IMPROVEMENTS IN - APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Clegg, of 24, Regent's Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN -
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS."
Sealed the 19th February 1853, and dated the 28th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Clegg at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th December 1.852.
I, SAMUEL CLEGG, of 24, Regent's Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS" to be as follows:-
The gas flowing into the meter from the street mains is maintained
at an uniform pressure by the well known instrument called the Gas
Governor or Regulator, patented by me in 1815; such instrument
requiring no explanation here. The gas issuing from this governor
is conveyed through a slide valve into the gas-holder, or hood of a
second instrument of a like nature. This gas-holder or hood, rising
or falling, decreases or increases the area of the opening of the slide
valve; and since the pressure of the gas arriving at the opening of
the slide valve is rendered perfectly equal by the first named

page_text: governor, the quantity of gas passing through equal openings will
always be the same, or, which is the same thing, the quantity of
gas delivered by the opening will be according to the area of the
opening.
The area of the opening of the slide valve is increased or decreased
by the falling or rising of the gas-holder or hood of the second
governor, to which it is attached by a lever and rod; when the
gas-holder or hood is at the full extent of its rise the opening of the
slide valve is closed, and when it is quite down the said opening of
the slide valve is wide open.
Now the rising or falling of this second governor hood depends
upon the quantity of gas drawn from it to the burners; therefore,
if no gas be drawn off to the burners, the gas-holder or hood rises to
its full extent, and shuts off the gas; but as soon as any of the
burners are lighted, and gas drawn off in consequence, the gas-holder
or hood falls, the extent of its fall being in exact ratio to the
quantity of gas thus drawn off. The slide valve being attached to
this gas-holder or hood, as before mentioned, has its opening also
proportionably decreased or increased, such opening becoming thus
a measure for the gas passing through it; and as the position of
both the slide valve and the gas-holder or hood influences the length
of a stroke of a lever vibrating upon a fixed point, such vibrations
being maintained at one uniform speed by clockwork, it follows
that the number of vibrations and the length of stroke being
registered upon a dial, such dial will give the true quantity of gas
which has passed through the meter.
The clockwork now to be described consists of a spring, fuzec,
escapement, and pendulum, as in an ordinary time piece. On the
axis of one of the wheels, the choice depending upon its speed, is fixed
a crank giving, as it revolves, a vibratory motion to a rod, whose
fixed centre is situated the length of the said vibrating rod below
the said crank axis. The vibrations being on each side of a vertical
line, the speed and path of this vibrating rod are always the same,
being worked by the motion of the time piece. Upon this vibrating
rod one end of a horizontal bar is attached, so that it is free to move

page_text: up and down thereon; and the other end of this horizontal bar
works into the teeth of ratchet wheel. The moveable end of this
horizontal bar is so attached to the gas-holder or hood of the second
governor, that they move together, bringing the said moveable end
nearer or further from the centre of notion of the vertical vibrating
rod as the gas-holder rises or falls, thus decreasing or increasing
the length of its movement, and as a consequence decreasing or
increasing the speed of the ratchet wheel; that is to say, when the
gas-holder or hood of the second governor is at its greatest height,
the moveable end of the horizontal bar is brought to the centre of
motion of the vibrating rod, and by reason of there being then no
space passed through by the horizontal bar, no motion is com-
municated to the ratchet wheel; but when the gas-holder or hood of
the second governor is down, the moveable end of the horizontal
bar is brought to the full extent of the stroke of the vibrating rod,
and the greatest extent of motion is given to the ratchet wheel, and
at any intermediate position of the gas-holder or hood of the second
governor, intermediate positions are taken by the moveable end of
the horizontal bar upon the vibrating rod, and the motion of the
ratchet wheel regulated accordingly. A pinion or worm upon the
axis of this ratchet wheel works a train of wheels and dials, such as
are at present used as indices in ordinary gas-meters; the speed of
the ratchet wheel being regulated, as already explained, by the rising
or falling of the gas-holder or hood of the second governor, or, which
is the same thing, by the quantity of gas passing through the meter,
it follows that the index will point out the quantity of gas so passing
through the meter.
The slide valve regulating the opening through which the gas
passes to be measured has now to be described; in principle and
action it is similar to other slide valves in ordinary use; but in
order to ensure its perfect operation and freedom from adhering
moisture or other matter which would affect the area of the
opening, and thus the correct discharge of the gas, the position
and detail of the said slide valve are newly arranged. The seat of
the valve, or that part on which the slide moves, is placed at such

