IMPROVEMENTS IN ANEMOMETERS AND OTHER FLUID METRES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mann Lowne, of East End, Finchley,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANEMOMETERS AND OTHER FLUID METRES.”
Sealed the 30th October 1874, and dated the 4th May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mann Lowne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th May 1874.
I, ROBERT MANN LOWNE, of East End, Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ANEMOMETERS AND OTHER FLUID METRES," to be as.
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in anemometers or
other fluid metres for denoting or registering the movement of currents
of air, gases, or fluids moving at various velocities.
The movement of a current of fluid is conveniently shown by a light
wheel placed so as to be capable of revolving. On the circumferance of

page_text: this wheel are placed a number of flat plates of light metal or other
suitable material; these plates are arranged so that thin flat surfaces be
at an angle of about 45° to the plane of motion of the wheel. A wheel
so arranged if placed in a current will revolve a number of times in a
given time according to the velocity of the air, gas, or fluid which passes
the wheel.
Firstly. According to my Invention I employ a fan wheel constructed
as I have just described; this fan wheel is about three inches in
diameter, and is fixed on an arbor or spindle. At both ends of the arbor
are fine pivots, which work into jewel holes; these jewel holes are
arranged in the centre or axis of a tube. The fan wheel is placed within
the tube so as to be capable of revolving freely with its axis of motion
in a line with the axis of the tube. The ends of the tube are left open to
allow the air which passes the fan wheel a free passage through the tube.
One of the jewel holes, which I will term the front jewel, is supported
by three flat wires fixed across. one end of the tube, and placed with
their largest sides in a line with the axis of the tube. The other jewel
hole, which I will term the back jewel, is supported in a manner as I
will immediately explain. Within the tube which contains the fan
wheel, and opposite the front jewel, is a flat cylindrical box, which I will
term the "magnet box." This box is closed at both ends, and is about
one inch in diameter; it is arranged with its axis in a line with the axis
of the fan wheel, and is supported by a tube about a quarter of an inch
in diameter. The back jewel is fixed to one end of the magnet box.
Fixed on the fan wheel arbor is a bar magnet in such a manner as to be
capable of revolving with the fan wheel, and as close as is conveniently
possible to the magnet box. Within the magnet box is a screw pivoted
so as to revolve with its axis in a line with the axis of the fan wheel.
Fixed on this screw is a piece of fine soft iron, which being in the
magnetic field of the bar magnet becomes a magnet by induction, and
will revolve with the bar magnet. The motion of the screw is com-
municated to pointers or hands by means of tooth wheels and pinions
partially contained in the magnet box, so that the number of revolutions
of the fan wheel is indicated. The tube which supports the magnet box
communicates with a box which contains wheelwork for communicating
motion to the hands. This box contains the hands and a dial divided off
in such a manner that the position of the hands can be read.
Secondly. The tube containing the fan which is screwed or fixed into

page_text: or over a circular aperture in a flat plate of metal; also the box con-
taining the hands and dial is fixed to the flat plate of metal at any
convenient distance from the fan wheel; this plate of metal is screwed
to a block of mahogany or other material, which has an aperture through
it to receive the tube, so that the fan wheel is contained partially or
entirely within the thickness of its support. I employ a lever arranged
in any convenient way, so that by moving the lever part of the wheel-
work is thrown out of gear so as to disconnect the hands from the screw
which holds the enduced magnet.
Thirdly. For accomodation the whole instrument is contained within
a space of about 6 inches long, 3½, wide, and 1½ deep. I employ a box
made of mahogany or other wood of such a size as just to contain the
instrument. Within this box and screwed to the bottom are two pins of
metal. These pins are arranged to fit into holes in the support of the
instrument; thus when the box is open the instrument can be taken
out and placed on the pins, so that the box forms a stand for the instru
ment. There are holes in the block of the instrument placed in such a
way as to receive the pins when the instrument is within the box.
These parts are claimed separately if applied to other similar instru-
ments. The proportions and material may be varied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Mann Lowne in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MANN LOWNE, of East End, Finchley, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Mann Lowne, Her
special licence, that I, the said Robert Mann Lowne, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Mann
Lowne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 ANEMOMETERS AND OTHER FLUID METRES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Mann Lowne, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of 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 Mann Lowne, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in anemometers or
other fluid metres for denoting or registering the movement of currents
of air, gases, or fluids moving at various velocities.
The movement of a current of fluid is conveniently shewn by a light 1
wheel placed so as to be capable of revolving. On the circumference of
this wheel are placed a number of flat plates of light metal or other
suitable material; these plates are arranged so that their flat surfaces
be of an angle of about 45° to the plane of motion of the wheel.
wheel so arranged if placed in a current will revolve a number of times
in a given time, according to the velocity of the air, gas, or fluid which
passes the wheel.
A
My Invention consists of constructing fluid metres as herein-after
described and as represented in the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the lines 1 - - - 1 of Figure 2;
Figure 2 is a horizontal plan of Fig. 1 of a fan wheel magnet and its
supports.
Figure 3 is a horizontal plan of a box constructed to contain and
support the fluid metre and its support; Figure 4 is a vertical section of
Fig. 3 through the lines 2 2, as herein-after explained.
-
Firstly. According to my Invention I employ a fan wheel a con-
structed as I have just described; this fan wheel by preference is about

