New or Improved Electric Measuring and recording Apparatus.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Jan., 1889
New or Improved Electric Measuring and recording Apparatus.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London,
W.C., Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The principle of my invention lies in the alteration of shape of an expansible vessel
through the alteration of the pressure of a suitable fluid contained therein, such
alteration of pressure being brought about by alteration of temperature caused by the
passage of the electricity to be measured and recorded, or a portion thereof, through a
The motion of the expansible
conductor placed in the. said expansible vessel.
vessel may be communicated to any convenient form of mechanical counter, or it may
call into action what is known as an electric counter. The parts of this apparatus
may be multiplied and suitable switching devices may be employed for switching the
current from one conductor to another.
In some cases I employ compound conductors so as to take advantage of what is
known as the Peltier effect.
It will be understood that the record shewn by the counter is a measure of the
electricity which has passed through the apparatus.
It will be obvious that there are a number of ways of carrying the principle of my
invention into effect, but these need not be further referred to here.
Dated this 20th day of January 1888.

page_text: New or Improved Electric. Measuring and Recording Apparatus.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London,
W.C., Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
or
The principle of my invention lies in the alteration of shape of an expansible
vessel through the alteration of the pressure of a suitable fluid contained therein, such
alteration of pressure being brought about by alteration of temperature caused by the
and
passage of the electricity to be measured
recorded, or a portion thereof, through
a conductor placed in or in proximity to the said expansible vessel. The motion thus
produced may when the electric current is to be integrated be communicated to any
convenient form of mechanical counter, or it may call into action what is known as an
electric counter. The parts of this apparatus may be multiplied and suitable switching
devices may be employed for switching the current from one conductor to another.
The record shown by the counter is a measure of the electricity which has passed
through the apparatus.
It will be obvious that there are many ways of carrying the principle of my
invention into effect; and 1 shall now proceed to explain in detail one or more ways.
In order that such detailed description may be more readily understood I have
annexed hereunto sheets of drawings illustrative of my invention and have inserted in
the same figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation. In these drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar or
equivalent parts.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate diagrammatically a side elevation, a plan, and an end
elevation respectively of a form of my invention in which the movement is vibratory
or oscillatory. A A¹ are closed air tight vessels partly filled, with, a readily
vaporisable liquid such as alcohol. The tops or covers B.B¹ of these vessels are of
thin corrugated metal like the flexible sides of aneroid barometer boxes. In Figure 2
the corrugations for convenience of drawing are not shown. Above the vessels is the
hollow closed rod C, which rocks or vibrates on, the pivots or trunnions, D D¹. This
rod, or "rocker" as it may conveniently be termed is partly filled with mercury as
shown. Into the vessels AA¹ pass the heating conductors EE in an air tight
manner and these are so connected with the circuit, the electricity passing in which
is to be measured or integrated, through a commutator or other form of switching
device as to alternately pass the electric current, or a portion thereof, through one or
other of the heating conductors as may be determined by the position of the rocker,
and this in the manner hereinafter described.
To understand the action let us assume that the rocker is in the position shown in
full lines in figure 1. A current of electricity will now flow through the heating
conductor E and raise its temperature. This increase of temperature will increase
the pressure or tension of the Buid contents of A. The corrugated top B, on which

page_text: is resting the end e' of the rocker, will be pressed upwards towards the position and
assume the shape shown in dotted lines. The end c¹ of the rocker will thus be raised
and the end 2 depressed until the mercury flows towards the end c² which being now
heavier will cause the motion of the rocker to continue in the same direction till the
end c² is in contact with the cover B¹. The current will now be switched on to E¹
which will be heated and so by increasing the pressure in A¹ will cause the cover B¹
and the end of the rocker to be raised till the mercury flows to c¹ and so brings
back the parts to the position shown in full lines in figure 1. When the current
ceases to flow through one of the heating conductors the latter cools and the pressure
in its vessel decreases to its normal amount and the vessel returns to its normal shape.
Upon the spindle D¹ which forms one of the pivots or trunnions on which the
rocker vibrates is mounted a commutator G consisting of four conducting seg-
ments g¹; g², g³, g². To the segments 91, 9³ are connected the ends of the heating
wire E whilst the ends of the heating wire E' are connected to the segments g², g*.
