Improvements in Water Meters, Applicable to the Measuring of Liquids and the Working of Pumping and other Machinery.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES ROUX, of Le Creusote, in the Republic of
France, Civil Engineer.]
Improvements in Water Meters, Applicable to the Measuring of
Liquids and the Working of Pumping and other Machinery.
I ARTHUR GREENWOOD of Albion Works, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of apparatus which may be used
either as a motor for driving pumps or other machinery or for measuring liquids.
The construction of the apparatus admits of modification without varying the principle
of action on which the invention is based.
To illustrate the nature of the invention, I will describe apparatus in its simplest
form. Two pairs of cylinders placed parallel to each other, the one pair having a
capacity, say, four times that of the other, are fitted each with a duplex piston.-
Between the two smaller cylinders is a water tight chamber in constant communication
therewith, and in communication with a supply pipe.
The large cylinders, which I will call A and B, communicate severally with one of
the smaller cylinders; thus the cylinder A communicates by two passages with the
opposito ends of the cylinder C, and the cylinder B communicates similarly with the
cylinder D. The space in the cylinder D between its pistons, besides being in
communication with the supply chamber, is in communication, by means of passages,
with the opposite ends of the cylinder A, and the cylinder C is similarly connected
with the cylinder B; thus, all the cylinders are brought into mutual communication
The piston rods of the cylinders C and D are each furnished with a slide valve, which
valves cover exhaust ports in the cylinders A and B respectively.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose water to be admitted from the supply chamber, through cylinder D, to
the passage leading, say, into the left hand end of the cylinder A, the piston being
at the end of its stroke, and the piston of the cylinder B being at about the middle
of its stroke; the water, as it enters the cylinder A, will force the piston of that
; water
cylinder to the right, until a passage leading to the cylinder C is uncovered
will then flow by this passage to the left hand end of the cylinder C, forcing the
piston of that cylinder to the right, and causing its slide valve to uncover a passago
leading to the left hand end of the cylinder B. The piston of this cylinder will then
advance to the right, until an opening in the cylinder B, communicating with the
cylinder D, is uncovered; water will then pass to the cylinder D, driving its piston
to the left, and uncovering, by means of its slide valve, the port in the cylinder A
leading to the right hand end of that cylinder. The piston in this large cylinder will
now be forced back to the left until a second delivery passage in the cylinder A is
uncovered, when water will pass to the right hand end of the cylinder C, reverse the
position of the slide valve of its piston rod, and thereby admit water to the opposite
end of the cylinder B.-It will be understood that before this reverse motion takes
place, the exhaust will be open through the slide valve, which provides for the delivery
of the water from the apparatus at every stroke of the main pistons.
Supposing it is desired to use this apparatus as a water meter, it will only be
necessary to carry a rod through the end of one of the main cylinders connecting it
rigidly with the piston of that cylinder, and from this rod, by any suitable means, a
counting apparatus may be actuated indicating the number of strokes made by the
piston, and consequently the amount of water thereby displaced.
If, however, the apparatus is to be used as a motor, being actuated either from an
elevated reservoir or a hydraulic accumulator, the movements of the piston carrying

page_text: the motor rod may be applied directly to actuate the piston of a force pump, or
indirectly to produce a rotary motion.
It may be remarked that in place of slide valves, pistons working in additional
cylinders may be used.
Dated thin oth 1
C AT
1
1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Meters, Applicable to the Measuring of
Liquids and the Working of Pumping and other Machinery.
I, ARTHUR GREENWOOD, of Albion Works, Leeds, in the County of York, 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 :-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of apparatus which may be used
either as a motor for driving pumps or other machinery, or for measuring liquids.
The construction of the apparatus admits of modification without varying the principle
of action on which the invention is based.
To illustrate the nature of the invention, I will describe the apparatus in its simplest
form, that is, as a water meter.
Referring to figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is an end view
of the water meter, showing it to consist of two pairs of cylinders arranged parallel
to one another, and set one above the other, and fig. 2 is a sectional plan, showing
the cylinders of the meter as laid out flat, or in one plane, the better to illustrate
their relative connection with each other.
The two pairs of parallel cylinders are marked respectively A, B, and C, D. The
cylinders A and B, have a capacity, say, four times that of the cylinders C and D,
and all the cylinders are fitted with duplex pistons, marked respectively A¹, B¹, C', D¹.
Between the two smaller cylinders, C, D, is a water tight chamber E, in constant
communication with both cylinders, and with a supply pipe E¹.
