US2347526A - Electric metering device - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1944- L c. TRUESDELL 25347526 ELECTRIC METERING DEVICE Filed July 9, 194s leowffasdg Patented Apr. 25, 1944 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic coin operated metering devices voi the electrical type, adapted to control the use of electric current for various purposes during limited time periods, and `wherein the user may extend the metered service by depositing a coin in the device.

More particularly, the invention relates to the form and arrangement of 'coin receptacles adapted for interchangeable use in such devices, so that `an enclosed coin receptacle may be bodily removed from the device for emptying and another similar 4receptacle be put in its place,

wherein the electrical `metering mechanism isv automatically rendered Ainoperative whenever there is no ycoin receptacle `properly applied in coin receiving `relation Ato the device.

The principal'obj-ect'of the invention is `to provide a simple and leiicien't coin collecting mechanism 'oi the character indicated above, whereby coin vcollections from the metering 'device Jmay be facilitated in'an economicaland-orderly manner by 'the luse or" a plurality 'of interchangeable lenclosed coin receptacles lconstructed 'in accordance with my invention; 'The coins are not handled or counted when the receptacle is removed -from 'the device. instead, Athe lfilled or. partly filled receptacles may be k'ta-ken to a central collection station for emptying Aand krcounting of the coins, while `va duplicate empty receptacle is placed in the metering 'device *to `maintain lthe latter 'in proper 4operating condition.

The 'invention may best 'be understoodby reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is va transverse sectional view of a metering Idevice constructed in accordance with my invention; f

Figure 2 isa bottom view of the ldevice shown in Figure '1, :with par-ts broken -away `tovs'hovv certain structural details;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the device shown 'in Figure '1, -with pa-rts broken away -to show details or construction 'of lthe coin control mechanism and the coin receptacle associated therewith; and

Figure l4 is a rdetail Asection of -the 1coin receptacle Yremoved from the metering device.

'Referring to details Y'of the `embodimentof my invention illustrated in Lthe drawing, I 'indicates a :casing fior housing ythe metering device, -said housing consisting o atopwall 2, side walls i3, 3, and rear wall vf, together 'with 4a `transparent partition 5 at the front of the casing for 'viewing a metering indicator f5 oi Athe vtiming mechanism,

indicated'gen'erally 'at FI. Said tim-ing 'mechanism :may be ,of anywellfknown .'form, such as fis used `commercially for providing electrical current to electrical appliances, such as lighting devices, electric refrigerators, or the like. The casing is Aalso provided with a bottom wall 4a, which may be detachable, as indicated.

In the form shown herein, the timing mechanism is electrically voperated by a motor, `indicated generally at 8, and is provided with a main service switch ril, Whichis adapted, as usual, Vto be cut off after a rotatingelement of the *time ing mechanism has been moved through a predetermined arc.

Details of construction Vof the timing mechanism need not be further described, as it forms no part of the present invention, excepting to point out the rotating shaft lII! forming part of the main rotating member thereof, which is adapted to be reset from time to time -by means of a knob II at the rear of the casing I. Resetting of the shaft I0 is controlled by a coin controlled time setting means of any suitable construction.

In the form shown herein, said coin controlling means consists of a rotating disk I5 xed on the shaft IU adjacent an upright partition I6 within the casing I and enclosed within a housing Il at the rear of said partition. The disk I5 has a slot I8 formed in its periphery of such size as to receive a coin of predetermined size, such as a quarter, when said coin is dropped through a slot |59 in the upper wall 2 and a registering slot 20 in the upper edge of the housing I'I which surrounds said disk.

Suitable locking means are provided for restraining rotation of the disk I5 excepting when a coin is deposited in the recess I8 of the latter. In the form shown herein said locking means comprises a iiatspring 2`I fixed to the rear Yface of the housing I`I and having a portion thereof adapted to project yieldingly through a recess 22 in the housing Il. Said spring is arranged so that its lateral margins or stops 23, 23 are normally projected into the 'recess 'I8 of disk I5 when said recess is in coin receiving position, as indicated in Figure 3. Thus, when 4there Vis no coin in the recess "t8, the stops 23, 23 at opposite sides of the spring 2i Aform abutments vfor engaging the proximate side walls of the `slot yI8 and lock the disk against lrotation in 'either 5direction. The arrangement is such, howeven'that when a coin is yinserted nin the 'slot I8., the spring 2I will be elevated, so that the stops v23, v23 will no longer prevent rotation Aof the disk "I5.

As a further Aprecaution 'against rotation of the disk I5 unless a rcoinis inserted in its slot I8,

I provide a pair of auxiliary springs 24, 24 substantially smaller than the spring 2I, but disposed at opposite sides of and spaced from the coin insertion slot I9, so that the ends of the springs 24 will be engaged with a wall of the'slot I8 and prevent rotation of the disk I5 unless a coin is inserted in the slot I8.

Immediately below the disk I and the housing I'I which encloses the same, I provide means for supporting a detachable coin receptacle, indicated generally at 25. In the form shown herein, said receptacle consists of a cylindrical cartridgelike container, which is fully enclosed excepting for a slot 26 at its upper end and a removable closure member 21 at its lower end.

