IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS."-
-
A communication from abroad by Gerard Sickels and John Hill
Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of
America.
Sealed the 22nd May 1872, and dated the 10th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th January 1872.
I, BRISTOW HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER
FLUIDS," (a communication to me from abroad by Gerard Sickels and
John Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States
of America), to be as follows:-
)
This Invention relates to that class of meters for measuring water or

page_text: other fluids in which a reciprocating motion is given to the pistons
forming component parts thereof.
The Invention consists essentially in so constructing and arranging
the component parts of the meter that when water or other fluid is
introduced into a horizontal cylindrical piston it propels it forward in
such a manner as to cause a second piston placed at right angles thereto
to partially revolve, thus opening and closing ports formed in the said
pistons, and so introducing the pressure alternately on the opposite ends
of the first piston, by which means a continuous reciprocating and
rocking motion is imparted to the pistons, which by means of an index
shaft or arm in connection therewith and with a register accurately
records the amount of water or other fluid passing through the meter.
In one modification of the Invention the pistons are superposed and
enclosed by outer cylinders placed at right angles to each other. The
lower cylinder is provided with two ports, one of which opens into an
induction pipe, and the other into an eduction pipe, arranged opposite to
each other. The upper cylinder is similarly provided at its opposite
sides with two ports, which by means of two passages also communicate
with the induction and eduction pipes. Each of the pistons is divided
longitudinally into two compartments (by a partition) the alternate
opposite ends of which are closed, whilst the others are open. Each of
the four compartments thus formed is provided with two ports, onc at
each side. Each piston is also provided at its centre with a vertical
shaft, and where these meet they are provided with a ball and socket
arrangement, so that when the meter is in action the top of the upper
piston shaft describes a circle and operates a gauge index which registers
the quantity of water or other fluid passing through the meter. The
cylinders' ends are provided with cylinder heads which are readily
adjustable and detachable, and in which washers are inserted.
The mode of operation of this modification of the improvements is as
follows: The fluid being admitted through the induction pipe and port
of the lower cylinder passes through the induction port and into the
upper compartment of the lower piston, and pressing against one of the
closed ends thereof propels it forward, and so by means of the ball and
socket arrangement operates the shaft of the upper piston so as to cause
the latter to partially turn to one side and open the induction port of the
upper compartment of the upper piston so as to admit the water, which

page_text: then passes through the induction pipe and its passage thereinto, this
pushes forward the upper piston, and so by means of the ball and socket
arrangement partially revolves the lower piston so as to close the
induction port of the upper compartment thereof and open the eduction
port of the same compartment, which allows of the exit of the water
from this compartment through the eduction port and pipe. This
operation at the same time opens the induction port of the lower com-
partment of the lower piston, and admits the fluid from the induction
pipe and port thereinto, and this pressing against the other closed end of
the lower piston propels the same backward, and consequently the upper
piston is partially turned in a direction contrary to what it was at first,
and so closes the induction port of the upper compartment thereof and
opens the eduction port of the same compartment, and at the same time
opens the induction port of the lower compartment thereof, so that the
upper piston is pushed back and the lower piston is brought to its
original position. By the continuation of this operation a rocking and
longitudinal motion is produced where by an index hand of a gauge
connected with the shaft of the upper piston is revolved, and the
amount of water or other fluid passing through the meter is accurately

page_text: ports near the ends, and two square or oblong ports in the centre, and
two vertical ports, one at cach side, and placed at opposite ends.
Attached to the upper part of the centre of the transverse piston is a
small projection or stem which plays in the upper of the central ports.
The transverse piston travels longitudinally in the main piston and
partially revolves or rocks therein; it is provided with four longitudinal
central ports, two at the top and two at the bottom. Extending
partially around and placed near the ends of the transverse piston are
four ports arranged in contrary directions to each other. Two other
circular ports are also formed longitudinally through about the centre
of the transverse piston and are separated by a partition; they are so
arranged that when the fluid is admitted through one of the top
longitudinal central ports it passes out through one of them, and when
it is admitted through the other top longitudinal central port it passes
out through the other. A swinging bar is connected (by a rod or other
suitable device to impart a transverse motion) with the induction tube,
the bottom of which bar is provided with a slot piece, in which acts the
stem of the transverse piston above mentioned; the top of the bar is
provided with an arm which is connected to and operates an index
attached to the top of the induction tube.
The mode of operation of this modification of the improvements is as
follows: The fluid is admitted through the induction pipe and tube
into the centre of the top of the main piston cylinder, and during its
passage through the meter there are two streams flowing, one of
which actuates the main piston and the other the transverse piston.
When the main piston by the action of the water has been caused to
reach (in one direction) its culminating point, the stem of the transverse
piston impinges against one end of its slot piece sufficiently to cause the
transverse piston to rock or partially revolve, and so open two of the
ports which extend partially around the transverse piston, and allow
the fluid from above to flow through one of them and through one of
the circular ports to one end of the piston, and out below through the
other one of them and through one of the vertical ports in the transverse
piston, thus causing the latter to traverse to the opposite end of the
main piston, and thereby changing the ports for the operation of the
stream of water upon the main piston. When the main piston by
the action of the water passing through the other vertical port, and one
of the ports passing partially around the transverse piston, has reached

