APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF ELECTRIC POWER
First Claim
1. Apparatus for supplying a predetermined measured quantity of electric power to a load comprising an integrating watt-hour meter, a signal transmitter operated by said watt-hour meter for developing an electrical alarm signal only upon the range of consumed power as measured by the integrating watt-hour meter falling between a value smaller than said predetermined quantity and said predetermined quantity, a main power switch connected between said watt-hour meter and said load, chip receiver means for receiving a destructible chip to be inserted into said chip receiver means for actuating the apparatus, alarm means responsive to said electrical alarm signal, means responsive to the insertion of a chip into said chip receiver means for closing said main power switch, means responsive to the insertion of a chip into said chip receiver means for automatically invalidating the destructible chip as a genuine chip, and means responsive to the predetermined measured quantity of electric power being supplied for opening said main power switch in the absence of a new chip being inserted in the chip receiver means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for supplying a predetermined measured quantity of electric power. Specially designed chit in form of a chip inserted in a receptacle operates a switch in main power line to supply predetermined measured quantity of power whereupon apparatus automatically opens switch if apparatus has not been reactivated by insertion of another chip. An alarm system is activated in advance of measured amount of power being used to warn consumer that service will be discontinued if apparatus is not reactivated by insertion of another chip.
15 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Apparatus for supplying a predetermined measured quantity of electric power to a load comprising an integrating watt-hour meter, a signal transmitter operated by said watt-hour meter for developing an electrical alarm signal only upon the range of consumed power as measured by the integrating watt-hour meter falling between a value smaller than said predetermined quantity and said predetermined quantity, a main power switch connected between said watt-hour meter and said load, chip receiver means for receiving a destructible chip to be inserted into said chip receiver means for actuating the apparatus, alarm means responsive to said electrical alarm signal, means responsive to the insertion of a chip into said chip receiver means for closing said main power switch, means responsive to the insertion of a chip into said chip receiver means for automatically invalidating the destructible chip as a genuine chip, and means responsive to the predetermined measured quantity of electric power being supplied for opening said main power switch in the absence of a new chip being inserted in the chip receiver means.
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2. The apparatus according to claim 1 which further includes means for locking a chip in said chip receiver means after insertion, said means being responsive to said electrical alarm signal to release the invalidated chip from said chip receiver means before said predetermined value is reached thus permitting insertion of a new chip.
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3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said signal transmitter comprises a reed switch and a permanent magnet carried by a digit wheel of a predetermined order of said integrating watt-hour meter.
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4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein authentic chips, are provided with a removable check piece and said chip receiver means has means for removing the check piece from the chip and for retaining the removed check piece upon the chip being inserted in said chip receiver means.
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5. Apparatus for supplying a predetermined measured quantity of electric power to a load comprising an integrating watt-hour meter, a signal transmitter operated by said watt-hour meter for developing an electrical alarm signal within a range of consumed power as measured by the integrating watt-hour meter between a value smaller than said predetermined quantity and said predetermined quantity, a main power switch including a control relay connected between said watt-hour meter and said load, chip receiver means including a second switch means, alarm means responsive to said electrical alarm signal, said chip receiver means being adapted to receive a specially designated chip inserted into said chip receiver to actuate the apparatus with the specially designed chip having a fusible element, means for operating said second switch means in said chip receiver means upon a chip being inserted into said chip receiver means whereupon said second switch means closes said main power switch and said fusible element melts to open the control relay to said main power switch, lever-catch means operated by said control relay for maintaining said main power switch in the closed condition until said electrical alarm signal is terminated, and means responsive to the predetermined measured quantity of electric power being supplied for opening said main power switch in the absence of a new chip being inserted in the ship receiver means.
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6. The apparatus according to claim 5 further including a counter that counts the number of chips inserted into said chip receiver.
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7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said second switch means comprises a reed switch and said means for operating said second switch means comprises a permanent magnet formed on the chip for closing said second switch means.
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8. The apparaTus according to claim 5 which further includes means for locking a chip in said chip receiver means after insertion, said means being responsive to said electrical alarm signal to release said chip from said chip receiver means before said predetermined value is reached thus permitting insertion of a new chip.
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9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said signal transmitter comprises a reed switch and a permanent magnet carried by a digit wheel of a predetermined order of said integrating watt-hour meter.
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10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second switch means comprises a reed switch and said means for operating said second switch means comprises a permanent magnet formed on the chip for closing said second switch means.
Specification