Improvements in Coin Controlled Valve Mechanism for Gas Meters and other Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Coin Controlled Valve Mechanism for Gas Meters
and other Apparatus.
We, WARREN LESLIE CORT, Manufacturer, residing at No. 842, Ocean Avenue,
Borough of Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, and FRANK ALVIN
LANGWITHI, Mechanic, residing at No. 340, Third Avenue, Borough of Man-
hattan, County and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates more particularly to coin operated apparatus for con-
trolling the action of gas meters, though obviously the apparatus may be used in
connection with any device, the nature of which would permit of the application of
our invention.
Our invention is shown in the present instance as applied to a gas meter, and
the primary object of said invention is to produce a simple, cheap and efficient
device wherein, by the insertion of a coin of a given size, a predetermined
amount of gas will pass through the meter.
To these ends our invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination
of parts hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate
corresponding parts in the various views:-
Figure 1 is a face view of a gas meter showing our improved coin controlled
mechanism combined therewith;
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of the coin controlled
mechanism which is taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 5 and has parts broken
away to better illustrate the invention;
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the
valve controlling rod to be hereinafter described:
Figure 4 is a plan view of the entire device with the cover of the meter
removed to illustrate a portion of the meter mechanism;
Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the device with a portion of
the casing of the meter broken away to illustrate the meter mechanism;

page_text: Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the mechanism on the
line 6 6 of Figure 2; and
Figure 7 is a like view of the same on line 7-7 of Figure 2.
A gas meter A of any suitable construction is provided with the usual inlet
opening a which is adapted to be connected to the main and after the gas passes
through the meter to operate the usual or any preferred recording mechanism, it
is conveyed through an outlet pipe 6 to the service pipes which are connected
to the outlet pipe, as at c. In the inlet pipe a is contained a valve seat d with
which a valve d' co-operates and which is adapted to close off all communication
between the main and the meter. This valve is provided with a stem which
extends through a gas-tight opening into the casing B which encloses the coin
controlled mechanism. The lower end of the valve stem d is pivoted at d³ to a
swinging plate e which is pivoted at e¹. This plate e is provided with an internal
cam groove e through which a pin f is adapted to project. The pin f is carried
by a collar f which fits within a circumferential recess in the head of the valve
controlling rod C and is prevented from turning by cleats f which are adapted
to embrace the guide rail f³. It will thus be understood that as the rod C is
moved backward and forward the pin f will be brought into engagement with
the inclined cam faces of the plate e and will cause the valve d¹ to be opened
or closed. The valve controlling rod C is provided with a slot or opening g
(Figure 3) which passes transversely through said rod and is slightly
greater in width than the coin which is intended to be used.
The rod C in addition to the slot just mentioned is provided with a spiral groove gl
in which a male thread g³, carried by gear wheel D, is adapted to engage. The
valve controlling or operating rod C is likewise provided upon one side with a
longitudinal spline groove g³ in which a pin g (Figure 7) carried by the ratchet
wheel E is adapted to project. The gear wheel D is prevented from lateral move-
ment by the clcats which extend from the casing B of the device, and the
ratchet wheel E is prevented from lateral movement by one of the cleats h which
bears against the sleeve i of the wheel upon one side and by a wall of the
casing B which bears against a face of the wheel on the opposite side.
The free or outer end of the valve controlling rod C is adapted to extend
through an auxiliary casing F in the lower portion of which is a cash box j that
is closed by a suitable door ¹ that may be locked in any suitable manner, as
indicated at 12.
Within the auxiliary casing F is contained a rotating block G that is pro-
vided with central coin receiving openings at opposite points in its diameter, and
each of these openings is of just sufficient dimensions to receive the coin intended
to operate the device. Projecting from the walls of each of these slots are lugs k¹
which will support a coin of the requisite diameter, as indicated in Fig. 2, but
will not support a piece of smaller diameter. Formed upon the periphery of the
block G is a ring of ratchet teeth with which a pawl 3 engages to prevent the
block from being turned from right to left. Projecting from the block G is a
hollow stem which extends to the outside of the casing F and is closed at the
end to form a knob . By referring to Figure 4 it will be observed that the
hollow stem is provided with a circumferential collar which is provided at
diametrically opposite points with elongated recesses or welled openings that
extend in the direction of the length of said stem.
In the upper part of the casing F is a coin slot 7 which corresponds in extent
to the thickness and diameter of the coin intended to operate the device, and
directly in line with this coin slot is a second corresponding coin slot 7' which
communicates with the cash box j. Moving above the coin slot 7 in a dovetail
groove (Figure 6) is a slide 73 which is provided with a recess 4 that corre-
sponds to one-half of the coin slot 7. Projecting downwardly from the outer end
of this slide is a finger 15 that is adapted to contact with the collar when either
of the slots k in the block G are out of alignment with the coin slot 7, and thus
maintain the full portion of the slide over the coin slot to prevent access thereto.

