Improvements in Automatic Prepayment Mechanism for Controlling the Supply of Electricity or Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Prepayment Mechanism for Controlling
the Supply of Electricity or Gas.
I, JOHN HUGHES, of The Grove, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, in the
County of Stafford, Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
―:
This invention has reference to automatic prepayment switch machines for
controlling or turning on and off electric current for lighting and analogous
purposes, the turning off or closing of the switch being automatically effected
on a predetermined time elapsing after the introduction of a coin.
I will describe my invention in connection with an automatic switch for con-
trolling the supply of electric light to billiard tables, by which light is supplied,
on the introduction of a coin, for sufficient time to enable a game to be played
and is then automatically switched off, whether the players have finished the
game or not..
I enclose within a suitable casing, chronometric mechanism whose running
down is controlled by a fly, and an electric switch arranged to make and break
an electric circuit for turning on and off the current. The axis upon which
the vanes of the fly are mounted, extends from a plate on a framing within which
the chronometric mechanism is located, and against this fly, one end of a double
armed catch engages when turned in one direction for blocking the same and
stopping the running down of the mechanism.
This blocking appliance is controlled by the fork end of an extension of a
switch lever mounted upon an axis, carrying a switch bar adapted to make or
break contact with suitable terminals for completing or interrupting the electric
circuit, which is arranged in connection with a system of lights. Coming with the
path of the tail end of the switch lever, which may be turned up into a foot, is
a tooth or extension of the winding axis, which is slotted and normally comes
underneath the open end of a suitably arranged coin shoot, access to the mouth
of which is gained from the outside of the apparatus, whilst surrounding this
winder axis is a loose or freely-rotating forked or double slotted sleeve, with the
gaps or slots thereof adapted to come or be brought coincident with the slot in
the winder axis, whilst the outer end of the sleeve is squared or otherwise formed
to receive a winding key, the handle of which comes outside the casing. When
a coin is dropped into the machine it falls into the coinciding gaps or slots in
the winder axis and the loose key sleeve and is held there by a pivoted stop arranged
underneath for the purpose and on the said sleeve being turned by the key, a
locking connection is made by the said coin between it and the winder axis, which
is rotated and winds up the chronometric mechanism and at the same time, the
tooth upon it operates on the switch arm in one direction, switches on the light
and removes the stop away from the fly, thus allowing the chronometric mechanism
to run down.
During the time that the coin is being rotated with the key, sleeve and winder,.

page_text: it is prevented from falling out by semi-circular guards arranged around the
parts, whilst the coin stop or rest is pivoted and is adapted to be returned to
its proper position under the coincident slots by the coin, on falling into the
cash box-after the winding is complete, striking, an extension or: foot of the said
stop...
The rotation of the winder axis in running down, brings its tooth again against
the switch arm and rocks it in the opposite direction, thus breaking the circuit
and cutting off the light, and at the same time, the stop is turned against the
fly, which is thereby blocked and the further running down of the mechanism
is stopped.
The application of my invention to apparatus for furning on and off the supply
of gas to one or a series of lights may be effected for substituting a gas tap in
connection with the switch axis in place of the electric switch herein described.
"
Improvements in Automatic Prepayment Mechanism for Controlling
the Supply of Electricity or Gas.
I, JOHN HUGHES, of The Grove, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, in the
County of Stafford, Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention has reference to automatic prepayment switch machines for
controlling or turning on and off electric current for lighting and analogous
purposes, the turning off or closing of the switch being automatically effected
on a predetermined time elapsing after the introduction of a coin.
I will describe my invention in connection with an automatic switch for con-
trolling the supply of electric light to billiard tables, by which light is supplied
on the introduction of a coin, for sufficient time to enable a game to be played
and is then automatically switched off, whether the players have finished the
game or not.
Figures 1 and 2 represent, partly in elevation, and partly in section similar
views of such an automatic switch as above referred to, but in Figure 1 the parts
are shown in the positions they assume before the spring driving mechanism is
wound up or when it is fully run down, with the said driving mechanism blocked
and the electric circuit broken by the switch, whilst Figure 2 shows the driving
mechanism fully wound up and commencing to drive and the switch in position
for making the circuit and allowing the lighting current to pass.
