GB404338A - Improvements in and relating to prepayment meter mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

404,338. Prepayment mechanism for meters. MEASUREMENT, Ltd., and HOLDEN, F., Terminal House, Lower Belgrave Street, London. July 13, 1932, No. 19794. [Class 27.] In prepayment meter mechanism of the kind in which the additive part of the mechanism is actuated to an amount proportional to any of a number of predetermined coins of different denomination, the subtractive part being actuated by the consumption of commodity, energy imparted to a spring, on the insertion and manipulation of a coin of any predetermined denomination, is utilised to rotate a member by which motion is imparted to the additive part of the mechanism to an extent corresponding to the value of the coin. As applied to a prepayment electricity meter taking pennies and shillings, when a switch closing arm a, Figs. 1 and 4, is moved by a handle c, it rotates a box o to wind up a spring n, Fig. 2, one end of, which is attached to the box and the other to a toothed wheel p. The box is rigid with a ratchet wheel k driven by a pawl j on a spindle f which is connected through a torsion spring g, crank e and link d to the arm a. Overwinding is prevented by the torsion spring g and backward rotation of the ratchet wheel k by a pawl m. The wheel p meshes with a pinion q on a shaft having fixed thereto a wheel r which drives through gearing the additive side of a differential quantity mechanism. Normally the wheel r is prevented from being rotated by the spring n, by sun wheels t, u loose on its shaft and meshing with a planet wheel s mounted on the wheel, the sun wheels being held by detents 6, w. The detent 6 engages a single-notched disc 5 geared to the sun wheel t, while the detent w engages a disc v rigid with the sunwheel u and having six notches. The detents 6, ware tripped by the insertion and movement of shillings and pennies respectively, to allow different rotations of the wheel r, a too rapid rotation of which is prevented by an inertia controlled escapement member in the gearing between it and the quantity mechanism. Coin action, mechanical-connection.-The coins are inserted through a slot 26, Fig. 1, to a pocket 23 on the end of the arm a, and are located by a sloping side 24 of the pocket so that a penny is opposite to and actuates a lever 9, when the arm a is moved, and a shilling at lever 25. The penny 12, Fig. 2, during a short part only of its travel, rocks the lever 9 against the action of a spring 22. The lever 9 has pivoted thereto, a spring controlled tappet 8, a shoulder 19 on which, during the return of the lever 9, engages a pin 7 on the detent w to release the latter momentarily from the notched disc v. The end of the tappet 8 is sloped and, when this slope engages a fixed stop 13, the tappet is moved away from the pin 7 and allows the detent again to engage the disc v. Similar mechanism is provided in connection with the shilling release wheel 5.