US626298A - District - Google Patents

Description

No. 626,298. Patented June 6, I899.

S. L. PHILLIPS &. G. G.-T.ILDEN OOIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC METER.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

(No mum.) 4 sham-Ashen Z I N Z 1 l m f s E 5mm 17 19+ wwoeo lm l H qw' W G e I I 1 MM? m%.

No. 626,298. Patgntedi lune 6, i899.

S. L. PHlLLlPS 8|. 6. G. TILDEN.

COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC METER.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

@511 J1. firm Ia- FBJ a NORRIS PETERS co. morourum, vusumuron. n. c

No. 626,298. Patented June 6, I899. s. L. PHILLIPS & a. G.TILDEN. SICOIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC METER.

(Application filed Jan. 90, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

unzuel .P/n'llb'Ps MM W eQTHd 1 14 m By mfi il- Tm: NORRIS PETERS no, womumo" WASHINGTON. u, c.

No. 626,298. Patented June 6, I899.. S. L. PHILLIPS &. G. G. TILDEN.

COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC METER.

(Application filed Ian. 20, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(N0 Modal.)

UNITED) STATES. PATENT "'FFICE.

SAMUEL L. PHILLIPS AND GEORGE G. TILDEN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,298, dated June 6, 1899.

Application filed January 20,1899. Serial No. 702 778. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL L. PHILLIPS and GEORGE G. TILDEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Electric Meters, of which the following is a specification. I

The following are purposes of this invention: first, to provide a prepayment electric meter in which no electromagnets are used and no electric circuit is established by contact of the inserted coin; second, to wholly avoid the employment of clock-gearing or any mechanism in which power is stored up by the periodic winding of a spring, weight, or any other means for producing a like result; third, to throw no load upon the wattmeter at any time; fourth, to render the meter automatic in every particular, no act being required from the customer, except to deposit the proper coin in the slot; fifth, to enable the consumer to ascertain at any moment during the period the meter. is registering how much current. is still coming to him, or, in other words, what part of the whole amount he has paid for is at that moment unconsumed, simple automatic means being used to notify him that the supply will cease within a cer tain number of minutes unless a further payment be made; sixth, to enable the consumer to pay in either a single coin or any number of coins, one after another, not to exceed a given sum and to control the wattmeter thereby in such manner that the full amount of current represented by the single payment or by the sum of the several payments shall be supplied without any breaker interruption j shall continue to register until the residue of.

current due the consumer at the moment when the additional payment is made plus the full amount of current represented by the coin or coins constituting the additional payment shall have been furnished and consumed; eighth, to enable the customer to use not only one denomination of coin, but several, as may be convenient to him; ninth, to prevent money which has beenintroduced from being abstracted, and, tenth, to prevent the mechanism from being successfully operated by any contrivance except coins.

' The invention also aims to provide a prepayment apparatus which may be used with any meter either as an attachment thereto or as a constituent part, and in this connection it is a further object to provide a prepaymentmeter capable of being used either with or without the registering-dials of the ordinary recording-wattmeter, the main function of such dials when present being to record the total current consumed during each week, month, or other period, and thereby ascertain Whether the sum of the individual payments corresponds with the aggregate of the watts or of the kilo watt-hours registered, thus affording to the generating company a convenient and accurate method of detecting surreptitious removals of coin deposited or any other attempt by a consumer or other person to defraud it of its proper revenue and serving also to detect any defects in the meter by which accuracy of registration is impaired.

The invention possesses other useful and novel features, all of which will be fully described in the following description and then particularly pointed out and defined in the claims.

Forthe purposes of this description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the interior of an'electric meter having ourinvention incorporated. Fig. 2-is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the dial and coinoperat-ed mechanism of the prepayment attachment. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the dial and pawl-and-ratchet devices. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4,

ism.

sight-opening. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the cir showing a modified form of the dial mechan- Fig. 6 is a detail view of the dial'and i cuits, the mechanical parts appearing in said figure being shown merely in the order in which they stand related to said circuits and without regard to their exact location in an operative sense, the cam being shown as less wattmeter and either of the continuous or alternating current, in which a motor-armature 2 lmparts movement to the units-dial of a serace of registering-dials 3. As these parts are t of any familiar constructionand as the inwill cause it to engage the lip 17.

vention hereinafter to be explained is not limited toany special typeof watlmeter, they are shown in the drawings conventionally only and need not be described in detaih The wattmeter is connected in a manner suitable to the type of said meter, and in the present instance it is shown as. having its field-coil connected to one side of a doublepole switch, consisting of two blades 4, pivoted in posts 5 and normally thrown by one ormoresprings 6-. into suitable clips 7. This switch is opened by a cam S, mounted on a shaft 9, upon which is a worm-gear 1Q, mes h ing with a Worm 12 upon. a shaft. 13. This shaft is operated when the switch is opened by a. small electromotor 15 of any suitable type and for either a'continuous or alternating current. When opened to a proper point, the switch-blades are held by a hook or latch 16., whichengages a lip 17 on the yoke 18, which connects the ends of the switch-blades. The hook engagement may be insured by any suitable means, but the gravity of the latch or disengaged by a coin-lever'20, which is fulcrumed on a shaft. 21, the latter also having 7 a support forthe hook 16. The coin-lever 20 extends, from said shaft into the path of the 'eoins, which are inserted in a slot 22 and pass by gravity through a chute 2'3 ,and thence into any suitable receptacle 24., The unattached end of the coin-lever 20 moves. in the are of a. circle which intersects the line of movement of the coin, and it moves with the coin for a'certain distance" and then withdraws entirelyfrom its line of movement, leaving the coin to follow the chute23 and pass into the receptacle 24c. The coin-lever 20 is returned to its normal position of rest by anyssuitablemeans, such as an adjustable 1 arm 28, which forms part of a pawl 29.

pawl is. pivoted upon a pawl-lever 30,- which counterbalance 25.

