Improvements in Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Pate of Application, 20th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1894
WILLIAM
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Gas Meters.
COWAN, Buccleuch Street Works, Edinburgh, Gas Meter
Manufacturer &c. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved application of the eccentric which, in
accordance with my previous patented invention No. 8,444 of 16th May 1891, I
have hitherto employed for the purpose of actuating the coin carrier & the paw!
attached thereto.
Under my present invention I propose to discontinue the use of a separate coin
carrier and to substitute therefor a coin slot or pocket which shall be one with, and
form part of, the eccentric box or track, and to attach to the eccentric box, by
pivoting or otherwise, the pawl which I have hitherto connected to the separate
coin carrier. By the above means, the apparatus will be simplified, the cost will
be considerably reduced, and without lessening the efficiency of the prepayment
nechanism.
;
In carrying out my invention, 1 increase the length of the eccentric box or
track at one of its ends, to such an extent as to make the presence of a penny or
other suitable coin or token necessary before the eccentric box can be operated by
the movement of the tongue. In some cases, the coin slot or pocket may be in
the line of the eccentric box so that the tongue of the eccentric will then operate
on the edge of the coin. In other instances, the coin pocket may occupy a
position at right angles to the eccentric box or track, in which case the tongue will
operate on the side, or front, of the coin. But, in either case, the coin slot or
pocket will have an opening in the end or side next to the eccentric track, so that
the tongue in moving will press against the coin, if present, because, in that case,
the coin will form practically the end of the eccentric box, &, as such, be necessary
for the movement of the box by the tongue. If therefore a coin be not present
and the tongue be then operated the eccentric box will not be advanced and neither
will the pawl which the box operates.
For the purpose of preventing a coin being dropped before a complete advance
of the pawl has been effected a pin or other suitable support is provided and so
arranged that it remains under the coin till nearly the end of the forward journey
when it is more or less suddenly withdrawn and the coin thereby allowed to drop
into the money box.
The connection between the pawl and the eccentric box is such that whilst the
eccentric box will on its backward journey (after having dropped the coin) always
return the pawl to its normal position it need not on every occasion of its advance
cause the pawl to travel the same distance. That is to say that by means of a
slip rod or other suitable mode of connection part of the travel of the eccentric
box may be made ineffective upon the pawl. A screw or other suitable means of
adjustment regulated by a pointer and graduated scale will determine the extent of
the pawl's advance and therefore the quantity of gas which will be supplied to the
consumer for each coin.
In cases where it may be desirable that the pawl should operate the prepayment
wheel during the backward rather than during the forward movement this
would be attained by placing the coin pocket at the opposite end of the

page_text: Other means than a pawl, for operating the prepayment wheel, may be applied
in connection with the eccentric box in accordance with the above arrangement.
Dated this Nineteenth day of December 1893.
Improvements in Prepayment Gas Meters.
I, WILLIAM COWAN of Buccleuch Street Works, Edinburgh, in the County of
Midlothian, North Britain, Gas Meter Manufacturer &c. 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 improvements in pre-payment gas meters and has for
its object to provide an improved application of the eccentric for the purpose of
actuating the coin carrier and pawl attached thereto as described in my previous
Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,444 of 16th May 1891.
In carrying out my present invention I dispense with the use of a separate coin
carrier and substitute therefor a coin slot carrier or pocket which will be one with
or form part of the eccentric box or track and I attach to the said eccentric box
or track by pivoting or otherwise the pawl which actuates the prepayment wheel
hitherto attached to the separate coin carrier. By the above means the apparatus
is simplified, and the cost reduced, without "lessening the efficiency of the
prepayment mechanism.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
annexed explanatory sheet of drawings throughout which the same reference
figures denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation of part of an index box shewing my improvements
attached.
Figure 2 is a plan and Figure 3 a cross section of Figure 1. And
Figure 4 is a detail view.
Referring to the said drawings, I increase the length of the eccentric box or
track A, at one of its ends, to such an extent, as to make the presence of a penny
or other suitable coin B, or token, to be necessary before the said eccentric box A
can be operated in a forward direction by the movement of the eccentric tongue or
lever C. The said eccentric box A works longitudinally in suitable guides a and
is provided with a coin slot or pocket D having a guard pin or shutter d. The said
track or box A may have its slot or pocket D formed at right angles thereto as
shown, so as to allow of the eccentric tongue or lever C operating on the side or
front of the coin B which thus forins practically the end of the said eccentric box,
and so by its presence enable the said box A, to be moved forward by the action
of the eccentric tongue C. Or if desired, in some cases, I may form the coin slot
or pocket in line with the eccentric box, in such a manner, as to permit of the
eccentric tongue Cacting on the edge of the coin, in lieu of ou the side or front
of the coin. In either of the foregoing cases, the slot or pocket D is formed
with an opening in the end next to the eccentric track or box A, so that the
eccentric tongue C in moving will press against the coin B if present in the slot D
and so cause the pawl E which is pivotted to the front end of the eccentric box A,
to actuate the prepayment wheel F and mechanism. It will thus be seen that if
no coin be present in the slot or pocket D, and the tongue C be then operated, no
forward movement will be given to either the eccentric box A. or pawl E, as the
tongue C will simply revolve within the box A and do nothing.
In order to prevent a coin from being dropped before a complete advance of the
pawl has been effected, I provide or form the guide a with a suitable pin or

page_text: support G so arranged that it remains under the coin till nearly the end of the
forward journey of the coin, which after passing the end of said support G drops
into the money box H by means of the shoot X.
When employing the extra shoot Q for the purpose of returning small and
surplus coins to the consumer, as described in the Specification of my prior Patent
No. 18,141 of 22nd October 1891, I modify the arrangement of the movable guard
or support portion for returning the surplus coins as follows; said surplus coins
being those which are inserted after the prepayment pointer has reached a
predetermined position on the prepayment dial.
I form the portion of the guard or support G, immediately underneath the
normal position of the carriers slot D, as a hinged or movable portion G¹ having a
tail piece g (Figure 4) with which the forked end of a pivotted lever engages,
the other end of this lever g is shaped as shown, so as to permit of a ping on the
side of the prepayment wheel F or plain wheel F¹ actuating the said fever g³ so as
to depress the tail portion g' and so force up the movable portion G' out of the
path of the coin, which, if now put in simply falls through the slot D and down
the extra shoot Q2 on to the top of the coin box H or other convenient part or place,
as in the Specification hereinbefore referred to. This extra shoot Q also enables
small coins to be returned to the consumer, as they simply fall past the guard G¹
when in its normal position, owing to the said guard being made of sufficient size
as to retain the proper and no smaller coin.
When employing the foregoing arrangement of eccentric carrier A and tongue C,
I prefer to provide the tongue C with a normal support consisting of a pivotted
lever J, the front end j. of which supports the pin of the tongue's shaft, and the
lever J is itself retained in its normal position by means of the stationary pin *;
the said lever J also prevents the eccentric tongue C being turned in any other
direction than that shown by the arrow, as well as acting as a support for retaining
the tongue C in its normal position as shown, so that after a coin has been inserted
the pressure of the tongue on the coin may be at once applied.
In some cases where it is desired that the pawl should operate the prepay-
ment wheel during the backward, rather than during the forward movement,
this may be attained by placing the coin pocket at the opposite end of the
eccentric box.
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 :-
In prepayment gas meters, the arrangement of an eccentric carrier or box A,
working in guides a having a coin slot or pocket D and eccentric tongue or
lever C, whereby a coin carrier is provided which cannot be operated until a coin
or token has been placed in the slot D, substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of October 1894.