IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1862

page_text: Switzerland, Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS
FOR MEASURING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 30th May 1862, and dated the 1st January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jacob Gutknecht
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st January 1862.
I, JOHN JACOB GUTKNECHT, of Neuhof, near Fizers, Switzerland, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METERS FOR MEASURING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
The object of the apparatus represented in the accompanying Drawings is
to measure fluids and gases with mathematical correctness, and to record the
quantity measured. Although very simple in its construction, this machine
may be practically employed in a variety of ways.
1st, fluids contained in clevated vessels may be run off through syphons into
vessels of a lower level, and at same time be measured, all risk of spilling is
avoided, & in the case, for instance, of wines and spirits which have to be
removed from barrels in the street to receptacles in a cellar, exposure to the air
is guarded against.
2ndly, in the case of retailing of liquids accounts may by the aid of this
apparatus be at any moment made up and settled with servants, as many
persons as please may draw off one after the other any quantity, and control
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ener mutuany wionout the Check being observed. A comparison of
all the notes made confirms either the fidelity of the whole, or points out the
party at fault. In commercial establishments this check would prove of great
service as a control over vessels containing oils or other fluids.
3rdly, in the subdivision of spring and mineral waters from a common
source this apparatus has the preference over all others, as no derangement
of the machinery can take place, whilst it measures with mathematical correct-
ness under the varying pressure of different heights.
4thly, applied to feed pumps of steam boilers the apparatus indicates the
quantity injected and passed off into steam.
5thly, as a gas meter this mechanism offers peculiar advantages. The
gases pass through it in a dry state and may be precisely measured at any
temperature as the extremely limited resistance offered to their passage
remains constant, for this reason the flame resulting will burn steadily. By
the use of this dry meter a consumer cannot employ a larger number of
burners than was originally intended, which would otherwise afford him an
advantage.
In order to fulfil these several conditions with others of the greatest possible
importance, and to secure exact and mathematically correct measurement
by this apparatus, under any, even the least possible pressure, it was necessary
to depart from the principle upon which Messrs. Kennedy, of Kilmarnock,
& Donnet, of Lyons, and others based their fluid meters. It is known that
these gentlemen selected as the principle organ of their machines the ordi-
nary pump in which the water works in a similar manner as in the Ferrar
hydraulic machines. On this principle the packing of the piston exercises
considerable friction on the sides of the cylinder & it is consequently only
available under a high pressure. A system obviating friction on the sides of
the cylinder, and which has only to overcome the pressure of the column
of water is afforded in the well known construction of the diaphragm pump.
The piston, as we may call the membrane of this pump, is well calculated to
receive the pressure of the column of water and to transmit it without
causing friction. The machine before us is based upon this principle.
order clearly to represent the multifarious uses to which it may be applied
it is constructed in the form of an apparatus capable of being applied to a
cask and which can measure its contents, so to speak, to the last drop with
mathematical correctness, that is, a double oscillation of the membrane taken
from the full cask measures, say one quart, or exactly the same as a double
oscillation taken from a nearly empty one.
In
The precise construction of this apparatus is exhibited in the annexed

page_text: Drawing. Between the flanches of two metal vessels or compartments A, A',
is the leather or gutta percha part of the diaphragm a, which is bolted
between two discs b. The piston rod c which is fixed to this plate is supported
on one side in the centre of A', and on the other side in the capsule B which
is soldered or otherwise fixed to A and encloses a flexible membrane d. This
cup leather or membrane d is attached to the rod c, and being secured to
chamber A permits of the air-tight passage of that rod, and of its moving
backwards & forwards with as little friction as possible, no stuffing being
employed at this point. To the body of this pump the metal valve piece
and tap c is soldered, and on this again is sustained the piece D, through which
the liquid flows, this is also constructed of metal. The valve piece C has
three passages similar to the parts of a steam engine cylinder. The passages
1 & 2 communicate with the piston chambers, as 1 may term the spaces
between the diaphragm A and the vessels A, A', while the passage 3 com-
municates with the tap C. If the passages 2 & 3 are covered by the slide
valve, and the cock C opened the pressure of the liquid or of the gases entering
through the conduct pipe D, and the passage I will exert pressure on the
membranes a and d, which with the rod c is moved to the opposite side, and
the fluid or gas present in the chamber A, a, finds an outlet through the
passages 2 & 3 and the cock C on moving the slide valve e over the passages
1 & 2 a reversed action of the apparatus follows, and the fluid entering passes
into the chamber A', a, displacing the measured quantity in the chamber A, a.
In order to obtain the continuous working of the apparatus it now only
requires an arrangement which acting in conjunction with the movements
of the piston rod slides the valve backward and forwards over the orifices of
the passages 1 & 2, for this purpose the rod of the slide valve is passed
through a small stuffing box, and here a flexible membrane similar to that
marked d may be employed to diminish the friction, which is, however, .but
little. About the middle of the rod f, which is strengthened for the purpose,
is a slot carrying an axis g turning in the supports E, E', which serves to
direct its motion on the ends of the axis g; the cranks h, h', Fig 5 are mounted,
to which are attached the ends of elastic rubber strips i, i, .,, the other
ends of the strips being fastened to the transverse bars k, k¹, of the slide
rod f, a toothed wheel F is fixed on the axis g, and which on its front side
has a semi-cylindrical or seminular segment or projection. This wheel gears
with the toothed segment of lever G by means of the semi-cylindrical segment
of toothed wheel F and a projection 1 on the rod f of the slide valve, the latter
is held in its place until the wheel has performed half a revolution on the
crank axle h at the same time the lever G with the piston rod c, and the

page_text: diaphragm a perform the course prescribed for them, supposing the apparatus
to be in the position exhibited in the Drawing, by exerting a pressure on the
diaphragm a in the chamber A, a. The strips i, i, are distended, whilst
those,, remain free, and it is only when the cranks are at an angle of
about 90 degrees that both sets of elastic strips are at an equal tension,
the sliding valve however remains in its position as controlled by the springs
until the wheel F with its projection has turned a little the projection 1,
the slide rod and the slide valve also retain their positions. The springs
i, i, are set free, and the springs 2, 3, are distended, after the crank
axle and wheel F have completed half a revolution, the projection is then
freed from the semi-cylindrical segiment and the springs,, attaining their
greatest tension draw the slide valve from its position and rest over the
passages 1 & 2, when the movements of the piston c, lever G, and of wheel F
are immediately reversed, because the pressure on the diaphragm a becomes
changed in direction through the passage 2. This result may be ascertained
by opening the cock C and blowing through the conduct pipe D. It has
been pointed out above that by means of the piston rod c and the membrane
a, the direction & course of the movement is governed by regulating the
extent of motion of lever G, the object of which is to regulate the apparatus
so as to obtain an exact measurement. This I attain by shifting the position
of the axis of lever G in a vertical direction nearer to or further from the
piston rod c, as the case may require, (see Figs. 1 & 3). Thus, if there be
considerable pressure of liquid, as is the case with mineral waters, the strain
on the slide valve et would be too great and the springs i, i¹,,, must be
constructed strong enough, while in order that they shall offer sufficient
resistance to balance a minimum pressure the slide valve e is provided with
a balance apparatus represented in the Drawing. This consists of a small
frame placed over the valve, which with its cover bears on a cross-bar in
the conduct piece D to which it is soldered, the slide valve e being pressed
against the cock c, and the casing furnished with an elastic film of india-rubber
placed between them.
In conclusion, I will now describe the apparatus for recording the quantity
measured. Near the axis or turning point of the lever G ratchet clawkers
m, m', are introduced which act as detents on the toothed ratchet wheel H,
Figs. 3 & 4, being pressed upon by the springs n, n', the toothed pinion I
on the axis of the wheel H gears with the teeth of the wheel K and with
its pinion L acts on the toothed index wheel M which is mounted loosely
on the axis of the ratchet wheel H, the axes are supported in the three-
armed pieces N and boss H¹, on the case O to which it is fixed. A hand o

