IMPROVED MOVEMENT FOR THE INDICES FOR GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUID METERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edwards, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MOVEMENT FOR
THE INDICES FOR GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUID METERS."
Sealed the 6th January 1863, and dated the 7th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edwards at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th July 1862.
I, THOMAS EDWARDS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MOVEMENT FOR THE INDICES FOR GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUID METERS," to be as
follows (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object the construction of a correct and cheap
movement for gas, water, and other meters, and which will be more easily
read off than the indices at present in use, and the accuracy of the several
parts may be readily tested by a templet or gauge plate, and consists in substi-
tuting for the ordinary toothed wheels and pinions now commonly in use
peculiarly formed wheels, and in casting them upon their shafts or "arbors,"
and in casting or cutting the pinion of the worm motion with a milling tool
that the oblique and curved teeth on the periphery are of equal and uniform
depth throughout, and in casting the framework in two pieces with the holes
ready to receive the ends of the shafts or arbors and pillars.
The improved system of wheels to be substituted for the toothed wheels and

page_text: pinions now in common use consists of a smooth-edged wheel with a convex-
sided slot formed across the periphery thereof and having a short tappet or
stud pin formed on the side of the wheel and projecting radially across one side
of the slot. This wheel may be termed a tappet or power transmitting wheel
which acts consecutively on a series of, say ten pin teeth springing at a right
angle from one side of a wheel, the periphery of which is formed of, say ten
concave segments of a circle having a common radius with the tappit wheel.
These segmental recesses correspond in all cases with the number of pin teeth
on the side of the wheel. The lateral pin teeth spring from the side of the
wheel in line with the centre of the recesses, and the axis of the wheel, which
may be termed the lateral pin toothed or communicator wheel. The several
wheels used to actuate the index pointer of (say, a gas meter) are all cast
upon their respective shafts or arbors, which it is preferred to previously square
up at the outer ends ready to receive the pointers. The shafts or arbors it is
preferred to form of brass, and before casting them on the wheels to coat them
with tin between the bearings to cause the fluid metal forming the wheels to
adhere more readily thereto. It is preferred to cast the wheels of white metal
in a metal matrice. The first motion wheel (in, say a gas meter) is one of
the tappet wheels described cast upon the horizontal shaft which carries the
pinion, into which works the worm on the upright driving shaft used in
ordinary meters, and works into a lateral pin toothed or communicator wheel
cast on the shaft which carries the hundred's pointer, and on which shaft is also
cast a second tappet wheel precisely similar to the first motion wheel, and
which also works into a second lateral pin toothed wheel cast on the shaft
carrying the pointer indicating the thousands, which shaft also carries a third
tappet wheel which works into a lateral pin toothed wheel on the shaft of the
pointer for indicating the tens of thousands. The whole of the pointer shafts
or arbors are mounted parallel to each other between two plates, which it is
also preferred to cast from white metal with the holes for the several bearings
of the shafts or arbors.
The action of the index motion is thus:-At every revolution made by the
first motion tappet wheel the tappet comes into contact with one of the lateral
pin teeth on the second motion or communicator wheel and causes it to-make
one-tenth of a revolution on its axis. The projections on the pin toothed
wheel formed by the contour of its periphery taking into the convex sided slot
in the edge of the tappet wheel allows it to pass the required distance, the edge
of the tappet wheel then revolving within the next recess in the pin toothed
wheel until the tappet comes rond again and strikes the next pin tooth and
again moves it one-tenth of a revolution, and so on to the tenth revolution, by

page_text: which time the tappet wheel on the second shaft acts upon the lateral pin
toothed wheel on the third or thousandth pointer shaft which also carries a
tappet wheel which works into a lateral pin toothed wheel on the shaft
carrying the pointer indicating the tens of thousands.. It will be now readily
seen that at every tenth revolution of the first tappet wheel the shaft carrying
the pointer for indicating hundreds will have made one revolution, and that
at every ten revolutions of this shaft the. thousands' pointer shaft will have
made one revolution, and at every ten revolutions of the latter the tens of
thousands' pointer will make one revolution.
It is preferred to form two of the holes in the back frame plate to receive
the ends of the frame pillars with surrounding collars. to receive a seal to be
applied to prevent the moving points of the index being fraudulently tampered
with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
EDWARDS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, .Gas Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her-
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Edwards, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Edwards, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as..
I, the said Thomas Edwards, 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 mak, use, exercise, and, vend, within the United Kingdom of Great,
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVED MOVEMENT FOR THE INDICES FOR GAS, WATER, AND. OTHER FLUID.
METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Edwards,
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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Edwards, 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 (that is to say):-
This my said Invention has for its object the construction of a correct and
cheap movement for gas, water, and other meters, and which will be more
easily read-off than the indices at present in use, and the accuracy of the
several parts of which may be readily tested by a templet or guage plate.
This my said improvement consists in substituting for the ordinary toothed
wheels and pinions now commonly used peculiarly formed wheels, and in
casting them upon their shafts or "arbors," and in casting or cutting the
pinion of the worm motion with a milling tool, that the oblique and curved
teeth on the periphery are of equal and uniform depth throughout, and in
casting the framework in two pieces, with the holes ready to receive the ends
of the shafts or "arbors" and pillars. :
.
This my improved system of wheels, to be substituted for the toothed
wheels and pinions now in common use, consists of a smooth-edged wheel
with a convex-sided slot formed across the periphery thereof, and having a
short tappet or stud pin formed on the side of the wheel, and projecting
radially across one side of the slot. This wheel I term a tappet or power-
transmitting wheel, and which acts consecutively on a series of (say, ten,)
pin teeth, springing at a right angle from one side of a wheel, the periphery
of which is formed with a series of (say, ten) concave segments of a circle
having a common radius with the tappet wheel. These segmental re-
cesses correspond in all cases with the number of pin teeth on the side of
the wheel. The lateral pin teeth spring from the side of the wheel in line
with the centre of the recesses and the axis of the wheel, which may be
termed the lateral pin-toothed or communicator wheel. The several wheels
used to actuate the index pointers (of, say, a gas meter,) are all cast upon
their respective shafts or arbors, which it is preferred to previously square up
at the outer ends ready to receive the pointers. The shafts or arbors it is
preferred to form of brass, and before casting-on the-wheels to coat them with
tin between the bearings to cause the fluid metal forming the wheels to adhere
more readily thereto. It is preferred. to cast the wheels of white metal in, a.
metal matrice. The first motion wheel (in, say, a gas meter,) is one of the
tappet wheels described, cast upon. the horizontal shaft which carries the
pinion, into which works the wormiton the upright- driving shaft used in

