IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Tylor, of No. 2, Newgate Street, in the
City of London, Brass Founder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS."
Sealed the 27th October 1871, and dated the 26th May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Tylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th May 1871.
I, ALFRED TYLOR, of No. 2, Newgate Street, in the City of London,
Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a plan of constructing meters moving by
means of the liquid or fluids passing through them of the class of which
wheel or turbine meters are examples, in such a manner as to afford
means of reducing the friction of the moving parts, and of adjusting
them by means of a current produced in the meter case by either a
metallic or fluid obstruction applied in a particular manner and

page_text: adjustable, instead of by adjusting and re-adjusting the moving parts
themselves by trial, as has been generally the custom heretofore, in order
to make the revolutions of the moving parts correspond with the
discharge of liquid through the main.
The meter may consist of a revolving wheel F, F', F', F, Figures
1, 3, 4, and 7, or turbine F', Figure 5, or a screw working on pivots or
bearings K enclosed in a meter case O, C', which it does not touch at
any point, and attached to or in one piece with a revolving spindle S,
Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5, passing through it, and thereby connecting a
counter with index and dial H, L, Figure 1, with the moving part.
Water or other liquid flows through the meter case across from the
inlet P to the outlet P, giving motion in the usual manner to the
revolving or moving parts F, F, F, F, F', which require to be regulated
in some manner, so as to indicate accurately the quantity of liquid
passing through the meter by means of the revolution of the index on the i
dial plate L.
As the wheels or turbines F, F', F², F³, F', which I call the moving
parts, would often travel too fast if not obstructed or adjusted in some
manner, I adopt any of the following means to generate a regulating
counter current in the meter case (quite separately or independently of
the particular form of the moving parts), opposed to the currents caused
by the revolution of the turbine, or wheel, or screw in the meter case by
the water driving the apparatus. This counter current I produce either
by roughing the interior of the case or fixing rough surfaces d, d,
Figure 2, 4, and 6, to the inside of the case or forming it so that the
raised parts of the surface d, d, may regulate and influence the velocity of
the current produced by the revolutions of the machine F, F', Fº, F³, F',
Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5 in the case C, C', according to their surface pro-
jection and distance from the said moving parts, or I fix one or moro
plano projecting plates of metal R, R, Figures 2, 3, 5, and 9, or other
substance in the box or case C, C', preferably near the level of the
turbine or moving wheel or fan F, F, and away from the water
P when the inlet and outlet are nearly level, the axes a³, a³, of
passage
which plate or plates may pass through the case to the outside, or so
that it or they can be adjusted by a screw from the exterior, if required,
without taking the meter to pieces to adjust or readjust the currents to
the required speed, or I divide the stream of liquid before it enters the
meter, or its caso, and introduce liquid through a small adjustable
pipe P, or other openings, with or without mouthpiece or valve V,

