Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply and Preventing the Waste of Water or other Fluid.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1896-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply and
Preventing the Waste of Water or other Fluid.
I, JAMES ATKINSON, of The Woodlands, Marple, Cheshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of an apparatus for regulating
the discharge of water or other fluid chiefly with a view to prevent waste in the
water supply to houses.
A suitable arrangement for this purpose consists of a cylinder, closed top and
bottom, placed vertically and fitted with a freely moving piston. On one side I
place a small mushroom valve which opens upwards vertically. The space above
the valve opens into the top of the cylinder above the range of the piston and the
space below the valve communicates with the water supply from the main. The
valve is guided by a stem below the valve which fits somewhat loosely in a bored
hole, the bottom of this hole, being in communication with the cylinder below the
range of the piston. The upper side of the valve also has a stem fitting loosely in
a bored guide and this stem has a hole drilled down it to below the valve where
Both the
side holes place it in communication with the supply from the main.
stems fit loosely in their guides for the purpose of allowing a regulated amount of
leakage past them. The upper part of the piston is fitted with a small central
cylindrical projection which, when the piston is at the top, enters into a cylindrical
cavity in the upper cover, thus cutting off the delivery which is taken from this
cavity; a hole down the projection is so arranged that the last of the discharge
draws out with it any mud or other deposit which might otherwise settle in the
piston. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assume that water has not been drawn off for some little time and that the
piston is at the bottom of the cylinder, the apparatus being open to the supply has
the full maiu pressure equally above and below the piston. If water is now drawn
off at a moderate rate the pressure above the piston is slightly reduced because to
allow it to pass it must lift the valve which is purposely made somewhat heavy so
that it requires, say, 1 lb. per square inch difference of pressure to lift it. The
piston is purposely made light so that it requires, say, lb. pressure per square
inch to lift it. If the under side of the piston was in free communication with the
source there would be in this case an excess of lb. pressure per square inch
tending to lift it and it would rise rapidly; as however the only communication
between the supply and the under side of the piston is by means of the regulated
amount of leakage past the lower stem of the valve the piston can only rise as fast
as this leakage will permit it and its rate of rise is thus regulated.
discharge can take place until the piston rises nearly to the top but is cut off by
the projection on the upper side of the piston entering the cavity in the cover.
The arrangement and clearance of the projection in the cover is so proportioned
as to allow of a regulated amount of leakage discharge whilst the piston is at
the top.
A free
The faster the discharge takes place the faster the piston rises owing to the
increased resistance to the water passing the valve and the passage to the upper
side of the piston. By regulating the size of the valve, the area of the passage

page_text: and in some instances by placing a suitable spring on the valve, the apparatus can
be so constructed as to allow the discharge of approximately the same quantity of
water in the interval during which the piston rises, though the rate of discharge
may vary very considerably. A certain quantity of water can thus be drawn but
after this amount has passed the supply is cut off and water will no longer pass
freely until the outlet is closed and the piston allowed to fall.
On closing the outlet the pressure above the piston will again be the same as
that in the supply main and also equal that below the piston which will now
commence to fall by gravity. It can however only fall at a slow rate and its speed
in falling is regulated by the areas allowed for leakage past the lower valve stem,
up through the hole in the upper stem and down the upper stem guide to the upper
side of the piston.
In normal working and assuming that no attempt is made to pass more water
than the apparatus is proportioned for, the piston will not rise so as to cut off the
delivery and a free discharge of water can always be obtained.
I have described above one arrangement but its construction may be varied to
suit the conditions under which it has to work. In some instances the regulated
amount of leakage past the piston may be through a hole in the piston itself, a
fixed rod or wire through this hole will keep it clear. Instead of a piston a
diaphragm may be used. A wire may be fixed so as to keep the hole in the upper
valve stem clear.
In all instances I wish it to be understood that where ever the satisfactory
working of the apparatus depends on a regulated amount of leakage, this leakage
takes place between a rod, wire, piston or valve stem and a hole or guide, the
operation of the apparatus causing a movement between one and the other so as to
prevent clogging or choking up. The leakage spaces are also so arranged as to be
of considerable length, so that they may be of a reasonable area and not liable to
alteration from wear.
The top cover may be secured by bolts or studs having small holes through
their ends, a cord passed through all these holes and having the ends united by
a seal or impressed metallic disc would prevent the apparatus being tampered
with.
Dated this 20th day of February 1906
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply and
Preventing the Waste of Water or other Fluid.
I, JAMES ATKINSON, of The Woodlands, Marple, Cheshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is the construction of apparatus for regulating the
discharge of water or other fluid chiefly with a view to prevent waste in the water
supply to houses.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I append a drawing showing a
vertical section of the apparatus.
A suitable arrangement for this purpose consists of a cylinder A, closed top and
bottom, placed vertically and fitted with a freely moving piston B. On one side
I place a small mushroom valve C, which opens upwards vertically. The space
above the valve C opens into the top of the cylinder A by means of the passage D,

