Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed Gas Meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed Gas Meters.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, of 181 Gorgie Road, in the City and County of Edinburgh,
Gas Meter Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
the mechanism for actuating gas meters of the kind described in the Specifications
of my prior Patents No. 13079 July 16 1892, and No. 6086, 22nd March 1893.
My present improvements essentially consist in more simple, direct and accurate
mechanisin for transmitting the requisite motion from the coin receiving and
turning organ to the hollow spindle of prepayment cycle described in the
Specification of my Patent No. 6086 March 22, 1893, and in communicating
motion from said hollow spindle to actuate a valve connected with the inlet supply
of gas to meter. The improvements also provide for a modified method of
adjusting the mechanism to suit for varying prices of gas.
In carrying these improvements into practice I make the hand turning spindle to
have a forward and backward movement, and I fit a vertical disc on same to which
I secure a projecting segmental rim or hood which will move with the hand turning
spindle and prevent the ingress of coins through slot in meter case except when the
mechanism is in position for being actuated by said coins. Two discs are mounted
on stud or pivot spindles below line of coin slit, and have a transverse bar between
them, and when in proper position the coin inserted passes through slit in meter
case and is guided through channels or slits in inner surface of aforesaid discs until
it rests on a slit on the top of an arm projecting up from fixed frame of machine.
When the hand spindle is turned a projecting down arm from spindle disc acts
against the coin which is held between this and the enclosing sides of channels in
connected discs, and these discs are moved round with the coin until they come to
the end of their regulated travel; while they are travelled back with the hand
spindle and hood after ejection of coin, to their normal starting position. The one
end of a link or rod is jointed or secured to one of the aforesaid coin carrying
travelling discs, and has a transverse arm or crosshead formed on or secured to its
other end, said arm being carried and guided in its movements by a connecting rod
secured at its one end to arm and at its other end mounted to oscillate or move
freely round the axis on which the hollow spindle hereinafter described is mounted.
This arm or crosshead is reciprocated forward after the insertion of each coin
through its connection with disc and is made to oscillate or move a clutch lever
which grips and turns a plain rimmed wheel mounted on hollow spindle on transverse
axis, and which wheel corresponds to the toothed or ratchet large wheel illustrated
in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent No. 6086 March 22 1893. This clutch
or gripping lever would preferably consist of a two armed lever mounted at the
junction of its arms on a transverse pin and have notches or serrations on its upper
surface to more effectually grip or clutch on to the large plain rimmed wheel;
and the pin on which lever is mounted would be secured to the one arm of a
counterweighted lever mounted on the same transverse axis as the hollow spindle
carrying rimmed wheel, and so that the counterweighted lever and wheel gripping
clutch would act as one lever, the counterweight bringing the clutch back to its
normal starting position (after each forward action) against a stop arm on the
variation of price adjusting mechanism. A recess or part would be cut away out
of the circumference of the plain rimmed wheel which would come into use when
the maximum quantity of gas had been passed through valve provided for by

page_text: prepayment dial as say 450 cubic feet, and this would prevent gripping contact with
clutch lever at this period until further prepaid gas was consumed.
The inlet supply of pre-paid gas would be controlled by a valve mounted on a
vertical spindle, and this spindle would be attached to the one end of a horizontal
lever fulcrumed on a standard pin at its centre and connected at its other end to a
projecting pin or arm on the lower end of a vertical intermittent reciprocating
frame. This frame would preferably consist of a lower rod with an arm connected
to a slot in end of horizontal lever and an upper set of duplex plates one on each
side of a central fixed cheek frame in meter and connected together by pins through
slots in fixed frame. The upper end of the inner plate would be operated on by a
projecting pin in a disc secured on hollow spindle of clutch actuated wheel, and be
depressed to keep the valve open so long as pre-paid gas has to be consumed; after
which the valve will be closed by the pin in disc engaging in a slot in plate and
raising same to tilt the lever. The inlet gas valve would preferably consist of a
disc attached to end of vertical spindle and work within a close chamber having
gas admitting orifices or passages from inlet supply pipe or duct, and fitting over a
central downward recessed chamber with outlet orifice to supply chamber. The
transverse axis on which hollow spindle of clutch actuated wheel is mounted would
have a friction clutch box mounted on it and be connected with a train of gearing
to the ordinary counting and actuating mechanism of meter.
Instead of using the variation of price adjusting mechanism described in the
Specification of my former Patent No. 6086 March 22 1893, by a simple method
suitable for being used with the improved mechanism described a projecting arm
would be fitted on the weighted end of the clutch counterweighted lever to come
against an adjustable stop arm on fixed frame of meter, and which would regulate
the quantity of pre-paid gas to be passed through valve; or instead of adjusting
the stop arm in holes or recesses in fixed frame, ferrules or collars of different
diameters may be mounted on the stop arm to regulate by their varying size the
travel of the arm ou counterweighted lever.
Dated the 18th January 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed Gas Meters.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, of 181 Gorgie Road, in the City and County of Edinburgh,
Gas Meter Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
the mechanism for actuating gas meters of the kind described in the Specifications
of my prior Patents No. 13079 July 16 1892; and No. 6086, 22nd March 1893.
My present improvements essentially consist in more simple, direct and accurate
mechanism for transmitting the requisite motion from the coin receiving and turning
organ to the hollow spindle of prepayment cycle described in the Specification of
my Patent No. 6086 March 22, 1893; and in communicating motion from said
hollow spindle to actuate a valve connected with the inlet supply of gas to
meter.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a gas meter showing my improved coin-
freed mechanism applied thereto.

