Improvements in Automatic Sale and Delivery Coin-freed Attachments for Gas and Liquid Meters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Sale and Delivery Coin-freed Attachments
for Gas and Liquid Meters.
I, ROWLAND WILLIAM BROWNHILL, of Aston House, Victoria Road, Aston,
ear the City of Birmingham, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Automatic Sale and Delivery Coin-freed
Attachments for Gas and Liquid Meters as hereinafter described, and is an improve-
ment upon, or an amplification of, four several Letters Patent granted to me and
bearing date the 13th day of May 1887, No. 7012; the 21st day of December 1889
No. 20583; the 26th day of March 1891 No. 5378.
My said present invention has for one of its objects, a new price changer, whereby
ratchet teeth in the changing mechanism or means are dispensed with; another of
its objects is the differential speeding of the index finger and disc wheel, and
another of its objects is the simplicity of the construction of the general mechanism,
with reduction of the cost of production of the same.
In connection with the price changer, I employ a clutch arrangement with a
disc wheel, in lieu of a ratchet wheel and pawl.
In connection with the differential movement of the pointer or finger which
traverses the dial, I employ an epicyclic train of wheels, whereby a differential
speeding is obtained.
In the general mechanism part of the attachment, I dispense with the old coin
lever, and employ in its stead, a shoot lever mounted upon a slotted axis, the
connection between which is made by a coin tendered in prepayment for a
pre-determined quantity of gas.
In carrying out my invention I take a horizontal axis, longitudinally slotted at
near one end, and also terminated at one end by a crank or other handle, and at the
other end by a hook-ended arm, and which axis turns and works within suitable
bearings made or formed within supporting brackets directed or proceeding from the
general framing of the attachment.
The said handle and hook ended arm, which former is for the purpose of working
the apparatus, whilst the latter member is for the purpose of bringing back the
shoot and parts directly carried by it, are both made fast to the said axis, but have
slight play.
Mounted upon and over a slotted end of the axis is an upright shoot, with its
outlet, when in its normal position, coincident with the slot in the axis, so that on a
coin being passed through a coin slot, and then down the shoot, the coin falls both
through the open bottom of the said shoot, through the slot in the axis, and then
rests upon ears or stops coming under the ends of the axis slot.
When the coin is dropped through the one member, and rests within the other
to be moved
member, the said members are locked together, for the same
collectively by the turning of the handle, which is, as aforesaid, made fast to
the axis.
The coin shoot carries an excess lever upon one side, in order to prevent the
introduction of two coins at the same time. It consists of a counterpoised and
jointed double-armed lever, with the lower end curved, and crossing the lower part
of the path of the coin shoot, whilst the upper end is hooked, and normally lies

page_text: without the range of the entrance to the said coin shoot. When a coin is dropped
into the coin shoot, the said excess lever is rocked, or the lower arm pushed
outwardly, which turns inwardly the upper and hooked arm, which crosses the
entrance to the shoot, hence the prevention of the introduction of further coin,
until the one already introduced has fulfilled and done its duty.
The tail end of the coin shoot coming below the slot in the axis, is formed into a
cross bar, against which the coin also comes.
Situated immediately below the movable and radially working coin shoot, is an
inclined plane, with troughed sides, down which the released coins slide into a coin
box fitted within a recess formed in the top of the meter casing. The inner and
upper part of the coin shoot, which is a radially-working lever in disguise, carries a
stud, which works within the slot of a radially-slotted link. The unslotted end of
the said link is connected to one end of a lever, whose other end is jointed and
formed into a short arm or heel, which is presented to the plain periphery of a disc
wheel, carried upon a plate, which has a stud or stop directed from one part, which
comes against, and is limited in its motion by, a price changer, coming within
its path.
The elements employed in this last system of levers, in conjunction with the disc
wheel, constitute what I designate the clutch movement and constitute the means
of causing the whole of the component parts of the mechanism to move bodily
forward on the turning of the handle.
The price changer consists of a toothed sector, alike unto the coin shoot, loosely
mounted upon the main and slotted axis, and provided at its inner or body part
with a quadrant slot, wherein a lower stud carried by the coin shoot takes, and
which stud is for the purpose of bringing the clutch mechanism and parts carried
by it, home to their normal positions.
