Improvements in or appertaining to Coin-freed or Coin-actuated Apparatus
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Coin-freed or Coin-actuated
Apparatus.
We WILLIAM ALEXANDER, Civil Engineer, of 28 Rocky-bank Road, Devonshire
Park, Birkenhead and WILLIAM EDWARD THOMPSON, Mechanical Engineer, of
18 Willmer Road, Birkenhead do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention, which relates to coin-freed or coin actuated mechanisin, and is
especially adaptable for use in connection with meters for measuring or delivering
fluids, such as gas, water, electricity &c., has for its object the providing of more
efficient and simpler mechanism than heretofore, and includes the following
improvements:
Improved means for commencing or liberating the supply, on the insertion of a
coin, consisting of a wheel after the fashion of an escapement wheel which is
locked or held in position by a pawl; this pawl being locked by a secondary pawl
or catch which can only allow it to move when certain notches or their equivalents
in a rotating disc or sliding piece, or a series of such pieces or discs, occupy a
definite position with regard to it. These discs or moving pieces move in harmony
with a rotating or reciprocating portion of the mechanism which may be actuated
by a handle or other suitable means from the outside of the apparatus, and which
contains a slit or pocket into which the coin falls when passed through the external
slot. If this coin carrier is moved after the insertion of a coin then, when the
above described notches come into the necessary position to allow the locking pawl
to be moved, at the same time the coin raises the pawl out of engagement with the
escapement wheel and also comes in contact with a point or projection on the
escapement wheel and on a continuation of the movement of the coin carrier
rotates the said escapement wheel through a certain angle when the wheel again
becomes locked by the pawls resuming their original position, and the coin falls
into a receptacle placed to receive it. The operation of inserting coins may then
be repeated and the escapement wheel rotated for each coin inserted through a
further angle equal to the first.
The escapement wheel is connected with the supply or registering mechanism by
means of an improved gearing such that, when the escapement wheel is rotated, it
liberates or sets in motion the supply apparatus by moving a stop, bolt, or other
catch which has held or prevented the apparatus from moving and which stop is
again returned to its original position by the said gearing when the apparatus has
delivered or registered the delivery of the material &c. which it is provided for.
This mechanism may be arranged in various ways to suit the varying conditions
or articles &c. to be supplied. In certain cases it would consist of two screwed
spindles or worms placed parallel to each other, one being connected by gearing
with the escapement wheel so that it is rotated when the escapement wheel is
rotated, and the other is connected by gearing with the meter or registering
apparatus so as to be rotated when it is moved or is delivering its particular
commodity. Between these screws or worms is placed a worm wheel gearing into
each of them and connected with a sliding carriage or guides so that it can move
from one end of the screws to the other. Directly connected, or moving in
harmony with the movement of the worm wheel is the aforesaid stop, bolt, or catch

page_text: which stops the moving of the apparatus when the wofm wheel is at one end of the
traverse and releases or actuafes it when it is moved towards the other end. Thus,
if the worm wheel is at the end of its traverse and the stop has stopped the
apparatus and, if the escapement wheel is then rotated on the insertion of a coin,
the screw or worm connected with it is also rotated, and this movement causes the
worm wheel to rotate also, and, as, in the meantime, the other screw is at rest the
worm wheel rolls along it and carries with it the stop, thus liberating or actuating
the supply mechanism. The supply mechanism now being set in motion, rotates the
other screw or worm and returns the worm wheel to its original position, when the
stop again prevents or stops the further delivery or movement.
