IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW AND SUPPLY OF WATER TO CON- SUMERS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir John Macneill, Kt., of South Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW AND SUPPLY OF WATER TO CON-
SUMERS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th October 1876, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 19th
A1 1976
Sealed the 28th October 1876, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 18th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir John Macneill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1876.
Sir JOHN MACNEILL, Kt., of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW AND
SUPPLY OF WATER TO CONSUMERS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This improved apparatus or cistern can be made of any suitable metal or material,
and of any desired dimensions, according to the situation or use to which it is to
be applied. The inlet pipe from the main, which is supposed to be kept constantly
supplied with water, is to be carried to the top of the cistern, and is to be attached
to a ball-cock or tap, allowing a free passage for water, of suitable diameter or
bore. This cock is to be placed so as to project inwards from the side of the
cistern, and to the spindle or plug of this cock a lever is to be attached with a ball
or float at the end, as in common use. The lever is to be carried through the ball
or float, and to project beyond it, being formed into a square end.
The upper
edge bevelled off like the ordinary bolt of a door lock; in front of this lever
a catch is to be attached by a hinge to an upright rod of iron, rising from the
bottom of the tank at a short distance from the end. This catch will rise when
the lever rises up to it, and as soon as it gets above it the catch will fall down
into its original horizontal position, which will keep the lever up and prevent any
water from entering the cistern until the catch is withdrawn, which will be
accomplished when the whole of the water is drawn off out of the cistern by the
weight of the float, which is raised and lowered as the water rises and falls. This
float when the cistern is empty rests on a thin bar of metal or stop, which is
attached at one end to a chain or bar, connected with the catch before mentioned,
which folds up the lever, and pulling it backwards allows the lever to fall and
the water to rush in. On the opposite end of the spindle of the tap a round bar
or tube is attached by a collar, allowing this tube to have a play of about an inch
at the end, which reaches about half the length of the lever; to this end of the
[Pri

page_text: tubular bar a chain is attached, which descends to a hydraulic valve which covers
the outlet of the water or discharging pipe at the bottom of the cistern. In this
tube, which extends beyond the spindle on the opposite end from the chain, is
placed a leaden bullet, which is allowed to run freely from the point where the
tube is attached to the spindle of the tap to the end of the tube which is closed.
This tube will be placed parallel to the lever, which opens and closes the cock,
and the action of it will be that when the lever is inclined downwards as the water
enters the ball will be over the spindle, but as soon as the lever rises above the
catch and the entrance of the water is stopped the ball will roll to the end of this
tubular lever by gravity, and will consequently raise the opposite end of this
tubular lever to which the chain acting on the outlet valve will open it and allow
the water instantly to flow out, but not until after the water is completely cut off
from entering the cistern.
Although I have described the above method of raising the hydraulic valve to
allow the water to flow out of the cistern other simple methods may be found to
produce the same effect, such as separate floats or floats attached to the lever.
The falling of the lever will act on the indicating apparatus, and thus every time
the cistern is emptied will be registered and the number of gallons accurately
known in the same manner as the quantity of gas consumed in a given time
is known.
"
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Sir John Macneill in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th October 1876.
JOHN MACNEILL, Knight, of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW AND
SUPPLY OF WATER TO CONSUMERS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This improved apparatus or cistern can be made of any suitable metal or material,
and of any desired dimensions, according to the situation or use to which it is to
be applied. The inlet pipe from the main, which is supposed to be kept constantly
supplied with water, is to be carried to the top of the cistern, and is to be attached
to a ball-cock or tap allowing a free passage for water of suitable diameter or bore.
This cock is to be placed so as to project inwards from the side of the cistern, and
to the spindle or plug of this cock a lever is to be attached with a ball or float at
the end, as in common use. The lever is to be carried through the ball or float
(or be attached to it), and to project beyond it, being formed into a square end.
The upper edge is bevilled off like the ordinary bolt of a door lock; in front of
this lever a catch is to be attached by a hinge to an upright rod of iron, rising
from the bottom of the tank at a short distance from the end. This catch will
rise when the lever rises up to.it, and as soon as it gets above it the catch will
fall down into its original horizontal position, which will keep the lever up and
prevent any water from entering the cistern until the catch is withdrawn, which
will be accomplished when the whole of the water is drawn off out of the cistern
by the weight of another float, which is raised and lowered as the water rises and
falls. This float when the cistern is empty rests on a thin bar of metal or stop,
which is attached at one end to a chain or bar connected with the catch before
mentioned, which folds up the lever and pulling it backwards allows the lever to
fall and the water to rush in. On the opposite end of the spindle of the tap a
round bar or tube is attached by a collar, allowing this tube to have a play of
about an inch at the end, which reaches about half the length of the lever; to
this end of the tubular bar a chain is attached, which desends to a hydraulic
valve which covers the outlet of the water or discharging pipe at the bottom of
the cistern. In this tube which extends beyond the spindle on the opposite end
from the chain is placed a leaden bullet, which is allowed to run freely from the

page_text: point where the tube is attached to the spindle of the tap to the end of the tube
which is closed. This tube will be placed parallel to the lever, which opens and
closes the cock, and the action of it will be that when the lever is inclined down-
wards as the water enters the ball will be over the spindle, but as soon as the
lever rises above the catch and the entrance of the water is stopped the ball will
roll to the end of this tubular lever by gravity, and will consequently raise the
opposite end of this tubular lever to which the chain acting on the outlet valve
will open it and allow the water instantly to flow out, but not until after the
water is completely cut off from entering the cistern.
Although I have described the above method of raising the hydraulic valve to
allow the water to flow out of the cistern, other simple methods may be found
to produce the same effect, such as a separate float attached to the hydraulic valve,
and to a separate lever attached to the spindle of the tap, or to the original lever
above mentioned by a projecting arm or otherwise at the proper distance from the
end of the lever, so as to be over the hydraulic valve.
Thus according to my Invention no water can enter the tank while any water
remains in it, or flowing out of it, and the indicator only shows the number of
times that the tank is emptied, which multiplied by the quantity of water that
is contained in the tank will show the quantity of water used.
The falling of the lever will act on suitable indicating apparatus, and thus every
time the cistern is emptied it will be registered, and the number of gallons
accurately known, in the same manner as the quantity of gas consumed in a given
time is known.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is the improved arrangement and
combination of apparatus for measuring and registering the flow and supply of
water, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macneill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
EDWARD C. T. BLAKE,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane. W.C.
JOHN MACNEILL. (L.S.)