IMPROVE- MENTS IN DRY GAS METERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Turner, of No. 14, Floming Road, Lorrimore
Square, Walworth, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DRY GAS METERS."
Sealed the 28th October 1879, and dated the 30th April 1879.
Sealed the 28th October 1879, and dated the 30th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Turner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th April 1879.
JAMES TURNER, of No. 14, Fleming Road, Lorrimore Square, Walworth, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS."
The objects of this Invention are to insure absolutely correct registration of the
gas passing through dry gas meters under any variation of pressure or increase of
speed, to increase the working capacity of dry gas meters to nearly double that of
the form known as the "square" meter, to which form of meter my improvements
more especially relate; to the entirely doing away with string or glue used for
fastening the leather part of the diaphragm to the metal part thereof. I use the
word "diaphragm" as being that best known in the trade to mean the bag partly
of metal & partly of leather or other suitable materials, which is placed inside
of the meter to receive the gas from the main pipe previously to its being
registered.
I construct my improved diaphragm, of which I propose to use two in each meter,
in the following manner:-By preference I use for each diaphragm two circular or
square plates with the centres cut out to the required size, I then pass two metal
collars or rings, slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the centres which
have been cut out of the plates, through the said centres; between the edge of each
plate and the collar or ring so passed through it I pass the edge of a leather band;
I then turn the edges of the collars or rings over the edges of the leather band,
which band is thus firmly held in its place between the edges of the collars or rings
the metal plates first mentioned; the diaphragm is thus made perfectly gas
tight without the use of string or glue. At the same time the two round or square
plates out of which the centres have been cut as abové described being flat, no gas
is allowed to remain inside of the diaphragm when the plates are pressed together,
so that at each pulsation of the diaphragm the whole amount of gas therein
contained is duly registered.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Turner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th October
1879.
JAMES TURNER, of No. 14, Fleming Road, Lorrimore Square, Walworth, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS."
The objects of this Invention are to insure absolutely correct registration of the
gas passing through dry gas meters under any variation of pressure or increase of
speed; to increase the working capacity of dry gas meters to nearly double of that
of the form known as the "square" meter, to which form of meter my improve-
ments more especially relate; and to tho entirely doing away with string or gluo
used for fastening the leather part of the diaphragm to the metal part thereof. I
use the word "diaphragm" as being that best known in the trade to mean the bag,
partly of metal and partly of leather or other suitable materials, which is placed
inside of the meter to receive the gas from the main pipe previously to its being
registered.
The diaphragm in ordinary use consists of a moving disc of tin plate provided
with a ring which projects inwards from its perimeter, and to which ring one side
edge of a leather band is secured, the opposite side edge of the leather band is
secured to another metal ring permanently fastened inside to the partition which
divides the meter into two compartments. It is obvious that the projecting ring
on the partition and that on the moving disc prevent the disc from being pressed
close to the partition, thus leaving at each pulsation a quantity of gas which is not
forced out of the diaphragm.
I construct my improved diaphragm, of which I propose to use two in each meter,
in the following manner :-By preference I use for each diaphragm two circular or
square plates with the centres cut out to the required size. I then pass two metal
collars or rings slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the centres which
have been cut out of the plates, through the said centres; between the edge of each
plate and the collar or ring so passed through it, I pass the edge of a band of
leather or other suitable material. I then turn the edges of the collars or rings
over the edges of the said band, which band is thus firmly held in its place between
the edges of the collars or rings and the metal plates first mentioned, the diaphragm
is thus made perfectly gas tight without the use of string or glue. At the same
time the two round or square plates out of which the centres have been cut as
above described being flat, no gas is allowed to remain inside the diaphragm whon
the plates are pressed together, so that at each pulsation of the diaphragm the whole
amount of gas therein contained is expelled and duly registered.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the outer disc and band of one of the diaphragms of
the meter in connection with its flagstaff, the front plate being removed to shew
the diaphragm in position as attached to the flagstaff.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the meter, the sido plate being reinoved. A, A, A, A,
is the case of the meter which is divided longitudinally into two chambers of equal
size by the partition B, B, (Fig. 2) and b, b, (Fig. 1); C, C, and C¹, C¹, are the two
flagstaffs one in each chamber; D, D, (Fig. 1) and D, D, D, D, (Fig. 2) are
the front plates of the two diaphragms; D', D¹, D', D¹, (Fig. 2) are the back
plates of the two diaphragins attached by the outsides to the partition B, B;
E, E, (Fig. 2) shews oue diaphragm exhausted; E¹, E', (Fig. 2) is the other
diaphragm charged to its full capacity. The leathers or other suitable substance are
so blocked that the centre of the leather forms an acute angle at e, e, e', el, always
retaining that shape and preventing any bagging and retention of gas. Each
diaphragm is made of such a size that when inflated it is exactly the width of the
space between the partition B and the flagstaff C.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the circular front plate D, D, and collar F, F, passing through

page_text: its centre; F, F, being shewn before it is turned over to nip the leather or other
band which is passed between the two, as described.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the circular back plate D', D', and collar G, G, passing through
its centre, G, G, being shewn before it is turned over to nip the leather or other
band which is passed between the two as described.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention I claim, -
First. For the form of diaphragm for use in dry gas meters the use of two plates
of sheet metal or other suitable substance either round or square with the centres
cut out to the required size, and two metal rings or collars; also the method of
fixing each edge of a flexible band of leather or other suitable material by placing
each edge of said band between the inner circle of one plate and one ring or collar,
and turning the edge of the ring or collar over the edge of the leather band.
Second. The peculiar shape obtained by blocking the leather or other substance
of which the flexible band is made so that it may always retain its shape, forming
in the centre of the band an acute angle.
Third. The method of fixing the diaphragm when so inade by soldering or other-
wise attaching the back plates from the outside of the said plates to the partition
plate of the meter case instead of to the inside of the diaphragm ring as done in
other meters.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Turner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty ninth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.