IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS AND IN THE LETTERSACTURE OF CERTAIN PARTS THERE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Richards Harding and Thomas Walter Harding,
both of Leeds in the County of York, Hackle, Pin and Comb Manufac-
turers for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS AND IN THE
LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Richards Harding and Thomas Walter Harding,
both of Leeds in the County of York, Hackle, Pin and Comb Manufac-
turers for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN PARTS THEREOF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Richards Harding
and Thomas Walter Harding at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 29th June 1882.
THOMAS RICHARDS HARDING, and THOMAS WALTER HARDING both of Leeds
in the County of York, Hackle Pin and Comb Manufacturers, "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FLUID METERS AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN PARTS THEREOF
"
Our invention relates to improvements in the application to fluid meters of
numerical counting or recording apparatus such as that referred to in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to us July 15th 1881. No. 3091, and in
the manufacture of certain parts thereof.
-
Instead of the crown wheel connection shewn and described in the abovenamed
specification, we propose to use bevil or mitre wheels, either made in the ordinary
way or stamped to form from previously prepared sheet metal spur wheels.
In order to facilitate the connection of the counting mechanism with the worm
wheel shaft of the meters which shaft varies very considerably in the number of cubic
feet developed according to the different sizes of meters, we propose to introduce
a pair of secondary spur wheels, the spindle of one of which will be connected
by the usual "pin and slot" or other convenient means, to the worm shaft of the
meter.
This arrangement will allow us also to exhibit, in the case of "wet meters" a
drum, and in the case of dry meters an index or pointer shewing the develop-
ment of the worm wheel shaft of the meters, by the revolution of which, meters
are usually verified.
Our invention consists further in improvements in the number wheels of the
counters which we make with metal, sides and non-metallic number rings. These

page_text: latter may be of any of the materials referred to in our beforementioned Specification,
but preferably of "china" or "earthenware" or " enamel " Both the metallic sides
we propose to make from stamped blanks or discs. For that side on which the
twenty teeth are required, we cut the teeth in said blank so as to form it into a
spur wheel.
For the other side we produce by stamping one or a pair of teeth
and a gap for the broad tooth of the pinion. The advantage of the single tooth
is that the counter can then only register in the forward direction. The said
metallic sides and the "china" "earthenware " or "enamel " number ring, are
connected by a metallic axis by screwing, rivetting, or soldering, or by forming
such axis by pouring in an alloy of white or other suitable metal in such a way as to
bind all the parts together. For larger counter wheels the metal may be so poured
around the number ring as to produce the necessary teeth at the same time.
Our invention relates further to modified combinations of the number wheels
and pinions referred to in the before mentioned Specification, namely, instead of
mounting the number wheels all on one shaft, we propose to mount them on
separate shafts or studs, the pinions being placed between them, the numbers
being shewn either on the flat side of the wheels or on separate discs attached
to them
Or the number wheels being mounted on separate shafts or studs with the
pinions between them, the numbers may be shewn on the peripheries, in a direction
parallel to the axis of said wheels.
Our invention consists further in applying to the numerical counting apparatus
of fluid meters, a modified form of pinions, consisting on one side of ordinary spur
teeth, and on the other, of alternate slots and curves on their peripheries.
In the various forms described of connecting the numerical counting apparatus
to the mechanism of the meter, we have considered that the unit numbers would
be the single cubic foot.
Although we consider this the better plan, yet in some cases in order to produce
a cheaper counter we propose to omit the "unit" wheel and that of "tens," and
to connect the "hundreds" wheel by a worm or other wheels to the worm wheel
shaft of meter, and supply the place of the omitted wheels by two ciphers on
the dial.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Richards Harding and Thomas Walter Harding in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd December 1882.
THOMAS RICHARDS HARDING and THOMAS WALTER HARDING, both of Leeds
in the County of York, Hackle, Pin and Comb manufacturers "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FLUID METERS AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN PARTS THEREOF."
Our invention relates to improvements in the application to fluid meters of
numerical counting or recording apparatus such as that referred to in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to us July 15th, 1881, No. 3091, and in
the manufacture of certain parts thereof.
'
Instead of the crown wheel connection shewn and described in the above named
specification, we propose to use bevil or mitre wheels either made in the ordinary
way or stamped to form from previously prepared sheet metal spur wheels.
