IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Richard Williams, of Northumberland Court,
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, Gas Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1865, and dated the 18th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Richard Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th May 1865.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD WILLIAMS, of Northumberland Court, Charing Cross,
in the County of Middlesex, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in dry gas meters, whereby
the construction of the said meters is greatly simplified, and the quantity of
gas passing through is more accurately measured and recorded. A cylinder
or drum is made of any suitable material, and is provided with apertures for
the inlet and outlet of the gas, these apertures being connected together by a
flexible tube of soft leather, india-rubber, or other like substance. In the
centre of the cylinder or drum, and parallel with the sides thereof, is a shaft

page_text: or spindle working in bearings of glass or other suitable material fixed in the
ends, or any other convenient part of the cylinder or drum. This shaft has
on it a number of radial arms, or other like means for supporting pins or
studs, and on each of these pins or studs is a roller, arranged so as to turn
freely, and run upon the exterior surface of the flexible tube, thus closing the
said tube, and cutting off the communication between the inlet and outlet
apertures. The pins or studs carrying (the rollers are adjustable, and the
rollers are kept in contact with the surface of the flexible tube by springs or
other suitable means. On one end of the shaft or spindle supporting the
radial arms for carrying the rollers is fixed a pinion working into another
pinion connected to the index, and by varying the size of these pinions the
registering capacity of the meter is regulated. To keep up a continuous flow
of gas through the meter it will be necessary to employ two or more of the
flexible tubes and sets of rollers working thereon, and instead of a single
large flexible tube a number of small tubes may be used for each set of rollers
to act upon. When the gas enters through the inlet aperture the pressure
inflates the flexible tube, and causes it to press against and force forward in
the direction of the outlet aperture the roller then in contact with the said
tube.
The portion of the tube immediately behind the roller is thus filled
with gas. As this roller passes off of the flexible tube at the outlet end
another roller arranged at the required distance behind the first one comes on
to the said tube at the inlet end, closing the tube, and cutting off the com-
munication with the inlet aperture, while the gas contained in the flexible
tube between the two rollers flows out at the outlet aperture. The tube is
again filled with gas, and again emptied behind the second roller, the operation
being repeated according to the length of the flexible tube and the number of
rollers acting thereon. The shaft or spindle in the centre of the cylinder or
drum being caused to revolve by the action of the flexible tube upon the
rollers, and this shaft being connected with the index, the quantity of gas
passing through the meter is measured and accurately recorded.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Richard Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RICHARD WILLIAMS, of Northumberland Court, Charing Cross, in the County 3
of Middlesex, Gas Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Richard Williams, Her special licence that I, the
said William Richard Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Richard Williams, 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 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 DRY GAS METERS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Richard Williams, 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 William Richard Williams, do bereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the samo
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings making a part of this Specification:-
The said improvements relate to the novel construction of dry gas meters,
whereby the meter is greatly simplified, the cost of manufacture lessened, and
greater accuracy in measuring and recording obtained, and my Invention
consists chiefly in the employment of two or more flexible tubes in connection
with series of rollers, which are arranged to pass over the surface of the said
tubes in such a manner that the latter are alternately filled with a quantity of
gas, which is accurately recorded in its passage through the said tubes by a
suitable index.
Figure 1 is a plan of a gas meter, Figure 2 an elevation of the same,
Figure 3 a section on the line a, a, Figure 1, and Figure 4 a section on the
line y, y, Figure 2. Figure 5 is a plan of a meter with a modified arrange-
ment of parts, and Figure 6 a section on the line z, z, Figure 5. Figure 7
is a front elevation of a meter with further modification of parts, and Figure 8

