GB469608A - Coin freed, or coin operated mechanism for pre-payment meters - Google Patents

Abstract

469,608. Prepayment mechanism for gas meters. GIBSON, R. K. Jan. 23, 1936, No. 2108. [Class 27] Coin action, thrust and multiple coin.- As shown, pennies and shillings are in serted through different. slots intc separate coin pockets 38 and 31 carried on a disc 22 rotatable by a handle 17, a penny turning a pivoted pawl 10 so that its nose engages crown teeth on a quantity wheel 9, whilst a shilling depresses a U-shaped member 39 having a nose 5 which engages a second quantity wheel 2. Separate epicyclic mechanisms are provided for the pennies' and shillings' quantity wheels. The pennies wheel 9 is carried by a shaft 7 having a sun-wheel 55, Fig. 9, at its rear end meshing with a planet wheel 56 in a carrier 57 fast with a pinion 58 meshing with a gear 59 on a shaft 71 which is connected by gears 72 and 73 with a valve controlling cam disc 42. The return drive from the meter mechanism is made through gears 67 and 66, and a gear 65 fast with the gear 66 which meshes with an internally and externally toothed annulus 65 forming the second sun-wheel of the pennies' differential. The shillings wheel 2 is connected by a sleeve 6 and pinions 69 and 70 to a sunwheel 63 of a second differential. The planet wheels 62 of this differential are carried by the shaft 71 operating the valve disc 42 as before, whilst the return drive from the meter is taken from the toothed annulus 64 rotating the planet carrier 57 of the penny differential in the reverse direction. The gears 69 and 70 may be interchanged for operation by a threepenny piece in place of a sixpence. Indicators.-The amount prepaid but unconsumed is indicated by a dial at the front end of the spindle 88 of the valve-controlling disc 42. In addition, a gear 90 on the spindle 88 drives a crown wheel 91 calibrated on its periphery to doublethe maximum reading. The total consumption is registered on separate dials calibrated respectively in cubic feet and therms, these being driven through suitable gearing from the meter mechanism. Price-change mechanism ; coin-slit closing- devices; returning coin.-The coin-pocket disc 22 has a pin and-slot connection 24, 25 with a stepped disc 12 journalled in an annular price-change plate and fast with the handle 17. The initial position of the coin pocket, and hence the amount of rotation effective to prepay, is determined by a stop of the pricecharge plate, the latter being secured by a fixed pin engaging its toothed periphery, but being releasable for adjustment after rotation of a sealed catch 16. The pin-and-slot connection between the discs 12 and 22 provides an initial free rotation of the disc 12 to cover -the coin slots before it picks up the disc 22 to rotate the coin pockets and either quantity wheel. In its initial position, the lower front end of the pennies coin pocket registers with coincident discharge openings in the discs 12 and 22 through which an undersized coin is returned. Valves, special arrangements and applications of.-The valve-controlling disc 42, Fig. 4, has a cam track 43 engaged by a roller 44 on a bellcrank 45 connected by a pin 47 and forked arm 48 with the valve lever 50. The cam track 43 is mainly circular, but has an inturned end 43<1> for closing the valve when the amount prepaid is exhausted, and opens at 43<2> to the periphery of the disc on which the roller 44 rides when the amount prepaid is at or near the maximum.