page_text: bove the range of the piston B and the space below the
ith the water supply from the main by means of the inlet E. The valve C is
uided by a long stem F which fits somewhat loosely in-a bored hole, the bottom
f this hole being in communication with the cylinder A. by means of the passage G
elow the range of the piston B. The valve C has a hole H bored down it from
ts upper side to some little distance below its seat where small side holes I place
t in communication with the supply from the main. In the hole H hangs a
oosely fitting pin J. The object of the loosely fitting valve stem F and the
oosely fitting pin J is to allow a regulated amount of leakage past them. The
apper part of the piston A is fitted with a small central cylindrical projection K,
which, when the piston A is at the top, enters int> a cylindrical cavity L in the
upper cover, thus cutting off the delivery which is taken from this cavity L by
means of the passage M and outlet N. A hole down the projection K with side
openings O is so arranged that the last of the discharge draws out with it any
mud or other deposit which might otherwise settle in the piston.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assume that water has not been drawn off for some little time and that the
piston A is at the bottom of the cylinder B, the apparatus being open to the
supply has the full main pressure equally above and below the piston A. If
water is now drawn off at a moderate rate, the pressure above the piston is slightly
reduced because to allow it to pass it must lift the valve C which is purposely
made somewhat heavy so that it requires, say, 1 lb. per square inch difference of
pressure to lift it. The piston B is purposely made light so that it requires, say,
1b. pressure per square inch to lift it. If the underside of the piston B was in
free communication with the inlet E there would be in this case an excess of lb.
pressure per square inch tending to lift it, and it would rise rapidly; as however
the only communication between the supply and the underside of the piston B is
by means of the regulated amount of leakage past the stem F of the valve C the
piston B can only rise as fast as this leakage will permit and its rate of rise is thus
regulated.
A free discharge can take place until the piston rises nearly to the top but is
cut off by the projection K entering the cavity L. The arrangement and clearance
of the projection K in the cavity L is so proportioued as to allow of a regulated
amount of leakage discharged whilst the piston B is at the top, if desired.
The faster the discharge takes place the faster the piston B rises owing to the
increased resistance to the water passing the valve C and the passage D. By
regulating the size of the valve C, the area of the passage D and in some instances
by placing a suitable spring on the valve C, the apparatus can be so constructed
as to allow the discharge of approximately the same quantity of water in the
interval during which the piston rises though the rate of discharge may vary very
considerably. A certain quantity of water can thus be drawn, but after this
amount has passed the supply is cut off and water will no longer pass freely, but
only any leakage which has been provided for.
On closing the outlet the pressure above the piston will again become the same
as that in the supply main and also equal that below the piston which will now
commence to fall by gravity. It can however only fall at a slow rate and its
speed in falling is regulated by the areas allowed for leakage past the valve stem F,
up through the small holes I and through the opening in the upper side of the
valve C which is partly closed by the hanging pin J to the upper side of the
piston.
In normal working and assuming that no attempt is made to pass more water
than the apparatus is proportioned for, the piston B will not rise so as to cut off
the delivery and a free discharge of water can always be obtained.
I have described above and illustrated in the drawing one arrangement of the
apparatus, but its construction may be varied to suit the conditions under which it
has to work. In some instances the regulated amount of leakage past the piston
may be through a hole in it, a fixed rod or wire through the hole keeping it clear.

page_text: Instead of the piston B a diaphragm may be used. Instead of the hanging pin J
in the top of the valve C the upper end of the valve C may pass into a hole in
the cover and the leakage regulated by the clearance in the hole.
In all instances I wish it to be understood that where ever the satisfactory
working of the apparatus depends on a regulated amount of leakage, this
leakage takes place between a rod, wire, piston or valve stem and a hole or guide,
the operation of the aparatus causing a movement between one and the othe so as
to prevent clogging or choking up. The leakage spaces are also so arranged as to
be of considerable length, so that they may be of a reasonable area and not liable
to alteration from wear.
The top cover may be secured by bolts or studs having small holes through
their ends, a cord passed through these holes and having the ends united by a seal
or impressed metalic disc would prevent the apparatus being tampered with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for regulating the supply of water or other fluids, the loosely
fitting piston B, arranged to rise, to cut off the water supply, through leakage past
the valve stem F causing an excess of pressure on the underside of the said
piston, and to fall, so as to permit another full supply, by means of leakage past
the valve stem F, the small holes I, and the hanging pin J in the hole H;
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In an apparatus for regulating the supply of water or other fluids, operating
by means of a loosely fitting piston B, which is controlled by regulated leakages in
the manner described, the projection K, the recess L and the holes O, constructed
and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
3. The general arrangement and construction of an apparatus for regulating
the supply of water or other fluids, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 20th day of November 1896.
JAMES ATKINSON.