Improvements in or relating to Pre-payment Gas Meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1994
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pre-payment Gas Meters.
We. ANDREW GUTHRIE SUTHERLAND, of 93 Cooks Road, Kennington Park,
London, S.E., Gas Engineer, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, of 13 Aquinas Street,
Stamford Street, London, S.E., Engineer, and JAMES FREDERICK EVERETT, of
the same place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be
as follows:
This invention relates to further improvements in the pre-payment gas meters
described in the Specification dated 7th May 1894, No. 9881; and the object of
our present invention is to improve that part of the mechanism by which the amount
of gas to be obtained for the coin is determined, and to effect other improvements
in the working parts of the said invention.
According to this invention I provide a suitable handle or lid, fitted exteriorly,
for operating the internal mechanism; the usual money slot being provided with
suitable means for closing or shutting the money slot when the exterior motion is
applied. On inserting the coin, it falls into a pivoted cradle. This cradle is
pivoted in a nearly vertical position, and retains the coin until the external move-
ment causes the coin to operate upon one of a pair of slotted pivoted levers.
These levers are coupled together by an adjustable pivoted lug, drag link, or
coupler, the position of which governs the throw of the second lever. To the boss
of this lever another lever is fitted, carrying a pawl, tumbler, screw, or equivalent
device, in gear
with a toothed wheel. This wheel is in gear with a pinion, fast as
an axle carrying a worm. This worm is in gear with another worm, fitted to a
parallel axle. In combination with this second worm a toothed rack is fitted,
in gear with a pinion on the barrel or drum, described in the said former
Specification.
On the exterior motion being applied, the pawl lever drives the toothed wheel
a certain regulated distance, equivalent to the amount of gas prepaid. This
causes the pinion and worm to operate upon the second worm (the latter not
then revolving). This movement causes the barrel or drum to move angularly
a certain distance, so as to indicate the quantity of gas prepaid. The remaining
motions of these parts, consequent upon the consumption of the gas, cause the
barrel or drum to return to zero.
Dad o0th Nambon 1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pre-payment Gas Meters.
ANDREW GUTHRIE SUTHERLAND, of 93 Cooks Road, Kennington Park,
London S.E., Engineer, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, cf 13 Aquinas Street,
Stamford Street, London S.E., Engineer, and JAMES FREDERICK EVERETT, of
the same place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention
Price dl

page_text: 1
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 further improvements in the pre-payment gas meters
described in the Specification dated 7th May 1894, No. 8981; and the object of
our present invention is to improve that part of the mechanism by which the
amount of gas to be obtained for the coin is determined, and to effect other
improvements in the working parts of the said invention.
According to this invention we provide a suitable handle or lid, fitted exteriorly,
for operating the internal mechanism, the usual money slot being provided with
suitable means for closing or shutting the money slot, when the exterior motion
is applied.
On inserting the coin, it falls into a pivoted cradle. This cradle is pivoted
in a nearly vertical position, and retains the coin until the external movement
causes the coin to operate upon one of a pair of pivoted levers. These levers
are coupled together by an adjustable pivoted lag, drag link, or coupler the
position of which governs the throw of the second lever. To the boss of
this lever another lever is fitted, carrying a pawl, tumbler, screw, or equivalent
device, in gear with a toothed wheel. This wheel is in gear with a pinion, fast
on an axle carrying a worm. This worm is in gear with another worm, fitted
to a parallel axle. In combination with this second worm a toothed rack is
fitted, in gear with a pinion on the barrel or drum, described in the said former
Specification.
This
On the exterior motion being applied, the pawl lever drives the toothed wheel
a certain regulated distance, equivalent to the amount of gas prepaid.
causes the pinion and worm to operate upon the second worm (the latter not
then revolving). This movement causes the barrel or drum to move angularly
a certain distance, so as to indicate the quantity of gas prepaid. The remaining
motions of these parts, consequent upon the consumption of the gas, cause the
barrel or drum to return to zero.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 an elevation of a prepayment gas meter mechanism,
constructed according to our invention.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional side views, illustrating the action of the apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line a-b of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a detail view.
27 is the handle or lid which is shown raised for the receipt of a coin in Figs. 1, 2
and 3.
When depressed, as shown in Fig. 4, the slot 24 in the case 25 is covered.
The coin is inserted through the slot 24, falling into the cradle 26. This cradle is
pivoted at 28 and it retains the coin, resting upon the highest step of the fixed
plate 29, until the handle 27 is moved to the position shown by dotted lines in
Fig. 4. This movement causes the coin to push backwards the lever 30, also
pivoted at 28, until the coin falls behind the plate 29. The lever 30 is coupled by
a link 108 with the lever 234, pivoted at 76, and carrying a guide block and nut 16,
threaded on the regulating screw spindle 23, the position of the travelling nut 16
regulating the throw of the lever 234. The lever 23A is integral with a lever 17, as
shown in Fig. 5, the lever 17 carrying the pawl 18, in gear with the ratchet
wheel 13, the latter being integral with the toothed wheel 68. The wheel 68
is fitted with a spring 69, impinging against both the wheel and the case, and acting
as a friction brake to absorb the momentum of the wheel, and prevent its rotation
beyond the regulated angle of advance. The wheel 68 gears with a pinion 77. By
means of the milled head 19, and the regulating screw 23, the radial distance of the
block 16 can be reduced or increased, and the angular movement of the wheels 13
and 68 correspondingly increased or diminished. This movement of the wheel 68
causes the pinion 77 to rotate a certain number of times. The pinion 77 is fast on

