IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bernard Healey, of Princes Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of " IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS." A communi-
cation from abroad by William Leonard Hunt, of the City of New York,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bernard Healey at,
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th August 1881.
WILLIAM BERNARD HEALEY, of Princes Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE
FLOW OF LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by William Leonard Hunt, of
the City of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for measuring and registering the
flow of beer, wine, spirits, or other liquids, and consists, according to one arrange-
ment, in the use of a tap or cock, the plug of which is formed with a central
chamber of any determined size or capacity, according to the quantity of liquid to
be measured, and having two holes in its circumference, respectively arranged so as
to open and close communication between the chamber and the supply and discharge
pipes or passages of the tap or cock alternately.
Through the shank and handle of the plug is an air hole or passage
communicating with the chamber, and forming a guide to the stem of &
valve, which opens or closes the passage, so as to admit air or exclude it from
the chamber as required. On the shank of the plug is an eccentric for giving
motion by means of a strap and rod formed with a rack to a toothed segment,
which in combination with a ratchet wheel actuates in one direction only any
desired arrangement of toothed wheels or other suitable registering gear placed on
the supply pipe (lengthened for the purpose) or otherwise, as found most suitable.
On partially rotating the plug, so that one of its holes coincides with or comes
opposite to the supply pipe or passage from the barrel or reservoir containing
the liquid to be measured, the liquid enters and fills the chamber, and in so
doing lifts the valve therein and close the air passages thereto. The plug is

page_text: then turned until its other hole comes opposite to the discharge pipe or passage
of the tap or cock, when the measured quantity of liquid flows from the
chamber or is "drawn off," and in so doing is replaced by air on the falling
or opening of the valve. Meanwhile the eccentric in turning causes a movement
or vibration of the toothed segment which is communicated to the registering
gear and the quantity of liquid thereby registered. On turning the plug back
again to be refilled the toothed segment is moved in the opposite direction, but
(owing to the ratchet) without affecting the registering gear.
A modified form of my Invention consists in the combination and use with a
tap or cock of a cylindrical (or other shaped) vessel, the top or outer end of which
is spherical (elliptical or other shaped). Across and closing the spherical portion
of the vessel is arranged an india rubber or other flexible diaphragm, which
normally hangs down or assumes a convex shape towards the cylindrical part of
the vessel, the size or capacity of which will be equivalent to the quantity of
liquid to be measured. At the top of the spherical portion of the vessel projects
outwardly a small tubular or other shaped recess formed with holes, through which
air is admitted to the vessel on the concave side of its diaphragm.
The orifice or passage through the plug of the tap or cock is arranged so as to
alternately open communication between the cylindrical vessel and the supply and
discharge pipes or passages of the tap or cock alternately.
•
The arrangement of the rack, toothed segment, and registering gear in this case
are similar to that before described, except that the shank of the plug is furnished
with a lever in lieu of an eccentric.
On turning the plug so as to admit the liquid to the cylindrical vessel, the latter
is filled, and the contained air being driven before the liquid rises into the
spherical portion of the vessel and forces up the flexible diaphragm closely against
its upper or inner circumference, the plug is then turned so as to discharge or draw
off the measured contents of the cylindrical part of the vessel, when the diaphragm
falls and the air follows it through the holes of the tubular recess.
The
The advantages of this Invention are that it is not necessary to leave the
liquid standing in the measuring vessel, as it can be drawn off at once.
construction of the apparatus is also very simple and not liable to derangement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Bernard Healey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd February 1882.
WILLIAM BERNARD HEALEY, of Princes Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex. 'IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE
FLOW OF LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by William Leonard Hunt, of
the City of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for measuring and registering the
flow of beer, wine, spirits, or other liquids, and consists according to one arrange-
ment in the use of a tap or cock, the plug of which is formed with a central
chamber of any determined size or capacity according to the quantity of liquid to
be measured, and having two holes in its circumference respectively arranged so
as to open and close communication between the chamber and the supply and
discharge pipes or passages of the tap or cock alternately. Through the shank and
handle of the plug is an air hole or passage communicating with the chamber, and
forming a guide to the stem of a valve which opens or closes the passage so as to
admit air to or exclude it from the chamber as required. On the shank of the
plug is an eccentric for giving motion by means of a strap and rod formed with a
rack to a toothed segment, which in combination with a ratchet wheel actuates in
one direction only any desired arrangement of toothed wheels or other suitable
registering gear placed on the supply pipe (lengthened for the purpose) or otherwise
as found most convenient.
A modified form of the Invention consists in the combination and use with a
tap or cock of a cylindrical (or other shaped) vessel, the top or outer end of which
is spherical (elliptical, or otherwise). Across and closing the spherical portion of
the vessel is arranged an india rubber or other flexible,diaphragm, which normally
hangs down or assumes a convex shape towards the cylindrical part of the vessel,
the size or capacity of which will be equivalent to the quantity of liquid to be
measured.
At the top of the spherical portion of the vessel projects outwardly a small
tubular or other shaped recess formed with holes, through which are is admitted to
the vessel on the concave side of the diaphragm. The orifice or passage through
the plug of the tap or cock is arranged so as to open communication between the
cylindrical vessel and the supply and discharge pipes or passages of the tap or
cock alternately.
And in order that the said Invention may be well understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings whereon similar letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts in the respective Figures.
Figure 1 is a section, and Figure 2 a plan of one form of the improved measuring
and registering apparatus.
a represents a tap or cock, the plug b of which is formed hollow or with a
central chamber c (hereinafter called the measuring chamber), of any desired size
or capacity corresponding with the bulk or quantity of the beer, wine, or other
liquid to be measured. Through the circular side of the plug bare two holes d
and e, the hole & being arranged so as to open communication between the central
chamber c and the supply pipe or passage f from the barrel or other reservoir
containing the liquid to be measured, and the hole e for opening communication
between the chamber c and the drawing off or discharge pipe g. Through the
shank and handle h of the plug b is an air hole or passage i opening into tho
chamber c and forming a guide to the triangular shaped stem j of a valve j', which