page_text: Figure 2 18 a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 with the top cover removed,
and
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation corresponding to and looking from the
opposite side to Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a detached view showing the coin hand operated spindle and fittings.
Figure 5 is a detached sectional elevation of the inlet gas valve.
Figure 6 is a detached view broken away of the coin-receiving chamber, while
Figure 7 is a front view, showing the ordinary prepaid gas index as well as the
usual gas registering dials.
In Figures 1 to 3 the ordinary meter mechanism is not shown, with the exception
of the connecting gear to the coin-freed mechanism.
Referring to these drawings:-In carrying these improvements into practice I
make the hand turning spindle a to have a forward and backward movement, and
I fit a vertical disc a' on same to which I secure a projecting segmental rim or
hood a' which will move with the hand turning spindle a and prevent the ingress of
coins through slot all in meter case except when the mechanism is in position for
being actuated by said coins. Two discs b, b, are mounted on stud or pivot spindles
below line of coin slit all, and have a transverse bar 6 between them, and when in
proper position the coin inserted passes through slit a" in meter case and is guided
through channels or slits 6' in inner surface of aforesaid discs b, b, until it rests on
a slit on the top of an arm 6 projecting up from fixed frame of machine. When
the hand spindle a is turned, a projecting down arm a from spindle hood a³ acts
against the coin which is held between this and the enclosing sides of channels 6³ in
connected discs and these discs b are moved round with the coin until they come
to the end of their regulated travel; while they are travelled back to their normal
starting position along with the hand spindle a and hood a² (after ejection of the
coin) by the arm a³ acting on a pin or stud screwed or otherwise secured on the
side of one of the discs b. The one end c¹ of a link or rod c is jointed or secured to
one of the aforesaid coin carrying travelling discs b, and has a transverse arm or
crosshead formed on or secured to its other end, said arm c³ being carried and
guided in its movements by a connecting rod c³ secured at its one end to arm c² and
at its other end mounted to oscillate or move freely round the axis A on which the
hollow spindle herein described is mounted. This arm or crosshead c is reciprocated
forward after the insertion of each coin through its connection with disc and is
made to oscillate or move the arm d of a clutch lever which grips and turns a plain
rimmed wheel A¹ mounted on hollow spindle A² on transverse axis A, and which
wheel corresponds to the toothed or ratchet large wheel illustrated in the Specifica-
tion of my aforesaid Patent No..6086 March 22 1893. This clutch or gripping
lever would preferably consist of a two armed lever d d' mounted at the junction of
its arms on a transverse pin e³ and have notches or serrations d' on its upper surface
to more effectually grip or clutch on to the large plain rimmed wheel A₁; and the
pin on which lever d d is mounted would be secured to the one arme of a
counterweighted lever e e¹ mounted on the same transverse axis A as the hollow
spindle A carrying rimmed wheel A³, and so that the counterweighted lever e e¹
and wheel gripping clutch dd'd would act as one lever, the counterweight e
bringing the clutch back to its normal starting position (after each forward action)
so that the pin e² rests against a stop arm B₁ on the variation of price adjusting
mechanism. A recess or part would be cut away at A" out of the circumference
of the plain rimmed wheel A¹ which would come into use when the maximum
quantity of gas had been passed through valve provided for by prepayment dial as
say 450 cubic feet, and this would prevent gripping contact with clutch lever d d'
at this period until all or some of the prepaid gas was consumed.
The inlet supply of pre-paid gas would be controlled by a valve f mounted on a
vertical spindle f¹, as shown detached in Figure 5, and this spindle f¹ would be
attached to the one end g' of a horizontal lever 9 fulcrumed at g" on a standard
pin at its centre and connected at its other end g' to a projecting pin or arm h¹ on
the lower end of a vertical moving rod h. This rod h would work through guides "

page_text: and its lower projecting arm h¹ is connected to a slot in end g³ of horizontal lever g
while a plate 3 is attached to the projecting arm ³ on top end of rod h. The
plate would be operated on by a projecting pin i in a disc i secured on hollow
spindle A' of clutch actuated wheel A', and be depressed to keep the valve fopen
so long as pre-paid gas has to be consumed; after which the valvef will be closed
by the pin i in disc engaging in a slot h in plate h³, and raising same and the
rod h to tilt the lever g. The inlet gas valve would preferably consist of a disc f
attached to end of vertical spindle and work within a close chamber f having
gas admitting orifices or passages f* from inlet supply pipe or duct, and fitted over
a central downward recessed chamber f' with outlet orifice f* to supply chamber.
The transverse axis A on which hollow spindle A* of clutch actuated wheel A' is
mounted would have a friction clutch box C mounted on it and be connected with
a train of worm and wheel gearing.C³, C³, C³, C₁, to the ordinary counting and
actuating mechanism of 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 :-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of a coin-
freed gas meter, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In coin-freed gas meters, the arrangement of clutch lever and operating
mechanism for transmitting the requisite motion from the coin receiving and
turning organ to the wheel on hollow spindle of prepayment cycle, substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In coin freed gas meters, the combination of coin-operated discs and rods,
lever clutch and wheel, and rod and lever operating inlet gas valve, substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In coin freed gas meters, the construction of inlet gas valve, consisting
of disc on vertical spindle and outer and central recessed chambers, substantially as
and operated in the manner herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 17th October 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.