Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Gas or other Fluid on Prepayment.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1891--Accepted, 13th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Gas or other Fluid on
Prepayment.
We JOHN HAWKYARD of Shaws Lane Upper Mill Saddleworth in the County
of York, Foreman and JOSEPH BRADDOCK of 72 Windsor Road Oldham in the
County of Lancaster Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of an automatic apparatus to be applied
to an ordinary wet or dry gas meter or other similar fluid meter for the purpose of
supplying a definite amount of gas or other fluid on prepayment by a corresponding
coin or coins.
In the case of a wet gas meter I fix or form upon the ordinary vertical worm
shaft which actuates the indicating apparatus an additional worm actuating a long
pinion. This pinion is also in gear with a spur wheel (which I will call the "first
motion wheel keyed or fixed upon a short shaft or spindle which is so mounted in
the framing of my apparatus that it can revolve therein and can also slide or move
end wise therein, whilst the teeth of the wheel will always remain in gear, whether
the shaft is moved to the right or to the left, and hence the wheel and its shaft
will always revolve with the drum of the gas meter but at a greatly reduced speed.
Mounted upon this same shaft, but so as to revolve independently upon it is a
ratchet wheel having (say) thirteen teeth and upon the face of this wheel next to
the "first-motion" wheel is a circular projecting rim or cam against which a tooth
or projection fixed to the side of the first-motion "wheel works, a spring acting
against one end of the shaft keeping the tooth or projection always pressing against
the circular cam. This latter has at one part a notch or depression one side of which
is perpendicular and the other side an inclined plane, so that, supposing the ratchet
wheel to be stationary as soon as the "first-motion wheel has revolved to such an
extent as to bring the tooth or projection opposite to the depression on the cam,
the spring will force the tooth down the inclined plane into the notch and when it
comes to the perpendicular part of the notch it will lock the drum of the meter fast.
The opposite end of the shaft to that upon which the spring acts is attached to
the rod of a stop valve in the supply pipe and thus as the spring moves the first
motion shaft end wise (when the tooth comes opposite to the depression on the cam)
it at the same time shuts the said stop valve.
On the shaft there is also keyed a spur pinion driving by means of a crown wheel
a transverse arbor the other end of which carries an index or pointer, and on the
boss of this crown wheel revolves loosely a spur wheel the face of which carries a
dial plate, and this spur wheel is driven by a crown wheel fixed to the back of the
ratchet wheel before mentioned and thus it will be evident that the "first-motion
wheel drives the index or pointer and the ratchet wheel drives the dial plate.
ג:
The frame of the apparatus forms a kind of box in the top plate of which is cut
a slot so that the lower part of the ratchet wheel projects through it, and in the
front part of the top of the box is a transverse slot just of such a length and width
as to allow a penny to pass through. This part projects through the case of the
meter.
In the front of the box is a projecting pap or boss through which slides hori-
zontally a ram or pusher having at the outer end a knob. The inner end of the
ram is formed with a square head sliding in the box and the upper side of this head
is provided with a slot or recess of such a size that when the ram is drawn out to its
fullest extent the two slots coincide and a penny can then be dropped through the

page_text: fixed slot in the top of the box into the recess in the head of the ram. The coin
cannot be introduced at any other time.
A. notch is cut in the upper part of the ram head opposite to the ratchet wheel so
that the head, when empty, will just escape touching the teeth of the wheel, but
when the recess contains a penny it closes this notch, and each time that the ram is
pushed in (with a penny in it) it will cause the ratchet wheel to turn one tooth.
A lever catch is provided one end of which takes into the teeth of the dial wheel
and the other end is carried into the ram box in such a position that every time a
penny is pushed forward the catch releases the dial wheel, and at other times the
catch is pressed into the teeth by a spring.
The normal position of the apparatus is as follows:
The index points to zero, the tooth or projection on the side of the "first-motion
wheel is at the bottom of the notch in the cam and the spring at the end of the
shaft holds the stop valve closed. The teeth of the first motion wheel are locked
by those of the pinion which is also engaged with the worm on the vertical shaft
and hence the meter is immovable and no gas can pass through.
When gas is required the ram must be pulled out to its fullest extent which will
bring the recess in the head just beneath the slot in the box and a penny can be
dropped through the latter into the former. The ram is now pushed in and the
penny coming against a tooth of the ratchet wheel will cause it to turn a thirteenth
part of a revolution, at the same time indicating on the dial that a pennyworth of gas
has been paid for. The movement of the ratchet wheel will cause the inclined part
of the recess to act against the tooth on the side of the first-motion" wheel forcing
the latter and the shaft outwards, and thus opening the valve and admitting gas
to the meter. As the ram is forced in further it moves the flat part of the cam under
the tooth the penny releases the catch and when the ram is forced fully home it
drops out through a slot in the bottom into a money box beneath.