page_text: an angle with the horizon, that any moisture will drain from its
surface, and the sides of the opening through which the gas passes
are also sloped off, and the upper edge of the plate forming the slide
valve seat made sharp, that the same end may be attained.
As the gas will flow to the burners without being measured, so
soon as the clockwork stops, it is necessary that the gas should, in
such event, be prevented from passing through the meter; and
the gas is so prevented from passing through the meter by the
following contrivance: The inlet pipe of the meter is fitted with
a valve hung to a lever fixed upon a horizontal shaft; upon the
same horizontal shaft, and directly opposite to the pendulum of
the time piece, is fixed another lever, in such a position when
the valve is shut, as to be struck by the pendulum and raised; ;
the lever to which the inlet valve is hung being lifted at the same
time. Now, it is necessary, when the levers are thus lifted, that
they should remain so for some time, to prevent the necessity of
the pendulum touching its lever at every vibration, thus tending
to influence its speed, and to prevent also the unequal flow of
the gas through the valve. To effect this end a third lever is
fixed to the horizontal shaft on which are the others, and to this
third lever is attached a small vessel with flexible sides, like a
bellows, the bottom of the sides being secured air tight to the bottom
of the meter, in which is an opening covered by a delicate silken or
other valve, which opens as the bellows is lifted, and suffers it to
do so with perfect freedom. The bellows is lifted as the valve on
the inlet pipe is lifted, and when the pendulum leaves the lever
which it has just struck, the bellows has a tendency to fall, but
the valve at the bottom closes and prevents it; but it is necessary
that the bellows should fall only very slowly, therefore a small ori-
fice is left in the bottom, or in the valve, through which the air may
escape and enable it to do so.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Samuel Clegg in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
SAMUEL CLEGG, of 24, Regent's Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Clegg, Her
special licence that I, the said Samuel Clegg, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Clegg,
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
night make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, au
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING GAS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Clegg, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly 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 Samuel Clegg, 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):
The gas flowing into the meter from the street mains is main-
tained at an uniform pressure by the well known instrument called
the Gas Governor or Regulator, patented by me in One thousand

page_text: eight hundred and fifteen; such instrument requiring no explanation
here. The gas issuing from this governor is conveyed through a
slide valve into the gas-holder or hood of a second instrument of a
like nature. This gas-holder or hood, rising or falling, decreases or
increases the area of the opening of the slide valve; and since the
pressure of the gas arriving at the opening of the slide valve is ren-
dered perfectly equal by the first named governor, the quantity of
gas passing through equal openings will always be the same; or
which is the same thing, the quantity of gas delivered by the
opening will be according to the area of the opening.
The area of the opening of the slide valve is increased or de-
creased by the falling or rising of the gas-holder or hood of the
second governor, to which it is attached by a lever and rod. When
the gas-holder or hood is at the full extent of its rise the opening
of the slide valve is closed, and when it is quite down the said
opening of the slide valve is wide open.
Now, the rising or falling of this second governor hood depends
upon the quantity of gas drawn from it to the burners; therefore,
if no gas be drawn off to the burners, the gas-holder or hood rises
to its full extent, and shuts off the gas; but as soon as any of the
burners are lighted, and gas drawn off in consequence, the gas-
holder or hood falls, the extent of its full being in exact ratio to the
quantity of gas thus drawn of. The slide valve being attached to
this gas-holder or hood, as before mentioned, has its opening also
proportionally decreased or increased, such opening becoming thus
a measure for the gas passing through it; and as the position of
both the slide valve, and the gas-holder or hood influences the length
of the stroke of a lever vibrating upon a fixed point, such vibrations
being maintained at one uniform speed by clockwork, it follows
that the number of vibrations and the length of stroke being regis-
tered upon a dial, such dial will give the true quantity of, gas which
has passed through the meter.
The clockwork now to be described consists of a spring, fuzee,
escapement, and pendulum, as in an ordinary time piece. On the
axis of one of the wheels, the choice depending upon its' speed is

