IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Stent, of Warwick Place, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Gas Meter Maker, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS AND
OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1856, and dated the 24th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Stent at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th July
1855.
I, HENRY STENT, of Warwick Place, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gas Meter Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR MEASURING
GAS AND OTHER FLUIDS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
mechanical arrangements of the ordinary wet gas meter, and consists,―
Firstly, of a new mode of making the external case by stamping from sheet
iron two circular hollow bodies, and uniting the edges thereof together by a
lap joint, thus forming a close hollow cylinder or case of sheet iron. The foot
on which the said case stands is also stamped in one entire piece from sheet
iron or other sheet metal, and is attached to the case by soldering, as commonly
practised. By the above mode of manufacturing the cases of gas meters they

page_text: are rendered more simple and efficient, and can be made at a much lower cost
than heretofore.
This Invention consists, secondly, in coating or covering with an alloy,
composed of tin and antimony, the surfaces of the sheet iron or other sheet
metal employed in the construction of gas meters, for the purpose of protecting
them from corrosion.
Thirdly, in an eccentric cylinder or crank pin fixed to the drum shaft of the
meter, and revolving between guides situated at one end of a pendulum rod
attached to the registering mechanism, and the employment of the above in
lieu of the mode heretofore practised in wet gas meters, namely, transmitting
the motion from the measuring drum shaft to the registering mechanism by a
worm and worm wheel.
Fourthly, in causing the valve which regulates the admission of gas to the
meter to open outside the valve box, instead of inside the same, as heretofore
practised, thus avoiding the occasional sudden closing of the valve, and con-
sequent extinguishing of the lights, and likewise preventing the valve from
adhering to its seat when closed.
Fifthly, in fixing a cap in an inverted position on the top of the pendulum
rod before mentioned, and over the spindle tube through which the pendulum
rod passes, for the purpose of protecting the registering mechanism of the
meter from corrosion.
Sixthly and lastly, in casting the syphon and dry well (which conveys the
gas into the measuring drum) in one entire piece of metal, instead of forming
such parts in several pieces, as heretofore practised.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Stent in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, HENRY
STENT, of Warwick Place, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gas
Meter Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Stent, Her special licence, that I, the said Henry Stent, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry

page_text: Stent, 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
CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS AND OTHER FLUIDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Stent, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and scals, 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 Henry Stent, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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:—
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
mechanical arrangements of the common wet gas meter, and consists,―
First, of a new mode of making the external case by means of stamping
from sheet iron or other metal, two circular hollow bodies, and uniting the
edges together by a lap joint, forming a close hollow cylinder. The foot on
which the case stands is also stamped from sheet iron or other metal, and
attached to the case by soldering, thus reducing the number of pieces required,
when those parts of the meter are made in the usual way.
Secondly, in coating the surfaces of sheet iron or other metal employed in
the construction of gas meters with an alloy of tin and antimony, which
protects them from corrosion.
Thirdly, in substituting for the usual mode of transmitting motion from the
measuring drum to the registering mechanism by endless screw and toothed
wheel, an eccentric cylinder or crank pin fixed to the drum shaft, that
revolves between guides at the end of an upright pendulum rod attached to the
registering mechanism.
Fourthly, in causing the valve that regulates the admission of gas to the
meters to open outside the valve box, thereby avoiding the occasional sudden
closing of the valve and consequent extinguishing of the lights, and also
preventing the valve from adhering to its seat when closed.
Fifthly, in fixing a cap on the top of the pendulum rod, and inverted over
the spindle tube, to protect the registering mechanism from corrosion.