. Upon the shaft 21 is a rigid arm 26, which isconpled by a light connecting-rod 27 to an This is .sleeved upon a shaft. 31 in such manner 3 I that-it canturn freely thereon with'bu-t little thefunctions of saidsh'aft, which is prefer.-

friction and without in any manner affecting ably supported in-cone-bearings 32, as shown,

Itis tripped j though any other construction thatis suited to the objectin viewmay be adopted in place of that shown.

Upon the shaft 31 is a disk 33 of any suitable diameter and mounted in such a manner as to be. capable of turning upon the shaft in i one direction and with said shaft in the oppo site direction. To produce the movement upon the shaft, the disk is provided with a concentric ratchet 34, rigid with one of its fiat faces, and with this ratchet the pawl 29 engages, carrying the ratchet with it when the pawl-lever 3O swings downward, but having no contact with the ratchet-teeth when the pawl-lever rises to its normal position of rest.

This alternate engagement with and disengagement from the teeth of the ratchet is due to the fact that the weight of the pawl-lever and pawl is very nearly if not quite balanced upon the other side of the shaft 31 by the action of the counterbalance 25 upon the pawl-lever through the connecting-rod 27 The weight of thiscounterbalance is such as to enable it to have the required action upon the coin-lever 20 as well as upon the pawl-lever 30. To secure the exact degree of counterbalance needed, the weight 25 is threaded upon an arm 25, projecting from the shaft 21. It is desirable that the weight should not only raise both the coin-lever and the pawllever back to their normal positions of rest, but that it shall also make it necessary for the rod 27 upon its downward movement to exert a sufiicient downward pull upon the arm 28 to throw the pawl 29 into the teeth of the ratchet 3i. This result may also be produced by the resistance of the pawl-lever 30in turning on the shaft 31, and a very slight friction upon the sleeve of the pawl-lever will cause the connecting-rod 2.7 to exert. a sufficient downward pull upon the end of the pawl-arm 1 28 to instantly throw its point into the teeth,

the movement required to effect this being very small. In like manner the upward thrustof the connecting-rod 27, caused by the rise of the arm 26, throws the point of the pawl just clear of the teeth of the ratchet and restores it to its position, while at the same time it maintains this clearance. from the ratchet; In this manner a large part of the Wear and tear on the ratchet and pawl is avoided, and the pawl is prevented from arresting the revolution of the disk when the latter is turning in unison with the shaft 31.

A worm-gear 35, rigid on the shaft 31, meshes with a worm 36 on a shaft 37, which receives movement from a worm 38 on the shaft of the-armature 2, which worm 3S mesheswitha worm-gear38, rigidly mounted ICC as in the well-known Thompson recording- Wattmeter. A wire 43 is also tapped off the service-wire L0 and taken to one brush of the small motor 15, and from the other brush a wire 43 goes to a contact-spring all, placed in suitable proximity to the dial 83. A wire 45 is tapped off the service-wire 41 and then to the cam S or to the shaft 9, which carries said cam. A wire 46 is tapped off a contactplate a7 on the yoke 18, so placed thereon that the cam 8 shall abut against it in opening the switch and abut against said contactplate with its edge when the switch blades 4E are in the clips '7. The wire 46 is taken to the disk or the shaft 31, on which said disk is mounted. A contact -pin 48, projecting from the dial 33, is brought lightly into contact with the spring 11 as often as the disk revolves in unison with its shaft 31 far enough to eifect this engagement. The house-wires 49 4.9 are connected to the clips 7 and 7 of the knife-switch.

The dial 33 is calibrated or divided into a number of equal sectors, Fig. 6, each representin g the exact distance through which said dial is moved at each downward swing of the pawl-lever 30. This movement can be very accurately spaced by adjusting the end of the connecting-rod 27 upon the lever-arm 26. Moreover, the length of the coin-lever 20, the angle at whichit intersects the chute 23, the distance that the said coin-lever extends into or across the coiirchute, and the consequent length of the are through which it moves before its extremity withdraws from the line of movement of the coin are all factors in de termining the fractional revolution of the dial The calibration of the latter is such that each one of the equal divisions represents in the revolution of the dial as produced by the worm 36, whichis driven by the armature of the wattmeter, a supply of current that corresponds with a sin gle-coin payment.

The operation is, briefly, as follows: In its normal position of rest the contact 48 on the dial 33 is resting on or against the springcontact 44:, as seen in Fig. 3. Let it be assumed that the unit payment is a silver halfdollar, although a coin of an y other denomination may be used, if preferred, provided the chute 25 .be of such dimensions as to let the coin pass freely, but prevent excessive lat eral deflection. For convenience of illustration radial lines are placed on the disk to mark the equal sectors or divisions, and these lines are distinguished one from another in any suitable manner-as, forinstance,by placing a cipher or zero on the line coinciding with the cont-act 48 and placing toward the right hand the numerals l, 2, 3, et seq. in their proper order. Any other symbols may be used instead of numerals, the latter being preferred merely for the purposes of this description.

