IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Myers, of Millbank Row, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and Thomas Guy. Progers,
of Cambridge Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Manager to
Mr. Thomas Edge, Gas Meter Manufacturer, Westminster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS."
Sealed the 8th November 1864, and dated the 13th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Myers aud
Thomas Guy Progers at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 13th May 1864.
We, EDWARD MYERS, of Millbank Row, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and THOMAS GUY PROGERS, of Cambridge
Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Manager to Mr. Thomas
Edge, Gas Meter Manufacturer, Westminster, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in wet gas meters relate, first, to the arrangement of the
float which acts to open the valve in the inlet passage or chamber. Here-
tofore the inlet valve has been attached or connected to the stem of the float,

page_text: and in consequence of this arrangement it has been very difficult to ensure
the perfect closing of the inlet valve when the water in the meter has sunk
below its proper level, and our improvements consist in disconnecting the
float from the inlet valve when it is closed, the acting of the float causing the
upper end of its stem or rod to press upon the under side of the inlet valve to
raise and retain it open whilst there is sufficient water in the meter to cause
it to do so. When the float descends the inlet valve is free to close by its own
gravity, the stem of the float being only allowed to descend just sufficiently
below the under side of the valve as to allow it to rest upon its seat when
closed, in order that it may come into action again directly the proper level of
the water is restored. When the inlet valve is closed, the lower end of the
stem or rod which passes through and is attached to the float rests on
the bottom of the water chamber to prevent the further descent of the
float.
Another of our improvements consists in the application of cast-iron, steel,
combined or compound metal plates over the valve box and division plate, in
order to prevent the drilling or perforation of this part of the meter for the
fraudulent passage of the gas therethrough.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Myers and Thomas Guy Progers in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
MYERS, of Millbank Row, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, and THOMAS GUY PROGERS, of Cambridge Street, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, Manager to Mr. Thomas Edge, Gas Meter Manu-
facturer, Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Edward Myers and Thomas Guy Progers, Her special licence that
we. the said Edward Myers and Thomas Guy Progers, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Edward Myers

page_text: and Thomas Guy Progers, our 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WET GAS METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Edward Myers and Thomas Guy Progers, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Thomas Guy Progers on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Myers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say:-
Our improvements in wet gas meters relate, first, to the arrangement of the
float which acts to open the valve in the inlet passage or chamber. Here-
tofore the inlet valvo has been attached or connected to the stem of the float,
and in consequence of this arrangement it has been very difficult to ensure
the perfect closing of the inlet valve when the water in the meter has sunk
below its proper level, and our improvements consist in disconnecting the
float from the inlet valve when it is closed, the action of the float causing the
upper end of its stem or rod to press upon the under side of the inlet valve to
raise and retain it open whilst there is sufficient water in the meter to
cause it to do so. When the float descends the inlet valve is free to close by
its own gravity, the stem of the float being only allowed to descend just
sufficiently below the under side of the valve as to allow it to rest upon its seat
when closed in order that it may come into action again directly the proper
level of the water is restored. When the inlet valve is closed the lower end
of the stem or rod which passes through and is attached to the float rests
on the bottom of the water chamber to prevent the further descent of the
float.
Another of our improvements consists in the application of cast-iron, steel,
combined or compound metal plates over the valve box and division plate in

page_text: fradulent passage of the gas therethrough.
And in order that our Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into practice we will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a section of so much of a wet gas meter as will enable us
to describe our present improvements.
a is the inlet pipe or passage, and 6 is a lever valve moving on the pin
joint b¹ in the inlet chamber a¹; c is a float capable of adjustment on the stem c¹
by means of a screw thread at the lower end thereof. The float d is capable
of moving up and down upon the tube d', within which the stem c¹ moves up
and down as the float c rises or falls with the level of the water in the
chamber d. When the water in the chamber d is at the proper level the
upper end of the stem c¹ of the float c acts on the under side of the lever
valve b. to retain it open, thus permitting the gas to pass into the meter, but
when the water in the chamber d descends below a certain level the lower end
of the stem c¹ rests on the bottom of the chamber d, as indicated by red lines,
and the upper end of the stem of the float no longer acts to raise the valve b
from its seat, thus cutting off the passage of the gas to the meter. Figure 2
shews the float c and stem c¹ arranged so as to act in the manner previously
directed upon a vertical lift valve b, the stem b¹ of which is guided up and
down through an opening in the bracket 6. It will thus be seen that when
the float c descends into the position indicated by red lines that the upper end
of the stem c¹ will no longer act upon the valve 6 to raise it from its seat, e is
a plate of cast-iron, steel, combined or compound metal, fixed over the valve
box and underneath the inlet passage to prevent the drilling or perforation of
this part of the meter for the fraudulent passage of the gas when the inlet
valve ceases to act or otherwise.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is carried into practice, we would have it understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein shewn and described,
so long as the peculiar character of our Invention be retained, but what we
claim is,
First, the improved arrangement of the float and inlet valve of gas meters
as berein described.

page_text: . And secondly, we claim the protection of the valve box and division plate
of gas meters to prevent the fraudulent passage of the gas as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Guy Progers, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
THOMAS GUY PROGERS. (L.B.)
34, Southampton Buildings, W. C.