The price changer has intergearing with a toothed sector, a pinion carried by an
axis, supported by suitable framings, and having upon its forward end, a disc
clutch, which bears upon the back face of an upright plate of the front framing,
whilst the extreme forward end of the said price-changer axis has a lock nut,
which abuts upon an arm, with a small handle at its end for operating the pinion of
the price changer, when the price of gas is required to be changed.
Situated forward of the price changer, and upon the main slotted axis, is a
measuring-out wheel, loose upon the axis, and consisting of a large toothed wheel,
with which a pinion on the axis of the disc or clutch wheel engages, and by means
of which the said wheel is held and rotated with the parts carried by it, so that as
the handle is moved for measuring out the predetermined cubic feet of gas,
according to the quantity limited by the price changer, so the whole of the mechanism
is moved, or made to take a forward direction, or a movement from left to right.
Interposed between the measuring-out wheel and the upright walls of the framing,
is a disc clutch, for retaining the mechanism lying between it and the operating
handle, stationary, during the return movement of those parts lying rearward of
the clutch.
Now mounted upon a forward part of the main axis is an epicyclic train of
wheels, consisting of two toothed wheels, one with forty-one and one with forty
teeth and with which toothed wheels (which may vary in the number of their teeth)
twin pinions carried by a meter tangent wheel coming between them, engage.
The meter wheel is driven from a worm on the drum axis, whilst the axis of the
twin pinions works loosely through the walls of the meter wheel.
Connection between the first wheel of the epicyclic train and the measuring-out
wheel is made by a sleeve having a boss upon it, and around which, the before-
named clutch comes.
The second-named wheel of the said epicyclic train is connected by a sleeve or
bush to a disc wheel, having a notch cut within its plain periphery, and which notch
is of the order described in my several cited Letters Patent, and is adapted for
controlling a tooth or stud carried upon the end of a lever, by means of which the
valve for cutting-off and turning-on gas or water is operated.

page_text: Thus, this disc wheel has a gap cut within its periphery, within which the stud,
tooth or the equivalent falls, and cuts off the gas or water, when a predetermined
quantity has been delivered."
The said gap, which is formed with an inclined plane upon one side, also allows
gas or water to be supplied by the said stud working up the incline of the gap, on
the disc wheel being turned.
The finger or pointer coming in front of the face of the dial, is connected
directly to the disc wheel, so that the three last-named members, to wit, the second
wheel of the epicyclic train, the axis wheel, and the pointer are integrally
connected.
The valve lever which controls the supply valve may be taken home, or its stud
end made to bear upon the periphery of the disc wheel, by or through the instrumen-
tality of a spring.
The disc wheel also has upon its face, a stud, which on it being rotated
successively through portions of a circle, operates upon one end of a jointed lever,
having a plate which is made to close up or come over the entrance to the coin
shoot, so that only a given number of coins can be introduced, so that the consumer
is prevented from being defrauded in respect of placing coins for which no return
in gas would be made.
OPERATION.
Assuming the parts to be in their normal positions, the coin is dropped down the
coin shoot, and passes partially through its lower open end, and through the slot in
the axis, and a little beyond the bar below the axis, and further, with the opposite
edges of the coin coming upon the ear-rests.
The coin shoot and axis are united
together by the coin as the means of connection, whilst the excess lever has its
hooked end brought over or made to cross the mouth of the said shoot, by the
weight of the coin.
By now turning the handle from left to right, the coin shoot and the parts carried
by it, and also the slotted axis, are then moved through a semi-circle, and the upper
stud of the said shoot brought up to the outer end of the slot of the link, when the
said link is pulled forward by the continued movement of the axis and the
aforesaid parts.
The clutch arm is then pressed upon the clutch disc, and the plate carrying the
stud, which is mounted upon the main axis, moves through a semi-circle, and
the pinion on the clutch disc is prevented from rotating, hence the carrying of
the measuring-out wheel.
Communication of motion is thus made to the first toothed wheel of the epicyclic
train, and from thence to its pinion, and from this pinion through its pinion axis,
which passes through the walls of the meter wheel, to the second pinion, which
drives the second wheel of the epicyclic train, and through the last named, the
disc and pointer are driven, and through the disc and pointer, the valve is operated
by the stud being brought from out of the gap to the periphery.
Now the stud on the clutch plate is arrested in its motion, and the necessary
limit or feed given, by the same coming in contact with a shoulder or part of the
price changer.