Let us now suppose that a single coin is placed in the slot 22. 1tpasses by its own gravity down the chute 23, impinges upon the end of the coin-lever 20, which intersects its path, carries said lever through an are denoted by dotted lines, and, its functions being thereby performed, it drops into the box 24, placed to receive it. The coin-lever 20 in its downward swing causes a short stud 20 projecting from one of its flat faces, to bear upon a projecting part of the latch 16, which sustains the switch-blades in their raised position. By this movement the coin-lever 20 trips the latch 16, which releases the switchblades 4, and they are snappedinto the clips 7, thereby establishing the circuit of the wattmeter and of the house-wires. If the consumers main-line switch is closed, his lamps will be instantly lighted. By the same downward swing of the coin-lever 20 the pawl-arm 28 is drawn downward, thereby pressing the nose of the pawl 29 into the teeth of the ratchet The pull of the coin-lever now carries the pawl-arm 28 and the pawl-lever 30 downward in unison with the coin-lever 20, and by this movement the ratchet 34, being carried by the pawl, turns the dial 333 through a part of a revo lution,which is measured by the arc of its circumference intercepted by the first and second radial lines of division that is, by the lines denoted by a zero and the numeral 1, respectively. This position is shown in the detail view in Fig. 6. The coin at this point passes off the end of the coin-lever 20, and the latter being released it rises to its normal position of rest by the action of the counterbalance 25. The instant that its upward movement begins the thrust of the connecting-rod 27 draws the point of the pawl 20 out of the teeth of the ratchet 34: and carries the pawl-arm 28 and pawl-carrier 30 back to the position they occupied before the coin was dropped in. This restoring movement does not affect either the shaft 31 or the dial 33, since the pawl has complete clearance of the teeth of the ratchet during said movement, and the pawl-carrier 30 is sleeved upon the shaft 31 and turns thereon without perceptible friction. The instant that the meter begins to register the worm 38 on its armature-shaf t acts upon the wormgear 38 and slowly revolves the shaft 3'7. The worm 36 on this shaft imparts revolution to the wornrgear35,which, beingrigidly fixed upon the shaft 31, causes the latter to turn with it, thereby causing the dial 33 to move in unison with the shaft 31. The direction of this rotation is indicated in Fig. 3 by an arrow placed upon the worm-gear It will be observed that the pawl 29 turns the dial in one direction, (shown by an arrow upon the ratchet 34,) while the worm 36 revolves it in the opposite direction. By the insertion of the coin the division-line on the dial bearing the zero-mark and which was lying in line with a pointer A, which indicates the starting-point, has been moved from the right hand toward the left in Figs. 2 and 3, the extent of this movement being just sufficient to bring the next radial line (marked 1) into line with the consumed the pin-contact 48 on thedial 33 impinges upon the spring-contact 44, thereby completing a circuit from the negative service-wires 41 over the wire 45, shaft 9, and

cam 8, from the shaft9 and cam 8 to the plate 47 on the yoke of the knife-switch, (said plate E being in contact with the edge of the cam 9 when the switch-blades 4 are in the clips 7 and 7%) from said plate by the wire 46 to the shaft 31 or dial 33, from said shaft and dial 3 by way of the pin 48, contact 44, and wire 43 to one brush of the small motor 15, and from 1 the other brush by a wire 43 to the positive service-wire 40. The motor 15, which is quite small, being practically no more than avcry diminutive toy motor, starts upon the complef tion of the circuit described and the cam 8is j turned through a complete revolution, and it lifts the blades 4 of the knife-switch, separating them from the clips 7 and 7, opening the cuit.

circuit of the wattmeter and the house-cir- The latch 16 snaps under the lip 17 and retains the blades 4 in their raised position, in which the spring or springs 6 are under sufficient tension to force the blades into the clips when the circuit is again closed by the insertion of another coin. The cam 8 in completing its revolution passes off the contactplate 47 and opens the circuit of the motor 15, which stops, leaving the parts substantially in the position shown in Fig. 2. It should be noted that the circuit of the motor 15 is completed by the movement of the dial 33, which brings the contacts 44 and 48 together and leaves them in electrical contact Said circuit is i when the dial is at rest. opened when the work of the motor is finish ed by the cam 8 passing off the contact-plate 47 on the yoke 18 of the double-pole knife-switch.

No sparking can occur therefore between the two contacts 44 and 48, which remain in touch nntilthe introduction of a coin, when they? are separated by the fractional revolution of the dial.

current than the quantity represented by a single coin, he can pay in as many half-dollars E as he thinks proper, provided that the num- 5 her of inserted coins be equal to the number of divisions upon the dial 33. In the present 1 instance twelve of these divisions are shown, 1 so that eleven coins may be paid in one after another. far short of a single revolution.

This will carry the dial around not 1 The circuit of the wattmeter being established by the] passage of the first coin, registration goes on 1 during the insertion of the others, and if the operation is performed deliberately and a considerable number of translating devices are in operation the dial 33 may have time to turn with the shaft 31 through a distance equal to part of the arc intercepted between the zero radial line and the one next succeeding toward the right.