€
The gas being now turned on the meter begins to work and the first motion wheel
slowly revolves carrying back the tooth or projection towards the incline of the cam
and moving the pointer gradually back towards zero as the gas is consumed.
As the tooth commences to slide down the incline it allows the spring to gradually
close the stop tap and thus give warning that the pennyworth of gas is becoming
exhausted and if another penny is not put in the slot the stop valve will shut it
off completely by the time that a penny-worth of gas has been consumed.
If two three or more pennies are passed into the slot one after the other the
tooth travels further along the flat part of the cam and hence it takes a corre-
spondingly longer time before the gas commences to be shut off, and at the same
time the pointer indicates the corresponding number.
Not more than twelve penny-worths of gas can be paid for at one time as
opposite to the thirteenth tooth there is a locking notch into which the tooth falls
and therefore no more money can be paid in until the first-motion" wheel has been
carried back some distance by the motion of the drum of the meter, as the gas is
consumed.
When the gas is shut off at the tap the motion of the meter drum is stopped
and the whole apparatus remains immovable although a certain amount of
unconsumed. gas may have been paid for.
This however will be indicated by the pointer on the dial and on opening the tap
and lighting the gas at any future time this amount will be duly supplied without
fither payment before the stop valve is automatically closed.
The money box is closed by a door which is fastened by means of a leaden rivet
sealed by a die which is only in the possession of the authorized collector.
In applying this apparatus to a dry gas meter the first-motion wheel is driven
from a worm on the horizontal worm shaft which drives the indicating apparatus.
It will be understood that in either case the gearing will be so proportioned that
so many cubic feet of gas as are equivalent in value to one penny will be delivered
for each tooth of the ratchet wheel taken up, and any change in the value of gas
can be provided for by changing the "first-motion wheel for one having a

page_text: correspondingly different number of teeth, the meter of course indicating to the
consumer whether or not he had been supplied with the equivalent number of cubic
feet of gas according to the current price per thousand feet.
Dated this 11th day of August 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Gas or other Fluid on
Prepayment.
We JOHN HAWKYARD of Shaws Lane Upper Mill Saddleworth in the County
of York, Foreman, and JOSEPH BRADDOCK of 72 Windsor Road Oldham in the
County of Lancaster Gas 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 :—
This invention relates to the construction of an automatic apparatus to be applied
to an ordinary wet gas meter, or other similar fluid meter for the purpose of
supplying a definite amount of gas or other fluid on prepayment by a corresponding
coin or coins.
The nature of our invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed
or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the
annexed sheet of drawings and the following description thereof.
The drawings represent for the sake of illustration the application of our inven-
tion to a "wet" gas meter,
Fig. 1 being a front elevation partly in section, and
Fig. 2 a side elevation (also partly in section) of the upper part of a gas meter
with our improved apparatus shown as applied thereto.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.
A is part of the casing of the ordinary meter and B is the usual indicating
apparatus, our automatic supply apparatus being situated as shewn between
the two.
In the case of a wet gas meter we fix or form upon the ordinary vertical worm
shaft a which actuates the indicating apparatus an additional worm actuating a
long pinion c.
This pinion c is also in gear with a spur wheel d (which we will call the "first
motion wheel) keyed or fixed upon a short shaft or spindle e which is so mounted
in the framing of our apparatus that it can revolve therein and can also slide or
move endwise therein, whilst the teeth of the wheel d will always remain in gear,
whether the shaft e is moved to the right or to the left, and hence the wheel d and
its shaft e will always revolve with the drum of the gas meter, but at a greatly
reduced speed.
,
Mounted upon this same shaft e but so as to revolve independently upon it is
a ratchet wheel having (say) thirteen teeth and upon the face of this wheel
next to the "first motion "wheel d is a circular projecting rim or cam
against which a tooth or projection fixed to the side of the "first-motion
wheel d works a spring jacting against one end of the shaft keeping the tooth
or projection i always pressing against the circular cam h. This latter has at
one part a notch or depression kone side of which is perpendicular and the
other side an inclined plane so that supposing the ratchet wheel g to be
stationary as soon as the "first motion" wheel has revolved to such an extent
as to bring the tooth or projection opposite to the depression on the cam
the spring will force the tooth i down the inclined plane into the notch and
when it comes to the perpendicular part of the notch it will lock the drum of
the meter fast.

page_text: The opposite end of the shaft e to that upon which the spring jacts is attached
to the rod of a stop valve in the supply pipe at and thus as the spring moves the
first motion shaft é endwise (when the tooth i comes opposite to the depression k on
the cam) it at the same time shuts the said stop valve 7.
On the shaft e there is also keyed a spur pinion m driving by means of a crown
wheel a transverse arbor o the other end of which carries an index or pointer p
and on the boss of this crown wheel revolves loosely a spur wheel the face of
which carries a dial plate and this spur wheel is driven by a crown wheels fixed
to the back of the ratchet wheel g before mentioned and thus it will be evident that
the first motion" wheel d drives the index or pointer p and the ratchet wheel
drives the dial plate r.