On the releasing of the handle after thus measuring out the quantity of gas to be
delivered for a single coin, the said coin falls, and rolls or slides into the coin box,
leaving the coin shoot and axis free, or unconnected, and which parts are brought
back by the counterpoised lever and hook-ended arm acting upon the coin shoot,
through the intervention of the lower stud of which, the clutch parts are returned,
whilst the whole of the other parts forward of the clutch disc remain quiescent.
As the meter wheel proceeds in its return movement, a back motion is imparted
differentially through the epicyclic train to the pointer and disc wheel.
The price changer handle, which has a pointer, has a graduated dial at the back
of it, divided out into divisions starting at 22 pence, and ending at 59 pence. The
markings are graduated from the start to the end in an inverse ratio, that is to say,

page_text: it starts with considerable spaces, gradually lessening from beginning to the
end, hence a graduated dial.
Dated this 20th day of June 1893.
ROWLAND WILLIAM BROWNHILL,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
CUBIT LEIE DIT ECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Sale and Delivery Coin-freed Attachments
for Gas and Liquid Meters.
I, ROWLAND WILLIAM BROWNHILL, of Aston House, Victoria Road, Aston, near
the City of Birmingham, Engineer, 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 Improvements in Automatic Sale and Delivery Coin-freed
Attachments for Gas and Liquid Meters as hereinafter described, and is an improve-
ment upon, or an amplification of, four several Letters Patent granted to me and
bearing date the 13th day of May 1887, No. 7012; the 21st day of December
1889 No. 20583; the 26th day of March 1891 No. 5378; and the 19th day of
July 1892 No. 13181.
My said present invention consists in the one part in a new price changer, in a
second part, in new means for differentially speeding the index finger and disc
wheel and in a further part in simplifying the construction of the general mechanism
and reducing the cost of production of the same.
In connection with the price changer, I employ a clutch arrangement with a disc
wheel, in lieu of a ratchet wheel and pawl.
In connection with the differential movement of the pointer or finger which
traverses the dial, I employ an epicyclic train of wheels, whereby a differential
reduction speeding is obtained.
In carrying out my invention I take a horizontal axis, terminated at one end by
a crank or other handle, and at the other end by a hook-ended arm, and which axis
turns and works within suitable bearings made or formed within supporting brackets
directed or proceeding from the general framing of the attachment.
The said handle and hook ended arm, which former is for the purpose of working
the apparatus, whilst the latter member is for the purpose of bringing back the
shoot and parts directly carried by it, are both made fast to the said axis.
Mounted upon the back end of the axis is an open-ended upright and oscillating
extension of the coin shoot, whose open lower end or outlet, when in its normal
position, slightly overhangs ears or extensious of the framing, upon which a coin
on being dropped into the shoot extension, rests and forms the coupling for con-
necting the mechanism of the attachment to the main shaft or axis through the
clutch as hereinafter described.
When the coin is dropped into the one member, and rests upon the other member
the said members, with the hook-ended arm, are connected together so that the
whole of the transmitting and indicating mechanism admit of being moved
collectively by the turning of the handle, which is, as aforesaid, made fast to
the axis.
The coin shoot carries an excess lever upon one side, in order to prevent the
introduction of two coins at the same time. This consists of a counterpoised and
jointed double-armed lever, with the lower end curved, and crossing the lower
part of the path of the oscillating extension of the coin shoot, whilst the upper
end is hooked, and normally lies without the range of the entrance to the said
extension of the coin shoot. When a coin is dropped into the coin shoot, the said
excess lever or its lower arm is pushed outwardly and thereby turns inwardly the

page_text: upper and hooked arm, which crosses the entrance to the shoot, hence the prevention
of the introduction of further coin, until the one already introduced has carried out
the duty assigned to it.
Situated immediately below the outlet to the movable and radially working
extension of the coin shoot, is an inclined plane, with troughed sides, down which
the released coins slide into a coin box fitted within a recess formed in the top of
the meter casing. The oscillating extension of the coin shoot, which is a radially
working lever in disguise, carries a stud to which, the inner end of a link is
connected, whilst the outer end of the said link is connected to one end of a lever,
whose other end is jointed and formed into a short arm or heel, which is presented
to the plain periphery of a disc wheel, carried upon a plate or bracket which has
a stud or stop for limiting the forward motion of the clutch arm.