"In carrying out this form of the invention, it is proposed to enclose within
a casing a, suitable chronometric mechanism, whose running down is controlled
by a fly b, and an electric switch c¹, arranged to make and break an electric
circuit for turning on and off the current which supplies the light. The axis 6',
upon which the vanes of the fly are mounted, extends outwardly from a front
plate d, carried by the framing within which the chronometric mechanism is
focated, and against this fly, one end e¹, of a double armed catch e, is adapted to
engage on being turned by the means hereinafter described, in one direction for
blocking the said fly and stopping the running down of the mechanisin.
This blocking device is controlled by the forked end f, of an intermediate
.....
1

page_text: lever f, engaging with or acting upon the second arm e, of it and which said lever
may either turn upon a pin f, carried by the casing as shown, or it may be
mounted upon an axis, carrying a switch bar adapted to make or break contact with
suitable terminals for completing or interrupting the electric circuit, which is
arranged in connection with a system of lights, although in the form of apparatus
shown in the drawings, the said switch is controlled by a notched disc wheel y,
operated by the running down mechanism. h is the winding axis, which is
longitudinally slotted at h', and normally comes underneath the open end it, of a
suitably arranged coin shoot i, access to the mouth 2, of which is gained from the
outside of the apparatus, whilst surrounding this winder axis is a loose or free
forked or double slotted sleeve j, with the gaps or slots j, j², thereof adapted to
come or be brought coincident with the slot h', in the winder axis h, whilst the
outer end (not shown) of the said sleeve is squared or otherwise formed to receive
a winding key, the handle of which comes outside the casing. When a coin k,
is dropped into the machine it falls into the coinciding gaps or slots in. the
winder axis and the loose key sleeve and is held there by a pivoted stop n, arranged
contiguous to and below the said axis for the purpose of preventing the coin falling
through before it has served to couple the said axis and sleeve, and on the said
sleeve being turned by the key, a locking connection (as shown in Figure 1) is
made by the said coin between it and the winder axis, which is rotated and winds
up the chronometric mechanism and at the same time, a tooth h², mounted upon
the said axis impinges against the tail end f3, of the lever or arm f, and rocks
it in one direction, thereby causing the shoulder f4, of its forked end fi, to impinge
against the arm e³, of the stop e, and turn its other and blocking arm e', (as
represented in Figure 2) away from, the fly, thus allowing the chronometric
mechanism to run down.
During the time that the coin is being rotated with the key sleeve and winder,
it is prevented from falling out by a concentrically arranged stop or guard m,
having a gap or clearance at m', through which the coin may fall into the money
drawer o, after the winding up of the mechanism has been completed and the
grip of the edge parts of the gaps in the winder axis and sleeve respectively
relieved (see Figure 2), whilst the coin stop or rest », which is pivoted at n¹, is
adapted to be returned to its proper position, with the shoulder n², under the.
coincident slots h¹, j', j², and gap m', by the coin, in falling into the cash drawer
after the winding is complete, striking against an extension or foot n³, of the said
stop, whose rocking movement is limited by a pin n', carried by the plate d, and
disposed within a gap n
The rotation of the winder axis in running down in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Figure 2, brings its tooth h², round with it and carries it to impinge
against the back edge of the extension f³, of the arm and rocks it in the opposite
direction to that in which it was turned on winding up. This causes the
shoulder f, of its forked end to act upon the arm e¹ of the stop e, which is turned
into the path of the fly, which is thereby blocked and the further running down
of the mechanism is stopped.
The form of switch shown in the drawings consists of a contact arm c¹, pivoted
at c, to a pin or the like which forms one terminal of the circuit, and having its
other end, which may be spring forked, adapted to make contact with the
other terminal c. The said contact arm has a stud or tooth upon one edge,
which, after the chronometric mechanism has been wound up and during the time
that running down is proceeding, rests upon the periphery g', of a disc wheel g,
governed and driven by the said mechanism and having in its edge a notch g²,
the arrangement being such that at the same time as the tooth h2, on the winder
axis is actuating the lever f, and stop e, for blocking the fly, the notch g², is
brought round to the tooth c, which is caused to take or drop into the said notch
and the end 2, of the arm c¹, is taken out of contact with the terminal ct, and
into its "break". position (as represented in Figure 1) by the action of the
spring, bearing against its edge c³.

