IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elizabeth Lachenal, of Little James Street, Bedford
Row, in the County of Middlesex, Widow and Executrix of Louis
Lachenal, of Little James Street, aforesaid, deceased, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS." -A communication from Louis
Lachenal.
Sealed the 24th February 1863, and dated the 28th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elizabeth Lachenal at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the 28th
August 1862.
I, ELIZABETH LACHENAL, of Little James Street, Bedford Row, in the
County of Middlesex, Widow and Executrix of Louis Lachenal, of Little
James Street, aforesaid, deceased, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas meters. The meter
is composed as has heretofore been proposed of a rectangular case, the interior
of which is divided into two equal measuring compartments by a flexible par-
tition, the partition running from the centre of one side of the case to the
centre of the opposite side. The partition is also, by preference, composed as
is usual in dry gas meters of a metal plate divided into four right-angled
triangles; the right angles of the triangles meeting in the centre of the partition;

page_text: the sides of the triangles opposite the right angles are connected by a flexible
joint to one of the sides or to the top or bottom of the case, and the adjacent
sides of the triangles are also connected together by leather or other flexible
material, which will allow the angular pieces to turn on the flexible joints
which unite them to the case, and so incline first in one direction and then in
the other.
Now, according to this Invention, in order to give motion to the valves
which alternately permit gas to enter into and to escape from the two
measuring compartments, there is, projecting at right angles from each of the
two triangles which are hinged to the sides of the case, an arm, in each of
which is a hole through which a wire passes, and is capable of turning. This
wire forms the axis of a lever to the centre of which it is connected; one end
of this lever is pin jointed to one end of a rod, which at its other end is pin
jointed to the bottom of the case, and then the other end of the lever is pin
jointed to one arm of another lever, which turns on a centre at the top of the
case; the other arm of this lever projects through a slot in the top of the case,
and gas is prevented from passing through the slot by the lever passing through
a disc of leather or other suitable flexible material fastened at its edges to the
edges of the slot; the disc of leather or other material is made sufficiently
elastic to allow of the lever which passes through it to rock some distance on
its centre. Above the centre of the top of the case is a smaller case containing
the valves, which allow gas alternately to flow to and from the measuring
compartments; this case is also divided into two compartments by a partition;
this partition is, however, at right angles to the flexible partition of the larger
case; into one of these compartments the end of the lever which passes
through the top of the case enters; gas is constantly admitted by a suitable
pipe to one of the compartments of the valve case, and after it has passed from
these into one or other of the measuring compartments, it escapes into the
other compartment of the valve case, and from there by a suitable exit pipe to
the burners; to permit of this, each compartment of the valve case commu-
nicates by two holes formed through the top of the larger case with each
measuring compartment, one of the holes opening into one measuring com-
partment, and the other into the other measuring compartment; from each of
the four holes thus made between the compartments of the valve case and the
measuring chambers a pipe rises vertically within the valve case, and near the
top of the case the two pipes in each compartment are bent over at right
angles towards each other, so that the two ends of the pipes are opposite to
and at a short distance from each other. The end of each pipe can be closed
by a soft valve, composed by preference of a disc of felt, being pressed against

page_text: 10, there being a separate disc to the end of each pipe. The two discs which
serve as valves to the ends of the two pipes in each compartment are mounted
on the upper end of a lever arm projecting from an axis; this axis passes
through the partition which divides the smaller case into two compartments
and both arms project from it. The two discs connected to each arm are so
connected to it that both discs cannot be against and close the ends of their
respective pipes at the same time, but by the axis from which the arms project
being caused to turn in either direction, one or other of the discs can be
brought against the end of its pipe, and close the entrance into it. The two
pipes in one compartment serve, as before stated, as inlet pipes, to alternately
supply both measuring compartments with gas, and the two other pipes in the
other compartment serve as outlet pipes from the measuring compartments;
thus, by causing the axis which causes the valves to rock at intervals to and
fro on its centre, the mouths of the pipes in the two compartments are alter-
nately opened and closed, there being always one of the inlet pipes and one of
the outlet pipes open, the other inlet and the other outlet pipe being closed;
thus gas will alternately be admitted by the inlet pipe, which is for the time
being open into each measuring compartment, and as gas is being adınitted
into one measuring compartment the gas contained in the other measuring
compartment is passing away through the open outlet pipe to the burner, the
flexible partition which divides the two measuring compartments from each
other being moved by the pressure of the gas first in one direction and then
in the other. The oscillating motion required to work the valves is given to
the axis which carries them in the following manner:-The centre of the
valve axis is vertically over the centre of the axis of the lever, the end of
which rises through the top of the larger case, and which, as before stated, is
connected with the metal plates of the flexible partition, and is thus caused to
rock to and fro on its centre as the partition inclines first in one direction and
then in the other. On the axis which causes the valves is an arm which
descends towards the end of the lever, which rises up through the top of the
case and nearly comes down to it; the ends of the two levers are connected
together by a spring composed of a small helical coil of wire, the two ends of
the wire project radially from the helical coil for a short distance, and one end
of the wire is bent round a pin projecting from the end of one lever, and the
other end of the wire is bent round a pin projecting from the other lever.