page_text: fixed a crank, giving, as it revolves, a vibratory motion to a rod,
whose fixed centre is situated the length of the said vibrating rod
below the said crank axis. The vibrations being on each side of
vertical line, the speed and path of this vibrating rod are always
the same, being worked by the motion of the time piece. Upon
this vibrating rod one end of a horizontal bar is attached, so that
it is free to move up and down thereon; and the other end of
this horizontal bar works into the teeth of a ratchet wheel. The
noveable end of this horizontal bar is so attached to the gas-
holder or hood of the second governor, that they move together,
bringing the said moveable end nearer or further from the centre
of motion of the vertical vibrating rod as the gas-holder rises or
falls, thus decreasing or increasing the length of its movement, and
as a consequence decreasing or increasing the speed of the ratchet
wheel; that is to say, when the gas-holder or hood of the second
governor is at its greatest height, the moveable end of the horizontal
bar is brought to the centre of motion of the vibrating rod, and by
reason of there being no space passed through by the horizontal bar,
no motion is communicated to the ratchet wheel, but when the gas-
holder or hood of the second governor is down, the moveable end
of the horizontal bar is brought to the full extent of the stroke of
the vibrating rod, and the greatest extent of motion is given to the
ratchet wheel, and at any intermediate position of the gas-holder or
hood of the second governor, intermediate positions are taken by.
the moveable end of the horizontal bar upon the vibrating rod,
the motion of the ratchet wheel regulated accordingly. A pinion
or worm upon the axis of this ratchet wheel works a train of.
wheels and dials, such as are at present used as indexes in ordi-
nary gas-meters. The speed of the ratchet wheel being regulated,
as already explained, by the rising or falling of the gas-holder
or hood of the second governor, or, which is the same thing, by the
quantity of gas passing through the meter, it follows that the index
will point out the quantity of gas so passing through the meter.
The slide valve, regulating the opening through which the gas
passes to be measured, has now to be described, in principle and

page_text: action. It is similar to other slide valves in ordinary use; but in
order to insure its perfect operation and freedom from adhering
moisture or other matter, which would affect the area of the opening,
and thus the correct discharge of the gas, the position and detail of
the said slide valve are newly arranged. The seat of the valve, or
that part on which the slide moves, is placed at such an angle with
the horizon, that any moisture will drain from its surface, and the
sides of the opening through which the gas passes are also sloped
off, and the upper edge of the plate, forming the slide valve seat
made sharp, that the same end may be attained.
As the gas will flow to the burners without being measured, so
soon as the clockwork stops, it is necessary that the gas should,
in such event, be prevented from passing through the meter, and
the gas is so prevented from passing through the water by the
following contrivance: The inlet pipe of the meter is fitted with
a valve, hung to a lever fixed upon a horizontal shaft; upon
the same horizontal shaft, and directly opposite to the pendulum
of the time piece, is fixed another lever, in such a position, when
the valve is shut, as to be struck by the pendulum, and raised,
the lever to which the inlet valve is hung being lifted at the
same time; now it is necessary, when the levers are thus lifted,
that they should remain so for some time, to prevent the necessity
of the pendulum touching its lever at every vibration; thus tend-
ing to influence its speed, and to prevent also the unequal flow
of the gas through the valve. To effect this end, a third lever
is fixed to the horizontal shaft on which are the others, and to
this third lever is attached a small vessel with flexible sides, like
a bellows, the bottom of the sides being secured air tight to the
bottom of the meter, in which is an opening covered by a delicate
silken or other valve, which opens as the bellows is lifted, and suffers
it to do so with perfect freedom. The bellows is lifted as the valve
on the inlet pipe is lifted, and when the pendulum leaves the lever
which it has just struck, the bellows has a tendency to full, but the
valve at the bottom closes and prevents it; but it is necessary that
the bellows should fall only very slowly, therefore a small orifice

