Improvements in Prepayment Mechanism for Gas and other Fluid Meters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Mechanism for Gas and other Fluid
Meters.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Build-
ings, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from
abroad by Thomas Townsend Somerville, of Christiania, Norway, Merchant,) to
be as follows: :-
This invention relates to prepayment mechanism combined with gas and other
fluid meters for effecting the supply of determined quantities of gas or other fluid
on the introduction of a coin.
The present improved construction has mainly for its object to effect a con-
siderable simplification in the construction of such mechanism, as heretofore
employed, by greatly reducing the number of working parts and thereby both
diminishing friction and insuring great accuracy of action. For these purposes
the apparatus is constructed as follows:
A spindle, one end of which is geared in any suitable manner to the meter
mechanism so as to be rotated thereby when gas or other fluid is passing through,
has a screw thread formed on its other end, the extremity of this spindle is
carried in a recess in a second spindle in line therewith.
On this second spindle is mounted a sleeve connected therewith by a groove
and feather so as to rotate with it but capable of sliding longitudinally thereon.
The one end of the bore of this sleeve has a section of a female screw thread
formed in it, which engages with the screw of the first named spindle; on the
outer surface of the sleeve are formed a number of rings constituting a cylin-
drical toothed rack, with which engages a pinion on a spindle that is connected
in any suitable manner to the inlet valve of the meter so that by the longitu-
dinal motion of the sleeve in one direction it turns the spindle so as to close the
inlet valve, while when moving in the contrary it turns the spindle so as to open
the valve. The said closing motion of the sleeve is obtained by the rotation of
the before mentioned spindle that is actuated by the valve mechanism, the screw
on such spindle, in working in the female screw of the sleeve, being made to
effect such motion; the opening motion of the sleeve, on the other hand, is
effected by the second spindle which, in being turned as will be presently
described, rotates the sleeve so as to cause it to work on the screw thread of the
first spindle. The rotation of the second spindle for this purpose is effected by
the agency of a coin as follows. The second spindle has fixed thereon a ratchet
wheel, with which engages a pawl on a disc mounted loose on the end of the
second spindle. Facing this disc, with a space corresponding to the thickness of
a coin between them, is a second disc connected in the manner hereinafter
described to one end of a third spindle which is in line with the first and second
spindles, and the other end of which passes to the outside of the casing of the
mechanism and there carries a button or hand lever by which it can be turned.

page_text: The action of the mechanism so far as has been described is as follows;-A
coin is introduced through a slot in the casing into the space between the two
discs, which space is partly closed by a rim on the second disc; this disc is then
rotated by the external button, carrying the coin round with it by means of a
pin, until the coin butts against a pip on the first dise whereupon this will also
be carried round by the agency of the coin, and in carrying round the second
spindle by means of its ratchet wheel, it will cause the rack sleeve to be slid as
before described so as to effect the opening of the gas valve.
When the discs have been turned through a certain angle, limited by a fixed
stop, the coin will fall out from between them into a receptacle.
The meter mechanism being set in motion by the passage of gas through it, the
first spindle will now effect the screwing back of the sleeve and consequently the
closing of the gas admission valve..
For varying the angle through which the first disc and ratchet wheel are
rotated, and consequently the extent to which the admission valve is opened,
according to the price of gas for the time being, the stop on the first disc against
which the coin abuts, is not fixed, but can be shifted round the periphery of the
disc into different positions, so as to cause the coin to begin to operate it sooner
or later, as the case may be.
