Year: 1899

page_text: I, JOHN PINCHBECK, of 29, 29A and 30, Smith Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :—
According to this invention the mechanism contains a nut working on a screw, the
nut being turned on the screw (or the screw in the nut) by the spindle of an ordinary
gas meter and the screw being turned in the nut (or the nut on the screw) as herein-
after described by the introduction of one or more coins. The nut therefore is
moved longitudinally on the screw in one direction proportionally to the consumption
of gas and in the other direction proportionally to the number of coins introduced.
Towards the end of its travel in the former direction the nut comes against an arm or
lever connected to the gas supply valve and its further travel cuts off the gas until
it is moved back again by the introduction of one or more coins. The coin slot leads
to two pairs of jaws each pair being carried by a slide. The two slides move parallel
to each other and each has a rack fixed to it-a pinion gears with each rack one
being fixed on a spindle turned by the consumer and the other to a spindle connected
by gearing to the screw (or to the nut as the case may be). This gearing contains a
ratchet and pawl so that it is only operative when turning in one direction. When a
coin is introduced it enters both pairs of jaws and so locks the two slides together and
on the consumer turning his handle both slides are traversed and the nut is moved
longitudinally a certain distance on the screw allowing the gas supply valve to open.
If however the consumer turns his handle without first introducing a coin only
one slide is moved and no effect is produced the second slide remaining stationary.
In order to allow the quantity of gas supplied in return for each coin to be varied
from time to time according to the price of gas a moveable stop is provided which
limits the travel of the slides and therefore the distance through which the nut can
be moved back after the introduction of each coin.
In order to prevent the consumer from moving the slides backwards and forwards
by the introduction of a single coin and so traversing the nut more than once for each
coin a weighted rack is provided which rests on the top of the coin and prevents it
from moving backwards.
When first introduced the coin if of the proper size is prevented by a ledge from
dropping through the jaws and when the slides are moved by the pressure caused by
driving the second slide. When the first slide is moved back this pressure is
relieved and the coin which has now passed the end of the ledge drops out into a
receptacle.
•

page_text: Improvements in Prepaid Gas Meters..
I, JOHN PINCHBECK, of 29, 29A and 30, Smith Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inventiou
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to this invention the mechanism contains a nut working on a screw, the
nut being turned on the screw (or the screw in the nut) by the spindle of an ordinary
gas meter and the screw being turned in the nut (or the nut on the screw) as herein-
after described by the introduction of one or more coins. The nut therefore is moved
longitudinally on the screw in one direction proportionally to the consumption of gas
and in the other direction proportionally to the number of coins introduced. Towards
the end of its travel in the former direction the nut actuates an arm or lever
connected to the gas supply valve and its further travel cuts off the gas until it is
moved back again by the introduction of one or more coins.
Figure 1 is a plan (with the case removed) of an ordinary gas meter to which
apparatus has been added to make it a prepaid meter in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation (with the case removed) and Figures 3 and 4 are
sections on the line xx Figure 1 looking towards the left and right respectively.
a is the gas inlet pipe and b the outlet. care spindles caused to oscillate by the
passage of the gas and which by means of the links c³ rotates the spindle c. The
spindle c has fixed to it a worm gearing with the worm wheel c fixed to
the shaft c by which the counting and recording mechanism is actuated.
above mentioned parts all belong to the ordinary gas meter and require no further
description.
The
d is a worm fixed on the shaft cs and gearing with a worm wheel el forming part of
a sleeve e shown in longitudinal section at Figure 5. The sleeve e has an internal
screw thread and contains a screw plag fl fixed to a square rod f. The end of the
rod f carries a pin f2 working in a slot in the lever g which has one end pivotted at
g1 and whose other end carries a pin g' working in a slot in the lever h which is
pivotted at h¹. j is the rod of a valve on the gas supply pipe a and it carries a pin ji
working in a second slot in the lever h. As gas is consumed the shafte is rotated and
rod fis moved from right to left and when the nut f¹ approaches the end of the sleeve e
the lever his pulled down closing the valve and the gas is cut off. k is a sleeve through
which the rod fpasses but which is prevented from moving longitudinally by the
framing. is a worm wheel fixed to the sleeve and gearing with a worm ¹ on
the shaft which carries a pinion gearing with the crown wheel m¹ mounted
loose on the shaft m being driven in one direction by a pawl gearing with the
ratchet wheel m² fixed on the shaft. This shaft is turned as hereinafter described on
the introduction of a coin or coins thereby rotating the rod fand nut f¹ screwing
the latter into the sleeve e thus moving them from left to right. On the shaft m is
fixed a disc n having a slot n in it. o is a second disc slotted at o¹ fixed on the
shaft o³ worked by the handle o³. of are projections or jaws on the sides of the disc o.
p is a crown ratchet wheel loose on the shaft of and pl is a pawl operated by the
spring p² engaging with it. q is the coin slot and q a guide. On a coin being
introduced into the slot q (the parts being in the position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4)
it falls into the slot o' between the jaws of on the disc o and also engages with the
slot n¹ in the disc n and with the teeth of the ratchet wheel p. On the handle o³
being turned (from right to left of Figure 3 and from left to right of Figure 4) the
discs n and o and ratchet wheel p all rotate together being connected by the coin and
the shaft m is therefore rotated moving the nut f¹ from left to right as above

