aboutime

H Oracle: Kent Concentic Water Meter

For any recorder you need a time base, so as you move the graph with time, so you plot your variable against time. A barograph is an example some might have seen before. This is just a large scale version of this.

Its driven by a large weight, and the pendulum is a royal 1M or 1 second pendulum. The escapement is deadbeat which means it acts like a regulator, for precise time keeping.

It not only drives the dial but it moves the chart and the integrator cylinder. A lot of work for one clock, hence the heavy weight.

This is the clock (early tall) that drives the meters. Graham Dead-beat escapement with adjustable pal

This is the paper drum and paper feed drum. Both geared of the main clock.

As the pressure changes so does the position of the pen. The working area being the width of the graph paper. This early double drum clock runs for one month. Then you have to unload the roll and re-load it. The pen is simply a small vessel of ink with a pointed end with a slit in it. This make the ink mark. There is a lot of ink marks at the spill area, and should imagine quite a tricky operation to fill and flow.

About Time
Fundamental to all measurements is a time base. The Kent water meter gets its from a traditional clock.

The clock drives the meters, the recorder and the integrator.

This fundamental principle makes it very useful in demonstrations because its highly visible.