Improvements in or relating to Time Measure for Gas Stoves and .other Lighting with Coin Freed Mechanism.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec.,
1898
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Time Measure for Gas Stoves and
.other Lighting with Coin Freed Mechanism.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER and JOHN GEORGE GLOVER, both of 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 relates to means or apparatus by which after receipt of a coin
and, the movement of a handle, a certain quantity of gas will be allowed to pass
from a supply pipe to a gas stove, or the like for heating purposes on a light being
applied. The apparatus forms part of or is in connection with clock gear and of
an instantaneous closing valve when the quantity of gas paid for has been con-
sumed.
The invention is chiefly intended for bedrooms of hotels, or for boarding
houses, and the like, in which should a lodger desire heat or a light in the room
he has only to drop a predetermined coin into a slot, move a handle and apply a
lighted match to the gas stove or burner, and should a portion paid for be uncon-
sumed, he can by movement of a lever or bolt so shut off the supply and simul-
taneously close the valve and also stop the clockwork as to be ready for
re-lighting his stove or burner at some future time, or if a light is left burning
the consumption will go on until the quantity paid for has been consumed, or by
turning off a branch tap of the supply pipe, the flow of gas can be stopped and
the clockwork be allowed to run down.
For the purpose of this invention, we connect a coin receiver appliance, such
as a notched wheel, to one of the spindles or arbors of a clock which the coin
engages and in conjunction with a lever handle and coin pocket in which the coin
also engages the three become locked, and which are moved as one body by the
handle, this winds up the clock spring, and simultaneously by gear therewith the
stop of a lever is removed from the notch of a dise and lifts a special form of
valve, which is an important feature of novelty in this our invention. It con-
sists of 1. A cup in which are ends of two pipes, the extremities of which are
above the level of a mercury bath. It consists, secondly, of an inverted cup to
fit therein, said second or inverted cup having three partitions, the middle being
shorter than the other two.
The two deeper ones dip into and close the mercury seal against escape but the
niddle only dips into the mercury when the inverted cup drops which it does
suddenly when the notch of the disc is brought round to it by the clockwork and
so shuts off the passage of gas as between the two ends of the pipes in the
lower or mercury cup.
A lever is provided to force the inverted cup down should it be desired to shut
off the light before total consumption, which lever or it may be a wedge or other
od stops the clock.
We purpose using an index finger on the clock which will indicate when
approaching the zero symbol, or probable closing of the gas sunnlv.

page_text: Although we have referred to the invention as applied to gas heating stores,
it is equally applicable for lighting purposes and used as an apparatus indepen-
dently of any meter for measuring quantity, consequently the apparatus can
be fitted to any supply or branch pipe in a room and at any distance from a meter,
if such be employed.
It will be understood that when the first named handle is moved over a given
distance, the coin becomes discharged into a till.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Richard Thomas Glover and John George Glover.
Improvements in or relating to Time Measure for Gas Stoves and
other Lighting with Coin Freed Mechanism.
We, RICHARD THOMAS GLOVER and JOHN GEORGE GLOVER both of 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 per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: —
This invention relates to means or apparatus by which after receipt of a coin-
and the movement of a handle, a certain quantity of gas will be allowed to pass
from a supply pipe to a gas stove or the like for heating purposes on a light being
applied.
The apparatus forms part of or is in connection with clock gear and of
an instantaneous closing valve when the quantity of gas paid for has been con-
sumed.
The invention is chiefly intended for bedrooms of hotels, or for boarding
houses, and the like, in which should a lodger desire heat or a light in the room
he has only to drop a predetermined coin into a slot, move a handle and apply a
lighted match to the gas stove or burner, and should a portion paid for be uncon-
sumed he can by movement of a lever or bolt so shut off the supply and simul-
taneously close the valve and also stop the clockwork as to be ready for
re-lighting his stove or burner at some future time, or if a light is left burning
the consumption will go on until the quantity paid for has been consumed, or by
turning off a branch tap of the supply pipe, the flow of gas can be stopped and
the clockwork be allowed to run down.
