GB448257A - Coin-freed prepayment mechanism for electricity meters - Google Patents

Abstract

448,257. Prepayment mechanism for meters. WILSON GASMETERS, Ltd., G., Foleshill Road, Coventry, WILSON, J. H., The Mill House, Baginton, near Coventry, and JOHNSON, S., 29, Beanfield Avenue, Coventry. Dec. 4, 1934, Nos. 34767 /34 and 22761 /35. [Class 27] In rate-changing gear for meter prepayment mechanism, a pair of change wheels adapted to be alternatively brought into operative relation with respect to the transmission between the meter and quantity mechanisms are each carried by a spindle, the ends of which are mounted eccentrically in rotatable bushes, the bushes carrying one spindle being operatively connected with each other and with the bushes carrying the other spindle. As shown, a meter driven wheel 2 meshes with a spur wheel 4 fast with a pinion 5, the meter driven sun wheel of the differential quantity mechanism being secured to a sleeve carrying a pair of spaced gear-wheels 6, 7. The change wheels 8, 9 are carried on spindles 8a, 9a mounted eccentrically in bushes 12b, 12a journalled in frame plates 10, 11 so that, by rotation of the bushes, the wheel 8 can be brought into engagement with the wheels 4 and 6 corresponding to a " lighting " rate, or the wheel 9 can be brought into engagement with the pinion 5 and wheel 7 corresponding to a "power" rate of charge. The bushes 12a are interconnected by a stirrup member 13 having slots at the ends of its two arms engaging pins 14b on arms 14 secured to the bushes 12b, so that, by turning an indicating pointer 15 secured to one of the bushes, all the bushes are turned together to effect the gear change. The moving contact member 26 of the supply switch is carried on a rotary plate 25 which is moved against the action of a spring 28 to complete the supply circuit when prepayment is being made, by engagement of the coin, whilst being carried round in the usual rotary coin pocket, with an arm 22 turning with a second arm 24 having a pin-andslot connection with the plate 25. The switch is retained set by engagement of an arm 30 with a pin 29 on the plate 25, but when prepayment is exhausted, the differential element of the quantity mechanism closes the circuit of a solenoid 32 which moves the arm 30 against the action of a spring 39 to release the plate 25 and allow the switch to open under the action of the spring 28. An auxiliary switch arm 26a is pivoted at 26b to the main arm 26, and its closing action is delayed against the action of a spring at 26b by the engagement of a spring- controlled catch piece 42 with a roller 41 on the arm 26a. When the maximum prepayment permissible has been made, a pin 48, carried on an arm secured to the differential shaft of the quantity mechanism, thrusts a bar 47 into the barrel 21 of the coin mechanism against the action of a spring 49, thereby preventing a subsequent coin inserted being carried round to the discharge opening in the barrel 21. Registering.-An inserted coin, whilst being conveyed from the insertion slot 16 to the discharge opening in the barrel 21, steps forwards a star wheel 44 connected with a coin counting mechanism 45.