IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robertson, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER
METERS."
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 8th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robertson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th April 1875.
I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Engineer,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
In Water Metens," to be as follows :—
-
My Invention consists mainly in improvements in a form of water
meter for which Royal Letters Patent were granted me, No. 3146, dated
14th October 1868, and No. 448, dated 7th February 1873.
The said Inventions consisted mainly of a pair of cylinders, each fitted
with a piston slightly longer than the length of its stroke, such piston

page_text: being formed with induction and eduction ports, and having a combined
rotary and reciprocal motion controlled by an arm on the piston rod in
connection with a bush crank and crank shaft, the object being to
produce a motion in the surface of the piston to cause the said induction
and eduction ports in the piston to communicate at the proper
instants
with corresponding induction and eduction ports in the cylinder, and
thereby act without induction and eduction valves.
My first improvement consists in forming the cylinders and pistons
sufficiently long to give space to form an induction and eduction port or
pair of ports in each end of the piston with corresponding ports in the
cylinder. The induction ports are connected together and supplied by
one inlet, and the eduction ports connect to one outflow, space being
left between the ports in the cylinder to give room for crank discs
working inside the cylinder or in a suitable compartment formed between
the cylinders. The pistons have fitted in or about the centre of their
length an arm or crank driver connected to a ball-and-socket crank disc
or ordinary crank and crank shaft. The cranks are fitted or formed with
their pins at right angles to cach other in the manner of coupled steam
engines, the whole being enclosed by a cover; in this way I dispense
with piston rods and stuffing boxes. I may connect either the induction
or eduction passages with the compartment in which the crank shaft
and crank discs are placed so as to keep the discs or moving surfaces
lubricated. To give motion to the index (which is of any convenient or
ordinary form), I fit an arm between the working ends of the pistons of
such a length that ono end will by the motion of the piston describe a
circle or oval. Opposite the centre of the circle or oval thus described I
fit a small stuffing box in the cylinder or casing having a small rod
provided, a knee piece passing therethrough and coming into contact
with the circle or oval describing arm so as to receive rotary motion
therefrom. The projecting end of the rod passing through the stuffing
box has a small toothed pinion on it to give motion to the index. By
having only one pair of ports in the piston opposite to each other the
above arrangement is much easier to keep tight, and more casily packed
than when the four ports of a double-acting piston are all formed in the
periphery of the piston opposite each other as heretofore done. The said
arrangement also dispenses with piston rods and stuffing boxes, much
simplifies the construction of the meter, and diminishes the risk of
leakage

page_text: Another improvement is to form the ports in the piston of a series of
holes instead of employing one continuous opening to each; the ports in
the cylinder also being formed by two or more holes near to each other,
so that when the ports in the cylinder and piston are opposite each other
there is always one of them communicating. This arrangement enables
me to have the pistons covered with india-rubber, gutta percha, or
leather, or like substances to assist in keeping the pistons tight and
prevent corrosion by avoiding the use of metallic surfaces only.
Instead of the water-tight compartment for the crank shaft and cranks
being in the centre of the piston, piston rods and stuffing boxes may be
used, and a water-tight compartment provided for the drivers, cranks,
and crank shaft, and the arm or pin for giving motion to the index in
this modification. This arrangement also could be made to convey any
water which might escape from the stuffing boxes into either the
induction or eduction water, and thereby keep the case full to lubricate
the working parts.
Another improvement consists in forming a órank disc with two
bushes for the working ends of drivers on arms fixed on the piston or rod
or other equivalent. The said crank piece is set in a bush as large as its
periphery, making thereby one crank disc serve for both actuating
drivers; a crank shaft or axis being also dispensed with which reduces
the expense and space occupied. The pistons may be of cast iron or
other cheap material.
An improved form of piston consists of the main body and two discs
cast in one piece; the discs are fitted with packing rings. Between
the piston discs at each end brass or other non-corrosive port pieces or
faces are fitted and adapted to expand to keep water-tight.
Another improvement (particularly for large sizes) consists in having
the same general arrangement of piston ports and also of crank discs,
but having the port ends of smaller diameter than the piston. The
piston is in the centre or nearly so between the port ends, and may be
packed with cup leathers or other ordinary way, or may be packed with
an india-rubber rolling packing. In this arrangement it will be
advantageous for the piston to be fitted on the small diameter. In this
way by avoiding the oscillating motion on the large piston the friction is
considerably diminished. Where no piston rods or stuffing boxes are
used it will be most convenient to have the crank disc drivers fixed at

