Improvements in Apparatus for Coin-freed Prepayment Meters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coin-freed Prepayment Meters.
We, JOHN TOURTEL and THE TOURTEL GAS AND GENERAL ENGINEERING COM-
PANY LIMITED, both of 67, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the coin-operating mechanism for
prepayment gas meters described in our former Specification No. 28960 of 1896
whereby the coin operating handle may be brought to the front of the meter
instead of being at the side and the two change wheels previously employed
may be replaced by a removable crown wheel which can be readily changed
from the front of the meter and whereby two coins of different values may be
used to operate the same apparatus.
For these purposes we construct our apparatus as follows:-
A spindle, upon the outer extremity of which is placed an operating handle,
has fixed near its inner end a lever arm, or equivalent, bearing a coin pocket,
or holder. In an intermediate position between the said operating handle and
lever arm a loose sleeve, working in a bracket, supports the said spindle which is
hereinafter called the operating spindle. Upon the inner end of the loose sleeve
is fixed a disc having a cylindrical flange bearing a suitable number of notches
or recesses two notches being preferably employed when it is intended that the
mechanism shall be operated by coins of only one value and four notches in
cases where it is desired to use two coins of different value. Upon the outer end
of the sleeve is placed a crown wheel secured to the said sleeve by nuts or pins
or their equivalent. Gearing with the crown wheel is a long pinion fixed to a
long sleeve within which works a measuring out spindle the said long sleeve and
spindle having their axes in a plane at right angles to that of the coin operating
spindle. A pin fixed within the said long sleeve engages with a longitudinal
groove in the said measuring-out spindle and causes the spindle to turn when
the long sleeve is turned. Other convenient methods of connecting the said sleeve
and spindle may however be equally well employed.
Either cut into or fixed upon the said measuring-out spindle or in operative
connection therewith is a screw or spiral so arranged that upon the said spindle
being turned a supply valve is opened and additional apparatus in connection
with the said screw or spiral (which additional apparatus not being the subject
of this invention it is unnecessary to more fully describe) is set back in such a
manner that the ordinary gearing of the meter train can operate and return the
said additional apparatus to its normal position and thus close the supply valve
whilst the said screw or spiral is unaffected by this return motion.
Upon the periphery of the said disc ratchet teeth may be cut which teeth engage
with a fixed pawl so as to prevent the said disc from being rotated in the wrong
direction.
By varying the proportion between the number of teeth in the aforesaid remov-
able crown wheel varying quantities of gas may be supplied.
In order to enable coins of two different values such as pennies and half-

page_text: pennies or shillings and sixpences to operate the mechanism a spring is provided
fixed to the frame of the mechanism the free end of which spring is so disposed
that when a coin has been introduced into the coin-operator and the handle is
slightly turned the lower edge of the coin is brought against the spring and the
continued movement of the operator causes the coin to be lifted. Now in the
case of the larger of the two coins arranged to operate the mechanism a mechanical
connection between the aforesaid operating spindle and disc is effected imme-
diately upon the introduction of such coin into the apparatus. But in the
case of the smaller coin no such mechanical connection exists because owing to
its smaller size this coin is entirely contained within the operating spindle and is
thus unable to engage with the corresponding slot of the disc. Upon turning
the handle however this smaller coin is lifted by the spring in the manner herein-
before described and when the operating spindle has been turned through one
half of the normal distance the coin engages with the second slot of the disc and
upon continuing the motion the disc itself is turned until the coin operator
encounters a fixed stop when the coin will drop. It will thus be seen that the
effect of the smaller coin is only one half that of the larger coin.
In the place of the spring a fixed incline may be employed but in this latter
case an internal flange is provided on one side of each notch so as to enable the
coin to engage with the disc before it actually enters the notch.
It is true that the spring or incline will similarly lift the larger coin but the
only effect of this will be to make the said coin project farther through the notch
of the disc.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coin-freed Prepayment Meters.
We, JOHN TOURTEL and THE TOURTEL GAS AND GENERAL ENGINEERING COM-
PANY LIMITED, both of 67; Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Engineers,
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 the coin operating mechanism for
prepayment gas meters described in our former Specification No. 28960 of 1896
whereby the coin operating handle may be brought to the front of the meter
instead of being at the side and the two change wheels previously employed
may be replaced by a removable crown wheel which can be readily changed
from the front of the meter and whereby two coins of different values may be
used to operate the same apparatus.
With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, and Figures 2 and 3 are
sectional side elevations of the coin-operating mechanism according to this
invention, while Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are cross sections showing the coin operator
in various positions. Similar letters are used throughout to designate similar
parts in the various figures.
'
A is an operating spindle provided with a coin pocket B near its inner end
and an operating handle C on its outer end. D is is a sleeve working loosely on
the spindle A and provided at its inner end with a disc E having ratchet teeth
cut in its periphery, an annular guard F, and a cylindrical flange G which latter

