GB320703A - Improvements in prepayment mechanism for gas and other fluid meters - Google Patents

Abstract

320,703. Meters, Ltd., and Stansfield, A. Aug. 2, 1928. Gas, supplying by meter.-In a prepayment gas meter to be operated with coins of different denominations, for example pennies and shillings, a setting gear is provided which adjusts the coin receiver to take either pennies or shillings and at the same time sets a mechanism governing the closing of the gas valve at different rates according to the coin for which the receiver is adjusted. The setting gear can also adjust the valve closing mechanism so that the meter may be used as an ordinary meter without prepayment. As applied to a meter having '1uantit.<y> mechanism of the screw-and-nut type the valve b, Fig. 1, is actuated bv a collar b <2> on a screw b<l> passing through a wheel nut a<6> which is rotated by a crown wheel as integral with a crown wheel a<4> rotated by the coin mechanism to open the valve. The screw is rotated to close the valve by having a flat part piling through the boss of a pair of compound - spur wheels d, d' rotated by the meter. The meter. through a worm c and worm wheel c<l>. drives a shaft c' connected to the index dials and having a pair of worms e, e<1> always in gear with helical pinions c<s>, c<\> Fig. 7, mounted in a laterally movable slide c' which is operated by rack teeth c' engaging a pinion c'‹ on a longitudinal setting shaft g provided with a setting levetr g'. The lever g<1> may be set and secured bv a. catch g<2> in three positions, so that the wheel c<s> is in mesh with the small wheel d<l> when pennies are to be used, or a pinion c' on the >'haft. of the wheel c' is in mesh with the big wheel d, when shillings are to be used, or both wheels c<5>, c<e> are out of mesh with the wheels d, (],' when the meter is to be used as an ordinary meter. When in use as an ordinary meter, the inspector advances the screw b<t> a little by means of a squared portion thereon to open the val.'e fully. The change-over from pennies to shillings or vice-versa is prevented until the gas prepaid is consumed by a pendant arm h<4>, Fig. la, engaging a plate h5 on the shaft except when the valve is closed. <,'oarL action, thrust, mechanical-connection, and mMttp?e-cow.-A penny inserted through a slot in the usual price-charge plate a, Fig. 12, into a coin receiver a<2> depresses a plate a'<5> to cause a tooth a<3> to engage the wheel a <4>. When a shilling to be used, an adapter a' pivoted to the plate a<15> and normally kept out of action by a spring a<12> is moved by a forked piece i, Figs. 1. and 2, engaging a protruding limb all thereon to bring a ledge a<10> into the path of the shilling. The piece i ;s actuated by a lever j, Fig. 2, pivoted at j<1> and acted on by an adjustable screw lc<l> and a cam projection k<2> carried by a lever k which is secured to the shaft g.