page_text: one end of the piston, and the compartment for the crank disc corre-
spondingly placed.
Another improvement consists in having only a single cylinder and
piston of the same general form as that just described, with a single pair
of ports in cach end, and instead of a crank disc or shaft to give the
oscillating action to the piston the arm or driver is made to work in a
groove of an oval shape. Springs are employed at each end to cause the
arm to turn the centre, and thereby cause the piston to oscillate and
open the induction and eduction ports in the same way as is done by the
use of the crank discs. The cylinder is provided with a recess in the
centre of its length in which is formed the oval groove for working the
oscillating or driving arm, and also the stuffing box for the spindle for
driving the index. A water meter made of the same form may be pro-
vided with a piston rod and stuffing box, and the oscillating arm fixed on
the piston rod outside the cylinder, the oval or semi-oval groove with the
springs for assisting the action over the centres being fixed on a sole plate
opposite the oscillating driver. The oscillating action in this form of
meter may be assisted by a balance or pendulum weight fixed upon the
piston rod. The ports in the piston are substantially the same as those
described, and may be in pairs in the separate working ends, or may
have the ports as previously formed. The oscillating driver is actuated
by the oval groove and springs outside the cylinder, and is enclosed in a
case to prevent leakage from the stuffing box: This modification may
also have the piston of larger diameter than the port ends, and be free to
reciprocate without oscillating, as described in the foregoing modifi-
cation.
Another form of this water meter is made to act without valves, and
has the ports formed in the pistons caused however in this modification
to have a complete revolution instead of a partial revolution cach double
stroke. The revolving motion of the piston is produced by long slanting
projections formed on the ends of the piston, the full length or nearly
the full length of the stroke and correspondingly slanted projections
formed on the cylinder covers. The slanting projections by their
oblique surfaces presented to each other on the motion of the piston,
cause such piston to make a half revolution in the same direction, each
stroke thereby producing a motion suitable for presenting the induction
and eduction ports in the piston to the induction and eduction ports in
the cylinder. I prefer in this modification as in one of the modifications

page_text: described to make the piston with the intermediate gear about six times
the length of the stroke, and make each end single acting, that is, with
one induction and one eduction port. I also by preference cast the two'
cylinders in one piece, and form in the centre a recess for the gear for
3 connecting and timing the strokes of the pistons. This gear may
consist by preference of toothed wheels of diameter somewhat longer
than the length of the stroke fixed or cast in the central part of each
cylinder, and so geared with each other that while one piston is at the
end, the other is in the centre of its stroke, and by its action and gear
O turns the centre of the piston that has reached the dead point.
Instead of one wheel on each revolving piston, an intermediate wheel
may be used to connect them, in which case it would be most con-
venient to have the intermediate wheel a working breadth broader than
the length of the stroke, and the three cast or fixed on the pinions an
5. ordinary,working breadth. The axis of the intermediate wheel can be
conveniently extended and carried through a small stuffing box, and a
small pinion is keyed on the outer end for working the graduated
quantity index. A wheel geared into either of the wheels can have its
axis extended and carried through a stuffing box for working the index.
) Covers are fitted on both ends of the cylinders and no stuffing boxes
used, there being no piston rods in this modification. A water-tight
cover is also fixed on the connecting gear compartment, which by pre-
preference is formed in the same cavity as the outlet for the four
eduction ports of the two cylinders. The eduction water is thereby
3 made to lubricate the connecting gear wheels. Piston rods may also be
carried through stuffing boxes on one end of the cylinders, and the
connecting wheel gear instead of being inside the cylinders can be keyed
on the piston rods outside.
Instead also of the rotating motion being produced by the pistons and
> cylinder covers having long slanting ends, the rotating motion may be
produced by oblique guide wheels fixed on the piston rods, acting on
corresponding oblique plates or other equivalent, so as to produce the
said rotary motion. In this modification it is also intended to enclose
the rods and gear in a water-tight case, so as to avoid the risk of leakage
from the piston rods and stuffing boxes. The water from the eduction
ports may be made to pass through this box to the general outlet.
Instead of there being two induction and two eduction ports, and
single acting ends on the piston, there may be only one induction port,

