Im- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Brakell, of Windsor Road, Oldham,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS."
Sealed the 4th August 1868, and dated the 6th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Brakell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th February 1868.
I, CHRISTOPHER BRAKELL, of Windsor Road, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
measuring fluids. I prepare a casing with a bottom or back at one
end, on which is a hollow cylindrical boss projecting into the interior
of the case. In the circumferential surface of this cylinder is a suitable
opening. Through a hole in the bottom or back of the casing I bring
a tube of india-rubber and canvas, or of other suitable material, and
passing it through the opening in the circumference of the cylinder I

page_text: carry it round the surface thereof until it reaches the entrance opening
where it terminates. This tube when made of india-rubber and canvas
I have vulcanized or prepared to suit the circle of the cylinder, so that
when it is round the cylinder it is partly open. The tube is kept in
position round the cylinder by a thin piece or strip of sheet brass or
other material about half an inch broad which passes through the inside
of the tube. One end of the brass being fixed at the inlet opening
within the cylinder the other end is tightened up by means of a nut
and screw also within the cylinder, so that the inner circle of the tube
is held tight on the surface of the cylinder while the outer circle or
surface is free. In the cylinder is a shaft or spindle on which is fixed
an arm, and on the extremity of each end of this arm is fixed a roller
which can revolve freely on its own bearings. These rollers being
pressed on the surface of the flexible tube already referred to, and
water, gas, or other fluid under pressure being permitted to enter the
tube it is evident that the pressure will cause the rollers to move or
roll along the surface of the tube and so keep up a circular motion.
The cylinder, tube, arms, and other parts are contained in the casing,
and the same is closed by a lid or cover, the water or other fluid
enters at the back and is discharged from the tube into the casing
from which it is drawn off by a suitable opening in any convenient
part. When this outlet is closed there is the same pressure inside the
casing as there is inside the flexible tube, but when this outlet is
opened the pressure in the tube being the greater causes the rollers
to move round. As the arm and rollers move very easily and freely
the slightest difference between the pressure in the flexible tube and
that in the casing causes the rollers to move along and the tube has
practically to stand scarcely any pressure. After ascertaining tho
number of revolutions of the arm and rollers to pass a given quantity
of water or other fluid an index or register is easily prepared and
geared with the spindle to shew on a dial the quantity of fluid which
the apparatus discharges from it. The india-rubber tube is best pre-
pared approximately of an oval form in section, so that the rollers can
the more easily press it together, and also that the creases in the sides of
the tube may always remain the same. I mount two rollers on the
arm opposite each other in order that the circular motion may be
regular and that no fluid may pass through the tube without a move-
ment of the rollers, as when one of the rollers is on the dead point
or when it is just leaving the discharge end of the tube and entering

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Christopher Brakell in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHRISTOPHER BRAKELL, of Windsor Road, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Christopher Brakell, Her special
licence, that I, the said Christopher Brakell, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Christopher Brakell,
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 ENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Christopher Brakell, 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 Christopher Brakell, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
measuring fluids. I prepare a casing with a bottom or back at one

page_text: end on which is a hollow cylindrical boss projecting into the interior
of the case. In the circumferential surface of this cylinder is a suitablo
opening. Through a hole in the bottom or back of the casing I bring
a tube of india-rubber and canvas or of other suitable material, and
passing it through the opening in the circumference of the cylinder I
carry it round the surface thereof until it reaches the entrance opening
where it terminates. This tubo when made of india-rubber and canvas
I have vulcanized or prepared to suit the circle of the cylinder, so that
when it is round the cylinder it is partly open. The tube is kept in
position round the cylinder by a thin piece or strip of sheet brass or
other material about half an inch broad which passes through the inside
of the tube. One end of the brass being fixed at the inlet opening
within the cylinder; the other end is tightened up by means of a nut
and screw also within the cylinder, so that the inner circle of the tube
is held tight on the surface of the cylinder while the outer circle or
surface is free. In the cylinder is a shaft or spindle on which is fixed
an arm, and on the extremity of each end of this arm is fixed a roller
which can revolve freely in its own bearings. These rollers being
pressed on the surface of the flexible tube already referred to, and
water, gas, or other fluid under pressure being permitted to enter the
tube, it is evident that the pressure will cause the rollers to move or
roll along the surface of the tube, and so keep up a circular motion.
The cylinder, tube, arms, and other parts are contained in the casing,
and the same is closed by a lid or cover. The water or other fluid
enters at the back and is discharged from the tube into the casing
from which it is drawn off by a suitable opening in any convenient
part. When this outlet is closed there is the same pressure inside
the casing as there is inside the flexible tube, but when this outlet is
opened the pressure in the tube being the greater causes the rollers
to move round. As the arm and rollers move very easily and freely the
slightest difference between the pressure in the flexible tube and
that in the casing causes the rollers to move along and the tube
has practically to stand scarcely any pressure. After ascertaining the
number of revolutions of the arms and rollers to pass a given quantity
of water or other fluid an index or register is easily prepared and
geared with the spindle to show on a dial the quantity of fluid which
the apparatus discharges from it. The india-rubber tube is best pre-
pared approximately of an oval form in section, so that the rollers
can the more easily press it together, and also that the creases in the

page_text: sides of the tube may always remain the same. I mount two rollers
on the arm opposite each other. In order that the circular motion
may be regular, and that no fluid may pass through the tube without
a movement of the rollers, as when one of the rollers is on the dead
point, or when it is just leaving the discharge end of the tube and
entering on the inlet end the other roller is at the middle of its
course, and no fluid can pass without moving the roller along the
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of one of the improved meters, the
casing and some portions being in section, and other parts being in
view; Fig. 2 shows the same in plan with the casing in section.
case a. In the
Through a hole
a is the casing with a bottom or back b, on which is a hollow
cylindrical boss c projecting into the interior of the
circumferential surface of the cylinder is an opening d.
in the back b is screwed a piece of pipe e, and fixed to this is a tube f
of canvas or canvas and india-rubber or other suitable material which
passes through the opening d and round the surface of the cylinder
terminating at the opening d. g, shows a thin piece of sheet brass or
other material which passes through the inside of the tube to keep
it in position as described. is the shaft or spindle on which is fixed
an arm i having at each end a roller j, j. The fluid to be measured
enters at the back through the pipe e, and passing through the tube f is
discharged into the casing a from which it is drawn off at the outlet k.
The general action of the apparatus I have already described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Brakell, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Fifth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight.