AN IMPROVEMENT IN WATER METERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane in the county of Middlesex for an Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN WATER METERS" communicated to him from abroad by Alphonse Frager
and (Madame) Veuve Michel both of Paris in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1883.
⚫ JOHN IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WATER METERS " [communicated to him
from abroad by Alphonse Frager and (Madame) Veuve Michel both of Paris in the
Republic of France.]
It is often desirable to ascertain if the packings and other fittings of Water
Meters are tight against leakage and to test the accuracy of the indications given.
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing water meters of the
kind in which the pistons of two cylinders are made by the water pressure to
reciprocate alternately, each piston as it approaches each end of its stroke moving
a slide which governs ports of supply and discharge for both cylinders. For this
purpose the rod of one of the slides has a screw thread cut on it fitting a
part nut on the slide, and the end of the rod is extended through packing to the
exterior of the slide case, so that the rod can be turned round by a wrench applied
externally. When it is desired to test the Meter, the rod is turned, and the screw.
thread on it acting on the part nut of the slide, causes the slide to move into such
a position that it no longer opens and closes the proper ports, consequently the
pistons cease to move, and such water as may pass through the apparatus will give
evidence of leakage and inaccuracy.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Imray in the Patent Office on the 11th January 1884.
JOHN IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WATER METERS" A communication to me
from Abroad by Alphonse Frager and (Madame) Veuve Michel both of Paris in the
Republic of France.
It is often desirable to ascertain if the packings and other fittings of water
meters are tight against leakage and to test the accuracy of the indications given.
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing water meters of the
kind in which the pistons of the two cylinders are made by the water pressure to
reciprocate alternately, each piston as it approaches each end of its stroke moving
a slide which governs ports of supply and discharge for both cylinders. For this
purpose the rod of one of the slides has a screw thread cut on it fitting a part
nut on the slide, and the end of the rod is extended through packing to the
exterior of the slide case, so that the rod can be turned round by a wrench applied
externally. When it is desired to test the meter, the rod is turned, and the screw
thread on it acting on the part nut of the slide, causes the slide to move into such
a position that it no longer opens and closes the proper ports, conscquently the
pistons cease to move, and such water as may pass through the apparatus will give
evidence of leakage and inaccuracy.
Fig 1 of the accompanying drawings is a section of a water meter of the kind
referred to, shewing the screw A on one of the slide rods B applied as above
described. In the ordinary working of the Meter, the piston P¹, in approaching
the upper extreme of its stroke, moves the slide T¹ so as to uncover the port 1
admitting water to act under the other piston P, and as it approaches the lower
extreme of its-stroke it uncovers, the port 3 admitting water to act above the
piston P. And the slide T moved by the piston P similarly governs the fluid action
on P. By means of the screw A on the rod B, which can be turned by turning
the socket C in which the end of B is engaged, the slide T¹ can be moved upwards
or downwards so that it will fail to uncover the port 3 or the port 1. The pistons
will thus be stopped at either end of their respective strokes, and it can. be
ascertained if there is leakage which is not indicated by the counter. Obviously,
instead of moving the slide relatively to its, rod, the port face might itself be moved;
the passages through it being formed as shewn in Fig. 2.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner. the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim
In water meters having the pistons of two cylinders reciprocating alternately,
cacli piston governing the slide passages to the other cylinders, the lierein described
method of testing tightness by altering from without the position of the slide or
its facing, so as to stop the pistons and the counter worked by them and ascertain
if leakage takes place..
In Witness, whereof I the said John Imray have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord, One thousand cight
hundred and eighty-four.
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