Improvements in or connected with Recording Electric Meters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Recording Electric Meters.
I, ARTHUR WRIGHT. of 26 Park Crescent, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists mainly in the employment with an electric meter of what
for the purposes of this specification I shall term a "liquid withdrawing device," that
is to say a device which shall withdraw from a body of liquid employed with an
electric ineter a part of the said liquid whose amount shall vary with the current
passed through the meter and whose physical form shall not be altered whilst being
withdrawn. In stating that the amount of liquid withdrawn varies with the current
passed through the meter I desire it to be understood that I do not here employ the
term current in its specific sense of current quantity or current strength; but I
employ the term in its relation to any given characteristic of the current, that is to
say, not only its strength or quantity, but also, for example its pressure or electro-
motive force, or its energy. I further desire it to be understood that I employ the
term electric meter in its widest sense, and as embracing both indicating and
integrating instruments.
In the Complete Specification accompanying my Letters Patent No. 583 dated the
11th. day of January 1893 and in the Complete Specification filed in pursuance of my
application for Letters Patent No. 5,451 dated the 15th. day of March 1895, I
specify a certain form of liquid withdrawing device which I have termed a "liquid
index" and which I may define as one in which the level of the liquid is caused to
rise by displacement in the vessel containing it until it reaches an orifice or lip over
which it flows into a receptacle, the reading being obtained either by measuring, as
for example, by a scale, the amount of liquid which has overflowed or the deficiency of
liquid remaining in the vessel. In these two specifications which for convenience I
shall term my prior specifications the indications are produced, in the case of the first of
the said prior specifications, by the expansion of air or gas heated directly or indirectly by
the electric current passing through a resistance and in the second of the said prior
specifications by (a) electro magnetism, (b) the expansion of solids, (c) the expansion
of liquids, the said solids or liquids being heated either directly or indirectly by the
electric current passing through a resistance.
All electric meters depend for their indications upon the relative movement or
change of relative position of a fixed and a movable element or of two movable
elements. In carrying my invention into effect then, it is necessary for me to make
the amount of such relative movement, or change of position, vary (though not
necessarily directly) with that characteristic of the current whose maximum or
minimum it is desired to record and to make the amount of liquid withdrawn vary
with the amount of such relative movement or change of position. I shall hereinafter
refer to such movement or change of position as "deflection."

page_text: In order to obtain a record of the maximum or minimum deflection which has
occurred during any given interval of time I add to the instrument employed
(ammeter, voltmeter, wattmeter or what not) a means of withdrawing an amount of
liquid proportional to the maximum or minimum deflection which has taken place
during the said interval of time.
One of the simplest methods of obtaining such a record is to lift out of a body of
liquid a portion proportional to the deflection. Thus, let us assume that we want to
know the greatest strength or quantity of the current which has passed through an
ordinary ainmeter during a period when there has been no one to watch its readings.
In such case I may place a vessel containing a body of liquid in convenient proximity
to the movable part of the ammeter and I attach to the said movable part, in any
convenient way, a lifting contrivance which will dip into the liquid and lift therefrom
a portion varying with the depth of immersion.
One contemplated form of this type of my invention consists of a scale, graduated
in any convenient manner, attached to the bottom of the core of a solenoid the said
core being supported by a spring tending to withdraw it from the solenoid and the
said scale dipping into a suitable liquid contained in a suitable vessel, the arrangement
being such that on passage of the current through the solenoid the core is sucked
into the said solenoid. The greater the current the further will the core be sucked
into the solenoid the deeper will the scale dip into the liquid and the greater will be
the amount of liquid which will adhere to the scale and be withdrawn therewith when
the deflection ceases or diminshes. In practice, of course, one of the usual devices
for keeping the level of the liquid in its vessel constant would be employed and the
liquid would be strongly colouring so as to leave a stain on the scale, which latter
would be cleansible or of cheap material easily replaced. It will be seen that the
level of the stain on the scale would record the greatest current that had passed
during the period that the device had been under its influence. It will also be
obvious that the material of which the scale is constructed should not be absorbent
or such as to imbibe liquid by capillarity.
