AN IMPROVED GAS AND WATER METER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the. Invention of
"AN IMPROVED GAS AND WATER METER." A communication from abroad by
Emil Haas, of Mainz, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1878.
[A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED GAS AND WATER METER.'
communication from abroad by Emil Haas, of Mainz, in the Empire of Germany.]
This Invention relates to a meter of that class in which the gas or water pressure
gives motion to a membrane enclosed in a box.
A meter constructed according to this Invention may be used both for gas and
water by a corresponding increase in the strength of the parts. It is of novel
construction, especially with regard to the measuring chamber or chambers
themselves.
In carrying the said Invention into practice the measuring chamber is enclosed
in a box or drun, which may be four sided or of any other suitable shape. It
consists of two parts, with flanges all round, and connected firmly and tightly by
means of screws. The measuring chamber thus formed is of a constant or unvarying
size, and has sides of sufficient strength.
On one of the edges of a rhombic receiver is a stuffing box, and opposite this
there is a bearing, in which a spindle is supported, running parallel with the lower
edge. On the said spindle is fixed a plate or vane, almost of the same length as one
of the sides of the rhombus, and almost as wide as the case. A piece of suitable
flexible material, which is gas and water tight, and of a suitable shape, is partly
stretched and fixed between the four flanges, and partly screwed unto the four sides
of the vane by a top frame.

page_text: When the vane which oscillates in the measuring chamber from one side to
another touches one of the lower inclined sides, the said flexible material and the
vane must just cover both the sides of one half of the measuring case and rest
thereon.
The vane and membrane form in this case a space corresponding to the internal
shape of the box.
When gas or water enters one of the measuring chambers from the left side, the
vane, with the membrane therewith connected, will move to the right, till at last
the vane will rest on the lower right side, and the material or membrane will rest
on the upper right side. At the same time the membrane also lies close to both
the sides of the chamber on a three-cornered piece from the flange to the corner.
By this movement from left to right the gas or water contained in the box in front
of the vane and membrane will be forced out by the gas or water pressure, and
furthermore driven through a channel provided for it and be discharged. The gas
or water flows through this opening into the drum or case, and from this through a
discharge pipe into the service pipe.
In order to effect the greatest possible regularity of discharge I contrive so to
combine two, or even more, measuring boxes in such a manner that the oscillations
of their vane is communicated to a common revolving shaft by means of a con-
necting rod and crank making due arrangements for their dead points.
The entrance of the gas or water from right to left, or from left to right, into the
boxes is regulated by slides. These slides receive their movement by means of an
excentric or other suitable mechanism from a spindle. The slide valve face has
three openings.
The gas or water enters by a pipe, and the central opening in the slide valve face
into a concave slide valve, and according to its position goes either left or right into
the measuring chamber. It is discharged into the said drum or case.
If desired the entrance and exit may be reversed, the slide valve being so arranged
that the greater pressure comes on the saine.
The outside box, drum, or case is chiefly designed to protect the measuring
chambers and the gear from injury.
The transmission of the notion from the last-nained spindle to the counting
apparatus is effected in the usual manner
In order to be able to adjust the measuring chambers exactly, levers on the first-
named spindle are so made that their length can be altered.
By this arrangement the actual measuring chamber may be made to contain a
certain fixed quantity, the cubic contents of the chamber not being affected by the
membrane fitting closely to its firm non-yielding sides.
The flexible membrane I produce by making a suitable texture gas and water
tight by impregnation.
Out of the material thus prepared I cut such a shaped pieco as will cover the
sides of one half of the measuring chamber, and which is fixed between the flanges
of the measuring chamber and on the four sides of the vane while the vane lies on
one of the sides of the chamber, as above described, owing to the shape of the
measuring chamber; this result can be attained almost without any sewing, only a
very narrow strip needs to be sewn together, which is of great importance for the
durability of the membrane.
It will be obvious that by the combination of an oscillating metal vane in an
unchanging case of a fixed shape with a membrane, the outside edges of which are
fixed inside on the case, and furthermore are connected with the sides of the vane
when the vane oscillates from one side of the case to the other, and finally rests on
the side of the case, the membrane, together with the vane, covers one half of the
inside surface of the case, and the thus described volume expresses exactly the cubic
contents of the whole measuring chamber.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
November 1878.
A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED GAS AND WATER METER."
communication from abroad by Emil Haas, of Mainz, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to a meter of that class in which the gas or water pressure
gives motion to a membrane enclosed in a box or case.
My improved meter is designed to be used for gas and for water; it is of novel
construction, especially with regard to its measuring chamber or chambers.