page_text: is left in the bottom, or in the valve, through which the air may
escape and enable it to do so.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully under-
stood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the
means pursued by me.
The objects of this meter are, first, to measure gas by passing it
at an uniform pressure through an opening whose area is adjusted
according to the quantity of gas drawn from the meter by the burn-
ers and, secondly, to regulate the heights of the gas flames at the
burners, or to maintain them at a certain height, irrespective of the
number in use.
And the arrangements I adopt to effect the above objects are as
follows: The gas entering the meter from the street mains is con-
veyed through the pipe A, into a governor, of which A¹, is the cone,
and B, the regulating vessel floating in water, which, rising or fall-
ing with the varying pressure of the gas, decreases or increases the
arca of the opening, admitting it by means of the said cone A²,
whose sides approach or recede from the circular seat on the mouth
of the inlet pipe A; thus increasing or decreasing the space above
the water line, and reducing the gas to one uniform density, per-
mitting it to flow through the pipe C, at an unvarying pressure.
That the governing hood B, may work accurately, it is balanced
by means of the weighted lever L, and so adjusted as to be of equal
weight at all points of immersion. It is covered by a fixed vessel E,
connected with the external atmosphere, that the pressure upon its
upper surface may be uniform.
The gas passes from the pipe C, through the measuring opening
D, over which a slide D¹ moves, increasing or decreasing it, accord-
ing to the quantity of gas required by the burners.
The slide D', is thus worked: -A vessel or hood F, F, accurately
balanced, and having its outer surface in communication with the
external atmosphere, is placed over the valve D, so that the gas is
discharged through the valve into it; and this vessel rises or fulls in
accordance with the quantity of gas drawn from it to the burners.
The lever G, and the rod G', attached to the hood F, cominunicate

page_text: motion to the slide D₁. If no burners are lighted, the gas entering
will fill the hood, cause it to rise to the full extent of its motion, lift
the lever G, and entirely close the opening D. When one burner is
lighted, a portion of the internal pressure is removed, and the hood
will full slightly, and open the valve in proportion. When all the
burners attached to the meter are lighted, the hood will fall to the
full extent of its motion, and open the valve wide; and the quantity
of motion of the hood, and consequently of the valve, will always be.
in proportion to the number of burners lighted. The area of the
valve opening being adjusted by previous experiment to the total
quantity of gas the meter is intended to register, will thus become
an unerring measure for all less quantities as well; because the
pressure is always uniform, and the area of the opening in exact
proportion to the quantity of gas discharged through it.
The position of the governor, hoods, and valve, is shewn in the
Drawings at half stroke.
The regulation of the heights of the burner flames is effected by
the governor, which equalizes the pressure of the gas entering the
meter; but this is not a new instrument, and therefore not claimed
as part of this Patent; but its adoption as part of a meter is new,
and is specified as part of the Invention.
· It now remains to be shown how the motion of the valve, and the
quantity of gas passing through it, is registered upon the index. A
clock spring contained in the circular box M (the speed of which
is maintained uniform by an escapement to be described hereafter),
causes a crank S, fixed upon the pinion shaft, to revolve; a rod R,
connects this crank to an arm N, which vibrates on the fixed
centre N'. The stroke of this vibrating arm is equal to the throw
of the crank at the upper end, or where it is attached to the rod R;
but is of course nothing at the point N¹. The length of the vibra-
tions at each point between these two are in proportion to the
ordinates of the cone, and is one half of the throw of the crank at
the point o, midway between the fixed centre N', and the point N2,
where the rod R, is attached. The speed with which this arin N,
vibrates is always perfectly uniform.
A loose ring O, slides up and