!!
The frame of the apparatus forms a kind of box f in the top plate of which is
cut a slot so that the lower part of the ratchet wheel projects through it, and in
the front part of the top of the box at t is a transverse slot just of such a length
and width as to allow a penny to pass through.
through which slides
This part projects through the front of the meter casing A.
In the front of the box is a projecting pap or boss
horizontally a ram or pusher having at the outer end a knob.
The inner end of the ram is formed with a square head to sliding in the box and
the upper side of this head is provided with a slot or recess of such a size that
when the ram is drawn out to its fullest extent the two slots coincide and a penny
can then be dropped through the fixed slot in the top of the box into the
recess in the head of the ram. The coin cannot be introduced at any other
time.
A notch is cut in the upper part of the ram head w opposite to the ratchet wheel g
(see Fig. 1) so that the head w when empty, will just escape touching the teeth of
the wheel y but when the recess contains a penny it closes this notch, and each time
that the ram is pushed in (with a penny in it) it will cause the ratchet wheel g to
turn one tooth.
A lever catcha is provided one end of which takes into the teeth of the dial
wheel 1 and the other end is carried into the ram box f in such a position that
every time a penny is pushed forward the catch releases the dial wheel
and at
other times the catch is pressed into the teeth by a spring.
The normal position of the apparatus is as follows (see Fig. 1)..
33
The index p points to zero, the tooth or projection i on the side of the "first
motion wheel is at the bottom of the notch in the cam and the spring at the
end of the shaft holds the stop valve 7 closed.
The teeth of the first motion wheel d are locked by those of the pinion c. which
is also engaged with the worm on the vertical shaft a and hence the meter is
immovable and no gas can pass through.
When gas is required the ram must be pulled out to its fullest extent
which will bring the recess in the head to just beneath the slot t in the
box and a penny can be dropped through the latter into the former.
ram
The
is now pushed in and the penny coming against a tooth of the ratchet
wheel སྭོ will cause it to turn a thirteenth part of a revolution, at the same
time indicating on the dial r that a pennyworth of gas has been paid for.
The movement of the ratchet wheel will cause the inclined part of the recess
in the cam to act against the tooth on the side of the "first-motion "
wheel d forcing the latter and the shaft outwards into the position shown by
dotted lines, and thus opening the valve and admitting gas to the meter.
the ram is forced in further it moves the flat part of the cam h under the
tooth the penny releases the catch and when the ram is forced fully home
the coin drops out through a slot in the bottom into a money box y beneath.
As
The gas being now turned on the meter begins to work and the first motion
wheel slowly revolves carrying back the tooth or projection i towards the incline
of the cam and moving the pointer p gradually back towards "zero"
as the gas
is consumed.

page_text: As the tooth commences to slide down the incline it allows the spring to
gradually close the stop valve and thus give warning that the pennyworth of gas
is becoming exhausted, and if another penny is not put in the slot the stop valve
will shut it off completely by the time that a pennyworth of gas has been
consumed.
If at any time the valve should become temporarily leaky the tooth or projection i
coming against the perpendicular end of the slot will stop the revolution of the
drum and no gas can pass to the burner.
If two or more pennies are passed into the slot one after the other the tooth i
travels further along the flat part of the cam h and hence it takes a correspondingly
longer time before the gas commences to be shut off and at the same time the
pointer p indicates the corresponding number.
23
Not more than twelve penny-worths of gas can be paid for at one time as opposite
to the thirteenth tooth there is a locking notch Fig. 1 into which the tooth falls,
and therefore no more money can be paid in until the "first-motion wheel & has
been carried back some distance by the motion of the drum of the meter, as the gas
is consumed.
When the gas is shut off at the tap the motion of the meter drum is stopped and
the whole apparatus remains immovable although a certain amount of unconsumed
gas may have been paid for.
This however will be indicated by the pointer p on the dial, and on opening the
tap and lighting the gas at any future time this amount will be duly supplied without
further payment before the stop valve is automatically closed.
The money box is closed by a door which is fastened by means of a leaden rivet
sealed by a dic which is only in the possession of the authorized collector or in any
other convenient manner.
In applying this apparatus to a dry gas meter the first motion wheel dis
driven from a worm on the horizontal worm shaft which drives the indicating
apparatus.
It will be understood that in either case the gearing will be so proportioned that
so many cubic feet of gas as are equivalent in value to one penny will be delivered
for each tooth of the ratchet wheely taken up, and any change in the value of gas
can be provided for by changing the "first-motion"
wheel d for one having a
correspondingly different number of teeth, the meter of course indicating to the
consumer whether or not he had been supplied with the equivalent number of cubic
feet of gas according to the current price per thousand feet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is-
The improved construction and arrangement of apparatus for supplying a definite
amount of gas or other fluid on prepayment of a corresponding coin or coins,
substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
Dated thin 11 f. 1901
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.