IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICES FOR GAS AND WATER METERS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS TO WHICH INDICES OR COUNTING PROAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Grey of Whitehead Grove, Chelsea in the County
of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICES FOR GAS AND
WATER METERS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS TO WHICH INDICES OR COUNTING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Grey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1883.
SAMUEL GREY of Whitehead Grove Chelsea in the county of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICES FOR GAS AND WATER METERS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS
TO WHICH INDICES, OR COUNTING APPARATUS ARE APPLICABLE
"
This invention has for its object the construction of indices applicable to dry
gas meters, wet gas meters, water meters, ship's logs, electrical meters, bicycles,
tricycles, velocipedes, turnstiles, steam and gas engines, and other similar instruments
to which counting apparatus is applicable, in such a nanner as to enable them to
be more easily read and less likely to lead to error than with those commonly
in use.
The following is a description of the invention as applied to a dry gas meter
index, for from two to five lights, its application to other sizes and other instruments
being simply an alteration of the position of the wheels and the number of teeth
thereon together with their corresponding hands or dials.
The invention consists of a metal frame, or two metal plates connected together
by suitable pillars. In the centre and passing through both sides of the upper
part of the frame is a spindle and pinion, one end of which is connected to the
shaft which receives inotion from the meter, and to the other end is attached a
pointer placed over a suitable dial. On this spindle is fixed a pinion with six
leaves, which gears into a wheel with thirty teeth carried by another spindle which
works in the same frame. On this second spindle is fixed also a wheel having one
long tooth and two spaces, the remainder of the periphery being plain. On a third
spindle there are also fixed two wheels, the front one having a series of ten notches
cut to receive the long tooth of the wheel just described. Between each of the
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page_text: notches there is a hollow which receives a portion of the plain part of the periphery
of the wheel with one tooth, while the outer extremities of the hollow bear against
the said periphery, thereby locking the wheel on the third spindle, except when the
long tooth is in action. The other wheel on the third spindle has a plain periphery
excepting at one point where there is a long tooth and two spaces. Beneath the
latter wheels there is another pair of wheels, one with ten notches and hollows as
before described and the other with a plain periphery and long tooth and two
spaces, the spindle of which projects sufficiently in front to carry a hand or dial.
A fourth pair of wheels fixed to a similar spindle and constructed in the same
manner is placed beside those just mentioned, while another wheel with ten notches
and hollows attached to a similar spindle is fixed beside the latter. The first
spindle and pinion indicate two feet for each revolution, and works regularly as in
the ordinary meter, the second pair ten feet, the third pair one hundred feet, the
fourth pair a thousand feet, and the fifth wheel ten thousand feet, and so on
according to the size of meter. In front of the frame there are placed four or more
dials each divided into ten equal parts and on three of which each division is
marked from nought to nine consecutively. In one arrangement these dials are a
fixture, and in that case the spindles passing through them each carry a hand
having a small circular opening near one extremity to receive the spindle, and at
the other a circular opening sufficiently large to admit of one of the figures on the
dial being seen through it. In another arrangement the dials are fixed to the
spindles, and the figures as they revolve are seen through openings cut in a plate
fixed in front of the dials.
It will be seen that in such an index as has been described all the wheels except
the first pair are stationary excepting at the moment when a change in the position
of the hand or dial takes place, and as this change is effected suddenly no difficulty
is experienced in the mind of the reader as to the correct reading, because the
figures to be read will be seen through the hands, or holes in front of the dials.
The few parts are simple, efficient in action inexpensive, and not liable to get out
of order.
In all measurements where the decimal system is adopted the wheels will each
have ten notches and hollows, but in cases where the duodecimal system is used the
wheels will have to be divided into twelve notches and hollows.
The adaptation of this kind of index to different purposes will require some
variation in the arrangement and position of the wheels, and the number of dials,
but the general principle of construction will remain the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Grey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th July 1883.
SAMUEL GREY of Whitehead Grove, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICES FOR GAS AND WATER METERS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS
TO WHICH INDICES OR COUNTING APPARATUS ARE APPLICABLE
"
This invention has for its object the construction of indices applicable to dry gas
meters, wet gas meters, water moters, ships' logs, electrical meters, bioycles,
tricycles, velocipedes, turnstiles, steam and gas engines and other similar instruments
to which counting apparatus is applicable in such a manner as to enable them to
be more easily read, and less likely to lead to error than with those commonly
in use.
The following is a description of the invention as applied to a dry gas meter
index for from two to five lights, its application to other sizes and other instruments,
being simply an alteration of the position of the wheels and the number of teeth
thereon together with their corresponding hands or dials.