Other devices which will lift an amount of liquid varying with the depth of
immersion of the lifting device, such for example as a pipette furnished with a
valve or other equivalent device to enable it to retain all the liquid that entered it,
might be employed for the purpose mentioned.
In a second contemplated type of my invention the liquid instead of being with-
drawn by being lifted out is withdrawn by tilting the vessel containing it, the liquid
being then decanted from its vessel by causing the latter to be overturned or
angularly moved to an extent varying with the deflection. Thus for example we
might attach to, or use in connection with, the pointer of an ammeter or a voltmeter
which in its normal position is vertical, a vessel full of liquid so that the more the
pointer became deflected the greater the amount of liquid which would be spilled or
decanted from the said vessel. It is obvious that in such a device the amount of
liquid spilled or decanted from the vessel will be a measure of the maximum deflection
of the pointer and thus give the record desired. Of course in an apparatue of this
kind due provision must be made for the spilled liquid being conducted to a suitable
receptacle so as not to spoil the instrument. In such an instrument if the pointer is
vertical in its normal position such normal position being that which it would occupy
with for example a mean current quantity or a mean pressure during the period of
time of which a limiting record was required then the minimum and maximum
characteristic would be recorded according as liquid was decanted upon deflection
in one direction or deflection in another: and in such a case two vessels and two
receptacles for the liquid might be employed one to be actuated when the deflection
took place in one direction and the other to be actuated upon deflection in the other
direction. An instrument recording both the minimum and the maximum
characteristics (or in other words both minimum and maximum current
quantity, electromotive force, energy or what not) would thus be obtained.
Having thus by means such as have been specified obtained an instrument which
will give the required record it is desirable for practical purposes to provide for a

page_text: ready resetting or again putting in order of the instrument so that a new record can
be obtained. In the case in which I use a scale dipping into the liquid this may
conveniently be done by the removal of the stain left upon the scale or by the
substitution of a new scale. Where the liquid is lifted out by a pipette the same
object can be accomplished by opening the valve to allow the liquid to run out of the
pipette. In the case where the liquid is decanted the desired object may be obtained
by providing for the collection of the liquid which has been decanted or spilt in a
suitable receptacle and by further providing that such liquid collected in the
receptacle can be by a decanting motion retransferred to the main body of the liquid.
This can very conveniently be done by hinging or pivoting the apparatus so as to be
capable of angular movement around a centre.
In connection with my invention 1 may, when desired, employ any of the known
means of compensating for temperature errors and or of shielding the instruments
from variations of temperature. And I may also employ any known damping or
dashpot device to obviate errors due to momentum.
I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the means by which
deflection is brought about. I may for example bring it about by electro magnetic
means or by the expansion of a body through electrically produced heat or by any
other convenient means of obtaining deflection upon the passage of a current through
or beside the instrument.
I desire it to be understood however that I do not claim as any part of my present
invention the employment of that species of liquid withdrawing device which I have
termed a liquid index, that is to say, a liquid withdrawing device of the kind set
forth in my prior specifications where the said liquid index is used in connection with
an ammeter or voltmeter or in connection with an electro magnetic ammeter or
voltmeter in which the deflection is brought about by the expansion of a body, the
said expansion being produced by heat generated by current passing through a
resistance constituted by the instrument or a part thereof and placed in proximity
to the said body to be expanded.
the Appi
J. G. LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements in or connected with Recording Electric Meters.
I, ARTHUR WRIGHT, of 26 Park Crescent, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists mainly in the employment with an electric meter of what
for the purposes of this specification I shall term a "liquid withdrawing device," that
is to say a device which shall withdraw from a body of liquid employed with an
electric meter a part of the said liquid whose amount shall vary with the current
passed through the meter and whose physical form shall not be altered whilst being
withdrawn. In stating that the amount of liquid withdrawn varies with the current
passed through the meter 1 desire it to be understood that I do not here employ the
term current in its specific sense of current quantity or current strength; but I employ
the term in its relation to any given characteristic of the current, that is to say, not
only its strength or quantity, but also for example, its pressure or electromotive force,
or its energy. I further desire it to be understood that I employ the term electric

page_text: meter in its widest sense, and as embracing both indicating and integrating
instruments.
