The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-05 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

DECEMBER 2.

Joseph Locke, Esq., M.P., Vice-President, in the chair.
The paper read was "On Recent Improvements in Water
Meters," by Mr. T. T. Jopling.
After alluding to the generic merits and defects of piston
and bucket meters—merits which were generally appre-
ciated, and defects which were apparently inseparable from
these machines, and had only as yet been partially re-
moved, the author proceeded to describe a meter con-
structed on the piston, or diaphragm principle, which
appeared to meet the objections hitherto made to that
class of meter. It consisted of two measuring cylinders
set parallel to each other, with working pistons, the rods
of which projected out of the cylinders in opposite diree-

tions, carrying at their extremities slide-sVlve frames,
for supporting and operating on tie slide-valves that
governed the ports of the cylinders. These measuring
cylinders were contained in a cast-iron case, or tank, into

Which the water to be measured entered under a certain

pressure. The water thence passed into the cylinders, from
which, after having acted upon one or other of the pistons,
it made its escape. Through the agency of suitable count-
ing apparatus connected with one of the piston rods, the
reciprocating movements of the piston were counted, and
thus the quantity of water passed through the meter in a
given time was indicated. The measuring chambers were
made somewhat like ordinary steam-engine cylinders, as
respected the inlet and outlet ports, but in one of the cylin-
ders the direction of the inlet ports was inverted, in order
that the right-hand part might pass the water to the left-
hand end of the cylinder, and the left-hand port to the
right-hand end. By this means the two pistons were en-
abled to follow each other in the same direction, and to
maintain a continuous stream of water, without the use of
cranks. The slide valves were pressed up against the ports
of the cylinder by means of springs, in order to retain them
in Contact with the faces when the meter was at rest. They
were free to remain stationary during the greater portion
of the progress of the pistons ; butjust as the piston of one
cylinder was completing its stroke, one of a pair of tappets
on the valve frame, carried by the piston-rod of that cylin-
der, would strike against the valve which that valve frame
carried, and alterei its position over the ports of the other
cylinder, whereby the direction of the flow of water into
that measuring cylinder was reversed, For transmitting
the reciprocating motion of the pistons to the index, one of
the valve frames was furnished at the back with two ribs,
or feathers, set parallel to each other, but one in advance
of the other. These feathers acted as teeth, and in sliding
backwards and forwards with the piston-rod they entered
alternately the teeth of an escape wheel, and so drove it
round tooth by tooth. The arbor of this wheel led through
the water-case to the counting apparatus ; and thus motion
was communicated directly to it, without the aid of pawls
and ratchet wheels.
By this arrangement the meter became a very simple and
inexpensive machine, not liable to derangement, or if in.
j ured it was easily repaired, as the only moving parts were the
two valves and two pistons. There was an entire absenco
of concussion ; the pressure of the head was preserved, and
being similar within and without the cylinders there was
no friction upon the pistons ; and the water-tight external
case, or chamber, served as a deposit for sand, or other
extraneous matter. These merits were admitted by the
engineers of the Sunderland waterworks, where the meters
had been connected with meters by other manufacturers,
and exhibited identical results.

