GB530511A - Improvements in and relating to prepayment mechanism for gas meters and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

530,511. Prepayment gas meters. ALDER & MACKAY, Ltd., and PEET, A. May 6, 1939, No. 13580. [Class 27] Prepayment mechanism for gas meters includes valve-closing mechanism comprising a cylinder with a circumferential slot co-acting with a pin on a long valve-operating lever so as to restrain the lever at all times and operate the valve rapidly at the appropriate times; the cylinder being driven from the combined prepayment and measuring-back mechanism. The illustrated form shows the application to a meter operable at will by two or more classes of coins in which a penny measuring-out wheel a drives a ratchet wheel c by means of a pawl and thus drives the pinion f of a coin ratio gear g. The latter drives the gear m fixed to the sleeve l and the rotation of the latter rotates the pinion n geared to the crown wheel u of the differential gear. The shilling measuring wheel i drives the ratchet wheel k on the sleeve l and so rotates pinion n directly and the penny pinion f indirectly through the gear g. When either of the measuring wheels is rotated, the ratchet-driven gear of the other wheel is rotated also, but not the measuring wheel itself. The rotation of the crown wheel u. on prepayment, rotates the crown wheel w in the reverse direction ; the planet carrier being held by the irreversible worm gear s. The rotation of w rotates the shaft x and (1) actuates gearing 2, 3 to operate a pointer showing the amount of credit and (2) causes the shaft to recede from the position in which the cam slot z actuates the lever system 6, 8 to close the meter valve. As the meter consumes gas, it drives the worm, gear s, and as the crown wheel u is held against rotation by the ratchet gear of the measuring wheels, the crown wheel w is rotated in the reverse direction to that which registers credit, the indicator shows the variation and eventuallv the lever 8 closes the valve and cuts off the supply.