Improvements in and relating to Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Prepayment Gas Meters.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, of New Grange Works, 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 improvements in and relating to coin freed or
prepayment gas meters, and comprises mechanism which will be very suitable for
converting ordinary meters into prepayment meters, the auxiliary mechanism being
fitted in a partitioned chamber at top of meter case.
The improvements consist first in fitting a bevel wheel on the inner end horizontal
spindle of a rotary coiu receiving chamber, and gearing this into a corresponding
wheel mounted loose on a vertical spindle. This vertical spindle is formed with a
screw threaded surface, and a screwed nut or disc is mounted to work up and down
on it. Vertical rods, preferably two, are connected between the loose bevel wheel
and a crosshead mounted loose on lower end of screw spindle, and these rods pass
through slots at outer edge part of screw nut. An annular ring or collar is fitted
between flanges at top and lower ends of the screwed nut, so that this ring travels
up and down the spindle with the nut but does not revolve with it. The kneed
end of a rod is attached to this ring, and the free end of this rod has a pointer
mounted on it in front of a vertical index dial plate at face of meter case, so that
as the screwed nut moves down or up this rod travels on the ring with it and shows
on the index to consumer how much prepaid gas has still to flow. The kneed part
of index rod engages with the free end of the lever of gas inlet valve which is
located in partitioned chamber and constructed somewhat similar to that described
in the Specification of my former Patent No. 1178 of 1894. A gapped or
recessed part is formed on end of lever and when the coins are first dropped into
bolder and the latter is turned, the bevel wheel rod connection turns and lowers
the screw nut, and the index arm draws down the end of lever and so auto-
matically opens the valve for the passage of gas to consumer; while as the
screwed nut travels down by the insertion of further coins and the turning of the
bevel gear, the index rod leaves the valve lever.
A star or worm wheel is keyed or attached at the upper end of screw threaded
spindle and is geared to a worm formed on the end of a horizontal spindle. The
other end of worm spindle has a bevel wheel secured on it, which is geared to
another bevel wheel secured on the cross spindle of the ordinary power transmitting
and counting mechanism of meter. By this means as pre-paid gas is being
consumed motion is transmitted from aforesaid cross spindle through the bevel gear
and worm and star wheel to the vertical screw spindle, and the turning of this
latter will spirally turn round and raise the screw nut, so that when all the prepaid
gas has been consumed the kueed part of index rod will tilt or raise the valve
lever to close the valve and shut off the supply of gas.
The worm spindle passes through the eye of an adjustable slotted plate, so that
it can be freed and drawn to one side, and enable the star toothed wheel to be
removed and interchanged with a larger or smaller wheel according to any variation
of price in the volume of gas, and thus transmit corresponding motion to the
vertical screw spindle for the closing of inlet valve.

page_text: The slotted plate carrying the worin spindle would slide over a sole bracket and
stop pin carried on a vertical standard, and be moved and secured in any desired
adjustable position by a thumb screw passing through slot.
Dated 27th day of March 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, of New Grange Works, 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:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to coin freed or
prepayment gas meters, and comprises mechanism which will be very suitable for
converting ordinary meters into prepayment meters, the auxiliary mechanism being
fitted in a partitioned chamber at side of meter case.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of
explanatory drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan view of my improved mechanism,
while-
Figure 3 is an end section elevation through the coin receiving chamber, and
Figure 4 shows detail views of screw nut and fittings for raising and lowering
the index rod.
Referring to these drawings:-
The improvements consist first in fitting a bevel wheel A¹ on the inner end of
the horizontal spindle A of a rotary coin receiving chamber a and gearing this
into a corresponding wheel B' mounted loose on a vertical spindle B. This vertical
spindle B is formed with a screw threaded surface, and a screwed nut or disc b is
mounted to work up and down on it. Vertical rods B preferably two, are
connected between the loose bevel wheel B¹ and a crosshead B³ mounted loose on
lower end of screw spindle B, to actuate the screw nut band allow of its up aud
down travel and these rods B pass through slots at outer edge parts of screw
nut b.
The construction of the screw nut as shown particularly in Figure 4 is as
follows: An annular ring or collar is fitted between flanges 6 at top and lower
ends of the screwed nut b so that this ring b travels up and down the spindle B
with the nut. but does not revolve with the spindle. The kneed end c¹ of a rod c
is attached to this ring and the free end of this rod c has a pointer mounted
on it in front of a vertical index dial plate c³ at face of meter case, so that as the
screwed nut 6 moves down or up this rod travels on the ring 6' with it and shows
on the index to consumer how much prepaid gas has still to flow. The kneed
part at c¹ of index rod c engages with the free end of the lever C of gas inlet
valve which is located in partitioned chamber C¹ and constructed somewhat similar
to that described in the Specification of my former Patent No. 1178 of 1894. A
gapped or recessed part with an angled tail C is formed on the end of lever C and
when the coins are first dropped into holder a and the latter is turned, the bevel
wheel and rod connections turn and lower the screw nut b and the index arm c
draws down the end C" of lever C and so automatically opens the valve for the
passage of gas to consumer; while as the screwed nut 6 travels down by the

page_text: insertion of further coins and the turning of the bevel gear, the index rod c leaves
a greater distance between it and the valve lever C. A levere is fulcrumed at el
and has a weighted end e while its upper kneed end projects through a slot in
case of coin chamber, so that when the nut 6 has descended to its bottom travel
the index rod c acts on lower weighted part e to tilt lever e for its upper end e³ to
enter and block the slit part of coin case and prevent more coins being inserted
until further gas has been consumed, while as the nut rises the lower end of
lever e is freed and the weight e automatically tilts the lever and frees its upper
part from coin slit.
A star or worm wheel D is keyed or attached at the upper end of screw threaded
spindle B and is geared to a worm D' formed on the end of a horizontal spindle D³..
The other end of worm spindle D' has a bevel wheel D secured on it, which is
geared to another bevel wheel D' secured on the cross spindle D' of the ordinary
power transmitting and counting mechanism of meter. By this means as prepaid.
gas is being consumed motion is transmitted from aforesaid cross spindle D' through
the bevel gear D D³ and worm D' and star wheel D to the vertical screw spindle B
and the turning of this latter will turn and raise the screw nut b so that when all
the prepaid gas has been consumed the kneed part c' of index rode will act on
end C of valve lever C and tilt or raise it to close the valve and shut off the
supply of gas. The worm spindle D' passes through the eye d¹ of an adjustable
slotted plate d so that it can be freed and drawn to one side, and enable the star
toothed wheel D to be removed and interchanged with a larger or smaller wheel
according to any variation of price in the volume of gas, and thus transmit corre-
sponding motion to the vertical screw spindle B for the closing of inlet valve.
The slotted plate d carrying the worm spindle D' would slide over a sole
bracket d and stop pin d³ carried on a vertical standard d and be moved and
then secured in any desired adjustable position by a thumb screw d passing
through slot. .
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. In prepayment gas meters the arrangement and combination of mechanism
for controlling the supply of prepaid gas substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In prepayment gas meters the arrangement of screw nut, index rod and
actuating mechanism substantially as herein described in reference to and shown.
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 26th day of December 1896
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.