page_text: down this vibrating arm, or upon a bar fixed parallel to it. This
loose ring is connected by the rod P, and lever Q, with the hood F.
The lever Q, is attached to the hood at Q, and has its fulcruin
at Q; so that, as the hood F, rises, owing to a decrease in the
outflow of the gas, the end at Q', of the lever rises also, depressing
to the same extent the opposite extremity or point at which the
rod P, is attached; causing also the loose ring O, upon the
vibrating arm to fall, or move nearer to the fixed centre N¹; thus
decreasing the space which the said loose ring moves through. As
the hood falls, owing to a greater outflow of gas to the burners, a
contrary action takes place, and the path through which O, vibrates
is increased.
The extent of this path or vibration is made to give a correspond-
ing extent of motion to the index of the meter, and is thus effected:
The loose ring O, is attached by a rod U2, to a detent Us, working
freely upon a centre U*; a pall U¹, is centered upon the upper end,
and drops into the teeth of the. ratchet wheel U. The vibrations of
the detent U³, are consequently precisely in accordance with those
of the loose ring O, as is also the number of teeth of the wheel taken
by the pall. The wheel is therefore regulated in speed by the
quantity of gas flowing out of the meter to the burners.
Upon the axis of the wheel U, a worm is fixed, the revolutions of
which are necessarily the same as those of the wheel U. This worm
communicates with the train of wheel work forming the index of
the meter, which, being of the same nature as those now in use in
ordinary gas-meters, need not be explained. The speed of the clock
spring contained in the box M, is preserved uniform throughout in
this manner: A vessel V2, V3, V4, has one of its bulbs filled with
mercury or other heavy substance, that will gravitate through the
small opening V+, formed by contracting the channel which forms the
communication between the two bulbs. We will suppose that the
bulb Vs, is full of mercury; it will, by its gravity, pass through the
opening, and gradually fill the bulb V2; the time occupied in
the passage being always the same, since the size of the opening, the
rate of inclination of the channel, and the weight of the mercury, is

page_text: always the same. When the bulb V2, is full, it, by its superior
weight, depresses the button V'; and, by so doing, lifts the end of
the lever, which is towards the wheel T. The wheel T, is fixed
upon the same shaft as the pinion working into the spur wheel on
the spring box; and would, if disengaged, revolve as the spring
uncoiled; but it is provided with four notches or stops, into one of
which the lever V, is shown in the Drawing to be placed. When
the lever V, is lifted as just described, the wheel is free to move
round ; but in so doing turns the bulb vessel V2, V³. By the
action of the bevelled wheels and shaft, sufficiently explained in the
Drawing, the bulb vessel turning is removed from the button V,
which immediately rises by the action of the spiral spring shewn
round the stem, and depresses the end towards T, of the lever V,
which thus forms a stop for the next notch in the wheel T. The
wheel T, performs, therefore, one revolution for every four of the
bulb vessel; and these being uniform, as already shewn, the revolu-
tions of the wheel T, are uniform likewise, and the speed of the
spring rendered uniform also.
In order to start the meter, it is necessary that the spring should
be wound up just before the gas burners are lighted; and as it is
essential that the meter should not permit any gas to pass to the
burners unless it be wound up, the following contrivance is intro-
duced to close the outlet valve when the clockwork is not in action:
Upon the inclined shaft of the bulb vessel V2, V3, is a crank W,
which, being attached by means of the rod W1, Figure 4, to a pair
of bellows W2, pumps air into a vessel W, through the pipe W³.
This vessel has elastic sides, and a small perforation through its
cover. When this vessel is kept full of air by means of the pump
or bellows, the outlet valve W6, is raised, as shewn in the Drawing;
but when the crank W, by reason of the clockwork stopping, ceases
to revolve, the pump or bellows W2, also ceases to pump air into the
vessel W, which therefore falls by its own weight (the air contained
in it escaping through the perforation before alluded to), and closes
the outlet valve, and shuts off the gas to the burners.
The material enclosing the rod W, which unites the valve W6,

page_text: to the top of the vessel W4, is of any elastic air-tight substance, such
as oiled silk, soft leather, &c., and is introduced for the purpose of
preventing the escape of air through the openings through which
the rod W, passes, in the bottom of the vessel W, and the top of
the outlet valve box. This elastic cover is of sufficient length to
allow of the rising and falling of the valve.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact details herein given, so long as the
peculiar character of my Invention be retained: but what I claim
as my Invention is, the adaptation of the common governor, patented
by me in One thousand eight hundred and fifteen, to the purposes
of a gas-meter as herein described; the construction of the valve
which admits the gas from the governor to the outer vessel as
herein described; and the mode of regulating the notion of the
wheel work, and shutting off the gas when the spring is down, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Clegg, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
Witness,
FRED. HARRIS.
SAMUEL CLEGG. (L.s.)