US2152577A - Parking meter - Google Patents

Description

livlmln 2s, 1939.

M. M. WEAVER PARKING METER Filed July 13, 1936 FIGURE 5.

INVENTOR. MAX M. WEAVER ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 (ilaims.

I'his invention relates to parking meters for automobiles and more particularly to improvements therein for automatic electrical operation.

An object ofV the present invention isto provide mechanism for raising a flag and lighting an incandescent lamp to illuminate the nag when a coin is inserted in the meter.

Another object of Athe present inventionlis to provide an electric time meter, synchronized with the generator connected with the electric power and service lines, to drive the mechanism of said meter and an indicator arranged to indicate the unused time for the parking period of a motor car or other vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide mechanical apparatus to quickly return the indicators, that show the mechanism of the meter is in operation, to the starting position preparatory to another starting of time period.

Another object of the present invention is to provide electrical contacts with the coin when passing into the meter to start the motor running for driving the indicating mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically operated disengaging clutch to disengage the electric motor from the rest of the mechanism to allow the spring motor to return the indicators to the starting position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a solenoid and companion core to operate -the disengaged mechanism of the electric motor from the rest of the driving mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to wind the spring motor with the electric motor while the time 'mechanism is being operated by the electric motor, and when the electric motor has driven the indicator over the full period of time allotted -to the meter, the electric motor circuit automatically breaks, and the ag or chart of unused minutes is lowered from the registering position.

With these and other objects in view .the invention further consists of various combinations of all or some of the new and oid parts illustrated in the drawing of the apparatus. described in the specication and more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is one side view in elevation ofthe parking meter illustrating the housing, indicator of time, and raised chart of unused minutes, the dotted lines lindicating the" coin controlling means.

Figure 2 is a. 'fragmentary yplan view of the parking meter mechanism in the housing.

Figure 3is a reversed side view of Figure 1 with the housing and certain'parts broken awayl to illustrate the parking meter mechanism.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the time indicating mechanism returned to the registering position. This view being taken from the same side of the meter as Figure 3.

.Figure 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the motor, solenoid, core, lever arm, and gear'en- Swing-and disengaging mechanism. The housing 6 is mounted on a suitable post I and has a pair of coin slot lips 8 mounted on one end thereof. Windows 9 and Ill are arranged on the sides of the housing to expose the indicator points IfI and IIA and minute charts I2 and I3.

A window I4 exposes `a coin during the time of metering operation. y The partitions I5 and I6 are arranged in the -housing 6- to support the metering mechanism. A shaft I1 is journaled in the partitions and has a segmental gear I8 fixed thereon. A spring I9 has one end thereof xed on the 'shaft Il and the other end thereof is held by a pin 2li, the pin 20 being supported in the housing 6. The gears 2|, 22 and pinions 23, 24 and 25 drive the segmental gear IU, the gears and pinions being mounted on their respective shafts 26, 21 and 28.

A long clutch pinion 29, as compared with the other gears and pinions, is mounted on ashaft 3h secured in the clutch arm 3| and engages and disengages the motorj driven pinion 25 and gear 22, the clutch arm being pivoted at 32 and held in an engaging position by a spring 33, one end of the spring is fastened to the arm at 34 and 'the other end thereof fastened at 35. y

The swinging end of the clutch arm is pivoted at 3B to a pair'of links 31 and the links are piv- .oted toA the solenoid core 34.A The solenoid coil 39 being arranged tol pull on the core 38 and cause the lever clutch arm to disengage the clutch pinion 29 fromthe l motor driven pinion 25 and gear 22.

i l The indicator arm I IA has a pin 40 mounted spring 46 pivoted at 4l. The opposite end of the spring 46 is pivoted to the mast' arm'48 at '149, the mast arm being pivoted at 50,v having insula- .tion switch control 'iingerv 5I mounted on thev lower end thereof and the two minute charts I2 and I3 mounted on the top thereof. i i

Switch contact points I2 and I3 are arranged 46, the mast arm 48. The electrical switc to normally remain closed and are opened by the switch block 5I moving the spring arm 54 toward the housing shell 5.

A self starting motor is mounted in the housing and has the shaft 28 extending from one side thereof .with the motor driven pinion 25 mounted thereon.

A cam 51 is mounted on the shaft I'I and is shaped in the low portion 58 to allow a coin to remain at the electrical contacts 59 and 63 until the spring I9 returns the indicators II and IIA to the 60 minutes indicated on the chart. When the tooth 6I strikes the coin and causes it to fall by gravity through the coin chute 62 to the spring holder 83 where it remains exposed through the window Il until the indicators pass to the zero marked on the unused minute chart. When the high point 8l of the cam strikes the coin and extracts it from the spring holder 63 and pin 55 the coin falls by gravity to the bottom o! the housing. A door 66 is arranged in the housing 6 for the removal of the accumulated coin. 'Ihe housing 6 is shown integral but may be made in enough parts to eiect the removal and repair of the mechanism contained therein without departure from the present invention.

