Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus, especially applicable to Gas or other Fluid Meters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus, especially
applicable to Gas or other Fluid Meters.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER and JOHN GEORGE GLOVER, of the Firm Thomas
Glover and Company, Limited, 214 to 222, St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London,
Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to so construct and arrange a system of gearing
in connection with the price changer, coin pocket and valve operating mechanism
of, say, a coin freed gas meter that coins of various denominational values may
be used and inserted in one and the same meter, the mechanism of which will
cause or allow a proportional quantity of gas to flow to the consumer's pipe
according to the value of the coin inserted without any special setting of mechanism
or knowledge on the part of the consumer.
We may arrange the coin actuated mechanism in conjunction with one price
changer to receive any number of different values, or we may arrange separate
price changers for each coin of different values but in all cases the mechanism
actuated by each coin is interlocked with the mechanism operable by every other
coin.
As an example of one method of carrying our invention into practice, we
hereinafter describe the invention as arranged in conjunction with the valve
operating mechanism described in our Patents Nos. 8327 dated 26th April 1894
and 22830 dated 24th November 1894 in which two parallel screws or scrolls are
employed. In a notched plate on the spindle of one worm or scroll for the recep-
tion of say a penny which is inserted through the slot of the price changer to
lodge in the coin pocket and notches of the notched wheel which when turned
will by means of the coin operate the screw for it to open the valve a distance
proportioned to the value of the coin, upon the same spindle is loosely mounted
a second notched wheel or plate, the notches of which may be designed to receive
sixpences, shillings, florins, or coins of any desired value, and in order that the
screw may open the valve proportionately to the value of the coin. This second
notched plate is formed with or has fixed to it a spur wheel that gears into an
idle, pinion that in turn by means of another spur wheel on the same spindle gears
into a wheel fixed to the screw that opens the valve.. Now the ratio of gearing
between the second notched plate or wheel and the screw is predetermined according
to the value of the coin that has to be used.
The price changer has two coin slots one above the other, the lower one say for:
pence, and the upper one say of such a size as will only allow sixpences to pass.
A consumer desiring gas can put either a penny or sixpence in, and the gear will
be operated proportionately to these values as can now be well understood, as
each notched plate can be worked independently of the other although they are
interdependent upon each other by the gear,

page_text: We may arrange any number of notched plates operable by coins of different
values, all of which may be inserted through different coin slots in a single price
changer, or through different price changers, the internal gearing of which is all
connected as before set forth.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Richard Thomas Glover and
John George Glover.
Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus, especially
applicable to Gas or other Fluid Meters.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER and JOHN GEORGE GLOVER, of the Firm Thomas
Glover and Company, Limited, 214 to 222, St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London,
Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to so construct and arrange a system of gearing
in connection with the price changer, coin pocket and valve operating mechanism
of, say, a coin freed gas meter that coins of various denominational values may
be used and inserted in one and the same meter the mechanism of which will
cause or allow a proportional quantity of gas to flow to the consumers pipe
according to the value of the coin inserted without any special setting of mechanism
or knowledge on the part of the consumer.
We may arrange the coin actuated mechanism in conjunction with one price
changer to receive any number of coins of different values, or we may arrange
separate price changers for each coin of different values but in all cases the
mechanism actuated by each coin is interlocked with the mechanism operable by
every other coin.
As an example of one method of carrying our invention into practice we
hereinafter describe the invention as arranged in conjunction with the valve
operating mechanism described in our Patents Nos. 8327 dated 26th April 1894
and 22830 dated 24th November 1894 in which two parallel screws or scrolls are
employed. In a notched plate on the spindle of one worm or scroll for the recep-
tion of say a sixpence which is inserted through the slot of the price changer
to lodge in the coin pocket and notches of the notched wheel which when turned,
will by means of the coin operate the screw for it to open the valve a distance
proportional to the value of the coin upon the same spindle is loosely mounted
on a hollow shaft or sleeve fitted to the casing a second notched wheel or plate, the
notches of which may be designed to receive say a penny and in order that the
screw may open the valve proportionately to the value of the coin. This second
notched plate is formed with or has fixed to it a spur wheel that gears into an
idle pinion that in turn by means of another spur wheel on the same spindle gears
into a wheel fixed to the screw that opens the valve. Now the ratio of gearing
between the second notched plate or wheel and the screw is predetermined according
to the value of the coin that has to be used.
The price changer has two coin slots one above the other the outer or upper one
say for pence and the inner or lower one say of such a size as will only allow
Bixpences to pass.