page_text: However, when the block G has been turned to bring one of the slots k into
alignment with the coin slot in the casing, one of the recesses will have
been brought opposite to the finger 15 on the slide and it is free to be moved
into the position represented in Fig. 4, when the slot in the slide is brought
into register with the coin slot in the casing and a coin may be deposited in
the device.
By referring to Fig. 6, wherein the position of the paris corresponds to the
position represented in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the coin slots 14, 1, both of the
slots k, the slots 9 and 1, are brought into alignment. Now, if a coin or token
which is too small to be supported upon the lugs is introduced into the device,
it will drop through the various slots and will be received in the cash box with-
out in any way affecting the device. If, however, a proper coin is introduced
into the device it will be supported upon the lugs k of the block G, as indicated
in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and will form a connection beetween the block G and
the operating rod C, as indicated in Fig. 6, so that when the block G is rotated
by the knob, rotary motion is transmitted to the operating rod. When the
rod C is moved in the direction of the arrow 1 (Fig. 7) in the manner stated, the
said rod will be caused to move longitudinally in the direction of the arrow in
Fig. 2, thereby moving the valve d¹ from its seat and allowing the gas to pass
through the meter to the service pipes. The rotation of the rod C likewise causes
the ratchet wheel E to be rotated because of the pin or spline and groove con-
nection between the parts. When the coin, say a twenty-five cent. piece, is
inserted in the device and the block G is turned in the manner described and
makes a half revolution. the coin will be brought into register with the coin
slot. and the coin will drop into the cash box, thereby disconnecting the rod C
from the block G, so that no further movement can be transmitted to the rod
until another coin is inserted. It will be observed that when a proper coin has
been discharged from one of the slots k into the cash box in the manner
described, the other coin slot k is in a position to receive another coin, and in this
manner a number of coins, say four, can be inserted in the device at one time,
if desired. We will assume that a fourth coin has been inserted in the device
and that the rod C has been moved to the extreme limit of its movement or until
the head of the rod is brought into contact with the wall of the casing B. Now
if another coin is inserted in the device it will form the connection between the
block and the rod, but the rod cannot be moved by the knob until twenty-five
cents worth of gas has been consumed or until the rod C is automatically moved
back in a direction opposite to that of the arrow in Fig. 2, as will be hereinafter
explained.
In Figures 4 and 5 we have illustrated a portion of the operating mechanism
of a common form of gas meter which is now in use and which will answer to
show the adaptation of our invention. This operating mechanism comprises two
posts m which are operatively connected with mechanism in the lower part of the
meter. so that they are alternately turned a quarter of a revolution in opposite
directions. To these posts are secured arms m¹ which are pivotally connected to
links me that are pivoted to a rotating arm m³, as indicated at m. This arm m³
is secured to a shaft m which carries a worm me that engages a wheel m' carried
upon a shaft m8, which is provided with a worm m³. The shaft m8 is removably
connected with the main arbor n of a train of gear H which is connected to the
usual hands or pointers that co-operate with the reading dials on the face of
the meter. The worm m³ meshes with a worm wheel n¹ which is secured to a
shaft and this shaft carries a pinion n³ (Figure 7) at its outer end which is
adapted to engage a gear wheel n. Upon the shaft n5 which carries the gear
wheel n is a worm no that meshes with the worm wheel D. It will be seen that
by this arrangement, as the arms m¹ are alternately vibrated, motion is trans-
mitted to the arm m³ to rotate it and the shaft m³ which is connected therewith,
and that this rotatory motion is transmitted to the worm wheel D through the
shafts m, and n. This movement transmitted to the worm wheel D by the

page_text: As the
passage of gas through the meter, causes the train of gear H to record the
amount of gas consumed and the parts are prevented from being moved backwards
by the gravity pawl o which will permit the arm m³ to rotate in the direction of
the arrow, but will prevent it from rotating in the opposite direction.
worm wheel ID is rotated in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 7) it will cause the
operating rod C to be moved longitudinally in a direction opposite to that indi-
cated by the arrow in Fig. 2, thereby closing the valve when the rod has
reached the end of its movement in that direction.
By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the wall of the slide will
co-operate with the sharp edge or wall g of the coin slot when the slide is closed
to cut off any string or wire that may be connected to a washer or the like, which
may be inserted in the slot to operate the same. It is impossible to operate the
device by means of a stick or heavy wire, inasmuch as the knob cannot be
turned until the latch is in the closed position, and the stick or wire projecting
through the slot 7 would prevent the latch from being closed.
