improvements in Electricity Meters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb.,
1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1897 --Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1898
improvements in Electricity Meters.
I, SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer and Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In electric meters similar in construction to those referred to in several Patents
already granted to me wherein mercury is used as a conductor or contact-maker,
and also sometimes as a means of retardation of the motion; it has up to the
present time been found necessary, when sending the meters by rail to send the
requisite amount of mercury required for each meter in a separate receptacle.
My invention has for its object means for allowing the mercury to be left in
the meter when the meter has to be conveyed any distance by rail.
To achieve this result in my type of meter, where the spindle which is rotated
by the mercury comes through the top of the train carrier to gear with the train
of recording wheels I insert in the train carrier a closely fitting steel cylinder,
which is quite clear of the spindle. On the top of this cylinder I fix by means
of cement a thick India-rubber ring which is also quite clear of the spindle.
Through the side of the train-carrier I pass a pin on the end of which is formed
an eccentric.
The steel cylinder above referred to being provided with a hole, which receives
the eccentric end of the pin above mentioned.
By giving this pin a half turn, the eccentric lifts up the steel cylinder and
presses the India-rubber washer against a collett, this collett being secured by
means of a small screw to the spindle above mentioned.
The spindle is only able to move up a very small distance owing to a shoulder
on the spindle coming into contact with the supporting jewel bearing at the top
of the spindle, thus the India-rubber washer above mentioned is tightly com-
pressed between the steel cylinder and the collett secured to the spindle.
The eccentric pin which actuates the steel cylinder can be locked in position
when the India-rubber washer firmly pressed against the collett, and thus it is
impossible for the mercury to escape from the containing chamber even should
the meter be turned upside down. On the other hand when it is desired to set
the meter in action, the locking screw is freed so that the eccentric pin can be
turned, thus lowering the steel cylinder with the India-rubber washer attached
to it, and as soon as the spindle is clear and free to revolve the eccentric pin is
again locked with the spindle in its working position until it is desired to
transport the meter again.
The collett screwed on to the spindle above mentioned is made to overhang
the clearance hole in the steel cylinder, and thus the entry of dust and dirt into
the meter is to a great extent prevented.
Another way of carrying out my invention is to have an India-rubber washer
mounted between two small colletts secured on the spindle, the India-rubber
washer thus revolving when the meter is in action slightly clear of two circular
projecting flanges on the inside of the train carrier a top flange consisting of a

page_text: circular collar is dropped in and fixed permanently in position by means of a
Knall set screw. The bottom flango would be in the same form as the steel
cylinder before described, and would be kept in position by a similar pin with an
eccentric end as before described. Thus, when it was desired to move the meter,
the eccentric pin would be unlocked. It would then be given a half turn and
the lower steel cylinder would be raised when the India-rubber ring now referred
to would be gripped tightly between the fixed and the moveable circular collars
thus preventing any possibility of mercury being lost from the meter in transit,
during such time as the spindle was locked, by means of a small locking screw, in
the position where the washer is clamped between the two collars.
According to another method I may carry out my invention by having a
shoulder made inside the train carrier and on this shoulder there is carried an
India-rubber ring. On the spindle which passes up through the train carrier I
screw or otherwise hold on a piece of steel tube of the requisite diameter to just
clear the rubber ring. The top of the train would be screwed to receive a gland,
which gland when screwed down sufficiently far would press out the india-rubber
ring until it made a mercury tight joint with the steel tube on the spindle above
referred to.
In another method I may construct the train carrier at the top, inside, of a
conical shape and suspend in it a rubber ring, and also construct the circular piece
of steel carried on the spindle in such a shape that when it is lifted up by a pin
having an eccentric end similar to those before described the steel piece presses
against the rubber ring so that it is impossible for the mercury to escape. The
eccentric may be locked in position as before described.
Dated this 2nd daw of Fah 1807
improvements in Electricity meters.
I, SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer and Electrician, 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:-
In electric meters similar in construction to those referred to in several Patents
already granted to me wherein mercury is used as a conductor or contact-maker,
and also sometimes as a means of retardation of the motion, or as a means of
floating meter armatures, it has up to the present time been found necessary, when
sending the meters by rail to send the requisite amount of mercury required for
each meter in a separate receptacle.
My invention has for its object means for allowing the mercury to be left in the
meter when the meter has to be conveyed any distance.
In order that my invention may be better understood I will now proceed to
describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, reference being had to
the letters and figures marked thereon, like letters referring to like parts in the
several figures.
To achieve the result above referred to in my own type of meter, where the
spindle, which is rotated by the mercury comes through the top of the train
carrier to gear with the train of recording wheels I insert in the train carrier a
closely fitting steel cylinder (a), Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which is quite clear of the
spindle (b). On the top of this cylinder I fix by means of cement or other means,
a thick indiarubber ring (c), Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which is also quite clear of the

page_text: spindle. Through the side of the train carrier (), Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I pass a pin (e),
Figs. 1 and 3, on the end of which is formed an eccentric (f).
The steel cylinder (a) is provided with a hole (7) Fig. 2, which receives the
eccentric. By giving the pin (c) a half turn the eccentric lifts up the steel
cylinder (a) and presses the indiarubber ring (c) against a collet (h), Figs. 1, 2
and 3, this collet being secured by means of a small screw (5), Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to
the spindle (b).
The spindle (b) is only able to move up a very small distance owing to the
shoulder (4), Figs. 1 and 2 on the spindle coming into contact with the supporting
jewel bearing at the top of the spindle, thus the indinrubber ring (c) is tightly
compressed between the steel cylinder (a) and the collet (h) secured to the
spindle (b).
The eccentric pin (e), Figs. 1 and 3, which actuates the steel cylinder (a) can
be locked in position by means of the locking screw (m), Figs. 1 and 2 when the
india-rubber washer (c) is firmly pressed against the collet (h), and thus it is
impossible for the mercury to escape from the containing chamber (7) even should
the meter be turned upside down. On the other hand, when it is desired to get
the meter in action the locking screw (m) is freed so that the eccentric pin (e) can
be turned, thus lowering the steel cylinder (a) with the iudia-rubber ring (c)
attached to it, and as soon as the spindle (b) is clear and free to revolve the eccentric
pin (e) is again locked with the spindle in its working position until it is desired
to again transport the meter.
The collet (h) screwed on to the spindle (6) is made to overhang the clearance
hole in the steel cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and thus the cutry of dirt
and dust into the meter during the time the steel cylinder is in its lowest position
is to a great extent provented.
Another way of carrying out my invention is to have an indiarubber washer (c)
mounted between two small collets (h), Figs. 6 and 7 secured on the spindle (b),
the india-rubber washer (c) thus revolving when the meter is in action slightly
clear of two circular projecting flanges. On the inside of the train carrier a top
flange consisting of circular collar (0), Figs. 6 and 7 is dropped in and fixed per-
manently in position by means of a small set screw. The bottom flange (p).
Figs. 6 and 7 would be in the same form as the steel cylinder shown in Figs. 1,
2 and 3 and would be kept in position by a similar pin (e), Figs. 6 and 7 with an
eccentric end. Thus, when it was desired to move the meter the eccentric pin (e)
would be unlocked by loosening the locking screw (m) Figs. 6 and 7. It would then
be given a half turn and the lower steel cylinder (p) would be raised, when the
indin-rubber ring (e) would be gripped tightly between the fixed collar (o) and
the movable collar (p), thus sealing the top of the mercury chamber and pre-
venting the mercury escaping during transit of the meter during such time as the
lower steel cylinder (p) may be locked in the position where it presses the india
rubber ring (c) against the top collar (0), Figs. 6 and 7.