In the Complete Specification accompanying my Letters Patent No. 583 dated
the 11th. day of January 1893, and in the Complete Specification accompanying my
Letters Patent No. 5,451 dated the 15th. day of March 1895, I specify a certain form
of liquid withdrawing device which I have termed a "liquid index " and which I may
define as one in which the level of the liquid rises in the vessel containing it until it
reaches an orifice or lip over which it flows into a receptacle, the reading being
ohtained either by measuring, as for example by a seale, the amount of liquid which
has overflowed or the deficiency of liquid remaining in the vessel. In these two.
specifications, which for convenience I shall term my prior specifications, the
indications are produced, in the case of the first of the said prior specifications, by
the expansion of air or gas heated directly or indirectly by the electric current
passing through a resistance; and, in the second of the said prior specifications,
by (a) electro magnetism, (b) the expansion of solids, (c) the expansion of liquids, the
said solids or liquids being heated either directly or indirectly by the electric current
passing through a resistance.
All electric meters depend for their indications upon the relative movement or
change of relative position of a fixed and a movable element or of two movable
elements. In carrying ny invention into effect then, it is necessary for me to make
the amount of such relative movement, or change of position, vary (though not
necessarily directly) with that characteristic of the current whose maximum or
minimum it is desired to record, and to make the amount of liquid withdrawn vary
with the amount of such relative movement or change of position. I shall herein-
after refer to such movement or change of position as "deflection".
My present invention has reference to other forms of liquid withdrawing devices,
or to other methods of withdrawing from a body of liquid a portion proportional to
the amount of deflection of a movable part of the instrument employed. In order
therefore to obtain a record of the maximum or minimum deflection which has
occurred during any given interval of time I add to the said instrument employed
(ammeter, voltmeter, wattmeter or what not) a means of withdrawing an amount of
liquid proportional to the maximum or minimum deflection which has taken place.
during the said interval of time.
One of the simplest methods of obtaining such a record is to lift out of a body of
liquid a portion proportional to the deflection. Thus, let us assume that we want to
know the greatest strength or quantity of the current which has passed through
an ordinary ammeter during a period when there has been no one to watch its
readings. In such a case I place a vessel containing a body of liquid in convenient
proximity to the movable part of the ammeter and I attach to the said movable
part, in any convenient way, a lifting contrivance which will dip into the liquid and
lift therefrom a portion varying with the depth of immersion.
One convenient form of this type of my invention is shown in Fig. 1 which
diagrammatically illustrates the application to a well known form of ammeter in which
a core 1 supported by a spring 2 is sucked into a solenoid 3. To the core is attached
the seale-4 lifting device consisting of the pipette 6 furnished with a small upwardly
opening valve 7 at its lower extremity dipping into the liquid 5. The greater the
current the further will the core be sucked downwards and the deeper will the seale
pipette dip into the liquid and the greater will be the amount of liquid which-will
adhere-to-the-seale and be withdrawn therewith when the deflection ceases or
diminishes. In practice, of course, one of the usual devices for keeping the level
of the liquid in its vessel constant would be employed and-the-liquid-would-be
strongly-coloured-so-as-to-leave-a-stain-on-the-seale-which-latter would-be-clean-
sible or of cheap-material-easily replaced. It will be-seen-that the level-of-the-stain
on-the-seale-would-record-the-greatest-current-that-had-passed-during the period thes
the-device-had-been-under-its-influence. It will also he obvious that the--material-of
which-the-senle-is-constructed-should-not-be-absorbent-or-euch-ne-to-imbibe-liquid-by
envillarity.