The elements employed in this last system of levers, in conjunction with the disc
wheel, constitute what I designate the clutch movement, and form the means of
causing the whole of the component parts of the mechanism to move bodily forward
on the turning of the handle.
The price changer primarily consists of a toothed sector, loosely mounted upon
the main axis forward of a graduated dial and rearward of the range arm having
an adjustable stop at its end, which is limited in its angular movement by a lug or
stop carried by the toothed sector with which a pinion carried upon a supplementary
axis, gears and which supplementary axis has made fast with it, a toothed wheel,
gearing with a like toothed wheel made fast with the price changer dial and riding
loose upon the main or principal axis. The extreme forward end of the said
price-changer axis which has a squared extension for turning, on adjustment, is
surrounded by a locking plate for fixing the price changing mechanism when the
same has been duly set.
Riding loose upon the rear portion of the main axis, is a measuring out or
quantity wheel, consisting of a large toothed wheel, with which a pinion on the
axis of the disc or clutch wheel engages, by means of which the said wheel is held
and rotated with the parts carried by it, so that as the handle is moved for
measuring out the predetermined cubic feet of gas, according to the quantity
limited by the price changer, so the whole of the mechanism is moved, or made to
take a forward direction, or a movement from left to right.
Interposed between the measuring-out or quantity wheel and the upright walls
of the framing, is a disc clutch, for retaining portions of the mechanism stationary
during the movement of the meter drum.
Now mounted loosely upon the main axis is an epicyclic train of wheels consisting
of two toothed wheels respectively carried by the notched disc or wheel and the
quantity wheel one of which preferably has forty-one teeth and the other forty
teeth and with which toothed wheels (which may vary in the number of their
teeth) twin pinions carried by a meter tangent wheel coming between them, engage.
The meter wheel is driven from a worm on the drum axis, whilst the axis of the
twin pinions works loosely through the walls of the meter wheel.
Connection between the first wheel of the epicyclic train and the measuring-out
wheel is made by a sleeve.
The second-named wheel of the said epicyclic train is connected by a sleeve or
bush to a disc wheel, having a notch cut within its plain periphery, and which
notch is of the order described in my several cited Letters Patent, and is adapted
for controlling a tooth or stud carried upon the end of a lever, by means of
which the valve for cutting-off and turning on gas or water is operated.
Thus, this disc wheel has a gap cut within its periphery within which the stud,
tooth or the equivalent falls, and cuts off the gas or water, when a predetermined
quantity has been delivered.
The said gap, which is formed with an inclined plane upon one side, also allows
gas or water to be supplied by the said stud working up the incline of the gap, on
the disc wheel being turned.
The finger or pointer coming in front of the face of the dial, is connected directly

page_text: to the disc wheel, so that the three last-named members, to wit, the second wheel
of the epicyclic train, the disc wheel, and the pointer are integrally connected.
The valve lever which controls the supply valve may be taken home, or its stud
end made to bear upon the periphery of the disc wheel, by or through the instru-
mentality of a spring.
The disc wheel may have upon its face, a stud, which on it being rotated
successively through portions of a circle, operates upon one end of a jointed lever,
having a plate which is made to close up or come over the entrance to the coin
shoot, so that only a given number of coins can be introduced, so that the
-consumer is prevented from being defrauded in respect of placing coins for which
no return in gas would be made.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in front elevation (with the
enclosing casing in section) an automatic sale and delivery coin-freed gas-meter
attachment constructed, arranged and provided with improvements made according
to this invention.
This view shows the handle or turn of the principal axis, also the range arm and
stop of the price changer and the means for varying the position of the said arm
relative to the range stop, which determines the number of cubic feet of gas to
be delivered to the payee. The said view also shows the valve and the arm for
operating the same.
Figure 2 represents a back elevation of the said attachment, with parts in
section.
This view represents the coin shoot, the quantity wheel, the operating lever and
portions of the clutch mechanism.
Figure 3 represents a complete side elevation of the attachment, and a section of
the casing upon the dotted lines A B Figure 1, showing the positions of the whole
or nearly the whole of the components.
Figure 4 represents a longitudinal vertical section upon the dotted lines CD
Figure showing the whole of the component parts of the attachment, and the
transmitting gear.
Figure 5 represents a cross section upon the dotted lines E F Figure 4, showing
the quantity wheel and its clutch also the back stop for limiting the retrograde move-
ment of the clutch mechanism.
