Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
Referring to the drawings:
The tap A is fitted in connection with the supply pipe leading to the water
meter and it is normally held closed by the action of the weight P attached to
the chain Z which is secured to the sectoral head of the lever C. The lever C bears
against the stop pin a.
A pin E on the sliding piece G projects upwards through a slot made in the
lever C. The sliding piece is capable of sliding in dove-tail grooves formed in the
frame H. The sliding piece G is cut out so that the block T, which is actuated by
the hand lever 0, 0, can pass through it.
When a coin is inserted in the opening U it falls down into the groove of the
frame H and lies between the block T and the piece G and therefore covers the
cut out part of the sliding piece G at (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) so that, if the handle O
be now pulled back, the block T is prevented passing through the piece G with the
result that the piece G and with it the lever C is moved towards the right hand side
(Fig. 3) whereupon the tap A is opened and water from the supply pipe is allowed
to run through the water meter in order to be delivered to the customer. The sliding
piece G, when the handle O is fully pulled, passes over a vertical bolt J, bevelled
at its upper end and normally pressed upwards by a curved spring K, and is
retained in position by said bolt. The coin falls down through a slot S into an
inclined tube S¹ by which it is delivered into a collecting box not shown. When
the handle O is released, it, under the action of the spring R, moves backwards to
its original position and takes the block T along with it but the slide G is retained
by the bolt J.
As soon as the tap A is opened and the water begins to flow the wheel
gearing M, N, of the counting mechanism of the water meter begins to operate,
and, as a consequence, the cam L is rotated until it finally engages, at the moment
when the required quantity of water is delivered, with a projection on the bolt J
гр

page_text: and depresses the same whereupon the sliding piece G is released and it, along with
the lever C, is brought back into its original position by the action of the weight P
and as a consequence the tap is again closed.
To prevent the tap A being partly opened a second tap B is connected to the
supply pipe. This tap, through a key D provided with a slot working on the pin F,
is connected to the hand lever O. The tap B is open in the position illustrated in
full lines and closed when in the position indicated by the dotted line D¹. When
ever the tap A is moved to the open position (see line C¹) by pulling the hand
lever O, the tap B is moved to the closed position D' and it can only be opened
again (otherwise than by letting go the handle and shutting the tap A) by pulling
the handle to such an extent as to fully open the tap A and lock the sliding piece G
behind the bolt J. When this has been done the tap A is kept open and the
handle O, when let go, quickly travels back, under the action of the spring R,
and brings the key D to the full open position as shown in full lines so that both
taps A and B are kept open until the bolt J is automatically released.
The water can be delivered and stored in any suitable receptacle.
If the water meter which is connected to the supply pipe cannot develop the
necessary power to depress the bolt J and the spring A, the cam L is dispensed with
and the motion of the wheel gearing M, N, is utilized to close an electric circuit,
as soon as the proper quantity of water has been delivered, and thereby excite an
electro magnet sufficiently powerful to pull down a lever and through its action
withdraw the bolt J.
This automatic apparatus can be applied to pumps. In this case the tap B is
dispensed with and the tap A is used either to connect the space between the
suction and the pressure valves with the atmosphere or to close such connection:
The tap A is normally open. The handle O is dispensed with and the lever o ia
coupled to the pump handle so as to move to and fro therewith as the pump is
operated. After the coin has been inserted the tap A is closed immediately the
pump handle is raised and the pump can consequently be made to operate. In
this case motion is imparted to the cam L, through the medium of a ratchet wheel
and pawl, direct from the pump handle. The pawl is arranged so as to be thrown
into and out of gear by the lever C thereby preventing the movement of the cam
whenever the pump is operated without first placing the coin in the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is: -
1. An automatic coin freed apparatus applicable to water supply pipes for the
purpose of delivering a prepaid quantity of water characterized by a tap (A) con-
nected to the supply pipe and opened by means of a lever (C), a sliding piece (G),
and a handle (()) as soon as a coin is introduced into the slot (V), the said sliding
piece being caught by a bolt (J) which, after the delivery of the water, is depressed
by the action of the wheel work of the counting mechanism of the water meter,
so as to release the sliding piece and allow the lever (C) to be pulled back, in order
to close the tap, by the action of a weight (or a spring), substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. In combination with the apparatus claimed in Claim 1, the arrangement of
a second tap (13) connected to the supply pipe and to the handle (0, 0) by means of
a key in such a manner that it closes as soon as the tap (A) is opened and can only
he opened again when the coin is discharged into the collecting box, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The modification of the apparatus wherein the cam (L) is dispensed with and
an electro magnet is used said magnet being excited at the proper time so as to
withdraw the bolt (J) and release the sliding piece (G), substantially as herein-
before set forth.
4. The modification of the apparatus as adapted for hand pumps wherein the
lever (0) is coupled to the pump handle so as to move to and fro therewith and the

page_text: tap (A) is arranged so as to open or close the connection between the suction and
pressure valves and the atmosphere, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 12th day of July 1897
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.