GB310412A - Improvements in prepayment electricity meters with means for prepaying a basic charge - Google Patents

Abstract

310,412. Landis et Gyr Soc. Anon. April 25, 1928, [Convention date]. Electricity, supplying by meter; mechanism for preparing rent of meter.-In a prepayment electricity meter having means for prepaying a basic charge, the return of the switch control mechanism to switching-off position on account of or due to the basic charge takes place intermittently, after definite intervals of time, by mean, of an actuating device, in which operation the action of the actuating device is indepwendent of the load on the meter. After prepayment, a knob 31, Fig. 1, is turned to closes a knife switch the shaft 34 of which has an arm 38 co-operating with a flat 41 on a shaft. 39 provided with a screw-threaded portion 40. The rotation of the knob through a sun wheel 19 and planet wheel 21 rotates a shaft 14 bearing a crank arm 18 which turns the shaft 39 advancing it in the direction opposite to the arrow 66. The meter disc 2 through gearing including a pawl and ratchet drive 10, 8 drives a wheel 7 which gears with another sun wheel 13, thereby rotating the shaft 14 in the reverse direction and returning the shaft 39 to open the switch. The wheels 7, 8 and another ratchet wheel 9 form a unit loose on a shaft 6 to which is fixed the arm 11. carrying the driving pawls 10. A driving pawl 42 for the ratchet 9 is on an arm 44 carried by a wheel 43 loose on the shaft 6. The wheel 43 is driven at intervals by a Ferraris motor 51 connected to the mains, the drive being through a wheel 49, direct disc 47 integral with a wheel 46, and a wheel 45. The wheel 49 is connected to the disc 47 through a coiled spring 54 and has an abutment 55 to coact with pins 56, 57, Fig. 2, on a detent segment 58 which has lugs 59, 60 engaging a shoulder on the disc 47 and acting as an escapement to allow a half revolution of the disc at a time. The segment is pivoted at 61 and acted on by a rocking spring 62. When the segment 58 is rocked by the wheel 49, the disc 47 is rotated by the spring 54, thereby causing the pawl 42 to drive the ratchet wheel 9 at a greater speed than the ratchet wheel 8. This causes from time to time a more rapid movement of the shaft 39 to its switch opening position. The time interval or the velocity-ratio of the gearing of the Ferraris motor is selected according to the amount of the basic charge and the value of the coins used. Instead of by a Ferraris motor, the pawl 42 may be driven by a relay. In this modification, the arm 44 forms the armature of the relay which is excited at regular intervals under the control of a time switch. Indicators; registering.-The total number of coins inserted is registered on a counter 28 actuated through a flexible connection from the knob 31. A counting train 64 indicating the number of coins equivalent to electricity prepaid but unconsumed is actuated through gears 63 by a wheel 15 fixed on the shaft 14.