Figure 6 represents a cross section upon the dotted lines G H Figure 4, looking
from left to right and showing the price changing dial and the gear for rotating it.
Figure 7 represents a cross section upon the dotted lines I J Figure 4, showing
the notched disc and the inner end of the gas-valve operating lever.
Figure 8 represents a cross section upon the dotted lines K L Figure 4, looking
from left to right and showing the meter wheel and one of the planet pinions, and
also the sun wheel forming the epicyclic train.
Figure 9 represents an edge view of the price dial and its driving wheel.
Figure 10 shows the notched disc with its driving pinion and finger which
traverses the dial.
Figure 11 shows the meter wheel with its dual pinions.
Figure 12 shows the quantity wheel and its driven pinion.
Figure 13 represents a side elevation of the clutch mechanism and its carrier
"bracket.
Figure 14 represents the price-changer driving-wheel and the toothed-quadrant
operating pinion for changing the range of the stop.
Figure 15 represents the main or principal axis, with the lever turn, the range
arm and the hook ended lever.
Figure 16 represents an elevation of a part of the framing adjacent to the clutch
and the stop for limiting the back movement of the measuring-out parts.
Figure 17 represents a front elevation of the tooth sector arm of the price
changer.
Figure 18 represents an edge view of the oscillating or rocking coin shoot
extension, whilst Figure 19 is a front elevation of the same, showing the gap which

page_text: the coin closes in making the connection between the operating handle and the
winding-up mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is the principal or main axis, supported by framings b, 61, carried by the outer
enclosing casing 6, surmounting the upper part of the meter c, and with the said
principal axis working within bushes of loosely strung components, which work
within bearings 3, of the said framings b, b'. This said principal axis carries upon
and has made fast to it, a turning handle d, at one end and a hook-ended and
double-armed lever e, at the other end, and a range arm f, of the price changer
near the handle end. ' is an oscillating extension of the coin shoot which.
extension is open at top and bottom at g³, g³, whilst the sides of its lower end are
gapped at g, sufficient to make a complete clearance for the passing therethrough
of the hooked end e', and part e³ of the lever e, turning with the end a', of the
axis a, on the said lever making a part rotation when no coin is in the coin shoot
extension g', which is carried by opposite brackets go, having bearings g, taking and
working upon the said end a', of the principal axis.
This shoot extension g', carries a counterpoised excess lever h, jointed at h³, to a
carrying bracket ³, carried by the walls of the said extension, and with the upper
and curved end h, normally lying without the path of the mouth 93, of the shoot
extension g', but with the tail end ho normally lying within the throat 9', of the
said extension g', so that when a coin is dropped down the coin shoot g, it gravitates
into the lower part g' and in running down the throat of the same it strikes
against and presses outwardly the tail end and at the same time turns inwardly
the other end across the open mouth of the shoot extension g'. The coin then
comes upon the rest ear or extension, of the fixed bracket, which lies partly
within the path of the lower open end g², and the excess lever is blocked in its
mouth-closing position by the upper part of the coin resting in front of the said
tail end.
The lever e, which is fast upon the principal axis a, and has a hooked end e¹, and
a bearing breast e³, has also a stop arm e³, which takes its abutment against the
back wall of the shoot extension g', and limits the backward movement of the
principal axis and the lever and the parts carried by the said axis.
The clutch mechanism, which makes the connection between the principal axis, .
the coin-shoot extension g¹, and the quantity or measuring-out wheel j, consists of a
link k³, with the inner end jointed to a stud y8, on one of the sides of the shoot
extension g', and with its other end jointedly connected at k, to a clutch lever k,
fulcrumed or pivoted at ³, to a rising and falling carrying bracket ko, mounted
upon the main axis, whilst the bearing contact k, of the short arm or heel k*, comes
against the plain periphery k', of a disc wheel A, which has made fast upon its
axis k, working within bearings of a fixed bracket k° carried by the rising and
falling arm, a pinion ", which intergears with the teeth of the quantity or
measuring-out wheel j, having a bushed or bearing sleeve j', made fast with it and
formed integral with a toothed sun wbeel j, having 41 teeth and forming the
driving wheel of the epicyclic train. This said wheel, intergears with one
pinion m', of a planet twin-pinion m, whose axis m³, is directed through a bush or
hollow axis m, made integral with the meter tangent wheel me, which is loose upon
the main axis a, and is driven by a worm m³, of a stalk m', rotated from the meter
drum by the impelling force of gas passing through the meter.