In order to facilitate the connection of the counting mechanisin with the worm
wheel shaft of the meters, which shaft varies considerably in the number of cubic
feet developed according to the different sizes of meters, we propose to introduce a
pair of secondary or intermediate spur wheels, the spindle of one of which will be
connected by the usual "pin and slot" or other convenient means to the worm
wheel shaft of the meter.-This arrangement will allow us also to exhibit in the
case of "wet meters" a drum, and in the case of "dry meters," an index or pointer
shewing the development of the worm wheel shaft of the meters, by the revolution
of which meters are usually verified.
Our invention consists further in improvements in the number wheels of the
counters which we make with metal sides and non-metallic number rings. These
latter may be of any of the materials referred to in our before-mentioned
specification, but preferably of "china" or earthenware," or "enamel."-Both the
metallic sides we propose to make from stamped blanks or discs. For that side on
which the twenty teeth are required, we cut the teeth in said blank so as to form
it into a spur wheel. For the other side we produce by stamping one or a pair of
teeth and a gap for the broad teeth of the pinion. The advantage of the single
tooth is that the counter can then only register in the forward direction.
The said metallic sides and the "china," "earthenware," or "enamel " number
rings, are connected by a motallic axis by screwing, rivetting, or soldering, or by
forming such axis by pouring in an alloy of white or other suitable metal, in such a
way as to bind all the parts together. For larger counter wheels the metal may
be so poured around the number rings as to produce the necessary teeth at the
same time.
Our invention consists further in applying to the numerical counting apparatus
of fluid meters, a modified form of pinions, consisting on one side of ordinary spur
teeth, and on the other, of alternate slots and curves on their peripheries.-In the
various forms described of connecting the numerical counting apparatus to the
mechanism of the meter, we have considered that the unit numbers would be
the single cubic foot.
Although we consider this the better plan, yet in some cases, in order to produce
a cheaper counter we propose to omit the "unit" wheel and that of the "tens,"
and to connect the "hundreds." wheel by a worm or other wheels to the worm
wheel shaft of meter and supply the place of the omitted wheels by two ciphers
on the dial. The automatic movements of the counting mechanism are fully
described in our former Specification of Letters Patent, of July 15th, 1881,
No. 3091, therefore need not be repeated here.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings the same reference letters are used
to denote the same or like parts wherever they are repeated. Fig. 1. Sheet 1, is a
plan of a dry meter, the front portion being partly in section in order to show the

page_text: counting mechanism at A, more distinctly, and also the method of driving the same
from the existing working parts of the meter, namely, the worm B 1, worm wheel C,
on the shaft B, to which is connected by pin and slot, the shaft D, extending through
the dial plate E, and carrying the index or pointer F, for indicating fractions of a
cubic foot being passed through the meter.-On the said shaft D, is the spur
pinion G, taking into and driving the spur wheel H, (the said pinion G, and wheel H,
form the secondary spur wheels previously mentioned and are variable to suit the
varying capacity of meters) and also the mitre wheel 1, taking into and driving a
corresponding mitre wheel J, attached to and completing the connection of the
working parts of the meter with the first counter wheel K, of the series in the
counting mechanism.-Fig. 2. is an elevation in part, with the face or dial plate E,
removed so as to shew the said counting mechanism at A. Fig. 3, is a partial side
elevation, having the upper portion partly in section, and also shows the counting
mechanism and its connection with the working parts of the meter as above
referred to Fig. 4, is a partial front view with the face or dial plate E, in position,
and shews the index or pointer F, above mentioned, and also the slit or opening E 1,
through which are read off the figures representing the quantity of fluid which has
passed through the meter.-The counter wheels and pinions are shown to an enlarged
scale in Figs, 5, and 6,—Fig. 7. Sheet 2, is a partial front view of a "wet meter," the
dial plate E, being removed for the purpose described with reference to Fig. 2,
Sheet 1. of the drawings. This view also shews the method of driving the counting
mechanism from the existing shaft B, of the meter. To the said shaft B, we
connect by pin and slot attachment a shaft D, on the top of which is the drum L,
previously referred to as a means of verifying such meters. On said said shaft D, we
fix a mitre wheel I, which takes into and drives a corresponding wheel J, attached
to the first or unit counter wheel K, of the series in the counting mechanism as
previously described with reference to the "dry meter."-Fig, 8, is a plan in part and
partly in section, shewing the counting mechanism at A, and its driving. Fig. 9. is
a partial side elevation, partly in section shewing the driving mitre gears I, and J,
for imparting motion to the counting mechanism as above described. Fig. 9a,
shews in elevation the method of connecting the existing worm wheel shaft B, to
the counting mechanism by secondary spur gearing G, and H, as previously referred
to, and which is variable as is the developing capacity of the respective meters to
which it has to be applied. Fig,. 10, is a partial front view of Figs. 7, 8, and 9.