The length of the two radial ends of the wire spring are adjusted so that when
the centre of the pins on the ends of the levers are both in the same vertical
line, the centre of the helical coil will be in the same horizontal line as the
centre of the pin on the arm which descends from the valve axis. When how-

page_text: ever, the centres of the two pins are not in a vertical line with each other, the
centre of the helical coil will be moved either above or below the centre of the
pin on the arm which descends from the valve axis. The pin on the lever arm
which is rocked to and fro by the moving to and fro of the flexible partition is,
by the rocking of the lever, moved a slightly greater distance than the pin on
the arm which descends from the valve axis can be moved by the rocking of
its arm; thus, when the flexible partition is inclined in one direction to its
greatest extent, and the upper end of the lever connected with it, thus also
moved in one direction to its greatest extent, the centre of the helical coil
will either be above or below the centre of the pin on the end of the arm
which descends from the valve axis, and consequently this arm will also be
inclined in such a direction that its end shall be as far as possible from the end
of the lever, as the helical spring tends constantly to keep the ends of the lever
arms as far from each other as possible. As the flexible partition is by the
pressure of the gas on one side of it gradually moved so as to incline in the
opposite direction, thus moving the end of the lever connected to it, so as to
cause it also to incline in the opposite direction and to approach the end of the
arm which descends from the valve axis, the centre of the helical spring will
gradually be brought into the same horizontal line as the centre of the pin on
the valve axis, the two radial ends of the spring being then in their closest
position to each other, and as the end of the lever still moves on the centre of
the coiled spring, will be moved past the horizontal line; the spring is thus
brought into such a position that it can force its two radial ends away from
each other, and this forces the valve lever to turn on its axis and to incline in
the opposite direction; this, as before stated, closes the valves which before
were open and opens the valves which before were closed; the flexible par-
tition will then again, by the pressure of the gas on its opposite side, be again
caused to incline in the opposite direction when the same operation is repeated,
the valves being always moved as soon as by the movement of the flexible par-
tition the centre of the helical coil is moved past the centre of the pin on the
arm which descends from the valve axis. Motion is given to the train of
counting wheels which register the number of times the measuring compart-
ments are filled by the valve axis being prolonged, so as to pass out of the
valve case into another case containing the counting wheels, and a crank pin
on the end of the axis by oscillating to and fro gives motion to the wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Elizabeth Lachenal in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIZABETH
LACHENAL, of Little James Street, Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex,
Widow and Executrix of Louis Lachenal, of Little James Street, aforesaid,
deceased, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Elizabeth Lachenal, Her special licence, that I, the said Elizabeth Lachenal;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Elizabeth
Lachenal, 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 GAS
METERS," a communication to me by the Inventor, my said late Husband, Louis
Lachenal, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Elizabeth
Lachenal, 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 Elizabeth Lachenal, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof; that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas meters. The meter
is composed, as has heretofore been proposed, of a rectangular case, the
interior of which is divided into two equal measuring compartments by a
flexible partition, the partition running from the centre of one side of the case
to the centre of the opposite side. The partition is also, by preference,
composed, as is usual in dry gas meters, of a metal plate divided into four
right-angled triangles, the right angles of the triangles meeting in the centre.