page_text: has four slots g g¹ g³ g³ equi-distant from each other. Upon the outer end of
the sleeve D is mounted a crown wheel H secured by nuts h h screwed upon
the end of the said sleeve. The sleeve, 1), is supported by the frame, J, upon
which is mounted a pawl, K, engaging with the ratchet teeth of the disc, E.
The inner end of the operating spindle, A, is supported by a plate, L, secured
at 1,, to the frame, J. The said plate, L, is provided with two stops, a, a, which
limit the travel of the coin-pocket B to about a half-revolution.
"
Gearing with the crown wheel, H, is a long pinion, M, fixed to a long sleeve, N,
which sleeve is supported at one end by the frame, J, and at the other end by a
bracket P. A measuring-out spindle, Q, works in the sleeve N and is connected
therewith by a pin, q, engaging in a slot of the said sleeve. The said measuring.
out spindle is provided with a screw or thread, Q', so arranged that upon the said
spindle being turned a supply valve is opened and additional apparatus in con-
nection with the said screw (which additional apparatus not being the subject of
this invention it is unnecessary to more fully describe) is set back in such a
manner that the ordinary gearing of the meter train can operate and return the
said additional apparatus to its normal position and thus close the supply valve
whilst the said screw or spiral is unaffected by this return motion.
By varying the proportion between the number of teeth in the aforesaid remov-
able crown wheel H varying quantities of gas may be supplied.
In order to enable coins of two different values such as pennies and halfpennies
or shillings and sixpences to operate the mechanism, a spring, R, is provided
fixed to the frame of the mechanism the free end of which spring is so disposed
that when a coin has been introduced into the coin-pocket B and the handle, C, is
slightly turned the lower edge of the coin is brought against the spring and the
continued movement of the operator causes the coin to be lifted as shown in
Figure 5. Now in the case of the larger of the two coins arranged to operate the
mechanism a mechanical connection between the aforesaid operating spindle, A,
and diso E is effected immediately upon the introduction of such coin into the
apparatus because such larger coin will be supported by a lip b6 upon the
coin-pocket, B, and will project into one of the slots of the disc-flange, G. But
in the case of the smaller coin no such mechanical connection exists because owing
to its smaller size this coin is entirely contained within the coin-pocket, B, and
is thus unable to engage with the corresponding slot of the disc-flange G as shown
in Figure 4. Upon turning the handle, however, this smaller coin is lifted by
the spring, R, in the manner hereinbefore described and when the operating
spindle has been turned through one half of the normal distance the coin engages
with the second slot g¹ of the disc-flange G and upon continuing the motion the
disc itself is turned until the coin-pocket B encounters a fixed stop al when
the coin will drop. It will thus be seen that the effect of the smaller coin is
only one half that of the larger coin.
In the place of the spring R a fixed incline may be employed but in this
latter case an internal flange is provided on one side of each notch so as to enable
the coin to engage with the disc before it actually enters the notch, as shown in
Figure 7.
It is true that the spring or incline will similarly lift the larger coin but
the only effect of this will be to make the said coin project farther through the
notch of the disc.
It is obvious that this method of using two different coins in one operator to
supply different quantities of gas may be equally well employed in connection
with the apparatus described in Patent No. 28960 of 1896.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we
aware of Patent No. 9771 of 1893 and that we do not claim anything that is
therein claimed, but what we do claim is:-
1. The improved coin operating mechanism for prepayment gas meters,

page_text: "
adapted to take two coins of different value, constructed and operating in the
manner substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The improved coin operating mechanism for prepayment gas meters,
arranged to take two coins of different value, in which the coin operating handle
is, upon the introduction of the larger coin, immediately connected with the
remainder of the mechanism, but in which the smaller coin effects such a
mechanical connection, by means of an incline or spring, only when the operating
handle has been turned through one half of its normal travel, substantially as
described.
JOHN TOURTEL.
THE TOURTEL GAS AND GENERAL ENGINEERING COMPANY
LIMITED.
ARTHUR F. DAVIES, Director,
H. V. AŞKHAM, Secretary.