Improvements in Connecting Coin-freed Apparatus to Fluid Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Connecting Coin-freed Apparatus to Fluid Meters.
We, EMIL HOLLANDERS, of 3 Queen's Buildings Osborne Road, Southsea, in
the County of Southampton, Chronometer Maker, CHARLES JAMES LEATHER,
of North Grounds Villa, Portsmouth, also in the County of Southampton,
Contractor, and THOMAS TAYLOR, of 12 Mary Row, Southsea, aforesaid
Foreman Gas Fitter do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to connect coin-freed apparatus with existing
fluid meters in a simple and expéditious manner.
In fluid meters provided with coin-freed apparatus it has heretofore been
customary either to construct a special meter with coin-freed apparatus combined
therewith, or to remove the top of the meter so as to connect the coin-freed
apparatus with the registering mechanism, in which latter case the efficiency of
the meter is generally impaired necessitating retesting by the Board of Trade
inspectors.
To avoid the necessity of constructing special meters, and to adapt existing
fluid meters to deliver fluid in exchange for coins without interference with their
structural arrangement we proceed as follows;-We make two holes in that part
of the meter which encloses the registering mechanism by which the dial hands
are operated. Through each of these holes we pass a tube in which is a shaft
adjustable in said tube by collars and set screws or other adjustable means. Fixed
to one of these shafts is a stop for the registering mechanism, and fixed to the end
of the other shaft is a toothed wheel or other gear mechanism whereby it can be
geared to the existing mechanism on, or actuating, the registering shaft.
The method of attachment is as follows;-The tubes with the shafts loose therein,
are passed through the holes in the side of the meter and the shafts are pushed
through the tubes until the stop and gear thereon respectively are in proper
position; that end of each shaft which is outside the meter is then secured in its
position to the tube by the collar and set screw or other adjustable means. The
shafts and tubes are then withdrawn from the meter and the other end of each
shaft is secured to its tube. Suitable bearings for the tube containing the gear
shaft are then made in, or attached to, the sides of the meter and the tube is then
fixed therein and serves as bearings to the main shaft of a train of clock
mechanism forming part of the coin freed apparatus which is secured to the outside
of the meter by any suitable means.
The stop shaft is coupled or connected to the coin-freed apparatus in any suitable
manner.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Connecting Coin-freed Apparatus to Fluid Meters.
We, EMIL HOLLANDERS, of 3 Queen's Buildings, Osborne Road, Southsea, in
the County of Southampton, Chronometer Maker, CHARLES JAMES LEATHER,
of North Grounds Villa, Portsmouth, also in the County of Southampton,
Contractor, and THOMAS TAYLOR, of 12 Mary Row, Southsea, aforesaid,
Foreman Gas Fitter, 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 has for its object to connect coin-freed apparatus with existing
fluid meters in a simple an expeditious manner.
In fluid meters provided with coin-freed apparatus it has heretofore been
customary either to construct a special meter with coin-freed apparatus combined
therewith, or to remove the top of the meter so as to connect the coin-freed
apparatus with the registering mechanism, in which latter case the efficiency of
the meter is generally impaired necessitating retesting by the Board of Trade
inspectors.
To avoid the necessity of constructing special meters, and to adapt existing fluid
meters to deliver fluid in exchange for coins without interference with their structural
arrangement we proceed in the manner to be now described with reference to the
accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively
plan and part end elevation of a gas meter showing coin-freed apparatus connected
thereto according to our invention. In the drawings we have also shown part of
the coin-freed fluid supply controlling and delivery regulating mechanism which
forms the subject of our prior Patent Application No. 17621 of 1895, but our present
invention is not exclusively confined for use with the special mechanism therein
described, but is applicable generally.
We make two holes A A' in that part B of the meter which encloses the
registering mechanism C D E by which the dial hands are operated. Through
each of these holes A A¹ we pass a tube F F in which is a shaft G G' adjustable
in said tube F F by collars H, h and H', hand set screws J, j and J, or other
adjustable means. On an arm S' fixed to one of these shafts G is a stop S for the
radial arm R of the registering shaft C or for otherwise stopping the registering
mechanism C, D, E; and fixed to the other shaft G' is a toothed wheel T or
other gear mechanism whereby it can be geared to the existing wheel E or other
mechanism on, or actuating the registering and indicating mechanism.
The method of attachment is as follows;-The tubes F F' with the shafts G G¹
loose therein, are passed through the holes A A' in the side B of the meter, and
the shafts G G' are pushed through the tubes F F until the stop S and gear T
thereon respectively, are in proper position; that end of each shaft G G which is
outside the meter is then secured in its position to the tube F F by fixing the
collar to the tube by means of the set screw j or by other adjustable means.
The shafts and tubes are then entirely witl.drawn from the meter and the other
end of each shaft is secured by fixing its collar thereto in a similar manner, after
which both shafts and their tubes are placed in their respective holes A A'. The
plate or frame K³ having bearings K and K for the tubes F and F respectively,
is then placed over the ends of said tubes outside the external collars h and hi
aud over the ends of the pillars P on or attached to the side of the meter. The
plate or frame K is secured in position close against the collars h and h' by means
of the screws P in the heads of the pillars P. L represents a sleeve, which is
secured to the shaft G by the collar 2 and set screw, and which carries the
first wheel of a train of clock mechanism forming part of the coin-freed apparatus

page_text: which latter is secured to the outside of the meter by any suitable means. The
stop shaft G is also coupled or connected to the coin-freed mechanism in any
suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Connecting coin-freed apparatus to fluid meters by means of tubes passed through
holes made in the side of the meter, said tubes carrying shafts adjustable therein
by collars and set screws or other adjustable means, said shafts respectively carrying
on their inner ends stop and gear mechanism adapted to the registering mechanism
of the meter, and on their outer ends means for connecting them to the fluid supply
controlling and delivery regulating mechanisms so as to form the desired connection
between the meter registering mechanism and the coin-freed apparatus, substantially
as described and for the purposes stated.
Dated this 7th dan of Ontohar 1906.
F. W. GOLBY,
36 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.