IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James John Shedlock, of King's Road, Camden
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS."
Sealed the 24th August 1869, and dated the 9th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James John Shedlock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th March 1869.
1, JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK; of King's Road, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS METERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in so constructing the diaphragms that when
distended they take the form of truncated pyramids, the sides of which
Metal framics
are made of leather or other like flexible material.
forming the lower bases, and plates of metal forming the upper bases, are
securely attached to the flexible sides. Double hinge joints connect the
plates of metal forming the upper bases to vertical rods, the lower ends

page_text: of which work in studs fixed in the bottom of the meter, and the upper
ends are supported by and work in stuffing boxes attached to the valve
plate. The valve plate is fitted with as many valves as there are
diaphragms, each valve having two inlet ports and one outlet port. The
inlet pipes are cast in one piece with the valves, corresponding holes
being made in the valve plate to communicate with either side of the
diaphragms. The outlet pipes are also cast in one piece, and commu-
nicate direct with the outlet pipe of the meter. The valve covers receive
their motion through connecting rods, one end of which is attached to
each valve cover, and the other end to a crank driven by arms or levers
fixed to the upper end of the vertical rods. The registering apparatus is
driven from the crank shaft by means of a worm and wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James John Shedlock in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JOHN SHEDLOCK, of King's Road, Camden Town, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters l'atent, bearing date the Ninth 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 successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James John Shedlock, Her special licence that
I, the said James John Shedlock, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James John Shedlock, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY GAS
METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
John Shedlock, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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

page_text: 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 John Shedlock, 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:-
.
the
This Invention relates to improvements in dry gas metres
diaphragms of which are so constructed that when distended they take
the form of truncated pyramids, the sides of which are leather or other
like flexible material. Metal frames forming the lower bases, and plates
of metal forming the upper bases, are securely attached to the flexible
sides. Double hinge joints connect the plates of metal forming the
upper bases to vertical rods, the lower ends of which work in studs fixed
in the bottom of the meter, and the upper ends are supported by and
work in stuffing boxes attached to the valve plate. The valve plate is
fitted with as many valves as there are diaphragms, each valve having
two inlet ports and one outlet port. The inlet pipes are cast in one piece
with the valves, corresponding holes being in the valve plate to commu-
nicate with either side of the diaphragms. The outlet pipes are also cast
in one piece, and communicate direct with the outlet pipe of the meter.
The valve.covers receive their motion through connecting rods, one end
of which is attached to each valve cover, and the other end to a crank
driven by arms or levers fixed to the other end of the vertical rods.
The registering apparatus is driven from the crank shaft by means of a
worm and wheel.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I will
proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed. The same letters
of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation; Figure 2, a sectional plan; Figure 3,
elevation of diaphragm; and Figure 4, the valve.
The letters A, B, C, combined form the diaphragm, A being the leather
side, B the metal frame, and C the metal plate to which the side A is
securely attached. The frame B is attached to the side of the meter
case, while the metal plate C is free to move backward or forward by the
pressure of the gas. The metal plate C is attached to the vertical rod E
by the double hinge joint D, and which allows the moveable portion of

page_text: The
the diaphragm to travel in parallel lines. The vertical rod Ę is supporter
at its upper part by a stufling box G attached to the valve plate H, while
the lower part of the vertical rod E works freely in the stud F.
valve 1 is cast in one piece with the gas passages L, L, communicating
with the inlet ports J, J. The gas passages L, L, have communication
with the sides of the diaphragm, holes being cast in the valve plate H to
correspond therewith. The opening S on the side of the valve I com-
municates with the outlet pipe M, which is attached direct to the outlet
pipe of the meter N. The valve cover O receives its motion from the
connecting rod P, being driven by the crank Q, which receives a rotary
movement by means of the arms or levers R, R, which are attached to
the upper ends of the vertical rod E. The index is worked by the
crank Qin the ordinary manner.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is carried into effect, I claim, and therefore desire to
have secured to me,-
First. The method of constructing the diaphragms and their attachment
to the vertical rods.
Second. The manner of casting the valves and gas passages in one
piece.
Third. The combined arrangement of the valve plate and valves.
Fourth. The method of connecting the outlet from the valves to the
outlet pipe of the meter.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James John Shedlock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK. (..S.)