page_text: Sixthly, in casting the syphon and dry well that conveys the gas into the
measuring drum in one entire body, which in the usual construction is composed
of several pieces of material.
In carrying out these improvements I proceed as follows: First, in making
the case I cut out of sheet iron or other metal circular plates of a size requisite
for the intended case, and having previously prepared a block of cast iron,
called a die, having on its upper surface a cavity corresponding with the
diameter of the intended case, and a little more than one-half of its intended
width in depth, I place the dic under the force or gravitating weight of a
stamping machine; and after laying the circular plate upon the surface of the
die, allow the force or gravitating weight to descend upon it, which drives
a portion of its surface into the cavity of the die, and causes it to assume a
hollow shape, corresponding with that of the die, but not to its full depth. The
partly formed portion of the case is then annealed, and again subjected to a
similar operation of stamping, until it is driven entirely into the die; it has
then assumed a shape representing one-half the case in width. After leaving the
die it is fixed upon a chuck in a lathe, the edge cropped, and the side smoothed
by a tool similar to a burnisher: as it requires two of these bodies to form a
case, there is a bead worked upon the edge of one of the hollow bodies to break
the joint; the edge of the other body is slightly turned inwards, and passed
inside the beaded edge, forming a close lapped joint. The foot of the case is
also stamped in a similar way to the case from sheet iron or other metal,
hollow or concave on its under side, of an oblong shape, having protruberances
formed on its upper side, corresponding with the cylindrical form of the case, to
which it is attached by solder.
Secondly, in coating the surfaces of sheet iron or other metals employed in
the construction of gas meters, I adopt the usual routine of operations observed
in the process of tinning iron; with this difference, namely, instead of using all
tin, I make an alloy of one-sixth part of antimony, and five-sixths parts of tin,
fusing the antimony first, and then adding the tin, keeping the mass well
agitated during the fusion of the metals; the surfaces of the metals to be
coated are prepared and immersed in the usual manner.
Thirdly, in transmitting motion from the measuring drum shaft to the
registering mechanism, I fix on the end of the drum shaft an eccentric cylinder
or crank pin of metal, glass, or other incorrodable material, that revolves with
the shaft between guides, which are also faced with glass or other incorrodable
material. These guides are connected at their lower end to an oblique arm of
a pendulum rod that passes up a conical tube called a spindle tube, and is

page_text: fastened at its upper end to a brass plate, having side ears that are connected
to the upper part of the frame of the registering mechanism or index, and
upon which, as a centre, the plate and pendulum rod oscillates by the motion
imparted to it by the revolution of the eccentric cylinder on the drum shaft. To
the under side of the plate, to which the pendulum rod is attached, is fixed a
conical tube or cap, inverted. Over the upper end of the spindle tube, near the
bottom end of the cap, is fixed, both front and back, a spring pall that falls into
the teeth of a horizontal ratchet wheel attached to a vertical axis or spindle
that is connected to the index, which is of the ordinary description; the palls
are protected from injury by being encased in sheaths attached to the sides of
the cap.
Fourthly, in causing the valve that regulates the admission of gas to the
meter to open outside the valve box, I convey the gas from the inlet pipe by a
flat chamber inside the upper part of the front of the case immediately under
the top of the front box. This opening is covered by the valve box fixed there,
and to the under side of which is placed the valve seat; the valve is of a
conical form and is hollow, the cavity corresponding with the external form,
but smaller in diameter; into this cavity is inserted one end of a horizontal
lever rod bent upwards at right angles, and carrying a collar fixed at about
half its length, and kept in its place by a plate attached to the under side of
the base of the valve. The other end of the lever rod, which vibrates on centres
in a suitable frame at about two-fifths of its length from the centre of the
valve, is turned into an eye that receives a corresponding eye on the top of a
globular float or air vessel; the wire that forms the eye to the float passes
through it, and also through a hole in a bracket guide below, attached to the
side of the front box, to keep the float in a vertical position; the peculiar form
and action of the valve insures its being perfectly air-tight when closed, and the
extra leverage of that side of the lever rod connected to the float is sufficient to
resist all tendency in the pressure of the gas to force it open.
Fifthly, in casting the syphon and dry well in one entire body, I first make
a mould consisting of two blocks of iron or brass, and form hollow cavities
therein on the face of each block, corresponding with one half the diameter of
the tubular form of the syphon, leaving at the ends of the cavities recesses or
prints for receiving the ends of a core (to be afterwards explained); the faces
of the mould arc to be made perfectly smooth and true, so that when clamped
together no metal can escape between them. Between the cavities conical
grooves are cut, for the purpose of pouring the moulten metal into the mould.
As the syphon is hollow, there must be prepared a core of sand and clay,