HH are brushes or contact springs which when the parts are in the position shown
by full lines in figure 1 bear upon g¹ and g³ so as to cause the current to traverse the
heating wire E and which when the parts are in the position shown by dotted lines in
figure 1 bear upon the segments o² and 9* so as to cause the current to traverse the
heating wire E. HH' are in connection with the circuit in which is passing the
electricity to be measured. It will thus be seen that as long as a current passes
through the apparatus the rocker will vibrate. The stronger or more powerful the
electric current passing through the apparatus the greater will be the heat developed
in the heating conductors and the more rapidly will the pressure in the vessels rise
and consequently the more frequent will be the oscillations or vibrations of the rocker..
It will thus be seen that the number of oscillations within a given time will be a
measure of the electricity passed within that time. In order to integrate these
oscillations I employ an ordinary counter as shown diagrammatically in the figures
just referred to and I cause in the case of the apparatus illustrated in figures 1, 2
and 3 the motion of the rocker to be transmitted to the said counter by means of the
pawl J and ratchet wheel K which latter is fast on the spindle L which is in suitable
mechanical connection with the first of the train of wheels of the counter. It will be
seen that in the above figures each alternate movement only of the rocker actuates
the counter and that during the other movements the pawl J rides light over the
teeth of K. When desired each movement of the rocker may be recorded; and this
may conveniently be done by employing a double ratchet and pawl arrangement as
shown in figures 4 and 5 of which the former is a side elevation and the latter a plan.
In this arrangement each movement of the rocker causes the counter spindle to be
turned in the same direction. For example when the end c¹ is rising the pawl J
acting upon the ratchet wheel K, to which is rigidly attached the spur wheel M, will
cause it to be rotated in the direction of the arrow, the wheel M₁ which is in gear
with M turning in the opposite direction. Similarly when the end 2 is rising the
pawl J acts upon the ratchet wheel K₁ which is rigidly attached to the spur wheel M¹
causing M and M' to turn in the same directions as before. The counter spindle may
be attached either to M or M¹. In the figures it is shown attached to M. It will be
seen that whilst the pawl J is actuating the counter the pawl J¹ will ride light over
the teeth of K' and that when the pawl J¹ is actuating the counter the pawl J will
ride light over the teeth of K.
In figure 1 I show the ends of the rocker as coming in contact with the covers B B¹.
In practice 1 sometimes find it convenient instead of allowing this to happen to
provide rubber stops N placed as shown in figure 6 against which the ends of the
rocker fall. The object of this is twofold, partly to prevent the noise caused by
the dropping of the rocker on the covers and partly to limit the play of the pawl
on the ratchet wheel so that the latter will always make the same amount of
angular movement at each oscillation. It is not however necessary to adopt this
plan for this latter purpose it being found that when the oscillations are rapidly
recurring the cover may not have had time to descend to its normal position
before the rocker has overtaken it, in which case a smaller angular movement of

page_text: the counter spindle would take place than when the oscillations are less frequent
and so the error rectifies itself so to speak. It will be seen in this figure that
from the covers arms project upwards to transmit the movement to the rocker.
When I employ such arms I prefer to roughen the under surface of the rocker so that
the said projecting arms may take good hold and not slip as they are apt to do if the
cover be very yielding.
In describing the apparatus illustrated I have stated that the vessel is partly filled
with a readily vaporisable liquid. This is not necessary as air or practically any stable
fluid which will not attack the vessel containing it, or the heating conductor in it,
will answer the purpose. I find however that a readily vaporisable liquid such as
alcohol gives very good results and in using this fluid 1 prefer to fill the vessel to
about three fourths of its capacity with the liquid alcohol and then to displace the air
from the remaining fourth part either by boiling or by exhausting by means of an air
pump and then sealing the vessel so that the said remaining fourth part shall be filled
with the alcohol vapour. I sometimes find it advantageous to paint or coat the
inner surface of the vessel with a flexible paint or varnish for the purpose of preventing
sweating through the walls of the said vessel. A suitable paint or varnish for this
purpose is the flexible variety of what is known as Molyneux's Composition.