The apparatus being arranged to supply only a certain. maximum quantity of
gas by the consecutive introduction of a corresponding number of coins, the move-
ment of the apparatus is stopped when that number of coins has been intro-
duced, by the following arrangement. The valve-actuating spindle has fixed
upon it a disc having a notch in its periphery into which notch, when the
spindle has been rotated to the maximum extent, an arm is made to enter,
which arm is on an axis carrying a pawl situated over the periphery of the two
coin discs. When the arm bears against the full periphery of the said disc of
the valve-actuating spindle, the pawl is raised away from the coin discs so as not
to impede their motion, but when the arm enters the notch of the disc the pawl
is lowered so as to butt against a projection on the periphery of the outer coin disc,
and thus prevent this from being brought back into the position in which a coin
can be inserted through the coin slot. As soon as the meter mechanism begins
to work and to rotate the valve-actuating spindle, the angular side of the notch
of its disc pushes the arm outward and thereby raises the pawl so that the coin
discs can be rotated again.
The
For preventing a coin once inserted between the discs from being removed by
a backward turning of the dises, the following device is employed.
periphery of the coin dises is partly surrounded by a curved guard plate, the
inner surface of which is formed with a number of curved notches on which the
coin rests as it is being carried round. The outer spindle which is actuated by
the button is not rigidly fixed to the outer coin disc, but is connected thereto by
a pin on the axis passing through a slotted hole in the disc.
Assuming a coin to have been inserted, then for turning the disc in the direc-
tion in which the mechanism is actuated by the coin, the said pin on the spindle
butts against one end of the said slot, but if it be attempted to turn the disc
backward then the said pin on the spindle will bear against the inner part of the
periphery of the coin, and in tending to force it outward from between the discs,
will jam it against the notched surface of the guard plate, and will thus effectually
prevent any such backward motion of the discs.
The valve-actuating spindle has fixed to its one end an index moving over a
fixed circular scale so as to shew by its position on the latter the quantity of gas
for which prepayment has been made.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1898
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Mechanism for Gas and other Fluid
Meters.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Build-
ings, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from
abroad by Thomas Townsend Somerville, of Christiania, Norway, Merchant). 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 prepayment mechanism combined with gas and other
fluid meters for effecting the supply of determined quantities of gas or other fluid
on the introduction of a coin.
The present improved construction has mainly for its object to effect a con-
siderable simplification in the construction of such mechanism, as heretofore
employed, by greatly reducing the number of working parts and thereby both
diminishing friction and insuring great accuracy of action. For these purposes
the apparatus is constructed as I shall describe referring to the accompanying
drawings. Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a side elevation, Fig. 3 a plan,
Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sections taken on the line A A Fig. 2, shewing the
mechanism in the two extreme positions Fig. 6 is a transverse section.
A spindle a one end of which is geared in any suitable manner to the meter
mechanism so as to be rotated thereby when gas or other fluid is passing through
the meter has a screw thread formed on its other end; the extremity of this
spindle is carried in a recess in a second spindle c in line therewith.
On the spindle c is mounted a sleeve connected therewith by a groove and
feather so as to rotate with it but capable of sliding longitudinally therein.
The one end of the bore of the sleeve d has a section of a female
screw thread formed in it, which engages with the screw b; on the
outer surface of the sleeve d are formed a number of rings constituting a
cylindrical toothed rack, with which engages a pinion e on a spindle f that is
connected in any suitable manner to the inlet valve of the meter so that by the
longitudinal motion of the sleeve d in one direction it turns the spindle f so as to
close the inlet valve, while when moving in the contrary direction it turns the
spindle f so as to open the valve. The closing motion of the sleeve d is obtained
by the rotation of the spindle a the screw, on this spindle, in working in the
female screw of the sleeve being made to effect such motion: the opening
motion of the sleeve, on the other hand, is effected by the second spindle c which,
in being turned as will be presently described, rotates the sleeve & so as to cause
it to work on the screw thread of the spindle a. The rotation of the spindle c
for this purpose is effected by the agency of a coin g as follows:-The spindle
has fixed on it a ratchet wheel h with which engages a pawl i on a disc j mounted
loose on the end of the spindle c. Facing the disc with a space corresponding
to the thickness of a coin g between them is a second disc k connected in the
manner hereinafter described to one end of a sleeve which is in line with the
spindles a and c, and the other end of which passes to the outside of the casing m
of the mechanism and there carries a button n or hand lever by which it can
be turned.