Models of Jopling's, Kennedy's, Siemen's, and Chad-
wick's meters were exhibited in action during the evening.
In the course of the discussion descriptions were given
of Kennedy's, Chadwick's, and Siemen's meters. The for-
mer was described as consisting of a single vertical cylinder,
wherein a deep piston worked, with a packing consisting
of a vulcanised india-rubber ring, made to rol between
the piston and the cylinder, allowing for easy motion, and
yet being perfectly water-tight without friction. The
alternate action of the piston was communicated to the
counting apparatus by means of a rack and pinion, and
xe soessirerlo ft
extreme action was given to the inlet and outlet valves by means of
a tumbling weight. This machine, it was contended, was
very durable and easily kept in order, the elasticity of the
packing and the peculiar rolling motion diminished the
afbrnei
been
nt
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the
oep
most
thee
ewatertrials
Thwheaes preservedm variationte rtsw he
had
were
sr;
aeutvgee through
the meter, the action of the valves was regular and simple,
to have been exeeenejem—
y employed and much approved by
waterworks engineers.
Chadeeick's new meter was described to consist of three
Or Texts rollers, revolving on their axes, attached to the
pe'elphery of a wheel, the spindle of which worked in
Journals in two upright supports; these rollers rested
upon a bag, or piece of prepared leather, with inlet and
outlet passages, and so fixed upon a concave bed-plate of
brass as to form the measuring chamber of the meter. The
water being admitted to the bag, propelled the rollers for-
ward, so that they each in turn passed over every part and
expressed the fluid before them by the outlet pipe. The
motion was regulated by a governor, moving in an oppo-
site direction to the rollers, and the counting apparatus
was identical with that in the old meter, described on a
former occasion at the institution. These meters had not
been very long in use; bat, as far as could be at present
seen, they might be called successful.
Siemen'a meter was of the class termed " inferential"
measurers, and so many of them were in use that it was
not considered necessary to give any minute description of
their construction beyond stating that its action was simi-
lar to that of Barker's mill, the water entering at the
centre and being expelled through numerous curved ori-
fices at the periphery of the revolving meter.
It was contended that the chief desiderata for high-
pressure meters were, accuracy of measurement under very
varying pressures—free passage for the water without loss
of pressure—compactness and lightness of construction—
with durability and cheapness.
Good meters were made, both of the piston and dia-
phragm class, and many did register excellently during la-
boratory experiments and for short periods; but the real
test was the action after 12 months' constant work, and it
was generally found that some injury had occurred to
piston metres from the introduction of sand or other ex-
traneous matter, whereas the action of the differential
meters was as perfect after several years as when they were
erected. Arguing that a certain force was required to
Cause motion, it had been stated that these meters were
not capable of registering small quantities of fluid at low
velocities. This was, however, an erroneous opinion, in
proof of which it was mentioned that a small house-meter
had registered accurately so small a quantity as half a gill
per minute. These meters gained in sensitiveness as they
worked, whereas piston and ocher metres were liable to
wear and teAr ; the former could be so applied as to pre-
sent little, more resistance than a bend in the pipe—they
were 84, compact in form, and so small, that they could_. be
adar,,ted to almost any situation, however restricted , sus(
ureider either high or low pressure, and with constant ort in-
termittent action, they had been found to give satisfac ory
results.
It was stated that the East London Waterworks Com-
pany had 200 of Siemen's meters now at work. They had
cost on an averse 101. a-piece ; but few failures had oc-
curred, and thoseg quite capable of being remedied, so that
cacuelties were likely to be even loss frequent in future.
They were almost exclusively used at Bristol, where they
were tested every three months, and it had been observed
that they gained from Ito 2 per cent. The new meters
were consequently adjusted so as to allow for that gain.
It was admitted that both Jopling's and Kennedy's
meters had, when tested, been found to act very satis-
factorily, and that practically they could be received as
very efficient machines, both for the water companies and
the consumers.
It was shown that there had been at least 11 distinct
classes of meters, and probably not less than 10 varieties in
each class, which could be taken as 110 distinct inventions.
They might be divided into two great cla saes—high pres-
sure meters—i.e., working under the direc t pressure of the
mains, and delivering the water without w sysensible dimi-
nution of the pressure ; and low-pressure meters, which,
receiving the water under pressure, mer ely delivered it
into a cistern, or other receptacle, gene rally situated at
the top of the building to be supplied. The latter class
was asserted to be generally the best, esT eacially in those
cases where the consumption was large : Ind irregular—as_
that of brewers, dyers, bleachers, calico- printers, &c. Of
this class Parkinson's was said to register accurately under
e.
all circumstances of change of head and velocityan, 00/1:10rew.
tity delivered. The piston, diaphragm. 13' Iff-
blag'eference to
meters, were then successively
describe& n.r
-was in rinule
Siemen'e meter it was asserted that it
partook of
and that it
simply a turbine, or a Barker's mill,
u eriority of menu-
the errors of those machines, whic no B
01
me. It could not
facture or shill in invention could overc
Ise to
would mot give impulse
register so umall a quantity as
the macbir.e. It bad also been remarked that in some
situations 't it was liable to bc ccwletc'or'oded, which ma
rially less encd the speed, atm' in some instances the
meters b esl hctually been dope
'e(th cases of objections to
Expi ',nations were given of
Siam° A's meters, and the questi:na was announced to be
u.
forth Jr treated on a future occasie
It was announced that the foil owing paper would be
reae Dec. 9, "On the Laws
L at the next meeting, Tuesday,
W.
of the Strength of Wrought and Iron,"
ast by Mr.
B ell.
in candidates were
AL the monthly ballot the follow.
re. C. Che ne, H
balls tad for and duly elected :—Met
as members ;and
Cony beare, S. Dobson, and J. R3,l2Bden
'Tess] s. S. B. Boulton, J. Cameron, •J• Curran, C • A.
Harel ey, J. W. Heinke, A. G. Linn, h'. Price, W. M.
Shaw A.. Siebe, and A. R. Terry, as asses, atee.