GB403718A - Improvements in or relating to prepayment gas meters - Google Patents

Abstract

403,718. Prepayment-mechanism for gas meters. WILSON GASMETERS, Ltd., G., Foleshill Road, Coventry, and WILSON, J. H., Mill House, Baginton, near Coventry. June 30, 1932, No. 18450. [Class 27.] Coin action, thrust and multiple-coin.- In prepayment gasmeters operable by pennies and shillings, means are provided whereby the radial movement of the coin carrier or pocket on the back of the rotatable carrier plate can be regulated so as to be appropriate to either of the two coins or definitely to one or to the other. A coin inserted through a slot in the usual price-change plate a, Fig. 1, moves a pocket or carrier c radially against the action of a spring d on a rotatable carrier plate b. A finger c<1> on the pocket is engaged, according to the size of the coin, with one or other of two measuring-out wheels, the larger or shillings wheel having crown teeth overhanging the teeth of the pence wheel. The meter can be arranged to take pennies only or shillings only, or pennies and shillings at the will of the operator, by means of a slide f which is set so that its inner end is either in or out of the path of a stop g on the coin pocket. When set for use with pennies only, the slide is moved to its extreme right-hand position as shown in Fig. 1, so that a recess f limits the radial movement of the pocket which is held partly depressed by an upper shoulder f<2> of the recess engaging the stop g. In this position the finger c<1> is located between the rings of teeth of the two measuring-out wheels. On insertion of a penny the pocket is depressed until the stop g engages a lower shoulder f<3> on the slide, which is frictionally held in adjusted position by a compression spring carried by a screw i which engages a slot k in the slide. In the setting for use with shillings only, the slide is moved to an intermediate position with the screw i in the middle of the slot k, so that the inward movement of the pocket is limited by a shoulder f<4>. When the slide is set in its extreme left-hand position, the pocket c is entirely free of it and pennies or shillings can be used at will. Indicators. The slide carries an indicator plate l which shows through a window in the price-change plate which coin or coins can be used.