Figure 7 shows diagrammatically a case in which an electric counter is employed
instead of a mechanical counter as previously shown. C is the rocker as before, and
01, 02, 03, 04 are contact points attached to springs as shown. These contact points
are in circuit as shown by the wires P1, P2, P3, P4 with the electromagnet over
which is the armature R attached to the lever S which turns upon the centre s. The
other end of this lever works the counter in a well known manner. When the end c²
of the rocker is in the position shown it brings the contact points 03 and 0 together
so as to complete the electric circuit from the local battery T, or from a shunt from
the main circuit, through the electromagnet Q which now attracts the armature R and
in doing so causes the lever S to actuate the counter. Similarly at the next oscillation
of the rocker the end c² will descend and allow the contact points 03 04 to separate so
as to open the electric circuit through Q when the retractile spring attached to the
armature will bring the armature, and the counter lever back to their normal positions.
At the same time the end c¹ rises until it presses 02 against O¹ when the circuit is
again completed by means of the wires P1 P2 through the clectromagnet and the
counter is again actuated as before. It will be seen that in this case each movement
of the rocker causes the counter to be actuated but if desired the apparatus may be
simplified by omitting one of the contact making devices shown (for example the
contact points 01 02 and the wires I¹ P2), in which case the counter will be actuated
only by each alternate movement of the rocker.
Figure 8 shows a switching device differing from that previously shown. In this
case the movements of the rocker close the circuit through the heating conductors by
dipping wires into cups of mercury in a manner which is well known.
The shifting weight rocker as I may term the device C is a very convenient
contrivance for obtaining a positive action on the counter. The shifting weight need
not necessarily be mercury as any weight such for example as a marble or a small
quantity of shot or a roller weight which will readily move along the rocker when the
latter is inclined will answer the purpose. An equivalent device which I term the
magnetic type of device is shewn in figure 9 in which the attraction of weak
magnets W. W' at each end of the rocker bar takes the place of thes hifting weights.
In this case the rocker is formed either of magnetic material or has pieces of magnetic
material Y Y attached to it. The strength of the magnets W W which when desired
may be electromagnets fed by a shunt from the main circuit should be such that their
attraction upon Y Y' or the rocker as the case may be only becomes appreciable when
the latter come within the distance between the magnet and a horizontal line passing
through the pivot of the rocker.
A still more advantageous means for obtaining a positive action of the rocker
whether of the shifting weight type or of the magnetic type is shewn in figure 10
where it will be seen that by reason of the suitably placed pins Z Z¹ the pawls do

page_text: As soon
not engage the ratchet wheel whilst the shifting weight or the magnet as the case may
be is exerting a retarding influence upon the movement of the rocker.
however as the weight or magnet exerts an accelerating influence upon the rocker
then the pawl engages the ratchet wheel and the counter is actuated.
Figures 11 and 12 illustrate other forms of rocker equivalent to those hereinbefore
set forth positive action being obtained through the equilibrium of the rocker being
unstable. In figure 11 this instability is produced by supporting the rocker below its
centre of gravity and in figure 12 by raising the position of the centre of gravity of
the device above the point of support by means of the weight.
It will be obvious that the rocker might be dispensed with and that pawls attached
directly to the covers of the vessels A A' might actuate ratchet wheels as set forth. I
prefer however to employ a rocker so arranged as to obtain what I have hereinbefore
termed a positive action.
Figure 13 illustrates diagramatically a type of integrating meter which differs from
the type illustrated in figures 1 to 8 mainly in that its movement is rotary instead of
oscillating. It will be seen that the covers B B' on expanding outwards cause the
arm.CX which carries the vessels A A¹ to move in the direction of the arrows by
reason of the pressure exerted by the said covers upon the teeth of the circus rack K X
through the pawls JX JX', the rotation being in the opposite direction to that in
which the cover tends to expand. Figure 14 which is an end elevation of part of a
rotary meter similar to that shown in figure 13 illustrates a convenient means of
transmitting the movement of the covers to the circus rack. The action of this type
of apparatus will be readily understood from the figures and from what has
preceded. As the one vessel is expanding and causing movement of the arm CX
the other vessel is contracting through cooling of its contents and its pawl is
riding light over the teeth of the circus rack. The movement of the arm CX is
therefore continuous and can easily be integrated as for example by mounting a
pinion on the spindle 1) X and causing it to gear into the first of the train of
wheels of a mechanical counter. Or a cam might be fixed on this spindle which
at each revolution of D X might bring contact springs together and close the
circuit through an electrical counter as shown in figure 7.
This form of rotary meter may advantageously be modified by altering it so
that the arm CX and the vessels A A' shall be stationary whilst the circus rack
is free to rotate (under the repulsive action of the expanding vessels) upon a
spindle whose movement will be integrated as above mentioned. Such a form is
shewn in figure 15.
In figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14 & 15 the switching device for switching the current
from one heating conductor to the other in accordance with the position of the
rocker or of the rotating arm or rotating circus rack as the case may be is a
common form of commutator whilst in figure 8 mercury cups such as are usually
employed in laboratories are shown. To prevent loss and error through sparking
1 adopt the following well known plans namely in the case of the commutator
arrangement of so curving or extending the contact surface of the brushes and by
placing the segments so close together that before a brush has left one segment it has
made contact with the next, whilst in the case of the mercury cups I so prolong the
wires dipping into the mercury, that one pair of wires shall have entered the mercury
which they are approaching before the other set of wires shall have left the mercury
from which they are receding.
In my provisional specification I referred to the use of compound conductors so
that I might take advantage of what is known as the Peltier effect. My idea at the
time of drawing up my provisional specification was that in the cases where I employed
continuous currents with an apparatus such as that shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14
and 15 I might arrange compound heating conductors in series with junctions inside the
vessels so that whilst the fluid in one vessel was being heated the fluid in the other
vessel would be cooled. I have failed to attain this end satisfactorily and therefore I
lay no claim to the use of compound heating conductors for the purpose of utilising
in this invention what is known as the Peltier effect.

page_text: In the integrating instruments herein before described the movement of the
expansible vessel is transmitted to the counter by ordinary mechanical transmitting
devices. Any of the well known hydraulic and pneumatic transmitting devices.may
however be employed when convenient.
The forms of integrating apparatus herein before described constitute good practical
forms of meter for use in systems of electrical supply from central stations.
Figures 16 and 17 show diagrammatically two forms of instrument which are useful
when the object is not to have an integrator but simply an indicator in other words
an apparatus which will measure electricity but not sum up and record what has
passed within a given time. In each of these cases the change of shape of the
expansible vessel produced as aforesaid is indicated on a dial or scale by means of a
-pointer, the position of the said pointer being a measure of the electric current passing
at the time. Figure 16 is an instrument constructed in the form of a diaphragm
pressure gauge and its action is the same as in the case of the steam gauge except that
the pressure on the diaphragm is produced electrically in the manner hereinbefore
described. Figure 17 is an instrument similar to a Bourdon pressure gauge, the
expansible tube or vessel A altering its shape under the electrically produced pressure
or tension in the same way as does the tube of an ordinary steam gauge under the
pressure of the steam. The diaphragm and the Bourdon gauges are sufficiently well
known to require no further description here. The instruments just described and
illustrated as well as those shown in figures 18 and 19 are useful for testing and
switch board purposes and can be made to record the highest or lowest reading as
well as indicate by adapting a light sliding weight or pointer to the scale after the
well known manner employed in the case of thermometers and barometers and many
other measuring instruments. It will be seen that the instrument illustrated in
figure 16 is simply the converse of an ordinary aneroid barometer, the increased
pressure in this case moving the diaphragm outwards instead of inwards. as in the
ordinary aneroid barometer.
Figure 18 illustrates diagramatically a form of my invention in which the vessel
containing the fluid to be heated is placed parallel to an ordinary aneroid barometer
the flexible cover of the vessel A serving also to practically constitute the flexible
diaphragm of the aneroid barometer. In this case the scale of the aneroid is calibrated
say in ampères instead of inches of mercury. It will be seen that this instrument
continues to act in all respects as an ordinary aneroid except that it indicates the
pressure in A instead of the pressure of the atmosphere.
Figure 19 illustrates an equivalent device to that shown in figure 18 where the
pressure produced as before-mentioned by the heating conductor instead of acting
upon the flexible diaphragm or box of an aneroid, acts upon a column of liquid. The
height of this liquid column at any time indicates the strength of the current then
passing.
It is obvious that the indicating forms of my invention may take the form of many
well known types of barometer thermometer or pressure gauge.
In the cases illustrated I show the heating conductor as immersed in the fluid.
This however is not necessary. In figure 20 I show the heating conductor in close
proximity to the fluid. In this case it will be seen that the vessel is constructed with
a re-entrant space (though of course such is not necessary) in which is wound the
heating conductor and it will be noticed that the said heating conductor is entirely
outside of the vessel itself. The heat is transferred to the fluid by conduction through
the walls of the vessel.
