IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Conrad Ahrbecker, of Stamford Street, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER,"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Conrad Ahrbecker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1878.
HENRY CONRAD AHRBECKER, of Stamford Street, in the County of Surrey.
IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING
THE FLOW OF FLUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OBTAINING
MOTIVE POWER."
My Invention relates to that description of fluid meter wherein the fluid is
caused to pass through oblique passages in a fixed plate or diaphragm into helical
or oblique passages formed in a rotary cylinder or tube carried by a central spindle,
so that the fluid in impinging obliquely against the surfaces of the said passages,
and then flowing through them, imparts rotatory motion to the cylinder or tube,
and through its spindle to the counter. An apparatus so constructed formed in
part the subject matter of former Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date the
10th October 1876, No. 3914.
According to my said former Invention the helical or oblique passages with which
the rotary cylinder or tube is provided are formed in the longitudinal direction of
the cylinder or tube, which is open for an approximately equal area at both ends.
Now one part of my present Invention consists in either entirely closing the outer
end of the cylinder or tube, and making the outlets of the helical or oblique passages
in the side of the cylinder or tube, or in partially closing such outer end, leaving
the outlets of the said passages therein, but of a restricted area, or in the employ-
ment of two series of outlets, one series in the side of the tube, and the latter series

page_text: :
in its outer end, the tube at this end being in the latter case made preferably in the
form of a frustum of a cone with its smaller end outwards.
The apertures may be made of a round, elongated, or other suitable shape.
By means of this arrangement the cylinder or tube is more equally balanced under
the action of the water, whilst its sensitiveness remains unimpaired.
The cylinder or tube may be provided on its lower or outer end with vanes or
pallets, which, in the case of large supplies, will exercise a retarding or controlling
action upon the cylinder or tube, and in the case of small supplies will tend to
accelerate its motion.
Another part of my Invention consists in the employment in combination with
the meter of a removable box for intercepting any sand, dirt, or other extraneous
matters, which may be carried along with the water. This box is contained in a
casing or chamber which is connected at one side or end to the inlet pipe from the
source of supply, and at the other side or end to the inlet to the meter, and is fitted
with a door for the facility of access to the interior.
The box is provided on the side next the inlet with an aperture for the unrestricted
influx of the water, whilst its opposite side, that is to say, the side towards the
outlet leading to the meter, consists of a finely perforated or reticulated screen which
will admit of the passage of the water, but retain any extraneous matters, the latter
remaining in the box to be discharged on the removal at intervals of the box from
its casing or chamber through the door provided for that purpose.
The box is maintained in its place in the casing or chamber by means of a tubular
flange or projection surrounding its inlet aperture, entering the corresponding aper-
ture formed in the casing or chamber, assisted by a longitudinal projection or ledge
on the door, which closes down upon the box.
My Invention is also applicable as a turbine for obtaining motive power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Conrad Ahrbecker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
August 1878.
HENRY CONRAD AHRBECKER, of Stamford Street, in the County of Surrey.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING
THE FLOW OF FLUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OBTAIN-
ING MOTIVE POWER."
My said Invention relates to that description of fluid meter wherein the fluid is
caused to pass through oblique passages in a fixed plate or diaphragm into helical
or oblique passages formed in a rotary body carried by a central spindle, so that the
fluid in impinging obliquely against the surfaces of the said passages, and then
flowing through them, imparts rotary motion to the body, and through its spindle
to the counter. An apparatus so constructed formed in part the subject matter of
former Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date the Tenth October, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six, No. 3914.
According to my said former Invention the helical or oblique passages with which
the rotary body (herein-after termed the "screw") is provided are formed in the
longitudinal direction of the screw, which is open for an approximately equal area
at both ends. Now one part of my present Invention consists in either entirely
closing the outer end of the screw, and making the outlets of the helical or oblique
passage in the side of the screw, or in partially closing such outer end, leaving the
outlets of the said passages therein, but of a restricted area, or in the employment
of two series of outlets, one series in the side of the screw, and the other series in
its outer end, the screw at this end being in the latter case made preferably in the
form of a frustum of a cone, with its smaller end outwards.
The apertures may be made of a round, elongated, or other suitable shape.
By means of this arrangement the screw is more equally balanced under the
action of the water, whilst its sensitiveness remains unimpaired.
The screw may be provided on its lower or outer end with vanes or pallets,
which, in the case of large supplies, will exercise a retarding or controlling action
upon the screw, and in the case of small supplies will tend to accelerate its
motion.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the employment in combination
with a meter of a dirt box with a removable chamber for intercepting any sand,
dirt, or other extraneous matters which may be carried along with the water. The
box in which the removable chamber is contained is connected at one side or end to
the inlet pipe from the source of supply, and at the other ende or end to the inlet
to the meter, and is fitted with a door for the facility of access to the interior.
The removable chamber, which is provided on the side next the inlet with an
aperture for the unrestricted influx of water, consists of a finely perforated or reti-
culated screen, which will admit of the passage of the water, but retain any extraneous
matters, the latter remaining in the water to be discharged on the removal at
intervals of the chamber from its box through the door provided for that
purpose.
The removable chamber is maintained in its place in the box by means of a
tubular flange or projection surrounding its inlet aperture entering the corresponding
aperture formed in the box, assisted by a projection or edge on the door, which closes
down upon the chamber.
My Invention is also applicable as a turbine for obtaining motive power.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a vertical section of a meter of the descrip-
tion herein-before referred to, with my improvements applied thereto, the type of
meter selected being that in which the screw is arranged vertically.