page_text: Figure 8, from the main into the meter case C¹ in the required direction
and with the required pressure, and by any or all of such methods I pro-
duce a current or counter current of liquid of the power I require, which
reduces or accelerates the speed of the moving parts in the required
degree, and according to the difference in relative size and position of
the currents moving the machine and those retarding it.
The tube or opening above referred to P¹, Figures 3, 5, 8, can be
closed or opened so as to let liquid pass in any required proportion by
means of a small screw or tap a, a', a', in the passage way P', Figures
3, 5, and 8, (which can be so adjusted from 'the ontside that the current
or counter current reduces or accelerates the speed of the moving parts,
and consequently affects the quantity of liquid passing through the
meter in such a manner that the revolution of the moving wheel or
turbine F, F, F², F³, I", (which can be counted on the dial plate.L), will
afford an almost exact indication of the quantity of liquid passing
through the meter, whether the discharge be small or large, and at high
or at low pressure.
By the means described I can, when the moving parts F, F', F2, F³, F',
have been either too much retarded or accelerated by previous adjust-
ments, easily apply the required current which will cause the moving
parts to travel at a velocity in proportion to the discharge.
By constructing the moving parts where possible or convenient with
an air space or spaces m, Figure 2 or other separate float or floats,
and as light as consistent with durability, I reduce the weight on the
pivots or bearings K to a minimum, so as to make the machine more.
sensitive and less liable to wear, but when worn or out of order my
adjusting apparatus enables it to be casily corrected so as to record
truly.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Tylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
TYLOR, of No. 2, Newgate Street, in the City of London, Brass Founder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excollent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the snid Alfred Tylor, Her special licence that T, the
said Alfred Tylor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Tylor, my executors, administrators, and 5
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 LIQUIDS ]
AND FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Tylor, 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 1
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 Alfred Tylor, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object the arranging and constructing of
meters which are actuated and operated by means of the liquid or fluid
passing through them, and are of the class of which wheel or turbine
meters are examples, in such a manner as to obtain a means of reducing
the friction of the moving parts, and a simple mode of adjusting the
meters by the aid of the current in the meter case obtained by arranging
in a particular manner an adjustable metallic, or liquid, or fluid, or
other obstruction or obstructions, preferably adjustable from the exterior
of the meter case, instead of by adjusting and re-adjusting the moving
parts themselves by trial, as has been generally the custom heretofore in
order to make the revolutions of the moving parts correspond with the
discharge of the liquid or fluid through the meter, and so register a
correct record of the same.
A reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings with the aid of
the following description will enable me to particularly describe and
ascertain the mode in which the same may be performed.

page_text: The meter for domestic or ordinary use may consist of a revolving
wheel F, F', F³, and F³, in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 7, Sheet 1, or a turbine F",
Fig. 5, in the same Sheet, or a screw working on pivots or bearings K
enclosed in a meter case C, C¹, which it does not touch at any point,
and attached to or in one piece with a revolving spindle, Figs. 1, 3, 4,
and 5, Sheet 1, passing through it, and thereby connecting a counter
with index and dial H, L, Fig. 1, with the moving part.
Water or
other liquid or fluid flows through the meter case across from the
inlet P' or inlets P, P, to the outlet P¹ or outlets P, P, and which are of
either an oblong, oval, round, square, or other convenient section, on
either the right or left hand as preferred, giving motion in the usual
manner to the revolving or moving parts F, F, F, F³, F', which require
to be regulated in some manner so as to indicate accurately the quantity
of liquid or fluid passing through the meter by means of the revolution
of the index on the dial plate L.
As the wheels or turbines F, F', F³, F³, F', which I call the moving
parts, would often travel too fast if not obstructed or adjusted in some
manner, I adopt any or all of the following means to produce a regulating
current or counter current in the meter case (quite separately or inde-
pendently of the particular form of the moving parts), opposed to the
currents caused by the revolutions of the turbine, or wheel, or screw in
the meter case by the liquid or fluid driving the apparatus:-This
current or counter current I produce either by roughing the interior of
the case or fixing a rough surface or surfaces d, d, in Figs. 2, 4, and 6,
Sheet 1, to the inside of the case, or forming it so that the raised
parts of the surface or surfaces d, d, may regulate and influence the
velocity of the current or currents produced by the revolutions of the
machine F, F, F², F³, F, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 1, in the
case C, C³, according to their surface, projection, and distance from
the said moving parts, or I fix or attach one or more plain or curved
projecting plates or obstructions of metal or other suitable or convenient
material R, R, Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 9, Sheet 1, in the box or case C, C¹,
preferably near the level of the turbine, or moving wheel, or fan F¹, I,
and away from the entrance and exit passage for the liquid or fluid P, P,
when the inlet and outlet are nearly level, the axes a², a³, of which plate
or plates or other suitable obstructions, such as valves, screws, plugs a,
or cocks a' may pass through the case to the outside, or so that it or
they can be adjusted by a screw, or screws, or other convenient arrange-
ment from the exterior, if required, without taking the meter to pieces