The large cylinders A & B, communicate severally with one of the smaller
cylinders; thus, the cylinder A communicates, by two passages a, a', with the opposite
ends of the cylinder C, and the cylinder B communicates, by passages b, 61, with the
cylinder D, the passages in this case crossing each other. The space in the cylinder D,
between the heads of the duplex piston D¹, besides being in communication with the
supply chamber E, by means of passages d, d' in the walls of the cylinder A, are
in communication with the oposite ends of that cylinder; similarly, the space between
the heads of the duplex piston C¹ is connected with the cylinder B by means of
passages cc in the walls of that cylinder. Thus, all the cylinders are brought into
mutual communication. The piston rods of the cylinders and D are each furnished
with a slide valve, marked C³, D³, respectively, which valves cover exhaust ports in
their adjacent cylinders A & B.
The cylinders, which are formed in one, or it may be two castings, are carried by
a hollow base F, into which the cylinders A and B discharge by openings a², 62, as the
liquid is measured.
i
A pipe from the hollow base F permits of the delivery of the measured liquid
for use, or to any suitable receiver.
These openings, a², 63, are situate in that portion of the cylinders which is always
covered by the duplex pistons A' B' respectively.
The reciprocating motions of all the pistons are controlled by suitable stops.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose water to be admitted, from the supply chamber E, through the cylinder D,
to the passage d, leading into the left hand end of the cylinder A, the piston being at
the end of its stroke, as shown in fig. 2, and the piston of the cylinder B being
at about the middle of its stroke, the water, as it enters the cylinder A, will force the

page_text: piston A of that cylinder to the right, until a passage a, leading to the cylinder C,
is uncovered. Water will then flow by this passage to the left hand end of the
cylinder C, forcing the piston C¹ to the right, and causing its slide valve (to uncover
a passage leading to the left hand end of the cylinder B. The piston B¹ will then
advance to the right, until the opening in the cylinder B, communicating with the
cylinder D, is uncovered. Water will then pass from the cylinder B to the right
hand end of the cylinder D, driving its piston to the left, and uncovering, by means
of its slide valve, the port d' in the cylinder A, leading to the right hand end of that
cylinder. The piston A¹ will now be forced back to the left, until the second delivery
passage a in the cylinder A, is uncovered. Water will now pass through this
passage to the right hand end of the cylinder C, reverse the position of the slide
valve C of its piston rod, and thereby admit water to the right hand end of the
cylinder B. It will be understood that before the reverse motions of the pistons A' B¹
take place, the exhaust will be open to the hollow base F, through the slide valves,
which provide for the delivery of the water from the apparatus at every stroke of the
main pistons.
When it is desired to use this apparatus as a water meter, I provide a counting
apparatus of any approved construction for registering the reciprocations of the
pistons. Thus, I may fit to one of the cylinder heads, a rod, as at i, Fig. 2, which
rod is free to slide through the cylinder head, and through the head of a small
cylinder I attached to the cover of the cylinder B. On this rod i is a collar,
which serves as a stop to limit the movement of the rod in one direction, a coiled
spring being interposed between the collar and the head of the cylinder I, to project
the rod into the cylinder B. At every forward movement of the piston, the rod i
will be struck, and driven outwards against the pressure of the spring, which returns
it to its normal position.
The reciprocating motion of this rod serves to actuate, by any suitable means, a
counting apparatus indicating the number of strokes made by the piston, and
consequently the amount of water thereby displaced.
Fig. 3 shows in end view, and fig. 4 in sectional plan (laid out, as in fig. 2), the
apparatus arranged for working two pairs of pumps.
When thus used as a motor,
the apparatus will be connected either with an elevated reservoir or a hydraulic
accumulator.
In Fig. 4, G, G¹ indicate a pair of single-acting force pumps situate at the left
hand end of the motor apparatus. An extension of the rods of the duplex pistons A¹ B¹
passes directly into the cylinders of the pumps G, G¹, and being slightly increased
in diameter at their extremities, to fit the cylinders, they serve as plungers for the
same. Fig. 4 also shows an extension, to the right hand, of the rods of the duplex
pistons A, B, the same passing through stuffing boxes in the ends of the cylinders A, B,
and entering respectively the cylinders H, H' of a smaller pair of force pumps, and
carry piston heads for working theso pumps.
As the same letters of reference are used in this figure to indicate like parts in the
meter (Fig. 2), the detailed description already given of the latter figures will serve
to explain the construction and operation of the motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, as communicated to me from abroad, and in what manner the same is to he
performed, I declare that what I caim is :-
The arrangement of apparatus above described for measuring liquids, or for
transmitting motive force to pumps or other machinery, by passing liquids under
pressure through such apparatus.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.