IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER WATER LEVEL IN STATION GAS METERS
Year: 1875

page_text: ·
LETTERS' PATENT to William Thomas Sugg, of Vincent Works,
Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER WATER LEVEL
IN STATION GAS METERS:' A communication from abroad by Louis
-
“PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William, Thomas Sugg
Γ
at the Office of, the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st, December 1875.
[
I, WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG,, of Vincent Works, Vincent Street, in
the City of Westminster,..do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS, IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER
WATER LEVEL IN STATION GAS: METERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to station gas meters, and has for its
object the maintenance of the water level at its proper height.
.
The apparatus consists of a water supply cistern placed at a con-
venient height above the tank, in which the drum or wheel of the meter

page_text: revolves. In communication with this supply cistern is an annular
tank capable of receiving water, and is furnished with a gas-tight cover.
Within the inner ring of the tank rises the water supply pipe which is
connected with the supply cistern before mentioned. Near the top
edge of this pipe, within the tank, the said pipe is provided with a
number of holes just below its edge. Above the pipe just mentioned is
an annular float, bearing a cap which. slides over the top of the pipe,
and this cap has a number of perforations corresponding to the holes in
the pipe. A pipe also communicates with the inner ring of the tank
and the meter tank. Besides the pipes mentioned there is another pipe
connected with the outer ring of the annular tank which serves to
convey away surplus water, and a pipe connecting the upper part of the
annular tank with the gas inlet of the meter.
When the water in the meter tank is from any cause depressed that
also in the annular tank will be lowered, whereupon the float and cap
will descend until the holes in the cap are opposite the holes in the pipe,
when water will flow in from the supply pipe till the proper level is
attained, by which time the float will have risen to such a height as to
prevent the further inflow of water.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st June 1876.)
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Works, Vincent Street, in the City. of
Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty' Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
'the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Thomas Sugg,
Her special license that I, the said William Thomas Sugg, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
-William Thomas Sugg, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
. 1

page_text: and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING
THE PROPER WATER LEVEL IN STATION GAS METERS," being a communication
to me from abroad by Louis François Alexandre Arson, of Paris, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Thomas Sugg,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Thomas Sugg, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to station gas meters, and has for its
object the maintenance of the water level at its proper height, whereby
more accurate registration of the quantity of gas passed is ensured thaṇ
in station meters as ordinarily constructed..
:
The apparatus consists of a water supply cistern placed at a con-
venient height above the tank, in which the measuring drum or wheel
revolves. This supply cistern communicates by means of a pipe, which
varies in size according to the size of the meter to which the apparatus
is applied, with a cylindrical tank covered with a top having a gas-tight
joint. The water supply pipe rises in the centre of this tank to a height
a little above the level of the water in it. This level must be on the
same plane as the true water level within the measuring drum of the
station meter to which the apparatus is attached. A little below the
top edge of this pipe are perforations for the delivery of, the water into.
the tank. The top of the supply pipe is furnished with a cap, having
a number of perforations corresponding in size and position to those on
the top of the supply pipe. The cap is made by preference of gun
metal and is turned true, as is also the top of the pipe, so that the cap
!

page_text: may slide over the pipe with sufficient accuracy to form a valve which
opens. as it descends and closes as it rises the delivery openings in the
supply pipe. Attached to this cap is an annular float which is partially
immersed in the water contained in othe tank. The depression of the.
water in this tank is followed by a corresponding movement of the float,
and the cap thus opens the delivery holes in the supply pipe as before
described. As the water attains. its normal level the float and cap rise.
and shut off the further admission of: water.
At the bottom of the tank is a large pipe, varying in area according
to the size of the station meter to which the apparatus is applied, which
communicates with the interior of the station meter at or near the
bottom of the case or tank in which the measuring drum revolves.
Within the tank containing the float and cap a circular partition,
concentric with the water supply pipe, is carried up even with the true
water level both in the tank and in the interior of the measuring drum
of the station meter. Any water which passes this level falls over the
edge of the partition into the annular. space between it and the external
wall of the tank, and is conveyed away by a waste water pipe. At any
convenient point above the water level is connected a pipe, varying in
size according to the size of the meter to which the apparatus is
attached from one inch to three inches in diameter: This pipe is carried
up some three or four inches above the true water level in the interior
of the inlet hollow cover of the station meter. The pressure of the gas
is thus conveyed from the interior of the measuring drum to the tank
.containing the float and cap.
The result of these arrangements is that, when the water line in the
interior of the measuring drum is depressed, from any cause that also
in the annular tank. will be. lowered, whereupon the float and cap will
descend and admit water. into the tank till the proper level is restored,
by which time the float and cap will have risen to such a height as to
prevent the further inflow of water.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood a Drawing
is attached hereto of which the following is a description:-The Figure
represents the apparatus principally in section; A, being the tank with
its circular partition B and cover C; D is the water supply pipe with
holes E near its top edge; and F is the cap with its holes Has
previously described; I, I, is the annular float attached to the cap F;

page_text: and J is the pipe which communicates with the upper part of the inside
of the hollow cover of the measuring drum; K is the pipe which leads
from the bottom of the tank to the station meter tank, and is a waste -
water pipe.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have described or
referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of this Invention; but what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the con-
struction of apparatus for maintaining the proper liquid level in station
gas meters, as herein described and shown on the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Sugg, have here--
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.