US870600A

US870600A - Prepayment gas-meter.

Info

Publication number: US870600A
Application number: US25993405A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin G Waggner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-05-11
Filing date: 1905-05-11
Publication date: 1907-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1924-11-12

Description

Noi870,600.

PRBPAYMENI GAS METER.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 11. 1905.

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Benjanulan G. Waa'o'ner.

q ma-saw am PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

B. e. WAGGNBR. PREPAYMENT GAS METER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1906.

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. No. 870,600. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

B. G. WAGGNER.

PREPAYMENT GAS METER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11.1905.

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BENJAMIN G. WAGGNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

rnnrnmm' GAS-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed May 11, 1906. Serial No. 259.934.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a simple, efiicient, accurate and reliable prepayment gas meter; to provide compact mechanism consisting of comparatively few parts for opening the gas valve upon the proper application of a coin and for closing it in response to the consumption of the coins worth of gas; to

provide simple and reliable devices for preventing the extraction of -a coin which has been used to start the opening of the gas valve; and to improve the mechanism by which the gas valve is operated To these and other ends hereinafter set forth the invention comprises the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of my. invention willbe more fully understood from the'following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a meter embodying features of the invention. Fig. 2, is a view looking from the inside of the meter toward the operating handle or knob showing in dotted lines the position of wheels which are removed from the foreground. Fig.

3, is a similar view looking toward the meter and away from the knob and illustrating in dotted lines the position of one of the wheels. Fig. 4, is a top or plan view of the meter with the cover removed. Fig. 5, is a view, principally in vertical section, illustrating portions of the mechanism embodying features of the invention. Figs. 6 and 7, are views illustrating two positions of the knob or handle and showing the device with parts of the exterior removed, and Fig. 8, is a perspective view illustrating the valve operating cam and its accessories.

In the drawings 1, is the housing of the meter and 2, is the housing of the coin receptacle which is shown as applied to the end wall of the meter housing.

3, is a cylindrical casing applied to the housing 2, of the coin receptacle. The casing 3, is provided with a coin receiving'slot 4, and with a chute 5, which communicates with the coin receptacle. The slot 4, and chute 5, are shown as arranged at less or more than 180 degrees apart according to the direction in which the measurement is taken and as shown in Fig. 6. The knob or handle 6, is rotatable and is provided with a radially arranged coin receiving pocket7, so that upon turning the knob 6, the pocket 7, may be brought into alinement with the coin receiving slot 4, or with the coin delivery chute 5. The extent to which the knob 6, and coin receiving pocket 7, may be turned is limited by the contact of the wing 8, with the stops 9 and 10,

that project outwardly from the face of the cylindrical housing.

As shown in the drawings, the radial pocket 7, is provided upon one side with a semi-circular plate a, which together with the side walls of the pocket serve to carry a cylindrical rim b, the purpose of which is to close the slot 4, when the opening to the pocket is not in line with it.

The follower 11, is pivoted concentrically with the knob 6, and is provided with pins 12, which project toward the knob. When a coin is in position in the pocket '7, its rim is properly located to abut upon the side of one of the pins 12, as shown in Fig. 5, so that i with the coin in position when the knobG, is turned, the follower 11, is also turned. There is arranged crosswise of the coin pocket a spring 13, which engages the rim of the coin but may yield so as to permit the coin to ride over and pass a detent 14, arranged upon the inner faceof the cylindrical casing 2. Thus as'soon as the knob is turned the coin rides up and over the detent, the spring 13, yielding for this purpose, so that the knob 6, may not be turned backward which some one might attempt to do in order to extract the. coin. The follower 11, has connected with it a driving toothed wheel 15, and there is a pawl 16, for preventing retrograde movement of the wheel 15. This wheel 15,

meshes withan intermediate toothed wheel 16, that is carried by an adjustable arm 17. The purpose of this is to permit of replacing the wheel 18, by others having different numbers of teeth which would be done if it should be desired to change the quantity of gas to be sold fora particular coin. The intermediate wheel 16, meshes with a toothed wheel 18", secured to a shaft 19, which extends through suitable provi-' sions into the interior of the housing 1. Fast to this ;oluble sleeve 23, which carries an arm having upon it toothed wheels 24, of which two are shown and which mesh with the teeth of the internal gear 20. This sleeve 23, is also provided with a worm 25, which meshes with a worm wheel 26, that is connected with a valve operating cam 27. Within the sleeve there is a revoluble shaft 28, that carries upon one of its ends a toothed wheel 29, that meshes with the toothed wheels 24, and at the other of its ends a worm wheel 30, that is driven by a worm 31, from the pointer driving shaft 32, of the meter, the latter shaft 32,-being drivenby the flag arm mechanism 33, of the meter. The shaft 34, which carries the cam 27, and worm wheel 26, is shown as provided with a pointer 35, that is visible at a dial 36, arranged outside of the meter beside the ordinary dials 37. This pointer 35, serves to indicate approximately the amount of gas consumed and to afiord notice of the fact that an additional coin will soon have 23, at a speed greater than that of the shaft 19, because a the numberof teeth on the'internal gear exceeds the number of teeth on the gear wheel 29. Thus the sleeve 23, runs'ahead of the shaft 19, and turns the worm 25,