page_text: Figures 2 and 3 represent respectively a side elevation and plan of the screw
detached.
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of a plate or diaphragm detached.
Figure 5 is a vertical section, Figure 6 is a plan, and Figure 7 is a perspective
view, illustrating respectively three other modifications of the screw.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line 1, 2, Figure 9.
Figure 9 is a side elevation, and Figure 10 is an under plan of a screw constructed
according to a further modification.
Figure 11 represents a vertical section of a box for the interception and removal
of extraneous matters conducted with the fluid; and Figure 12 is a horizontal
section of the same taken along the line 3, 4, Figure 4.
A is the casing of the meter, with its inlet B and outlet C; D is the rotatory
screw carried by the spindle E, which has its bearings on pivots at a, b, respectively;
F is the plate or diaphragm, with its oblique passages G, through which the fluid is
caused to pass into the helical or oblique passages H of the screw.
According to my present Invention I either entirely close the outer end of the
screw, and make the outlets c of the helical or oblique passages in the sides of the
screw, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, or I partially close such outer end, and leave
the outlets c of the passages therein, but of a restricted area, as shewn in Figures
and 6; or I employ two series of outlets c, c', one series c in the side of the screw,
and the other series c¹ in its outer end, as shewn in the modifications, Figure 7, and
Figures 8, 9, and 10.
In the modification shewn in Figure 7, each of the outlets c¹ in the bottom forms
a continuation of a corresponding outlet c in the side, so that the two outlets form
practically one.
In the modification shewn in Figures 8, 9, and 10 the screw D at its outer end
is made in the form of the frustum of a cone, with its smaller end outwards.
The apertures may be made of a rounded shape, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5,
and 6, or in the form of segments of circles, as shewn in Figures 8 and 10; or of
an elongated shape, as shewn in Figures 7 and 9, or of any other suitable form.
The screw may be provided on its outer end with vanes or pallets I, see Figures 1,
2, and 3, either of a curved shape, as shewn, or of any other suitable form.
When the vanes or pallets are employed it is preferred to arrange within their
circle of rotation an annular flange K, which may be formed, as shewn, on a disc L
fitted and secured at the lower part of the casing A, and carrying the pivot 6 of the
lower bearing.
It is also preferred to make the oblique passages G of the plate or diaphragm F
taper, as shewn, and to form the flange M of the said plate or diaphragm with
oblique slots d (see Figures 1 and 4).
In the operation of the apparatus the fluid entering at B passes through an annular
screen N, and enters the taper oblique passages G in the plate or diaphragm F,
which conduct it into the helical or oblique passages of the screw D. The fluid
thence passes through the slots d in the flange M. of the plate or diaphragm F, and
in impinging against the vanes or pallets I finally escapes by the outlet C. By the
passage of the fluid through the screw D rotatory motion is imparted to the latter,
and through its spindle E to the counting mechanism at N'.
By means of the improved construction and arrangement of the helical or oblique
passages of the screw the screw itself is more equally balanced under the action of
the fluid, while its sensitiveness remains unimpaired. By the addition moreover of
the vanes or pallets the efficiency of the apparatus is increased, the vanes or pallets
in the case of large supplies exercising a retarding or controlling action upon the
fluid, and in the case of small supplies tending to acclerate its motion.
It is obvious that my improvements are applicable to screws arranged hori-
zontally, as well as to screws placed vertically, as described in my said former
Specification.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the employment of a dirt box with
removable chamber for intercepting any sand, dirt, or other extraneous matters

page_text: before they arrive at the meter. This apparatus, which forms a convenient adjunct
to meters of the improved description or of any other construction, is illustrated in
Figures 11 and 12.
O is the removable chamber, consisting of a finely perforated or reticulated screen
arranged within a box P, which is connected at e to the inlet pipe from the source
of supply, and at f to the inlet to the meter. The removable chamber is formed
with a rim or flange g at its lower end, which fits within a corresponding annular
projection on the bottom of the box P, and it is also provided with a rim or
flange gl at its upper end, within which fits a flange h' on the cover Q of the said
box.
The removable chamber is formed with an inlet aperture at i, and provided with
a tubular flange or projection k surrounding the same, entering a corresponding
aperture formed in the box P at the inlet e.
In introducing the chamber O into the box P its lower end is inserted in the
recess formed at the bottom of the box by the annular projection h, and the tubular
projection kis forced into its place, after which the cover Q is added and attached
to the box, thereby securely retaining the chamber in position.
It will be obvious that any extraneous matters entering the box with the
water or other fluid will be retained in the chamber O, owing to the restricted size
of the meshes of the screen, and will remain at the bottom of the chamber 0, to be
discharged on the withdrawal at intervals of the chamber from its box P after
removing the cover Q with which the said box is provided.
The screw with its accessories, constructed and arranged in the improved manner
herein-before described, may also be employed as a turbine for obtaining motive
power, the central spindle being provided with any usual means for the transmission
of the power generated by the passage of the water through the screw.
The dirt box, with removable chamber, may also be used in combination with
turbines for the separation of extraneous matters carried along with the water.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. In fluid meters of the description herein referred to constructing the helical
or oblique passages of the rotatory screw with their outlets in the side of the said
screw, or with their outlets in the outer end of the screw, but of a restricted area,
or employing two series of outlets, one series in the side, and the other series in the
outer end of the said screw, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The combination with the rotatory screw of vanes or pallets provided
on its outer end, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Thirdly. The employment in combination with a meter or turbine of a dirt box
with a removable chamber for intercepting any extraneous matters which may be
carried along by the fluid, such dirt box being constructed and arranged sub-
stantially in the manner herein-before described.
Fourthly. The employment as a turbine for obtaining motive power of apparatus
constructed substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Conrad Ahrbecker, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.