page_text: smaller than the cavities in the mould, which is done by having two blocks
similar to those composing the mould called a core box, with similar cavities
therein, but smaller than those of the mould; moist sand and clay is laid in
the cavities of each half of the core box, on the surface of which in one half is
laid pieces of small iron wire in the centre of the width of the cavity, to tic the
core and keep it from breaking. The two parts of the box are laid together
and gently struck, which causes the two halves of the core to adhere together;
one of the parts of the core box is then lifted off, and when the core is
sufficiently dry to be removed, it is placed near a fire and thoroughly dried.
After being trimmed, it is laid in the cavities of the casting mould, which
is clamped together, the metal poured in which will occupy the space left
between the core and the sides of the cavities, forming the syphon complete ;
when taken from the mould it is immersed in water to soften the core, which
is afterwards cleared out by a wire, the sharp edges filed off, and the work is
finished.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section of the foot.
Fig. 2, a perspective view of one half of the body of the case prepared
ready for joining together.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section through the length of the front box and
index box.
Fig. 4 shews a vertical section of the case and front box through its width.
Fig. 5 shews a perspective view of the external parts of the meter, when
finished according to these improvements.
Fig. 6 shews the syphon and dry well, as made according to the mode
described.
Fig. 7 shews a perspective view of the foot; Fig. 8, a plan of same.
a (Fig. 3), the eccentric cylinder attached to the end of the drum shaft (b),
and revolving between guides (c, c,) fixed to the end of an oblique arm of a
pendulum rod (d). (c) a conical tube enclosing a pendulum rod, and fixed
to the top of the front box; (f) a metallic plate having side ears that receives
a cross-pin, which also passes through the top of the index frame at (g). To
this plate is fixed the upper end of the pendulum rod, the cross pin forming its
centre of oscillation; to the under side of the plate is attached a conical cap
(h), and inverted over the upper end of the tube enclosing the pendulum rod.
This tube conducts the water that occasionally rises from the meter into a
receptacle (i), and from thence by a spout (j) to the outside of the index box;

page_text: to the outside of the cap (h), near its lower end, is fixed two spring palls (k, k,)
(one in front aud one behind), that fall into the teeth of a horizontal ratchet
wheel (1) attached to a vertical axis or spindle (m), connected to the index
frame, and actuating the registering mechanism of the ordinary kind; the
rotation of the drum shaft carries with it the eccentric cylinder, which imparts
to the pendulum rod an oscillating motion, which is transferred to the ratchet
wheel by the cap and palls, causing the wheel to rotate and actuate the
index train.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERNAL VALVE.
The gas entering the inlet pipe (y, Fig. 4) is conveyed by a flat chamber,
fixed to the inside of the front of the meter case, into the valve box n (Fig. 3)
thro' an opening at (0) made through the case. To the under side of the valve
box is fixed the valve seat (9), against which the valve presses when closed.
The valve (p) is seen in section; it is of a conical figure, and has a hollow
cavity, into which is inserted the end of the lever rod (7), upon the bent end of
which the valve is allowed to move freely, but prevented from escaping by a
collar fixed to the rod inside the valve, and the plate at the base of the valve;
the lever rod (7) vibrates on centres in the frame (s) fixed to the inside of the
front box, and is connected to the float or air vessel (v) by a knuckle joint (t) at
the top of the float; a wire, forming part of the joint, passes through the float,
and also through a hole in a bracket guide (w) that keeps the float in a vertical
position. y, Fig. 4, is the inlet pipe and chamber conveying the gas into the
meter; and (2) is the outlet; the mode of joining the two parts of the body of
the case is shewn at (a, a).
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I make no claim to the
parts individually, nor to the general arrangements of the parts of wet gas
meters; nor do I limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, as the
same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention; but what I do claim is,—-
First, forming the body of the case and foot of sheet iron or other metals by
stamping.
Secondly, coating the surfaces of sheet iron or other metal employed in the
construction of gas meters with an alloy of tin and antimony.
Thirdly, the mode of transmitting motion from the measuring drum shaft to
the registering mechanism, by means of an eccentric, cylinder, or crauk
pin revolving between guides attached to a pendulum rod connected to the
registering mechanism.

page_text: Fourthly, arranging the internal valve to open outside the valve box.
Fifthly, fixing an inverted cap over the spindle tube, to protect the registering
mechanism from corrosion.
And, sixthly, casting the syphon and dry well in one entire body, as set
orth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Stent, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
GEO. DOWNING.
HENRY STENT. (L.S.)