IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firmn of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS." A communication from abroad by
Anthony Charles Spanner, of Vienna, Austria, Manufacturer of Water Meters.
Sealed the 18th January 1878, and dated the 25th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Anthony Charles Spanner, of Vienna, Austria, Manu-
facturer of Water Meters.]
In a water meter constructed according to these improvements, the water passing
through a case rotates a wheel, which by suitable gearing communicates its rotation
to a series of dial plates, each of which rotates heneath a fixed index finger, so that
instead of the usual arrangement of movable index fingers rotating on fixed dial
plates the index fingers are fixed while the dial plates rotate.
A further improvement consists in the mode of fixing the said dial plates on
their spindles. Spring washers are arranged beneath the dial plates, which are
fixed on their spindles by screw nuts. In consequence of the pressure of the spring
washers the dials ordinarily remain fixed on their spindles; but when it is desired
to arrange the dials so that certain numbers are at certain points, this can be readily
effected by simply overcoming the resistance of the springs when handling the dials
for the said purpose..
A further improvement consists in arranging a secondary passage in addition to
the main passage for conducting the water into the chamber containing the rotary
wheel. In this secondary passage a suitable valve may be provided for regulating
the amount of water to be admitted. The second stream of water created by
this secondary passage serves to correct irregularities in measuring.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement for preventing the water
which passes through the meter from entering the chamber where the clockwork

page_text: for measuring the revolutions is situated. This is effected by fixing in the plate
separating the clockwork from the meter chamber a cup with its mouth directed
towards the meter chamber. Through this cup the spindle of the measuring wheel
passes into the clockwork chamber. On this spindle is fixed another smaller cup so
as to protrude with its mouth into the larger cup down towards its bottom. In
this way two narrow annular spaces are formed, the one passing up from the meter
chamber and the other passing down from the first annular space, and thus a flow
of water from the meter chamber into the clock work chamber is prevented.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
January 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS."
A communication from abroad by Anthony Charles Spanner, of Vienna, Austria,
Manufacturer of Water Meters.
This Invention relates to improvements in water meters, herein-after fully set
forth and shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a water meter embodying the said
improvements.
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 1, and with the dial
plates removed.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the chamber containing the measuring
wheel.
Figure 4 is a plan of the arrangement of dials.
And Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the clockwork chamber, and shewing
the arrangement of gearing for actuating said dials.
In a water meter constructed according to the present improvements, the water
passing through a chamber frotates a wheel a, which, by suitable gearing, communi-
cates its rotation to a series of dial plates I., II., III., IV., V., and VI., each rotating
beneath a fixed index finger, and thus indicating the number of revolutions per-
formed by the wheel a, so that instead of the usual arrangement of index fingers
rotating on fixed dial plates, the index fingers form part of the plate c, and are
therefore fixed while the dial plates rotate. The lower bearing of the wheel a is
supported by the bracket t fixed to the case k by the rods x.
According to one part of these improvements I arrange a secondary water
passage g besides the main water passage d which conducts the water tangentially
through into the chamber of containing the rotary wheel a. In this secondary
passage g a suitable valve may be provided for regulating the amount of water to
be admitted through it. The second stream of water created by using this secondary
passage g, and passing through the upper chamber y serves to correct irregularities
in measuring.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement for preventing the entrance
of water (which passes through the meter and out by the passage e) into the
chamber where the clockwork for measuring the revolutions is situated. This

page_text: object is accomplished by fixing in the plate separating the clockwork chamber
from the meter chamber a cup m, with its mouth directed towards the meter
chamber. Through this cup m the spindle b of the measuring wheel passes into
the clockwork chamber. On this spindle is fixed another smaller cup n so as to
In
protrude with its mouth into the other cup m down towards its bottom.
this way two narrow annular spaces are formed, the one passing up from the
measuring chamber, and the other passing down from the first annular space,
and thus a flow of water from the meter chamber into the clockwork chamber is
prevented.
A further improvement consists in the mode of fixing the dial plates on their
spindles. Spring washers w are arranged beneath the dial plates v which are fixed
on their spindles by screw nuts. In consequence of the pressure of these spring
washers the dials ordinarily remain fixed on their spindles; but when it is desired
to arrange the dials so that certain numbers are at certain points the required
adjustment can be readily effected by simply overcoming the resistance of the
springs when handling the dials.
A further improvement consists in the arrangement shewn in the Drawing for
enabling the entire mechanism to be lifted out of the case as soon as the screw
cap p holding the glass plate o and the rubber packing is removed.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The general arrangement and construction of water meters as above
described, and as shown in the Drawing.
Second. The arrangement of the secondary water passage g as above described,
and for the purpose specified.
Third. The arrangement of the cups m and n as above described, and for tho
purpose specified.
Fourth. The arrangement and construction of the rotary dial plates as above
described.
Fifth. The arrangement and construction of the parts for permitting the easy and
rapid removal of the mechanism, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W ROBT LAKE. (L.S.)
W¼ ROBª LAKE. (L.S.)