page_text: and one eduction port in cach cylinder, the pistons and cylinders being
made in that case correspondingly short, and the ports in the piston
being made double acting. The actuating piston may also be of larger
diameter than the piston port ends, and the port end piece may be left
to revolve loosely in the piston, and piston may be packed with a rolling i
india-rubber packing, or otherwise. It will also in this arrangement
where no piston rods or stuffing boxes are used be most convenient to
have the connecting wheel gear at one end in a suitable compartment
cast for same.
Another improvement consists in placing the connecting crank disc
inside a compartment connected with the cylinders, and dispensing with
stuffing boxes as described in connection with the first modification, and
cause the rod to actuate disc valves, conical valves on the end of the
cylinder, or actuate concave concentric valves or other induction and
cduction valves on the surface or on suitable port faces formed in the 1
cylinder, the general form of which with piston rods and stuffing boxes
are described in my Patent Specification referred to, dated 7th February
1873, No. 448, illustrated by Figs. 16, 17, 18, and 19, on Sheet IV., of
my Drawings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Robertson in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 8th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, James
ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Robertson, Her
special licence, that I, the said James Robertson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Robertson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 WATER METERS," upon the condition
3 (amongst others) that I, the said James Robertson, 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 James Robertson, 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 accom-
panying Sheets of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say :—
My Invention consists mainly in improvements in a form of water
meter for which Royal Letters Patent were granted me, No. 3146, dated
14th October 1868, and No. 448, dated 7th February 1878.
The said Inventions consisted mainly of a pair of cylinders, each fitted
with a piston slightly longer than the length of its stroke, such piston
being formed with induction and eduction ports, and having a combined
rotary and reciprocal motion controlled by an arm on the piston rod in
connection with a bush crank and crankshaft, the object being to
produce a motion in the surface of the piston to cause the said induction
and eduction ports in the piston to communicate at the proper instants
with corresponding induction and eduction ports in the cylinder, and
thereby act without induction and eduction valves.
My first improvement consists in forming the cylinders and pistons
sufficiently long to give space to form an induction and eduction port or
pair of ports in each end of the piston with corresponding ports in the
cylinder. The induction ports are connected together and supplied by
one inlet, and the eduction ports connect to one outflow, space being
left between the ports in the cylinder to give room for crank discs
working inside the cylinder or in a suitable compartment formed

page_text: between the cylinders. The pistons have fitted in or about the centre
of their length an arm or crank driver connected to a ball-and-socket
crank disc or ordinary crank and crank shaft. The cranks are fitted or
formed with their pins at right angles to cach other in the manner of
coupled steam engines, the whole being enclosed by a cover. In this
way I dispense with piston rods and stuffing boxes.
I may connect
cither the induction or eduction passages with the compartment in
which the crank shaft and crank discs are placed so as to keep the discs
or moving surfaces lubricated. To give motion to the index (which is
of any convenient or ordinary form) I fit an arm between the working
ends of the pistons of such a length that one end will by the motion of
the piston describe a circle or oval. Opposite the centre of the circle or
oval thus described I fit a small stuffing box in the cylinder or casing
having a small rod provided with a knee piece passing therethrough and
coming into contact with the circle or oval describing arm so as to
receive rotary motion therefrom. The projecting end of the rod passing
through the stuffing box has a small toothed pinion on it to give motion
to the index. By having only one pair of ports in the piston opposite
to each other the above arrangement is much easier to keep tight and
more easily packed than when the four ports of a double acting piston
are all formed in the periphery of the piston opposite each other as
heretofore done. The said arrangement also dispenses with piston rods
and stuffing boxes, much simplifies the construction of the meter, and
diminishes the risk of leakage.
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 2, an external side elevation;
and Fig. 3, a plan of a meter constructed according to the first part of
my Invention, having one induction and one cduction port in each end
of each cylinder and corresponding ports in each piston. The main
casting A has thereon the cylinders B, B', formed parallel to each other
and bored out truly. D, D¹, end covers. The inlet port E is provided
with a nipple for connecting the inlet water pipe to the channels a, a,
The four induction ports F, F¹, F³, F³, communicate with the
inlet channel a and with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port G
is also formed with a nipple for conuceting the outlet pipe to the space b
which communicates with the interior of the cylinder by the eduction
ports H, H, H², H³. The pistons C, C¹, are formed with cylindrical
spaces in each end joined together by a central shell c³.
a, a.
The said pistons
are provided with induction ports I, I, I, I³, and with eduction ports