If more convenient or suitable, the escapement wheel may be connected to one
of a pair of bevilled wheels or their equivalents, while the other is connected to a
rotating piece geared with the meter or other apparatus and has its axis prolonged
and formed into a screw or worm along which moves a threaded carriage carrying
the stop with it. When the stop is, say at the outer end of the worm, it comes in
contact with a cut off valve or other stop on the rotation of the part of the
mechanism to which it is connected and so stops the delivery. If the escapement
wheel is now rotated the screw or worm is also rotated and the sliding carriage
moved from the end of the screw towards the other end and is drawn out of
contact with the valve or stop. The mechanism is now set in motion and the screw
and its combined parts commence to revolve round the bevilled wheel connected
with the escapement wheel and this movement, the said bevilled wheel meanwhile
being at rest, causes the screw to revolve on its axis in the opposite direction to
that in which it was moved by the escapement wheel and again returns the sliding
carriage to its original position at the end of the screw, when it comes in contact
with the valve or stop as before and again stops the mechanism.
In another form of the gearing there would be attached to or moving in harmony
with the escapement wheel a disc with a spiral groove cut on its face and rotating
on its axis along with the escapement wheel. On the same axis is placed a disc or
suitably shaped piece rotating in harmony with the meter or registering mechanism
or supply apparatus and on its face and between it and the disc with the spiral
groove, moving in guides, is a sliding bar which can be moved to or from the axis.
Projecting from this bar is a pin which engages in the spiral groove and attached
to it is the stop for the same purposes as before. On rotating the grooved disc
along with the escapement wheel the sliding bar or its equivalent is caused to move
towards or from the axis according to the direction of the spiral and also of the
rotation and on rotating the piece carrying the sliding bar the pin attached to it
slides along the spiral groove and is caused to move to or from the axis in the
opposite direction to that in which it was moved on rotating the spiral. As before,
when the sliding bar or carriage is at one end of its traverse it stops or prevents
the mechanism from moving and when drawn towards the other end on rotating
the escapement wheel it liberates or actuates the mechanism which, in its turn,
again returns the stop to its preventive or non-actuating position.
When a change in the quantity of the commodity to be delivered for each coin
has to be made it is effected by means of change wheels. One of the gear wheels
is removed and replaced by another with a different number of teeth corresponding
to the ratio of change to be made and an improved method is employed of attaching
the change wheel. The spindle which receives the change wheel has a disc
attached to it from which project a central pin and also a second pin or more than
one at a short distance from the centre and the change wheels are pierced with
holes which engage with these pins when placed in their position against the disc.
The link carrying the intermediate wheel has a projecting portion which covers the
change wheel when the intermediate wheel is brought into gear and holds it in its
position. The link has a segmental arc at its outer end which slides through a
clamping piece and a binding screw in the same holds it in any required position.
This arrangement may be reversed if necessary and the change wheel attached to
the link and a fixed cover arranged to keep it in position.

page_text: Where the mechanism is to be adapted for prepayment up to a certain amount
an improved arrangement is introduced for closing the coin slot when the
predetermined number of coins has been inserted, and consists of a double stroke
cam working between-two-pins or points on a bar causing it to reciprocate on the
rotation of the cam and at a certain part of its stroke the end of the bar or a bolt
actuated by it crosses the coin slot and so closes it. The cam is attached to a
suitable rotating part of the mechanism.
When any part of the mechanism is to be free to rotate in one direction but
not in the opposite direction, an improved pawl is used having two arms or pallets
somewhat after the manner of an ordinary anchor escapement engaging with a
rack wheel so that when a tooth passes one of the pallets it forces it aside and sets
the other, pallet so that the tooth which has just before passed it will be caught
by it if an attempt is made to rotate the rack wheel in a backward direction.
This arrangement dispenses with the necessity for springs or counterbalance
weights.
When applied to a gas or a liquid meter a stop cock or valve is placed on the
inlet or outlet and arranged so that the above described catch or stop opens it
when a coin is inserted and again closes it when returned to its original position
by the action of the meter through the described gearing. If applied to an
electricity meter a suitable switch takes the place of the valve.
The amount or quantity prepaid is indicated on a dial connected with the
described mechanism by a gearing which causes the dial or pointer to advance on
the insertion of a coin and to return to its zero position when the supply has been
completed.