page_text: of the partition; the sides of the triangles opposite the right angles are con-
nected by a flexible joint to one of the sides, or to the top or bottom of the
case, and the adjacent sides of the triangles are also connected together by
leather or other flexible material, which will allow the angular pieces to turn
on the flexible joints which unite them to the case, and so incline first in one
direction and then in the other.
Now, according to this Invention, in order to give motion to the valves which
alternately permit gas to enter into and to escape from the two measuring
compartments, there is projecting at right angles from each of the two
triangles which are hinged to the sides of the case an arm, in each of which is
a hole through which a wire passes, and is capable of turning. This wire forms
the axis of a lever, to the centre of which it is connected; one end of this
lever is pin-jointed to one end of a rod, which at its other end is pin-jointed
to the bottom of the case, and the other end of the lever is pin-jointed to one
arm of another lever which turns on a centre at the top of the case, the other
arm of this lever projects through a slot in the top of the case, and gas is
prevented from passing through the slot by the lever passing through a disc of
leather or other suitable flexible material fastened at its edges to the edges of
the slot; the disc of leather or other material is made sufficiently elastic to
allow the lever which passes through it to rock some distance on its centre.
Above the centre of the top of the case is a smaller case containing the valves,
which allow gas alternately to flow to and from the measuring compartments;
this case is also divided into two compartments by a partition, this partition is,
however, at right angles to the flexible partition of the larger case, into one of
these compartments the end of the lever which passes through the top of the
case enters; gas is constantly admitted by a suitable pipe to one of the com-
partments of the valve case, and after it has passed from these into one or
other of the measuring compartments, it escapes into the other compartment
of the valve case, and from there by a suitable exit pipe to the burners. To
permit of this, each compartment of the valve case communicates by two holes
formed through the top of the larger case with each measuring compartment, one
of the holes opening into one measuring compartment, and the other into the
other measuring compartment; from each of the four holes thus made between
the compartment of the valve case and the measuring chamber, a pipe rises
vertically within the valve case, and near the top of the case the two pipes in
each compartment are bent over at right angles towards each other, so that
the two ends of the pipes are opposite to and at a short distance from each
other; the end of each pipe can be closed by a soft valve composed, by

page_text: preference, of a disc of felt being pressed against it, there being a separate
disc to the end of each pipe. The two discs which serve as valves to the ends
of the two pipes in each compartment are mounted on the upper end of a
lever arm projecting from an axis; this axis passes through the partition
which divides the smaller case into two compartments, and both arms project.
from it; the two discs connected to each arm are so connected to it that both
discs cannot be against and close the ends of their respective pipes at the same
time, but by the axis from which the arms project being caused to turn in
either direction, one or other of the discs can be brought against the end of its
pipe and close the entrance into it. The two pipes in one compartment serve,
as before stated, as inlet pipes, to alternately supply both measuring com-.
partments with gas, and the two other pipes in the other compartments serve
as outlet pipes from the measuring compartments, thus by causing the axis
which carries the valves to rock at intervals to and fro on its centre, the
mouths of the pipes in the two compartments are alternately opened and
closed, there being always one of the inlet pipes and one of the outlet pipes
open, the other inlet and the other outlet pipe being closed; thus gas will
alternately be admitted by the inlet pipe which is for the time being open into
each measuring compartment, and as gas is being admitted into one measuring
compartment the gas contained in the other measuring compartment is passing
away through the open outlet pipe to the burner, the flexible partition which
divides the two measuring compartments from each other being moved by the
pressure of the gas first in one direction and then in the other. The oscillating
motion required to work the valves is given to the axis which carries them in
the following manner:-The centre of the valve axis is vertically over the
centre of the axis of the lever, the end of which rises through the top of the
larger case, and which, as before stated, is connected with the metal plates of
the flexible partition, and is thus caused to rock to and fro on its centre as the
partition inclines first in one direction and then in the other. On the axis
which carries the valves is an arm which descends towards the end of the
lever which rises up through the top of the case and nearly comes down to it;
the ends of the two levers are connected together by a spring composed of a
small helical coil of wire, the two ends of the wire project radially from the
helical coil for a short distance, and one end of the wire is bent round a pin
projecting from the end of one lever, and the other end of the wire is bent
round a pin projecting from the other lever; the length of the two radial ends
of the wire spring are adjusted so that when the centre of the pins on 'the
