Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar, 1888
I, ANDRE SAID HENRI BRIANTHE of Rio de Janiero, Brazil do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:—.
This invention relates to cheap and simple means of ensuring constant water level
in wet gas meters and providing against error of measurement in caso the level
should be accidentally altered. I provide in the upper part of the meter a closed
compartment which is supplied with water to form a feed cistern, the water being
introduced by a bent pipe that descends some distance down into the cistern and is
closed at the mouth by a screw plug. From near the bottom of the cistern a siphon
pipe of very small diameter ascends and then bends down into the water compartment
of the meter, and from near the top of the cistern another pipe of considerably larger
diameter descends to the desired water level in the meter where it has an open mouth..
somewhat oblique. When the water in the ineter descends a little below this level,
gas can pass up this pipe to the upper part of the feed cistern, and the equilibrium of
pressure being thus restored, water flows down the small pipe until the level in the
ineter is such as to seal the mouth of the larger pipe. From the water compartment of
the meter there is an over-flow passage to a chamber below from which the surplus
water can be removed, from time to time, by opening a hole provided with a screw.
plug. The water compartment which is fed from the feed cistern communicates
with the wheel compartment by a passage at its bottom so that no gas can pass as
long as there is water in the water compartment. This compartment, whether it be
fed as above described from a cistern or not, may have a float, (when it is not so fed
float is indispensable) working a valve to close the gas pipe when the water is too
ow. This valve I make on an arm projecting horizontally from the vertical sten of
he float just above the mouth of tho gas pipe so that when the float descends a little
he valve closes the mouth of the pipe. By making the gas pipe with a U bend in
t, the gas flow is stopped by water in the bend if accidentally the water in the meter
ises so far above its proper level that it overflows into the mouth of the pipe..
Dated this 02-1 das 1-1005
ABEL & IMRAY,.
Agents for the Applicant..

page_text: I, ANDRE SAID HENRI BRIANTHE of Rio de Janiero, Brazil do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to cheap and simple means of ensuring constant water level
in wet gas meters and providing against error of measurement in case the level should
he accidentally altered. I provide in the upper part of the meter a closed compartment
which is supplied with water to form a feed cistern, the water being introduced by a
bent pipe that descends some distanco down into the cistern and is closed at the mouth
by a screw plug. From near the bottom of the cistern a siphon pipe of very small
diameter ascends and then bends down into the water compartment of the meter and
from near the top of the cistern another pipe of considerably larger diameter descends
to the desired water level in the meter where it has an open mouth somewhat oblique.
When the water in the meter descends a little below this level gas can pass up this
pipe to the upper part of the feed cistern, and the equilibrium of pressure being thus
restored, water flows down the small pipe until the level in the meter is such as to
seal the mouth of the larger pipe. From the water compartment of the meter there
is an overflow passage to a chamber below from which the surplus water can be
removed from time to time by opening a hole provided with a screw plug. The
water compartment which is fed from the feed cistern communicates with the wheel
compartment by a passage at its bottom so that no gas can pass as long as there is
water in the water compartment. This compartment whether it be fed as above
described from a cistern or not, may have a float (when it is not so fed a float is
This
indispensable) working a valvo to closo the gas pipe when tho water is too low.
valve make on an arm projecting horizontally from the vertical stem of the float
just above the mouth of the gas pipe so that when the float descends a little the valve
closes the mouth of the pipe. By making the gas pipe with a U bend in it the gas
flow is stopped by water in the bend it accidentally the water in the meter rises
so far above its proper level that it overflows into the mouth of the pipe.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings shew respectively a sectional front
view and a side view of one arrangement of the before described improved meter.
C is the feed cistern formed so as to fit the top part of the meter; d is the siphon tube
of small diameter extending from near the bottom of the feed cistern to some distance
below the normal water level X Y in the water box of the meter. e is the second
tube of larger diameter, also passing with its one end into the top of the reservoir C,
and with its other end, which is formed with a sloping orifice, situated at the normal
water level X Y.
Assuming the water to stand at this level, and the cistern C to be filled with water,
if now owing to ovaporation the water level sinks below X Y so as to uncover the
opening of the tube e, then gas will pass up this tube into the cistern and in thus
equalizing the pressure in the cistern and water box, a portion of tho water will flow