page_text: placed on the axle of H moves one tooth onward for each oscillation of the
inembrane a, and after a complete revolution indicates a given quantity
according to the capacity of A and A', whilst the hand p of the wheel M has
advanced from zero to 1. During a revolution of the wheel M and of the hand
p both hands indicate a quantity between 0 and 20, say 200 gallons. The
stem tube D may be continued in the form of a conical enlargement furnished
with a screw to screw into a barrel, or it may be otherwise fitted to be
readily fixed to the vessel containing the liquid to be drawn off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Jacob Gutknecht in the Great Seal Patent Office
on. the 27th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JACOB GUTKNECHT, of Neuhof, near Fizers, Switzerland, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Jacob Gutknecht, Her special licence that I, the said John
Jacob Gutknecht, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
I, the said John Jacob Gutknecht, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Jacob Gutknecht, 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 John Jacob Gutknecht, 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
The object of the apparatus, forming the subject of this Invention, repre-
sented in the accompanying Drawing, is to measure fluids and gases with
mathematical correctness, and to record the quantity measured. Although
very simple in its construction this machine may be practically employed in a
variety of ways.
Fluids contained in elevated vessels may be run off through syphons into
vessels of a lower level, and at same time be measured, all risk of spilling
is avoided, and in the case, for instance, of wines which have to be removed
from waggon casks in the street to standing casks in the cellar, all possibility
of injury from exposure to the air is guarded against.
In the case of the retailing of liquids, accounts may, by the aid of this appa-
ratus, be at any moment made up and settled with servants, as many persons as
please may draw off one after the other any quantity, and control each other
mutually without the check being observed. A comparison of all the notes
made confirms either the fidelity of the whole, or points out the party at fault.
In industrial trades this check would prove of great service as a control over
vessels containing oils or other fluids.
In the subdivision of spring and mineral waters from a common source,
this apparatus has the preference over all others, as no derangement of the
machinery can occur, whilst it measures with mathematical correctness under
the varying pressure of different heights.
Applied to feed pumps of steam boilers, the apparatus indicates the quantity
injected and passed off in steam.
The gases
As a gas meter, this mechanism offers peculiar advantages.
pass through it in a dry state, and may be precisely measured at any tem-
perature, as the extremely limited resistance offered to their passage remains
constant, whereby the flame resulting will burn steadily. By the use of this
dry meter the consumer cannot, by employing a larger number of burners than
it was originally intended for, obtain any advantage.
In order to fulfil these several conditions, with others of the greatest
possible importance, and to secure the exact and mathematical correct measure-
ment by this apparatus under any, even the least possible pressure, it was
necessary to depart from the principle upon which Messieurs Kennedy, of
Kilmarnock, and Donnet, of Lyons, and others based their fluid meters. It is
known that these gentlemen selected as a principal organ of their machines
the ordinary pump, in which the water works, in a similar manner as in the
Ferrar hydraulic machines. On this principle the packing of the piston

page_text: exercises considerable friction on the sides of the cylinder, and it is consequently
only available under a high pressure. A system obviating friction on the
sides of the cylinder, and which has only to overcome the pressure of the
column of water is afforded in the well-known construction of the diaphragm
pump. The piston, as we may call the membrane of this pump, is well
calculated to receive the pressure of the column of water, and to transmit it
without causing friction. The machine before us is based upon this principle,
In order clearly to represent the multifarious uses to which it may be applied
it is constructed in the form of an apparatus capable of being applied to a
cask, and which can measure its contents, so to speak, to the last drop with
mathematical correctness, that is, a double oscillation of the membrane taken
from the full cask measures, say, one quart, or exactly the same as a double
oscillation taken from a nearly empty one.
The precise construction of this apparatus is exhibited in the annexed
Drawing between the flanches of two metal vessels or compartments. A, A',
is the leather or gutta percha part of the diaphragm a, which is bolted
between two discs b. The piston rod c, which is fixed to this plate is sup-
ported on one side in the centre of A¹, and on the other side in the capsule B,
which is soldered or otherwise fixed to A, and encloses a flexible membrane d.
This cup leather or membrane is attached to the rod c, being secured to
chamber A, permits of the air-tight passage of that rod, and of its moving
backwards and forwards with as little friction as possible, no stufling being
employed at this point. To the body of this pump the metal valve piece and
tap C is soldered, and on this again is sustained the piece D, through which
the liquid flows; this is also constructed of metal. The valve-piece C has
three passages, similar to the ports of a steam engine cylinder. The passages !
and 2 communicate with the piston chambers, as I may term the spaces
between the diaphragm a and the vessels A, A', while the passage 3 com-
municates with the tap C. If the passages 2 and 3 are covered by the
sliding valve e, and the cock C opened, the pressure of the liquid, or of the
gasses entering through the conduit piece D and the passage 1, will exert
pressure on the membranes a and d, which with the rod c is moved to the
opposite side, and the fluid or gas present in the chamber A', a, finds an
outlet through the passages 2 and 3 of the cock C. On moving the slide
valve e over the passages 1 and 2 a reversed action of the apparatus follows,
and the fluid entering passes into the chamber A¹, a, displacing the measured
quantity in the chamber A, a. In order to obtain the continuous working
of the apparatus, it now only requires arrangement, which, acting in con-
unction with the movements of the piston rod, slides the valve backward and