For the purpose of this invention, we connect à coin receiver appliance, such
as a notched wheel, to one of the spindles or arbors of a clock gear which the coin
engages and in conjunction with a lever handle and coin pocket in which the coin
also engages the three become locked, and which are moved as one body by the
handle. this winds up the clock spring and simultaneously by gear therewith the
stop of a lever is removed from the notch of a disc and lifts a special form of
valve, which is an important feature of novelty in this our invention. It con-
sists of 1. A cup in which are ends of two pipes, the extremities of which are
above the level of a mercury bath. It consists. secondly, of an inverted cup to
fit therein, this having a mid partition shorter in depth than the cup itself.
The cup which is the deeper dips into and closes the mercury seal against
escape but the middle partition only dips into the mercury when the inverted
rup drops which it does suddenly when the notch of the disc is brought round to

page_text: It by the clockwork and so shuts off the passage of gas as between the two ends of
the pipes in the lower or mercury cup.
A lever is provided to force the inverted cup down should it be desired to shut
off the light before total consumption, which lever or it may be a wedge or other
rod stops the clock.
We purpose using an index finger on the clock which will indicate when
approaching the zero symbol or probable closing of the gas supply.
Although we have referred to the invention as applied to gas heating stoves,
it is equally applicable for lighting purposes and used as an apparatus indepen-
dently of any meter for measuring quantity, consequently the apparatus can
be fitted to any supply or branch pipe in a room and at any distance from a meter,
if such be employed.
It will be understood that when the first named handle is moved over a given
distance the coin becomes discharged into a till.
Our invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 part sectional elevation with the casing and front or price changer
plate removed, the gas passage being open.
Figure 2 similar elevation with the gas passage closed, the valve lever being
controlled by a spring.
Figure 3 similar elevation in which the closing of the gas valve is effected by
the lever dropping into a notch of a cam plate.
Figure 4 front outside elevation of the apparatus as for use by the public.
Figure 5 elevation of notched plate or internal coin receiver by which when
a coin is inserted the elevation of the lever takes place and the gas valve opened.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A, case or frame of apparatus. B, axle of clock:
work fixed behind, the clockwork being of the ordinary kind is not shown except
in diagram. C, Figure 5, notched wheel shown with six notches or pockets D.
E, face plate with a single notch or slot F, said plate E being adjustable by
screws G, G, to suit the notch of the plate C with which it can be affixed to suit
the valve of the coin to be inserted and the period of time which the gas bas to
flow in return therefor. The plate C, has a claw or stud II affixed and when the
coin plates C, E, are moved over the necessary distance, the coin strikes against a
fixed stop I and causes the coin to fall into the money till J for after collection.
The movement of the two plates C, E, which are fixed to the axle B winds
up the spring of the clock and simultaneously removes the claw or stud H from
the link K of the top har L pivotted at M which har rises under the action of its
spring N sufficiently to raise the gas valve P out of the mercury in the cup
for the free passage of gas as shown by the arrows from the supply pipe to the
burner or burners.
The clock gear by the rebound of its spring reverses the direction of travel of
the two plates C. E, until the claw or stud H re-enters the link K, the link and
bar being drawn down again by the claw, and this by lowering the valve P shuts
off the supply, the rotation of the clock gear being also stopped by the lever R
earing on or against the arbor of the escapement wheel, or by pressing on the
balance wheel of the clock gear.
•
T. is a cam lever, the edge face of which can by turning the handle U depress
he bar L at any time when the gas has to be shut off and the clock gear stopped
uch as when a person desires to reserve the supply of unconsumed gas and for
hich he has already paid.
The gas valve P is a partition of an inverted cup V suspended from the bar L.
Such an apparatus is enclosed in a casing W. as at Figure 4, and to protect the
ternal mechanism we employ a front plate X suspended from a hook Y from
ither of the holes near its periphery and for which to coincide therewith the
ice plate E has to be adjusted on the notched plate C. The main spring axle B
arries the fixed notched disc C and the adjustable plate E. This plate E has
ne notch only which can be set to any notch of the first notched disc C accord-
g to the quantity of gas to be supplied for the value of the coin.

