Improvements in Electric Meters.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1890.
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1891-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Meters.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
a communication to me from abroad by Tony Blein of Lyons in the Republic of
France Architect, to be as follows:-
The meter forming the subject of the present invention has for its object the
registration in hour-ampères the intensity of an electric current whatever may be
its vibrations.
It consists first of a clock movement M working a commutator B having four.
specially shaped arms which makes exactly one revolution in an hour.
Second of an ampère meter or galvanometer A traversed by the current, the
vertical axis of this galvanometer carries a needle F whose curved point moves on
the upper face of the commutator B, approaching nearer to the centre thereof
according as the intensity of the current increases.
Third of a recorder or counter C operated by the clock movement by means of
gearing which works only when the needle F is in contact with one of the arms of
the commutator B.*
Fourth of two electric-magnets E and H, the first E serving to put in operation
the clock movement as soon as a current traverses the apparatus, and the second H
operating the counter gearing.
The apparatus is introduced upon one of the wires a. a of the circuit attached
to the terminals I. J which communicate with the ampère meter A by the
wires a¹ a¹¹.
From the other wire b. b. of the circuit leaves a small derived current e connected
with the terminal K, which communicates with the metallic base L of the
apparatus, this derived current traverses the electric magnet E returns to the
circuit by the terminal I. As soon as a current traverses the apparatus, the electro-
magnet E attracts therefore the armature N which by means of the fork O.fixed to
it, pushes the lever P which unlatches the last motor of the clock movement and
allows it to work as long as the current passes. As soon as the current ceases, the
armature N, brought back by a spring moves the lever P in the reverse direction
which latches anew the movement and stops it at once.
Thus the commutator B is put in motion at the regular speed of one revolution
per hour, by the action of a current of any intensity and it is stopped as soon as the
current 'ceases.
On the other part, the current. traversing the ampère meter A deviates the
needle F which approaches more or less the centre of the commutator according to
the intensity of the current, zero corresponding with the circumference and the
intensity maximum with the centre.
During the rotation of the commutator, the point of the needle encounters
alternately full surfaces and spaces; during the contact of the needle with the full
surfaces the derived current coming to the commutator by the base of the
apparatus, traverses the needle and passes to the terminal J by the wires m. m²
passing through the electro magnet H, this latter therefore attracts its armature R
whose extremity acts upon the pinion T of the clock movement.
When the point of the needle passes into the space between the arms of the
commutator, the derived current is interrupted and the armature R, brought back
by a spring, raises the pinion S. and stops the motion of the counter.
Thus the counter works at the same speed as the commutator during the passage

page_text: of the needle F over the full parts, and stops during the passage of the needle
within the spaces.
The commutator is divided into concentric zones in each of which the relation of the
full surface to the space is proportional to the intensity of the current which brings
the needle within this zone. The central zone having no space corresponds with
the maximum of intensity to be registered.
To render the explanation complete we will take 10 hour ampères for this
intensity maximum; when it is attained, the needle arrived at the centre of the
commutator will remain in contact during the whole circumference, the counter will
therefore work constantly and will mark at the end of an hour 10 hour ampères; if
the intensity descends to 9 hour ampères the needle will pass into the following
zone comprising 10 of space and of full, the counter will therefore only make
of a revolution during an hour and will mark 9 hour ampères, and so on to the
exterior zone which corresponds with the intensity maximum capable of putting the
apparatus in operation.
It will be seen therefore that the counter registers in a continuous and exact
manner the quantity of electricity which traverses it whatever may be the
variations of intensity of the current. This end being attained by the combination
in a single meter of the exact measure of time and of that of the electric energy.
The invention is not confined to the exact details above described.
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Electric Meters.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion, a communication to me from abroad by Tony Blein, of Lyons, in the Republic
of France, Architect, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the drawing accompanying my Provisional Specification:-
The meter forming the subject of the present invention has for its object to
register in hour-ampères the intensity of an electric current, whatever may be its
vibrations.
It consists, first, of a clock movement M working a commutator B, having four
specially shaped arms, which makes exactly one revolution in an hour. Second, of
an ampère meter or galvanometer A traversed by the current; the vertical axis of
this galvanometer carries a needle F, whose curved point is moved over the upper
face of the commutator B, approaching nearer to the centre thereof according as
the intensity of the current increases. Third, of a recorder or counter C operated
by the clock movement by means of gearing which works only when the needle F
is in contact with one of the arms of the commutator B. Fourth, of two electro
magnets E and H, the first, E, serving to put in operation the clock movement as
soon as a current traverses the apparatus, and the second, H, controlling- the
counter gearing.
The apparatus is introduced upon one of the wires a a of the circuit attached
to the terminals IJ, which communicate with the ampère meter A by the
wires a¹ a¹¹
From the other wire of the circuit, leaves a small derived current e connected
with the terminal K, which communicates with the metallic base L of the
apparatus; this derived current traverses the electro magnet E and returns to the
circuit by the terminal !. As soon as a current traverses the apparatus, the electro