page_text: to adjust or readjust the current or currents to the required speed, or I
divide the stream of liquid or fluid before it enters the meter or its case,
or do so at the entrance thereof, and introduce liquid or fluid through
a small adjustable pipe or passage P¹ or other opening or openings, with
or without a mouthpiece or valve V, Fig. 8, Sheet 1, from the main into i
the meter or its case C' in the required direction and with the required
pressure, or I may use the same without the pipes or passages P", P',
and with screw plugs or their equivalent, and with the plain plate R
fixed, as shown in Fig. 7, Sheet 2, and by any or all of such means I
produce and regulate or adjust a current or counter current or currents
of liquid or fluid of the power I require which reduces or accelerates
the speed of the moving parts in the required degree and according to
the difference in the relative size and position of the currents moving
the machine and those retarding it.
The pipe or passage above referred to, P', Figs. 3, 5, and 8, Sheet 1,
can be closed or opened so as to let the liquid or fluid pass in any
required proportion by means of a small screw, cock, or tap or other
convenient mode of adjustment a, a, a, in the pipe or passage way P¹,
Figs. 3, 5, and 8, which can be so adjusted from the outside that the
current or 'counter current or currents reduces or accelerates the speed
of the moving parts, and consequently affects the quantity of liquid
or fluid passing through the meter in such a manner that the revolution
of the moving wheel or turbine F, F', F², F, F, (which can be counted
on the dial plate L), will afford almost an almost exact indication of
the quantity of liquid or fluid passing through the meter, whether tho
discharge be small or large and at high or low pressure.
The inlet and outlet passages or orifices may also be provided with
means or be in connection with means for regulating the entrance or
exit or both of the liquid or fluid which passes through the same, such
as cocks, taps, screws, as D, D, Fig. 7, Sheet 2, plugs, or other suitable
arrangements on or in the pipes or passages leading into or out of the
meter case, or the same may be adjusted by a ferrule or ferrules placed
therein, as shown at D, D, in Fig. 8, Sheet 2, which will allow of the
passage or passages being reduced to the required or desired dimensions
for the final adjustment of the meter, or by any or all of the methods
herein-before described.
No cock, tap, valve, or other obstructing connection should be
inscried between the moving parts and adjustable obstruction or

page_text: obstructions when once adjusted in order to prevent another adjustment
of current being produced by these means, so as to interfere with the
final adjustment before described.
The turbine meter is or may be adjusted by means of the arrangement
shewn in Figs. 9 and 10, Sheet 2, Fig. 9 being a sectional clevation, and
Fig. 10 a sectional plan of the same, the letters of reference relating to
both Figs. It will be seen that the liquid or fluid is allowed to pass
to the turbine or moving part 1 through perforations or slots in a
circular partition, or short pipe or tube A in the meter case C, which
surrounds the entrance orifice to the turbine or moving parts F+.
Surrounding this circular partition, short pipe or tube A is a similar
perforated or slotted pipe or tube B, the perforations or slots in which
coincide with those in A when full open. This short pipe or tube B is
slightly larger in diameter than A, so as to move freely round it and
has a lug or projection thereon, into which the end of the screw D fits,
so as to cause this short pipe or tube to perform the required amount
of revolution round A when turned in either direction. By this arrange-
ment it will be seen that the passage of the liquid or fluid to the
moving parts F can be closed entirely or opened to its full extent, or
adjusted with the greatest nicety to the required degree, and so as to
record with exactitute the amount of liquid or fluid passing through the
meter. This arrangement may be combined with all or any of the
modes of adjustment herein-before described as applied or applicable to
the wheel meters.
By means of the plain or curved plates roughened surfaces, cocks,
taps, screws, screw plugs, ferrules, or divided current or currents, or all
or any of the same, as herein-before described, I can, when the moving
parts F, F, F, F, F', have been either too much retarded or accelerated
by previous adjustments, easily apply the required current which will
cause the moving parts to travel at a velocity in proportion to the
discharge.
By constructing the moving parts where possible or convenient with
an air space or spaces M, Fig. 2ª, Sheet 1, or in connection with other
separate float or floats and of a lighter material or substance, or as
light as consistent with durability, I reduce the weight on the pivots
or bearings K to a minimum, so as to make the machine more
sensitive and less liable to wear, but when worn or out of order my
b