page_text: The front plate X with its slot is correspondingly adjusted so that on the meter
stopping, the slots in the disc C and plate E will be in line therewith.
The front plate X carries at its back a guard or shield, as by our previous
Patent No. 25272 of the year 1894, in which a coin receiving pocket is formed,
said shield being pivotted to the plate X and capable of separate rotation by the
outside handle aa so that unless a coin be in such pocket, the shield is free to be
turned by hand without affecting the mechanism of the apparatus, but if a coin
be inserted it becomes locked within eaid pocket also in the slot F of the disc E
and likewise in the notch of the fixed back plate C, so that all three move at once
and as one body to wind up the clock spring.
If, as in some cases, it be desired that all the gas paid for by the inserted coin
should be burnt by a continual light, we arrange a notched cam b within the
path of the claw or stud H which claw or stud at the termination of the gas con-
sumption enters the notch c of said cam b and moves it round against the pressure
of the plate spring & until a leg e on the bar L falls into the notch f of the cam b,
the drop of which leg e lowers the valve or partition P into the mercury and shuts
off the flow of gas assisted in its fall by the weight g.
When a fresh coin is inserted through the front plate X, it lodges in a pocket
at the back of the face plate X and enters the notch F of the plate E, so that
when the handle a is turned both plates E and C are carried round by the
temporary locking of the coin between them until the coin strikes the fixed stop I
and falls into the till J, it not being possible to insert a fresh coin until the
quantity already paid for has been consumed because the face plate E has only
one notch which must when brought to the full end of its back travel be directly
behind the slot of the front plate.
According to Figure 3 the plates E and C are supposed to be travelling back in
the direction shown by the arrow and when the coupled plates E and C arrive
with their coinciding notches opposite that of the front plate X the claw or
stud H would have entered and turned the cam bor drawn down the link K and
bar L for the valve P to stop the passage of the gas.
It may be of advantage on some occasions that the length of time the uncon-
sumed gas has to last be indicated and for that purpose we arrange a pinion on.
the axle B of the clock to gear into a sliding rack hand this through another
pinion will move an index finger over a dial j, which finger by the figures can
represent hours, as indicated at Figure 4.
According to the drawings, k is the gas supply inlet, and the outlet into the
inverted cup V, the partition or valve proper P of which it forms a part being
freely hung from the bar L by the jointed rods m.
For private outside gas lamps and also for public gas lamps, the duration of
burning of each lamp can be automatically and accurately estimated and shut off.
It is known that daylight diminishes one hour per month after the longest day
in June to the shortest day in December and then increases in the same ratio
till the longest day comes round again, consequently with such an apparatus
in an ordinary street lamp, the lamplighter could open the supply for each night's
consumption by the insertion of a coin or token as to ensure a full nights' light
of the gas and an automatic shutting off in the morning without assistance, as at
present.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we caim is: -
1. In an apparatus for automatically shutting off the supply of gas after the
insertion and motion of a predetermined coin in the manner set forth, the com-
bination of appliances arranged as shown on the annexed drawings of which
the essential features are the stud, the notched disc, pawl, lever, and inverted
cun with partition.
2. In an apparatus for automatically shutting off the supply of gas after the

page_text: insertion and motion of a pre-determined coin in the manner set forth, the
means or appliances by which the gas supply can be temporarily shut and the
clock gear stopped during any part of the reverse travel of the coupled plates and
before the time limit quantity of gas paid for has been consumed, substantially
as described and shown at Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings.
3. In an apparatus in which a supply of gas can be automatically and mechani-
cally shut off after movement of coin receiving appliances, the partition in.
inverted dip cup of a mercury container, as and for the purpose explained.
111 Jaw of Cantamhar 1899
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said :--
Richard Thomas Glover, and John George Glover.