To illustrate the advantages of the dial 33 or its equivalent, it should be noted that in paying in any number of coins-as, for eX- ample, six-when interruptions prevent their consecutive insertion in the coin-slot with ordinary rapidity the prepayment apparatus will'protect both the consumer and the generating company from any loss. For example, let us suppose that the consumer has paid in two silver half-dollars, one following the other so closely that the brief interval may be disregarded. These two coins have given the dial 33 two consecutive fractional movements, whereby the line on the dial corre sponding with the numeral 2 is brought to the pointer A, showing that two coins, or one dollar in all, has been paid in. In correspondence with this amount the measuringdial 33 has been turned back, or toward the left in Fig. 1, its movement covering two equal fifty-cent spaces, and in measuring off the consumption of the current the wattmeter by giving rotary movement in the opposite direction to the dial will bring the contactpin 48 back to its normal position of rest in touch with the spring-contact 44. The current purchased having then been supplied and consumed, the motor 15 will open the switch and cut off the supply. We will suppose that after inserting the second coin the consumer is called away and is absent so long that eighty-nine cents of his paymenthas been extinguished by the amount of energy furnished and used, leaving a residue still due him that represents the unextinguished balance of eleven cents required to make the dollar paid in.

At this point the consumer pays in his third coin or third half-dollar. As the movements of the coin-lever 20, and consequently of the dial 33, are equal each to another, it is evident that the dial will be carried back, or to the left in Fig. 1, over the space which its revolution with the shaft 31 has just measured. This space represents a consumption of fifty-cents worth of energy, and when the third coin passes into the meter the dial is If the consumer desires to purchase more set back by a fraction of a revolution exactly equal to a fifty-cent space and the dial must move forward, or toward the right in Fig. 1,

a space equal to said fifty-cent space, by

which distance it has been set back, and must also move forward a further space'equal to that which it still had to traverse when the third coin was put in. By the action of the which the switch is opened and the supply of current cutoff. The operation ofthe parts is the sameasif one or more coins are dropped at any time during the period that the wattmeter is registering or as long as there remains any residue of energy that is not consumed. Under no circumstances can the consumer lose a cents value in energy nor can the generating company suffer even the smallest loss.

One of the fiat faces of the dial 33 is pro vided with suitable characters or symbols spaced at convenient and equal intervals and exposed by means of a sight-opening 52 to the eye of a person standing near the meter. These characters are so chosen that they give to the consnmeror otherperson having charge of the meter intelligible information as to what residue of energy is still unconsumed. For example, said characters may be numerals denoting the watt hours or kilo watthours, measured by the dial movement, or they may express the value in cents or in fractional parts of a dollar or half-dollar. Such numerals, therefore, will be successively less, taking them in a direction opposite to the direction of revolution of the dial 33, when it moves in unison with the shaft 31. By looking into the sight-opening 52 the consumer can at any moment roughly estimate the period during which current will be supplied in return for the coin payment already made. He need not therefore wait until the automatic signal informs him of the close approach of the moment when the supply will be cutoff, unless a further payment of one ormore coins be made. If he is to be absent and has no person in whose charge he can leave the meter, he will be able to calculate approximately how many coins he should drop in before he goes away in order to insure a supply of en ergy which will continue until he returns. The additional payment, whether it consists of one or of a number of coins, he can make at any moment, even at the instant the signal is made or after said signal, and at any moment up to the time when the contact-pin 48 is almost in touch with the contact-spring 41L. The first coin then dropped in sets the dial 33 back instantly a single space or distance,and each succeeding coin does the same. The period of supply and consumption can be extended or prolonged in this manner without the slightest break or interruption in the current.

The coin-chute is shown in detail in Fig. 3, with the end of the coin-lever 20 lying in place therein ready for the descent of the coin. In order to prevent or frustrate the fraudulent attempts made in this class of apparatus to obtain current by inserting a strip of metal that will operate the coin-lever or by dropping in a genuine coin or a dummy with a string or wire secured to it by which it may be drawn out after its function is accomplished, the following provisions are made: The chute is divided into two parts, one of which has a gentle downward inclination from the slot where the coin is introduced to the point where it meets the second part, which is preferably vertical, or nearly so, though we need only a sufficient inclination to insure the proper descent of the coin. At or near the point where the two parts of the chute meet the lower end of the first portion is curved laterally and downwardly, each curve having a suitably short radius. Both parts are covered, but the top plate 23 of the first part is cut away at the curve in such manner as to wholly remove everything that would act as a guide in the introduction of a metallic, elastic, or flexible strip the passage of which from lie in the chute and across the latter, making a small angle with the line of movement of the coin, which readily pushes them back in the slots through which said teeth project, so

that the coin passes without impediment. The moment it has passed the teeth swing in again and lie in such position that the at tempt to draw up the coin by the attached cord or wire will merely hold them more rigidly across the chute. By converging and sharpening their adjacent edges they can be made to sever the cord or wire with but a slight tension on the same. Thus if the consumer drops in a half dollar with a cord attached he will loose it, but will receive its equivalent in energy. If he uses a counterfeit or dummy, it will be found in the drawer, and proper steps can then be taken by the generating company to punish the fraud.

