AN IMPROVED METER OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Redfern, of the General Patent Office,
4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METER OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER
AND OTHER LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Desjardin
and Louis Legrand, of 101, Rue St. Thomas, St. Quentin, in the Republic of
France.
Sealed the 19th March 1880, and dated the 24th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Redfern:
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September. 1879.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED METER OR
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS." [A communication
from abroad by Messieurs Desjardin and Louis Legrand, of 101, Rue St. Thomas,
St. Quentin, in the Republic of France.]
This improved apparatus consists of a receiver containing a trough or bucket
with two compartments oscillating on a horizontal axis and furnished with a
moveable counterweight. This alternating or reciprocating movement is registered
by means of a series of wheels and dials. An oscillating float is jointed to a rod
carrying a valve, which valve rises or falls for opening or closing the entrance of
the water or other liquid. The rod is provided underneath the valve with a
metallic cone which rises and falls with the rod. This cone covers another cone
forming part of the casing of the receiver and serves to prevent the liquid which
enters from running along the rod, thus dispensing with all packing. When there
is too much water in the apparatus the float rises and closes the valve. When the
level falls the valve opens and allows the liquid to pass, which liquid accumulates
and compresses the air in the receiver placed above it. The liquid thus egresses at
the pressure at which it enters or without pressure at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Frederick Redfern in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th March 1880.
"
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. AN IMPROVED METER
OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING. WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS." A communication
from abroad by Messieurs Desjardin and Louis Legrand, of 101, Rue St. Thomas,
St. Quentin, in the Republic of France.
This improved apparatus consists of a receiver containing a trough or bucket
with two compartments oscillating on a. horizontal axis and furnished with a
moveable counterweight. This alternating or reciprocating movement is registered
by means of a series of wheels and dials. An oscillating float is jointed to a rod
carrying a valve, which valve rises or falls for opening or closing the entrance of
the water or other liquid. The rod is provided underneath the valve with a
metallic cone which rises and falls with the rod. This cone covers another cone.
forming part of the casing of the receiver, and serves to prevent the liquid which
enters from running along the rod, thus dispensing with all packing. When there
is too much water in the apparatus the float rises and closes the valve. When the
level falls the valve opens and allows the liquid to pass, which liquid accumulates
and compresses the air in the receiver placed above it. The liquid thus egresses
at the pressure at which it enters or without pressure at will.
But to make the Invention communicated to me better understood I will
proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a section, and Figure 2 a plan of a meter or apparatus constructed
according to this Invention.
The meter or apparatus is constructed of a receiver in which the water is
measured by the alternate movement of a double trough K mounted on a horizontal
axis, preferably formed by means of a knife edge L resting on a suitably placed-
support S. A counter weight W which is moveable along a rod fixed between the
two compartments of the trough K, serves for regulating the quantity required to
be contained in each compartment by lowering or raising the centre of gravity of
the oscillating mechanism. The downward stroke of the troughs is limited by
means of two buffers Q, Q, placed on the support S.
The entrance of the water takes place through the valve A moved by the float M ;
this float follows the level of the liquid placed in the lower part of the meter
where the egress takes place. It is provided with a rod y jointed at N, and raises
or lowers a vertical rod P carrying at top a conical bell B¹, the top of which in
rising raises the valve A and allows the liquid to be measured to enter the upper
box A. The valve A thus only opens as the float M. falls, that is to say, in pro-,
portion to the consumption of the measured water accumulated in B. The conical
bell B which is placed over the fixed cone C has for object to prevent the water
from passing round the rod P so as to render packing unnecessary.
The water in the upper box A¹ may pass thence directly by means of a pipe into
the buckets, but it is preferable to ensure greater accuracy to distribute it at the
moment when the oscillation being accomplished the buckets come under the
orifice through which the water enters.
. For this purpose I provide a second valve D at the entrance of the said orifice,
and this valve is worked in the following manner:-The troughs are provided
with two rods G which come alternately in contact with the corresponding
extremities of a rod or blade F which is caused to press alternately by means of
the notches a, a', on rods H, H³, passing through the two sides of the guide
brackets E, E, into which is passed the rod or blade F; this rod or blade itself
passes through the rod m of the valve D. From this arrangement it follows that

page_text: when the trough on the left hand, for example (as shewn in Figure 1 of the
Drawing), rises, the rod G raises the rod F, the notch a¹ presses on the rod H', and
the blade F thus pressing on H' raises the valve D, and allows it to fall again and
stop the discharge when the trough is full and oscillates the other side, then rises,
and so on.
The liquid falls into the lower part B where it accumulates, and no more enters
except in proportion as it runs off through the discharge orifice in consequence of
the hereinbefore described action of the float. The air is therefore compressed in
the interior of the meter, and the pressure at the discharge is the same as at the
entry. The meter may also be worked without the air being compressed.
To ascertain the quantity of liquid which has passed through the meter as the
capacity of the troughs is known, it will be merely necessary to count the number
of oscillations which may be effected by connecting the axis of the troughs or the
troughs themselves to a system of wheelwork similar to that now generally
employed for this purpose.
The following arrangement is however preferable. On the troughs are placed
two small horizontal rods o, which in oscillating cause the oscillation of a lever N
which is alternately touched by the rods. This lever N is keyed on a shaft X, a
portion a, b, of which is retained by the shoulder p in the side of the box; at the
end of the part a, b, a square c draws along the part b, d, which moves in a tube g
fixed on the other side of the box at h, the joint being covered by means of a
rubber tube e, f, which is slightly twisted by the oscillation of the lever N, which
oscillation is thus communicated to the lever V, and thence by the ordinary means
to the usual wheelwork and indicating hand.
Having thus described the Invention communicated to me and the best means
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, what is claimed is,-
Firstly. A meter or apparatus for measuring water and other liquids constructed
without packing, containing an oscillating double trough with equilibrated counter-
weight, and automatically adınitting the liquid to be measured in proportion as it
is consumed, as hereinbefore described.
Secondly. The valve moved by a float conducting a rod furnished with a conical
bell for preventing the escape of liquid, as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. The method of admitting the water in alternately intermittent jets
into each trough by the movement of the troughs themselves, as herein before
described.
Fourthly. The suspension of the equilibrated troughs on knife edges, as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described.
Fifthly. The method of transmitting the movement of the troughs to the wheel-
work and indicating hand without requiring packing, as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Redfern, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.