page_text: its opposite culminating point, the stem impinges against the opposite
end of the slot piece, and thus the whole operation is repeated by the
same action reversed, and a continued reciprocating motion is produced,
by which the arm above mentioned is operated so as to correctly indicate
on a register or index the amount of water passing through the meter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRISTOW
HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Bristow Hunt, Her special licence
that I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS For Measuring
WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS," (a communication to me from abroad by Gerard
Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Bristow Hunt, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bristow Hunt, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: The
quantity of water or other fluid passing through the meter.
cylinders' ends are provided with cylinder heads q', r, s, t, in which
arc inserted washers y¹, z¹, a¹¹, 6", and which are readily adjusted to or
detached from the cylinders by means of a lever inserted between the
projections or screw heads u³, v¹, w¹, x¹.
l
The mode of operation of this modification is as follows:-The fluid
being admitted through the induction pipe c and port b passes through
the port ¹ into the compartment o of the piston k, and pressing against
its closed ends propels it forward, and by means of the ball and socket
arrangement operates the stem 1 of the piston so as to cause the latter
to partially turn to one side and open the induction port f¹ of its
compartment q so as to admit the water, which then passes through
the induction pipe c and its passage i thercinto, and pushes the piston /
forward, and by means of the ball and socket arrangement partially
revolves the piston k so as to close the induction port 6¹ of its com-
partment o and open the eduction port a' thereof, which allows of the
exit of the water therefrom through the eduction port 6 and pipe d.
This operation also opens the induction port d' of the compartment p of
the piston k, and admits the fluid from the induction pipe c and port b
thereinto, and which pressing against its other closed end v propels it
backward, and consequently the upper portion is partially turned in a
direction contrary to what it was at first, and so closes the induction
portf of the compartment q thereof, and opens its eduction port e³, and
also opens the induction port ¹ of the compartment r, so that the
piston is pushed back and the piston k is brought to its original
position. By the continuation of this operation a rocking and longi-
tudinal reciprocating motion is produced, whereby an index hand of a
guage connected with the stem is revolved and the amount of water
or other fluid passing through the meter is accurately registered.
According to a second modification (that illustrated in Figures 3 to 6
on the accompanying Drawings) one piston acts transversely within the
other, thereby simplifying both the construction and operation of the.
meter, the component parts being so arranged that by the introduction
of the fluid a longitudinal motion is imparted to a main piston, which
acts upon an inner transverse valve piston in such a manner as to open
and close certain ports with which they are provided, and as above to.
alternately admit the water to the opposite ends of the first or main
piston so as to produce a continued action of the pistons, which by

page_text: -
means of an index registers the amount of fluid passing through the
meter. The main piston F is enclosed by an outer cylinder A provided
with adjustable heads A', and at the top and bottom with an induction
tube B and an eduction tube O respectively in communication with an
induction pipe D and an eduction pipe E. It operates longitudinally
in the cylinder, but is prevented from rocking or revolving therein by a
It is
longitudinal rod S passing through it or by other suitable means.
also provided at its top and bottom with chambers G and H, and has
a transverse tube I extending throughout its centre, in which the
transverse piston L acts; the tube itself is provided at the top and
bottom with four transverse ports a, b, and a¹, b', near its ends, and with
two square or oblong ports. c, d, in the centre, and also with two
vertical ports h, h³, one at each side but at opposite ends. Attached to the
upper part of the centre of the piston L is a small projection or stem K
which plays either way in the port c. The piston L travels longi-
tudinally in the piston F and partially revolves or rocks therein; it is
provided with four longitudinal central ports, two d, e, at the top, and two
d³, e¹, at the bottom opposite to them. Extending partially around, and
placed near the ends of the piston L are four ports f, g, and ƒ¹, g²,
arranged (as shewn in Figure 6) in contrary directions to each other;
two other circular ports M, M', are also formed longitudinally through
about the centre of the piston L, and are separated by a partition N,
which is arranged so that when the fluid is admitted through the port d
it passes out through the port M, and when it is admitted through the
port e it passes out through the port M². A swinging bar P is connected
(by a rod Q or other suitable device to impart a transverse motion) with
the induction tube B, the bottom of which bar is provided with a slot
piece O, in which the stem K plays either way; the top of the bar is
provided with a projection or arm R, which is connected to and operates
an index attached to the top of the induction tube B.
The mode of operation of this modification is as follows:-The fluid
enters through the induction pipe D and tube B into the chamber G, and
passes out through the chamber H, eduction tube C, and pipe E.
During its passage through the meter there are two streams flowing,
one of which actuates the piston F and the other the piston L. When
the piston F by the action of the water has been caused to reach (in one
direction) its culminating point, the stem K impinges against one end
of its slot piece O sufficiently to cause the piston L to rock or partially

page_text: revolve, and so open the ports f¹, g', which extend partially round it,
and allow the fluid from above to flow through the port M' to onc end
of the piston L, and out below from the other end through the ports g¹, h¹,
thus causing the same to traverse to the opposite end of the piston F,
and thereby changing the ports for the operation of the stream of water
upon the latter. When the piston F by the action of the water passing
through the ports fand h and acting on its end has been caused to reach
its opposite culminating point, the stem K impinges against the opposite
end of the slot piece O, and the whole operation is repeated by the same
action reversed, and thus a continued reciprocating motion is produced,
by which the arm R is operated so as to correctly indicate on a register
or index the amount of water passing through the meter.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
"Improvements in Meters for Measuring Water or other Fluids,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion
that I claim as the Invention communicated to me by the above-named
Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, the general construction and
arrangement of the component parts of meters for measuring water or
other fluids, substantially as above described and as illustrated on the
accompanying Drawings, or any modification thereof operating in the
same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.