Improvements in Coin Freed Gas Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Coin Freed Gas Meters.
We, HARRY GAMWELL and CHARLES GAMWELL, both of 15, Fraser Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Experimental Engineers, and JAMES LIND and JOHN
LIND, both of 61, Great George Street, Liverpool, aforesaid, Lamp Manufacturers.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to coin freed mechanism for gas meters.
We form the coin reception device of such mechanism of two or more chambers,
the first of which forms the coin entrance chamber, and the final chamber that in
which the coin performs the function required of it.
Entering the first chamber a coin passes from one chamber to another until it
reaches the final chamber, being guided in its passage by guides, projections or
their equivalent.
Such guides or their equivalent are so arranged that they will only conduct a
coin of the prescribed size into the final chamber, and will allow smaller coins to
pass directly into the cash box or elsewhere.
In the entrance chamber, or an intermediate chamber, we dispose a catch, a
portion of which lies in the path of the coin and is displaced by it so that the coin
cannot be withdrawn after it has passed the catch.
By the provision of two or more reception chambers as above described we guard
the final or working chamber from outside tampering and also provide a ready
means of disposing of undersized coins. In practice however two chambers, an
entrance chamber and a working chamber, may be found sufficient.
Upon reaching the final chamber of the coin reception device, the coin may be
employed to depress one end of a lever and thereby raise a valve hung upon its
other end, which valve may control the entry of gas into the meter or the exit of
gas therefrom, such coin being removed from the lever and working chamber by a
moving part of the meter when the quantity of gas purchased has been delivered,
as described in the Complete Specification of Application for Patent No. 1844805 or
otherwise.
Where such valve controls the entry of gas into the meter we prefer to dispose
it in a chamber in communication with a gas main, and we seat such valve upon a
duct leading into the meter. On this chamber we place a flexible cover, of leather
or other suitable material, and through this cover penetrates a portion of the above
referred to lever, formed below its fulcrum. On this penetrating portion of the
lever, and below the flexible cover, we hang the before referred to valve.
A gas
tight joint is made between the flexible cover and the penetrating portion of the
lever by any suitable means, such as a nut and shoulder on either side of the
material of the cover.
By the provision of a flexible cover to the valve chamber and by attaching it to
a penetrating portion of a valve lever disposed below the fulcrum of the latter, the
balance of the lever is not materially affected either by the cover itself or by the
pressure of gas within the chamber.
The device by which the coin is removed from the above referred to lever has by
preference a semicircular end.

page_text: To enable a small silver or other coin to be used in a standard size of meter s
for instance those adapted to receive pence, we provide a make-weight in the shape
of a sheath or holder of metal or other suitable material with a recess or aperture
therein whose size approximates that of the smaller coin, the sheath or holder being
slit to afford a sufficient elasticity to grasp the coin securely.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.)
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicants.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the upper portion of a gas meter, provided
with coin feed mechanism according to this invention; Figure 2 being a plan
thereof.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 4 is a vertical end section, of the
coin reception device.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation shewing the valve lever weighed down by a coin,
and Figure 6 is a plan thereof.
The coin reception device, A, comprises chambers a and b. Entering the slot a¹
a coin of the prescribed size falls on the inclined guides 2, down which it is
conducted into the chamber b. In passing down the guides a the coin lifts the
catch a³ which is pivotted at a and passes under it. The function of this catch is
to prevent withdrawal of a coin after it has once entered the chamber b. On entering
the chamber b the coin falls on and depresses the forked end c of a lever C, whose
function is to raise the lift valve D. If a coin of diameter less than that of the
prescribed coin is inserted in the slot a¹, it falls between the guides a² directly into
the coin receptacle a, without entering the second chamber b. Another object of
the two chambers is to prevent tampering with the valve lever C.
The valve D is disposed within a chamber d, which is covered by a flexible
diaphragm d. Passing through an aperture in the diaphragm is a screw threaded
portion, cl, of the lever C, a gas-tight joint being formed by the nut c² and the
shoulder c³, between which the flexible material of the diaphragm is held. To the
threaded portion c¹, below the flexible diaphragm, is fixed a hook c, on which is
hung the valve D. The flexibility of the diaphragm d-which may be of leather

page_text: or other suitable material-allows free play to the lever C as it oscillates about its
fulcrum. The valve D is seated on a passage d2 which communicates with the
chamber d Into the chamber da pipe. e, is led from the gas main connection E,
and from the chamber 3 a pipe, el, is led back to such connection E, but below
the division plate e therein. The valve therefore controls the admission of gas
from the main E into the meter F. The valve D might be seated directly on the
pipe el, which would then pass straight down into the gas measuring portion of the
meter.
G is a push piece, having reciprocating motion imparted to it by a crank-pin g,
on a spur-wheel g', which is rotated by any convenient part of the meter, but
preferably by a pinion wheel h mounted on the index spindle, i, of the meter,
through the medium of the crown wheel A and pinion A. The function of the push
piece G is to push the coin which weighs down the lever C off the forked end c
thereof, and into the coin receptacle a, and also to hold down the lever until the
spur wheel y has completed a revolution. The forward end of the push piece G is
semicircularly hollowed to correspond with the form of the coin used; the object
of this is to ensure contact with two or more points on the edge of the coin, for
if the end were stenight it might insert itself under a bent coin.
The mechanism being in the position she wu in Figures 1 and 2, when a coin is
placed in the coin reception device, A, and falls on the end of the lever C and
depres-es it, the valve D is raised from the passage d, and allows gas i pass from
the main, E, into the meter. The index spindle i then rotates the spur wheel g' and
its pin g moves forward the push-piece G so that it pushes the coin, x, off the end e
of the lever C, and takes the position shewn in Figures 5 and 6. The coin having
been displaced, the plate & prevents the lover from rising until the spur wheel gl
has made a complete revolution and withdrawn the plate G from co tact with the
lever C, which then rises and closes the valve D.
The part of the lever C which is last in contact with the plate G is inclined as
shewn at o, so that the rise of the lever, as the plate G passes from it, is gradual,
and the valve D is gradually closed. And in order to provide for the gradual
lowering of the gas light and its final extinguishment, we form the incline c with a
notch, c, at its lower part.
Upon reference to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the end of a spring k
projects into the chamber b of the coin reception device A. The lower part of this
spring is recessed to allow the passage of one coin only, whilst its upper part, and
the plate 6, retain coins stored above the coin. If the coin to be passed happens to
be bent, the spring k gives way, either laterally or vertically, to allow it to pass. A
glazed aperture is provided in the side of the chamber b, so that the number of
coins in the chamber can be seen.
Entering by the slot a' a coin turns over in its fall through the chambers ( and b.
When the chamber b has received its complement of coins the next coin inserted
lies in the passage between the two chambers. The following coin rests upon the
edge of this coin and blocks the slot al (as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5) until
the pile of coins is sufficiently lowered.
The quantity of gas passed as the equivalent of a coin insorted may be varied by the
use of change wheels connecting the push piece G with the moving part of the motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination, in a coin frued gas meter, of a coin reception device com-
prising two chambers, a and b, and inclined guides a adapted to conduct a coin of
the prescribed diameter from the entrance chambinto the working chamber b,
iich is disposed the end c of the lever, C, to be erated by the said coin, and.
to allow smaller coins to pass away without entering the chamber b, substantially
as set forth.

page_text: 2. In a coin freed gas meter, a chamber in communication with the gas main,
containing a valve operated by the coin-weighted lever and controlling the passage
of gas into the meter, aud, on the chamber, a flexible cover attached to and
allowing free play for the lever and its connection to the valve, and operating
substantially as set forth.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.)
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicants.