US2045200A - Prepayment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

J, PRINCE PREPAYMENT MECHAN I S M l 5 Sheets-Sheet l v Filed Dec. 20, 1934 .June 23, 1936., J. PRINCE PREPAYMENT MECHAISM Filed Deo. 20, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 COIN REGL TER s. @E

PENNIES unl/SEB I l Jume23,1936. J, PRINCE M5300 PREPAYMENT MECHANISM Filed Dec. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Illll' Illlll Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PREPAYMENT MECHANI SM John Prince,v Hollnwood, England, assigner to Ferranti Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application December 20, 1934, Serial No. 758,498

4In Great Britain December 21, 1933 8 Claims. (01.'194-72) This invention relates to prepayment mechanism of the type wherein a coin-receiving mem.- ber adapted to receive any of a plurality of predetermined coins of different denomination conveys motionto setting or release mechanism, which may elect movement of the credit section of a differential gear, means such asa moto-r mechanism being adapted to return the setting mechanism to' a zero position which may also cause controlling means to cut off the supply of the commodity when the quantity supplied corresponding to the payment made has been expended. The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to prepayment electricity meters.

Prepayment mechanism of the type referred to above has been proposed wherein' in order to set setting mechanism in accordance with the value of a coin inserted in the apparatus, a rod constituting a rotary coin receiving member is movedA axially without rotation uuntil al disc on therod by engaging the edgeof the coin' causes the rod to be arrested ina position bringing the appropriate gear member lthereon into mesh with a first gear member and causing thecoin to move a coin chamber to unlock a further disc whereupon the rod can be rotatedwithout axial movement to operate the setting mechanism.

The main object of the present invention is to provide improved' or simplified means for effecting and controlling the movement of the rotary coin-receivingr member and for conveyingmotion therefrom to setting or release mechanism actuated thereby. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a form of prepayment mechanism embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan thereof.

Figures 3, 4 and 6 are vertical cross sections of part of an electricity meterembodying said mechanism. i

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1. v

Figure '7 is a front view of of the meter with cover removed.

` Figure 8` is a front elevation of the coin-receiving casing vshowing a form of coin support plate. j

Figure 9 is a sectional plan of part of the arrangement of Figure 8.

Figures 10 to 18 are views of modiecldetails,

Vand A In carrying the invention into effect according to one form illustrated in Figures l to 9 as applied by way of example to a prepayment elec- .tricity Vmeter, I provide a slottedrotary coinreceiving member I mounted on bearings in a fixed casing or barrel 2, the top of which latter is furnishedvwith a cover 3 which conveniently may be removable as shown. Slidably carried upon said rotary coin-receiving member I is a toothed wheel 4 which is constantly urged towards an operating handle I4 by a Compression spring 31 yand which is rigid with a pair of cams 5, 6, one of these cams (6) embodying three swell portions and the other (5) four such portions. In addition the toothed Wheel 4 is furnished with an axial projection 1, the purpose of which is explained below.

Also slidably mounted on the rotary coin-receiving member I is a U-shaped member 8 urged towards an operating knob spring 36 and furnished at one end with two co- `axially mounted rollers 9, I0 and at the other end with a roller II. A cylindrical cam I2 comprising a short tube in which a somewhat U-shaped notch has been cut to form a cam surface is iixed d with its axis perpendicular to the stationary barrel 2; this cam surface is engaged by the roller 9.

A familiar similar cylindrical cam I3 but having two diametrically opposite somewhat V-shaped `notches forming two cam surfaces is mounted concentric with and within the said fixed cylindrical cam I2 and is rotationally rigid with the operating knob I4; the two cam surfaces are engaged by the rollers I Il and II.

, As will be seen from Figure 19 the surface of the cam I2 is level from the point marked a to the point marked bi. The face of the cam theny slopes downwards along the part marked 35 to a minimum position e. 1

There is then a slight rise to d and then a further fall to a new minimum position e from which itrises steeply to the level surface .at point a. In operation the roller 9, which inthe at rest position is in the hollow at e, rides up .the inoline from e to a so causing. the U-shaped member tornove longitudinally Vaway from the operating-knob. In the meantime the rollers I0 and II ride up the V-shaped notches formed in the cam I3 so providing a rotational movement.

When the coin-receiving member rotates through 180o the roller 9 has reached the povk-sition b on the cam and will then travel down the s1ope-35 towards the `barrel 2. This enables the I4 by a tension J CII 'the coin after its insertion.

The reason for the slight rise from c to d is to prevent the apparatus from operating if the knob I4 is rotating in the reverse direction in which case the roller 9 would hit against the surfaces d e and prevent rotation.

Any one of the axially slidable cams 5, 6 or the axial projection 1 is adapted selectively according to the diameter of the coin inserted to be brought into alignment with a tappet rod I5 connected to setting mechanism so that actuation of this latter mechanism may be effected in correspondence with the value of the coin.

Mounted rigidly upon the rotary coin-receiving member I is a cam I6 engaging a further tappet I'I by means of which the closing of a switch I8 may be effected and associated with this cam I6 is a pawl I9 engaging a ratchet wheel IS xed to the stationary barrel 2; the ratchet wheel I9a being partly cut away at its periphery over-an arc corresponding to a movement of the pawl from its zero position through about 90 in order to enable partial reversal of the rotary coin-receiving member I in circumstances explained below.

Pivotally mounted upon the rotary coin-receiving member I is a spring-urged curved ap 2D (Figures l and 2) this flap serving to support In Figures 8 and l9 the arrangement of curved flap is shown, such flap 26 being mounted upon a spindle 2| rotated under the urge of a release arm 22 mounted rigidly upon a further spindle 23 passing to the exterior of the stationary barrel cover. The exterior portion 24 of this further spindle 23 is formed in the shape of a screw head and is sunk ush with the casing. The head is provided with a slot as shown of sucient width to enable the edge of any particular coin to be inserted in order to rotate it.

Rotation of this further spindle 23 causes the arm 22 to bear against the spring-urged curved nap 2D, which latter rocks about its pivot 2I to permit the coin to drop. By arranging the screw head as described, it cannot be accidentally rotated so avoiding dropping wanted coins.

The cover 3 of the stationary coin barrel 2 carries a slotted spindle 25, the slot 26 in which is capable of registering with a slot 2'I in the cover or the spindle 25 is capable of closing said slot, and rigid with this spindle is a member embodying a series of normally shaped toothed wheel elements 28, 29 and 30, the number of such elements being equal to the number of coins capable of -actuating the apparatus, there being not less than two such elements. Vis associated with a further series of single toothed This series of elements locking pinions 3l, 32, 33 and 34, the number of these pinions being one more than the number of normally shaped toothed wheel elements. 'I'he normally shaped toothed wheel elements 28, 29, 30 are adapted to engage the toothed wheel 4 which is axially slidable on the rotary coin-re- ,ceiving member I, and the arrangement is such that the said axially slidable toothed wheel 4 can used indicator dials 6U and a money inserted indicating device 6I. In connection with the said indicator and counting device I provide suitable means, such as a spring-urged roller wheel 62 against the fixed cam I2; this latter is so shaped that the rotary movement of the knob is converted into an axial movement of the U-shaped member with which is combined a slight rotational movement the resulting movement of the U-shaped member being thus helical. This latter movement owing to the meshing of the wheel 4 with the locking pinion 34 slightly rotates the spindle 25 to eiect closure of the coin slot. The U-shaped member bears against the edge of the coin and thus in turn moves axially the toothed wheel t'.A and movable cams 5, 6 and axial extension 1 rigid therewith until a position is reached Vin which the axial extension 'I on the toothed wheel comes into register with the first-mentioned tappet rod. The toothed wheel is also now in register with the normally shaped toothed wheel element 28 and continued rotation of the knob I4 now effects pure rotation of the rotary coinreceiving member I, and also allows the roller 9 to run along the incline 35 on the xed cam I2 and so permit the U-shaped member 8 to move axially towards the knob I4 suiciently to enable the penny to fall into the coin container. 1mmediately after this takes place the rotary member I willl have reached a position such that the axially movable toothed wheel becomes freed and Vcan therefore `move axially under the influence of its spring 31 into the position it originally occupied before insertion of the coin.

A similar action takes place upon insertion of either a sixpence or a shilling except that the corresponding cam 5 or 6 is brought into engagement with the tappet rod I5 and the latter is thrust forward three or four times according to the number of swell portions on the corresponding cams so that the total displacement of the tappet rod is proportional to the value of the coin inserted.

Unless a coin of predetermined denomination and intact in diameter be inserted the axially movable toothed wheel will not be brought into engagement with one of the normally shaped toothed elements in the casing cover and consequently rotation of the toothed wheel (except for an initial movement) will be impossible. Should a coin of incorrect diameter be inserted and operationvof the knob lI4 be attempted the toothed wheel 4 will be thrust insuciently far or too far (according to whether the coin is of decient Yor excessive diameter) to engage the corresponding normally shaped toothed wheel element but willengage instead one of the locking pinions which will permit a small degree of rotation only.

yThe arrangement is such, however, that suiicient reverse rotation of the knob is permitted, due to the smooth part of the xed ratchet I9a in the stationary casing, to enable the said coin to be allowed to drop into the coin receptacle upon actuation of the curved flap 20 by operation of 'the head 24.

y Instead of providing a detachable cover for the coin-receiving chamber, the cover may be formed in one therewith as is indicated in Figure 10.

Means for closure of the slot 21 after insertion of a coin additional to the closure eiected by the spindle 25 may be employed such as are illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 according to which a i'lap 38 hinged at 39 to a bearing member 40 is provided and a member 4I is furnished on the coin-receiving member I, the arrangement being such that except in the Zero position, as indicated in Figure 11, Vthe flap 38 is lifted as in Figure 12 to close the coin slot.

As an alternative to providing a pair of cams and a projection for operating the setting tappet I5, cams 5, B and 42 alone may be employed as indicated in Figure 13 or projections 43, 44, 45, Figures 14 and 15.

In the latter arrangement the projections are alternatively brought into engagement with one end of a lever 46 pivoted at 4l, this lever being in turn connected to a tappet rod I by means of a pin 48 and slot 49.

When cams are employed these may either be furnished with two or more swell portions as in Figure 6 whereby the total forward movement imparted to the tappet I5 is made up of more than one component imparted thereto during one revolution of the operating knob or with cams having single swell portions, as indicated in Figure 18.

In order to prevent the possibility of rotating the coin-receiving member through more than one revolution for any individual coin inserted a locking device may be provided of which a convenient form is illustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

In these gures a sliding carriage 50 is mounted on one side of the xed casing or barrel 2 and is urged by means of a tension spring 5I to move longitudinally in a direction away from the operating knob I4 and to rest against a face of the member 4.

The carriage is furnished with two abutments 52, 53 which are adapted to co-operate with a projecting arm 54 rigidly mounted on the coinreceiving member I.

Before a coin is inserted the abutment 52 lies in the path of the projecting arm but when a coin is inserted and the projecting arm rotated the abutment 52 by a slight movement in the same direction as that of the toothed member 4 moves out of the path of the projecting arm and enables the latter to perform one rotation. If at the end of this rotation the member 4 has not been released so as to return to its zero position, the abutment 53 will stand in the path of the projecting arm and thus prevent further rotation of the coin-receiving member but if as normally occurs the member 4 correctly returns to its zero position, then the carriage is moved back to its initial position in which the abutment 52 co-operates with the projecting arm.

I claim:

1. Prepayment mechanism comprising a carrier member, bearings restricting movement thereof to rotation about a fixed axis, a member axially slidable on but rotationally rigid with said car- 5 rier member, a further member axially slidable on but rotationally rigid with said carrier member, manual operating means, bearings restricting movement thereof to pure rotation, motion resolving means between said manual operating means and said first named axially slidable member imparting both rotational and axial movement components to said iirst named axially slidable member and thence by way of a coin inserted between said axially slidable members imparting an axial movement component to said further axially slidable member, setting mechanism and a plurality of means rigid with said further axially slidable member individually actuating said setting mechanism.

2. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said means rigid with the further axially slidable member comprises a cam.

3. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said means rigid with the further axially slidable member comprises a projection which coacts with a lever.

4. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said further axially slidable member 30 comprises a toothed wheel co-operating with any of a plurality of normally shaped toothed elements and any of a plurality of single toothed locking pinions rigidly mounted on a slotted spindle. 5. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including slot closing means comprising a slotted rotatable rod rigid with a plurality of normally shaped toothed wheel elements and with a plurality of single toothed locking elements, one of said elements being always in mesh with teeth on said further axially slidable member.

6. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including a pawl associated with said carrier and a iixed ratchet wheel, part of the periphery of which is toothless, co-operating with said pawl.

7. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motion resolving means comprises a cylindrical cam. 8. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including automatic motion arresting means associated with said carrier member serving to prevent more than one rotation of the carrier 55 member with any individual inserted coin.

JOHN PRINCE.

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