A manual of home-making

graduated in cubic feet — sometimes in gallons. One cubic foot Pio. 45. — OpdiDftrj"^ form of water-meter dJal. Reading lt,hti7 cubic feet. is taken commercially as equal to 7)^ gallons. Hence, to re- duce a meter reading in cu1>ic feet to gallons, the number of cubic feet should l>e multiplieil by 7J^. The ordinary form of dial is shown in Fig. 45. A special form of register which if^ more convenient to read, is known as a straight-line register and gives cubic feet or gallons directly. ^ 152 A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING In Fig. 45 the unit is cubic feet and is plainly marked on the dial. If the unit were gallons, the method of reading would l>e the same. I'he hands revolve around circles, each divided into ten numbered divisions. The numl»er on the outside of each circle ■ indicates I lie ninnl>er of cubic feet for one complete revolution of tlic hand. The divisions of the circles are numbered alter- natcly in Ihe counter clockwise and clockwise direction. Thus, the fii*st dial fat the bottom) is markeil 10 and one division _ measures 1 cubic foot, the second KM) and one division measures fl 10 culiic feet, the next is marked 1000 anil one division measures 100 cubic feet, and similarly for the remainder. The small dial at the left measuring 1 cubic foot for a complete revolution is disregarded in reading the meter, being used for test purposes. One division of a circle is equal to a complete revolution of the hand on the next lower circle. When a hand is between two figures, the lesser is to be taken. If a hand is very near a figure, whether that figure or the next lower is to l>e taken can be de- termined by observing the liand in the next lower circle. Unless the hand on this circle has reached or just passtKl 0, the lesser fig- ure is to l>e taken. The best oielhod of reading is from low to high, that is, from right to left. For example, reading the dial shown in Fig, 45 and setting down the figure^s successively from m right to left» there are 7 for units' place, 6 for tens* place, 8 for huTHJreds' place, and 1 for thousands* place and for ten- thousands' place, or 11,807 cubic ftn^t. The circles on ditTcrent makes of dials may be differently lo- catetl on the dial, but the method of reatling is the same as given. In meters larger than those ordinarily used for household measurement, the lowest graduate<l circle, the one marked 10, corresponding to units' place in the reading, is sometimes omit- ted, the lowest circle ijeing tlien the one marked 100. In this case the meter is read exactly as described above, and a zero added in the units' place. The dial after reading cannot be set back to zero. The record is continuous. The amount of w^ater which has passed through the meter in a given time is, therefore, obtained by subtracting the first reading from the last* For example, if the meter were I HOUSEHOLD MEASUREMENTS AND THEIR USE 153 read the 30th day of June and again the 30bh day of July, the June reading is to be subtracted from that taken in July. Using the water meter as a measuring appliance. The amount of wattT required for a particular use — for ex- amplci in wateriiip; a lawn — may be determined by first turning off all other outlets and allowing tlie hose to run, readinp; the meter at the bot!;inning anrl end of the period and subtraciing the first reading from the second.