IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS OF GAS METERS."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Adamson, of St. John Street Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS OF GAS METERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Adamson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st May 1858.
I, JOHN ADAMSON, of St. John Street Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS OF GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
. The improvements relate, first, to that part of the meters for indicating the
measurement of the gas commonly called the index, and consist in forming
the framing of the index apparatus of hard white metal cast in metal moulds
(steel by preference) previously heated, and adapted not only to produce the
general outline of the framing, but also the various perforations therein for
the pillars and for the various axes without the necessity for drilling or
broaching, by which not only economy in labour and the least amount of
friction are secured, but the fixing of the moving parts by corrosion is
prevented. Also the improvements relate to forming part at least of the
tooth gear of such hard white metal.

page_text: The improvements also relate to forming of hard white metal the pins from
the guide rods of the valves, by which the connecting rods from the valve
crank are connected to the valves in dry gas meters, and obtaining facility
for adjustment of the valves at that part by fixing that stud in a piece of
tinned brass or other hard metal capable' of receiving and being soldered to
a tinned iron or other such hard metal pin from the valve, and to which is
also attached one of the guide rods formed of hard white metal.
Also the improvements relate to forming the double crank axis of dry gas
meters in two parts, with a clutch or such like connection to the parts outside
the valve chamber, so formed that the parts will couple together only in one
way, thus securing ready access to the stuffing box, and in cases of after repair
the original adjustment of the double cranks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Adamson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ADAMSON, of St. John Street Road, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanic,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Adamson, Her special licence that I, the said John Adamson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Adamson, 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS OF GAS METERS," upon the, condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Adamson, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Adamson, 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:-
The improvements relate, first, to that part of the meters for indicating the
measurement of gas commonly called the index, and consist in forming the
framing of the index apparatus of hard white metal cast in metal moulds
(steel by preference) previously heated, and adapted not only to produce tho
general outline of the framing, but also the various perforations therein for
the pillars and for the various axes without the necessity for drilling or
bronching, by which not only economy in labour and the least amount of
friction are secured, but the fixing of the moving parts by corrosion is
prevented. Also the improvements relate to forming part at least of the
tooth gear of such hard white metal.
Secondly, the improvements relate to forming of hard white metal the pins
from the guide rods of the valves by which the connecting rods from the
valve crank are connected to the valves in dry gas meters, and obtaining
facility for adjustment of the valves at that part by fixing that stud in a piece
of tinned brass or other hard metal capable of receiving and being soldered
to a tinned iron or other such hard metal pin from the valve, and to which is
also attached one of the guide rods formed of hard white metal.
Thirdly, the improvements relate to forming the double crank axis of dry
gas meters in two parts, with a clutch, or such like connection to the parts
outside the valve chamber, so formed that the parts will couple together only
in one way, thus securing ready access to the stuffing box, and in cases of
after repair the original adjustment of the double crank.
But that the nature of my improvements, and in what manner I carry the
same into effect, may be fully understood, I will proceed, aided by the
Drawing annexed, to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING..
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show various views of a
frame adapted as one of the
side framings of the index apparatus of a gas meter. Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7
show various views of a mould and the parts thereof adapted to form tho
frame represented by Figures 1, 2, and 3. The parts a, b, have handles a¹, b',
and they are guided correctly together by means of the studs a projecting
from the face of the part a, and entering recesses formed in the part b; c, c,
are pins or wires, formed as shewn, to slide freely in holes formed in the
part b, and when the inner ends thereof are resting, as shown by Figures 4

page_text: and 5, against the face of the plate a, those ends c¹ serve as cores to produce
the perforations d, d, some for the pillars and others for the axes.
Previous to the metal being poured into the mould the mould is heated,
and then whilst the parts are held in the position indicated by Figure 5 the
molten metal is poured therein by tho way c, and immediately the molten
metal has set, the end of the handle b' is struck downwards upon some surface
with a tendency to shake the wires c, c, so that the ends thereof will come
back against the adjustable plate 3, when the inner ends or those ends of the
wires c which had been within the molten metal will be shaken out therefrom,
and then by separating the parts a, b, the metal cast to form will fall out, and
the operations may again in like manner be repeated.
In forming toothed gear of such white metal, I proceed by the use of
moulds of a like character, but of forms adapted to produce the shapes of
wheels desired, but I prefer that the teeth of wheels so produced be formed
somewhat larger than what is generally adopted in gearing wheels and pinions
of meter index apparatus, in order thereby to obtain additional strength to
such teeth.
.
. I will now describe the second part of my Invention. Figures 8 and 9 re-
present a plan and section of a valve of a dry gas meter, the parts of which are
arranged according to this head of the Invention. ff, are the guide rods
to the valve for guiding it in its to-and-fro motion, as is well understood.
g is the pin for receiving one end of the connecting rod to the double crank
axis. But according to this part of my improvements, this pin g is formed of
hard white metal, and in place of being soldered at once to the wire f, is first
secured to a piece of tinned brass or other hard metal f (shown separately
by Figure 9*), to which one end of the pin f is secured, and this piece fis
capable of being readily soldered to the short piece of tinned iron-wire f³
projecting from the valve, so as to give greater facility for adjustment to these
parts for adjusting the position of the valve. The guide rods and fare
also formed of hard white metal.
I will now describe the third part of the improvements, which is shown
more fully by Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. i is the double crank axis,
one crank i thereof giving motion by means of rods h to the valves, whilst.
the other crank thereof is operated, as is well understood, by links from the
levers on the axes of the moveable partitions. kis the worm wheel thereon
for giving motion to the index wheelwork, but in place of this wheel k being
permanently soldered or otherwise affixed to the axis i, the axis i is at that
part formed with a socket adapted to receive the part 3 of the axis i, and
these parts are of shape in relation to each other, as shown, that the part

page_text: will only enter the socket in the worm k in one direction. I also form the
crank in like manner, as shown, by which means facility is more readily
given for removal and re-arrangement or adjustment of the parts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the means I
adopt in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details shown and described, as these may be
varied without departing from the peculiar characteristics of the improvements
as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Adamson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, Loudon,
Patent Agent.
JOHN ADAMSON. (L.s.)