Another method embraced by my invention of heating the fluid is by bringing the
heating conductor in close contact with a part of the vessel which is constructed of
thick metal. If in this case the current passing through the heating conductòr be an
alternating one Foucault currents will be set up in the said metal so as to generate
heat for the purpose of altering the pressure of the fluid as aforesaid. It is not how-
ever necessary that a part of the vessel should be of thick metal as a separate mass
of metal in the vessel itself may have such Foucault currents set up in it and so be
heated. These two cases are shown diagrammatically in figures 21 and 22. UU

page_text: represent the thickened metal portion of the vessels, and V V₁ the separate masses of
metal placed in the vessels.
It will be understood that in the cases in which the heating conductors pass into the
fluid they must pass through the sides of the vessels A A¹ in such manner as not only
to be air tight but to be insulated. This may be effected by passing them through
long sleeves of rubber or vulcanised fibre fitted in metal tubes soldered to the walls of
the box. I have hitherto spoken of these heating conductors as though they were
single wires continuous throughout their whole length. In practise however instead
of employing conductors continuous throughout their whole length I employ for the
heating part, namely a part which is inside the vessel, or in contact with, or in close
proximity to, the said vessel, a wire which offers a considerably higher resistance
than the rest of the said wire leading to and from the said higher resisting part.
In practice I prefer to enclose my integrating apparatus in a copper or iron case,
the counter being so arranged that the dials can be seen through a plate of glass let
into the said metal case.
It is obvious that my apparatus may be modified in many ways and may be made
to assume many forms without departing from the principle of my invention.
The forms illustrated are however convenient ones in which to carry my invention
into effect.
The instruments hereinbefore described are applicable for either alternating or
continuous currents except figures 21 and 22 which are for alternating currents
only.
The meters described may be connected up in any of the known ways and
either with or without adjustable resistances as may be required and as is well
understood.
Referring to the rotary meters, shown it will be evident that equivalent devices
could easily be substituted for the circus rack and pawl arrangement. A smooth
circular wire might for example replace the circus rack, and a device resembling
a creeper such as used in running overhead electric wires might replace the
pawl arrangement the rotation being of course produced by the expansion of the
vessel A.
In all the drawings the current has been shown as flowing only through one heating
conductor in or in proximity to one vessel at any one time, but it is obvious that I
may employ more than one conductor, and if two conductors be used at one time
one of which is part of the main circuit and the other is arranged as a shunt to
the main circuit, then the instrument will indicate or integrate the total electric
energy expended in the circuit, however the current or the pressure of electricity
may vary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
and
or
1. Apparatus for measuring recording electricity whose action depends upon
the alteration of shape. of an expansible vessel through the alteration of the pressure
of a suitable fluid contained therein such alteration of pressure being brought about
by alteration of temperature caused by alteration of the amount of electrical energy
passing through a conductor or conductors placed in or in proximity to the said
expansible vessel.
2. In electric measuring and recording apparatus the employment of a heating
conductor to alter the pressure of a fluid in an expansible vessel substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. In electric measuring and recording apparatus the employment of an
expansible vessel whose shape is altered as and by the means and for the purpose set
forth.
.
4. An oscillating integrating meter acting substantially as and by the means and
for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 5. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an electric integrating
meter substantially as set forth with reference to figures 1 to 5.
6. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an electric integ-
rating meter as mentioned as in the preceding claim but with an electric instead of
a mechanical counter.
7. The device for limiting the play of the rocker substantially as set forth with
reference to figure 6.
8. In electric measuring and recording apparatus the employment of a shifting
weight rocker substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. A rotary integrating meter acting substantially as and by the means and for the
purpose set forth.
10. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an electric integ-
rating meter substantially as set forth with reference to figures 13, 14 and 15.
11. In electric measuring and recording apparatus the employment of a circus rack
or its equivalent substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. A barometric, thermometric or pressure gauge electric indicating instrument
acting substantially as and by the means and for the purpose set forth.
13. The diaphragm pressure gauge form of indicating instrument substantially as
set forth.
14. The Bourdon gauge form of indicating instrumont substantially as set forth.
15. The aneroid barometer form of indicating instrument substantially as set
forth.
16. The liquid column form of indicating instrument substantially as set forth.
17. In electric measuring and recording apparatus of the kind specified the
arrangements for heating the fluid substantially as set forth with reference to figures 20,
21 and 22.
18. The new or improved electric measuring and recording apparatus set forth.
J. G. LORRAIN.