Improvements in Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Prepayment Gas Meters.
We, CHALLENGER WHITILAM, of 171, Windsor Road, Managing Director of
Ward, Whitham & Co., Ltd., and EDWARD LARGE, of 42, Huxley Street,
Tin Plate Worker, both of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to gas meters delivering a predetermined quantity of
gas against prepayment made by means of coins inserted into a slot and consists
in improved arrangements or combinations of mechanism for actuating the gas
valve and opening the gas inlet by means of the coins inserted into the same.
In carrying out our invention we arrange below the slot for the insertion of the
coins a horizontal cylindrical coin carrier fitted with a handle on a spindle pro-
jecting to the outside of the casing and arrange suitable stops so that the coin
carrier can be turned forward and backward hetween said stops for rather more
than half a revolution. The coin carrier is slotted through, the slot being of
such width at the top side that the coin to be used with the apparatus, for in-
stance, a penny, can drop into the slot, and of narrower width at the lower side
so that a coin of the correct value does not drop through, while a smaller coin
a half penny for instance, drops through into the cash box. The diameter of the
cylindrical coin carrier is such that the coin when level with the top side projects
on the under side.
Parallel to the coin carrier we arrange a shaft carrying a spider with curved
arms and below the coin carrier we pivot a pawl or its equivalent pressed upwards
by balance weight or spring and so formed that while one part rests against. the
circumference of the coin carrier another part bears against the concave side of one
of the arms of the spider. At the same time the convex side of the preceding arm
rests upon the surface of the coin carrier, the spider thus being locked in its position
while the meter is delivering gas. When the coin carrier is turned after the in-
sertion of a coin, the projecting part of the latter first pushes the pawl downwards
and liberates the spider, and then seizes. under the convex side of the liberated
arm and turns the spider, the upper part of the coin slot passing under a cylindri-
cal segment fixed to the casing during this movement to prevent the protruding
part of the coin from being pushed back. When the spider has moved forward,
the pawl drops back into its former position and arrests the further movement
by catching the next arm. The arm seized by the coin will then be in a position
touching the circumference of the coin cylinder, and as the latter is turned farther,
push in the projecting part of the coin, the other side of the coin slot clearing
the segmental cover at the same time, so that the coin drops out of the slot into
the cash box. The coin carrier is cut out at the side of the projecting coins to
allow the arm of the spider to pass. In this manner the spider is turned by one.
arm or division for each coin inserted.
The spindle of the spider is cut with a quick screw thread and a cylindrical
nut is placed thereon having fixed to it at one end the gas valve and at the other
end a spurwheel engaging into a long pinion parallel to the spindle, which

page_text: pinion is rotated from the index driving mechanism of the gas meter and when
gas is consumed turns the nut in such a direction that it moves the valve towards
its seating when the screw spindle is stationary, while the turning of the spindle
by a coin inserted draws the nut and valve away from the seating, the nut being
prevented from turning by the wheel and pinion. The gas enters from the inlet
pipe through the valve seating into a chamber communicating with the inlet
to the gas meter bellows or drum, and a stuffing box is arranged for the cylindrical
nut to pass through into this chamber. For cach coin inserted the valve is
drawn further away from its seating and in order to close it the meter must deliver
a quantity of gas corresponding with the number of coins inserted. When the
valve is brought against its seating the delivery of gas is stopped even if there
should be some leakage of the valve, as the friction of the valve on its seating
will prevent the further rotation of the nut and thereby arrest the motion of the
index driving mechanism and the bellows or drum of the meter.
The nut operates in any convenient way a shutter closing the coin slot when
the valve and nut have arrived at their farthest distance from the seating
allowed by the stuffing box, and also an index showing the quantity of gas paid
for but not consumed or the corresponding number of coins.
1
L000
We, CHALLENGER WHITHAM, of 171, Windsor Road, Managing Director of
Ward, Whitham & Company, Ltd., and EDWARD LARGE, of 42, Huxley Street
Tin plate Worker, both of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, 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 apparatus attached to gas meters for the purpose of
controlling the delivery of a predetermined quantity of gas against prepayment
made by means of coins inserted into a slot provided in the apparatus for this
purpose, and the invention consists in an improved construction or arrangement
of mechanism for actuating the gas valve and opening the gas inlet by means
of the coins inserted into the apparatus.