page_text: J, Jª, Jª, J³, which open and close at the proper instant for allowing the
water to enter and leave the cylinders.
In Fig. 4, which is an external clevation of a piston, the eduction
ports J, J, are shown in position, the induction ports are of the samo
general form and are nearly opposite thereto.
.
"
Fig. 6, which is a sectional elevation through the line Fº, F, in Fig. 1,
shows the relative positions of the induction and eduction ports to each
other both in the pistons and cylinders. The pistons which fit easily
into the cylinders are provided with packing rings c³, c³, in the usual way.
The centre parts of the piston O, C³, are shown provided with crank
or disc pins K, K³, carrying the spherical bushes L, I, which fit into
the disc crank M. To allow of the crank pin bushes acting on the crank
disc at an angle to each other, the said bushes are free to oscilate in any
direction in the said crank discs, and are also free to slide on their crank
pins. The disc M which is formed in halves and bolted together is
provided with flanges on each side, and is fitted in the bearing N so as
to be free to revolve. The above apparatus acts in the same manner as
a pair of cranks set at right angles to each other and coupled by a crank
shaft.
When water is admitted by the inlet E into the channel a it passes
into one of the ends of the cylinders on account of one of the induction
ports F, F¹, F³, F, and one of the eduction [ports H, H³, H³, H², being
always open, and generally two for the greater part of the stroke.
The said water then gives motion to the pistons, such motion being
controlled by the crank pins and disc, so that the said pistons partake
of a combined oscillating and reciprocating motion in manner to open
and close the induction and eduction ports at the proper time.
Under the above arrangement the water is measured by the alternate
filling and emptying of the cylinders, and by reason of the absence of
piston rods and stuffing boxes and the increased length of piston, thereby
providing greater lap and consequent tightness in the ports, great
accuracy in measuring the water is insured.
Figs. 7, 7, shows the packing rings c³, c³, as also the longitudinal
packing pieces *, c'. It is preferred that these should be of gutta
percha for cold water, and of ebonite, brass, or other metal for hot water.
The shell piston end is in this example formed of brass, and the central
nart of cast iron.

page_text: :
For conveying the motion of the piston c¹ to the meter index I form
or place in the central part of one of these pistons the snug o, which by
the oscilating and reciprocating motion of the piston describes an oval
or nearly circular motion at its extremity, as seen in Fig. 5. Operated
by the snug or pin o is an L shaped piece P, which works in a stuffing
box secured on the casting A. On the projecting end of P is secured
a pinion R, which gears with the index shown in Fig. 10. A double
stroke of the piston gives one revolution to the piece P, and consequently
regular motion for registering the water passing through the meter.
The opening to 6 for the placing of the crank disc is fitted with a
water-tight door. The arrows show the direction of motion of the
water.
Another improvement is to form the ports in the piston of a series of
holes instead of employing one continuous opening to each, the ports
in the cylinder also being formed by two or more holes near to each:
other, so that when the ports in the cylinder and piston are opposite
each other there is always one of them communicating. This arrange-
ment enables me to have the pistons covered with india-rubber, gutta
percha, or leather, or like substances, to assist in keeping the pistons
tight and prevent corrosion by avoiding the use of metallic surfaces:
only.
Instead of the water-tight compartment for the crank shaft and
cranks being in the centre of the piston, piston rods and stuffing boxes
may be used, and a water-tight compartment provided for the drivers,
cranks, and crank shaft, and the arm or pin for giving motion to the 2
index in this modification. This arrangement also could be made to
convey any water which might escape from the stuffing boxes into
either the induction or eduction water, and thereby keep the case full
to lubricate the working parts.
Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation, Fig. 10 an external side elevation, 3
and Fig. 11 a sectional plan, and Fig. 12 a sectional end view of another
meter generally similar to the one above described, but having a pair of
eduction ports in each end of the piston, as shown in section through
the line I*, J⭑. The water passes through this meter in the reverse
direction to the one above described, as shown by the arrows.
When 3
ports are formed in this way they have a balancing effect on the piston,
and cause it to move with less friction. The same letters and Figures
refer to the same parts as those in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