Dated this 25th day of October 1894.
W. ALEXANDER.
W. E. THOMPSON.
Improvements in or appertaining to Coin-freed or Coin-actuated
Apparatus.
We, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, of 28 Rocky Bank Road, Devonshire Park
Birkenhead in the County of Chester, Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM EDWARD
THOMPSON of 37 Madelaine Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanical 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 which relates to coin freed or coin actuated mechanism and is
specially adapted for use in connection with meters for measuring or delivering
Huids such as gas, water, electricity etcetera, has for its object the providing of more
efficient and simpler mechanism than heretofore and is carried into effect as follows,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure is a front elevation of one form of mechanism constructed according to
our. invention;
Figure 2 a plan thereof;
Figure 3 a section on a a, Figure 1.
Figure 4 a section on bb Figure 2 ;
Figure 5 a back elevation and
;
Figure 6 a section on c c Figure 2 ;
Figure 7 is a plan view of a modification
Figure 8 a part front elevation thereof
Figure 9 a section on line d d, Figure i
Figure 10 a section on line e e, Figure 7;

page_text: igure 11 a section on line ƒ ƒ, Figure 7;
Figure 12 a section on line gg, Figure
Figure 13 is a front elevation
Figure 14 a plan and
;
Figures 15, 16 and 17 details of a further modification.
Figure 18 is a plan view of a pawl and rack device.
In the following description like letters refer to like parts.-
of a 65
The
Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, A. is a wheel after the fashion
scape" wheel and hereinafter called a scape wheel, which is locked or
held in position by a pawl B, which is pivoted at B' to the framework. B' is
a secondary pawl also pivoted at B₁ and moving with the first mentioned pawl,
in fact they may both be formed out of the same piece of metal.
pawl B engages normally with projections A2 on the scape wheel A, while the
pawl B rests underneath a disc or coin carrier C, which has notches or recesses C¹,
Figure 6, into which the pawl B³ must enter before the pawl B can be thrown out
of engagement with the scape wheel A. These notches or recesses are so arranged
that they will be opposite the secondary pawl B when the coin slit C2 in the disc
or coin carrier C is opposite the coin entrance D, as shown. Now if a coin be
inserted at D it will rest on the periphery of the disc C until the slit in the latter is
brought opposite to it. It will then enter the slit and be carried round with the
dise C (which is rotated by means of a hand wheel E from the outside) having first
raised the locking pawl B out of engagement with the scape wheel A. The latter
is then rotated by the coiu engaging projections A³ thereon, through a certain
angle, preferably half a revolution, until it again becomes locked by the pawls
resuming their original or locked position and the coin falls out of the disc or
carrier into a receptacle F. The sloping edge of the recess C₁ forces the pawl 132
outward on the rotation of the carrier, thereby ensuring the return of both pawls
to their locked position. The operation of inserting coins may then be repeated
and the scape wheel rotated for each coin inserted through a further angle equal to
the first. The pawl B is so formed that directly after it is raised clear of the
projections
s on the
scape wheel it falls back again to the back of the projection and the
coin and prevents any backward rotation of the coin carrier or the scape wheel as long
as the coin remains in the carrier. By referring to the drawings Fig. 6 it will be seen
that the coin carrier is mounted on separate spindle from that of the scape wheel.
