IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pinchbeck, of Whiskin Street, Clerkenwell,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS METERS."
J
Sealed the 28th January 1870, and dated the 3rd August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pinchbeck at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd August 1869.
I, JAMES PINCHBECк, of Whiskin Street, Clerkenwell, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in dry gas meters, and is
intended to regulate the flow of and prevent any undue pressure of
gas upon the diaphragms and valves, thereby decreasing the liability
to leakage and consequent inaccuracy of registration. This is effected
by constructing in the upper part of the meter a box or chamber closed
at the bottom and divided horizontally by a metal diaphragm having a
hole in its centre, and which serves as a valve seat. Above the rigid

page_text: diaphragm is a flexible diaphragm made of leather or other suitable
material, to which is attached a spindle terminating in a conical valve.
The gas inlet to the chamber is below the metal diaphragm, while the
outlet from the same is above and between it and the flexible diaphragm.
The consequence is that upon any excessive pressure being applied
the flexible diaphragm rises and partially closes the valve, and thus
regulates the flow of gas to the measuring chambers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Pinchbeck in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PINCHBECK, of Whiskin Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, béaring date the Third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-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, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 GAS 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 scals, 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 James Pinchbeck, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in dry gas meters, and is
intended to regulate the flow of and prevent any undue pressure of
gas upon the diaphragms of the measuring chambers and valves of
the same, thereby decreasing the liability to leakage and consequent
inaccuracy of registration. This is effected by constructing in the
upper part of the meter a box or chamber closed at the bottom and
divided horizontally by a metal diaphragm, having a hole in its centre
and which serves as a valve seat. Above the rigid diaphragm is a
flexible diaphragm made of leather or other suitable material, to which
is attached a spindle terminating in a conical valve. The gas inlet.
to the chamber is below the metal diaphragm, while the outlet from
the same is above and between it and the flexible diaphragm. The
consequence is that upon any excessive pressure being applied the
flexible diaphragm rises and partially closes the valve and thus regulates
the flow of gas to the measuring chambers, the diaphragm being
weighted or the valve itself being made of such weight as to give
the requisite pressure.
In order that the foregoing may be more readily understood Drawings
are attached hereto, of which the following is a description:-Fig. 1 is
a front elevation of a meter, and that part of the arrangement which I
claim as novel and my Invention is shown in section; Fig. 2 is a side
elevation showing the exterior of the inlet pipe to the regulating
chamber, and the exterior of the inlet passage to the measuring chambers,
the inlet to and outlet from the regulating chamber and inlet to the.
measuring chambers being dotted in; Fig. 3 is a plan of top of meter,.
a part of the cover being removed to show the disposition of the
regulating chamber to the inlet and outlet of the same; Fig. 4 is a
section through H, I, of Fig. 3, and exhibits a view of the regulating
apparatus taken at right angles to that illustrated in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1
A is the inlet pipe to the meter; B, the inlet orifice therefrom to the
regulating chamber C; D is the rigid diaphragm, and E the flexible
diaphragm which carries the valve F. The outlet from the regulating
chamber and inlet to the measuring chambers cannot be delineated in
this view, as it is situated nearer the spectator than the sectional-line,

page_text: but it is shown at G in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Similar letters indicate the
same part in the various Figures.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The gas entering at A
passes in the direction of the arrows through B into the chamber C.
Should the gas be flowing at a less pressure than the maximum to be
admitted to the measuring chambers it passes on without hindrance,
but if it is above the pressure to which the diaphragm is adjusted,
the flexible diaphragm rises together with the valve and thus partially
closes the orifice between the valve and its seat or until the pressure
above the valve is reduced to the pressure desired.
It is admitted that there is nothing novel in the regulator apart from
the meter or in the meter apart from the regulator, except in so far
as they are specially adapted to and arranged for each other, but the
combination and arrangement of the two in the manner described are
novel and produce a more effecient and trustworthy measuring apparatus.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the construction of gas meters substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pinchbeck, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.