Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
We JOHN HAWKYARD of Shaws Lane, Upper Mill, Saddleworth in the County
of York, Foreman, and JOSEPH BRADDOCK, of 72 Windsor Road, Oldham, in the
County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct a simple and efficient coin receiver to
actuate and form part of an apparatus to be applied to an ordinary wet or dry gas
meter for the purpose of supplying a definite amount of gas on prepayment by a
corresponding coin or coins, or tokens.
The essential parts of this invention consist of an outer cylinder or casing which
inay be cast or fixed upon the ordinary framework of the automatic apparatus
preferably in a horizontal position; one end of this cylinder may be "cast-in," and
on the upper and lower surfaces and near the "cast-in" end are two slots, one
almost but not immediately opposite the other, and both running in a longitudinal
direction; the size of the slots being sufficient for the free insertion of a penny, or
other coin.
Inside and revolving in this cylinder is a second cylinder of the same outer
diameter as a penny or other coin, having both ends open and also two longitudinal
slots, directly opposite to each other, at or near to one end and somewhat wider
than the two in the first named cylinder. At the opposite end is a worm, or spur
wheel, and also suitable notches and ratchet shaped teeth for the purpose of
securing and of preventing backward rotation of the cylinder. Abutting against the
end of this inner cylinder is an annular weight having on one side a suitably
arranged tooth to gear or lock with the aforesaid notches and teeth on the end of
the inner cylinder, whilst on its opposite side are two projections which slide in
suitable vertical grooves in the detachable end of the outer cylinder.
Passing through holes in the centre of the two ends of this outer cylinder is a
spindle or shaft which is capable of an oscillating motion; the extent of this
oscillatory motion is regulated by a suitably arranged handle and two stops on the
outside of the detachable end of the outer cylinder, the handle being fixed on the
projecting end of the central spindle or shaft.
On this central spindle and immediately under the aforesaid slots is another
cylinder, or part of a cylinder, of such a diameter that it can just revolve without
touching the inside of the second cylinder and having a slot right through it, of
such size and in such position that a penny on being put through the upper slot of
the outer cylinder can just pass through the slots of the second and central
cylinders and thus lock these two together.
Upon the central spindle is also cast or fixed a suitable cam so placed as to come
in contact with and lift one of the projections on the annular weight which slide in
the aforesaid vertical grooves on the detachable end of the outer cylinder.
The action of this contrivance is as follows: When the central spindle is in its.
normal position, the single projection on the side of the annular weight is resting in
one of the notches on the end of the inner cylinder, thus securely locking the inner
cylinder and preventing its rotation in either direction. But when the handle of
the central spindle is turned till it comes in contact with the upper of the two stops

page_text: cast on the outside of the detachable cylinder end, the cam has lifted the annular
weight so that the inner cylinder has become disengaged and is free to revolve;
the slots are also in such a position that a penny or other coin may be passed
through the upper slot of the outer cylinder, and into the slots of the inner and
central cylinders, thus effectually locking them together so that when the handle
is revolved till it comes in contact with the lower stop on the detachable
end, the inner cylinder has been carried round through half a revolution by the
penny, at which point the penny is at liberty to fall through the lower slot of the
outer cylinder into some suitable receptacle or money box, and the projection on
the annular weight has again fallen into a notch on the end of the inner cylinder
and securely locked it; the aforesaid projection on the annular weight having also
prevented backward rotation of the inner cylinder by means of the aforesaid
ratchet shaped teeth on the end of the latter.
It will be evident that whilst the inner cylinder is thus revolving it may, by
means of the aforesaid worm or spur wheel on the end of it, be made to actuate
the remaining mechanism of the automatic apparatus.