The said Invention and the manner in which I carry the same into effect may
be fully understood by the aid of the accompanying Drawing, which I will now
proceed to describe, and in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a meter constructed according to this Invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation; and Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section
of the same.
Figure 4 shews a portion of the same detached.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I enclose the measuring chamber or
chambers A in the box or drum R, and may be four sided, or of other suitable shape.
It consists of two parts, with flanges all round, and connected firmly and tightly by
screws or other means. The measuring chamber thus formed is of a constant
or unvarying capacity, and has sides of sufficient strength to sustain the pressure
of the fluid.
On one of the edges of the rhombic receiver or chamber A is a stuffing box B, and
opposite this stuffing box there is a bearing E, in which a spindle D is supported,
parallel with the lower edge of the said chamber. On the spindle D is fixed a
plate or vane F, nearly of the same length as one of the sides of the rhombic
chamber, and nearly as wide as the case. A membrane or piece M of flexible
material which is gas and water tight and of a suitable shape is partly stretched
and fixed between the aforesaid four flanges, and partly screwed on the four sides
of the vane F by a top frame. When the said vane, which oscillates in the
measuring chamber from one side to another, touches one of the lower inclined
sides, the said flexible material and the vane must just cover both the sides of one
half of the measuring case and rest thereon. The said vane F and membrane M
form in this case a space corresponding with the internal shape of the box. When
gas or water enters one of the measuring chambers (in this case the one which is
shown partly in section) from the left side the vane F, with the membrane M
therewith connected, will move to the right, till at last the said vane will rest on
the lower right side, and the flexible piece or membrane M (which is shown bent
up in Figure 2 at this moment of the motion) will rest on the upper right side. At
the same time the said membrane also lies close to the back and front sides in the
form of a lozenge, that is to say, the two sides a, b, of the membrane lie close to
the front a* and back b*, which also have a lozenge form. By this movement
from left to right the gas or water contained in the box in front of the said vane
and membrane will be forced out by the gas or water pressure, and furthermore
will be driven through a channel J which discharges the same at i. The gas or
water flows through this opening into the drum or case R, and thence through the
discharge pipe S into the service pipe.
In order to effect the greatest possible regularity of discharge I combine two, or
even more, measuring boxes in such a manner that the oscillation of their vanes F
is communicated to a common revolving shaft by means of connecting rods L and
cranks K.
The entrance of the gas or water from right to left, or from left to right, into the
aforesaid boxes is regulated by slides P. These slides receive their movement by

page_text: means of an excentric or other suitable mechanism from the spindle G. The slide
valve face has three openings.
The gas or water enters by the pipe H, and the central opening in the slide valve
face into the slide valve P, and according to the position of the said valve the fluid
passes either to the left or right into the measuring chamber, and it is discharged into
the drum or case R.
If desired however the entrance and exit of the fluid may be reversed by varying
the arrangement of the slide valve.
The outside box, drum, or case is chiefly designed to protect the measuring
chambers and the gearing from injury.
The transmission of the motion from the spindle G to the counting apparatus is
effected in the usual manner.
To prevent the accurate adjustment of the measuring chambers the levers C on
the spindle D are so constructed that their length can be altered. By this con-
trivance the actual measuring chamber may be made to hold a determined quantity,
the cubic contents of the chamber not being affected by the membrane fitting closely
to its firm non-yielding sides. The said flexible membrane is produced by forming
the same of any suitable material rendered gas or water tight by impregnation.
Of the material thus prepared I cut such a shaped piece as will cover the sides of
one half of the aforesaid measuring chamber, and the same is fixed between the
flanges of the said measuring chamber and on the four sides of the vane F, while
the said vane lies on one of the sides of the chamber as above described. By reason
of the peculiar shape of the said measuring chamber only a very narrow strip needs
to be sewn, and this securing of the parts without sewing is of great importance
with regard to the durability of the said membrane.
Although I have shewn and described the measuring chamber as having a
rhombic form, yet I may vary the form of the said chamber and of the membrane
to suit the requirements of any particular or special circumstances.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The construction of the unchanging measuring space or chamber A for a
gas or water meter, constructed and provided with a vane and a flexible membrane,
substantially as above set forth, and as shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Second. The combination of parts comprising the case or drum R, containing the
oscillating metal vane F and the membrane M, whose outside edges are fixed in
the case R, and are connected with the sides of the said vane, so that when the
same oscillates from one side to the other of the said case, and finally rests on the
side of the latter, the said, membrane M, together with the vane F, covers one-half
of the inside surface of the case, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. The measuring chamber A, shaped as described, and divided into two
halves by a groove or otherwise, suitably formed or constructed to permit the
attachment of the membrane M, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.