Improved Prepayment Electricity Meter for Continuous or Direet Currents, whose Action depends on Deposition of Copper in a Balance against Silver Coins.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1900
Improved Prepayment Electricity Meter for Continuous or Direet
Currents, whose Action depends on Deposition of Copper in a
Balance against Silver Coins.
EDWARD FREDERICK TERREY, 37, Gladstone Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Hamp-
shire, Electrician; CHARLES HERBERT INGLESS PHILLIPS, Twyneham, Alma Road,
Winton, Bournemouth, Hampshire, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The meter consists of a balance pivoted at the centre, each end has contact wires,
insulated from the frame; a copper plate suspended and dipping in the depositing
cell, each end has a coin receptacle supported in a line with the depositing vessel.
There are three mercury cups at each end separately insulated and fixed on a support,
so that the ends of contact wires dip in and make contact with the mercury when the
balance has fallen by means of a coin (silver). The action of the meter consists of
copper dissolved off one plate at one end, electrically deposited on the other equal to
the weight of the silver coin, thus restoring the balance to its original position and
breaking the circuit. The same action takes place at the other end of balance, except
that the current would be reversed through the plate of both cells, causing each one
to return to their normal weight.
In the
We provide an indicator, for shewing the next slot for depositing the coin.
arrangements herein before described will be arranged in vertical, horizontal or other
positions.
14th day of Town 1800
EDWD. F. TERREY.
CHARLES H. I. PHILLIPS.
Improved Prepayment Electricity Meter for Continuous or Direct
Currents, whose Action depends on Deposition of Copper in a
Balance against Silver Coins.
We, EDWARD FREDERICK TERREY, of 37, Gladstone Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth,
and CHARLES HERBERT INGLESS PHILLIPS, of Twyneham, Alma Road, Winton, Bourne-
mouth, both in the County of Hampshire, Electricians, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in prepayment electricity meters

page_text: controlled by the insertion of a coin or coins which places in position certain parts of
the apparatus so as to allow a current to pass through same for a given period of time.
In order that our invention may be more readily understood, we will describe the
same more fully.
One form of the apparatus constructed according to our invention is shewn in the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 a front sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 a top sectional view of same.
Fig. 3 a diagram to shew the action and electric current circuits more clearly.
On a suitable base or back is a metal standard (a) which is fixed in the centre of
such base or back. (b b₁) two horizontal bars, which work on knife edge bearings
fitted across the centre of said bars, or on the top of centre of metal standard as is
deemed necessary. (c, c₁) two metal standards for supporting mercury cups, which
are provided and fixed on top. (d d₁ d₂ d¸ d₁ d) six metal adjustable contacts for
making and breaking the circuits of the main and voltameter, by means of mercury
contained in the cups (n n₁ n₂ ng). (еe₁) is a resistance which can be fixed on the
movable balance or otherwise and is in series with main circuit, across which the
copper depositing circuit is connected as a shunt. (ff₁) two metal buckets freely
hung respectively one near each end of balance (bb₁) for holding the respective coin or
coins inserted through the apertures made in the outer casing or cover of the apparatus.
(g) a metal rod fixed on balance (b b₁) having adjusting weights for correcting level
of balance. (h h₁) two main supply connections. (j) two depositing vessels con-
taining a sulphate of copper solution. (₁) two movable copper plates, one of each
is suspended near ends of balance (b b₁) and both immersed in the solution contained
in vessels (1).
(1) two copper plates fixed stationary one in each of the said vessels (j j₁) but
free to remove for resistance adjustment, both of these plates are electrically con-
nected with each other by wire or other suitable connection (m).
(nn na ng) four or more mercury cups (as an occasion requires) each insulated and
fixed on the supports (c c₁) these cups contain mercury. An indicator is provided
for shewing the aperture, through which the next coin is to be inserted; one such
device is shewn in (Fig. 1 lettered o). Having now described the principal construc-
tional parts of such an apparatus, we now, by means of diagram (Fig. 3) shew the
operation of same as follows:-
The coin having been inserted through one of the apertures (say in this instance
left hand coin receptacle) causes balance to fall and make connections with the
mercury cups (nu) by means of the contacts (d d₁ d.). The course of the current
then is as follows: Entering at (h) to mercury cup (n₁) the main portion passes
through contact (d) main resistance (e) to contact (d) through mercury cup (n) and
out to terminal (h). The shunt or voltameter circuit starts from contact (.) through
the four plates in both vessels then joins main circuit at cup (n) by means of con-
tact (d). Copper being now deposited on the plates, until the amount so deposited
is equivalent to the weight of the coin dropped in the bucket, thus allowing the
balance to assume its original position at the same time disconnecting the supply of
current, this being the amount of electric energy consumed for the coin placed
therein. On placing another coin into the bucket opposite to the side that has been
working, the same action takes place in every respect, except that the current passes
through all four plates of both depositing cells, in an opposite direction; to the time
before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A prepayment electricity meter having an arm balanced at the centre in the
usual manner, and carrying two movable copper plates, hung one each end, opposite
each of these plates and in separate depositing vessels, are fixed copper plates for
alternate depositing and redenōsiting

page_text: 2. A prepayment electricity meter having an arm balanced at the centre, from
which two copper plates are hung, each opposite to a fixed copper plate in a separate
depositing vessel, with means provided for adjusting the resistance (higher or lower)
of the voltameter circuit materially or otherwise in any of the said parts.
3. A prepayment electricity meter so described, having more than one aperture for
insertion of coins, an indicating device is provided and fixed for shewing the next
aperture for insertion of coin, the indicator can be controlled or worked by action of
the meter, or its parts, by the insertion of coins, or by mechanism independent of the
meter itself.
Dated this 10th day of October 1899.
EDWD. F. TERREY.
CHARLES H. I. PHILLIPS.