New-York tribune., 1877-06-02

the cone and the outlet in n chamber below. In
the upper chamber is diaphragm, with openings to
equaliZe the flow of water. Assume that water is
supplied to the meter but that none is passing
through it because all the outlets closed, then
the weight will have raised the disk TO tie upper
end Of the cone, thus filing the aperture at that
point IL a cock in the outlet to the main be
now opened, say TO small extent, water
viii seek to flow, and viii press upon the
disk and send it downward to a larger part of the
cone, and the point where the descent of the disk
will cease will be that at which the annular area
between the edge Of the disk and the interior of the
cone is sufficient under the difference Of pressure
between the upper and the under side of the disk 10
enable the required quantity Of water to pass, and
this pressure viii oyiously be- for the whole surface
of the disk exactly that which viii balance the eX-
cess of the weight above the weight of the disk
weighed in water and the cross-head aud pencil
weighed in air If the pressure werc less than
this the weight would cause the disk to rise
until the annular area was so diminished that the
required pressure to balance the surplus weight was
inst ADEQUATE to drive through this annular opening
the quantity Of water being drawn from the outlet;
on the other hand if the pressure greater than
the surplus weight the disk would descend until the
increase OF annular area would be such that at the
pressure equal to- the surplus weight the quantity
of water demanded would flow through. In this
manner the point of rest for the disk, with the sup
posed quantity being drawn, would be seif-tOund;
and similarly, if a less quantity or greater guam
tity (within the limits Of capacity of the meter
were drawn of the disk would find its appropri-
ate position of rest in the truncated cone,
position corresponding to the particular quantity
passing through. But the tracer rises and falls Win
the disk and if this tracer have piece OF paper
presented to it, it will draw vertical line on that
paper. the length Of which will indicate the rate at
which the water is passing through the meter; and,
if this paper be printed with horizontal lines repre-
scnting hundreds and thousands of gallons per hour
then an inspection would show at which of these
lines the tracer were standing, and would enable an
observer at once to say: Water is now passing
through the meter at 4 velocity equal TO 1000 gal
Ions or 900 gallons per hour" as the case may be-
The foregoing is the construction of the meter
propcr: but il no further provision were made there
would not be left any other record than this,
namely That since the paper was put on. the ratio OF
consumption had at some time attained point in-
dclted by the length of the vertical line on the
paper it would be impossible to say when the
maximum recorded rate ofconsumption was reached,
or for how long il endured. Such an apparatus
would give a record analogous TO that of self
registering thermometer, from this implement all
that can be asccrtaned is that some time since the
index was last set the maximum temperature has
been certain number of degrees, bat when this
happened or for how long it continued, there is no
means of ascertaining.
Bat if a further provision be made by which, in
the steam-engine indicator, the paper presented to
the tracer can be caused to move sideways then the
tracer will no longer describe mere vertical line.
but il will describe a line compounded of the lateral
movement of the paper and of the rise and fall of
the tracer. In practice, MIR. Deacon causes the
paper 10 move sideways in the Kramer employed in
the apparatus for automatically recording the pres
SIRE of the wind and other similar phenomena,
and in the manner in which the pressure
papers, Of the governors OF gas-works are
actuated, namely. by wrapping the paper
around vertical cylinder to which motion
is given by n common clock movement, so that the
cylinder makes exactly one revolution in the 2f
hours The paper is divided vertically by 2i hour
Ines" representing the hours of the day and the
night. and as has already been sad is divided hor
zontally by lines indicating the rate of flow in gal
Ions per hour, and thus an examination of the line
made by The tracer shows what was the iate oi How
at any time Of the day or night.
The meter, with its clock, is contained in a neat
cast-iron box with hinged lid; this box is let into
fine GROUND below the footway the lid is padlocked
and is covered By another lid carried in frame in
the flag stones.
In adapting the Deacon meter to any plan Of
mains and supply pipes, il is usual and necessary to
subdivide the town into districts OF 1900 to $500
Inhabitants, allotting one meter TO each district
When the meter is to be put in place, the main pipe
which supplies the district is cut and a stopcocl
introduced therein. Two curved pipes are then
ionted to the main one each side of the cock, the
other ends being attached respectively to the meter,
so that when the cock is closed all the water Will
flow through the meter. 1t is only at times Of IN
spccon that the stop-cock is closed. After district
has once been brought under control, inspections
need not be made ofener than once in several
weeks, or perhaps months.
4 descending line traced by the index pencil on
the diagram cylinder indicates an increasing and
an ascending line a decreasing flow. The water
drawn OFF in a district for varies in volume from
minute TO minute. and is represented on the diagram
by series of irregular vertical lines, the precise
time and amount Of flow being shown by the ruled
vertical and horizontal lines respectively Waste
from leaks and from cocks left open is uniform, and
at times when no water is being drawn for use las
from to a. w. is represented by horizontal line.