Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus for Delivering Measured Quantities of Liquid from a Cask or other Vessel.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar. 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus for
Delivering Measured Quantities of Liquid from a Cask or
other Vessel.
I, WILLIAM SHERAR, of No. 49, Gladesmore Road, Stamford Hill, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to coin freed apparatus of the kind described in the
Specifications of my prior Letters Patent Nos. 18380 of A.D. 1893 and 20083 of
A.D. 1894 by which apparatus measured quantities of beer or other liquid may be
extracted from a cask or other vessel by the insertion of a coin in the said apparatus.
The chief object of my present invention is to enable the said apparatus to be used
for the sale of petroleum or other mineral oil and the vessel provided with the coin
freed apparatus to be supplied by the seller of the petroleum or other mineral oil and
fixed on the purchaser's premises and filled by the seller at intervals when required
so that the purchaser can by the insertion of a coin extract from the said vessel a
measured quantity of petroleum in exchange for the coin. With this object in view
my said present invention embodies improvements whereby the apparatus registers
and indicates the various quantities of petroleum or other liquid which at different
times have been filled into the said vessel and also the various quantities which have
been drawn from the same whether the said liquid has been drawn off in the
legitimate way by the insertion of a coin or surreptitiously by boring a hole in the
vessel.
In carrying out my invention I provide a closed vessel of suitable shape preferably
in the form of a gas meter, although I do not limit myself to this particular form,
having combined with it and fixed at the front of the same the coin freed apparatus
and measuring device and provided with vent passages such as described in the
specifications of my prior Letters Patent above referred to. Within the said vessel
I provide a float carried by the outer end of a lever arm and arranged to rise and fall
with the level of the liquid in the vessel. This lever arm is arranged with two pawls
which engage with two ratchet wheels which by a suitable gearing if necessary turn
the index fingers of two dials. When the level of the liquid falls as the liquid is
drawn out of the vessel, the float and lever move down and turn one of the index
fingers in one direction which on the dial will indicate the amount of liquid which has
been drawn out of the vessel, and when more liquid is filled into the vessel the float
and lever rise and turn the other index finger on the other dial and indicate the
amount which has been filled in. Thus each quantity drawn out of the vessel causes
one of the index fingers to turn through a certain distance so that each quantity is
added on and the total can be seen at a glance. In the same manner each quantity of
liquid which is filled into the vessel causes the float and lever to rise and move the
other index finger on the other dial and add the amount on to the other quantities
filled in.
Instead of the movement of the float being communicated to the ratchet wheels
by means of a lever as above described the float may be varied on the end of a
chain or the like passing over guide pulleys to the ratchets which will have the same
effect.

page_text: The filling orifice into the vessel has a suitable locked cover so as to be only
opened by an authorized person.
In order to enable any accumulation of gas in the vessel to escape therefrom
I provide in the upper locked part of the apparatus a small safety valve, preferably
of the dead weight type, weighted to allow any accumulation of gas to escape.
According to another part of this invention the said vessel with the coin freed
apparatus is mounted on wheels in the form of a carriage for the delivery of the
petroleum or other liquid to the smaller coin freed apparatus on the consumer's
premises. This larger vessel is also by preference made in the form of a gas meter
and provided with the means for registering the quantities which have been drawn
off and filled into the vessel, and is also provided with the coin freed apparatus
which can be operated by coins checks or the like supplied by the seller of the
petroleum or other liquid to the person delivering the same so as to check him.
Another part of this invention consists in combining with the head of the cask
or other vessel an enclosed strong chamber containing air or carbonic acid gas
under pressure and so arranged in combination with the tap which controls the
flow of liquid from the cask or other vessel into the measuring chamber, that every
time a certain quantity of the said liquid is delivered into the measuring chamber
a small quantity of the compressed air or carbonic acid gas will be allowed to pass
through a passage or passages in the said plug of the cock into the cask or other
vessel, so as to aerate the contents of the saine and cause the beer or other liquid
to be always delivered in a sparkling state.
Dated this 26th day of June 1896.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Coin Freed Apparatus for
Delivering Measured Quantities of Liquid from a Cask or
other Vessel.
I, WILLIAM SHERAR of 49 Glades more Road, Stamford Hill, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Accountant, 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 has reference to coin freed apparatus of the kind described in the
Specification of my prior Letters l'atents Nos. 18,380 dated September 30th 1893,
and 20,083 dated October 24th 1894, by which apparatus measured quantities of beer
or other liquid may be extracted from a cask or other vessel, by the insertion of a
coin in the said apparatus.
The chief object of my present invention is to enable the said apparatus to be used
for the sale of petroleum or other liquid, and the vessel provided with the coin freed
apparatus to be supplied by the seller of the petroleum or other liquid, and fixed on
the purchaser's premises, and filled by the seller at intervals when required, so that
the purchaser can by the insertion of a coin extract from the said vessel a measured
quantity of liquid in exchange for the coin. With this object in view my said present
invention embodies improvements whereby the apparatus registers and indicates the
various quantities of petroleum or other liquid which at different times have been
filled into the said vessel, and also the various quantities which have been drawn from
the same, whether the said liquid has been drawn off in the legitimate way by the
insertion of a coin, or surreptitiously by boring a hole in the vessel.

