IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRY GAS METERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to -Walter Payton, of 70, Sewardstone Road, Victoria
Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRY GAS METERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 9th November 1866, and dated the 15th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Payton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th May 1866.
I, WALTER PAYTON, of 70, Sewardstone Road, Victoria Park, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRY GAS METERS, PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER
LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to that class of dry gas meters the cases of which
are formed chiefly of cast iron, and the object of the improvements is to obtain
simplicity of construction of such meters with facility of access to the parts
thereof in case of need. For this purpose I form the body of the meter in
two parts, each part having one solid face and an open end. The open ends
of the two parts are united by a screw or a flange joint. Such joint is also
the means of holding correctly in position the central partition forming the
division or separation between the two compartments containing the
diaphragms; this partition is also formed with a flange or flanges to receive
a packing. Each part of the body of the meter is also formed with a rim
projecting inwards to receive and hold by set screws or otherwise an outer rim

page_text: carrying the stationary portion of one of the flexible partitions, so that such
partitions may be readily removed and replaced on the separation of the parts
of the body of the meter. Each of these projecting rims is also formed to
contain a gas way leading to its interior when its diaphragm is in position.
I also apply to each of the axes which by arms are connected to the
moveable diaphragms, and by other arms are connected to the valves, conical
or other shaped projections to fit into corresponding conical or other shaped
seats to which they are held by spring or weight pressure so as to render
stuffed packing unnecessary. This substitution for stuffing box arrangements
is also applicable to other axes of dry gas meters, and to axes of meters for
measuring water and other liquids. I form the valve seats and the passages
thereto of white metal or "composition" with a tin or white metal cover to
the passages thereof so as to close the same by soldering, and I form flanges
to these parts so as to pass into recesses formed for them in and facilitate
ready connection with the cast-iron parts of the meter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Walter Payton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
PAYTON, of 70, Sewardstone Road, Victoria Park, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Walter Payton, Her special licence that I, the said Walter
Payton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Walter Payton, 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 DRY GAS METERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the
condition, amongst others, that I, the said Walter Payton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of

page_text: 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 -Walter Payton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements relate to that class of dry gas meters the cases of which
are formed chiefly of cast iron, and the object of the improvements is to
obtain simplicity of construction of such meters with facility of access to the
parts thereof in case of need. For this purpose I form the body of the meter
in two parts, each part having one solid face and an open end. The open
ends of the two parts are united by a screw or a flange joint. Such joint
is also the means of holding correctly in position the central partition forming
the division or separation between the two compartments containing the
diaphragms; this partition is also formed with a flange or flanges to
receive a packing. Each part of the body of the meter is also formed with
a rim projecting inwards to receive and hold by set screws or otherwise
an outer rim carrying the stationary portion of one of the flexible partitions, so
that such partitions may be readily removed and replaced on the separation
of the parts of the body of the meter. Each of these projecting rims is also
formed to contain a gasway leading to its interior when its diaphragm is
in position. I also apply to each of the axes which by arms are connected
to the moveable diaphragms, and by other arms are connected to the valves,
conical or other shaped projections to fit into corresponding conical or
other shaped seats, to which they are held by spring or weight pressure so
as to render stuffed packing unnecessary. This substitution for stuffing box
arrangements is also applicable to other axes of dry gas meters and to axes
of meters for measuring water and other liquids. I form the valve seats and
the passages thereto of white metal or composition, with a tin or white
metal cover to the passages thereof so as to close the same by soldering,'
and I form flanges to these parts so as to pass into recesses formed for
them in and facilitate ready connection with the cast-iron parts of the
meter.
.
But that the Invention may be fully understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me in carrying
the same inte front

page_text: Figure 1 shews an external view, and Figure 2 a section of the case of
a meter for measuring gas constructed according to my Invention, and
formed chiefly of cast iron; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,
and 15, shew some of the parts separately, in order that their construction
may be better understood. In each of the views the same letters indicate
corresponding parts wherever they occur.
A, A, indicates what is generally called the body of the meter; B, the
chamber or part containing the action and valves. The body A, A, is
formed in two parts 1, 1, and 2, 2, of cast iron; each of these parts is formed
with one solid face a and an open end, and these open ends of the two parts
are formed one with a male screw a¹ and the other with a female screw a³, by
which they are united together, or flanges may be used if desired at those
parts, and when the parts 1, 1, and 2, 2, are brought together, as indicated
by Figure 2, the parts at the joint e serve to clip the edge of the central
partition 6 and hold it in position; b' is a flange to this partition b, around
which packing may be applied in order to prevent the escape of gas in that
direction from one part to the other; a³ is a rim cast on each of the parts a
to receive and hold by means of set screws or otherwise the rims c, each
of which carries one edge of the flexible portions of the moveable diaphragms
in such manner that those parts may be readily removed and replaced on the
separation of the parts 1 and 2. These rims c also carry the arms c², which
with the links ³ form the parallel motions to the diaphragms. The rims a³
have also formed in them the gas passages g, h; d, d, are the valves, and e, e,
the valve seats; f¹,f", are the passages for the gas from the inlet pipe f to
the valve seats, and g, h, i, and j, the passages between the valve seats and
the four measuring compartments for the passage of the gas to and from such
valve seats, and k, k, are the outlets for the measured gas from the valve
seats to the outlet pipe l. These valve seats e and passages g, h, i, j, k, are
formed together of white metal or "composition," with tin or white metal
covers m, so as to close the same by soldering on the under side thereof;
n, n, are flanges or short pipes to facilitate ready connection of these parts
with the cast iron parts of the meter, and the whole is retained in position
by set screws n¹. The parts 1, 1, and 2, 2, may be connected together by
either external or internal flanges. When internal flanges are employed
long screws are used with passages for them at the parts desired, as shewn
by Figures 20 and 21. The cover r to the chamber B is retained in position
by screws The moveable diaphragms are connected by links o' to

page_text: arms o from the axes o, which at their upper ends have other arms o³, as
is well understood, connected by links of with the valves d to operate them,
as shewn, but in place of employing packing to the parts of these axes where
they pass from the body of the meter into the upper chamber B to prevent
the escape of gas with them I form each axis with a conical projection
or flange o, as shewn in Fig. 2, and also by Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19,
adapted in form to a correspondingly shaped recess in the seat p. A spring 9
acts to keep the parts together.
Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19, shew modifications in the application of the
spring 9 acting on the axis o to draw the conical projection or flange o* into
its seat. The position of the spring 9 may, however, be varied or the parts
may be retained in correct relative position by weighted pressure. This
method of packing the parts of the axes is applicable to other description of
gas meters and also to liquid meters.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise arrangements of parts shewn and described as the same may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention and in
place of rotary or partial rotary valves other valves may be employed; but
what I do claim is,-
•
Firstly, the manufacture of cast-iron bodies of gas meters in two parts
capable of being readily connected to and disconnected from each other, each
of such parts carrying its diaphragm and the passage to the enclosed chamber
thereof, in manner substantially as described.
Secondly, I claim the method of forming the passages f, g, h, i, j, and k,
with covers m, substantially as described.
Thirdly, I claim the method of packing (or rendering fluid or liquid tight)
the axes of gas and liquid meters, in manner substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Payton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WALIER PAYTON. (L.B.)