GB472012A - Improvements in prepayment meters for coins of different values - Google Patents

Abstract

472,012. Prepayment mechanism for meters. LANDIS & GYR, Ltd., and WHITBY, E. Oct. 29, 1936. No. 29468. [Class 27] Coin action, thrust, with delivery proportionate to value of coin.-In a prepayment meter for optional use with different coins, a member having notches of different depth, each corresponding to one of the coins, is provided for controlling the setting forward of the quantity mechanism, and this member is operatively connected with a coin-actuated part through a multiplying gearing. In Fig. 1, a coin passed through a slot 2 into a stationary coin pocket 17 displaces a pivoted toothed quadrant 18 meshing with a small pinion 21, so that a disc 22 turning with the pinion is rotated to bring one of a number of notches 27, each corresponding to a particular coin, opposite an abutment 30 on a centrally pivoted lever 29. The other end of this lever carries a pin engaging a circumferential groove in a sleeve 33 which is keyed to permit relative axial movement only, to a shaft 5 connected through gearing 4 with the operating shaft 3. The sleeve 33 is normally held to the left against the action of a spring 40 by engagement of a cam 38 on the sleeve with a stationary roller 41. During initial rotation of the shafts 3 and 5, a sharp drop on the cam 38 releases the sleeve 33 for axial movement to a position determined by the depth of the slot opposite the abutment 30 of the lever 29, and hence by the diameter of the coin inserted. The sleeve 33 has a number of teeth 34 of different axial length on its periphery, and one or more of these teeth are brought opposite either or both of a pair of ratchet wheels 42 and 43. These ratchet wheels are connected through gearing of different ratios with the two sun wheels of a differential gear 48, the planet carrier of which is connected with the quantity mechanism (not shown). During continued rotation of the shaft 5, either or both wheels 42 and 43 are rotated an amount dependent on the number of teeth on the sleeve 33 brought into driving engagement, and the quantity mechanism is thereby set forward by an amount determined by the value of the coin. In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, a notched disc 22 is connected through a pinion 21 with a coin actuated toothed quadrant 18 as in Fig. 1, but the disc 22 co-operates with a disc 56 secured to the setting shaft 3, and provided with abutments 60 of different radial depth corresponding to the different coins. Normally, a further abutment 57 on the disc 56 bears against the face of the disc 22 to prevent rotation of the shaft 3. Insertion of a coin causes rotation of the disc 22 to bring the appropriate notch into register with the disc 56. Rotation of the shaft 3 is now permitted until one of the abutments 60 meets the bottom of the notch in the disc 22 ; the amount of rotation being determined by the depth of the notch in the disc 22 in register with the disc 56 and hence the value of the coin. This rotation is transmitted through pawl-and-ratchet mechanism 64, 65 to the quantity mechanism. Coin - slit closing - devices ; coin - discharging mechanism.-A loose disc 9, Fig. 1, is connected through a spring 12, and a pin-and-slot, with a disc 11 secured to the shaft 5. A plate 6, turning with the disc 9, is moved by the spring 12 to close when released by a holding edge 181 on the coin-actuated segment 18. A cam 7, also turning with the disc 9, operates a pivoted lever 15 to displace a coin supporting shutter 16 to release the coin at the appropriate time during the setting operation. Fraud, preventing.-If the coin is fraudulently retained in the coin pocket, a projection 8 on the disc 9 engages an abutment 19 on the coin actuated quadrant 18, which prevents completion of the rotation of the shafts 5 and 3, and closure of the supply switch.