440,820. Prepayment mechanism for meters. SIEMENS BROS. & CO., Ltd., Caxton House, Tothill Street, Westminster, and RIBER, C. R., 24, Dorville Road, Lee, London. July 24, 1934, No. 21611. [Class 27] Coin action, mechanical-connection, with delivery proportionate to value of coin; coindischarging mechanism.-In meter prepayment mechanism operable by any one of several coins insertable through a single slot, a number of rotatable members, each comprising driving and driven parts adapted to be coupled together by a relevant coin, are arranged vertically in line beneath the slot in such a manner that an inserted coin is arrested according to its size by an appropriate member, the driven parts being separately connected through different gearing with the quantity mechanism so that delivery of the commodity is proportionate to the value of the coin. As shown, there are three rotable members, the uppermost, for example, which arrests the largest coin inserted through the slot CV, comprising driving and driven cylindrical parts CC and CY having vertical diametrical slots SS, SL for receiving the coin, and further diametrical slots at right angles so that each part is divided into four quadrants. Two opposite quadrants in each part are, however, removed in the manner shown. A horizontal pin PP attached to the lower 'unremoved quadrant of the driving part CC arrests the relevant coin. The three driving parts CC, CL, CN, are connected through gearing with an operating handle KK so as to receive equal movement when the handle is rotated. The driven parts CY, CI, and CD are carried on separate shafts SI, SD, and SE, to which are secured arms CA, CM, CS having diametrical pins as MM, ME engaging pivoted spring actuated levers as LL, which operate the quantity mechanism in the manner described in Specification 440,821. At the ends of the shafts SI, SD, SE are one-way clutches CV, CT, CE, the driven parts of which are all connected with a switch setting cam AM. In operation, a shaft SJ, SD, or SE is rotated for a quarter revolution by the operating handle KK, and for a subsequent quarter revolution by the engagement of the corresponding spring-actuated lever LL with the pins MM, ME, the lever LL being suitably shaped to ensure this. This results in the driven part such as CY over-running its driving part CC so that the coin is released, and falls away owing to lack of support by the cutaway quadrants. To ensure a full stroke of the operating handle, a ratchet wheel DD turning therewith is engaged by a pawl PW. This pawl is thrown out of action at the end of the stroke by engagement of a pin IS on the ratchet DD, with a projection PJ on the pawl, so as to permit return movement, at the completion of which the pawl is tripped back by a second pin SO. The pivoted switchoperating lever CR is locked in the closed position shown in Fig. 6 by a pair of knucklejointed levers LI, LN, the former being carried on a fixed pivot PE, whilst the latter has a part CH engaging a catch HH on the lever CR. A projection FF on a spring-actuated lever CK bears against a gapped disc ms rotating with the differential element of the quantity mechanism; when prepayment is exhausted, the projection FF enters the gap in the disc ms so that a head HE on the lever CK strikes the part CH, breaking the knucklejoint to permit the actuating lever CR to turn about its pivot PD under the action of a spring SG, thus cutting off the supply of electricity. Simultaneously, a lower end EE of the lever CR throws back the lever CK to free the projection FF from the gapped disc ms in order to allow the quantity mechanism to be reset. The knuckle-jointed levers and switch are reset by engagement of the cam AM on the shaft SI with the lever LI, pivoted spring-actuated levers AR, AS bearing against pins MB, MR, on the cam AM ensuring a quick closing action. Coin-slit closing-device.-Pins PU passing through bores in the shafts of the driving parts CC, CL, and CN, and extending into the coin spaces, bear at their outer ends against arms LU, LG, and LS on a plate ST pivoted at IT, IE. When a coin is in one of the rotable members, the corresponding pin is thrust back so that the plate is tilted, and, by means of an extension EX, moves a counterweighted pivoted plate CV over the insertion slot.