page_text: ordinary meters, and works into a lateral pin-toothed or communicator wheel
cast on the shaft which carries the hundreds' pointer, and on which shaft is
also cast a second tappet wheel, precisely similar to the first motion wheel,
and which also works into a second, lateral pin-toothed wheel cast on the
shaft carrying the pointer indicating. the thousands, which shaft also carries a
third tappet wheel, which works into a lateral pin-toothed wheel on the shaft
of the pointer indicating the tens of thousands. The whole of the pointer
shafts or arbors. are mounted parallel to each other between two plates, which
I also prefer to cast in a metal mould and from white metal, with the holes
for the bearings of the several shafts or arbors and pillars formed therein.
The action of the index motion is thus:-At every revolution made; by the
first-motion tappet wheel the tappet comes into contact with one of the lateral
pin teeth on the second-motion or communicator wheel, and causes this wheel
to make one-tenth of a revolution on its axis, the projections on the pin-
toothed wheel, formed by the contour of its periphery, taking into the convex-
sided slot in the edge of the tappet wheel, allows it to pass the required
distance;
the edge of the tappet wheel then revolving within the next recess
in the pin-toothed wheel until the tappet comes round again and strikes the
next pin tooth, and again moves it round one-tenth of a revolution, and so on
to the tenth revolution, by which time the tappet wheel on the second shaft
acts upon the lateral pin-toothed wheel on the third (or thousandth pointer
shaft), which also carries a tappet wheel, which works into a lateral pin-
toothed wheel on the shaft carrying the pointer indicating the tens of thousands.
It will be readily seen, that at every tenth revolution of the first tappet wheel.
the shaft carrying the pointer for indicating hundreds will have made one
revolution, and that at every ten revolutions of this shaft the thousands'
pointer: shaft. will have made one revolution, and at every ten revolutions of
the latter the tens of thousand's pointer will make one revolution. It is pre-.
ferred to form two of the holes in the back frame plate to receive the
ends of the frame pillars with surrounding collars to receive a seal, to be
applied to prevent the moving points of the index being fraudulently tampered
with.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto annexed Drawings illustrating its application to the index of
(say) a gas meter, like letters and figures marked. thereon being used to
denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a front. elevation of one of my improved meter index move..
ments (drawn full size), the dial of which resembles the ordinary index, and
Figure 2 is a top view or plan, and Figure 3 is a- back view of the same

page_text: inverted, and with the back plate removed, to expose the wheels and so
forth to view.
:
A, dial attached to the face of B, the front frame plate, which is connected
to B, back frame plate, by C, C, C2, C3, pillars, which I prefer to cast on
the front frame plate, and rivet or sorder them.to the back frame plate, and
which I prefer to provide with D, circular collars on the outside of the back
plate, to receive the ends of the frame pillars, and which can be used to
receive a seal to prevent the index movements being tampered with. E, .ver-
tical driving worm spindle, which receives motion from the action of the
meter, communicated to F, an oblique toothed.wheel on the driving shaft;
Ġ, a ratchet wheel, to prevent the movements being reversed, and into which
works H, a paul tooth, which is acted upon by I, a spring; K, the pinion of
the worm motion on the first tappet wheel shaft. This pinion I cast or cut
with a milling tool, that its oblique and curved teeth are of equal and uniform
depth throughout. I, first tappet wheel, which works into M, lateral pin-
toothed wheel; 1, the tappet arm, which acts upon m, lateral pin teeth;
N, the second tappet wheel, which is of the same size and form as the first
tappet wheel (L), and which works into and actuates, by n, tappet arm,
P, second lateral pin-toothed wheel on thousandth pointer axle; Q, third
tappet wheel, which is of the same size and form as the two others, and
which works into and actuates by its tappet arm (9).R, third lateral pin-
toothed wheel on the axle of the tens of thousands' pointer. It will be readily
observed that this system of registering may be carried out to any required
extent, and is applicable to registering the number of revolutions made by
driving shafts and other like purposes, as well as for meters generally.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
letails, proportions, or relative dimensions, as it will be readily seen that the
same may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention ; .but
what I claim is,-
First, the use and application of the peculiarly-formed tappet wheels. and
lateral pin-toothed wheels herein-before described and set forth, or any mere
modification of the same, when applied to the construction of the movements
of indices for gas, water, and other meters.
Secondly, casting the herein-before described tappet and pin-toothed wheels
on their axles or shafts, substantially and in the manner and for the
herein-before described.
purposes
Thirdly, casting the back and front frame plates of meter indices with the

page_text: holes ready to receive the ends of the wheel shafts and pillars, as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
Fourthly, the peculiar mode of construction and form of the worm pinion
for meters, as herein-before described.
And, lastly, the general construction, arrangement, form, and combination of
the various parts of the index movement as herein-before described and set
forth, substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Edwards, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
Of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
THOMAS (L.s.) EDWARDS.