page_text: forwards over the orifices of the passages 1 and 2; for this purpose rod f of the
slide valve passes through a small stuffing box, and here a flexible membrane,
similar to that marked d, may be employed to diminish the friction, which is
however but little. About the middle of the rod f, which is strengthened
for the purpose, is a slot carrying an axis g, turning in the supports E, E',
which serves to direct its motion. On the ends of the axis y the cranks h, h',
Figure 5, are mounted, to which are attached the ends of elastic rubber
strips i, i,,, the other ends of the strips being fastened to the trans-
verse bars h, k, of the slide rod f. A toothed wheel F is fixed on the axis g,
and which on its front side has a semi-cylindrical annular segment or pro-
jection; this wheel gears with the toothed segment of lever G by means of
the semi-cylindrical segment of toothed wheel F and a projection on the
rod of the slide valve, the latter is held in its place until the wheel F
has performed half a revolution on the crank axle h, at the same time
the lever G, with the piston rod C, and the diaphragm a, perform the course
prescribed for them. Supposing the apparatus to be in the position exhibited
in the Drawing, by exerting a pressure on the diaphragm a in the chamber A, a,
the strips i, i, are distended, whilst those ,, remain free, and it is only when
the cranks are at an angle of about ninety degrees that both sets of elastic
strips are at an equal tension, the slide valve however remains in its
position as controlled by the springs until the wheel F, with its projection has
turned a little the projection of the slide rod, and the slide valve also retain
their position. The springs i, i, are set free, and the springs, are dis-
tended after the crank axle and wheel have completed half a revolution, the
projection is then freed from the semi-cylindrical segment, and the springs,,
attaining their greatest tension draw the slide valve from its position
of rest over the passages 1 and 3, when the movements of the piston C,
lever G, and of wheel F are immediately reversed, because the pressure on
the diaphragm a becomes changed in direction through the passages 2. This
result may be ascertained by opening the cock C and blowing through the con-
duct pipe D. It has been pointed out above that by means of the piston rod c
and the membrane a, the direction and course of the movement is governed
by regulating the extent of motion of lever G, the object of which is to
regulate the apparatus so as to obtain an exact measurement; this I attain
by shifting the position of the axis of lever G in a vertical direction, nearer to
or farther from the piston rod c, as the case may require see (Figures 1 and 3.
Thus, if there be considerable pressure of liquid, as is the case with mineral
waters, the strain on the slide valve would be too great, and the springs
i,,,, must be constructed strong enough, while in order that they shall

page_text: offer sufficient resistance to balance a minimum pressure, the slide valve e is
provided with a balance apparatus represented in the Drawing. This consists
of a small frame placed over the valve 1, which with its cover bears on a cross
bar in the conduct pipe D, to which it is soldered, the slide valve e being
pressed against the cock C, and the casing furnished with an elastic film of
india-rubber placed between them.
In conclusion, I will now describe the apparatus for recording the quantity
measured. Near the axis or turning point of the lever G, ratchet clawkers m, m¹,
are introduced, which act as detents on the toothed ratchet wheel H (Figures 3.
and 4) being pressed upon by the springs n, n', the toothed pinion I on the axis
of the wheel H gears with the teeth of the wheel K, and with its six-toothed
pinion L acts on the thirty-toothed index wheel M, which is fitted loose on the
axis of the ratchet wheel H. The axes are supported on the three-arm piece N,
and the axes of H being further sustained by a boss in the case O, to which it
is fixed. A band o placed on the axis of H moves one tooth onward for each
oscillation of the membrane a, and after a complete revolution indicates a given
quantity, according to the capacity of A and A', and the arrangement of the
registering gear whilst the hand p of the wheel M has advanced from zero to
1 during a revolution of the wheel M and of the hand p. Both hands indicate
a quantity between 0 and 20 x 20 = 400. Supposing the principal divisions by
the long hand o to represent pints it will register from a quarter pint to twenty
pints, while the hand p will indicate 20 x 20 pints
-- 50 gallons.
litres
In the Drawing the apparatus refers to the Swiss maas.
or 30 litres = 20 maas. The pinion I has in this apparatus six teeth, the
wheel K 30 teeth, and its pinion 7, this gears with an index wheel M with 28
teeth, and completes one revolution whilst the wheel H completes 25 x 30
revolutions, or in other words, the hands show 20 x 20400 Swiss maas.
When the quantities passing through are to be measured in cubic feet, as
for example, in the case of water or gas, the necessary wheel train to indicate
any required quantity, is equally easily applied as will be readily understood.
The wheel H to record Swiss cubic feet, for example, receives 54 teeth, because
27 litres 27 cubic decimetres 1 Swiss cubic foot.
One maas
=
50
It may be observed, in conclusion, that a measuring apparatus not intended
for spirituous liquids may be constructed of cast and sheet iron, and for gases
of tin.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is.-
First, the arrangement of fluid-measuring apparatus, in which the capacity

page_text: of the measuring chamber is controlled by a piston and flexible diaphragm, by
whose motion the quantity of fluid passing through the meter is indicated and
registered, all as herein-before described and represented in the Drawings
annexed.
Secondly, I claim the arrangement of parts herein-before described and
represented in the Drawings annexed as applied to a fluid meter, whereby the
'valve which regulates the admission and escape of the fluid to and from the
measuring chamber is caused to change its position quickly at the completion
of the stroke of the measuring piston or diaphragm by the action of springs
placed in tension for that purpose, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jacob Gutnecht, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN JACOB GUTKNECHT. (L.S.)