It is one of the objects of this invention to so organize the prepayment devices that no act or services of any kind shall be required of the consumer except to drop one or more coins in the coinslot of a denomination corresponding with the unitpayment. We aim to wholly do away with cranks, levers, pushbars, outside handles, and all the other paraphernalia which have so frequently been used in prepayment-meters for both gas and electricity and which the consumer must operate in accordance with specific instructions whenever he puts in a coin. It is also our purpose to dispense with electromagnets and not to use the coin as part of an electric circuit or circuits. All that we require of the coin is that it shall move the coin-lever 20 by its momentum as it drops down the coinchute. As this lever is quite small and very light and as its sole functions are to trip the latch 16 and to transmit motion to the pawllever 28, even a light coin will have sufficient momentum to insure the action of said lever. The coin passes with a continuous IIO uninterrupted movement from the point of its insertion in the meter to the receptacle 24 prepared for it. After passing the angle between the parts 23 and 23 of the chute the coin preferably goes to the receptacle 24 by the shortest path, so that the part 23 of the I ward under the impact of the coin its end moves in an are (shown in dotted lines) struck I from the axis of the shaft 21. If this arc be slightly prolonged until it meets the chute above the end of the coin-lever 20, said chute will occupy the position of a chord subtending said arc, and at the lower point of intersection the end of the coin-lever will pass entirely out of the coin-chute and will cease, therefore, to be affected by said coin. The stroke of the coin-lever 20 ends, therefore, at this point, and while the coin-drops from the chute'into the receptacle 24: the lever returns to its normal position of rest. (Shown in full lines in Fig.1.) By the arrangement described the successive strokes of the coin-lever will always be exactly equal one to another, and thus the proper discharge of its functions will be assured.

By a modified form of the coin-chute, Figs. 8 and 9, it is possible to use coins of more than one-denomination in order to make the necessary prepayment without in any respect changing the other parts. For example, to adapt the meter to the use of a silver halfdollar and a silver dollar, either or both to be used as circumstances may render con-' venient, it is only necessary to combine with the coin-chute for the half-dollar a separate chute of such size as to receive the silver dollar, the latter chute being extended beyond the point at which the coin-lever 20 completes its stroke under the action of the halfdollar. This prolongation is such that the end of the coin-lever after leaving the halfdollar chute 23 at the point where the fiftycent stroke of said coin-lever is completed will remain in the dollar-chute 23 long enough to enable it to complete a further movement equal in extent to that produced by the halfdollar, thereby carrying the dial 33 forward over a space equal to two of the divisions on its face or corresponding to one dollar. To accomplish this, the dollar-chute 23 is curved .below the point Where the fifty-cent stroke of the lever 20 is completed, the curve being in an arc struck from a point eccentric to the pivotal axis of the coin-lever. In this manner provision can easily be made for the use of coins of several different denominations Without any change except such addition to the coin-chute as is required to guide said coins and preserve the engagement of each with the end of the coin-lever long enough to produce a stroke of the latter that will carry the dial forward a space corresponding to the value of the coin introduced. coin will only be operative when introduced in its own chirte.

A modified form of the dial apparatus heretofore described is shown in Fig. 5, in which the dial, instead of advancing by intermittent movements as the several coins are paid in and then moving under the control of the metering mechanism back to its normal point of rest, will move continuously though intermittently forward or in the same direction, and at each of its successive points of arrest it will await the overtaking move- .ment of a contact upon a moving part either of the metering mechanism or of an element receiving its motion from said mechanism. As a single example of the many different forms in which this principle may find embodiment we have shown in Fig. 5 the dial 33, mounted on its shaft 31, with its ratchet, pawl-lever, and pawl, as already explained. Upon a separate shaft 33, in the same line with the shaft 31, is a. disk 53, parallel with the dial and separated from it by a narrow space. The disk 53 carries a contact 54, which moves with the disk in a circle that 00- incides with the path of the contact 48 on the dial 33. In this construction the dial will always move in one direction and will be acted upon by the pawl 29 only. be rotated also in one direction only, so that its contact 5t will follow after, and when the current paid for is consumed said contact 54 will overtake the contact 48 on the dial 33, thereby establishing the circuit of the motor and opening the switch. This overtaking movement of the disk 53 is produced by the wattmeter, and the same means may be used as those that in other figures of the drawings drive the dial 33-viz., the Worm 36 on the shaft 37, meshing with the worm-gear 35, which would be placed on the shaft 33 instead of upon the shaft 31.

The separation of the shafts 31 and 33 is only a convenient way of insulating the parts that carry the contacts 48' and 54. In some respects, however, this overtaking movement is preferable to the forward and backward movement of the dial 33. It enables the pawl and ratchet, as Well as the dial 33, to be placed wholly out of connection with the wattmeter and only imposes upon the latter the. task of driving the disk 53, which maybe so light and so far reduced in size that the force required to revolve them will be extremely small and incapable of measurement except by the most delicate instruments. It simplifies the insulation, and if ordinary care is exercised in the construction it insures absolute accuracy in operation. It prevents the use of the sight-opening 52 but this is not The disk 53 will Each a material disadvantage, as each consumer knows how many hours of consumption a given prepayment will cover, and in almost all cases the period for which light is required is estimated before payment is made and the amount paid is merely enough to cover that period.

