IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Shaw, of 40, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin,
Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Shaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st August 1861.
I, HENRY SHAW, of 40, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin, Printer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS
METERS," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to means for insuring a better measurement of gas
in wet gas meters, by obtaining a more uniform level of the water or other
liquid employed therein. For this purpose I provide the meter with a
reservoir capable of communicating with the body of the meter through a
valve supported by a float in the meter or a chamber thereof. When from
evaporation, or otherwise, the level of the water or other liquid in the meter
becomes reduced below that desired, the float will descend, and the valve
opened to admit the supply required. I also apply a sandstone or other
suitable filtering medium to filter the water or other liquid in passing to
the meter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Shaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SHAW, of 40, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin, Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Shaw, Her special licence that I, the said Henry. Shaw, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, -or-such-others-as-I, the-said-Henry
Shaw, 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 WET GAS
METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Shaw,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of 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 Henry Shaw, 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 and accompanying Drawing (that is to say) :-
The improvements relate to the application to the meter of a reservoir or
tank for the supply of such additional water or other, liquid as may from time to
time become necessary to make up for that which may be lost by evaporation,
or otherwise. The communication through which such additional supply of
water or other liquid do pass to the meter, to be by means of a valve or pipe,
which valve or pipe may be opened as the water in the meter is lowered, and
when the required supply from the reservoir or tank is admitted, such valve
will shut. Within the meter I place a float, in which I make a valve seat of
any suitable material, metal, wood, or caoutchouc; as the water in the meter
is raised to its proper level, so will it float the valve seat to its shutting off any
further supply than what may be necessary. Other means may be used

page_text: whereby the ordinary float used for regulating the gas valve may be made to
actuate a valve or pipe for admitting water from the water reservoir or tank,
as by means of a balance beam in connection with the gas float as it falls will
receive a stopper from out of a valve seat fixed in the reservoir. I use a
sandstone, sponge, or it may be a syphon, placed over the opening in the tank
to prevent the possibility of any dirt or grit interfering with the perfect action
of the valve or pipe for the supply of water.
To more fully describe the same, I annex a Drawing of an ordinary gas
meter with a reservoir a, float b, and valve with syphon c.
I would have it understood I do not confine myself to the precise details
shewn and described, so long as the peculiar character of the improvements be
retained; but what I do claim is, the adaptation and combination of means for
maintaining the water level in gas meters, as well as in ordinary tanks for
domestic or commercial purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Shaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
HENRY SHAW. (L.S.)