Checking Apparatus applied to Coin-freed Gas Meters, in which each Quantity of Gas Taken is Released by the Rotating of a Spindle.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Checking Apparatus applied to Coin-freed Gas Meters, in which each
Quantity of Gas Taken is Released by the Rotating of a Spindle.
I, HERMANN PIPERSBERG, Manufacturer of Gas and Water Meters, of Luttring-
hausen, in the Empire of Germany, 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:-
In the use of automatic gas meters there is the disadvantage that the gas
company has hitherto had to rely on the honesty of the collector for the correct-
ness of the amount paid in, so far as they have not had the indicating mechanism
of the gas meters checked by a second official.
This invention is intended to obviate the difficulty. It consists in connecting
the gas meter with a closed removable tell-tale, which registers the introductions
of coin, is removed by the cashier when the money is taken out and opened in the
counting house for the purpose of checking the amount paid in.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 shows the tell-tale A in connection with the box B for the introduction
of the money, attached to the gas meter C.
Figs. 2 and 3 represent the coupling of the tell-tale with the rest of the
working mechanism.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the removed tell-tale.
On the spindle a, which, after insertion of a coin, must be rotated once, by
means of the crank-handle b, in order to release the given quantity of gas, a
worm c is arranged, which acts on a tooth-wheel d, mounted on the indicator
spindle e, which is arranged at right-angles to the spindle a. The spindle e
which connects the tell-tale A and the indicating working mechanism of the
gas-meter, is displaceable longitudinally and at f is under the influence of a
spring y, which, as long as the tell-tale is not connected with the gas-meter,
presses the shaft out of the working position (Fig. 3) in such a manner that
the contact between the worm-screw and the tooth-wheel dis broken.
spring simultaneously presses against a pawl which engages with a notched
disc mounted on the spindle a so that the rotation of the spindle a is also
prevented so long as the tell-tale is not connected with the gas meter.
The
The shaft e, which is carried through the side of the box B for the introduction
of the money, is furnished, at its free end, with a cleft k for the reception of the
indicator-pin, so that, when the tell-tale is mounted, the pin is firmly connected
with the shaft, and transmits the number of rotations to the indicating mechanism
of the tell-tale. This consists of the dial-plate m, the cam-wheel n, the ratchet-
wheel and the pawl p
The tell-tale is closed by means of the cover and the connected lead-piece s,
and after the tell-tale has been placed on the box into which the coins are dropped
the whole apparatus is closed by means of the folding cover t, with the assistance
of a lead-piece.
The operation of the tell-tale is as follows:-
The indicator-pin having been inserted in the cleft k of the shaft e the cover

page_text: is closed and at the same time displaces the spindle e against the action of the
spring bringing the spindle into the working position, so that the tooth-
wheel d
with the worm c.
engages
By the pressing back of the spring the
pawl is pressed down simultaneously from the ratchet wheel i, so that, after
a coin has been introduced, the spindle a can be rotated without hindrance. The
number of rotations of the spindle is now transmitted by the worm c and tooth
wheel to the shaft e, indicator pin, and thereby to the counting mechanism
of the tell-tale; in such a manner that the number of rotations of the spindle is
registered on the dial plate and a checking of the number of times money has
been put in, duly effected.
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:-
In coin-freed gas meters, the arrangement of a removable tell-tale capable of
being closed, the indicating mechanism of which is coupled on closing the tell-
tale with the mechanism of the meter through the displaceable spring influenced
shaft and the spindle a, whereby the number of rotations of the spindle and
therewith the number of times coins have been put in are recorded.
Dated this 30th day of December 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.