page_text: In order that my invention may be fully understood and ascertained I append
drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus as applied to a tank.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the rack, gearing and ratchet
device.
Fig. 4 is a detail view.
Fig. 5 is an elevation, and
Fig. 6 a plan of the dials, rack, gearing and ratchet devices.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew modifications.
A indicates the vessel which may be of any convenient size, and have any desired
storage capacity. To one side or end of it is hingel a case B which contains the
mechanism, a separate case b being used to close in the dials upon which the
measurements are indicated. The coin is insertel through a slit and falls into
and operates mechanism of the description shewn and claimed in the specifications
of my Letters Patent before referred to. This mechanism is of such a description
that a predetermined and measured quantity of liquid can be drawn from the vessel A
upon the insertion of a certain description of coin, and no greater quantity than that
predetermined can be withdrawn.
The mechanism used for this purpose not being claimed in this specification need
not be herein described, it being sufficient to say that the coin inserted in the slit b¹
falls down a shoot upon, and depresses one end of a lever the movement of
which allows a lever or handle to be moved in such manner as to enable the liquid
to flow from a spout d attached to a measuring device.D which may be of any con-
venient description and size; when the lever C is moved in one direction the
measured quantity flows into the measuring device D, while when the lever
moved back to its original position, the liquid is free to flow into any open vessel
which is held under the spout .
is
As hereinbefore stated the principal object of this invention is an apparatus which
registers and in licates the various quantities of liquid which at different times have
been filled into a vessel; and also the various quantities which have been drawn off
from the same. The apparatus employed for the purpose of effecting this consists of
a float and a registering device or devices which enable the quantities to be ascer-
tained by simple inspection of a dial or dials. A simple form of such apparatus is
illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. The float E is
of such weight compared with the liquid that it floats upon the surface of, the liquid
contained in the vessel A. The float E has a hole bored in it in a vertical direction,
and through this a rod a which is fixed to the vessel A passes, so that the float can
slide freely upon it, thus serving to guide it.
To the upper side of the float is attached a vertical toothed rack e, the teeth of
which gear with a spur wheel el mounted upon a spindle e revolving in suitable
bearings attached to a frame which is fixed upon the upper part of the vessel A.
is an ante-friction roller forming a guide for the vertical movement of the rack e
which projects through the top of the vessel A; the portion of the rack outside same
moving inside a sleeve or tube a' attached to A.
Upon the outer end of spindle is mounted a toothed pinion f, which gears with
two spur wheels f', f loosely mounted so as to be capable of being rotated upon
short spindles G, G', each placed at an equal distance on either side of the spindle e'.
To the ends of G, G¹ the needles or hands g, ', are fixed which move round the
indicating dials 92, 93. H, H' are ratchet wheels fixed one upon each of the
spindles G, G₁, so as to rotate therewith. The teeth of each of these ratchet
wheels H, H engage with one of two spring pawls h2, h3, one of these being attached.
to the side of each of the spur wheels,Thus it will be seen that this gearing
is arranged in such a manner that upon the float E rising, the quantity of liquid
placed in the vessel A will be indicated upon the dial g' by means of the pawl h³,
attached to the spur wheel f' rotating the ratchet wheel H, whereas the other dial
will indicate nothing until the float begins to fall, because the spur wheel f³, rotating

page_text: in an opposite direction, to that of f¹, the pawl ³ attached thereto will simply glide
over the teeth of the ratchet wheel with which it engages. Upon the float falling a
reverse motion will be set up, similar to that above described, whereby the quantity
of liquid discharged from the vessel A will be indicated upon the dial 9, through the
medium of the pawl / attached to spur wheel f' rotating the ratchet wheel H'; the
needle of the other dial remaining stationary. The indicator may be protected by
means of the usual hinged flap and glass cover, as in ordinary meters.
To prevent the apparatus being tampered with, the feed screw a² at the top of the
vessel A is prevented from being unscrewed by means of a hinged hasp a³, fixed to A,
which is locked on the feed screw a by means of a padlock a', the key of which
remains in the possession of the owner of the apparatus.
To regulate the quantity of liquid admitted into the measuring device D the point
of a screwed plug I projects through one of the walls of the measuring device.
Upon turning this (by means of the square) its inner end will be moved outwardly or
inwardly and thus increase or decrease the cubical capacity of the measuring
device D, and admit a greater or less quantity of the liquid.
The operation. is as follows:-
When used in connection with paraffin or other oils a vessel with measuring apparatus
is fixed in the house of the consumer in a similar manner to a gas meter.