page_text: :
three inches in diameter, and is fixed on an arbor or spindle b. At both
ends of the arbor bare fine pivots or centres which work into jewel holes
or centres c, c¹; these jewel holes or centres are arranged in the centre
or axis of a tube.d. The fan wheel is placed within the tubo d so as to
be capable of revolving freely with its axis of motion in a line with the
axis of the tube. The ends of the tube are left open to allow the air
which passes the fan wheel a free passage through the tube. One of the
jewel holes or centres c, which I will term the front jewel, is supported
by three flat wires e fixed across one end of the tube, and placed with
their largest sides in a line with the axis of the tube. The other jewel
hole or centre c', which I will term the back jewel, is supported in a
manner as I will immediately explain. Within the tube which contains
the fan wheel, and opposite the front jewel, is a flat cylindrical box f,.
which I will term the " magnet box." This box is closed at both ends,
and by preference is about one inch in diameter; it is arranged with its
axis in a line with the axis of the fan wheel, and is supported by the
tubes g, g, by preference about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The
back jewel c¹ is fixed to one end h of the magnet box. Fixed on the
fan wheel arbor is a bar magnet i in such a manner as to be capable of
revolving with the fan wheel, and as close as is conveniently possible to
the magnet box. Within the magnet box is a screw k pivoted so as to
revolve with its axis in a line with the axis of the fan wheel. Fixed on
this screw is a piece of fine soft iron m, which being in the magnetic
field of the bar magnet i becomes a magnet by induction, and will
revolve with the bar magnet. The motion of the screw is communicated
to pointers or hands by means of tooth wheels and pinions as usual
partially contained in the magnet box, so that the number of revolutions
of the fan wheel is indicated. The tube g, which supports the magnet
box, communicates with a box n, which contains wheelwork for com-
municating motion to the hands. This box contains the hands and a dial
divided off in such a manner that the position of the hands can be
read.
Secondly. The tube containing the fan wheel is screwed or fixed into
or over a circular aperture in a flat plate of metal o; also the box
containing the hands and dial is fixed to the flat plate of metal at any
convenient distance from the fan wheel. This plate of metal may be
screwed to a block of mahogany a, Figure 4, or other material, which has
an aperture through it to receive the tube, so that the fan wheel is

page_text: ;
contained partially or entirely within the thickness of its support. I
employ a lever arranged in any convenient way, so that by moving the
lever part of the wheelwork is thrown out of gear so as to disconnect the
hands from the screw which holds the enduced magnet.
Thirdly. For anemometers the whole instrument is contained within a
space of about 6 inches long, 3 wide, and 1 deep. I employ a box b,.
Fig. 4, made of mahogany or other wood, of such a size as just to contain
the instrument. Within this box and screwed to the bottom are two
pins of metal d¹; these pins are arranged to fit into holes e¹ in the
support f' of the instrument; thus when the box is opened the instru-
ment can be taken out and placed on the pins, so that the box forms a
stand for the instrument. There are holes g¹ in the support of the
instrument placed in such a way as to receive the pins when the instru-
ment is within the box.
The parts are claimed separately if applied to other similar instruments,
The proportions and material may be varied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mann Lowne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.