IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson &
Boult, Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323, High Holborn, London, in
the County of Middlesex, and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS." A com-
munication from abroad by Edward Clinton Terry, of Terryville, Litchfield
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April 1882.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Boult, Agents for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323, High Holborn, London, in the County of Middle-
sex, and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATER METERS." A communication from abroad by Edward Clinton Terry, of
Terryville, Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention relates to water meters in which an oval float has both a
longitudinal and rotary motion within a cylindrical case, and in which other
peculiar features are found, as hereinafter described, and the objects of this
Invention are efficiency, simplicity, and cheapness. These objects are attained by
the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section, and with the cap plate
removed.
Figure 2 is a detached view of the float as viewed from the underside.
Figure 3 is a detached view of the cap-plate showing its inside face.
Figure 4 is a plan view with the cap plate removed, and
Figure 5 is a vertical section on line X, X, of Figures 3 and 4.
A designates a cylindrical case or chamber having an enlargement a at one side;
Ba cylindrical post stationarily affixed within the case A, and C an oval and hollow
float. The inside of the float C has semicylindrical walls at each end, and straight
walls upon the sides between said cylindrical walls.

page_text: The float is placed within the case and over the cylindrical post, the diameter of
which is equal to the distance between the opposite inner walls on the longest
sides of the float.
The post is made a little shorter than the vertical length of the inside of the
case, so that a crosspiece b may extend over the top end of the post, as shown.
In the middle of this crosspiece I affix an upwardly projecting pin c, for a
purpose hereinafter described.
Near the middle of the enlargment a is a thin plate or cut off d, the inner edge
of which extends into the case a little further than would the cylindrical wall
thereof if continued wholly around the case. A thin horizontal guide plate m about
half way between the top and bottom of the case extends from the inner edge of
the cut off d to the cylindrical wall of the case upon both sides of the cut off. The
water is let in and out at both top and bottom, the same entering the vertical
passage e from a horizontal pipe leading thereto, and discharging through a like
passage and into a horizontal pipo connected thereto, the broken circle in
Figure 5 indicating the point of connection with the passages e, f, and said pipes.
From the ends of the vertical passages, channels g, h, lead through the cap D, and
the bottom portion of the case to the interior, the form of which channels most
clearly shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. The portion of said channels which are cut
off or lid from view in the section, Figure 5, are indicated in broken lines. The
form for the channels g, h, as shown, is such that whore they to the inner
surface of the cap plate and bottom of the case but inside of the surface they may
extend indefinitely into as large chambers as may be desired within the cap and
bottom provided they are wholly separated from each other, so that the water can
pass from g to only by going through the cylindrical chamber of the case.
cap plate D has a central opening n through which the pin c projects, said opening
being considerably larger than the diameter of the pin, but so proportioned to the
width of the crosspiece b, that said crosspiece covers the opening n to close it
under all the varying positions of the float. The operation is as follows:-When
the float is in the position represented in Figs. 4 and 5 of the Drawings, both
ends of the float are in contact with the side walls of the caso, and the measuring
chamber which is upon the outside of the float is then closed because the inlet and
outlet channels g, h, do not extend quite to that side of the float upon which said
chamber lies. When the float is at this point the water freely enters inside of it,
also the outside at the enlargement a, and the line of pressure upon the float when
at this point is indicated by the broken line y, Figure 4.
The
The water in pressing upon the float acts substantially the same as if it in fact
pressed upon the plane indicated by the line y, and it is for this reason that I term
said plane the line of pressure. So soon as tlie rear end of the float approaches
the enlargementa, the water begins to discharge. The measuring chamber which
is inside of the float is closed when the longest axis of the flout is in line with the
cut-off , so that both measuring chambers are never closed at the same time.
Another position of the float is indicated in Figure 1; the line of pressure at that
point is indicated by the brokon line . In all the various positions of the float
one point of it is in contact with the cut-off, and one point with the cylindrical
wall of the case. The float has a movement which is excentric to the cylindric
chamber of the case, thereby causing the pin c to travel in a circuitous path within
the opening of the cap-plate, so that it answers the purpose of a crank pin to
carry the crank of a registering apparatus one revolution for every revolution of
the float, and thereby furnishes means for the attachment of any ordinary registering
mechanism to register the number of revolutions of the float or the amount of
water measured. The guide m prevents the end of the float from into the
enlargement u so far as to withdraw its opposite end away from the cylindrical
wall of the case. I prefer to make the float of hard rubber and the other parts of
brass. The meter may be operated by admitting the water froin only one side,
but it is best to adinit it from opposite sides, that is the top and bottom, as shown
in the Drawing. If desired, instead of making the post B stationary it might be

page_text: made a little larger and flatted upon opposite sides to fit the inside of the float
when it could be mounted so as to revolve on its axis and impart precisely the
same motion to the float, as before described.
Having now described the said Invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I claim,-
First. In a water meter, the combination of a cylindrical case having an
enlargement at one side, an oval float, having both a longitudinal and rotary
movement within said case, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
Second. The combination of the cylindrical case, the hollow oval float, the
post B and the cut-off d, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of the cylindrical case having the enlargement a, the
float C, post B, cut-off d, and guide m, substantially as described and specified.
Fourth. The combination of the case A, oval float C, cross-piece b, pin c, and
post B, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination of the case A, oval and hollow float C, post B, and.
outlet and inlet channels g, h, located with reference to the end of the float,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a water meter, the passages e, f, with the transverse inlet and outlet
channels at both ends thereof, leading to and from the interior of the case,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Julius Boult, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ALFRED J. BOULT. (L.S.)