IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gedge, of No. 4, Wellington Street South,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS." A communication from Allan
Macpherson, of Brussels.
Sealed the 29th May 1857, and dated the 1st December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gedge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st December
1856.
I, JOHN GEDGE, of No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS METERS," communicated to me by Allan
Macpherson, of Brussels, to be as follows:-
I propose constructing a gas meter in the following manner:-I make the
outer casing of the meter of galvanized iron, iron coated with lead, or other
suitable and economical metal; this casing encloses a fly wheel, a float, two
tubes, and a valve box, also of the same material, together with a wheel and
endless screw made of a composition of tin and antimony, and two shafts in
bell metal. I furnish the meter thus constructed with a reservoir, from which
a regular and constant supply of water is introduced into the meter. (The
diameter of the tube through which the water passes into the meter will be
regulated by the size of the reservoir.
The object of this Invention is to prevent any variation in the meter by the

page_text: rise or fall of the water, the improved reservoir (which needs filling but once a
year) maintaining it invariably at the same level, thus preventing loss either to
the supplier or consumer of the gas. This meter has an additional advantage in
the simplicity of its internal arrangement, and the use of a coloring matter
impervious to chemicals (already patented by me), enables me to make them
of almost any material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEDGE, of No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Gedge, Her special license that I, the said John Gedge, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no othors, 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
GAS METERS," a communication from Allan Macpherson, of Brussels, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Gedge, 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, naturė
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 John Gedge, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto, annexed, and to the
letters of reference placed thereon:-

page_text: Hitherto water or wet gas meters have been imperfect in their register,
principally from the quick evaporation of the water contained in the meter
and the intermittent supply thereof, that is to say, that every five or six weeks
it has been needful to unscrew the aperture left for the supply of water and to
pour in a sufficient quantity to restore the proper level, which operation in
unskilled hands is attended with many inconveniences. During the evaporation
of the water a loss of gas more or less great, according to the dryness or
otherwise of the locality in which the meter is placed, is sustained by the
consumer.
meter.
By this Invention the water is always kept upon the precise level required,
and this is maintained by means of a reservoir (hereafter described) which
supplies water in exact proportion to the evaporation of that contained in the
It is calculated that a meter furnished with the reservoir will act
perfectly for more than twelve months, and consequently may be sealed with a
company's seal and delivered to the consumer, who (the supply aperture being
dispensed with) will have no means of access to the interior thereof.
The Drawing exhibits a front elevation of a gas meter with the Invention
affixed thereto. On the top of the meter is placed an air-tight reservoir A, of
a conical or other convenient shape, having a pipe B connected thereto, as
shewn, which passes through the top of the meter. The lower part of this
pipe is fitted with a seperate short piece sliding up or down, similar to a
telescope joint, by which the height of water permanently required in the
meter is regulated, the quantity being adjusted by means of the screw D in
the escape pipe C; the pipe C is in the form of a horse-shoe magnet, the
water passing in at one end round the bottom, and again rising, escaping at
the opening when the screw D is displaced. When the meter is charged with
water it is only necessary to charge the reservoir A also and screw it in its
place; the result will be, that as the water is consumed in the meter, by
evaporation or otherwise, that in the reservoir descends by reason of the
vacuum thereby produced, preventing the fall of the water below its original or
fixed level. The reservoir is calculated to ensure the supply for one year or
more, it being constructed of larger or smaller capacity, according to the size
of the meter, and according to the time required for its use without re-filling..
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the means of
carrying it into practical effect, I would observe that I do not confine myself to
the precise details herein described, as such will admit, under particular
circumstances, of variation without departing from the principle laid down,
as, for example, in large meters the conical shape of the reservoir may be
found inconvenient, and another shape preferred; nor do I limit myself to the

page_text: relative proportions of the parts to each other, nor do I claim any of the
mechanical parts taken and considered seperately and not used in combination
or for the purposes of this (communicated) Invention; but what I do claim
is, the combination of parts herein described, having for object the supplying
from a reservoir whatever water may be exhausted by evaporation or other
cause from the meter, so long as any water shall remain in the said reservoir.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
W. E. GEDGE,
4, Danes Inn, Strand, London.
JOHN GEDGE. (LS.)