GB929779A - Improvements in or relating to credit and/or arrears recording means for prepayment mechanisms - Google Patents

Abstract

929,779. Prepayment meters. SANGAMO WESTON Ltd. March 30, 1960 [April 7, 1959], No. 11769/59. Class 27. [Also in Group XXIV] A credit and arrears registering device for coin-freed apparatus, such as an electricity meter, comprises two discs 10, 15 which have notches 12, 17 and are driven at slightly different speeds in the same direction from a spindle 20 connected, for example to the planet wheel of a credit and measuring-out differential, the notches being in line when the credit/arrears condition is zero so that a feeler pin 21 on a switch arm 22 enters the notches and closes an associated switch; as the discs rotate in either direction to establish credit or arrears, the switch is closed or moved to a position where it can be closed by means such as a press-button, and the notches are out of alignment after the first revolution and do not come into alignment again until after a number of revolutions. The discs are connected to gears 11, 16 having teeth which are of the same general dimensions but are slightly different and both gears mesh with a gear 19 on the shaft 20. The disc 10 is fast on a shaft 13 connected to a pointer 14 and the disc 18 is rotatable on the shaft 13 and held by a collar 25 which can be moved axially to allow adjustment of the meshing of the gears 11, 16 and 19; In alternative constructions, the input drive is made direct to the spindle 13 and the pinion 19 acts as an idler gear between the gears 11 and 16, or the pinion 19 is made in two halves interconnected by dog teeth so that they can be separated for adjustment of the slot alignment. The lever 22 may operate the switch directly or through a shaft 23. The stress in the spring 24 when the lever is deflected may be used to operate the switch itself or, preferably, a latch lever which allows the switch to trip.