ends of the levers are both in the same vertical line, the centre of the helical
coil will be in the same horizontal line as the centre of the pin on the arm

page_text: which descends from the valve axis; when, however, the centres of the two
pins are not in a vertical line with each other, the centre of the helical coil
will be moved either above or below the centre of the pin on the arm which
descends from the valve axis. The pin on the lever arm, which is rocked to
and fro by the moving to and fro of the flexible partition, is by the rocking of
the lever moved a slightly greater distance than the pin on the arm which
descends from the valve axis can be moved by the rocking of its arm;
thus when the flexible partition is inclined in one direction to its greatest
extent, and the upper end of the lever connected with it thus also moved in
one direction to its greatest extent, the centre of the helical coil will either be
above or below the centre of the pin on the end of the arm which descends
from the valve axis, and consequently this arm will also be inclined in such
a direction that its end shall be as far as possible from the end of the lever as
the helical spring tends constantly to keep the ends of the lever arms as far
from each other as possible. As the flexible partition is by the pressure of the
gas on one side of it gradually moved so as to incline in the opposite direction,
thus moving the end of the lever connected to it so as to cause it also to
incline in the opposite direction, and to approach the end of the arm which
descends from the valve axis, the centre of the helical spring will gradually
be brought into the same horizontal line as the centre of the pin on the valve
axis, the two radial ends of the spring being then in their closest position to
each other, and as the end of the lever still moves on the centre of the coiled
spring, will be moved past the horizontal line; the spring is thus brought into
such a position that it can force its two radial ends away from each other, and
this forces the valve lever to turn on its axis and to incline in the opposite
direction; this, as before stated, closes the valves which before were open, and
opens the valves which before were closed, the flexible partition will then again
by the pressure of the gas on its opposite side be again caused to incline in
the opposite direction, when the same operation is repeated, the valves being
always moved as soon as by the movement of the flexible partition the centre
of the helical coil is moved past the centre of the pin on the arm which
descends from the valve axis. Motion is given to the train of counting wheel
which register the number of times the measuring compartments are filled by
the valve axis being prolonged, so as to pass out of the valve case into anothe
case containing the counting wheels, and a crank pin on the end of the axi
by oscillating to and fro gives motion to the wheels.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood, I wil
proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a meter constructed in the manner I
prefer for carrying out the Invention, the section being taken at right angles
to the flexible partition; Figure 2 shows another section of the meter; this
section is taken parallel with the flexible partition. Figure 3 shows a plan
of the meter, the cover of the valve chamber being removed. The meter
shown in these Figures differs from the one above described in that, in place of
the inlet and outlet valves being, as above described, composed of discs of felt
moved to and fro between the ends of two pipes, they are each composed of a
metal valve slid to and fro horizontally over the ends of the two inlet and the
two outlet pipes which permit gas to pass to and from the measuring
chambers, but to the use of sliding valves for admitting gas to or from the
measuring compartment of a meter I lay no claim.
The former arrangement of valves is so fully described, that I have not
thought it necessary to show a Drawing of it; the apparatus also for giving
the requisite motion to the valves is in the arrangement shown in the Drawings
placed on the exterior of the valve chamber in place of being contained in one
of them, as above described.
In the Drawings, a is the case of the meter, which is of a circular section;
6 is the flexible partition which divides the case into two equal compartments
a, a; this partition is composed of the four right-angled metal triangles
c, c, c, c, which are connected to each other, and to the case by flexible
leather joints, as is shewn; d, d, are arms (one of which is seen in dotted
lines in Figure 1) projecting from two of the triangles c, c'; in the ends of
each of these arms is a hole through which a wire e passes. This wire forms
the axis of the lever f; the end of this lever, which is towards the flexible
partition, is pin-jointed to the lower end of a lever g, the upper end of which
passes through a slot in the top of the case. Gas is prevented passing through
the slot by the piece of leather h through which the lever passes, and to which
it is connected, as is shewn; the piece of leather / also serves as a fulcrum
for the lever to turn upon. The opposite end of the lever f is connected by
a link to the bottom of the case; the triangles c³, c³, of the flexible partition
are connected, as is shewn, the one to the lever g, and the other to the link i,
so that all the triangles must move simultaneously. Above the case a is the
smaller case / divided into two compartments ³, 1; the compartment k¹
contains the inlet valves and the compartment the outlet-valves. Gas is
constantly admitted to the compartment by the inlet pipe l, and escapes
k1
from the compartment * by the outlet pipe msn, n, are the two inlet pipes

page_text: ment.
