Year: 1885

page_text: J HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates generally to that class of liquid meters which are known
in the art as "piston meters," but more particularly to meters having two cylinders.
provided with double acting plungers, and with induction and discharge ports and
ducts, so arranged that the induction and discharge valve of each cylinder is
located directly under, and operated by the plunger of the other, thereby causing
the movement of each plunger to be controlled by the other after the manner of
the well known duplex engine; and the invention consists in several details in the
construction of the meter, by which the cost is reduced, and the meter, as a whole,
made more durable and reliable.
The shell or casing of the meter is formed almost entirely of two castings, one of
which composes the body of the meter, and forms its two cylinders, which may be
termed respectively A and B, while, the other forms the base of the meter, and
contains the ports and passages which lead from the valves to the opposite ends
of the cylinders. The cylinders A, B, which are of substantially the usual form,
communicate with each other at their centres, and are provided with packing rings
through which the plungers, which I will term respectively C and D, reciprocate,
and which, together with the plungers, form four chambers, for convenience
termed 20, 21, 22, 23, at the ends of the cylinders. The cylinders are provided at
one end with a removable cap, which permits access to be had to the interior of the
cylinders for the insertion and removal of the plungers after the valves have been
removed by detaching the base. The body portion of the meter is provided at its
top with a central opening, which is covered by a bonnet containing the shaft
which operates the usual registering mechanism. The cylinders A B are provided
with suitable vents, which are closed by screw plugs, and by which the air can be
allowed to escape from the chambers 20, 21, 22, 23, when desired.
The plungers CD are of substantially the usual form. They are provided at
their ends with bearing portions which reciprocate through the packing rings, and
at their middles which contracted portions which serve to form circumferential
recesses of considerable width into which extend ribs projecting from the backs of
the valves, which I will term E. F.
°
The portions which form the bodies of the plungers, consist of a thin cylindrical
shell, which will usually be of brass or some similar metal which is not liable
to rust, the ends of this body being closed by heads which are cast with suitable

page_text: flanges, and are forced into the ends by hydraulic or other suitable pressure. By
this means the plungers can be easily constructed, and are rendered so light that
they create very little friction in moving through the packing rings, and can
consequently be moved by a very slight pressure of the liquid passing through the
meter. The two parts of the body may be made integral, but when the meter is of
large size, it will be preferable to make them in separate pieces, in which case the
larger parts will be forced onto the ends of the small part by hydraulic or other
suitable pressure.
The plungers CD, being under no positive control, it is of course necessary to
provide suitable buffers to arrest them at the ends of their strokes and prevent
them from coming into violent contact with the ends of their cylinders. For this
purpose; the ends of the cylinders are provided with openings, in which are seated
rubber or other elastic buffers. The inner ends of the openings are provided with
narrow flanges which extend over the edges of the buffers, and prevent them from
falling inward into the cylinders. The buffers are inserted into their seats from
the outside, and are held in position by means of plates which cover the openings,
and are bolted to the ends of the cylinders. The heads of the plungers are provided
with projecting bumpers, which, as the plungers reach the ends of their strokes,
enter the openings and come into contact with the buffers so as to arrest the
plungers without violence. By making the buffers of greater thickness than the
depth of the recesses in which they are seated, they may, when compressed by
the screwing up of the plates, be caused to project more or less beyond the flanges,
and by this means the plungers may be arrested sooner or later in their strokes,
and their displacement thus varied.
Directly beneath the plungers CD, the valves E F, of D form, are placed.
These valves are provided upon their backs with projecting ribs, which extend
into the recesses of the plungers. The seats of the two valves are formed in a
single casting, which rests upon the upper side of the base portion of the meter,
and extends transversely beneath the plungera. The valves are held and guided
upon their seats by removable guides or straps, which are fastened to the seats,
and extend over flanges formed on the ends of the valves.
The valve seats are provided with the usual induction ports, which communicate,
by means of corresponding passages, with correspondingly numbered ports opening
into the chambers 20, 21, 22, 23, at the ends of the cylinders, these ports and
passages being so arranged, that the valve which controls the admission and
discharge of the liquid to and from each cylinder, is located beneath and operated
by the plunger of the other cylinder. The valve seats are also provided with the
usual discharge ports, which communicate, by means of a common passage formed
in the base portion of the meter, with the discharge opening in the side of
the base.
The arrangement of the ports and passages in this class of apparatus, as hitherto
constructed, rendered it necessary that the valves E F should be of different form,
one being of the D, and the other of the B form.
In order to overcome this objection, and to make it possible to employ two
D valves, the induction port, at each side of one of the valves, is made to com-
municate with the chamber at the corresponding end of the other cylinder, while
the induction port at each side of the other valve is made to communicate with the
chamber at the opposite end of the other cylinder. That is to say, the induction
port under the right hand side of the valve F, is made to communicate with the
chamber 20; the one under the left hand side of the valve F, with the chamber 21;
the one under the right hand side of the valve E, with the chamber 23; and the
one under the left hand side of the same valve with the chamber 22.-By this
arrangement, the passages leading from the ports under the valve E are caused to
cross each other, in addition to crossing the passages leading from the ports under
the valve F.
The passages 10, 11, 12, 18, which lead from the induction ports to the
33
"
L:L

