IMPROVEMENTS IN CON- SUMERS' COMPENSATING GAS METERS WHICH ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO ORDI- NARY CONSUMERS' METERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pinchbeck, of Camden Street, Islington, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
SUMERS' COMPENSATING GAS METERS WHICH ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO ORDI-
NARY CONSUMERS' METERS."
Sealed the 15th May 1860, and dated the 18th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pinchbeck at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th November 1859.
I, JAMES PINCHBECK, of Camden Street, Islington, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONSUMERS' COMPENSATING GAS METERS, WHICH ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE
TO ORDINARY CONSUMERS' METERS," to be as follows:-
Istly, in the mode of introducing the gas to the siphon pipe without being
in contact with the outer casing of the meter, by means of a dip or tube with
a hydraulic seal formed by the water in the front trough, the other end of the
said tube is made gas-tight to a chamber above, in connection which is the
inlet valve.
2ndly, in the mode of elevating the supply water by means of a cam fixed
at the end of the drum shaft: upon the cam rests the arm of a lever, which is
attached to a pivot upon which is fixed the scoop or spoon, consequently as
the said lever is alternately raised and lowered by the action of the cam, a

page_text: similar motion is imparted to the scoop or spoon, thus raising a drop of water
at every revolution of the drum shaft.
3rdly, in the mode of regulating the height of the valve by means of a screw
cut in the lower extremity of the valve rod, which screws into a bridge piece
fastened to the float. To the upper extremity of the said rod is fixed the
valve as usually arranged in gas meters.
4thly, in the mode of working the valve by the float. The float is pierced
by a cylinder through its vertical axis, which is water-tight. Inside this
cylinder is another cylinder or tube made gas-tight at the top to the inlet
chamber of the gas, the bottom being sealed by the water in the meter. Across
the under side of the float is a bridge piece, to which is fastened the valve
rod as described in Section 3, working inside the inner tube or cylinder.
5thly, in the general arrangement of the reservoir, and the mode of obtaining
the water level therein by means of a notch cut in the partition plate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Pinchbeck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PINCHBECK, of Camden Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Pinchbeck, Her special licence that I, the said
James Pinchbeck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Pinchbeck, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time 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 CONSUMERS' COMPENSATING GAS METERS, WHICH ARE PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO ORDINARY CONSUMERS' METERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Pinchbeck, 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 Inven-

page_text: tion, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Pinchbeck, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
1stly, in the mode of introducing the gas to the syphon pipe without being
in contact with the outer casing of the meter by means of a dip or tube with
a hydraulic seal formed by the water in the front trough, the outer end of the
said tube is made gas-tight to a chamber above, in connection with which is
the inlet valve.
2ndly, in the mode of elevating the supply water by means of a cam fixed
at the end of the drum shaft: upon the cam rests the arm of a lever, which
is attached to a pivot upon which is fixed the scoop or spoon, consequently,
as the said lever is alternately raised and lowered by the action of the cam, a
similar motion is imparted to the scoop or spoon, thus raising a drop of water
at every revolution of the drum shaft.
3rdly, in the mode of regulating the height of the valve by means of a screw
cut in the lower extremity of the valve rod, to which is fixed the valve as
usually arranged in gas meters.
4thly, in the mode of working the valve by the float. The float is pierced
by a cylinder through its vertical axis, which is water-tight. Inside this
cylinder is another cylinder or tube made gas-tight at the top, to the inlet
chamber of the gas, the bottom being sealed by water in the meter, across
the under side of the float is a bridge piece to which is fastened the valve rod
as described in Section 3, working inside the inner tube or cylinder.
5thly, in the general arrangement of the reservoir, and the mode of obtaining
the water level therein by means of a notch cut in the partition plate.
And that the Invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the Drawings hereunto annexed, in which the same letters of reference
indicate like parts.
DaganzoMIAN An
DRAWIN

page_text: The gas in Fig. 1 is admitted by the inlet pipe A passing in the direction
as indicated by the arrows through the valve box B and the valve C into the
dip or chamber D, under which is the syphon pipe, and the stand or level pipe,
thence into the syphon pipe leading to the drum or measuring wheel. For the
purpose of maintaining the level in the measuring compartment of the meter,
a supply reservoir E is provided, the level of which is slightly below that of
the measuring compartment. At the end of the drum shaft is attached
an eccentric or cam F made of wire or in any other suitable manner,
which revolves with the shaft. A scoop or spoon H rests upon a pivot
at G, and attached to the same pivot is an arm or rod I, the bent end K
of which rests upon the eccentric or cam, as the eccentric revolves with the
drum shaft a reciprocating up-and-down motion is imparted to the scoop
by the arm or rod I. When the scoop dips into the reservoir E it takes up a
small quantity of water, and when it is lifted to its highest position, as shewn
in the Drawing, the water runs down the scoop or spoon into the lip L, fixed
to and in communication with the measuring compartment of the meter. The
overplus water runs back into the reservoir over a notch cut in the side of the
partition dividing the reservoir from the measuring compartment of the meter.
It has been found objectionable in gas meters to have the inlet pressure
upon the water containing the float which operates upon the inlet valve, as the
pressure of the
gas will occasionally so depress the water as to bring the valve
to its seat, and consequently shut off the gas. To avoid this the inlet gas is
brought to the syphon pipe without acting upon the water in the chamber
containing the float. The float is pierced with a tube which is made water-
tight to the same. Inside this tube passes freely another tube made gas-tight
at the top to the chamber underneath the valve, and sealed at the bottom by
the water in the meter; inside the inner tube is the valve rod, which is
attached to the float by means of a bridge piece M. As the inner tube is
sealed by the water the inlet gas cannot escape, but passes into the dip or
chamber D as herein-before described. In the round front or partition is
pierced a hole N to admit the outlet gas, and as the pressure of the outlet
gas in meters is invariably less than that of the inlet, the level of the water in
the square front will have a constant tendency to rise during the time the gas
is on the meter, and as the float attached to the valve is placed in this water,
it is evident that the valve cannot be shut down by the pressure of the gas be
it ever so great. To regulate the height of the valve so that it may shut off
the gas should the level of the water descend more than a certain distance,
the valve rod is screwed when it passes through the bridge piece, and by
turning it to the right or left it is raised or lowered accordingly.

page_text: Fig. 3 is an elevation of a meter without the compensating arrangement,
and also without the dip or chamber covering the syphon and level pipe. In
this case no communication is made with the gas in the interior or round part
of the meter and the square front as is done at N in Figure 1, except in so
far as regards the float chamber R. The float is boxed off from the other
part of the square front, and a communication is made at P for the admission
of the outlet gas only. The gas in this case passes directly from the valve
into the square front as indicated by the arrows.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not bind myself to the precise arrangements or details shewn and described,
so long as the peculiar character of my Invention is retained; but what I
claim is,
Firstly, the mode of preventing the float in gas meters shutting down the
valve by the pressure of the inlet gas, arranged in the manner substantially
as herein-before described.
Secondly, the application of a screwed bridge piece for the regulation of
the height of the valve, substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the general arrangement of compensating and ordinary consumers'
meters, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pinchbeck, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
25 Witness,
JOSEPH WILLCOCK,
Patent Agent & Engineer,
(L.S.) JAMES PINCHBECK.
89, Chancery Lane, London.