To apprise the consumer that the supply of current is about to cease unless further prepayment is made, a suitable signal 55, such as a buzzer, is arranged at any suitable point, one of its wires 56 being connected to a contact 57, so placed that the contact 48 on the dial will engage it a moment or two before the latter reaches the contact at. The other wire 58 is connected to any part of the circuit of the motor. Thus both signal and mo tor are operated by a single circuit which divides into two branches at the point where the wire 58 is tapped oti.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a prepayment electric meter, the eombination with a circuit for said meter, of a spring-closed switch to make and break said circuit, a coin-operated lever having a latch to sustain the switch when open, an electric motor to open the latter, a circuit for said motor completed by the action of the metering mechanism, and means operated by said motor to open the switch and to break the motor-circuit, substantially as set forth.

2. In a prepayment electric meter, the combin ation with a metering mechan ism,an d with a circuit for the same, of a self-closing switch to establish said circuit, a latch to maintain said switch in open position, a coin-operated lever to trip the latch and release the switch, and a dial operatively connected to said lever and to the metering mechanism, to limit the duration of action of the latter, substantially as set forth.

Ina prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and a circuit for the same, of a self-closing switch in said circuit, means for maintaining said switch in an open position, a coin-operated lever to release said switch, a dial operatively connected to said lever and to the metering mechanism, a device acting directly upon the switch to withdraw it from its clips, electrically-operated means for actuating said device, and an energizing'circuit including said device and a contact on the dial, substantially as set forth.

4. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with the meter-circuit, of a self-closing switch to open and close said circuit, means for maintaining said switch in its open position, a lever operated by the passage of a coin to release the open switch, a device to open the switch when the supply of current is to cease, an electric motor to operate said device, a dial deriving an equal intermittent movement from each stroke of the lever that releases the switch, a circuit for the electric motor, and two contacts in said circuit which are normally in touch but are separated by the intermittent movement of the dial and brought together again to close the motorcircuit by the action of the registering mechanism of the meter, substantially as set forth.

5. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with the meter-circuit of an auto matically-closcd switch to open and close said circuit, means for maintaining said switch in its open position, a lever operated by the passage of a coin to release said switch when open, a device to open the switch when the supply of currentis to cease, a motor to operate said device, and a circuit for the motor which is established by the action of the metering mechanism and broken by the device acting u pen the switch to open the latter, substantially as set forth.

6. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with the circuit of the meter, of a self-closing switch, means for sustaining said switch in its open position, a coiiroperated lever to release said switch and permit'it to close and establish the circuit, and a coinchute in which coins of a predetermined value have continuous downward movement, the end of the coin-operated lever being arranged in said chute in the path of the coin, and having a line of movement, whereby it passes out of the chute at the end of a stroke of a given length, and is removed from the path followed by the coin, substantially as set forth.

7. In a prepayment electric meter, the co1nbination with the metering mechanism, of a circuit for the same, means for opening orinterrupting said circuit, electrically-actuated apparatus for operating the circuit-interrupting devices, a circuit for said apparatus, a movable contact forming part of the latter circuit, a lever having one portion lying in the direct path of, and adapted to move with a coin traveling from a coin-slot to a coin-recept-acle, means operatedby the coin-produced movement of said lever to displace the movable contact by a fixed distance at each coin-produced movement of the lever, a second contact normally in touch with the first and forming part of the same circuit, and means for bringing said contacts together by the action of the registering mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with the metering mechanism,of acircuit for the latter, a self-closing switch in said circuit, means for maintaining said switch in open position, electrically-operated devices for opening said switch, a circuit for said devices, two contacts normally in touch when the meter is idle and forming part of the circuit last named, a lever lying in the path of a coin traveling from acoin-slot to coin-receptacle, means operated by each coin-produced movement of said lever to separate said contacts by a fixed distance, and a connection IIO with the metering mechanism to bring said contacts together by the action of said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

9. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with the metering mechanism and circuit, of a self-closing switch in said circuit,

means for maintaining said switch in open position, electrically-operated devices for opening said switch, a circuit for said devices, two contacts normallyin touch when the meter is idle and forming part of the latter circuit, a lever to release the open switch operated by the movement of a coin in traveling from the point of its introduction to a coin-receptacle, means connectedto said lever to separate the contacts by a fixed distance at each coin-prodnced movement of the lever, and a con-nection with the metering mechanism to bring said contacts together by the action of said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

10. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with the metering mechanism and circuit, of aself-closing switch in said circuit, a latch to support the switch in open position, electrically operated devices to open said switch, a circuit for said devices, a lever to trip the latch, said lever being arranged in the path of and moving with a coin traveling continuously from the point of its introduction to a coin-receptacle, two contacts normally in touch and forming part of the circuit of the devices that open the switch,means operated by the lever to separate said contacts by a fixed distance at each coin-produced movement of the lever, and a connection to the metering mechanism to bring said contacts together by the action of said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

11. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with the metering mechanism and circuit, of means for opening said'circuit to cut off the supply of current, a dial controlling the operation of the circuit-opening devices and deriving movement from the metering mechanism, a lever operated by the movement of a coin in passing from the point of its insertion to a coin-receptacle, and means operated by said lever at each coin-produced movement to set said dial independently of the movement it derives from the metering mechanism, so that the latter movement will time the duration of the supply of current, substantially as set forth.

12. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a switch to open said circuit to cut off the supply of current, an electric motor and circuit to operate the switch, two contacts, normally in touch, one with the other, when the meter is idle and forming part of said motor-circuit, one of said contacts deriving motion from the metering mechanism, a lever arranged in the path of and moving with a coin as the latter passes from its point of entrance to a coin-receptacle, and means operated by each coin-produced movement of said lever to separate said contacts, and to set one of them at such a point, independently of the movement derived from the metering mechanism, that the latter movement in bringing said contacts together again shall measure the period during which currentis supplied, substantially as set forth.

13. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a switch for opening said circuit, an electric motor to open said switch, a circuit for the motor, two movable contacts included in said circuit which are normally in touch when the meter is idle, one of said contacts deriving movement in one direction from the registering mechanism, a coin-lever arranged in the path of a coin passing from an entranceslot to a coin-receptacle, and means connected to said lever whereby each coin -produced movement will move the other contact in the same direction that the contact first named is moved by the registering mechanism, the first coin-produced movement causing said contacts to separate and open the motor-circuit and each subsequent movement increasing the separation of said contacts by a space, the movement over which by the contact first named represents the supply of current corresponding to a single prepayment, substantially as set forth.

14. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a switch in said circuit, a device for opening said switch, an electric motor to operate said device, a circuit for the motor, two movable contacts, normally in touch one with the other and forming part of said motorcircuit, a lever operated by the passage of a coin from a coin -slot to a coin-receptacle, means operated by said lever to separate one contact from the other, thereby opening the motor-circuit and to increase said separation at each successive coin-produced movement, and a connection with the metering mechanism to move the other contact in the same direction as the first, its movement over the interval separating them measuring the period of current-supply, and the overtaking of the other contact completing the motor-circuit and opening the switch in the meter'circuit',

substantially as set forth.

15. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a self-closing switch in said circuit, a device to open said switch, an electric motor and circuit to operate said device, means for sustaining the switch in open position, two contacts in the motor-circuit normally in touch, one of said contacts deriving rotary movement in one direction from the metering mechanism, a lever arranged in the path of a coin passing from a coin-slot to a coin-receptacle and means operated by the coin-produced movement of said lever to release the open switch and toadvance the other contact in the same direction that the first contact is moved by the metering'mechanism, and in the same rotary path, whereby the latter contact,upon overtaking the one advanced by the lever, again completes the circuit of the motor, said circuit being interrupted by the device opening the switch, which is included in said circuit, substantially as set forth.

16. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a self-closing switch in said circuit, a cam to open said switch, means for sustaining said switch in open position, an electric motor to actuate said cam, a circuit for the motor including said cam and apart on the switch against which said cam bears in opening the same, a lever to release the open switch arranged in the path of a coin passing from a coin-slot to a coin-receptacle, two movable contacts, normally in touch one with the other, both being included in the motor-circuit, one of said contacts deriving rotary movement from the metering mechanism, and means operated by the coin-produced movement of the lever to separate said contacts, thereby opening the motor-circuit at that point, said circuit being completed between the cam and the part of the switch engaged by it, by the automatic closing of said switch, which is released by the coin-produced action of the lever, the movement of the first contact by the metering mechanism bringing it again in touch with the other and establishing the motor-circuit, which is opened again after the cam has operated by said cam passing off the part on which it bears, substantially as set forth.

17. In a prepaymentelectric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a device to open said circuit when the current paid for has been supplied, an electric motor and circuit to operate said device, two contacts in said motor-circuit normally in touch, a coin-chute, a lever having one end lying in said chute in the path of the coin, the chute having the position of a chord subtending the arc in which the end of the lever moves, whereby, upon completing a movement of predetermined extent under the im pulse of the coin, the end of the lever passes out of the chute and out of the path of the coin, means operated by each coin-produced movement of said lever to move one of the two contacts in the motor-circuit away from the other, and a connection with the metering mechanism whereby said contacts are again brought into touch to complete the motor-circuit and open the meter-circuit, substantially as set forth.

18. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of electrically-operated devices for opening said circuit, a circuit for said devices, a movable dial to control the time of operation of said devices, a coin -chute to guide the coins paid in, a leverhaving one end lying in said chute in the path of the coins traversing the latter, means operated by each coin produced movement of said lever to set the dial,

and a connection with the metering mechanism whereby said dial shall complete the circuit of the devices opening the meter-circuit, the end of the coin-operated lever moving in an arc of a circle and the chute lying in the line of the chord subtending said are, substantially as set forth.

19. In aprepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a self-elosing switch in said circuit, devices for openingsaid switch, means for sustaiuing the latter in open position, an electric motor and circuit to operate the switch-opening devices, two contacts normally in touch and forming part of the motor-circuit, a coinchute to guide coins paid in from a slot to a receptacle, a lever having one end entering the chute and lying in the path of the coin traversing the latter, said end moving under the impulse of the coin in a line diverging from the line of the chute and passing out of the latter after completing a movement of the required extent, means operated by each coin-produced movement of said lever to separate the contacts in the 1notor-circuit, and a connection with the metering mechanism to bring said contacts together again, substantially as set forth.