The second pinion m² of the twin planet pinion m, each of which have 15 teeth,.
intergears with the teeth of a second toothed sun wheel n³, have forty teeth,
and being made fast to the hollow neck or sleeve n², carrying the disc wheel n, and
having a notch ³, with inclined sides n', (wherein a tooth or stud s', of a valve
operating levers, engages), and with the forward uecked extension n', having made
fast to it, a pointer no, which traverses the face of the graduated dial o, which is
marked off into a scale indicative of 300 or other number of cubic feet of gas, an 1
is made fast to the general framing b, of the attachment.

page_text: Located between the framing b', and the face of the quantity wheel j, is a spring
friction clutch p, for holding the whole of the gear wheels and components, rear of
the pinion m¹, stationary whilst the meter wheel is being rotated by the impelling
force of gas passing through the meter, and whilst the planet pinions are rolling
round the toothed peripheries of the sun wheels and effecting the necessary
reduction in the speed of the disc wheel n and pointer n°.
The too-free movement of the shoot extension is obviated or the same is made
carried by
stiff in its movement by the free end g', of a pressure spring or lip 9,
the said extension g', pressing against the side of the framing b', of the attachment.
The clutch mechanism is limited in its back movement by a stop 9³, carried by
the general framing b', whilst the clutch lever k, is also limited in its backward
movement by a stud q³, carried by the rocking or rising and falling bracket k.
Situated under the outlet of the coin shoot extension 9¹, and under the coin
rest, of the bracket i, is a trough r, down which coins slide into the coin box or
receptacle placed within the interior of the casing of the meter.
The back end of the valve operating lever s, is connected to the valve by the
joints, located within the valve chest s³, and adapted to open and close the gas
way of the service s'.
In the price changer, the range arm f, has an adjustable stop f1, consisting of a
screw which worms in and out of the screw box f³, made through the end of the
said arm for fine adjustment of the range. t is a rotating price-indicating dial,
having pence graduations and numerals upon it and being mounted loosely upon the
axis a and integrally connected with a toothed pinion t', which latter intergears
with a like pinion u, made fast upon a supplementary axis u³, carrying fast upon it
a pinion us, which intergears with the teeth of a toothed sector v, also mounted
loosely upon the axis a, and being provided with a forward stop ², whose
position determines the range of motion of the range arm f, with stop f', and
thereby indicates, according to the range, the amount of gas to be apportioned out
to the payee.
Thus, supposing that gas is 2/11 per thousand cubic feet, then the dial t, is
rotated until the numeral 35 comes opposite the termination to', of a mask or
ring w, gapped at w³, through which a portion of the price indicating dial t, is seen.
The axis u², works within bearings *, in the general framing b, and has a squared
extension u, upon its end upon which a key takes for winding. u is a lock nut and
u' is a clamping plate before it, for clamping the price changing mechanism in a
determined fixed position before being officially sealed up.
In making an alteration in the price changing mechanism consequent upon a
change in the price of gas, an official breaks the seal and then rotates by a key the
pinion u³, and adjusts the position of the range stop relative to the back stop of the
range arm, and after adjustment, he places the clamping plate u', in position and
forces the same home by the nut us, thereby preventing the dial t, and the quadrant
stop from being changed or tampered with by consumers.

page_text: determination, less gas is apportioned out to the consumer consequent upon the rise
in the price of gas.
From this it will be seen that by changing the position of the dial t, relative to
the indicator w', so the range of motion of the range arm f, is decreased or
increased and the quantity of gas apportioned out to the consumer is increased or
decreased accordingly, and the winding-up mechanism is moved through a greater
or less range on the turning of the handle on a penny being introduced or a
succession of pennies being introduced.
Assuming that the whole of the parts are in their normal relative positions as
represented in the several figures of the drawings and assuming that a coin y, has
been dropped down the coin shoot g, through an ordinary coin slot g*, the said coin
then slides down the throat g', of the coin shoot extension g', aud in its traverse
strikes against the tail end h³, of the excess lever h, and presses the said end out of
its path, when the said coin y, falls upon the rest of the fixed framing i, (see
dotted lines in Figure 2) whilst the top part of it holds the excess lever h, back and
keeps the upper hooked end h, across the mouth h³, of the coin shoot extension g¹,
until the coin has been liberated, whereby excess coins are prevented from being
introduced into the shoot until an equivalent in gas to the one previously tendered
has been placed, in manner of speaking, to the credit of the payee.