page_text: magnet E attracts therefore the armature N, which, by means of the fork O fixed
to it, pushes the lever P, which unlatches the last motor of the clock movement and
allows it to work as long as the current passes. As soon as the current ceases, the
armature N, brought back by a spring, moves the lever P in the reverse direction,
which latches anew the movement and stops it at once.
Thus the commutator B is put in motion at the regular speed of one revolution
per hour, by the action of a current of any intensity, and it is stopped as soon as the
current ceases.
>
On the other part, the current traversing the ampère meter A, deviates the
needle F, which approaches more or less the centre of the commutator according to
the intensity of the current, zero corresponding with the circumference and the
intensity maximum with the centre.
During the rotation of the commutator, the point of the needle encounters
alternately full surfaces and spaces; during the contact of the needle with the full
surfaces, the derived current, coming to the commutator by the base of the
apparatus, traverses the needle and passes to the terminal J by the wires m m¹
passing through the electro magnet H; this latter therefore attracts its armature R,
whose extremity acts upon the pinion S which receives motion from the pinion T of
the clock movement through an intermediate pinion. When the point of the needle.
passes into the space between the arms of the commutator, the derived current is
interrupted and the armature R, brought back by a spring, raises the pinion S and
stops the motion of the counter.
Thus the counter works at the same speed as the commutator during the passage
of the needle F over the full parts, and stops during the passage of the needle over
the spaces.
The commutator is divided into concentric zones, in each of which the relation of
the full surface to the space is proportional to the intensity of the current which
brings the needle within this zone. The central zone, having no space, corresponds
with the maximum of intensity to be registered.
To render the explanation complete, we will take 10 hour ampères for this.
intensity maximum; when it is attained, the needle, arrived at the centre of the
commutator, will remain in contact during the whole circumference, the counter will
therefore work constantly and will mark at the end of an hour, 10 hour ampères; ·
if the intensity descends to 9 hour ampères, the needle will pass into the following
zone comprising of space and of full, the counter will therefore only make
of revolutions during an hour and will mark 9 hour ampères, and so on to the
exterior zone, which corresponds with the intensity minimum capable of putting
the apparatus in operation.
It will be seen therefore that the counter registers in a continuous and exact
manner, the quantity of electricity which traverses it, whatever may be the
variations of intensity of the current. This end being attained by the combination
in a single meter of the exact measure of time and of that of the electric energy.
The invention is not confined to the exact details above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an electric meter, the combination of a commutator B having spaces and
receiving a regular rotary motion, with a galvanometer whose needle F is moved
over the said commutator from the circumference to the centre, passing alternately
over the full surfaces and spaces, the relation of the full surface to the space being,
upon each circumference travelled by the needle, proportional to the electric
intensity which brings the needle over this circumference.
2. The combination with the spaced commutator B and needle F of the galvano-
meter, of a counter working only whilst the needle F is in contact with the full
surface or portion of the commutator, said contact closing by this means a derived

page_text: circuit, which maintains during this time the connection of the counter with
movement of the commutator.
3. The combination with the spaced commutator B, of a clock movement, by
which it receives a regular motion, the said movement being arrested by a catch
which disengages it only when the current traverses the apparatus.
Dated this 4th day of July 1901
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents.