig. shows in front elevation purtly in section and with the front of the
enclosing case removed, an apparatus constructed according to my invention, the
moveable parts being shown in their normal positions.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the moveable parts in the positions they assume
while a coin or token is being inserted.
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 2 and
Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 1-2 Figure 1.
A is a lever centered at its lower end on a stud a and having connected to it (or
to the lever A) an arm A' carrying a weight A³ which tends to maintain the upper
end of the lever A in its normal position (Figure 1) in contact with a block or
stop B forming one side or end of the mouth of a channel between the cheeks B'
of which channel the upper end of the lever A is caused to move by pressing a coin
or token of the required size into the said channel between the said lever A and
the block or stop B. The upper surfaces of the lever A and the block or stop B
are cam shaped or inclined downward towards each other so that by pressing a coin
or token between them the lever A. is caused to move on its centre away from the
block or stop B the coin or token passing thence onto an arm c of a lever C
centered at c² to the lever A. The weight of the coin or token depresses this arm c
against the action of a spring or counterweight C' attached to the other arm of the
lever. To the arm c is pivotted the lower end of a rod D the upper end of which
rod is provided with a stud or projection d which when the arm c is depressed by
the weight of the coin or the like is caused to engage in a notch or recess e in a bolt
or bar E fitted to slide longitudinally in guides E and provided with a pawl F
(secured thereto by a centre pin f) which in its forward movement is caused to
engage with the teeth of a wheel G in connection with the gas supply opening and
closing mechanism of a gas meter the extent of rotation given to the wheel
determining in the known manner the quantity of gas to be supplied. When the
lever A returns to its normal position it, by bearing on the pin e, also returns the
bolt or bar E to its normal position. The lever A and the bolt or bar E are
slotted to allow the said movements of the parts.
The pin d engaging in the slot in the lever A retains the arm C in position.
In the normal condition of the apparatus a coin or the like is contained in the
apparatus the said coin or the like resting on the arm c and causing the stud or
projection d to engage with the notch e in the bolt or bar E as shewn in Figure 1.
When a supply of gas is required a coin or the like of the required size is pressed
into the slot which coin or the like acts as a wedge between the stop B and the
lever A causing the said lever A to turn on its fulcrum a thereby moving the arm c
of the lever C sideways so as to discharge the coin or the like (which rested on the
arm c) into a drawer or other receptacle arranged in position to receive it and at
the same time the bolt or bar E is moved forward by the stud or projection d and
by the engagement of the pawl F with the teeth of the wheel G a motion of partial
rotation is given to the said wheel. The wheel G is connected to the gas supply
mechanism of the meter in such a manner that gas will not pass through the meter
until the bolt or bar E has returned to its normal position. The arrangement for
this purpose may be similar to that described in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 8444 and 24490" but forms no part of the present invention and therefore

page_text: requires no description as any suitable arrangement may be employed. It will
be clear from the foregoing description that on pressing a coin or the like into
the slot to obtain a supply of gas the coin or the like which had rested on the
arm c of the lever C is discharged therefrom and consequently if the coin or the
like which is being inserted be withdrawn the weight C on the other arm of
the lever C will when the bolt or bar E returns to its normal position raise the stud
or projection d out of the notch e so that it will not be possible to obtain a further
supply of gas without first inserting a coin into the apparatus to cause the engage-
ment of the stud d with the notch e and afterwards inserting another coin for the
purpose of moving the bolt or bar E as herein before described. It will thus be
seen that a supply of gas can only be obtained when a coin is retained in the
apparatus and that the mechanism is operated to obtain a supply of gas by the
pressure of another coin when being inserted in the apparatus and without the use
of handles, pushes or other external appliances requiring to be operated after the
insertion of the coin or the like as heretofore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with a gas meter a coin freed apparatus constructed and
arranged so that by direct pressure on the coin or token inserted into the apparatus
a supply of gas can be obtained without the intervention of a handle pusher or
other device requiring to be operated after the insertion of a coin or the like
substantially as herein before described.
2. In combination with gas meters a coin freed apparatus comprising a lever or
its equivalent operated by pressure on a coin or token inserted into the apparatus
and a pusher bar or bolt for acting on the gas supply controlling device and a
second lever which is caused by a coin or token previously inserted into the
apparatus to keep the pusher bar or bolt and the first named lever engaged for
actuating the gas supply device but which coin or token when another coin or
token is pressed into the apparatus is released the said first named lever (or its
equivalent) and the pusher bar or bolt becoming disengaged if a coin does not rest
ou the said second lever substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
3. In combination with a gas meter the arrangement of parts for constituting it
a coin freed meter substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of July 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.