IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Warner, of King Street, Soho.
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN DRY GAS METERS."
Sealed the 14th November 1858, and dated the 14th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John
Warner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM JOHN WARNER, of King Street, Soho, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS" to be as follows:-
My first improvement is in the application of two flexible diaphragmis
on one cylinder, together with a partition and flange, and the forming
four chambers by soldering or otherwise fixing the whole into a case
at the flange.
Secondly, the application of universal joints to meters for converting
the vertical rotatory motion of the cranks into a reciprocating motion
for the slide valve covers.

page_text: Thirdly, the moving of slide valve covers by segments of spur wheels
geared into racks at the base of the covers.
Fourthly, making the regulating cranks or tangent screws and other
parts compensating by forming them of proportionate lengths of two
metals which expand unequally, say brass and iron, in order that the
several parts may work correctly, notwithstanding they may be subjected
to varying temperatures.
Fifthly, the actuating of the slide valve covers by horizontal cranks
geared to the shafts of the regulating cranks by bevel wheels, and
attached to the valve covers by connecting rods working
pins at two
sides of the base of each cover. The pins are fixed at points on a line
which bisects the base.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William John Warner in the Great Scal Patent
Office, on the 14th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM JOHN WARNER, of King Street, Soho, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Hler heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William John Warner, Her special licence
that I, the said William John Warner, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Jolin Warner,
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 wake,
usc, 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 condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William John Warner, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: 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 John Warner, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
These improvements are made for the purpose of obtaining a more
accurate machine than has hitherto been used for measuring gas:
First, by so forming all parts, which may be deemed necessary that
they will not be affected by different temperatures; and,
Secondly, by actuating the valve covers in a more determinate
manner than has hitherto been done, and in such a way that any
deposit the gas may make in its passage through them is less liable
to cause the covers to rise, and thus make them unsound.
Figure 1, is a front view of my meter, in which the manner of giving
motion to the index is shown. Figure 2, is a plan, which has the top
and valve box cover removed. The diaphragms and their gearage is
dotted in. A section is shown at Figure 3, with part of one of the
sides of the valve box broken away. The letters refer to the same.
parts in both.
.
First, I claim the application of two flexible diaphragms A', A', on
one cylinder B, B, together with a partition C, and flange D, D,
and the forming of four chambers by soldering the whole into the case
A, A, A, A, at the.flange.
Secondly, I claim the application of universal joints to meters for
converting the vertical rotatory motion of the cranks into a recipro-
cating one, for the slide valve covers E, E, are stuffing boxes through
which pass the rods F, F; these rods are connected with and receive
motion from the diaphragms. The motion thus obtained is transmitted
through the arms G, G, connecting links H, H, to the regulating
crank I, and right angle valve cranks J, J. The rotatory motion
which is thus obtained is converted into one oscillating or reciprocating
one for the valve covers K, K, by means of the arms L, L, universal
joints M, M, and connecting arms N, N. These arms are fastened to
horizontal shafts O, O, passing through stuffing boxes Q, Q, and working

page_text: in pivots Q, Q. The arms P1, P2, P3, P4, P³, P, P³, P³, are attached
to the shafts O, O, and give motion to the valve covers by the pins at
R, R, R, R. P, P, and P, and Ps, are put on the shafts loose, and
they or the others must be bent so as to bring the parts at the pins in
the same plane, when they are adjusted to the pins, and the loose pins
fastened to the shafts. The machinery in the upper chamber is pro-
tected from the action of the gas by its being confined to the valve
box S, S, the cover of which is removed, and part of one of the sides
removed to show the valves, &, T, T, T, the outlet, and the inlet
is T, T; the ports of the valves are at U', U, U, U. Communications
are made from Us, and U, to the interior of the diaphragm cylinder by
passages V, V, and pipes V1, V2, one of which is shown with the top
of the passage removed to show the pipe V, and the other with the
pipe covered. The action of this description of meter being well
understood needs no further description than the following. The
two diaphragms move parallel, and pass through their planes of
connection, communicating their motion to the machinery in the upper
chamber, as before described; the valves are so arranged that each
diaphragm chamber is successively filled with gas, and as the cubical
contents of each chamber is known the gas is thus measured, and then
discharged from the chambers in the order in which they were filled.
A rotatory motion of the crank being obtained from the diaphragms is
communicated to the index by the worm W, wheel X, and shaft and
pinion Y; the number of revolutions is thus recorded, and an account
taken of the space passed through by the diaphragms.
Thirdly, I claim the moving of slide valve covers by segments of
spur
wheels geared into racks at the base of the cover. Figure 4, is an
end view; A, is the valve seat; B, the cover to which are attached
racks C, C, geared to which and attached to the shafts D, are the
segments E, E; the end of the shaft D, may pass through a stuffing
box, and may be moved by an universal joint and vertical crank, as
above described, or it may be connected by a rod to a horizontal crank,
receiving motion from the shaft of the regulating screw by bevil
wheels.
Fourthly, I claim making the regulating cranks or tangent screws I,
and other parts, as the gearage arm at Figure 5, compensating by

page_text: forming them of proportionate lengths of two metals which expand
unequally, say brass and iron, in order that the several parts may work
correctly, notwithstanding they may be subjected to varying tempera-
tures. In making the regulating crank I take the distance of the
spindle I', from its centre of action I, and divide it into four parts,
ten of which I take as the length of the whole in iron I, and six for
the brass I, as the compensating part; I braze or otherwise connect
them together at I. The connecting rod at Figure 5, I set out in the
same manner, after dividing the rod into two parts. Each half I divide
into four parts, and take ten as the proportionate length of each part
in iron, as at A, A, and connect them at B, B, to a rod of brass, the
length of which is twelve of such parts. In each case it will be seen
that the length of the brass in 6 or 60, and iron 10 or 100. I do not
confine myself to the proportions. but I mention these as being the
most simple to show the principle of the compensating crank. The
exact proportions being 61 brass and 100 iron, and the proportions
must be corrected by experiment.
Fifthly and lastly, I claim the actuating of slide valve covers A, A,
of dry gas meters, as at Figure 6, by horizontal cranks B, B, geared
to the shaft of the regulating crank by bevil wheels C, and attached
to the valve covers by connecting rods D, D, D, D, working on
pins E, E, E, E; at the base of each cover the pins should be placed
as near the centre of the side as possible. The shaft of the crank B,
passes through the stuffing box F, to confine the gas to the valve
box G, G, one side only of which as shown; H, H, are guide wires
fastened to the valve covers, and passing through the guides, I, I, I, I.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Warner, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
WILLIAM JOHN WARNER. (L.S.)
Witness, JNo. Cook.