IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert James Laing, of the Independent Gas Works,
Haggerstone, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS."
Sealed the 27th October 1859, and dated the 27th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert James Laing
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th April 1859.
I, ROBERT JAMES LAING, of the Independent Gas Works, Haggerstone, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
Wet gas meters, as at present constructed, are very liable to be tilted in
such manner as to interfere with due registration of the quantity of gas
passed through them, and my improvements relate to means by which, when
such tilting takes place, the passage of gas through the meter will be
suspended and then restored, so soon as the position of the meter is again
correctly adjusted. For this purpose I apply a ball or other suitable valve,
suspended by an arm or other suitable means from above, in either or both of
the gas passages of the meter, in such manner that when the meter is
in correct position, such valves will hang free of the openings they are capable

page_text: of closing; but, so soon as any tilting takes place, these openings will be
closed, and the passage of gas stopped. If desired, these valves may be
arranged in pairs, so as to close either way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert James Laing in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
JAMES LAING, of the Independent Gas Works, IIaggerstone, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert James Laing, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
James Laing, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Robert James Laing, 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 WET GAS METERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert James Laing, 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert James Laing, 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, that is to say:-
Wet gas meters as at present constructed are very liable to be tilted in such
manner as to interfere with due registration of the quantity of gas passed
through them, and my improvements relate to means by which when such

page_text: The arrangement shown by Figure 3 is also applicable to the common float
valve, as indicated by Figure 4. In all the Figures the plate a¹ acts to
prevent any instrument being passed down to the valves.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details shown and
described, so long as the peculiar character of either part be retained, sub-
stantially as explained; but what I do claim is,-
First, the mode of arranging valves and parts acting therewith to the inlet
pipes of water gas meters for the purpose explained in respect of Figures
1 & 4.
Secondly, I claim the mode of arranging valves and parts acting therewith
as adapted to the inlet and outlet passages of water gas meters for the purpose
explained in respect of Figures 2 and 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert James Laing, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
year
1
1
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.
R. J. LAING. (L.S.)