It will likewise be observed that it is impossible to telegraph" the device;
that is to say, to operate it more than once with a single coin by quickly moving
the parts.
Thus, by referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the coin can be
moved around with the block G between the lugs r, but that said lugs will pre-
vent a further movement of the coin so that it will be discharged into the cash
box when it (the coin) arrives at the slot .
It is thought that from the foregoing the operation of the device will be
understood; however, a brief description of the operation will be given.
Let it be supposed that the valve d¹ is closed and that communication between
the main and the meter is cut off. Now the consumer may purchase any amount
of gas he desires up to say one dollar's worth, at one time; but let it be assumed
that he merely wishes to pay for twenty-five cents worth. He places a twenty-
five cent piece in the slot in the manner hereinbefore described and turns the
knob one-half a revolution when the coin is delivered into the cash box and
the connection between the block and the operating rod is broken. The half turn
thus given to the valve controlling rod (causes it to be moved longitudinally
one quarter of its entire movement, thereby opening the valve and leaving it
approximately in the position indicated in Fig. 2. The valve now being open
allows the passage of gas through the meter to the service pipes and the mech-
anism in the meter starts to operate, thereby causing the worm wheel D to rotate
in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 7, thus feeding the operating rod in a
direction opposite to that in which the arrow points in Fig. 2. When twenty-
five cent worth of gas has passed through the meter, the operating rod will have
reached the end of its movement and the valve will be closed.
It will be observed that by our invention we are able to provide a simple, cheap
and efficient coin controlled gas meter wherein the parts are all positively operated
and wherein the operation of the parts is assured under all conditions and there
is little liability of the device getting out of order or being broken.
While we have shown and described with considerable exactness the construc-
tion and operation of one form of apparatus embodying our invention, we would
have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction shown,
as we are aware that many changes may be made without departing from the
spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combination with a meter, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid
therethrough, a rotating longitudinally movable valve controlling rod operatively
connected with the mechanism of the meter and adapted to be fed longitudinally
thereby in one direction to move the valve, coin controlled mechanism for moving
the valve controlling rod longitudinally in an opposite direction to move the

page_text: valve in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by the meter mech-
anism, said coin controlled mechanism being adapted to be directly connected
with the valve operating rod by an interposed coin.
2. The combination with a meter, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid
therethrough, a valve controlling rod operatively connected to the valve, said
valve controlling rod having a spiral thread, a gear wheel provided with a thread
which co-operates with the thread of the rod to move it longitudinally when the
gear is rotated, means operatively connected with the meter mechanism for
rotating the gear wheel and coin controlled mechanism for moving the rod inde-
pendently of the gear wheel in a longitudinal direction opposite to that in which the
rod is moved by the gear wheel, said coin-controlled mechanism being provided
with means for supporting a proper coin in place to form a direct connection
between the said coin-controlled mechanism and the valve controlling rod,
whereby the valve will be moved in one direction when the coin controlled
mechanism is operated and will be moved in an opposite direction by the opera-
tion of the meter mechanism.
3. The combination with a meter, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid
therethrough, a valve controlling rod operatively connected to the valve, said rod
having a spiral thread and a coin receiving slot, a gear wheel provided with a
thread which co-operates with the thread of the rod, means operatively connected
with the meter mechanism for rotating the gear wheel and a hand operated block
having a coin receiving slot which is adapted to register with the coin receiving
slot in the valve controlling rod, whereby when a proper coin is inserted in the
device the hand operated block and the rod will be connected to move together
and the rod will be moved independently of the gear wheel.
4. The combination with a meter, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid
therethrough, a valve controlling rod operatively connected to the valve, said rod
having a spiral thread and a coin receiving slot, a gear wheel provided with a
thread which co-operates with the thread of the rod to move it longitudinally
when the gear is rotated, means operatively connected with the meter mechanism
for rotating said gear wheel and a hand operated block having a coin receiving
slot which is adapted to register with the coin receiving slot in the valve control-
ling rod, whereby when a proper coin is inserted in the device the hand operated
block and the rod will be connected to move together and the rod will be moved
independently of the gear wheel in a longitudinal direction opposite to that in
which the rod is moved by the gear wheel, so that the valve will be opened when
the rod is operated by the hand operated block and the valve will be closed by
the operation of the meter mechanism.
5. The combination with a meter, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid
therethrough, a valve controlling rod operatively connected with the mechanism
of the meter and adapted to be moved longitudinally in one direction thereby to
seat the valve, said rod having a coin receiving slot therein, a hand operated
rotating block adapted to move independently of the valve controlling rod and
having a coin receiving slot in opposite sides thereof which are adapted to register
with the slot in the operating rod, a casing surrounding said block and having
coin inlet and coin outlet slots therein disposed at opposite points through the
diameter of said block.