Patent GB-190514897-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Liquid Meters.
Inventor: THOMSON WILLIAM
Filed: 1905-07-19
Granted: 1906-01-04
Abstract: 14,897. Kelvin, W. Thomson, Baron, Blakiston, R., Hope, W., and Richards, G. B. July 19. Liquid meters.- Relates to meters of the kind described in Specifications No. 1668, A.D. 1868, N o s. 937 and 4264, A.D. 1873, Nos. 5181 and 12,627, A.D. 1887, and No. 16,235, A.D. 1903, and consists (1) in means whereby the horizontal type of such meters may be rendered as free from friction as the vertical type, .and (2) to means by which the integration of the quantities of water gauged is simplified and adapted to both the horizontal and vertical types o f meters. (1) Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal vertical section of a simple horizontal meter embodying the present improvements. The disk 3 or its equivalent, referred to as the "disc - equivalent," is arranged in the tapered waterway, which towards its larger end is widened out as at 21, 2<11> to allow for large and unusual flows of water. The guide-blades 13 take the helical motion out of the water before it reaches the disk. The coned faces of the " disc - equiva- " lent " reduce fluid friction by diminution of eddies as the water approaches and leaves the disk, and the "disc-equivalents" are hollow, so as to be floated or otherwise supported with little friction while moving, for which purpose, a single wheel 14, rolling upon an horizontal rail 15, is used. The axis of the wheel is maintained in the vertical line passing through the centre of gravity of the "disc-equi- "valent" by means of the forked arm 16 connecting the wheel and the "disc - equivalent." The latter is supported by the wheel through an adjustable spring 17. In order to prevent shock on opening, a flexible washer or spring 15<1> is provided to serve as a buffer between the "disc- "equivalent" and the stop 15<11>, or the stop and the small end of the disk may be made as a cylinder and plunger. Similarly, shock due to sudden closing is prevented by making the lower end or the whole of the vessel 20*, in which the counterbalance for the "disc-equi- "valent" works, of very little larger diameter than the counterbalance. The connexions 10, 11, between the " disc - equivalent " and the counterweight 9, are double, one passing on each side of the guidebar 15 and the boss of the guide-vanes 13, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, which are sections on the lines 4. 7 of Fig. 2. The bands 11, passing over the wheel 12, are the only part subject to sensible extension by reason of the pull of the "disc-equivalent," and, for this reason, they are made as short as possible. The recording-apparatus is worked by a wire which, in order that it may be made as short as possible, is secured to a rod 21 connected to the weight 9. A spindle attached to the pulley 12 may be carried horizontally through the side of the meter for operating the recording-apparatus. The wheel 12 is placed in a casing which has communication with the counterbalance chamber, so that the gear between the "disc-equivalent" and the weight are protected from the action of the flowing water. A cock 26 permits of flushing. Fig. 12 is an horizontal section, and Fig. 13 is a part vertical section, of a modification in which the "disc-equivalent" is guided by a pair of round bars 15; so enabling the boss 28 to be made smaller and allowing the use of a single connexion 11. An independent wire 30, not subjected to the pull of the counterweight, is used to actuate the recording-apparatus. In meters of large size, the use of mechanical contrivances for balancing the "disc-equivalent" may be avoided by filling it with gutta-percha or other sensibly incompressible substance insoluble in water and having a density less than unity. The centre of buoyancy must be in the same vertical line as the centre of gravity of the combined mass. "Disc-equivalents," complying with the condition are shown in Figs. 8,9, 10, and 11. In meters of larger size, metal "disc- " equivalents" may be made light and hollow. Where the water pressure is not very high, the "disc-equivalent" may be formed of a light shell which has the larger diameter and is maintained perfectly rigid, as shown in Fig. 9, the interior being filled with well-seasoned timber, and all spaces between the timber and metal, and sometimes the pores of the timber also; being filled with creosote &c. under pressure. In the larger sizes of such meters, modifications are made owing to the different relation between the energy of the water to be