page_text: Another improvement consists in forming a crank disc with two
bushes for the working ends of drivers on arms fixed on the piston or
rod or other equivalent. The said crank disc is set in a bush as large
as its periphory, making thereby one crank disc serve for both actuating'
drivers, a crank shaft or axis being also dispensed with, which reduces
the expense and space occupied. The pistons may be of cast iron or
other cheap material.
An improved form of piston consists of the main body and two discs
cast in one piece. The discs are fitted with packing rings. Between
the piston discs at each end brass or other non-corrosive port pieces or
faces are fitted, and adapted to expand to keep water-tight.
Fig. 13 is an end elevation of a further modification of piston, one end.
being shown in section having its ports formed of a series of holes, J.
eduction port, the induction port I being shown on the opposite side.
C' is a packing ferrule of gutta percha, india-rubber or like substance
might be used. Fibrous material can also be used with advantage in this
form of piston, more particularly for cold water, and will wear better
than metallic packing by preventing corrosion. This form of packing is
also self-tightening under the pressure of the water.
Fig. 14 is an elevation of an end of a piston showing it formed of two
expanding segments c³, c³, which may be made of brass or other metal, hard
india-rubber, or ebonite. The two semicircular port pieces are arranged
to be adjusted to compensate for wear, or they may be expanded by the
pressure of the water, and thus have a self-adjusting and self-tightening
effect. The said port pieces are secured by bolts through slot holes so as
to admit of the said expansion.
Fig. 15 is an end view of the above form of expanding piston. The
port pieces are shown fitted with snugs or flanges, and are secured by the
bolts c³, c³.
Fig. 16 is a side sectional elevation; Fig. 17 is a sectional plan through
the line A, A, shown by Fig. 18. This meter is of the same general con-
struction as that described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of my
Drawings, but it shows the cylinders fitted with a lining of gutta percha B'.
The water is made to enter and pass through and out of the meter in the
5 same way as described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and as shown
by the arrows. The exhaust water, however, is not allowed to pass into
the chamber b', in which the disc crank M works, but passes from each end

page_text: of the piston to the outlet port by the channel b. No water is therefore
allowed to enter the space b¹ whero the disc crank works but that which
makes its way past the gutta percha lining B³, and having once entered
the space the said water cannot escape, thereby allowing the piston
packing rings to be dispensed with.
Fig. 18 is a sectional end elevation of a further modification, in which
the letters refer to the same parts as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The motion of
the water is indicated by the arrows.
Fig. 19 is an elevation and Fig. 20 a plan of the disc crank M and its
bush N. The disc is formed in two halves, as shown by the dotted lines, 1
so as to admit of the spherical bush being inserted, and is provided with
flanges to hold it in position in N; M' are bolts for holding the halves
together.
Figs. 21 and 22 are sectional elevations at right angles to each other
showing a double cylinder valveless meter having my improved disc crank 1
and L piece motion for working the index, all contained in the case A;
S, cover enclosing and surrounding the piston rods Tand stuffing boxes U
so as to catch any escaping water and cause it to serve the purpose of
lubricating the crank disc and connections.