The introduced coin couples together the apportioning out parts of the mechanism
and the turning handle, after the said turning handle has been turned from left to
right and the hooked end e', of the lever e has been brought under the lower edge
of the coin, and the breast part e³, has been brought forcibly up to the offside face
of the coin, thereby jambing the said coin between the lever and the adjacent
walls of the shoot extension g'. The continued motion of the handle now turns
the shoot extension g', forwardly with a free movement upon its bearing centres,
and at the same time draws with it the link k', and turns the clutch lever k,
backwards upon its axis k³, and when the shoot extension has assumed a vertical or
nearly vertical position the bearing face k, of the short arm k, of the lever k, has
been brought up to the plain periphery, of the wheel k', and by the frictional
contact of the surfaces thus brought together, the motion of the pinion ", is
arrested, or the said pinion is held fast, and so also is the quantity wheel, inter-
gearing with it. The result is that on the still continued rotation of the handle,
the quantity wheel, the clutch mechanism, the shoot extension and the whole of the
parts of the attachment, less the meter wheel and its twin pinions, are bodily
moved back together until the motion is arrested and the parts blocked from
further progress by the end of the pin f', of the range arm f, coming against the
forward range stop of the toothed sector v, of the price changer.
Motion is transmitted from the quantity wheel, to the notched disc n, through
the sun wheel, which drives the pinion m', and communicates motion to the
pinion m², which in turn communicates its motion to the second sun wheel n', at a
considerably reduced speed and through the sleeve n', of the said pinion to the disc
wheel n and finger nº, and by such rotation of the said disc, its notch n³, is taken
away from the tooth or stud s', by the wiping over the said stud of the incline n',
thereby turning the lever s, outwardly upon its joint 8, and taking the valve from
its seat in the valve chest and opening the gas-way in the service.
The handle is then turned in the reverse direction, when the whole of the
component parts of the transmitting and clutch mechanism for a time remain and
are kept quiescent by the friction clutch p, located between the quantity wheel j,
and the adjacent walls of the upright framing b', and as the motion is continued,
the axis has a limited free movement which takes the hooked end e', of the lever e,
(fast on the end of the said axis) from under and without the range of the coin y,
and immediately the said hooked end comes clear of the coin (as in Figure 2)
then the said coin falls onto the inclined trough r, and from thence slides into the
coin box.
Immediately the coin is released, the short-arm e³, of the said lever e, comes
against the back of the oscillating coin shoot extension g', which is then carried

page_text: forward, and with it, the link k², aud the clutch arm k, and the acting and gripping
face k, of its short arm k, is taken from the plain periphery 48, of the wheel A',
hence the releasing of the clutch from its engagement with the quantity wheel, and
as the clutch mechanism and the shoot extension and the parts carried by them are
brought back to their normal position the pinion ", rolls over the teeth of the
periphery of the quantity wheel, until the arm 4, carrying the clutch mechanism is
stopped by coming against the forward range stop 9', so that the range of motion of
the mechanism is between the fixed stop q³, and the adjustable stop v².
The meter drum now being impelled round by the pressure of gas passing
through the service, communicates rotatory motion to the worm axis at the rate at
which gas is being delivered and consumed, and rotatory motion is transmitted from
the said axis to the meter wheel mo, and as the first sun wheel, (having 41 teeth)
and the quantity wheel j, remain quiescent, the pinion m¹, rolls around the toothed
periphery of the said wheel 2, and through it, the twin pinion m is rotated and the
pinion m³, is made to roll upon the toothed circumference of the second sun wheel n',
having 40 teeth, thereby turning the said wheel n', its sleeve n', the pointer nⓇ, and
the disc wheel n, around backwards to an extent equal to one tooth of the wheel n',
to every complete rotation of the meter wheel m. The notch n³, in the disc n, has
now been brought back to its normal position and the tooth or stud s' has passed
again into the notch, and by the angular movement made by the valve operating
levers, gas has been cut off by the closing of the valve and the payee has had dealt
out to him an equivalent in gas for the coin deposited.