An incandescent lamp arranged in the top of the housing to light the unused minute charts has wires 58 and 69 leading to the motor contacts 10 and 1I, wire 69 extending to the solenoid coil 33 and wire 58 connected to the switch spring 'l2 at 13, the wire 58 also connects to one `wire of the outside power circuit 'i4 through the switch 52 and 53. The wire of the power cil-cuiu 'itl extends to the switch spring 54 making contact at 'I1 and then extends to coincontact iail. i wire 68' connects coin contact 59 with solenoid 39.

The normalposition for the meter mechanism when it is at rest is shown in Figure where the indicator is on the zero minute and unused minute charts'are lowered liv th p pulling on the arm 4I, levers 42 and if postton by the switch control finger 5l. lily an enM tact points 52 and 53 are held open in, this amination of the wiring it is cuite obvious the current is shut oiI from the inem f lamp, motor and solenoid and the sp 'ng i9 is wound in tension, the pinion 2Q int-shed with the pinion 25 and gear 22 and lia .ng suilim cient resistance to prevent the spring Il? from unwinding. The arm 3| holds the pinion 29 in mesh with gear 22 by means oi the spring 33.

Now a coin is inserted in a slot formed by the slot lips 3 and passes to the spring electrical contacts 59 and 60 where a circuit is established in the solenoid. The armature 38 is drawn into the core of the solenoid pulling on links 31, arm 3| and spring 33, thereby disengaging the clutch pinion 29 from the motor driven pinion 25 and gear 22. The spring I9 is immediately released and the indicator arms quickly snap back to the 60 reading on the charts I3. The pin 4U moves the arm Il, and levers .42, I5 and spring 45, the spring passing the mast pivot 50 causing the spring to pull on the mast in a different direction, lifting the charts on the mast and allowing the electrical contacts 52 and 53 to make contact as shown in Figure 4. When the spring I9 drives the indicator arms to the 60 minute position the cam 5I strikes and moves the coin thereby breaking the electrical contact between points 59 and 60 to allow the solenoid to release the core 38 and engage the clutch pinion 29 with the motor driven pinion 25 and gear 22. The contacts 52 and 53 cause a circuit to be established in the light bulb B6 and motor 55. The light bulb 35 illuminates the charts while in the raised position and the motor 55 drives the gearing and moves the'indicators II and IIA from. the 60 unused minutes to the zero on chart when the arm 4I moves the arms I2 and 45 to the position shown in Figure 3, the spring 45 passing the mast pivot 50 and causing the spring to pull the mast downwardly and lower the chart as shown in Figure 3.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a parking meter, a housing, a pivot, a mast arm pivoted in said housing on said pivot, a pair of windows'mounted in the sides of said housing, a pair o! time charts mounted on said mast arm and arranged to swing on said mast arm pivot to register through said windows when in a raised position, said time charts arranged to swing with said mast arm downwardly to disappear from view on the external side of said windows, a bell crank pivoted in said housing, said bell crank having an arm extending from the fulcrum thereof, a spring connecting said arm to said mast arm below said bell crank fulcrum, said bell crank having a second arm, a link arm pivoted to said second arm, said link arm forming aslcttcd portion therein, a shaft mounted in said housing, a pair of indicator arms secured to said shaft and pivoted in said housing to have the pointers thereof sweep the faces oi i latter are in the raised posiugh the windows ol said time on said chart, a pin `l indicator arms to work said link arm, said bell prlng being located to be icator arms as said crm its travel, whereby the most arm fulcrum and l* e bell crank spririgmon ast by the spring teria one side of said mast lcrun'is, and to lower the ion when the spring is ci said fulcrums, gearing said gearing being conclectric motor, an elecntcd in, one the slotted pif crank arto i," Wod by one o and disengaged with said lng, said motor driving said gearing in one .tion when sold clutch is engaged, a motor spring, said motor spring being connected to said housing, and said indicator shaft, `said motor spring being wound when said electric motor drives in one direction and said clutch is engaged, and said motor spring driving said indicator arms in the opposite direction when said clutch is disengaged, electric circuits, electric switches, said switches arranged to control said circuits, said circuits controlling said motor and said clutch.

2. In a parking meter, a housing. a pivot, a mast arm pivoted in said housing on said pivot, a window mounted in the wall of said housing, a graduated chart indicating time mounted on said mast arm and adapted to swing on said mast arm pivot to register through said window when in a raised position, said chart being arranged to swing downwardly out of view from said window, a bell crank pivoted in said housing, a spring, said bell crank being connected to said mast arm by said spring, a link arm connected to said bell crank, gearing iourualed ln said housing, an indisaid clutch being ar-

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