GB2221993A - Meter arrangement - Google Patents

Meter arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2221993A
GB2221993A GB8914892A GB8914892A GB2221993A GB 2221993 A GB2221993 A GB 2221993A GB 8914892 A GB8914892 A GB 8914892A GB 8914892 A GB8914892 A GB 8914892A GB 2221993 A GB2221993 A GB 2221993A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
display indicator
meter
premises
service
display
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8914892A
Other versions
GB8914892D0 (en
Inventor
Albert Haynes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of GB8914892D0 publication Critical patent/GB8914892D0/en
Publication of GB2221993A publication Critical patent/GB2221993A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R22/00—Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D4/00—Tariff metering apparatus
    • G01D4/002—Remote reading of utility meters
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y04—INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVING AN IMPACT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGY AREAS
    • Y04S—SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS
    • Y04S20/00—Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
    • Y04S20/30—Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)

Abstract

A meter arrangement whereby domestic, or industrial, service meters 10 (electricity, gas and water) can be read for billing purposes without entry to the premises to which the service is being supplied, comprises a display indicator housed within 14 a protective casing fitted to the outside of an external wall of premises, the display indicator being operatively connected to a service meter 10 within the premises and being adapted to record and display the quantity of service supply used by the user of the premises. The indicator 14 may be read by a laser gun reader. The indicator 14 is connected to a fused transformer 17 and may be provided with an emergency battery supply. A clamp on meter display 18 is clamped to mains supply 19 to the service meter may be provided to enable a meter reader to see any discrepancies between meters 18 and 10 indicative of fraud. <IMAGE>

Description

A METER ARRANGEMENT This invention relates to a meter arrangement and more particularly to an arrangement whereby domestic, and if required industrial, service meters (electricity, gas and water) can be read for billing purposes without entry to the premises (domestic or industrial) to which the service is being supplied.
It is well known that criminal persons often attempt to gain entry to premises, especially but not exclusively the domestic premises of the elderly, posing as meter readers for burglary or other illegal purposes, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a meter reading arrangement which obviates or mitigates the aforesaid risks and danger.
According to the present invention there is provided a display indicator housed within a protective casing and adapted to be fitted to the outside of an external wall of a premises (domestic or industrial), the display indicator being operatively connected to a service meter within the premises and being adapted to record and display the quantity of service supply used by the user of the premises.
As a result of this invention entry to the premises for meter reading purposes is no longer necessary.
The protective casing may be permanently closed with a viewing window, preferably of toughened glass or a suitable plastics material.
Alternatively, the protective casing is of metal and has a lockable lid or cover openable by a key provided only to authorised persons, e.g. the meter reader and possibly the user of the premises.
Where premises have multiple tenancy there is a display indicator for each tenant of the premises.
The display indicator may be read by a laser gun type implement having a storage memory whereby the meter reader does not require to keep manuscript records.
The stored information may transfer into a computer for producing accounts by plugging the laser gun type implement directly into the computer or by relaying the stored information to the computer via telephone transmission.
A suitable laser gun type implement is one known as a CI500 having a storage memory in excess of 500k.
The service meter need not, as is customary, have a read-out display since the occupier of the premises can obtain the information from the display indicator. This simplifies the construction of service meters and reduces their cost of production.
A battery power pack may be associated with the display indicator to ensure operation of the case of a power failure.
Further advantages of the present invention are that it is easier and quicker for the meter reader to perform his/her duties and consequently an increased number of meters can be read per working day.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which diagrammatically illustrates the meter reading arrangement.
The in-house service meter (electric meter in this instance) is indicated at 10 and, as is fairly usual, has dial and digital recording displays 11 and 12 respectively.
These may be omitted but otherwise the service meter 10 is of conventional construction.
The external wall of the house is indicated at 13 and, in accordance with this invention, there is fitted on the outside of the wall 13 a digital display indicator 14.
The display indicator 14 is housed in a protective casing 15 of either of the constructions referred to above.
The display indicator 14 is electrically operated and may have operatively associated with it a battery power pack (not shown) which will ensure operation of the display indicator 14 in the event of a mains power supply failure.
There is in, or attached to, the service meter 10 a switching mechanism (not shown) into which is plugged, or permanently connected, and a cable 16 connected to the digital display indicator 14, the cable 16 being in circuit with a combined fused spur and transformer 17 to transform down the display indicator operational voltage.
If the service meter 10 is a gas or water meter then the digital display indicator can be operated either electrically or mechanically, for example Pelton wheel and rotational cable mechanism, or electromechanically.
In use, a meter reader can thus read the digital display on the display indicator 14 without requiring to enter the premises or disturb the occupant. He can then, conventionally, mark the reading into his records ledger.
Alternatively, in order to obviate human error, the meter reader is provided with a laser gun type implement such, for example, as a CI500 having a storage memory whereby the display of the display indicator 14 can be read automatically and stored for transfer directly or indirectly into a computer which again automatically will produce the necessary accounts.
The present invention also envisages a clamp-on display meter indicated at 18. This meter 18 is permanently clamped to the mains supply lines 19 to the service meter 10 and is resistant to unauthorised interference so that a meter reader can see any anomalies between the two meters 10 and 18 so that appropriate action can be taken.
This display meter 18 is operatively coupled to the supply lines 19 and is operated by the ingoing supply medium, electricity for example, to provide a reading of the amount of supplied service medium. The display meter 18 may be operated by a force field generated by the supplied electricity.