The receiving slot 26 for the receptacle is arranged to register with an opening 28 formed in the lower periphery of the housing I'I so as to permit a coin to drop by gravity out of the slot I8 when the disk I5 is rotated, so as to bring the slot I8 in registering position with the opening 2 8 at the bottom of the housing I'I. l

`Means Yare provided for detachably mounting the receptacle in the casing I in proper coin receiving relation to the coin controlled time setting means heretofore described. In the form shown herein, the cylindrical receptacle 25 is provided with a iin 30 extending longitudinally along one side thereof Aand adapted to have slidable engagement in a slot 3| formed in the rear wall 4 of the Amain casing I. In addition, the partition member I5 is cut away, as indicated generally at 33, to accommodate the receptacle 25, and a pair of arcuate guide members 34, 34

Y is. mounted along proximate margins of the receptacle 25 so as to providea guide to permit endwise insertion of the receptacle from the bottom of the casing'.v

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the receptacle in its proper place in the casing. In theform shown, the bottom wall 4a is provided with a laterally sliding removable portion 35, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, arranged so that when the sliding 'portion 35 is removed rearwardly from the casing the receptacle 25 may then be bodily withdrawn by dropping it through the bottom of the casing. lB eferririgfno vv more particularly to one of the principal features ofmy invention, it will be observed lthat I also provide a switch member 33,-which is arranged to be engageable by the coin receptacle u25. Said switch may be of any suitable type to be normally open excepting when the coin receptacle 25 vis inserted in its normal coin receiving position in the casing. In the form shown herein, the switch 33 consists of a device commercially referred to as a micro-switch and includes a spring pressed plunger 39, which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the receptacle 25 when the latter is moved upwardly into its normal coin receiving position, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The arrangement is such that thespring pressed plunger 35 will be raised when engaged by the receptacle, so as to close the switch 38, but the switch will be automatically opened whenever the receptacle is re-V moved from this position.

'The switch 3B is placed in the current supply line which serves the timing mechanism and the main service switch 9, so that said timing mechanism will be rendered inoperative and current to'service switch 9 will also be cut olf, whenever the coin receptacle 25 is removed from its normal coin receiving position. In the form shown, the circuit. connections just described consist of a main line conductor 40 leading to the switch 9, and thence through conductor 4I to the timing motor 8, thence through conductor 42 to switch 38 to a second main line conductor 43. It will be understood, however, that the electrical connections may be varied so that the main line switch 9 may control a relay for a separate main line switch in a well known manner.

The operation of the mechanism above described is as follows: When it is desired to remove the receptacle 25 for emptying, the entire receptacle may be detached bodily from the casing by removing the sliding bottom partition 35 and then dropping the receptacle through the bottom Wall of vsaid casing. By thus removing the receptacle, the timing mechanism and the main supply switch will automatically be rendered inoperative until a receptacle is placed in coin receiving position. In practice, a plurality of duplicate coin receptacles is utilized, so that as soon as one receptacle is removed for emptying, another receptacle is inserted in its place.

One of the principal advantages in providing detachable coin receptacles in accordance with my 4invention is to make it possible to transport the lled or partly filled receptacles to a central station, where they may be emptied and the proceeds credited to the proper user.

The device is so arranged that the user himself may detach the receptacle and take it to the counting station, thereby eliminating the necessity of special collectors. Moreover, all handling and counting oi the rcoins is done at the central station by trained operators, instead of at the time of removing the coin receptacle from each metering device, thereby affording a more satisfactory check on the proceeds of collections.

It will therefore be understood that for the broad purposes above stated, it is not necessary that the coin receptacles be completely sealed or locked, particularly when the user must transport the receptacle to the central counting station, since in such cases the user has custody of the receptacle until it is turned over directly to the receiving station.

In some cases, however, it may be desirable to provide the receptacles with a suitable lock, or at least with a simple sealing appliance, such as a strip of paper, or the like, which may also be used as a means of identiiication of the subscriber or user who turns in the receptacle.

In the form shown herein, a closure device for the receptacle 25 consists of the disk-like plug 21 threaded in the lower end of the receptacle and provided with a plurality of unequally spaced recesses 45, 45 in its lower face. These recesses are adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool (not shown) havingY a series of prongs adapted to register with the recesses 45, 45, so as to facilitate the unscrewing of the closure member 21 from thereceptacle. l

I It will, of course, be understood, however, that other and more complicated locking devices may be provided if desired. Y

It iste be understood thatV I do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a coin operated metering device for electric currents, including a service'` current supply line timing mechanism for controlling said current supply line, coin controlled time setting means for `said timing mechanism, an enclosed coin receptacle for receiving coins from said time setting means, and switch means in said current supply line cooperatively movable by said coin receptacle to close said current supply line when the latter is in coin receiving relation with said coin control means, and adapted to cut oi the current supply when said coin receptacle is removed from its normal coin receiving position.

2. In combination with a coin operated metering device for electric currents, including a current supply line having a service switch, timing mechanism for controlling said switch, coin controlled time setting means for said timing mechanism, and an enclosed coin receptacle for receiving coins from said time setting means, and a second switch in said current supply line, said second switch having a control member normally in open position but engageable by said coin receptacle when the latter is in coin receiving relation with said coin control means to close said second switch, whereby the current supply will be cut off when said coin receptacle is removed from its normal coin receiving position.

3. In combination with a coin operated metering device for electric currents, including a current supply line having a service switch, an electrically operated timing mechanism for controlling said switch having a motor driven from said current supply line, coin controlled time setting means for said timing mechanism, and an enclosed coin receptacle for receiving coins from said time setting means, and a second switch in said current supply line, said second switch having a. control member normally in open position but engageable by said coin receptacle when the latter is in coin receiving relation with said coin control means to close said second switch, Whereby the current supply will be cut oi and said timing mechanism will be rendered inoperative when said coin receptacle is removed from its normal coin receiving position.

LEONARD C. TRUESDELL.

Images