page_text: A consumer desiring gas can put either a penny or sixpence in and the gear
will be operated proportionately to these values as can now be well understood
as each notched plate can be worked independently of the other although they
are interdependent upon each other by the gear.
We may arrange any number of notched plates operable by coins of different
values all of which may be inserted through different coin slots in a single price
changer or through different price changers, the internal gearing of which is
all connected' as before set forth.
Our invention is clearly represented on the annexed drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan showing coin operated mechanism and meter reversing
'mechanism
Figure 2, part section of meter casing indicating the gearing down mechanism
for a coin of lower value, also the mechanism for a coin of higher value, say a
silver sixpence in lieu of a bronze penny, either of which can be inserted into
the receiver wheel and the button or handle operated to move the gas valve for
the respective proportional quantity.
Figure 3, is a front elevation of the coin operative mechanism, the meter casing
being partly removed for this purpose.
Figure 4 front outside elevation of meter showing the price changer front plate
and having slots through which either of the two foregoing coins could be inserted
at the will of the consumer.
To carry the invention into practice according to the construction and arrange-
ment of the mechanism represented is as follows:
A coin say a silver sixpence is pushed through the slot A and engages a notch
in a wheel B, the coin also resting in a pocket C of a lever I fixed on the spindle E
of the turn button or handle F this projecting from outside the meter casing for
ready manipulation as desired. E is another or worm carrying spindle extending
into the space above the belly of the meter and between the supports G G it is
provided with a long scroll or worm H which when rotated with the spindle causes
the pinion I to rotate and to travel towards the front of the meter, drawing the
bar J on which it is mounted along with it; this bar J by its connection with the
valve lever K opens the gas passage for flow through the meter for ordinary con-
sumption the distance to which the valve is opened being determined by the
number or value of the coins inserted and the mechanism operated for each one.
The amount of gas to be consumed for each or all the coins inserted is recorded
on the dial L through its indicating finger pinion M in gear with the rack N of
the bar P on the opposite end of the valve lever K.
The pinion I when rotated as just explained by being also in gear with the
worm H merely so to speak walks along the worm H₁ this being stationary and
immovable during the movement of the worm H but so soon as the gas is lighted
at the burner or burners and no more coin inserted; the worm H becomes the
stationary one and the worm H¹ the rotatory due to the working of the meter
mechanism operating through the spindle and gear P P by which the usual
quantity counter index appliances are actuated; the shaft Q of which carries a
short worm R in gear with a pinion on the axle S of the long worm H' which by
its rotation causes the pinion I to rotate and travel along a walk over the long
worm H and in so doing to reverse the direction of the travel of the rods or
bars J, P, and so gradually move the valve until it finally closes the passage the
consumers quantity dial (L) finger. M being simultaneously, gradually and finally
returned to zero when all the gas previously paid for has been consumed.
T T are the usual links and connections as applied to gas meters for transferring
the pulsations of the bellows or drum to the index or counter appliances.
Thus far the system of operating the mechanism for opening the gas valve and
also that for closing it is substantially the same as described in the Specifications
of our previous Patents Nos. 8327 and 22830 both of the year 1894 except in so far
as the position of the actual coin receiving slot is concerned; in those cases a

page_text: single slot only was provided for one kind of coin but in the present system we
provide two slots in the price changer face plate U one for a small coin, say a
sixpence as before mentioned and the other for say a penny, and in connection
with the notched disc V of which, at the back, we fix or provide a pinion W to
gear into an otherwise idle wheel for transmitting its motion by its axles pinion X
to a wheel Y on the spindle E of the first motion worm H.
The gear or pinions and wheels W and X have the required number of teeth
respectively for reducing the rotation of the spindle E¹ to say a sixth of that given
to it when say a sixpence has been inserted consequently the result will be the
same whether a sixpence or six pennies be inserted the same turn button or
handle F and the same lever D (having the two pockets) being operated' whether
a coin be placed in the lower-slot C or into the upper slot C
Z is a fixed stop against which the end a of the pocket lever D comes into
contact which enables the coin carried round by the notched disc B or V as the case
may be to be discharged and b is a brake under the point of which the end a of
the pocket lever D can ride to force it into contact with the edge of the notch
disc and thus arrest the motion of the disc V and prevent it going beyond its
restricted distance.
c is a spring pawl engaging the hollows or notches in the disc V to prevent its
back rotation from any cause one edge of each notch being chamfered to enable
them to slip under the pawl c when travelling in the proper direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In coin freed gas meters the combination of two single coin receiving and
sperating appliances by either of which coins, say a sixpence or a penny, a corres-
ponding or proportionate quantity of gas can be allowed to pass through the meter
before the valve opened thereby, shall again close by a reverse action of portions
of said appliances as before explained and substantially as represented by the
annexed drawings.
2. In coin freed gas or fluid meters the employment or application of gear
between one coin receiving disc (notched) and a spindle with a long scroll which
when operated through the influence of a coin inserted into a pocket and carried
round therewith, the gas valve can be opened in the manner and for the purposes
explained and substantially as indicated on the annexed drawings.
Jated this 26th day of March 1898.
Jated this 26th day of March 1898.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said R. T. and J.. G. Glover.