Improvements in Pre-payment Gas Meters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pre-payment Gas Meters.
I SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97, Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent,
(a communication from Frank Edward Morgan, of 3, Court Street, in the City of
New Haven, County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States, America,
Gentleman,) 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 the construction of gas meters designed to have
attached to them coin-controlled gas purchasing mechanism, and supply controlling
mechanism whereby a predetermined quantity of gas may be delivered through the
meter in exchange for coin deposited in the coin-controlled mechanism, and the
invention consists mainly in a valve or cut-off which so acts in conjunction with
special arrangement and construction of the gas passages and the construction of
the supply controlling mechanism that the power of the meter may be practically
employed for shutting off the gas automatically at the time of complete delivery of
the quantity of gas purchased.
The invention also consists in the special construction, arrangement, and
combination of parts all as hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings to which reference is made and which form a
part of this specification:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of a meter made in accordance with my invention
with the top of the meter casing removed and a portion of the top of the valve
chamber broken away, and showing in dotted lines the passages to the inner
bellows or diaphragm chamber, and showing also in dotted lines the gas passage
beneath the floor of the meter and the so-called "frog" chamber-the chamber to
which the gas is admitted from the bellows chambers and from which it passes to
the eduction pipe.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, the worm shaft of the supply controlling
mechanism, and the valve D being omitted.
Fig. 3 is a like view to Fig. 2, the valves C C' being omitted; and
Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional elevation showing the gas passage, the valve
chamber and the valve D.
A represents the valve chainber of the meter to which gas is admitted through
the inlet pipes or passages B, B', and port B', the latter formed in the floor B³ of
the meter. In the said chamber A are fitted three slide valves C, C and D. The
valves C, C are alternately reciprocated continuously while the meter is in
operation by a crank a¹ on the vertical worm shaft a which is revolved by the flag
arms a', a attached to the crank a. The valve D is reciprocated by the supply
controlling mechanism E operating in this instance through the medium of a shaft b,
its upper arm or crank &, its lower crank and the connecting rod which latter
connects the crank with the stem of the valve. The shaft & works in a stuffing
box to prevent escape of gas from the valve chamber into the attic A' of the
meter above the floor B.
The supply controlling mechanism E selected to be shown is of the recipro-
cating typo provided with a cam o for opening the valve D and with an arm or
lug c for closing said valve when the supply purchased at any one time has been
consumed.

page_text: F represents the coin-controlled purchasing apparatus which, being already
covered by a prior Patent No. 2978 of 1895 to Frank E. Morgan, need not be
described in detail more than to say that its shaft F is connected to the spline
shaft of the supply controlling mechanism E and that both can be turned in one
direction only by the handle F³ through a given space at each operation upon the
introduction of a coin of a given size or value into the slot of the said coin-
controlled apparatus as indicated.
Upon the sail spline shaft F' is placed a worm e which engages with the tooth
of a small gear wheel el koyed on the same shaft e with another small gear wheel e³.
The latter gear wheel meshes with an other gear wheel e on the inner end of the
thousand foot shaft e' of the usual meter index mechanism. The gear wheel e
locks the gear wheel e¹ and e' from backward movement so that when the spline
shaft and the worme are revolved by the purchaser of gas after the introduction
of a coin into the slot of the coin-controlled mechanism, the worm acting in the
teeth of the gear e', is caused to slide on the spline shaft a given distance for
ench coin inserted which movement prescribes the amount of gas to be delivered
through the meter in exchange for the coin. This amount is indicated by a
pointer fou the dial. The aaid pointer is carried by an arm attached to a
frame G which is moved back and forth by the worm e on the spline shaft F
which latter turns in the ears, f formed at the en is of a plate the bick
plate of the index mechanism. When gas is flowing through the meter, an I the
two-foot shaft is revolved by the worm g' and gear-wheel, the slow revolution
of the thousand-foot shaft e turns gear wheels ', and e', and cuses the latter to
re-act on the worm e and to slide it and the frame G back along the spline shaft 1,
as will be understood by comparing the position of the worn as shown in Fig. 1
with that shown in Fig. 3-the latter showing the position immediately after one
coin has been inserted, the former the position after the supply purchased has been
consumed.
g
The frame G, as above stated, is formed with a cam c and lug e', which engage
the operating crank for valve D. The cam c immediately on the forward move-
ment of the frame G turns the crank and opens the valve D and admits a flow
of gas through the meter, and the lug c at the proper time acts to return the said
arm and to close the valve as shown in Fig. 1 and to cut off the flow of gas through
the meter when, in its movement backward the frame G reaches the end of its
stroke. As the movement of the frame G is comparatively slow the valve D will
operate to cut off the gas gradually and hence dim the light for a sufficient length
of time to allow a renewed purchase of gas to be made before the gas is entirely
cut off and the lights put out.
As above stated the gas enters the valve chamber through the inlet passage or
port B' in the floor of the meter, the passage B' being closed by a partition shown
in Fig. 4, so that entrance of gas to the so-called "frog" or exit chamber A of
the meter below the floor B is prevented except by way of the valves C, C after
entering the bellows or diaphragm chambers of the muter. This action is usual in
meters, that is to say, the gas in valve chamber A passing say down port h (Figs. 1
and 2) enters the outer diaphragm chamber on that side of the muter. The pressure
will force the diaphragm inward towards the centre of the meter and cause its flag
arms to turn the central crank shaft a and cause valve C to close said port h.
At the same time port will be opened which will admit gas to the opposite or
inner diaphragm chamber on that side of the meter, the gas passing from
port to a passage h³, shown in dotted lines, which leads to the said inner
diaphragm chamber of the meter. The passage is separate from the "frog'
or exit chamber A² of the meter by a partition shown in dotted lines
(Figs. 1 and 2). At the same time port is opened the space of valve C
will put port into communication with the central port 4 which latter
connects with a passage formed by the partition i, and an opposite partition i,
shown in dotted lines, and the gas from the outsido diaphragm chamber of
the meter passes through said passage into the frog A' being forced by
"