The drawings attached hereunto illustrate the currying out of my invention
in conjunction with the following statement.
In the said drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the prepayment
mechanism through the axis of the valve and spindle. Figure 2 represents
a front view of the same. Figure 3 represents a vertical cross-section along
line, of Figure 1, Figure 4 represents a section of the coin carrier in the coin
delivering position after operating the delivery valve. Figure 5 represents a
plan of the prepayment mechanism and gas measuring chamber and index
mechanism.
The prepayment mechanism is shewn applied to a dry meter but it is equally
applicable to a wet meter.
In carrying out our invention we arrange in the meter case a slot and shoot a
for the insertion of the coins and below the same a horizontal and preferably
cylindrical coin carrier 6 fitted with a knob or handle b¹ on a spindle 3 projecting
to the outside of the casing and arrange pegs o and c¹ on the cylinder abutting
against suitable stops, so that the coin carrier can be turned forward and back-

page_text: ward between said stops for rather more than half a revolution. The coin
carrier is slotted through, the slot b³ being of such length at the top side that the
coin to be used with the apparatus, for instance, a penny can drop into the slot,
and of shorter length at the lower side so that a coin of the correct value does not
drop through, while a smaller coin, a halfpenny for instance, drops through into
the cash box. The diameter of the cylindrical coin carrier is such that the coin
when level with the top side projects on the underside as shewn on Figure 3.
Parallel to the coin carrier we arrange a shaft carrying a spider d with curved
arms and below the coin carrier we pivot a forked pawle or its equivalent pressed
upwards by a balance weight el or spring and so formed that while one prong or
limb rests against the circumference of the coin carrier b another prong e³ is
in the path of the tips of the arms of the spider and only a short distance from
one of them do while the top of the preceding arm rests upon the surface of the
coin carrier the spider thus being prevented from turning in the direction of the
arrow on Figure 3 while the meter is delivering gas. When the coin carrier
is turned after the insertion of a coin, in the direction indicated by the arrow the
projecting part of the coin m first pushes the part of the pawl back and the
part out of the path of the spider arm and then seizes under the convex
side of the arm and turns the spider, the upper part of the coin slot b³ passing
under a cylindrical segment f fixed to the casing during this movement to pre-
vent the protruding part of the coin from being pushed back. When the spider
has moved forward the pawl drops back into its former position and prevents
the carrier from being turned backwards, and also arrests the movement of the
spider beyond the position shewn on Fig. 4 by catching the arm d³. The arm d
seized by the coin will then be in a position shewn on Figure 4, and as the coin
cylinder is turned a little farther till the peg comes against the slot side f¹,
push in the projecting part of the coin, the other side of the coin slot clearing
the segmental cover f at the same time, so that the coin drops out of the slot into
the cash box placed below. If the coin should be waxed or sticky and not drop
out, it would project on the underside and would catch against the cover f when
the carrier was turned backwards, and unless it could be made to fall out by
knocking it repeatedly against the cover, the meter would have to he opened and
the attempted fraud would be detected. The coin carrier is notched out at the
side of the projecting coins to allow the arms of the spider to pass. As will be
seen on Figure 4, the next arm enters a little into this notch and as the coin
carrier after delivery of the coin is turned back, the arm will also be turned back
so as to rest against the cylindrical surface of the carrier in the same position as
the arm on Figure 3, the spider being thus turned exactly by one arm or
division for each coin paid in even if the coin should be enlarged at the pro-
jecting side by hammering.
The spindle of the spider is cut with a quick screw thread and a cylindrical
nut is placed thereon haring fixed to it at one end the gas valve h¹ and at the
other end a spurwheel engaging into a long pinion placed parallel to the
spindle g, which pinion is rotated from the index driving shaft, 7 of the gas meter
through the crown wheel pinion and shaft and when gas is consumed turns
the nut in such a direction that it moves the valve towards its seating when the
screw spindle is stationary, that is to say in the same direction as the spider_is
turned by the coin, while the turning of the spindle by a coin inserted draws the
nut h and valve ¹ away from the seating, the nut being prevented from turning
by the wheel and pinion k. The gas enters from the inlet pipe p through the
valve seating p¹ into a gas tight chamber communicating through the opening p
with the inlet to the gas meter bellows or drum, and a stuffing box o is arranged
for the cylindrical nut to pass through into this chamber. For each additional
coin inserted the valve is drawn further away from its seating and in order to
close it the meter must deliver a quantity of gas corresponding with the number
of coins inserted. When the valve is brought against its seating the delivery
of gas is stopped even if there should be some leakage of the valve, as the friction

page_text: of the valve on its seating will prevent the further rotation of the nut and thereby
arrest the motion of the index driving mechanism and the bellows or drum of
the meter.