As a further safeguard against fraud, a bell crank lever may be so fixed on a
pivot or axis in the outer end of the upper slot in the outer cylinder that the upper
limb thereof shall lie in or over the coin slot in the outer cylinder, and the lower
limb shall always enter and lock the two inner cylinders when the upper or
horizontal limb is lifted out of, or "off, the aforesaid upper slot for the purpose of
inserting a coin, and when the coin has been inserted into the slots of the central
and inner cylinders, it will keep the upper slot of the outer cylinder covered over
or closed until the coin has been passed through into the receptacle for holding the
prepaid coins.
Dated this 30th day of March 1896.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or applicable to Prepayment Gas Meters.
We JOHN HAWKYARD, of Shaws Lane, Upper Mill, Saddleworth in the County
of York, Foreman, and JOSEPH BRADDOCK, of 72 Windsor Road, Oldham, in
the County of Lancaster, Gas Meter Manufacturer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct a simple and efficient coin receiver
to actuate and form part of an apparatus to be applied to an ordinary wet
or dry gas meter for the purpose of supplying a definite amount of gas on
prepayment by a corresponding coin or coins or tokens.
The invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of so much of a wet gas meter as is necessary to
illustrate the invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section at about the line A A ou Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section through about the line D D on Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an inside or back view of oue end of the fixed coin receiving cylinder.
Fig. 5 is a section through the coin receiving device at about the point E E.
Fig. 6 is an end view of the inner cylinder hereafter described.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of detached parts hereafter more particularly referred to.
Fig. 8 is a side view of part of the other end of the said coin receiving cylinder

page_text: illustrating the application of a safety or locking device hereinafter more particularly
described.
The essential parts of this coin receiving device consist of an outer cylinder or
casing a which may be cast or fixed upon the ordinary framework of the automatic.
apparatas preferably in a horizontal position as shewn; one end at of this cylinder
may be "cast-in" see Fig. 2, and on the upper and lower surfaces and near the
"cast-in" end at are two slots a' a 2, one almost but not immediately opposite
the other (see Fig. 3) and both running in a longitudinal direction; the size of
the slots being sufficient for the free insertion of a penny, or other coin.
Inside and revolving in this cylinder a is a second cylinder b (see also Fig. 7),
of the same outer diameter as a penny or other coin, having both ends open and
also two longitudinal slote 62 directly opposite to each other at or near to one
end and somewhat wider than the two slots a¹ a 2 in the first named cylin ler a.
At the opposite end is a worm f¹ (or it may be a spur wheel) in gear with a first
motion wheel of the apparatus which opens the gas valve of the apparatus, and
also suitable notches & 4 (see Fig. 6) and ratchet shaped teeth 65 for the purpose
of securing, and of preventing backward rotation of, the cylinder b. Abutting
against the end of this inner cylinder bis an annular or other suitable weight c,
having on one side a suitably arranged tooth c to gear or lock with the aforesaid
notches 4 and teeth 65 on the end of the inner cylinder &, whilst on its opposite
side are two projections c c 2 which slide in suitable vertical grooves a 3 a 4 in the
detachable end a 5 (shewn detached at Fig. 4) of the outer cylinder a.
Passing through holes in the centre of the two ends at a 5 of this outer cylinder a
is a spindle or shaft d which is capable of an oscillating motion: the extent of
this oscillatory motion is regulated by a suitably arranged handle d¹ and two
stops a 6, a 7 on the outside of the detachable end a 5 of the outer cylinder, the
handle d being fixed on the projecting end of the central spindle or shaft d.
On this central spindle d and immediately under the aforesaid slots is fixed or
formed another cylinder or a rotatable coin carrier d 2 so formed that it can just
conveniently revolve without touching the inside of the second cylinder band
having a slot right through it (see Figs. 2 and 3) of such size and in such position
that a penny or other coin on being put through the upper slot of the outer
cylinder a can just pass through the slots of the second cylinder b and carrier d 2
and thus lock these two together.