According to another method I may carry out my invention by having a shoulder
made inside the train carrier as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and on this shoulder (9)
there is carried an Indiarubber ring (c). On the spindle (b), which passes up
through the train carrier I screw or otherwise hold on a piece of steel tube (r),
Figs. 4 and 5, and of the requisito diameter to just clear the rubber ring (c). The
top of the train carrier would be screwed to receive a glaud (y), Figs. 4 and 5,
which gland when screwed down sufficiently far would press out the indiarubber
ring (c) until it made a mercury tight joint with the steel tube (r).
In another method I may construct the train carrier at the top inside of a
conical shape as shown on Figs. 8 and 9 and suspend in it a rubber ring (c), and
also construct the circular piece of steel (t), Figs. 8 and 9 carried on the spindle
in such a shape that when it is lifted up by the pin (e), which pin has an eccentric
end similar to those described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, the steel
piece (1) presses against the rubber ring (c) so that it is impossible for the mercury

page_text: to escape. The eccentric (f) may be locked in position as above described by
means of the locking screw (m).
Another method of carrying out my invention is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11.
In Fig. 10 I show a rubber ring (c), resting upon square flanges in the top of the
train carrier. There is also fixed a movable cylinder (p) similar to the moving
cylinder described in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7. This cylinder when actuated by the
eccentric pin (e) can either be made to compress the rubber ring so that it makes
a mercury tight joint against the spindle (b), or in the reverse position so that
tho spindle (b) is free to revolve. When the rubber ring is pressed against the
spindle (b) the mercury cannot escape from the meter. The eccentric pin may
as in the other cases be locked in position by means of a locking screw (m). In
Fig. 1 show another method of carrying out my invention, in which the
cylinder (p) is below the rubber ring (c). When the eccentric pin (e) is turned
so that its eccentric end is in its uppermost position, the rubber ring is then
pressed so that it is tight against the collar (r) carried on the spindle (b), and by
this means prevents the mercury escaping from the meter during transit. By
giving the eccentric pin (e) n half turn the steel cylinder (p) is lowered and the
rubber ring (c) is allowed to take its normal shape when the spindle (b) is free to
revolve. The eccentric pin (e) may be locked in either position by means of a
locking screw (m) as described in reference to the other figures above mentioned.
My invention is also suitable for preventing the mercury from spilling out of
the Hoat chambers of electricity meters, for which Letters Patent No. 13621 of
1888 have been granted to me, in which the revolving armature is carried on a
spindle, and has its weight counterbalanced by means of a float mounted on the
same spindle. and immersed in mercury or other suitable liquid as shown in
Fig. 12, (e) being the rubber ring, and on the eccentric pin (e) being turned so
that the eccentric occupies its lowest position the rubber ring (c) is pressed out
against the spindle (b) and a mercury tight joint is formed.
My invention may also be applied to another form of meter patented by me,
Letters Patent No. 701, 1887, as illustrated and described in Fig. 13, in which a
revolving cylinder of iron is immersed in mercury and flotation compensated by
means of a balance weight on the same spindle in air, (e) being the eccentric pin,
which when turned so that the eccentric end occupies its lowest position the rubber
ring (c) is pressed until it makes a mercury tight joint against the spindle (b).
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 :-
:-
1. In an electricity meter using mercury, retaining tho mercury in position by
the use of a gland through which the spindle passes freely during work, and
which gland is capable of being closed when desired.
2. In an electricity meter using liquid, retaining the liquid in position by the
use of a glaud through which the spindle passes freely during work, and which
gland is capable of being closed when desired.
3. In electricity meters substantially as described and illustrated, retaining the
liquid by means of a gland capable of being closed when desired.
4. Glands for retaining the liquid in electricity meters, substantially as described
and illustrated.
5. In electricity meters using liquid, retaining such liquid by means of glands
or packing, substantially as described and illustrated.
6. My improvements in electricity meters substantially as described and illus-
trated.
Dated thin and dor of December 1907