GB317183A - Improvements in prepayment mechanism for gas and like meters - Google Patents

Abstract

317,183. Meters, Ltd., Glover, W. T., a.nd Maylor, J. A. June 25, 1928. Gas &c., supplying by meter; coin actionmultiple-coin. - In prepayment mechanism in which a reduction gearing is interposed between the metering mechanism and the usual screw- and-nut quantity mechanism to adapt the mechanism for use with coins of different values, the meter drives, through the usual claw a, Fig. 2, a spindle d capable of endwise movement for bringing either of two wheels c, f thereon into engagement with its corresponding wheel of two wheels m, n on the screwed shaft b of the quantity mechanism. The spindler d is secured with one or other of the wheels e, f in operation, or in a neutral position, when the prepayment mechanism is rendered inoperative, by a plate j pivoted at i and engaging in grooves g, h on the spindle or beyond the outermost collar of the grooves as shown. The plate j is secured by a headed pin k. The screw b extends within the usual slotted sleeve c which is rotated from the coin mechanism through the face teeth o of a combined crown and ratchet wheel o, p engaging a wheel r on the sleeve c. A collar s around the sleeve c has lugs which extend through the slots to engage the screw b, the rotation of the screw moving the collar in one direction and the rotation of the sleeve moving it in the opposite direction to actuate the valve. The parts b, c are disposed across the face of the crown wheel o to make a compact construction. The coin mechanism, which may be constructed as described in Specification 317,182 is carried on a frames x, the circular part necessary for the mechanism being provided by a ring 2 cast integrally with the plate x. Indicators. - The collar s engages an arm t travelling on a rod u and provided with a pointer v which indicates on a dial the amount of gas prepaid but unconsumed. The dial has two scales, one for each denomination of coin.