The slot in the carrier d 2 is so formed at the lower part (see dotted lines Fig. 8)
that a penny or coin cannot slip through the slot a 2 while passing round in the
direction of the arrow to work the cylinder b, but if it be attempted to work the
apparatus with a small coin say of less value it will drop from the carrier d2 and
through the slots 62 a 2 without working the cylinder b, as the slots in the cylinder b
are broad enough to allow of this action.
The slots 2 being broader than at a 2 (as shewn) the cylinder 6 cannot be
reached when the apparatus is at rest and so moved by a knife or other instrument
without a coin. Upon the central spindle d is also cast or fixed a suitable cam d 3
so placed as to come in contact with and lift oue (c) of the projections c¹ c 2 on
the annular weight e which slide in the aforesaid vertical grooves a 3 a 4 ou the
detachable end a 5 of the outer cylinder a, in order to disengage the projection e+
from the notch 64 as hereafter described.
The action of this contrivance is as follows: When the central spindle is in its
normal position, the single projection et on the side of the annular weight e is
resting in one of the notches 64 on the end of the inner cylinder b, thus securely
locking the inner cylinder band preventing its rotation in either direction, (see
Fig. 6 and dotted position Fig. 5). But when the handle d' of the central spindle d
is turned till it comes in contact with the upper stop a 6 cast on the outside of the
detachable cylinder end a 5 the cam d3 has lifted the annular weight e so that the inner
cylinder 6 has become disengaged by raising ct from the notch 64 and is free to
revolve (see Fig. 5 and dotted position Fig. 6); the slots are also in such a position
see Fig. 3, that a penny or other coin may be passed through the upper slot a' of

page_text: the outer cylinder a and into the slots b 2 of the inner cylinder and into the slot
in the carrier d 2, thus effectually locking the cylinders b and carrier d 2 together
so that when the handle d is revolved till it comes in contact with the lower
stop a 7 on the detachable end a 5 the inner cylinder has been carried round
through half a revolution of the penny, although the carrier d2 as seen on the
drawing makes rather more than half a revolution; at this point the penny is at
liberty to fall through the lower slot a 2 of the outer cylinder a into some
suitable receptacle e or money box, and the projection et on the annular weight c
has fallen into a notch b4 on the end of the inner cylinder b and securely locked
it; the aforesaid projection et on the annular weight c having by the motion of the
spindle d been released or disengaged from the cam d³ and therefore having also
prevented backward rotation of the inner cylinder by means of the aforesaid
ratchet shaped teeth c5 on the end of the latter.
It will be evident that whilst the inner cylinder & is thus revolving it may, by
means of the aforesaid worm for spur wheel (if a spur wheel is used) on the
end of it be made to actuate the first motion wheel f and thereby the remaining
mechanism of the automatic apparatus.
As a further safeguard against fraud, a bell crank lever g g' (see Fig. 8) may be
so fixed on a pivot or axis g+ in the outer end of the upper slut a' in the outer
cylinder a that the upper limb g thereof shall lie flat in or upon or over the said
coin slot a' and the lower limb g' shall always enter and lock the inner cylinder b
and carrier d when the upper or horizontal limb g is lifted out of, or off, the afore-
said upper slot al for the purpose of inserting a coin and when the coin has been
inserted into the slots of the inner cylinder b and carrier d 2 it will keep the upper
slot a¹ of the outer cylinder a covered over or closed until the coin has been passed
through into the receptacle for holding the prepaid coins.
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 :-
The improved coin receiving device consisting of a fixed cylinder, an inner
cylinder for opening the valve and a weighted catch for locking the said cylinder
and a coin carrier and handle combined and operating, substantially as described
and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
2. The combination with the outer fixed cylinder or casing, and the inner or
intermediate cylinder and the coin carrier for operating the gas valve, of a lever so
situated and formed as to normally cover (or fill) the coin slot, but when raised
(to uncover the said slot) to lock the outer cylinder or casing and the inner or
intermediate cylinder and coin carrier together substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described with reference to Fig. 8 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 12th day of December 1896.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.