GB568581A - Improvements relating to the prepayment mechanisms of meters - Google Patents

Abstract

568,581. Prepayment mechanism for meters. BEGWACO, Ltd., and BUTTERWORTH, E. July 5, 1943, No. 10892. [Class 27] In prepayment mechanism of the kind having two coin slots and a twin coin-holder in which, for example, shillings and pennies can be inserted, a fixed quantity wheel f is disposed coaxially alongside a rotary quantity wheel a and a duplex planet pinion j is adapted to engage both quantity wheels simultaneously, the quantity wheels or the two toothed parts of the planet pinion having different numbers of teeth, one coin-holder turning the rotary quantity wheel directly and the other coin-holder p bringing the planet pinion j into operation and revolving it about the axis of the quantity wheels so as to impart the desired reduced amount of rotary motion to the quantity wheel a for the predetermined angular motion of the coin-holders. In the construction shown, the two quantity wheels f, a are equal, and the two parts of the planet pinion j have 12 and 11 teeth respectively. The pinion is journalled on a lever k pivoted at m and connected by a pin-and-slot arrangement with a slide n in the penny coin-holder p. Normally, the pinion is kept out of engagement with the quantity wheels by a spring o acting on the slide n, but when a penny q is inserted in the holder the slide is pushed up and the pinion engages the wheels. Rotation of the coin-holder by the handle r now imparts a rotation of one-twelfth the amount to the rotary quantity wheel a. When a shilling is inserted in the shilling slot, it enters a coinholder u (not shown) and pushes up a spring- loaded slide s<1> so that a tooth s on the slide engages the quantity wheel a and couples the handle r directly to the wheel a. Undesired movement of the wheel a is prevented by a brake comprising a spring i secured to the fixed wheel f and bearing against the face of the wheel a.