page_text: Other devices-which-will-lift-an-amount-of-liquid varying with the depth-of-im-
mereion-of-the lifting device-uch-for-example-as-a-pipette-furnished-with-a-valve
or other equivalent device-to-enable-it-to-retain all the liquid that entered-it, might
be-employed-for-the-purpose-mentioned-Such-a-form-of-instrument-is-diagram-
matienlly represented-in-Fig. The only difference between the instrument-repre-
sented--in-this-figures-and-that--represented-in-the-last, lies in the net that-the
liqnid withdrawing-device--in-this-ease-consists of a pipette-instend-of-a-dipping
seale-This-pipette-is-represented-at--and--it-is-furnished-with-a-small-upwardly
opening valve at its lower extremity. It is obvious that the further-the pipette
dipe-into-the-ligand-5-the-more-liquid-will-pass-into-the-interior-of the-pipette-and
the greater will be the quantity of liquid-withdrawn. The valve 7 serves to prevent
the passage of liquid out of the pipette on withdrawal, and will also serve to free
the liquid from the pipette at will when it is desired to set the instrument for a new
reading.
In a second type of my invention the liquid, instead of being withdrawn by being
lifted out, is withdrawn by tilting the vessel containing it; the liquid being then
decanted from its vessel by causing the latter to be overturned or angularly moved
to an extent varying with the deflection. Thus we might attach, say to the pointer
of an ammeter or a voltmeter which in its normal position is vertical, a vessel full of
liquid so that the more the pointer became deflected the greater would be the amount
of liquid which would be spilled or decanted from the said vessel. Such a device
is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 in which 8 represents the pointer, 9 a deep
narrow cylindrical vessel filled with the liquid and 10 the centre of the angular
movement. 11 is an overflow pipe through which the liquid overflows on deflection
of the pointer 8 and vessel 9 to the right, and 12 is the scale of the instrument. It
is obvious that the amount of liquid spilled or decanted from the vessel 9 will be a
measure of the maximum deflection of the pointer and will thus give the record
desired. Of course in an apparatus of this kind due provision must be made for the
spilled liquid being conducted to a suitable receptacle so as not to spoil the
instrument.
In such an instrument if the pointer is vertical in its normal position, such normal
position being that which it would occupy with, for example, a mean current quantity
or a mean pressure during the period of time of which a limiting record was required,
then the minimum and maximum characteristic would be recorded according as
liquid was decanted upon deflection in one direction or deflection in another: and in
such a case two vessels and two recepcles for the liquid might be employed one to
be actuated when the deflection took place in one direction, and the other to be
actuated upon deflection in the other direction. An instrument recording both the
minimum and the maximum characteristics (or in other words both minimum and
maximum current quantity, electromotive force, energy or what not) would be thus
obtained.
Fig. 4 3 illustrates a liquid withdrawing device similar to that shown in Figure 32
but the instrument is of duplex form, that is to say, it is adapted to record not only
the maximum deflection which has taken place during a given period but also the"
minimum deflection which has taken place during that period. There is, however
another difference between the two cases illustrated in Figures 32 and 43 respec
tively, for whereas in Figure 3 2 the needle or pointer is set to be in a vertical position
at zero reading, in Figure 4 3 the pointer is assumed to be set so as to be vertical at
a mean or normal reading, or, in other words, to be vertical when indicating a mean
or normal current quantity, electromotive force, or what not, according to the
characteristic which the instrument measures. In the Figure 13, 13, are two lateral
pins attached to the pointer 8 and adapted to push against the two vessels 9, 9 which
contain the liquid to be decanted. The vessels 9, 9 are retained normally in a vertical
position by means of the tension springs 14, 14, attached at one end to a fixed
support 15 and at the other end to the pins 16, 16 which abut against the stops 17, 17.
Increase of current strength above the normal, assuming the instrument to be an
ammeter, will cause the right hand pin 13 to press upon the right hand vessel 9 so

page_text: that there will be movement round the centre 18 and overflow through the pipe 11.
Similarly, decrease of current below the normal will cause the left hand pin 13 to
press upon the left hand vessel and cause part of its contents to be decanted.