page_text: a spindle 78, which spindle also carries a worm 79, fast thereon. 80 is another,
parallel, spindle, carrying a sleeve 81, the sleeve having a worm 82 and an annular
toothed rack 83 formed thereon. The rack 83 is in gear with a pinion 87,
mounted
on the shaft 11, carrying the drum 10. The sleeve is capable of sliding longi-
tudinally upon the spindle 80, and is carried round therewith by means of a pin or
feather 84, fitted to the sleeve and running in a groove 80* formed in the spindle 80,
as shown in section in Fig. 6.
The motive power for returning the drum and apparatus to zero is obtained by
the worm 70 attached to the crank spindie 70, which drives the pinion 68" and
spindle 68. By means of a worm 85, fast on the spindle 68ª, the pinion 86, fast on
the spindle 80, is driven in the direction of the bent arrow. The rotation of the
spindle 80 causes the sleeve 81 to rotate. While the spindle 80 is rotating the
spindle 78 is held stationary by the pawl 18, ratchet wheel 13, toothed wheel 68,
and pinion 77. The worm 79 then acts as a nut to the rotating worm 82, which is
driven with the sleeve 81, in the direction of the arrow. 88 is a fixed adjustable
bracket. 89 is a forked lever pivoted to 88 at 90, and linked to the rod 42 at 91.
The forked lever is operated by its contact with the conical surfaces 92, 93 forming
part of the sleeve 81. By this arrangement the gas is cut off at 43, when this
sleeve has arrived at the end of its travel in the direction of the arrow, and the gas
is turned on by the contrary movement, obtained by the primary movement of the
handle 27.
The operation of this arrangement of apparatus is as follows:-
The handle 27 is raised preparatory to the insertion of a coin. This movement
uncovers the slot and pulls back the lever 30 by means of the bar 26 attached to
the lever 30. The coin is then inserted in the slot 24, and, falling into the cradle 26,
is then in position to operate the lever 30, which is effected by moving the handle 27
downwards. The lever 30 is provided with a projection 30 for contact with pennies,
and a projection 30° for contact with half-pennies. The movement of the lever 30
operates the lever 234 and with it the pawl lever 17, whereby the ratchet wheel 13
and toothed wheel 68 are caused to partially revolve, thereby rotating the pinion 77
and worm 79. The rotation of the worm 79 causes the sleeve 81 to move towards
the right, whereby the drum 10 is partially rotated as previously described, thus
indicating the amount of gas to be obtained on prepayment. The apparatus is then
free to supply gas until the sleeve 81 is returned to its normal position by the
worm 70, pinion 68B, worm 85, and pinion 86, as previously described.
In order to limit the number of coins inserted, and the revolution of the drum 10,
to less than a complete revolution, a rod 133, fitted with a fork 134, working in a
groove 135, formed in the sleeve 81, is carried by the fork to and fro with the
sleeve. The rod is fitted with a cone 136, which remains idle until the greatest
amount of gas available by the rotation of the drum has been paid for and
unconsumed.
The cone is then carried into contact with an arm 1004, attached to the trigger 101
pivoted at 101, whereby the bar 102 is caused to stop the slot 24 and prevent the
further entrance of coins until gas has been consumed.
The trigger 100 also performs the function of blocking the slot while a coin is in
the cradle, but we do not claim this, or the means described for limiting the number
of coins inserted in the slot.
Various methods of indicating the amount of gas to be delivered in return for a
definite coin inserted in the slot, may be adopted. One method is shown in Figs. 3
and 5. A scale plate 52 is fitted to the lever 23. The index hand 50 is attached
to the nut 16, and the position of the index hand, in relation to the scale is regulated
by means of the screw 23, milled head 19, and nut 16.
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 :-
1. The general construction, combination and arrangement of the several and

page_text: respective parts together constituting our invention of improvements in or relating
to pre-payment gas meters, substantially as and for the purposes described.
.
2. In prepayment gas meters, the combination of a handle or lid 27, cradle 26,
lever 30 linked to an adjustable lever 234, lever 17 and pawl 18 operating the ratchet
wheel 13, wheel 68, pinion 77, worms 79 and 82, rack 83. pinion 87, and drum 10,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. In prepayment gas meters, the combination of the axle 78 actuated by the
wheel 68 and pinion 77; the axle 78 carrying a worm 79, operating the worm 82 in
one direction, and acting as a nut thereto in the opposite direction; the worm 82
being integral with the sleeve 81, rotating with and sliding longitudinally upon the
feathered shaft 80; the sleeve 81 carrying an annular toothed rack 83 in gear with
the pinion 87, fast on the spindle of the drum 10, all severally and in combination
operating substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated
by the drawings.
4. In prepayment gas meters, the method of returning the mechanism to the zero
point by means of the worm 70A, pinion 68, spindle 684, worm 85 and pinion 86, all
in combination operating to drive the spindle 80 and sleeve 81, by the rotation of
the crank spindle 70, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 20th September 1895.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.