page_text: p but
described. So long as the coin remains in place the handle o³ cannot be turned back
again being prevented by the pawl p¹ which engages with the ratchet wheel
when the coin drops out the handle o³ is disconnected from the ratchet wheel p and
can be turned back freely carrying with it the disc o and also the disc n, a lug o' on
the one engaging with a lug n³ on the other. The shaft m shares the backward
motion but not the wheel m² which is retained by its pawl. The angle through
which the handle o³ and other parts can be rotated for each coin is limited and
regulated in the following way. r is a handle fixed to the spindle and is normally
prevented from rotating by a seal or other device. The shaft has fixed to it a
worm gearing with a worm wheel fixed to an indicator wheel which
can be seen through the hole 7 in the case and which shows the volume
of gas for the time being supplied in exchange for each coin, The shaft gal
has fixed to it a second worm gearing with a worm wheels loose on the shaft m.
6 is a lug or stop on the wheels and by turning the handle r the position of this
stop is altered. t is a hook pivotted at to the disc n and provided with a
counterbalance weight . As the disa n rotates from the position shown in Figure 4
to that shown in Figure 6 the hook t comes beneath and supports the coinu which
has been introduced through the slot q. Fixed to the pivot is an arm t³ (shown in
dotted lines in Figures 6 and 7) and as the disc n rotates this arm comes against the
stop s¹ as shown in Figure 7 turning the hook t about its pivot so that it no longer
supports the coin and preventing further rotation of the disc n and handle o³. On
the handle o³ being turned back again the pressure of the coin against the teeth of
the ratchet wheel p is relieved and the coin drops into a suitable receptacle. The
further backward movement of the handle carries the discs n and o back into
the position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 ready for the reception of a new coin
further backward motion being prevented by the lug n³ on the disen coming against
a fixed stop v.
The discs n and o may be replaced by longitudinal slides.
Preferably the coin freed apparatus is mounted on a base plate w so that it can be
readily attached to an ordinary gas meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a gas meter of a nut and screw turned relatively to
each other in one direction by the consumption af gas and in the other direction by
the introduction of a coin or coins substantially as described.
2. The combination with apparatus such as is referred to in Claim 1 of a movable
stop whereby the distance through which the nut or screw can be turned after the
introduction of each coin is regulated substantially as described.
3. The combination of two independent parallel moving parts connected by the
coin, one part being operated by a handle and the other operating the screw or nut
substantially as described.
4. Prepaid gas meters substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 9th das of December 1900