The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-08

dial on the Ras meter. The three dials
indicate as they are Marked beginning
on the right the number of thousands,
tens Of thousands and hundreds Of thou
sands of feet of gas consumed.
Dial. C gives the smallest number and
only shows LOCO feet. This dial moves
from left to right, as the numbers in
dictate When this dial has made one
revolution dial B will have moved to
the first point numbered /. Dial 3
moves from right to left according to
the numbers. When dial c has made
ten rounds, dial B will have made one
round and dial A will have gone one
point. Dali moves from left to right
the same as the dial c. When dial B
has made ten revolutions dial A will
have made one.
Suppose the dial on the meter to be
read stands like the one in the cut.
The meter reader win take it as fol-
lows;
The hand OF dial A has passed the
figure 1, indicating that 10000 feet of
gas have been used; the reader sets
down the i. On dial B the hand has
passed "a, " so 1000 feet have been used
on the next 10000 feet. The reader sets
down the 4. having now the figures /, 4
On dial O the hand being past the 81
shows that 800 feet on the thousand have
been consumed. The reader writes 3 to
the right Of the other two figures and
has the figures l. 4, g. To this he adds
two ciphers because the meter begins
with hundreds of feet OF gas. The read
ing Of the meter then is 1890 cubic
feet,
If the last reading of the meter was
1920, subtract this from the amount
OF the present reading, 1890 which
gives LOO, the amount of gas consumed
in the interval between the readings.
Multiply this by the price Of gas per
thousand feet and the result is the gas
OIL Tor the period between the readings.
The small dial above registers but a
Few feet at a revolution and is used to
detect leaks in the piping in the house.
Ut moves quickly to a small amount Of
gas passing through the meter so that
tiny leaks can be noted by the move
ment of the hand on this dial
In one position of the hands on the
dials, the reader is apt to take the
reading at 10000 feet too much. This
is the instance: Suppose the hand on
dial stood just before i the hand ON
dial just past 9; and the hand on dial
g at g. The reader may make the mis-
take Of not noticing that the 10000
point has not yet been reached and set
down the figures as follows: L 8, and
add the two ciphers for the hundreds
The result would be 1900 feet The
meter has not reached the 10000
point so the nrSt ngure taken should
be on the 40 thousand dial and the
reading $3.50. There is check upon
mistakes of this nature in the book
keeping of the company. If this mis-
take has been made and the gas bill OF
this house always been close to IS. this
time it viii be S13. The bookkeeper
VIII notice this and being on the watch
for this mistake, another man will be
sent to read this meter. In the mean
time the meter will have moved some
what and the reading be easier from
the position of the hands.
The interior of the meter is rather
complicated. 1t is divided into two
compartments, each containing a bel
lows, so that there are really four
separate chambers. The gas passes
into each of the compartments alter
nately through eccentric valves ope-
rated by the pressure of the gas When
one side of the bellows is filled the
valve has moved so that it is allowed
to flow out to be consumed and the
other side is filed. The other com
partment is always filing when the
first is emptying. The cubic contents
OF the chambers are known and the
mechanism which works the valves
also revolves the hands on the dial
If Il Is thought that a meter is not
working correctly, the gas company
has elaborate instruments to test it
and this is always done.