measured and the friction. Fig. 15 shows such a modified meter, in which the "disc- "equivalent" is dispensed with, and a light disk 3 guided by a stem 4 slides upon a rail 32. The chain 33 is substituted for the metallic-band. The disk may be balanced by the use of light material between two sheets of metal. In the type shown in Fig. 16, all chains and bands or wires are dispensed with, levers being used to connect the "disc-equivalent" and the counterweight. Two rails 32 are used to guide the "disc-equivalent" to avoid the use of guide-rails up stream. Fig. 17 shows an arrangement for large meters in which a rack is used to communicate the motion of the disk to a toothed wheel 37 and pulley 40. The recording-apparatus is driven from a pulley on the same shaft as the wheel 37, and the counterbalance is carried by the pulley 40. In order that the guiding - stem may work in water free from dirt, the sheath 5 surrounding it is connected by pipes and valves with the clear-water chamber 43, in which any dirt may settle. This device also serves the purpose of a cataract. Fig. 19 shows another method of guiding the disk in the axis of the waterway. The "disc- "equivalent 3" is hung upon radius rods 46, 47, the point of suspension of the rods being carried by secondary radius rods 48, 49 working in fixed centres 48<1>, 49'. The rods 46, 47 are extended to points 50, 51, so that the points 46', 47<1> become the centres of the complete rod so formed. The points 50, 51 are constrained to move in vertical lines. (2) The second part of the invention consists in improvements on the apparatus described in Specification No. 16,235, A.D. 1903, and, particularly, the form of the apparatus shown in that Specification, having for their object the simplification of the mechanism. A single grooved helical spiral or helicoid is used, over which the wire from the meter disk passes, and also a drum or pulley concentric therewith. The convolutions of the helicoid are set as nearly as possible in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of the spiral, in order that the cord may remain as close as possible to that plane with the object of avoiding unnecessary change of its position from that of the axis of the stuffing-box, or the same helicoid may be fixed directly upon the horizontal shaft extending through the side of the meter from any of the rotating parts described in connexion with the first part of the present invention. Fig. 21 shows a side elevation of the horizontal form of the apparatus embodying the improvements on the integrating-mechanism. The wire 6 from the "disc-equivalent" passes over the helicoid 52, and is kept taut by a counterbalance 53 acting through the cords 54, 55, the former passing over a pulley 64 on the same axis as the helicoid. Between these cords is interposed a carriage 57 running on a rail 58 and having an integrating-wheel 59 bearing on the uniformly-rotated disk 60, so that the wheel 59 travels along a radius of the disk 60 in proportion to the rate of flow of water through the meter. A counter, operated by the wheel 59, is mounted on a trolly and also a marker consisting of a small vessel to carry aniline dye, which passes to the recording- drum 66 through a siphon tube 65. The small vessel is hung so that it may be adjusted to the face of the drum by a screw 67, Fig. 22. A screw 69 adjusts the marker to the zero position on the drum independently of the integrating-wheel, which is adjusted by a screw 70. The drum 66 is driven by clock-work 62 through a friction coupling 71 and shaft 68, the screw 74 being used to make engagement between the members of the friction clutch. The apparatus is shown modified to work vertically, in which case the drum 66 is arranged over the disk 60, the integrating-trolly and the marker being connected by a rigid connexion. Fig. 25 shows an elevation and Fig. 26 a plan of the integrating-trolly used, the pressure of the wheel 59 against the disk being determined by the compression of the spring 80, which has the effect, through the bell-crank lever 82, of pressing the roller 83 against the vertical rail 84 and the roller 84<1> against the rail 85, and the wheel 59 against the disk 60. The marker is pressed against the drum 66 in the same manner. If the helicoid is connected directly to the rotating parts of the meter, the cord to the integrating-mechanism should be passed over the helicoid. The pull of the counterbalance 53 is not directly proportional to the pull of the wire 6,-and, for the purpose of correcting this error, the cord from the counterbalance is passed over a second helicoid.