which admit gas from the compartment k¹ to the two measuring compartments
of the meter; these pipes at their lower ends communicate directly one with
one measuring compartment and the other with the other measuring compart-
o, o, are the two outlet pipes which permit gas to pass from the two
measuring compartments into the compartment k³ of the valve box k, from
which, as before stated, the gas passes away by the outlet pipe m. The
lower ends of the pipes o, o, both enter a rectangular chamber p, which is
divided by a partition p³, as is seen at Figure 3; one of the pipes o enters the
chamber on one side of the partition and the other on the other side, and on
each side of the partition is a hole which passes through the top of the
case a, so that the chamber p on one side of the partition communicates with
one of the measuring compartments, and on the other side of the partition
with the other measuring compartment, the upper ends both of the two outlet
pipes and the two outlet pipes o are formed into valve faces, as is seen at
Figure 3, and through each valve face are two openings to correspond with
the passages through the two pipes. Sliding on each valve face is a flat
piece of metal; the one sliding on the valve face of the inlet pipes is marked
n and that on the outlet pipes o¹. The valve n¹ is connected by a wire to an
arm 7¹ on an axis r; the valve o¹ is likewise connected by a wire to a similar
arms; the axis r passes through stuffing boxes in the sides of the compart-
ment of the valve box which contains the outlet valves, and one end of the
axis projects into the compartment of the valve box which contains the inlet
valves, and the other end projects into a small box s containing the apparatus
for working the valves. Projecting downwards from the end of the axis
which projects into this box is a lever arm; the lower end of this arm
comes just behind the upper end of the lever g, and is connected to it by the
springs, which is composed of wire bent into a helical coil, one end of the
wire being connected to the upper end of the lever g, and the other to
the lower end of the arm r³.
In the Drawings, the flexible partition of the meter is in its central position,
and gas is being admitted from the compartment of the valve box which
contains the inlet valves into the measuring compartment a¹ of the meter;
this presses the flexible partition in the direction shewn by the arrow in
Figure 1; this causes the lever g to incline until it assumes the position
shewn in red lines in Figure 1. This movement will have brought the centre
of the helical coil below a horizontal line passing through a point inter-
mediate of the two points to which the ends of the spring are connected, and
as the two ends of the wire spring always have a tendency to fly apart, the
spring will then assume the position shewn by red lines in Figure 1; this

page_text: movement, by inclining the lever arm r³, causes the axis r to turn on its
centre, and move the valves n', o, into the position shewn by red lines. Gas will
thus be no longer admitted into the compartment a', but will be admitted into
the compartment a³ at the same time the gas in the compartment a¹ is allowed
to escape from it; the flexible partition will then, by the pressure of the gas,
be moved in the opposite direction to that shewn by the arrow in Figure 1,
and when the flexible partition has moved to its full extent in this direction,
the valves will be changed as before. The distance to which the flexible
partition is allowed to incline to one side or the other before the valve is
changed is regulated by the two screw stops t, t, between which the arm,³ is
capable of moving. As if these two stops are brought closer to each other, the
lever g will not have to incline so far to bring the spring into position for
changing the valves, and if the stops are moved farther apart the lever g will
have to incline to a greater extent to bring the spring into position for
changing the valves. By this means the amount of gas allowed to pass
through the meter at each movement of the flexible partition can be
regulated.
Each movement of the flexible partition is recorded by the ordinary counting
apparatus, which it is unnecessary to describe here, as it is well understood.
Motion is transmitted to the counting apparatus by the pawl of the counting
apparatus baving motion given to it by the lever u, which turns freely on the
axis r; the lever u is moved at every alternate movement of the partition by
the pin g' on the lever 9 coming against it, and as the pin on the lever
recedes from it, the lever u by its own weight resumes its original vertical
position.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elizabeth Lachenal, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
E. LACHENAL. (L.B.)