AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF METER OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS OR GASES, APPLICABLE ALSO Menu Doman
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Oury, of Blois, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
METER OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS OR GASES, APPLICABLE ALSO
Menu Doman"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Oury at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd May 1868.
I, JULES OURY, of Blois, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF METER OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS OR GABES,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows, that is
to Bay :-
This Invention consists in an improved construction of apparatus for
measuring liquids or gases, being also applicable for obtaining motive
power.
The improved meter consists of a metal chamber provided with a
partition formed of a flexible membrane which can rise or fall. This

page_text: membrane divides the chamber into two parts, and each of these parts
can communicate either with the inlet or outlet pipes for the liquid or
gas. Near the middle of this membrane is jointed a lever arm giving
motion to an arbor carrying a second lever provided with a counter-
weight which can swing to the right and left. When the membrane
is caused to rise by the introduction of a liquid it takes with it the
lever, the counterweight swings, and as it presses upon a series of valves
or slide valves which can open or close instantaneously it changes the
direction of the introduction of the liquid. The liquid which entered
below and egressed above during the rising of the membrane now runs.
out below and enters above through the swinging movement of the
counterweight and the reversing of the slide valves or valves pro-
duced thereby. This movement of the membrane is communicated to
the exterior to a series of wheels and dials similar to those used in
similar apparatuses so as to register the number of times that the
capacity formed by the membrane has been emptied and filled. The
arbor which gives this movement to the wheel of the registering
apparatus can give a motive power. When gas is to be measured the
membrane must be replaced by a moveable bell dipping in mercury.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jules Oury in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
OURY, of Blois, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Jules Oury, Her special licence that I, the
said Jules Oury, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Jules Oury, 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,

page_text: and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF METER
OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS OR GASES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OBTAINING
MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jules Oury, 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 Jules Oury, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in an improved construction of apparatus for
measuring liquids or gases, being also applicable for obtaining motive
power.
To make the Invention understood I will proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1,
Sheet 1, is a vertical section of the improved meter for gas; Figure 2,
Sheet 2, vertical section of the same modified for measuring water and
other liquids; Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 2, safety apparatus for the
water or gas meter; and Figure 6, Sheet 3, plan of Figure 2, Sheet 2.
The improved meter consists in a moveable chamber or bell F, Figure 1,
Sheet 1, and Figure 2, Sheet 2, having an alternate motion and receiving
the gas to be delivered for consumption, the motion of this vessel being
combined with a suitable valve as herein-after described. The bell F
moves in an annular space full of mercury, to the upper part of this
bell is adjusted the head of an elbowed lever G communicating motion
at the point o to a swing rod H carrying a counterweight, and which
in its alternate motion corresponding to that of the bell F strikes
alternately against the roller Z and roller I both fixed to the rod K.
The rod K is provided at T with a parallel rod q carrying the distributing
apparatus, which consists of two stopper plates L, L, for opening and
closing alternately the openings S, S', P, P¹; these openings allow an
entrance into the portions of the tubes forming the communication
between the upper part or the lower part of the bell either with the
inlet pipe or the outlet pipe of the gas, as herein-after described. The

page_text: gas entering through the pipe A passes through the hole r into the
space, communicating by openings with the pipe 8, P. The
opening S being closed, as shewn by the Drawing, the gas escapes at
P and presses on the bell F, which falls. The gas enters the channel R,
passes through the orifice P', egresses through the holes e and enters
the chamber Y, whence it passes into the egress pipe (not shewn in the
Drawing). The bell in falling causes the lever G to oscillate, and the
weighted swing lever H in falling suddenly at the end of its stroke
moves the rod K horizontally out of its place, then the rod q and the
stoppers L, L, opening the holes S, S', close the openings P and P¹. The
direction of the gas entering the apparatus is then reversed; it passes
through the pipe A, the opening, the space, the opening S³, the
channel R, and raises the bell, while the gas contained in the apparatus
at E above the bell being compressed by the ascent of the bell egresses
through the opening S, the holes v¹, and the space o", and the pipe
communicating with the exterior. This motion is repeated alternately
so long as the gas circulates in the apparatus. The rod J passes to
the exterior, and at each motion of the bell turns a series of cog
wheels placed under a dial provided with a hand in the ordinary
manner.
When a liquid is to be measured it is merely necessary to replace the
bell F by a flexible partition, as shewn at F, Figure 2, Sheet 2. This
partition is made of two thicknesses of india-rubber or other analogous
material, and all the different parts work in a similar manner to that
in the apparatus herein-before described. When the meter is subjected
to great pressure the rod J may be used to transmit a motive power
that may be utilized.
In case one of the thicknesses of india-rubber becomes worn I can
add a safety apparatus, as shewn in Figure 6, Sheet 3, at d, n, S, T,
and in section Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 2, which is adapted to the
elbow pipe for the entrance of the water.
The safety apparatus consists of a channel falling into the channel n, n,
between the thicknesses and leading into the safety box, shewn in
plan at S, T, Figure 6, Sheet 3, and in section Figure 3, Sheet 2.
Should one of the thicknesses of india-rubber burst the water would
pass through the channel n, n, and come on to a flexible membrane S,
which it would press forward. This membrane carries a rod K and
a cleat, seen in detail in Figure 5, Sheet 2. By means of the ad-

page_text: vancing motion of the rod K. the rod turns and also causes to turn
a small buffer for keeping open the valve for the admission of
water. This valve then falling on to its seat interrupts the circulation
by preventing the water from passing into the meter.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction
herein laid down; but what I claim is, the employment for measuring
gases and liquids of the bell or moveable partition F with an alternate
motion in conjunction with the swing lever H with an intermittent
motion for instantaneously opening and closing the openings S, P, S', P¹,
by means of a rod q provided with moveable stoppers for changing
the direction of the gases or liquids when the bell or moveable partition
arrives at the end of its journey whether at top or bottom, as herein-
before described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Oury, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight,
J. OURY. (L.S.)