page_text: a vertical section of the same. Like letters refer to corresponding parts
in the several Figures.
The cylinder or drum A is constructed of any desirable size and suitable
material, as brass, tin, or other metal. This cylinder is provided with an
inlet aperture B, and outlet aperture C, for admitting and discharging the
gas. The aperture B is connected to aperture C by means of flexible tubes D.
These tubes are formed preferably of goat skin, but may be formed of india-
rubber, or other similarly yielding material. The tubes D are most advan
tageously made on a ring block, the form of which corresponds with the form
of said tubes when placed in their position within the cylinder A, and inflated
with gas. Tubes made in this manner will readily assume an even uniform
outline, which would not be the case if the tubes were stitched while closed.
The radial arms E, Figures 3 and 4, or discs F, Figures 7 and 8, or other
suitable devices are fixed on the shaft or spindle G. In these arms are
inserted pins or studs a for carrying the rollers H. The shaft G is placed in
the exact centre of the cylinder A, in order that the pins a, and consequently
the rollers H may remain throughout their revolution concentrio with the
inside of the cylinder A. The rollers H are arranged to turn freely and run
upon the tubes D, thus successively closing the said tubes, and cutting off the
communication between the inlet aperture B and outlet aperture C. The
lower end of shaft G is formed preferably of hardened steel, and the corre-
sponding bearing is formed of glass, metal, or other suitably hard and smooth
material. The pins a are made adjustable, in order that the pressure of
rollers Hupon tubes D may be properly regulated, the object being to compel
the rollers to turn upon the tubes without causing great friction. If found
desirable springs 6 or other suitable means may be employed to force the
rollers to follow any inequalities. When, however, the interior surface of the
cylinder A is accurately and smoothly turned, and the tubes D properly fixed
thereon, these inequalities will not exist, and the springs will not be required.
In the arrangement of parts, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the rollers H are
pressed upon the surface of the tubes D, simply by their own weight. On
the end of the shaft G is fixed a pinion, which gears into another pinion con-
nected to the index I. By varying the size of these pinions the recording
capacity of the meter is regulated. In order to secure a continuous flow of
gas through the meter, two or more flexible tubes D and sets of rollers H are
used. Instead of a single large tube to each set of rollers, a number of
small ones may be substituted. By the employment of two or more tubes D
a steady motion of the rollers, and consequently uniform flow of gas to the
burners is obtained, which would be impossible with a single tube, and the

page_text: light would otherwise be unsteady and flickering. When the gas enters the
meter through the inlet aperture B, it inflates the tubes, and the pressure
forces forward the rollers H, whereby a rotary motion is communicated to the
shaft G with which the index is connected, and the quantity of gas passing
through the meter is accurately recorded. The portion of the tube immediately
behind the roller against which the pressure is being exerted is filled with gas
from the inlet aperture B. When the first roller H forced around in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 4, passes over the outlet aperture C, the
quantity of
gas in the tube D between this roller and the succeeding one flows
through the outlet aperture. This succeeding roller is then forced forward
by the same means, and the tube D filled and emptied. The number of
revolutions of the index shaft G to record the measurement of a given
quantity of gas depends upon the length of the tube D and the number of
rollers H employed. The ratchet wheel J is provided to prevent the rollers
being turned in the reverse direction, either by hand, or by changing the inlet
and outlet apertures.. This ratchet wheel may be fixed on the index shaft G,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 3, or it may be connected to the index in the
ordinary manner. The ratchet wheel is stopped by the spring c fixed on the
cross K. The meter is connected by the inlet and outlet apertures in the
ordinary manner to the pipes from the main, and to the burners. When
the gas is "turned on," and the burners are open, the gas will flow in at the
aperture B and inflate the tubes D. When the rollers are in the position
represented in Figures 3 and 4, the upper roller is just coming on the surface
of the tube, which being only partially inflated exerts but little pressure. If
there were only one tube and one set of rollers, the motion of the shaft G at
this point would be very slow, or would altogether cease. This is prevented
by the roller of the lower set which is just in the centre of the tube, and
therefore acted upon by the full pressure of the gas in the said tube. The
rollers being arranged at equal distances from each other, and the two sets
being arranged to alternate one with another, a steady uniform motion is
obtained, and consequently the supply of gas to the burners is regular.
Having thus fully described said improvements, and shewn how the same
may be advantageously carried into practice, I do not intend to limit myself
to the exact form or arrangement illustrated in the Drawings, nor to the
details herein set forth; but I claim as my Invention,-
First, measuring gas by means of flexible tubes D in connection with the
rollers H, substantially as set forth.
Second, communicating rotary motion to the index shaft G by means of the

page_text: rollers H, for the purpose of accurately recording the quantity of gas measured
in the tubes D, substantially, as set forth.
Third, the arrangement or combination of the operating parts of the meter,
for the purpose and in the manner substantially set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Richard Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
WILLIAM RICHARD WILLIAMS. (L.S.)
GEORGE HASELTINE,
International Patent Office,"
8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London.