page_text: having the port ends of smaller diameter than the piston. The piston is
in the centre, or nearly so, between the port ends, and may be packed
with cup leathers or in other ordinary way, or may be packed with an
india-rubber rolling packing. In this arrangement it will be advantageous
for the piston to be fitted on the small diameter. In this way by avoid-
ing the oscillating motion on the large piston the friction is considerably
diminshed. Where no piston rods or stuffing boxes are used it will be
most convenient to have the crank disc drivers fixed at one end
of the piston and the compartment for the crank disc correspondingly
placed.
Fig. 28 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 29, an end elevation partly in
section; and Fig. 30, a plan with the cover o' of the eduction chamber b
removed. In this modification the piston rods T have eduction and
induction ports formed therein. The pistons C work freely in the
cylinders B, and are provided with seats for the stuffing glands Y. The
said pistons are formed with recesses W, which may be a little shorter
than the length of the stroke; X, india-rubber packing rings. The
piston rods T are formed or fitted with collars T. Packing is placed on
each side of T and the glands tightened so as to connect the piston and
rods yet leave the rods free to oscillate independent of the pistons,
which are prevented so doing by their greater diameter and the tightness
of their packing rings X. The disc crank M in this example has an
axis M' working in a bush M' in the manner I ordinarily employ in my
valveless engines, its action being similar to that described above under
disc cranks. The ports in the piston rods and cylinder and their action
are similar to those above described. The direction of motion of the
water is shown by the arrows, and the letters refer to the same parts as
those already described.
.Fig. 31 shows an enlarged Drawing of the piston rod of the meter
described under Figs. 28, 29, 30; I, J, are eduction and induction
ports; Fig. 32 shows a similar style of piston rod, in which the piston
is provided with cup leathers and is adapted to oscillate with its rod;
Fig. 35 is a further modification of piston, in which a scrow and nuts
are used instead of packing glands.
i Fig. 34 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 35 an end. elevation; and
Fig. 36 a plan of meter, with the pistons placed in the centre of the
roda T. In this modification there are ports in both ends of the rods

page_text: and cylinders similar to those described under Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and the
letters indicate like parts. The arrows show the motion of the currents;
Figs. 36 and 36 show in detail the crank disc M.
In Figs. 37 and 38 I show a further modification, in which the crank
discs M are supported upon axes, are formed with teeth, and geared
together.
Figs. 39 and 40 are a plan and elevation of a crank disc, which may
be used with advantage on the trunk shaped piston rods of these
improved meters; Fig. 41 shows another similar arrangement.
Another improvement consists in having only a single cylinder and
piston of the same general form as that just described, with a single
pair of ports in each end, and instead of a crank disc or shaft to give
the oscillating action to the piston the arm or driver is made to work in
a groove of an oval shape. S springs are employed at each end to cause
the arm to turn the centre, and threby cause the piston to oscillate and
open the induction and eduction ports in the same way as is done by
the use of the crank discs. The cylinder is provided with a recess in
the centre of its length, in which is formed the oval groove for working
the oscillating or driving arm, and also the stuffing box for the spindle
for driving the index. A water meter made of the same form may be :
provided with a piston rod and stuffing box, and the oscillating arm
fixed on the piston rod outside the cylinder, the oval or semi-oval groove,
with the springs for assisting the action over the centres, being fixed on
a sole plate opposite the oscillating driver. The oscillating action in
this form of meter may be assisted by a balance weight, or a pendulum
might be fixed upon the piston rod. The ports in the piston are sub-
stantially the same as those described, and may be in pairs in the
separate working ends, or may have the ports as previously formed.
The oscillating driver is actuated by the oval groove and springs outside
the cylinder, and is enclosed in a case to prevent leakage from the 3
stuffing box.
This modification may also have the piston of larger
diameter than the port ends and be free to reciprocate without oscillating,
as described in the foregoing modification.
Figs. 41 and 42 are sectional side elevations at right angles to each
other; Fig. 43 is a sectional plan; and Fig. 44, a plan with the top 3
cover D¹ removed, all of a further modification of water meter. In this
arrangement there, is a pair of induction and eduction ports in both the

page_text: cylinder and piston for the purpose of balancing the pressure. The
arrows show the direction of motion of the water, and the letters refer
to the same parts, as in Figs. 9, 11, 12.
The feature of novelty in this style of meter is the way in which the
arm K. operates. This modification can be worked with a single cylinder
and a longer stroke obtained than in the ordinary way. The case §¹
serves as a cover for the cylinder, and is provided with two stuffing
boxes U, U', through which the rod T works. The piston O and rod T
are caused to oscillate by means of the arm K guided by the oval piece Z.
The arm K is further controlled in its motion by the detent pieces X', X',
and springs X', X'. During the up-and-down motion of the piston the
detents X³, X', are lifted, and by aid of the springs X', X', serve to
force the said arm K over the dead centres. The detent X³ acts during
the up stroke and the detent X' during the down stroke. The
opening and closing & formation of the ports is similar to that already
described. The arrows show the direction of motion of the water. The
snug O, piece P, and pinion R, serve to give motion to the index. When
the cylinder is placed horizontally a balance weight may be used instead
of springs to operate the arm K, as shown in Fig. 45.
Another form of this water meter is made to act without valves, and
has the ports formed in the pistons, caused however in this modification
. to have a complete revolution instead of a partial revolution each double
stroke. The revolving motion of the piston is produced by long slanting
projections formed on the ends of the pistons the full length or nearly the
full length of stroke, and correspondingly slanted projections formed on
the cylinder covers. The slanting projections, by their oblique surfaces
presented to each other on the motion of the piston, cause such piston
to make a half revolution in the same direction, each stroke thereby
producing a motion suitable for presenting the induction and eduction
ports in [the piston to the induction and eduction ports in the cylinder.
I prefer in this modification, as in one of the modifications described, to
mako the piston with the intermediate gear about six times the length of
the stroke, and make each end single acting, that is, with one induction
and one eduction port. I also by preference cast the two cylinders in
one piece, and form in the centre a recess for the gear for connecting
and timing the strokes of the pistons.. This gear may by preference
consist of toothed wheels of diameter somewhat greater than the length-
of the stroke, fixed or cast in the central part of each cylinder, and so