The scape wheel A is connected with the supply and registering mechanism by
means of an improved form of gearing which, when the said scape wheel is rotated
liberates or sets in motion the supply apparatus, and when the quantity of gas,
water etc. paid for has been delivered or registered, shuts off the supply. This
gearing may be arranged in various ways to suit the varying conditions or articles
to be supplied. The form of gearing shown in Figures 1 to 6 consists of two
screwed spindles or worms G and H placed parallel to each other, the one G being
connected by gearing G1, G2, G3 and G with the scape wheel A and the other H
by means of gearing H', H' with the ordinary index gearing or registering
mechanism. Between these worms and gearing with both is a worm wheel I which
is also connected with a sliding carriage E' or guides so that it can move from one
end of the screws to the other. 1 is a rack moving with the carriage or
guide E', one end 12 of which when at the end of its travel is adapted to engage
a bell-crank lever J and to shut off the supply of gas, water, electricity, etcetera
(the drawings show it closing the supply valve J¹ of a gas meter) and on
its return to open the said valve. Thus supposing the worm wheel I to be
at the end of its travel as shown in Figure 1, and the valve J consequently
closed, then if the scape wheel A be rotated by the insertion of a coin as
before described, the worm G will be rotated by means of gearing G1 G2, G³ G'
and this in turn will rotate the worm wheel and as the other worm H is at rest the
worm wheel will simply roll along it, carrying with it the aforementioned rack
thereby opening the supply valve J. The supply mechanism being set in motion
rotates by means of gearing H1, H2, the worm H, which returns the worm wheel

page_text: and the rack to their original positions and again closes the supply valve. The
aforementioned rack gears with the spindle J³ carrying the pointer J³ of the
prepayment dial so that any movement of the rack moves the pointer .J³ a propor-
tional distance on the dial. When a change in the quantity of the commodity to
be delivered for each coin has to be made, it is effected by means of change wheels.
One of the gear wheels is removed and replaced by another having a greater or
lesser number of teeth corresponding to the ratio of change to be made and an
improved method is employed of attaching the change wheel which in this case is
the wheel G. The spindle on which the change wheel and also the scape wheel is
mounted has a disc K on its outer end from which project a central pin and also a
second pin or more than one at a short distance from the centre and the change
wheel has holes which engage with these pins when placed in position against the
disc. The arm K1, Figure 5, carrying the intermediate wheel G³ has a projecting
portion K which covers the change wheel when the intermediate wheel is brought
into gear and holds it in its position. The arm K' has also a segmental arc Kat
its outer end which slides through a clamping piece L carried by the framework,
and is held in any required position by a binding screw L', Figure 2.
In some
cases such as the arrangement shown in Figure 7 it is more convenient to fix the
segmental are and to slide the clamping piece through such arc.
Figures 7 to 12 illustrate another form of mechanism which may be connected
with the scape wheel and index gearing for setting in motion the supply apparatus
or stopping the same and can be used with a succession of coins like the other
forms shown. This consists of a pair of bevelled wheels M and M', Figure 10,
one M of which is attached to a toothed wheel M³ geared to the scape wheel A,
which latter is actuated by the coin inserted while the other M' is connected to a
rotating piece or carrier O moving with the index gearing. The wheel M' is
prolonged and formed into a screw or worm M' along which moves a square
nut O. When this nut has travelled to the outer end of the worm M² by the
rotation of the said worm which is driven by the index gearing through the
worm P which gears with the rotating piece O, through worm wheel P* it comes in
contact with the valve spindle P1, Figure 7, and closes the spring actuated valve J¹
as shown in Figure 7. If the scape wheel A which in the movement just
described remained stationary is now rotated by the insertion of a coin, the screw or
worm M³ is also rotated but in the opposite direction and the sliding nut Oi travels
back again that is in an inward direction thereby releasing the valve which opeus
by means of the spring 0%, the carrier during this movement remaining
stationary. The mechanism is now set in motion and the worm or screw M* with
its out and supporting piece O commence to revolve round the bevelled portion of
the wheel M being driven by the index gearing. This movement, the scape wheel
being at rest, causes the nut to return to its original position and to again close the
supply valve. Figures 7 to 12 also illustrate how the scape wheel can be operated
by sliding bars which may take the place of the disc herein before described.