The worm wheel n on the spindle of the long pinion is made exchangeable
in order to be able to vary the quantity of gas delivered for each coin.
If an attempt is made to tamper with the meter by inserting for instance a
coin attached to a string, the arm & could be partly moved round without letting
the coin drop out of the coin slot in the carrier, but the coin could not be with-
drawn without moving the carrier back into its starting position, which could
not be done after the coin has passed the prong as the prong prevents it,
while if the carrier were turned back before the prong has slipped of the coin,
the arm would be pushed back into its starting position by the face of the
notch.
While gas is consumed, the friction of the screw spindle g in the nut h tends
to turn the spindle and spider in the same direction as it is turned by the coin,
so that the arm in contact with the coin carrier is held against it in the position
shewn on Figure 3, and the exact delivery of the predetermined quantity of gas
for each coin inserted is assured thereby. Obviously it is not necessary that the
entire coin carrier should have a cylindrical form but only those parts of its
surface which act upon the arms of the spider and pawl.
9.
In order to enable the quantity of gas paid for but not consumed to be read
at a glance a rotatable dial r is carried on a spur wheel loosely mounted upon a
spindle having an index finger in front of the dial r. The dial is geared
with the spindle g by means of the pinion g¹ and the index finger 3 is geared with
the long pinion & by means a train consisting of the toothed wheel pinion
and spur wheel. Each coin inserted is indicated upon the dial by the dial
moving forwarda say one point. As each coin's worth of the gas is passed through
the measuring chambers the finger moves in the same direction as the dial and
reduces the indicated quantity upon the dial. The dial is covered with clear
glass in order to prevent its being tampered with and at the same time to allow
of its being read.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
-
Firstly In a prepayment mechanism for gas meters the combination of a hori-
zontal coin carrier slotted so as to retain the coin level with the top side and pro-
truding from the underside of the carrier and having a handle for oscillating the
carrier from the outside and stops for limiting the oscillation thereof, a spider
wheel or its equivalent to be actuated by the projecting coin and advanced by one
arm for each oscillation of the carrier, a pawl for arresting the movement of the
said spider wheel or its equivalent, which is disengaged by the coin, a segmental
shield for retaining the coin in its position in the carrier while the pawl and
spider wheel are being actuated, a screw spindle fixed to the spider wheel. having
a sleeve nut passing through a stuffing box into the gas outlet chamber and
carrying at its outer end a conical valve which has its seating round the outlet
orifice, and at its inner end a spurwheel engaging with a long pinion in con-
nection with the meter index mechanism substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Secondly: In a prepayment gas meter the arrangement or use of a spider wheel
an oscillating cylindrical coin carrier slotted so as to retain the coin protruding
at one side and formed with. a notch at this side, a shield partly surrounding the
coin carrier and a pawl, said parts being so constructed and placed relatively
to each other that on turning the cylinder after insertion of a coin the coin dis-
engages the pawl and turns an arm of the spider wheel till another arm is arrested
by the pawl, and that on further turning the carrier, the first arm pushes the coin
partly out of the slot, and on turning the carrier back after the coin has dropped

page_text: but the face of the notch turns the second arm that has entered it back till it
rests against the cylindrical part of the carrier, in combination with a gas inlet
valve opened by turning the spider wheel and closed by the motion of the
measuring chamber, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
Thirdly: In prepayment gas meters having screw differential mechanism for
the opening and closing of the gas supply valve in which the screw is turned by
the coin carrier to open the gas supply valve and the nut is turned by the
measuring chamber to close the said valve, forming or fixing the valve rigid with
or upon the nut so as to turn and slide with the nut, substantially as described
hereinbefore and illustrated in the drawings.
Fourthly The constructive arrangement of prepayment mechanism for gas
meters, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
101
1
1900
WU
R. J. URQUHART, C.E.,
Chartered Patent Agent, Manchester and Liverpool.