page_text: adjusting arrangements and apparatus enable it to be easily corrected,
so as to record truly.
When employed as a station or large conduit meter or for measuring
the quantity of water or liquid or fluid passing through pipes or passages
of large diameter, and to enable the meter to be constructed in an
economical manner and at a moderate cost I may arrange it as shewn
in Sheet 2, and according to the following description :-In the centre
of the pipe or case A, A, Fig. 1, or other convenient part, I place the
moving parts F, of any suitable or convenient form, and so arranged in
a frame or otherwise as to be adjustable from the outside, and on either
or both sides, or other convenient position, I place one or more plain
plates or curved surfaces, or both combined, of metal or other suitable
material, or obstructions R, R, R, R, R, R, which are arranged to be
adjustable from the outside, if preferred, so as to deflect the current or
currents of the water, liquid, or fluid passing through the pipe or
enso A, A, on to or against the moving parts F, and thereby regulate
their speed of rotation in accordance with the quantity of fluid flowing
through.
An opening into the pipe or case A, A, is or may be provided (shewn
at 1, Figs. 1 and 4, Sheet 2), for placing the moving parts and the
plate or plates and other portions in their required positions, or for
inspecting, repairing, or removing the same, which opening is afterwards
closed by a suitable cover, and firmly attached, so as to form a tight
joint by any of the various means known to engineers.
The indications of the moving parts are or may be recorded by a
counter and dial C, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, Sheet 2, or other suitable or con-
venient means adapted to the purpose attached to or placed in connection
therewith, and arranged to record the time and quantity passing on
paper or card by means of a pencil or other suitable arrangement
connected with a clock or timekeeper, which counting or recording
apparatus may be attached to the pipe or case or otherwise, as most
convenient.
The spindles of the plates R, R, R, R, R, R., pass through a tight
joint in the case and may be moved round their axis by means of a key,
spanner, or other convenient plan, and arranged so as to be moved;
vertically up or down, or horizontally when in that position, as shown in
Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, Sheet 2, or the plate or plates may be made to move
on the spindles, and so that by means of a lock nut or set screw X,

page_text: Fig. 6, Sheet 2, or their equivalent as most suitable for either case, they
can be firmly fastened in the proper position when the adjustment is
completed.
This arrangement may also be employed for measuring the quantity
of air admitted to mines and other similar places, and also where
air is supplied in large quantities, and the adjustment of this meter.
may be conveniently carried out by means of water or by steam.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to or may be performed or brought into practical
use, I desire to state that I do not confine myself to the precise details
shewn in the Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing`
from the principle of my Invention, nor do I claim the Invention of
a. meter for measuring the flow of liquids and fluids, nor the use of a
revolving wheel, turbine, or screw, but what I do claim as new and as
my Invention and desire to have protected by Letters Patent are,-
-
First. The mode of reducing the friction and reducing the weight of
the moving parts on the bearing surfaces by the use of an air float or
floats attached to or connected with and forming part of the moving
parts, or by making the moving parts of a lighter substance or material
or substances.
Second. The mode of regulating the indications of meters for liquids
or fluids by a cock or cocks, tap or taps, ferrule or ferrules, or other
suitable obstruction or obstructions on the pipe or pipes, passage or
passages leading into and out of the meter case, or at the entrance or exit
or both, of the meter casc.
Third. The mode of regulating and adjusting the indications of such
meters for liquids or fluids by means of the plane projecting plates,
cither flat or curved, and one or morc in number, the divided stream or
streams, the currents or counter currents, the roughened surfaces or
their equivalents, the manner and mode of adjusting turbine meters,
and the cocks, screws, taps, plugs, ferrules, or other suitable arrange-
ments, substantially as herein described and specified.
Fourth. The mode of adjusting and regulating the indications of
meters for liquids or fluids from the outside of the case without taking
the same to picces, substantially as herein described and specified.
Fifth. The employment in a pipe or pipes, passage or passages of a
small wheel or fan placed in the middle or interior thereof, so that

page_text: although only a small portion of the liquid or fluid passing through the
same should come in contact with it and give it the required movement
the meter should nevertheless record correctly, substantially as herein
illustrated, described, and specified.
Sixth. The combination of the parts herein described in the manner i
shown and for the purposes herein described and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Tyler, have hereunto set.
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.