page_text: The tooth is taken out of the notch in the disc wheel and the contact arm is
returned to its circuit-making position by auxiliary means of suitable and well
known form, arranged in connection with the running down mechanism and
operated by the winding up so that immediately a person has placed a coin in
the apparatus and wound it up, the current is switched on and provides the desired
light.
One such auxiliary arrangement for taking the tooth of the switch arm out of
the notch in the disc is represented in two different positions in Figures 3 and 4;
the former view showing the parts in the positions they assume when the tooth
is in the notch whilst the other view shows the said tooth disengaged and resting
upon the edge of the disc.
h is the winder axis and g the disc with notch g2. This disc is loose upon the
winder axis but is connected thereto during the running down of the mechanism
by a pawl, on the said disc engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel p, made
fast to and rotating with the said axis, which is also provided with a pinion q,
gearing with the teeth of a sliding rack r, suitably guided on the back plate of
the apparatus, and having an inclined shoulder or other projection, adapted to
come against the arm s¹, of a double armed lever s, swinging from a pivot s², and
cause the other arm 3, to act against the switch arm c', and take its tooth 5, out
of the notch in the disc wheel.
Thus when the mechanism is arrested by the tooth on the switch arm dropping
into the notch the parts are in the positions represented in Figure 3. Then when
the apparatus is wound up, the winder axis, ratchet wheel and pinion q, move
together in the direction of the arrow Figure 3 (leaving the disc wheel stationary)
and the rack is thereby made to descend and at the time when the winding
up is nearly completed, the projection on the rack comes against and acts on the
levers, (see Figure 4) which is thereby rocked and turns the switch arm to a
sufficient extent to disengage its tooth from the notch bring it into its contact-
making position for switching on the light and hold it there: then on the rack
commencing to lift when the disc begins to rotate with the running down of the
mechanism, the lever s, returns to its normal position and the tooth drops onto the
edge of the disc as shown in Figure 4.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular form
of switch, which may, as aforesaid, be operated either by the axis of the lever f,
or any other suitable part of the mechanism, neither do I confine myself to the
arrangement and form of the chronometric mechanism, whose running down
determines the time for which light is supplied in exchange for the coin deposited.
Further, my invention may be applied to apparatus for turning on and off the
supply of gas to one or a series of lights by substituting a gas cock or tap,
opened and closed by suitable means, in place of the electrical switch as herein
described.
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 claim is: :—
-
First: In automatic prepayment switch machines for controlling the supply
of light, biocking and releasing the chronometric mechanism by means of a tooth
or other projection on a winder axis actuating a lever and stop arm or equivalent
for the purpose of turning the said stop in one direction and out of the path of
a fly or governor when the said mechanism is wound up and in the other direction,
or into the path of the said fly after the said mechanism has run down to a pre-
determined extent, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly: In automatic prepayment switch machines for controlling the supply
of light, the combination with means for blocking and releasing the chronometric
mechanism, as referred to in the preceding claim, of a switch operated for
opening and closing either by a notched disc wheel in connection with the con-

page_text: trolling mechanism, or by means of an axis or spindle turning with either the
intermediate lever or the stop arm of the blocking mechanism, substantially as
described and set forth.
:
Thirdly In automatic prepayment
switch machines for controlling the
supply of electric current or gas for lighting purposes, the employment of a
slotted winder axis and a gapped key sleeve adapted to be operatively connected
by an inserted coin, in combination with a concentric guard such as m, and a
pivoted and shouldered coin stop such as n, arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Fourthly: An automatic prepayment switch machine for controlling the supply
of electric current or gas for lighting purposes, consisting of chronometric
mechanism the slotted winder axis of which is operatively connected to a gapped
key sleeve by means of the coin, confined by means of a rocking stop and a con-
centric guard, and is provided with a notch or projection which, when the said
mechanism is wound up, acts in one direction upon an intermediate lever and
a stop arm in order to remove the latter from the path of a governing fly, and
after the said mechanism has run down to the desired extent, the said tooth acts
in the other direction to take the stop into the path of the fly; also of an electric
switch or gas tap arm having a tooth upon one edge adapted to fall or be impelled
into a notch in a rotating disc wheel on the said running down having been
completed, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Daten Lnis
day of February 18991
Dated LAIS HOLD day of February 1899
JOHN HUGHES,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.
JOHN HUGHES,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.