Claims (8)

1. - A display indicator housed within a protective casing and adapted to be fitted to the outside of an external wall of a premises (domestic or industrial), the display indicator being operatively connected to a service meter within the premises and being adapted to record and display the quantity of service supply used by the user of the premises.
2. A display indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which the protective casing is permanently closed with a viewing window, preferably of toughened glass or a suitable plastics material.
3. A display indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which the protective casing is of metal and has a lockable lid or cover openable by a key provided only to authorised persons, e.g. the meter reader and possibly the user of the premises.
4. A display indicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 which is electrically operated and is connected to a service meter via a fused transformer.
5. A display indicator as claimed in claim 4 in which a back-up battery power pack is connected to the display indicator for use in the event of mains supply failure.
6. A display indicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 adapted to be read by a laser gun type implement with a memory storage facility.
7. A display indicator adapted to be clamped on to service supply lines connected to a service meter.
8. A display indicator, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB8914892A 1988-06-29 1989-06-29 Meter arrangement Withdrawn GB2221993A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB888815469A GB8815469D0 (en) 1988-06-29 1988-06-29 Meter arrangement

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8914892D0 GB8914892D0 (en) 1989-08-23
GB2221993A true GB2221993A (en) 1990-02-21

Family

ID=10639574

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB888815469A Pending GB8815469D0 (en) 1988-06-29 1988-06-29 Meter arrangement
GB8914892A Withdrawn GB2221993A (en) 1988-06-29 1989-06-29 Meter arrangement

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB888815469A Pending GB8815469D0 (en) 1988-06-29 1988-06-29 Meter arrangement

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB8815469D0 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5058525A (en) * 1990-07-19 1991-10-22 Universal Protection Corporation Dial tampering detector
US5184064A (en) * 1991-03-25 1993-02-02 Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. Encapsulated meter with optical programmer
GB2262682A (en) * 1991-11-27 1993-06-23 Thames Water Utilities Remote meter reading system
GB2426596A (en) * 2005-05-25 2006-11-29 Landis & Gyr Ag An electricity meter with fraud prevention

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1099859A (en) * 1965-07-17 1968-01-17 George Wilson Gas Meters Ltd Remote counting device for a meter
US3624361A (en) * 1968-10-14 1971-11-30 Gaspare Cavallina Electromechanical assembly for receiving and totaling pulses and, particularly, for registering readings taken from meters
GB1375653A (en) * 1972-03-28 1974-11-27
US3974694A (en) * 1975-09-24 1976-08-17 Columbia Gas Service Corporation Remote digital indicator attachment for a gas meter
US4106344A (en) * 1977-06-27 1978-08-15 Rockwell International Corporation Housing for electro-mechanical counter
GB2043910A (en) * 1979-02-08 1980-10-08 Dunning G E Meter with facility for remote reading
GB2117524A (en) * 1982-03-24 1983-10-12 Newcastle And Gateshead Water A meter display housing
GB2159633A (en) * 1984-06-01 1985-12-04 App Electr De Cahors Manufactu A box, especially for an electric meter or the like

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1099859A (en) * 1965-07-17 1968-01-17 George Wilson Gas Meters Ltd Remote counting device for a meter
US3624361A (en) * 1968-10-14 1971-11-30 Gaspare Cavallina Electromechanical assembly for receiving and totaling pulses and, particularly, for registering readings taken from meters
GB1375653A (en) * 1972-03-28 1974-11-27
US3974694A (en) * 1975-09-24 1976-08-17 Columbia Gas Service Corporation Remote digital indicator attachment for a gas meter
US4106344A (en) * 1977-06-27 1978-08-15 Rockwell International Corporation Housing for electro-mechanical counter
GB2043910A (en) * 1979-02-08 1980-10-08 Dunning G E Meter with facility for remote reading
GB2117524A (en) * 1982-03-24 1983-10-12 Newcastle And Gateshead Water A meter display housing
GB2159633A (en) * 1984-06-01 1985-12-04 App Electr De Cahors Manufactu A box, especially for an electric meter or the like

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5058525A (en) * 1990-07-19 1991-10-22 Universal Protection Corporation Dial tampering detector
US5184064A (en) * 1991-03-25 1993-02-02 Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. Encapsulated meter with optical programmer
GB2262682A (en) * 1991-11-27 1993-06-23 Thames Water Utilities Remote meter reading system
GB2426596A (en) * 2005-05-25 2006-11-29 Landis & Gyr Ag An electricity meter with fraud prevention
GB2426596B (en) * 2005-05-25 2010-07-14 Landis & Gyr Ag An electricity meter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8815469D0 (en) 1988-08-03
GB8914892D0 (en) 1989-08-23

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)