The invention consists of a metal frame, or two metal plates connected together
by suitable pillars. In the centre and passing through both sides of the upper
part of the frame is a spindle and pinion, one end of which is connected to the
shaft which receives motion from the meter, and to the other end is attached a
pointer placed over suitable dial. On this spindle is fixed a pinion with six
leaves, which gears into a wheel with thirty teeth carried by another spindle which
works in the same frame. On this second spindle is fixed also a wheel having one
long tooth and two spaces, the remainder of the periphery being plain. On a third
spindle there are also fixed two wheels, the front one having a series of ten notches
cut to receive the long tooth of the wheel just described.-Between each of the
notches there is a hollow which receives a portion of the plain part of the periphery
of the wheel with one tooth, while the outer extremities of the hollow bear against
the said periphery, thereby locking the wheel on the third spindle except when the
long tooth is in action. The other wheel on the third spindle has a plain periphery
excepting at one point where there is a long tooth and two spaces. Beneath the
latter wheels there is another pair of wheels, one with ten notches and hollows as
before described, and the other with a plain periphery and long tooth and two
spaces, the spindle of which projects sufficiently in front to carry a hand or dial.
A fourth pair of wheels fixed to a similar spindle and constructed in the same
manner is placed beside those just mentioned, while another wheel with ten notches
and hollows attached to a similar spindle is fixed beside the latter. The first
spindle and pinion indicate two feet for each revolution and works regularly as in
the ordinary meter, the second pair ten feet, the third pair one hundred feet, the
fourth pair a thousand feet, and the fifth wheel ten thousand feet, and so on
according to the size of the meter. In front of the frame there are placed four or
more dials each divided into ten equal parts and on three of which each division is
marked from nought to nine consecutively. In one arrangement these dials are a
fixture, and in that case the spindles passing through them each carry a hand
having a small circular opening near one extremity to receive the spindle, and at
the other a circular opening sufficiently large to admit of one of the figures on the
dial being seen through it. In another arrangement the dials are fixed to the
spindles, and the figures as they revolve are seen through openings cut in a plate
fixed in front of the dials
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood drawings are
attached hereto of which the following is a description. Fig 1 shows the two
forms of wheels, the application and arrangement of which constitute part of the
present invention. Fig 2 is a back elevation of the index, Fig 3 a front elevation

page_text: of the same with the dial plate removed, and Fig 4 a front elevation of the dial
plate, exhibiting the hands, the outer extremities of which are shaped into rings or
circles. The indices have two sets of wheels, one behind the other, but in Figs 2
and 3, in order to avoid confusion the set of wheels nearest to the spectator only
is shown, one set being exhibited in Fig 2 and the other set in Fig 3.-In each of
the Figures similar letters refer to the same parts. In Fig 1, on the left hand is
seen the wheel with its long tooth' and a space on each side, the rest of the
periphery being plain, and on the right hand is the wheel with ten notches to
receive the long tooth, and ten hollows by which the wheel is locked when not in
action. In each of the Figs A is the spindle that receives motion from the meter.
B is the six-leaved pinion fixed to it and C is the wheel with thirty teeth. Behind
this wheel and on the same spindle is fixed the small long toothed wheel D seen in
Fig 3. The wheel D gives motion to the wheel E and this motion is imparted by
the wheel F on the same spindle to the pair of wheels G and H, which in their
turn impart it to I and J and from thence to the wheel K. The pointer L in
Fig 4 is fixed to the pinion shaft or spindle. The hand M is fixed to the spindle
of the wheels G and H, the hand N to the spindle of the wheels I and J and the
hand O to the spindle of the wheel K.
The drawings illustrate an index as applied to a dry gas meter, but the principle
is equally applicable to wet gas meter indices and other machines or instruments
requiring counting apparatus, by a slightly altered arrangement of the wheels well
known to gas meter makers, and index makers.
It will be seen that in such an index as has been described all the wheels except
the first pair are stationary excepting at the moment when a change in the
position of the hand or dial takes place, and as this change is effected suddenly, no
difficulty is experienced in the mind of the reader as to the correct reading, because
the figures to be read will be seen through the hands or holes in front of the dials.
The few parts are simple, efficient in action, inexpensive, and not liable to get out
of order.
In all measurements where the decimal system is adopted the wheels will each
have ten notches and hollows, but in cases where the duodecimal system is used the
wheels will have to be divided into twelve notches and hollows.
As before stated, the adaptation of this kind of index to different purposes will
require some variation in the arrangement and position of the wheels and the
number of dials but the general principle of construction will remain the same.
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
Firstly. The construction of indices for the purposes herein set forth with
wheels of the form shown in Fig 1, and generally arranged as herein described and
shown in Figs 2 and 3 of the drawings,-and
Secondly. The construction and use of hands M, N and O as herein described
and shown in Fig 4 of the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Grey have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty fifth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand
aight hundred and eighty throm
SAMUEL GREY (L.S.)