page_text: opens or closes the air hole er passage i so as to admit air to or exclude it from the
measuring chamber c, as hereafter described.
On the shank h of the plug b is an eccentric k (or crank) for operating by means
of the strap and rod the toothed rack m, which gears into a toothed segment n
furnished with a ratchet wheel o for giving motion in one direction only to the
train of gear wheels p, constituting one form of apparatus (seen also in front
elevation, Figure 3) for registering the amount of liquid passing through the
measuring chamber c of the tap or cock a.
This registering apparatus or any other arrangement that is adopted for the
same purpose may be completely enclosed or boxed in a suitable casing, so as to
prevent access thereto and any tampering with the register.
On partially rotating the plug b, so that the hole d coincides with or comes
opposite to the supply pipe or passage f, the beer, wine, or other liquid flows into
the measuring chamber c, and filling the same lifts the valve ¹ by means of a
float (or other device) so as to close the air hole or passage i. The plug 6 is
then turned so as to move the hole d away from or close the supply pipe f, and at
the same time bring the hole e opposite to the discharge pipe or passage g of the
tap or cock a when the measured quantity of liquid flows from the measuring
chamber c or is "drawn off," and in so doing is replaced by air which enters the
measuring chamber c through the air hole or passage i on the falling or opening
of the valve ³, past the latter, and through a second air hole . Meanwhile
the eccentrick (or crank) in turning pulls over the toothed rack m, and thereby
imparts a certain movement or vibration to the toothed segment n, which movement
is communicated to the registering apparatus through its train of wheels p, and the
quantity of liquid drawn off is thereby registered on the dials, as seen in Figure 3.
On turning the plug 6 back to be refilled the toothed segment n is moved or
vibrated in the opposite direction, but (by the action of the ratchet wheel o)
without affecting the registering apparatus p.
Figure 4 shews a modified form of the Invention, according to which a tap or
cock q is used in combination with a cylindrical (or other) shaped measuring
vessel formed with a bellmouthed (spherical, elliptical, or other shaped) upper
end r¹, which is closed by a similarly shaped cover ². Between the edge of the
latter and that of the bellmouthed end is arranged an india rubber or other
flexible diaphragms, which normally hangs down or assumes a convex shape
towards the cylindrical part of the measuring vessel r, r¹, the size of which will
be equivalent to the quantity of liquid to be measured. From the top of the
cover projects a small tubular or other shaped dome t formed with holes u,
through which air is admitted to the interior of the cover ³ on the concave side of
the diaphragms; or these holes may be arranged in any other convenient position
to effect the same object.
The passage way of the plug of the tap or cock q is arranged so as to open
communication between the cylindrical measuring vessel r, supply pipe or passage v,
and discharge or drawing off pipe w.alternately.
The arrangement of the toothed rack segment and registering apparatus in this
case may be similar to that described and shewn by Figures 1, 2, and 3.
On turning the plug of the tap or cock q so as to admit the liquid from the
supply pipe to the cylindrical measuring vessel r the latter is filled, and the
contained air being driven before the liquid rises into the spherical portion r¹ and
cover ³ of the measuring vessel r, and forces up the flexible diaphragm s closely
against the inner circumference of the cover r³. The plug of the tap or cock g
then turned so as to discharge or draw off the measured contents of the cylindrical
vessel r, when the diaphragms will fall, and the air follow it through the holes u
of the dome t.
is
If desired the cylindrical measuring vessel 7 may be wholly or partly of glass
or other transparent material or of any combination of materials that may be found
most suitable.
The advantages of this Invention are that it is not necessary to leave the liquid

page_text: standing in the measuring vessel c (Fig. 1) or (Fig. 4), as it can be drawn off at
once; the construction of the apparatus is also extremely simple and not liable to
get out of order.
•
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what is considered novel and original,
and therefore claimed as the Invention is,
1. The combination and use with the measuring tap or cock a, b, c, of an air
hole or passage i and valve j, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawing.
2. The combination and use with the measuring tap or cock a, b, c, (Figures 1
and 2) or q (Figure 4) of an eccentric h (crank or equivalent) giving a reciprocatory
movement to a toothed rack m for operating a train of gear wheels p or other
suitable registering apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described and illus-
trated by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the accompanying Drawing.
3. The construction and arrangement of the cylindrical vessel r, r, and its
cover, in combination with a tap or cock q, flexible diaphragm 8, and air holes u,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figure 4 on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bernard Healey, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord One.
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.