IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Smith, of Hamburg, Gas Meter Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
· March 1862.
I, EDMUND SMITH, of Hamburg, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WET GAS METERS," to
be as follows:-
The improvements have for their object increased accuracy of registry and
the prevention of fraud either on the part of the supplier or of the consumer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1 and 2 show a front and transverse sectional views of parts of a
meter with my improvements. C is a box or chamber, to which are attached
the inlet and outlet passages; N is a chamber serving as a reservoir for water
or other suitable fluid, also to receive the gas to be measured. Water supplied
to the meter is passed through the side box M, thence it runs into the front
box C through the opening to the case or body of the meter. When such
water has attained the height required it will run over down the pipe O behind
the measuring wheel J to the water reservoir N, filling this to the height of

page_text: the opening P. The water then will be of the same height in the front box C
as in the wheel case, as more clearly shown by Figure 2. Gas to be measured
enters the meter by the inlet passage E, and passes thence by the valve in the
chamber I, descends the pipe G into the gas chamber and reservoir N, ascends
the spout H, passes through the bend of the same into the chambers of the
wheel to give rotary motion to it.
A is a worm attached to the axis of the wheel J, by which the spindle
wheel B, is set in motion to give motion to the index apparatus. The gas
having passed through the measuring wheel J escapes into the case of the
same, as is well understood, in its passage to be consumed by the outlet pipe L
the lower edge of which is placed just above the water line. It will thus be
seen that any increase of water in the meter will immediately flow over the
water line pipe 0 into the reservoir N, which when filled will close, and
thereby shut off the gas pipes G and H, and thereby stop the passage of gas
through the meter until the plug P is removed and the surplus water is let
out. In like manner evaporation or other diminution of water in the meter
will cause the float D to sink and shut off the valve I, which may be arranged
to the greatest accuracy, as the pressure of gasi has no influence on the float
whatever. If the meter is tilted back a like effect would be produced. If
the meter is tilted forward it will cause an increase of water in the front box,
which will close the outlet pipe L and shut off the supply. To prevent fraud,
by drawing water from the emptying plug W, and tilting the meter for the
purpose of raising the float D, I have attached a balance or pendulum weight
from the top of the pipe G, coming through the same into the reservoir N in
connection with the valve V on the spout.
The filling box M, as shown separately by Figure 5, is supplied with a plug
either of wood, cork, or other suitable floating material, which, as soon as gas
enters the meter, will be forced up to the dotted line, and prevent any strong.
pressure from forcing the water out therefrom by the top plug when that is
removed, whereby also fraudulent extraction of gas or water is prevented.
Figure 3 is a sectional detail Drawing. The partition S prevents dirt reaching
the lever or seating of the valve, and at the same time prevents the top of the
valve being raised to commit fraud. R is the lever of the valve; F is a
cylinder attached to the valve box I, sealed by passing below the water, and it
contains the pipe G, also the wire of the float D. Figure 4 is a top view of
the valve box. Q is a stop to prevent the meter wheel from working in
the reverse direction. The dotted lines in the Drawing represent the
water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edmund Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
SMITH, of Hamburg, Gas Meter Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, 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 Edmund Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Edmund Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edmund
Smith, 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
WET GAS METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edmund Smith, my executors or adininistrators, 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 immédiately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
"
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the, said Edmund Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
:
The improvements have for their object increased accuracy of registry,
and the prevention of fraud either on the part of the supplier or of the
consumer.
But that the nature of the improvements and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect may be better understood, I will proceed to
describe the Drawing annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.

page_text: or other suitable fluid, also to receive the gas to be measured. Water supplied
to the meter is passed through the side box M, thence it runs into the front
box C through the opening to the case or body of the meter.
When such
water has attained the height required it will run over down' the pipe O,
behind the measuring wheel J, to the water reservoir N, filling this to the
height of the opening P. The water then will be of the same height in the
front box C as in the wheel case, as more clearly shewn by Figure 2. Gas to
be measured enters the meter by the inlet passage E, and passes thence by the
valve in the chamber I, descends the pipe G into the gas chamber and
reservoir N, ascends the spout H, passes through the bend of the same into the
chambers of the wheel to give rotary motion to it.
.
A is a worm attached to the axis of the wheel J, by which the spindle
wheel B is set in motion, to give motion to the index apparatus in the box K.
The gas having passed through the measuring wheel J escapes into the case
of the same, as is well understood, in its passage to be consumed by the outlet
pipe L, the lower edge of which is placed just above the water line. It will
thus be seen that any increase of water in the meter will immediately.flow
over the water line pipe O into the reservoir N, which when filled will close,
and thereby shut off the gas pipes G and H, and thereby stop the passage of
gas through the meter until the plug P is removed, and the surplus water is
let out. In like manner evaporation or other diminution of water in the
meter will cause the float D to sink, and shut off the valve I, which may be
arranged to the greatest accuracy as the pressure of gas has no influence on
the float whatever. If the meter is tilted back a like effect would be produced.
If the meter is tilted forward it will cause an increase of water in the front
-box, which will close the outlet pipe L, and shut off the supply. To prevent
fraud, by drawing water from the emptying plug W and tilting the meter for
the purpose of raising the float D, I have attached a balance or pendulum
weight U from the top of the pipe G, coming through the same into the
reservoir N in connection with the valve V on the spout.
i
The filling box M, as shewn separately by Figure 5, is supplied with a plug
or ball T, which, as soon as gas enters the meter, will be forced up and
prevent any strong pressure from forcing the water out therefrom by the top
plug when that is removed, whereby also fraudulent extraction of gas or water
is prevented. Figure 3 is a sectional detail Drawing. The partition S prevents
dirt reaching the lever or seating of the valve, and at the same time prevents
the top of the valve being raised to commit fraud. R is the lever of the
valve; F is a cylinder attached to the valve box I, sealed by passing below
the water, and it contains the pipe G, also the wire of the float D. Figure 4

page_text: is a top view of the valve box. Qis a stop to prevent the meter wheel from
working in the reverse direction. The dotted lines in the Drawing represent
the water.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the means
which I adopt in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, so
long as the peculiar character of the improvements be retained, substantially
as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of Septbr., in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
EDMUND SMITH. (L.S.)