C
The action of the mechanism so far as has been described is as follows; A.
coin is introduced through a slot in the casing m into the space between the
two discs and k which space is partly closed by a rim on the disc k, this disc k
is then rotated by a pin w on the sleeve / engaged in a slot y (Fig. 1) of k on
turning the external button n. As the pin w advances to the end of the slot y

page_text: the coin descends till it meets a stud projecting from k and is then carried
round with until the coin butts against a pin o on the disc j whereupon this
disc is also carried round by the agency of the coin, and in carrying round the
spindle by means of its ratchet wheel and pawl i causes the rack sleeved to
travel as before described so as to turn the spindle and effect the opening of the
gas valve.
When the discs and have been turned through a certain angle, limited by
a projection on meeting a fixed stop p in the casing m the coin on slightly
moving back the knob falls out from between the discs into a receptacle where-
upon the disc is turned back to position to receive a fresh coin.
The meter mechanism being set in motion by the passage of gas through it,
the spindle a then effects the screwing back of the sleeve d and consequently the
turning back of the spindle f and the closing of the gas admission valve.
For varying the angle through which the disc
rotated, and consequently the extent to which the
according to the price of gas, the stop o on the disc
abuts, is not fixed relatively to the disc k but can be shifted round into different
positions so as to cause the coin to begin to operate the disc j sooner or later, as
the case may be.
and ratchet wheel hare
admission valve is opened,
against which the coin g
In order to shift the stop as required, a spring arm g has a pin which can be
engaged in any one of a number of holes in the front of the disc k, and it has
another pin which in turning back the disc k meets the stop o sooner or later
according to the position of the spring arm q.
The apparatus being arranged to supply only a certain maximum quantity of
gas by the consecutive introduction of a corresponding number of coins, the
movement of the apparatus is stopped when that number of coins has be intro-
duced by the following arrangement;
arm t.
The valve-actuating spindle f has fixed upon it a disc s on which bears an
The disc has a notch it its periphery into which when the spindle has
been rotated to the maximum extent, the arm t drops and then a bawl u which
is on the same axis with t and directly over the periphery of the disc meets
the projection on k and prevents & from being brought back into the position in
which a coin can be inserted through the coin slot. As soon as the meter
mechanism begins to work and to rotate the spindle f, the arm t is raised and
raises the pawl u so that the discs j and can be turned to the position to receive
a coin.
For preventing a coin once inserted between the discs j k from being removed
by turning them backwards the following device is employed:
The periphery of the coin discs j k is partly surrounded by a curved guard
forming part of the casing m the inner surface of which is formed with a number
of curved notches which the coin passes as it is being carried round.
Assuming a coin to have been inserted, then for turning the disc in the direc-
tion in which the mechanism is actuated by the coin the pin on the sleeve
butts against one end of the said slot in k but if it be attempted to turn k back-
ward then the said pin bears against the inner part of the periphery of the coin,
and in tending to force it outward from between the discs, jams it in the
notches of the guard plate, and thus effectually prevents any backward motion
of the disc k.
The valve actuating spindle f has fixed to its end an index moving over an
exposed dial so as to shew by its position the quantity of gas for which prepay-
ment has been made.
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. Prepayment mechanism for gas and other fluid meters constructed and

page_text: 2. In combination with a screwed spindle a rotated by the meter, the internally
threaded rack sleeve sliding on the spindle c, the ratchet wheel h fixed on c,
the two discs and loose on e, the sleeve and knob n arranged and operating
substantially as described.
3. In combination with the rack sleeved the pinion e and spindle f connected
to the meter valve, substantially as described.
4. In combination with the spindle f the notched discs the arm and the
pawlu substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In combination with the coin discs j and k the spring arm g with its pin r,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In combination with the disc kits slot and the pin of the sleeve / engaged
in the slot, the notches arranged to prevent backward motion of the coin,
substantially as described.
.
1900
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.