shewing the dial plate in position, with the slit or opening E1, through which to
read the figures as described with reference to Fig. 4, Sheet 1, of the drawings.-
Fig. 11, Sheet 1, shews a modified form of pinions a, and b, previously referred to,
wherein one part consists of ordinary spur teeth for taking into that part of the
counter wheels having twenty teeth, and the other part consists of alternate curves
and slots, the curved part coinciding with and locking on the periphery of one of
the side metallic discs of the wheels, the said disc being provided with a pin C, for
taking into the slots and causing the pinion to make a partial revolution and move
the adjoining wheel one tenth of a revolution, the same being repeated through
the whole number of counter wheels. Figs. 12, and 13, shew a cheaper form of
counter in which the "unit" and the "tens" wheels are omitted, their places on the
dial being supplied by two ciphers or "cents," and the "hundreds" wheel being
driven by the reducing gearing f, g, h, shewn in plan Fig. 12.-Or in lieu of the
"unit" and "tens" wheels being omitted, their places may be supplied by dummy
wheels behind that part of the dial where the two ciphers are shewn, and driven
as are the "units" and "tens" wheels in Figs 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, and in Figs. 7.
8. and 9, Sheet 2, of the drawings. Figs. 14, to 24, both inclusive shew the
component parts of, and the manner in which we build up or manufacture the
counter wheels" according to our invention. Figs 14, and 15, are side and edge
views respectively of a disc, stamped or punched from sheet metal,-Figs. 16, and 17,
being the same disc, with spur teeth cut on the periphery, and the eye (by preference) {
threaded for the reception of a central boss Fig. 18, which binds all the parts of
the counter wheel in position as shewn in Fig. 22.-Figs. 19, and 20, is another
"

page_text: disc also stamped or punched from sheet metal, having one or two projections d, e,
which are afterwards turned over sideways and shaped so as to form one or two
spur teeth as the case may be and as shewn in Fig. 21, and in the assemblage of
the parts in section at Fig. 22,-Figs 23, and 24, represent, the middle portion of
the wheel, of "china," "earthenware," or "enamel having on its periphery the
numbers 1, to 0.
In our Provisional Specification we described modified arrangements of mounting
the number wheels on separate shafts or studs, the pinions being placed between
them, the numbers being shewn either on the flat sides of the wheels or on separate
dises attached to them.-Or the number wheels being mounted on separate shafts or
studs, with the pinions between them, the numbers being shewn on the peripheries
in a direction parallel to the axes of said wheels. We do not however consider
these modifications of much importance, and therefore lay no claim to them.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect, we would have it understood that what we
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as secured to us under the
Letters Patent, hereinbefore first in part recited is
1. In a fluid meter, the combination with a numerical counter, of bevil or mitre
wheels for connecting the existing worm wheel shaft B, to said numerical counter,
substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
2 In a fluid meter, the combination with a numerical counter of a variable
train of secondary spur wheels such as G, and H, Figs. 1. 2, and 3, Sheet 1, and
Fig. 9a, Sheet 2, so as to adapt the counter to the various developments of the
existing worm wheel shaft, B, and to enable a drum L, or an index F, to be exhibited
in a conspicuous position for showing the revolutions or portions thereof of said
shaft B, substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In a numerical counter, the method substantially as described and shewn of
forming a compound number wheel with metallic sides and centre, and a non-
metallic number ring with figures on its periphery, such as shown in Figs 23,
and 24, Sheet 2, of the drawings
4-In a fluid meter the use of a pinion one part of which consists of ordinary
spur teeth a, and the other part of alternate slots and curves b, Fig. 11 Sheet 1,
for communicating motion from one number wheel to another of the counting
mechanism, substantially as described and shewn.
5-In a fluid meter the combination with the numerical counting mechanism
described, of reducing gear as shown in Fig. 12, Sheet 2, to enable the first number
wheel to indicate "hundreds," in connection with two ciphers or the word "cents,"
on the dial.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Walter Harding, for myself and on
behalf of the said Thomas Richards Harding, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
Witness to the signature of
the said T. Walter Harding,
THO E CRAVEN O.E
Patent Agent
24 Victoria Chambers
South Parade
Leeds.
T. WALTER HARDING (L.S.)