GB377827A - Improvements in or relating to coin-freed gas meters - Google Patents

Abstract

377,827. Prepayment mechanism for gas meters. FORSTER, J. D. and METROPOLITAN GAS METERS, Ltd., Hyson Green, Nottingham. Aug. 27, 1931, No. 24161. [Class 27.] Coin action, thrust. -In a coin-freed gas meter in which, upon insertion of a coin into a coin holder carried upon a manually rotatable member, a driving connection is established between this member and a quantity wheel, a detent is arranged on the member in such a manner as to prevent backward rotation so long as a coin is in the coin holder and to relieve the parts effecting the driving connection of strain, if backward rotation is attempted. As applied to the coinholder mechanism described in Specification 342,254, the disc 15, Fig. 2, carrying the coin holder 21 has pivoted thereto at 36 a pawl 35 resiliently coupled by a spring 37 to the member 22 which is depressed by a coin to cause a tooth 23 thereon to engage the quantity wheel. When the member 22 is depressed, the spring 37 causes the tip 39 of the pawl to engage in inner surface of the surrounding casing which is provided with a series of depressions. Backward rotation is prevented, while the coin is in the holder, by the tip 39 engaging in one of these depressions, the strain being taken by the pawl and disc 15. In a modification, Fig. 5, the pawl 35 has a slot 46 engaged by an extension 47 of the member 22, with a certain amount of lost motion. When the member 22 is depressed the spring 37 causes the pawl to engage with the surrounding casing, but, when the coin is discharged, the extension retracts positively the pawl.