IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND MEASUREMENT OF ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1856

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Andrew Barclay and John Wallace
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on
the 16th May 1856.
We, ANDREW BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Engineer, and JOHN WALLACE, of the same Place, Gas Collector, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND MEASUREMENT OF ILLUMINATING GAS," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to various contrivances to be applied in the construc-
tion of meters for measuring the flow of illuminating gas and other aeriform
bodies, whereby such meters are rendered more accurate than ordinary meters,
and less liable to be effectually tampered with. Of these contrivances, one
has for its object the securing of a constant unvarying level of the water in
the meter, and consists of a "fountain" or chamber communicating with
the meter case at the height at which the water level is to be. This com-
munication is at the lower part of the fountain or supply vessel, which is
carried up to the top of the meter or to any convenient height, being entirely
closed when in action, with the exception of the communication already
mentioned. This supply chamber is filled with water, and as the water in the
meter just covers the aperture at its lower part, the water does not run out of
it into the ineter case. When, however, the level of the water in the meter

page_text: case descends so low as to uncover the aperture, a bubble of gas or air enters
the supply vessel, allowing a portion of the water to issue out and bring back
the water in the meter case to its proper level; and this level will be main-
tained in this manner as long as there is any water in the supply vessel. The
supply vessel may be replenished, when necessary, by an external screw plug,
or other opening, a means being provided of shutting off all communication
with the inside of the meter whilst the vessel is being filled, otherwise the
water would run directly into the meter.
Another contrivance is adapted to the valve, by which the gas enters the
meter, or to the syphon, by which the gas passes into the measuring drum for
the purpose of cutting off the ingress of gas when the meter is tilted, as is
sometimes done by gas consumers to obtain a larger supply of gas than is
indicated by the meter. This contrivance consists of a hollow tube or lever
containing a ball, or a quantity of mercury capable of running from end to end
of the lever. This lever is nicely poised, so that on the meter being tilted in
the slightest degree the ball or mercury will run to one end of the lever, and,
causing it to act on a valve, it cuts off the supply of gas. This lever may be
arranged in various ways, so that the tilting of the meter may throw it over
and close the valve or siphon. In another plan the valve is attached to the
bent arm of a pendulous lever, so as to cause the closing to take place when
any tilting occurs.
The fountain, when fitted to the hydraulic main, regulates the water level in
a generally similar way; it also answers for the water-sealed joints of purifiers,
and other apparatus, where a regular fluid level is desirable.