page_text: geared with each other that while one piston is at the end the other is
in the centre of its stroke, and by its action and gear turns the centre of
the piston that has reached the dead point.
Instead of one wheel on each revolving piston an intermediate wheel
may be used to connect them, in which case it would be most convenient
to have the intermediate wheel a working breadth broader than the
length of the stroke, and the three cast or fixed on the pinions an
ordinary working breadth. The axis of the intermediate wheel can be
conveniently extended and carried through a small stuffing box, and a
small pinion is keyed on the outer end for working the graduated
quantity index. A wheel geared into either of the wheels can have its
axis extended and carried through a stuffing box for working the index.
Covers are fitted on both ends of the cylinders, and no stuffing boxes
used, there being no piston rods in this modification. A watertight
cover is also fixed on the connecting gear compartment, which by
preference is formed in the same cavity as the outlet for the four
eduction ports of the two cylinders; the eduction water is thereby
made to lubricate the connecting gear wheels. Piston rods may also be
carried through stuffing boxes on one end of the cylinders, and the con-
necting wheel gear instead of being inside the cylinders can be keyed on 2
the piston rods outside.
Instead also of the rotating motion being produced by the pistons and
cylinder covers having long slanting ends, the rotating motion may be
produced by oblique guide wheels fixed on the piston rods acting on
corresponding guide plates or their equivalent so as to produce the said 2
rotary motion. In this modification it is also intended to inclose the
rods and gear in a watertight case, so as to avoid a risk of leakage from
the piston rods and stuffing boxes. The water from the eduction ports
may be made to pass through this box to the general outlet.
Instead of there being two induction and two eduction ports and 3
single-acting ends on the piston, there may be only one induction port
and ouc eduction port in each cylinder, the pistons and cylinders being
made in that case correspondingly short, and the ports in the piston
being made double acting. The actuating piston may also be of larger
diameter than the piston port ends, and the port end piece may bo left 3
to revolve loosely in the piston, and piston may be packed with a rolling
india-rubber packing or otherwise. It will also in this arrangement,

page_text: where no piston rods or stuffing boxes are used, be most convenient to
have the connecting wheel gear at one end in a suitable compartment
cast for same.
Figs. 46, 47, and 48 are views illustrative of a single cylinder meter,
similar to the one described under Figs. 41, 42, 43, 44, but adapted for a
horizontal position. Like letters refer to the same parts.
Figs. 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53 are further modifications of the same style
of meter, and need not be further described.
Another improvement consists in placing the connecting crank disc
inside a compartment connected with the cylinders and dispensing with
stuffing boxes, as described in connection with the first modification, and
cause the rod to actuate disc conical valves on the end of the cylinder,
or actuate concave concentric valves or other induction and eduction
valves on the surface, or on suitable port faces formed in the cylinder,
the general form of which, with piston rods and stuffing boxes are
described in my Patent Specification referred to, dated 7th February 1878,
No. 448, illustrated by Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, on Sheet 4 of my Drawings.
Figs. 54 and 55 illustrate a further modification provided with conical
formed valves, and Figs. 56 and 57 illustrate a similar meter fitted with
disc valves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention so that others will be enabled to understand the same, I
claim the herein described improvements for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robertson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
TATTO DADRDINAN