These bars marked QQ on the drawings are operated by crank R attached to a
hand wheel E, the upper bar Q being operated by the crank and the lower one Q¹
by the coin R which is carried by the upper one. S is a projection extending
upwards on the end of the underneath bar Q. The action of this arrangement is
as follows:-
On the insertion of the coin R', the hand wheel E is rotated as in the arrange-
ment first described, which moves the bar Q with the coin forward until the latter
comes against a projection Q of the lower bar Q; this brings the recesses C³
opposite each other and opposite the pawl B' which frees the pawl B and allows
it to be raised (by the coin coming against its lower arm B') clear of the scape
wheel A. The bars QQ' continuing to move forward push round the scape wheel
a certain distance by the coin engaging its teeth or projections, the projection Q³
Fig. 7 engaging the following tooth of the scape wheel completes the movement
of the saine which in this case is a third of a revolution, the coin then drops out
through S¹ into a suitable receptacle F and the bars QQ are then returned to

page_text: their original position, the upper bar, by means of the hand wheel E and the lower
one by the projection S which overlaps the top one.
The teeth or projections of the scape wheel in this arrangement are cranked up
and down alternately as shown in Figure 11, for this reason, that as the scape
wheel is moved round a third of a revolution for each coin, three of the teeth
shown must be clear of the locking pawl for instance if the tooth shown locked by
the pawl in Figure. 7 be cranked downwards the next tooth must be cranked
upwards so as not to be locked and so on. Q are brackets supporting a sliding
piece Q which latter covers the coin slit D after the coin has been moved away
and prevents the insertion of any more coin until the return of the sliding
bars Q Q¹.
Figures 13 to 17 show a further modified form of mechanism liberating or
stopping the supply mechanism and consists of the following parts. T is a disc
made in one with the scape wheel A or being fixed to it in any suitable manner so
as to turn with it and having a spiral groove T cut on its face. On the same axis
is a disc-like piece T2 rotating in harmony with the supply apparatus and carrying
guiding arms s in which are fitted sliding bars s'. These latter have projections S³
which engage in the aforementioned spiral groove T¹ and, their extremities are.
adapted to come in contact with a projection U on a rod U' which. operates the
valve J. A' and A' are the projections on the face of the scape wheel A whereby
as beforementioned the latter is locked by the pawl and rotated by the coin, the
outer one of which in, this case engages on being rotated the bell crank lever U³
and opens the valve J'. On rotating the grooved disc T along with the_scape
wheel in the direction of the arrow the sliding bars S¹ which do not rotate during
this movement are caused by means of the spirals to move inwards in the direction
of the axis thereby freeing the stop U and allowing the valve to be opened by the
projection engaging the bell crank lever. The supply mechanism being now set
going rotates the picce T with its guiding arms S and sliding bars S¹, causing the
projections S2 of the latter to move round the spiral in a direction opposite to that
in which they moved when the spiral was rotated by the insertion of a coin, thereby
causing the projections S³ to travel outwards from the axis and during their
rotation to come against the pin U on the bar U whereby the valve is closed.
When the mechanism is to be adapted for prepayment up to a certain amount an
improved device for closing the coin slot when the predetermined number of coins
have been inserted, which consists of a double stroke cam V working between two
projections V on a bar V* causing such bar to reciprocate on the rotation of the
cam which is so arranged that on the insertion of the predetermined number of
coins the bar V2 or bolt is shot across the coin slot thereby closing it. The cam is
attached to any suitable rotating part of the mechanism. It is shown in the
drawings on the spindle J2 carrying the pointer J³ before referred to.
K', Figures 13 and 14 is a toothed wheel mounted on the spindle J' which wheel
is moved round by the projections A' on the scape wheel, whereby each time the
latter is rotated by the insertion of a coin the pointer J of the prepayment dial is
also moved a given distance on the dial.
When any part of the mechanism is to be free to rotate in one direction only, an
improved pawl X, Figure 18 is used having two arms or pallets X' somewhat after
the manner of an ordinary anchor escapement to engage with a rack wheel Y in
such a manner that when a tooth of the latter passes one of the pallets it forces it
aside and sets the other pallet so that the tooth which has just before passed it will
be caught if an attempt is made to rotate the rack wheel in an opposite direction.