page_text: the outward movement of the diaphragm which takes place in consequence of gas
entering ports and h. Further movement of valve C opens port again and at
the same time puts port into communication with the said contral port h* and
passage so that the gas is forced to pass into the frog from the inner diaphragm
chamber. The operation of valve C¹ is the same as and alternates that of C just
described and hence the gas is taken from the valve chamber A and measured in
the diaphragm chambers and discharged therefrom into the frog A' beneath the
floor of the meter. The frog chamber A' communicates with the eduction pipe H
through the valvo D and au opening in the eduction pipe (Fig. 3). A partition
or dam d is placed in the throat or passage A which passage forms a part of the
frog chamber A which latter, as stated, receives the gas from the ports controlled
by the valves C, C and on each side of this said partition a slot or passage d' is
formed through the floor B of the meter. Over the said partition d is secured the
valve bed or raced formed with a partition d³ which fits upon the edge of the
partition d, and the valve D slides snugly upon this bed or race; and said valve is
formed with a space d', which, when the valve is opened forms a connecting passago
for the slots or passages d', d' for 'tho free passage of gas to the chamber A and
tho eduction pipe Has shown in Fig. 4, and at the same time the valve D separates
the valve chamber A from the passages A', A³, which would otherwise bo
connected and when so closed with gas already in the chamber A at the time of
closing, and as the gas in the pipe H, and the other pipes in the building, continues
to escape at the burners the pressure of gas upon the upper surface of the valve D
increases up to about the full main pressure nud is thereby hold gas tight on the
bed or race. Upon opening the valve D the balanco of pressure upon it is
restored and no matter how long it may remain open only a very small amount
of power will be required to close it, and the power of the meter may be
relied upon to cut off the delivery of gas after the coins' value has been
delivered.
By varying the relative lengths of the arms bb the dimming action of the
valve D may be increased or diminished as to time as desired or according to the
capacity of the particular meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:―
1. In a pre-payment gas meter, the combination with coin-controlled mechanism,
and supply controlling mechanism, of a valve operating to cut off the gas in the
frog chamber, and arranged to be closed by the supply controlling mechanism,
substantially as described.
2. In a pre-payment gas meter, the combination with coin-controlled mechanism,
and a supply controlling mechanism, of a valve operated in the valve chamber by
the supply controlling mechanism, aud arranged to cut off the gas in the frog
chamber, substantially as described.
3. In a pre-payment gas meter, a chamber to which the gas is admitted from the
main, an exit chamber connected with the eduction pipe, a valve operated in the
first named chamber and arranged to cut off the gas in the latter chamber, combined
with coin-controlled mechanism and supply controlling mechanism connected to
operate said valve, substantially as described.
4. In a pre-payment gas meter, the frog chamber provided with a partition,
two ports or slots one on each side of said partition opening into the valve
chamber, in combination with a valve arranged to control said ports and supply
controlling mechanism connected to operate said valve,. substantially as described,
5. In a pre-payment gas meter, the combination with coin-controlled mechanisin
and supply controlling mechanism, of a valve adapted to cut off the gas in the
frog-chamber, a carrier adapted to move in one direction when one of said
mechanisms is actuated and in the opposite direction when the other of said
mechanisms is actuated, and means whereby said carrier, upon reaching the

page_text: extreme of its movement by operation of the supply controlling mechanism, moves
said valve to cut off the gas in the frog chamber, substantially as and for the
purposes Bet forth.
6. In a pre-payment gas-meter, the combination with coin-controlled mechanism
and supply controlling mechanism, of a valve adapted to cut off the gas in the
frog-chamber and to let it on again, a carrier adapted to move in one direction
when one of said mechanisms is actuated and in the opposite direction when the
other of said mechanisms is actuated, means whereby said carrier upon reaching
the extreme of its motion by operation of the supply controlling mechanism moves
Baid valve to cut off the gas in the frog chamber, and means whereby said carrier
upon receding from said extreme by operation of the coin-controlled mechanism
moves said valve to let on the gas again in the frog-chamber, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
n
7. In a pre-payment gas meter, the valve chamber A, and frog chamber A' A",
separated by a partition d, and connected by passages d in combination with
the valves C C and alide valve D arranged to control the passages d'and
connected to be operated by supply controlling mechanism, substantially as
described.
8. In a pre-payment gas meter the valve chamber A provided with valves C C¹
and formed with passages d'd to the frog chamber, and provided with a two
way race d², in combination with a partition d, in the frog chamber intermediate
of said passage d', and a slide valve D, for controlling said passages and
connected to be operated by the supply controlling mechanism, substantially as
described.
9. The combination in a gas meter of the valve chamber A, slide valve C, C¹,
therein, the frog chamber A', A', below the floor B, the partition d, slots or
ports din said floor one each side of the partition and a valve arranged to
.control said slots or ports, substantially as described.
10. The arrangement of valves in the gas meter as specified and shown in the
drawings.
DIL: 001 1
e
1005
S. S. BROMHEAD.