It is understood that the relative reduction of the motion of the disc wheel and
the parts carried by its sleeve is exactly in the same proportion in moving forwards
by the rotation of the quantity wheel as it is in being moved backwards by the
rotation of the meter wheel.
On introducing a second coin into the coin slot the same operations are repeated,
and on the introduction consecutively of further coins, after each preceding coin up
to 12 has been placed to the credit of the payee on the dial, the return movements
of the mechanism are operated only as consumption of gas is effected and until the
notch in the disc has been brought back to its valve closing position and coincident
with the stud on the valve arm, so long will the attachment be at liberty to deliver
the gas due to the payee as it may be required.
It is further understood that a pin on the notch disc operates a lever (as in one
of my former Letters Patent) which closes the entrance to the coin shoot and so
prevents the passing of more coins down the slot than gas can be delivered for.
The application of my invention to liquid meters differs in no essential respect
from its application to a gas meter as herein described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A price changer for automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments
for gas and liquid meters, having an angularly-moving range arm carried by and
made fast to the principal or main axis, and adapted to come against a forward
range stop lying within its path, substantially as and for the purpose as described
and set forth.
Secondly. A price changer for automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments
for gas and liquid meters, having an adjustable toothed sector carrying a range stop
in combination with a traversing range arm, with or without an adjustable stop end,
substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Thirdly. A price changer for automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments
for gas and liquid meters, having a range arm with an adjustable stop or stop end
adapted to impinge upon the stop of the adjustable toothed sector, substantially as
and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Fourthly. In the price changing mechanism of automatic sale and delivery coin
freed attachments for gas and liquid meters, the combination with the adjustable

page_text: stop carried by the toothed sector or equivalent, of a rotating price indicating dial,
substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Fifthly. In the price changing mechanism of automatic sale and delivery coin
freed attachments for gas and liquid meters, the means herein described for
adjusting the forward range stop on the setting of the price indicating dial to its
indicator, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Sixthly. In the price-changing mechanism of automatic sale and delivery coin-
freed attachments for gas and liquid meters, the means for imparting relative
motions for the collective setting and adjustment of the price indicating dial and
the forward range stop, substantially as and for the purpose as herein described and
set forth.
Seventhly. In the price changing mechanism of automatic sale and delivery
coin-freed attachments for gas and liquid meters, the general construction, arrange-
ment and combination of the parts, less the means for the clamping of the motion-
transmitting mechanism after adjustment, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
Eighthly. In the price-changing mechanism of automatic sale and delivery coin-
freed attachments for gas and liquid meters, the general construction, arrangement
and combination of the whole of the parts, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
Ninthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, transmitting motion from the principal axis to the motion-transmitting
mechanism by a clutch or clutch mechanism, substantially as described and set
forth.
Tenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with a price changer, or with the price-changing
mechanism as referred to in the seventh claim, of a clutch or clutch mechanism,
substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Eleventhly. In automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the main or principal axis carrying fast
components and having loose components strung upon it, of the clutch mechanism
mounted, carried, acting and re-acting in the manner and by the ways substantially
as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Twelfthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters forming or providing the lower end of the coin shoot into or with an
open top and bottomed casing, suitably gapped and being mounted and turning
upon an axis or the principal axis, and being adapted to govern the movement of
the clutch, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Thirteenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the oscillating lower end of the coin shoot, of a
lever or arm e, made fast with or upon the main or principal axis, substantially as
and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Fourteenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the oscillating extension of the coin shoot, of a
motion stiffener or drag, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifteenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the clutch mechanism and the shaft coupling
means, of the components j, j, substantially as and for the purpose as described and
set forth.
Sixteenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments for gas and
Liquid meter, the means for reducing the speed of the motion transmitting mechanism
consisting of the wheel components 1, m, m³ and n', substantially as described and
set forth.
Seventeenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin-freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the main or principal shaft a, of the reduction
gear components i, j, m, m³, n¹³, ne, substantially as and for the purpose as described
and set forth.

page_text: Eighteenthly. In automatic sale and delivery coin freed attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the combination with the reduction gear components and principal
axis, of an interposed spring clutch p, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
Nineteenthly. In automatic coin freed sale and delivery attachments for gas and
liquid meters, the general construction, arrangement, combination and fitting of the
parts, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth.
Dated this 19th day of March 1894.
ROWLAND WILLIAM BROWNHILL,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.