IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF GAB METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Bathgate, of Edinburgh, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF GAB METERS."
Sealed the 18th June 1869, and dated the 11th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Bathgate at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th March 1869.
I, JAMES BATHGATE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF GAS METERS," to be
as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the arrangements and construction of dry
gas meters in tin plate cases in such manner as to render certain parts
more accessible than hitherto, and thereby facilitating the repair and
adjustment of such parts. The case of the meter is constructed in two
distinct parts, an under part and an upper part, the under part con-
taining the movable diaphragms and passages thereto, whilst the upper

page_text: part encloses the valve box and valves with the regulating and indicating
mechanism, none of which, however, are attached to it, but are placed
on the top of the under part, the upper part merely serving as a pro-
tective covering for them, and these two parts, namely, the upper and
lower parts of the case, are put together by means of screws or other
similar fastening. The valve box is made separately, by preference of
cast metal, and is also retained in its place by means of screws. Thus
by unscrewing the top part of the case access is had to the whole of the
regulating and indicating mechanism and to the valves by similarly
unscrewing the valve box or its cover. Instead of fixing the endless
screw (which transmits motion to the index) on to the spindle of the
valve crank by means of solder, as is usually done, the said screw has a
tubular prolongation, through which and at the same time through the
crank spindle a pin or screw is passed, and the tangent being afterwards
soldered to the said tube the two together may be removed and replaced
without deranging the regulation of the meter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Bathgate in the Great Seal Patent Office
on. the 4th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BATHGATE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Bathgate, Her special
license that I, the said James Bathgate, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Bathgate, my executors,
administrators, or 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 CERTAIN PARTS OF GAS METERS," upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said James Bathgate, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 James Bathgate, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, 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 accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of dry
gas meters in tin plate cases in such manner as. to render certain parts
more accessible than hitherto, and thereby facilitating the repair and
adjustment of such parts. The case of the meter is constructed in two
distinct parts, an under part and an upper part, the under part con-
taining the moveable diaphragms and passages thereto, whilst the upper
part encloses the valve box and valves with the regulating and indi-
cating mechanism, none of which, however, are attached to it, but are
placed on the top of the under part, the upper part merely serving as a
protective covering for them, and these two parts, namely, the upper and
lower parts of the case, are put together by means of screws or other
similar fastening. The valve box is made separately, by preference of
cast metal, and is also retained in place by means of screws. Thus by
unscrewing the top part of the case access is had to the whole of the
regulating and indicating mechanism, and to the valves by similarly
unscrewing the valve box or its cover. Instead of fixing the endless
screw (which transmits motion to the index) on to the spindle of the
valve crank by means of solder, as is usually done, the said screw has a
tubular prolongation, through which and at the same time through the
crank spindle a pin or screw is passed, and the tangent being afterwards
soldered to the said tube the two together may be removed and replaced
without deranging the regulation of the meter.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood E
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect,.reference being had to the Figures upon the explanatory Slicet of

page_text: Drawings hereunto appended, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a part front elevation of a dry gas meter made of tin
plate or its equivalents, viz., thin sheet iron or other metal, coated or not
with tin, zinc, or other material; the upper part of the casing marked A
being shown in section; Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1,
but in which the top part of the casing is removed, so that the arrange-
ment of the working mechanism and the valve box C may be the better
seen.
The case of the meter. consists of an upper part A and lower part B;
the lower part containing the measuring apparatus as is usual in meters
of the class now referred to. The upper part of the case A may be attached
to the lower part B in any convenient manner, and it is not essential
that the joint between the two parts should be gas-tight, as is herein-
after more fully set forth. In attaching the upper part A to the lower
part B it is preferred to connect the two parts together by a hinged joint
on one side of the case, and to fix them at the opposite side by one or
more screws. By means of this arrangement of the cases of gas meters
of the class now referred to the indicating and measuring mechanism is
at once exposed for examination, adjustment, or repair by merely lifting
off the upper part of the case A; and a special arrangement of valvo
box C is employed, it being so constructed that the cover E is attached
to the lower part C by means of screws F, so that the cover can be taken
off and the valves readily exposed, thus avoiding the necessity of
unsoldering any joints as is the case with those dry gas meters hitherto
in use whose cases are made of tin plate or its equivalent. The valve
box C is by preference made of cast metal, such as cast iron, brass, gun-
metal, zinc, lead, or other suitable material, and it is attached to the top
of the lower part of the meter case B by means of screws, or the valve
box may be made of tin plate and soldered to the under part of the
meter; in both cases the valve box has a moveable cover attached by
means of screws. As the valves G, their mode of acting, and the indi-
cating mechanism attached to them are of a nature already in use, being
well understood and forming no part of this Invention, the mode of
action need not be herein set forth; but as the endless screw E which
transmits motion to the indicating mechanism I is fixed under a method
different from what has been hitherto employed, I now proceed to
specify its special feature, and for this purpose I now particularly refer
}

page_text: to Figures 3 and 4, of which Figure 3 represents the endless screw a
and tangent 6 detached from the spindle by which they are carried; the
spindle c being shown below and separate in in Figure 4, and surrounded
by the stuffing box d, which is carried on the top of the meter case.
By means of this arrangement the necessity of soldering these parts to
the spindle c by means of solder as has hitherto been done is avoided;
the parts according to my Invention being secured by passing a pin or
stud through the hole in the tubular projection of the endless screw a
and the spindle 'c.
My said improvements may also be carried out in connection with
circular or rotating valves in place of reciprocating or slide valves, as
herein-before set forth in reference to Figures 1 and 2; and for the
purpose of showing how the improvements are put in practice with
rotating valves I now proceed to set forth the arrangements shown at
Figures 5 and 6, which are views of a dry gas meter similar to Figures 1
and 2. The rotating valve Z, shown in dotted lines at Figure 6, is con-
tained in the valve box Y; this valve is no part of my Invention, and as
it is of a construction already in use it need not be herein further
referred to. The valve box Y is fixed to the top of the lower part of the
méter case B by means of screws, and has the cover W fixed to the
box Y, also by means of screws, as shown. In this manner the
advantages of construction, herein-before set forth in reference to
Figures 1 and 2, are obtained in combination with the employment of
circular or rotating valves. In all the Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, the gas is
admitted into the meter by the passage O, and escapes therefrom by the
passage P. The joint of the valve boxes in both arrangements are
rendered tight by means of putty or cement.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I wish to observe in conclusion that
I am aware that some of the improvements described under the first
head of this Invention have been applied to meters in cast-iron cases;
but what I do consider novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. The construction of the cases of dry gas meters, which are
made of tin plate or its equivalent, so that the upper part forms one
portion of the meter case proper, but is separate therefrom, and con-

page_text: stitutes only a protective covering for the indicating mechanism and
other parts covered by it, as herein-before described and shown on the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The construction of the valve boxes of dry gas meters whose
cases are made of tin plate or its equivalent, so that the cover is
removeable, and the soldering of the parts together is avoided, as herein-
before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The attachment of the endless screw and tangent to the
spindle of the indicating mechanism, whereby the soldering together as
at present practised is avoided, in the manner herein-before set forth
and shown at Figures 3 and 4 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Bathgate, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Second day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JAMES BATHGATE. (L.S.)