When nearly
emptied of its contents a supply of oil is delivered, this heing filled into the vessel
through the orifice a³, the key of the padlock a being in possession of the person who
fills the vessel. As the vessel is filled, the float rising, the rack e operates the wheel el,
the shaft, the pinion and the two wheels f' and f. As before described this
movement produces no rotation of the ratchet wheel H¹ and hand g¹ by reason of the
pawl slipping over the tops of the ratchet wheel teeth. But the wheel H rotating
in an opposite direction the pawl 2 pushes round the wheel H and spindle G and
moves the hand 9 round its dial to such an extent as to indicate the quantity poured
into the vessel. The opening a2 is then closed and locked by the padlock a', the key
being taken away by the person filling the vessel.
The apparatus is now ready for the consumer's use. A penny being placed in the
slot b' falls down the shoot b and rests upon one end of the lever b³. It cannot
however drop further until the handle C has been moved. This handle C is first
moved from right to left through a half circle and held in this position a sufficient
time to enable the measuring device D to be filled from the vessel A. The handle C
is then returned through a half circle. from left to right resuming its original position
and allowing the mineral oil or the like to be drawn out into any open vessel, such as
a lamp, which is held below the spout d. This second movement of the lever C allows
the penny. to drop from the lever into any convenient receptacle for, the coins.
This being completed the apparatus is ready for the insertion of a second coin and the
withdrawal of a second measured quantity of oil. It will be seen that this method of
filling a lamp is cleanly, and less..troublesome, than when oily..and dirty cans are
employed for storing the liquid.
The consumer, can at any time ascertain the quantity. remaining in the vessel by
opening the cover of the case b and inspecting the dials. The case B which contains
the apparatus and the coin receptacle is accessible only, by unlocking the padlock
which fastens it, and the key of this is retained in the possession of the seller or his
agent.
Referring now to Figs. 7. and 8, an alternative method is here shewn of operating
the indicating gear, wherein a cord or chain Jis employed in place of the rack e.
The cord J is attached to the float E, and is led either over a pair of guide pulleys,
attached respectively to the spindles of the spur wheels ff, or over a single guide
pulley attached to spindle e2; and the cord J, to ensure the rotation of the gear
when the float rises, is provided with a counterweight F at its opposite end.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 4. These shew an attachment for the aëration of any
liquid contained in the vessel A such as any kind of mineral water, beer, or the like.
When the lever C is operated to cause the predetermined quantity of liquid to escape
from A into the measuring device D, it depresses in its angular movement a suitable

page_text: spring valve c which allows a small quantity of gas to pass into the measuring
device D, from the gas cylinder or reservoir . Suitable means must be arranged,.
which are not shewn, for avoiding the depression of the spring valve a second time,
when the lever C is turned back to allow the liquid to escape from the measuring
device.
In some cases the mechanisin is so constructed that one dial only is employed, two.
separate hands being arranged to rotate round it, one hand indicating the quantity
poured into, and the other the quantity drawn from the containing vessel.
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 :-
1. In coin-freed apparatus for the sale of liquids, mechanism for measuring the
quantity of liquid poured into and withdrawn from the containing vessel, consisting
essentially of a float, actuating a rack or cord which operates a spindle, pinions and
wheels in such a manner that when the liquid is poured into the vessel the quantity is
indicated by a hand on the one dial, while when the liquid is withdrawn from the
vessel the quantities withdrawn are indicated by a second hand and preferably upon a
second dial, substantially as shewn and described.
2. In apparatus for indicating the quantity of liquid placed in a vessel and
withdrawn therefrom, the combination of the float E, the rack e, the wheel e', the
spindle 2, the pinion f, the wheels fand 2 mounted loosely upon spindles G and G',.
the pawls 2 and 3, the ratchet wheels H and H¹, the hands g and g rotating
with the spindles G and G', and the dials 2 and 93 substantially as shewn and
described.
3. In coin freed apparatus for the sale of liquids, the registering mechanism
substantially as shewn and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
4. In coin freed apparatus for the sale of liquids, the registering mechanism
substantially as shewn and described with reference to Fig. 7..
5. In coin freed apparatus for the sale of liquids, the registering mechanism.
substantially as shewn and described with reference to Fig. 8.
6. In apparatus for indicating the quantity of liquid placed in a vessel and
withdrawn therefrom, the combination with the float E, the rack e, the wheel e', the
spindle e, the pinion f, the wheels f1 and 2 mounted loosely upon spindles G and G.
the pawls and h³, the ratchet wheels H and H', the hands g and g' rotating with
the spindles G and G', the dials g2 and g³, of an aerating device which allows a
small quantity of carbonic acid or other gas to mix with the liquid while in the
measuring device D, substantially as shewn and described.
7. In combination with mechanism substantially as described with reference to.
Figs. 7 and 8, an aerating device which allows the gas to be mixed with the liquid.
while in a measuring vessel substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 24th day of March 1907
WILLIAM SHERAR.