This device makes the use of springs or counterbalance weights unnecessary.
As herein described and shown on the drawings, the shutting off or liberating the
supply is by means of a valve but it will be evident that this may take other forms,
for instance if the mechanism be applied to an electrical meter a switch would take
the place of the valve, and furthermore, it must be understood that this invention is
not confined to the exact details herein set forth and shown on the drawings as
these may take other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

page_text: 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-
1. The improvements in or appertaining to coin freed mechanism for the purposes
specified, which consist of a pawl or pawls in combination with a rotating or sliding
coin carrier and a $
scape wheel" or its equivalent, one of such pawls while locking
the " scape wheel" being also itself locked by a secondary pawl which can only
allow the pawl locking the "scape wheel" to move when certain notches or their
equivalent in the coin carrier occupy a definite position with regard to it, the said
notches or their equivalent also serving on the rotation of the said coin carrier
to force back both pawls into their original or locked position, substantially as
described.
"
2. The improved coin connection consisting of the disc coin carrier C in
combination with pawls B B and "scape wheel" A, whereby on the rotation of
such coin carrier, the coin moving therewith will raise the pawl B clear of the
"scape wheel
as the pawl B enters a recess in the carrier and on the further
rotation of the latter the pawl B' will be forced out of the aforesaid recess thereby
returning both pawls to their original position and the "scape wheel " will be carried
round a given distance and then again locked, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. In coin freed mechanism, the coin connection, consisting of sliding bars
arranged and operating in such a manner that one of the bars which carries the
coin, on being moved along, takes with it by reason of the coin connection the
other bar, the coin having first raised the locking pawl and freed the "scape
wheel" turns, in combination with the coin carrier bar, the scape wheel through
a certain angle, and is then deposited into a receptacle, after which the sliding
bars return to their original position substantially as described.
4. In coin freed mechanism, the improved gearing consisting of two screwed
spindles or worms placed parallel to each other and a worm wheel gearing into each
of them, one of such worms being connected by gearing with the " scape wheel" or
coin operated device and the other with the ordinary index gearing, whereby on
the rotation of the "scape wheel" by the insertion of a coin the worin connected
therewith will also be rotated, thus causing the worm wheel which also carries a
stop to travel until such stop liberates the supply mechanism, which latter then
operates the other worm and causes the worn wheel to travel back to its original
position and to cut off the supply substantially as described.
5. The improved gearing for the purposes specified such as described with
reference to Figures 7 to 12, consisting of a pair of bevelled wheels, one of which
is actuated by the coin operated "scape wheel" and the other by the meter
mechanism in such a manner that a nut travelling along a worm is caused by the
rotation of the "
scape wheel
to open a valve or otherwise liberate the supply,
and on the reverse movement of the nut combined with the rotating carrier O
brought about by the supply mechanism, to stop the same substantially as
described.
"
6. The improved gearing such as described with reference to Figures 14 to 17,
which consists in providing the scape wheel with a spiral groove and in mounting
on the same spindle a bracket or holder gearing with the supply mechanism and
having sliding bars which engage the aforementioned spiral groove, whereby on
the rotation of the scape wheel the bars are withdrawn, thereby freeing the
supply mechanism, and on the rotation of the aforementioned bracket forced
outwards to stop such mechanism substantially as described.
7. The improved device whereby a change of gear wheels is effected which
consists in providing the change wheel with holes adapted to engage with pins on
a disc attached to the change wheel spindle, in combination with a movable arm and
clamping device substantially as described and shown.
8. The improved pawl substantially as and for the purposes described with
reference to Figure 18 of the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 9. The general construction and arrangement of parts taken as a whole of the
improvements in coin freed mechanism substantially as described and shown on the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of July 1895
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.