In Figure I show a duplex form of the instrument illustrated in Figure 1. In
this instrument which is also set for a mean or normal current 19, 20 are two pins
attached to the rod 21 connected with the core 1. Pin 19 presses upon the upper
surface of the maximum lever 22 which turns on the fulcrum 23, whilst the
pin 20 presses on the under surface of the minimum lever 24 which turns on the
fulcrum 25. It will be seen that increase of current will cause the right hand pipette
seale to dip further into the liquid of the maximum recording device M whilst
decrease of current will cause the other pipette seale to dip further into the liquid of
the minimum recording device N.
By substituting-pipettes 6-(see Figure-2)-for-the--seales-+-in-Figure--a-duplex
form-of-the-instrument-chown-in-Kigure--would-be-obtained.
I find that the best liquid to employ is one which is difficult to volatilize, but any
liquid stable under ordinary conditions and variations of temperature will give good
results.
Having thus by means such have been specified obtained an instrument which will
give the required record it is desirable for practical purposes to provide for a ready
resetting or again putting in order of the instrument so that a new record can be
obtained. In the case in which -use-a-senle-dipping-into-the--liquid--this-may
conveniently-be--done-by-the--removal-of-the--stain-left-upon the cente-or-by-the
substitution-of--new-sale-Where the liquid is lifted out by a pipette the-same
this object can be accomplished by opening the valve to allow the liquid to run out
of the pipette. In the case where the liquid is decanted the desired object may be
obtained by providing for the collection of the liquid which has been decanted or spilt
in a suitable receptacle and by further providing that such liquid collected in the
receptacle can be by a decanting motion retransferred to the main body of the liquid.
This can very conveniently be done by hinging or pivotting the apparatus so that it
may be capable of angular movement around a centre.
In connection with my invention I may when desired employ any of the known
means of compensating for temperature errors and or of shielding the instruments from
variations of temperature: and I may also employ any known damping or dashpot.
device to obviate errors due to momentum.
I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the means by which the
deflection is brought about. I may for example bring it about by electro-magnetic.
means or by the expansion of a body through electrically produced heat or by any
other convenient means of obtaining deflection upon the passage of a current through
or beside the instrument.
I desire it to be understood however that I do not claim as any part of my present
invention the employment of that species of liquid withdrawing device which I have
termed a "liquid index," that is to say, a liquid withdrawing device of the kind set
forth in my prior specifications where the said liquid index is used in connection with
an electro-magnetic ammeter or voltmeter in which the deflection is brought about
by the expansion of a body, the said expansion being produced by the heat generated
by current passing through a resistance constituted by the instrument or a part
thereof and placed in proximity to the said body to be expanded.
I further desire it to be understood that the actual forms of liquid with-
drawing device hereinafter specified are merely to be taken as types or illustrations.
Any competent person skilled in the art can, the principles of my invention being
understood, ensily modify the details to an indefinite extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
In-a-recording-electric-meter-the-employment-of-a-liquid-withdrawing-device
11

page_text: 1. The method of obtaining a record of the deflection of an electric meter which
consists in causing a lifting contrivance furnished with a valve to dip into a
liquid and lift therefrom a portion varying with the depth of immersion substantially
as set forth.
23. The method of obtaining a record of the deflection of an electric meter which
consists in decanting a portion of liquid varying with the amount of deflection sub-
stantially as set forth.
34. In a recording electric meter the combination, with the movable part thereof,
of a lifting device fitted with a valce and a vessel containing liquid substantially as
set forth.
4. In a recording electric meter the combination, with the movable part thereof,
of a vessel containing a liquid and capable of being decanted substantially as set
forth.
5. In a recording electric meter the lifting device set forth with reference to
Figures 1 and ǎ 4.
7. In-a-recording--electric-meter-the-litting device-set forth-with-reference to
Figure-2.
6 & In a recording electric meter the pivotted decanting vessel set forth with
reference to Figures 3-and-4. 2 and 3.
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
orfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.
Chartered Patent Agent.