page_text: from the former through the siphon tube d into the latter until the water level has
risen so as to close the tube e again, whereupon, as no more gas can now enter the
cistern, the discharge of water from the same will be stopped.
Thus the water cannot sink below the normal level without causing a fresh supply
to enter for making it good; so long as there is water in the cistern, and consequently
the only precaution to be taken is to see that this is replenished with water at intervals
of say from three to six months, such interval depending upon the size of the feed
cistern.
The filling of the meter with water is effected through the stoppered opening a,
the water passing first into a hydraulic trap from which it passes into the cistern (
through the bent tube m, which forms a water seal to the cistern. The air escapes
from the latter into the water box through the tube e at the same time that part of the
water poured in enters the water box through the tube d and passes thence into the
drum through the openings K k. As the discharge from the tube d is very small as
compared with the quantity poured into the cistern the water level rises in the latter
until it can also escape through the tube e. When the meter has been filled so that
the water level has risen to X Y the surplus water will escape through the overflow f
into the bottom chamber g; from which it can be drawn off through the stoppered
opening R.
As soon as the water begins to run off through this opening the supply is stopped
and the meter is ready for use, with the cistern fully charged.
For recharging the cistern at intervals, the water is poured in through a as before,
taking care to remove the stopper from the opening at Rt so as to allow the excess of
water to escape. During such filling, the air or gas in the top of the cistern C will
be compressed, and would consequently tend to force the water through tubed so as
to cause the water level in the meter to rise above X Y; but as the tube e is only
slightly sealed by the water level at X Y, the gas will readily escape from the cistern
down this tube and through the inclined opening, thus preventing any appreciable
compression in the cistern, and allowing this to be entirely filled.
The small quantity in excess that passes in through the tube d will pass off through
the overflow and escape through the opening at R.
In consequence of the constant water level insured by the above described arrange-
ment, the ordinary check valve is dispensed with, as is also the opening existing in
ordinary meters round the inlet gas tube in the partition separating the water box
from the drum compartment, the only communication between the two compartments
being through the two rectangular openings Kk situated at the bottom of the water
box, so that even when the water level is depressed to a considerable extent, such as
by a sudden rush of gas on opening the cock, the gas cannot pass directly through
the centre, that is, without being measured.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew similar views of a meter having another improvement which
may be employed either in combination with that previously described, or separately
therefrom.
The partition which separates the front water box from the drum casing has no open-
ing, so that however low the water level may sink, the error of measurement is limited
to that resulting from the increase of the measuring capacity, without the possibility
of the passage of a quantity of gas not measured at all, as may occur with ordinary
meters.
The water communication is effected through an opening P situated at the bottom
of the overflow chamber which can never be uncovered.
Also, in place of the float S being made to actuate a valve situated in the gas inlet
chamber, as is ordinarily the case, and where it soon becomes dirty, it has a small
arm carrying a valve T that seats upon the open end of the pipe V through which the
gas passes into the drum. If the meter is not provided with the supply cistern, or if
the supply cistern is not charged with water, and the water level sinks in the incter,
the valve T will close the supply pipe, and the gas supply will be cut off so that to
obtain gas again it is necessary to restore the water level.
The solid impurities carried by the gas having been already deposited in the inlet

page_text: chamber and the gas having afterwards expanded in the front water box, and also,
the opening of pipe V presenting only a very small surface as compared with that of
an ordinary valve seat, the accumulation of dirt on the valve, will, owing to these
several reasons be in appreciable and cousequently its action is reliable.
If the water level rises too high in consequence of condensation, the gas supply will
also be cut off automatically as it will overflow the mouth of the gas supply pipe in
the drum casing and in accumulating in the bend thereof, will stop the flow of gas.
In this case in order to restore the gas supply it is necessary to open the water lovel
plug, so as to discharge the water until the normal level is restored.
The water communication between the drum casing and the bottom chamber is
effected through the opening P as described but the communication is not direct a
partition being placed in front of this opening forming a conduit Q leading to an
opening B formed in the bottom of the water box U so that the water introduced
through and entering at m, flows as indicated by the arrows.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a wet gas meter of a feed cistern for automatically main-
taining the proper water level therein, by means of two tubes operating substantially
as berein described.
2. In feed apparatus for wet gas meters such as referred to in the preceding claim,
the use of a siphon tube of small diameter through which the water flows from the
cistern into the meter in combination with a larger tube through which both gas or
uir and water can flow from the one into the other whereby the meter can be charged
with water or be replenished without escape of gas or air into the atmosphere,
substantially as berein described.
3. In wet gas meters, effecting the communication between the water box and tho
drum casing through an opening or openings near the bottom of either the water box
or the overflow chamber thereof, the ordinary openings round the drum axis being
dispensed with substantially as described.
4. In wet gas meters, providing, the float with a projecting arm carrying a valve
that closes the gas inlet pipe, when the water level sinks too low, the cutting off of the
gas supply when the water level rises too high being effected automatically by the
water entering the bend of the gas inlet pipe, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 10th day of January 1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.