20. In aprepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a self-closing switch in said circuit, a cam to open said switch, a latch to maintain said switch in open position, an electric motor and circuit to operate the cam, a dial capable of rotary movement, a ratchet to give movement to said dial, a pawl-lever and a pawl pivoted on said lever to engage the ratchet, a coin-chute to guide coins paid in, a lever having its end lying in said chute, a connection between said lever and an arm on the pawl, means operated by said lever to release the open switch, a contact carried by the dial and forming part of the circuit of the motor, a second contact normally in touch with the first and included in the same circuit, and a connection with the metering mechanism to communicate movement to said second contact to bring it in touch with the first when the current purchased has been consumed, substantially as set forth.

21. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a dial deriving movement from said mechanism, a multiple coin-chute having separate ways of different length for coins of different denominations, a lever having one end lying in said ways, and means operated by said lever to set the dial at points corresponding to the values of the coins paid in, substantially as set forth.

22. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of a dial capable of rotary movement, a

multiple coin-chute having a plurality of Ways for coins of different denominations, said ways being proportioned in length to the values of the coins paid in ,a pivotedleverhaving its end lying in the paths of the coins traversing the chute, means operated by said lever to turn the dial, a contact on said dial set by the coin-produced movements of the lever at points corresponding to the values of the coins-acting on the lever, a second contact normally in touch with thecont'act on the dial, a connection with the metering mechanism to give movement to the second contact, electrically-operated means for opening the meter-circuit, and a circuit for said devices that includes the two contacts, substantially as set forth.

' 23. Inaprepayment electricmeter,thecombination with a metering mechanism, of means for controlling the duration of the metering action, a coin-chute having a plurality ofways to guide coins of different denominations from the point of entrance to a coin-receptacle, a lever having one end lying in the coinways of the chute, said ways having operative portions of different lengths corresponding to the values of coins traversing said ways, whereby the coin-produced strokes of said lever will vary in extent in the same proportion, and means operated by said lever .to set the controlling means in accordance with the variation of said strokes,- substantially as set forth.

24. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, of electrically-operated devices for arresting the supply of current, a coin-chute, alever lying in said. chute in the path of'the coins traversing the same, a dial deriving a movement from each coin-produced movement of said lever, a circuit for the electrical devices that arrest the current-supply, two contacts included in said circuit and normally in touch with each other, one of said contacts being carried by the dial, whereby said circuit is opened at the first coin-produced movement of the lever, and means operated by the metering mechanism to bring said contacts in touch again and thereby establish said circuit when the current paid for has been supplied, substantially as set forth.

25. In a prepayment electric meter,the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, said mechanism including a moving armature, of a self-closing switch to start and stop the meter, means forholding said switch in open position, a motor and motor-circuit to open said switch, a coin-chute to guide the coins paid in to a place provided for them, a lever having its end portion lying across the path of the coins traversing said chute, a device actuated by the motor and bearing against a contact on the switch to open the latter, said device and contact being included in the motor-circuit, two contacts normally in touch with each other and also included in said motor-circuit, means for giving rotary movement to one of said contacts by each coin-produced movement of the lever, and a connection with one of the gears of the registering-dials to move the other contact in the same direction and path, substantially as set forth.

26. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and circuit, said mechanism including a moving ar-' mature, of a self-closing switch to start and stop the meter, a coin-chute, a lever having its end portion lying across the path of the coins traversing said chute, electrically-operated means and a circuit for the same to open the switch and thereby arrest the supply of current, two contacts forming part of the circuit of the devices for opening said switch, a dial carrying one of said contacts, means for moving said dial a fixed distance at each coinproduced movement of the lever, and means for moving the other contact in the same direction and path by the gearing of one of the registering-dials of the meter, substantially as set forth.

27. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and a circuit, of a self-closing switch to initiate and arrest the supply of current, a pivoted latch to sustain said switch in open position, a lever having its end portion lying in the path of coins paid in, a chute to guide said coins having a slot to guide the lever in its coinproduced movement, a device operated by said lever to trip the latch sustaining the switch, electrically-operated means and a circuit for the same to open said switch, a device operated by said means and engaging a contact on the switch, said device and contact forming part of the circuit of the means for opening the switch, two contacts also included in said circuit and normally in touch with each other, means for moving one of said contacts a fixed distance by each coin-produced movement of the lever, and a connection with the gearing of one of the registering-dials to move the other contact in the same direction,whereby the circuit of the devices opening the switch is established by said contacts and broken, when the switch is opened, by the device raising said switch passing off the contact on the latter, substantially as set forth.

28. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and a circuit, of a switch to initiate and arrest the supply of current, electrically-operated de vices and a circuit for opening said switch, two contacts in said circuit which are separated by opening the switch and brought in touch with each other by closing said switch, two contacts also included in said circuit and normally in touch with each other, coin-operated means for separating said contacts when the switch is closed, and a connection with the metering mechanism to impart movement to one of them to restore their vengagement and establish the circuit of the switch-opening devices, said circuit being thus closed at one point and opened at another,substantially as set forth.

In a prepayment electric meter, the combination with a metering mechanism and a circuit, of a spring-closed switch, a device to open said switch, means for supporting said switch in its open position, a coin-operated 1ever to release the open switch, electricallyactuated means for operating the sWitch-open- 'ing device, and a circuit for said electricallyactuated means which is established by a contact deriving movement from the metering mechanism and opened by the device that opens the switch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL L. PHILLIPS. GEO. G. TILDEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. BRosNAN, HOWARD M. NORRIS.

Images