quite rapidly. When the shaft 28, is being turned by I the flag mechanism .33, of the meter, the internal gear 20, remains at rest'and the gear wheel 29, turns'with the shaft 28, and drives the wheels 24, and the arm which carries them and the shaft 23,; in the opposite direction to that indicatedlby the arrow on the drawings, Fig. 5, and-at a relatively slow speed because the wheel 29, of comparatively few teeth bears the relation of driver to the internal gear 20, which has a relatively large number of teeth.

It may be explained that the cam 27, is turned in r the direction. indicated by the arrow when the knob 6, with the coin present is turned and that'thecam is turned in the opposite direction by the normal operation of the flag mechanism of the meter. The cam 27, is, generally speaking, circular'. However, it is provided with a radial slot or opening adjacent to which is a high part 38. The -rim of this cam 27, is theoper ative portion of it and it operates upon a stud or pin 39, projecting from an armon a pivotally supported rock-shaft 40, the other arm 41, of which has pivoted to itthe valve 42, that controls the passage of gas through the meter. The slot in the cam 27, when it is turned inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, serves to positively open the valve and during the continuance of this turning motion the pin or stud 39, rides upon the rim of the cam, thus holding the valve 'open.. When the cam turns in the opposite direction,

the longer edge of the slot which is adjacent to the high part 38, engages the pin or stud and'positively closes the valve '42.- This valve 42, is arranged within a I housing'43, one ofthe walls of which is provided with a stuffing box or gland through which the rock shaft 40, works. Gas entering at 44, reaches the interior of the casing 43, and then according to the position of the valve 42, is delivered by way of the passage 44 to the interior of the meter and thence through the same to the consumer. I When the coin is dropped into the' holder it comes to an even bearing on the bottom walls thereof and it is possible to so design the parts that in this position the rim of the coin is out of line with the .to be in range of the pin 12.

end of the adjacent piii12, but when the knob 6 is turned the coin riding upon the incline face of the def tent 14, is carried upward and forward as shown in Fig. 5, so that its rim comes into line and contacts with the adjacent pin 12. The advantage of this is that it is difiicult, if not impossible, to place a smaller coin than the machine is intended for in thepocket and then position it, as for instance by means of a piece of paper in such a way that it would extend far enough It will be obvious to' those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains that modifications may be made in detail without departing from the spirit thereof, hence the invention is not limited further than the prior state of the art may require, but Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.' In apparatus of the type specified'the combination of a rock shaft having arms of which one is provided with a gas valve, a cam shaft provided with a cam for operating the other of said arms, a hand driven shaft arranged transversely of the cam shaft and provided with an internal gear wheel, a gas driven shaft alined with the hand ,driven shaft and provided with a gear wheel arranged within the internal gear wheel, a sleeve loosely mounted on the last mentioned shaft and provided with an arm carrying toothed wheels which mesh with both said gear wheels, and worm gearing interposedbetween said sleeve and cam shaft, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus of the type specified a rock shaft having arms of which one 'is provided with a gas valve and of v which the other constitutes the sole means for operating the gas valve and is provided-with a laterally projecting pin', a generally clrcular'cam having a radial opening approximately fitting the pin and having substantially parallel sides and said cam having a high part adjacent to the opening, and means for turning the cam whereby the rock shaft is turned and the valve positively seated with prac tically no lost motion, substantially as described.

In apparatus of the type specified the combination of a. hand driven shaft provided with aninternal gear wheel,

a gas driven shaft alined with the first mentioned shaft and provided with a gear wheel' arranged concentrically with the internal gear wheel, a sleeve mounted on th'egas' driven shaft and provided with an arm. carrying toothed wheels that mesh with'both said wheels, a worm on said sleeve, a rock shaft provided with arms whereof one is provided with a gas valve and the other constitutes the sole means for actuating the rock shaft and isprovided with a projection, a radially notched cam provided with a high part and coiiperating with a projection to force the valve to its seat, and a cam shaft carrying said cam and .provided with a worm wheel engaging said worm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

Witnesses:

B. H. SPANGs'NBnne, I C. A. L. Monsn.

' BENJAMIN- e. WAGGNER.