page_text: from the discharge ports to the discharge opening, are all contained in the base
portion of the meter, which is made in a single casting.
The water or other liquid is admitted to the meter through an induction opening
formed in the side of the base opposite the discharge opening. This opening com-
municates with a vertical passage 9, which opens upward through the top of the
base into the recesses of the plungers and above the valves.
The operation of the meter thus constructed is as follows:-Assuming the meter
to be in operation, and the plunger D to be moving from the left to the right, as
the plunger nears the end of its stroke, the flange of the valve F will be engaged
by the larger portion of the plunger, and the valve will be moved to the right.
This will open the induction port 11 of the chamber 21, and at the same time
throw the induction port 10 into communication with the discharge port 15.
As soon as this takes place, the liquid entering the meter through the induction
opening and passage, will flow downward through the port 11, and thence through
the passage 11, into the chamber 21 of the cylinder A, so as to start the plunger C
upon its stroke, and at the same time the liquid in the chamber 20 of the
cylinder A will flow outward through the passage and port 10, and thence through
the discharge port 15 and passage to the discharge opening.-This will continue
until the plunger C nears the end of its stroke, when it will shift the valve E.
This will open the induction port 12 of the chamber 22, and at the same time
throw the induction port 13 into communication with the discharge port 14.
As soon as this takes place, the liquid will flow downward through the port 12,
and thence through the passage 12 into the chamber 22 of the cylir der B, so as to
start the plunger D upon its retuin stroke, and at the same time the liquid in the
chamber 23 will flow outward through the passage and port 13, and thence
through the discharge port 14 and passage to the discharge opening. This will
continue until the plunger D nears the end of its return stroke, when it will shift
the valve F.-This will open the induction port 10 of the chamber 20, and at the
same time throw the induction port 11 into communication with the discharge
port 15. As soon as this takes place, the liquid will flow downward through the
port 10, and thence through the passage 10 into the chamber 20 of the cylinder A,
so as to start the plunger C upon its return stroke, and at the same time the liquid
in the chamber 21 will flow outward through the passage and port 11, and thence
through the discharge port 15 and passage to the discharge opening. This will
continue until the plunger C nears the end of its return stroke, when it will shift
the valve E back to its original position.-This will open the induction port 13 of
the chamber 23, and at the same time throw the induction port 12 into com-
munication with the discharge port 14.-As soon as this takes place, the liquid will
flow downward through the port 13, and thence, through the passage 13, into the
chamber 23, of the cylinder B so as to start the plunger D upon another forward
stroke, and at the same time the liquid in the chamber 22 will flow outward
through the passage and port 12, and thence through the discharge port 14 and
passage to the discharge opening. These movements will continue to be repeated
in succession as long as the water continues to flow through the meter.
In order that the arrangement of these ports and passages may be better
understood, I have shown on the accompanying drawing a diagram of such
arrangement.

page_text: I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 generally to that class of liquid meters which are known
in the art as "piston meters," but more particularly to meters having two cylinders
provided with double acting plungers, and with induction and discharge ports and
ducts so arranged that the induction and discharge valve of each cylinder is
located directly under, and operated by the plunger of the other, thereby causing
the movement of each plunger to be controlled by the other, after the manner of
the well known duplex engine.
In meters of this class as heretofore constructed, the induction and discharge
ports for each end of each cylinder were so arranged as to be controlled by the
corresponding ends of the valve of the other cylinder. This made it necessary, in
order to secure the proper action of the plungers, that the valves of the two
cylinders should be of different form, the valve of one cylinder being of the
D form, and the valve of the other of the B form.
This difference in the form of the valves is found objectionable in practice, not
only because it increases the cost of construction, but more particularly on account
of the extra length of the B valve, which correspondingly increases the length of
the meter, and makes it unnecessarily heavy and clumsy.
The chief object of this invention is to overcome this objectionable feature, and
to provide a construction which will permit the use of D valves in both of the
cylinders, thereby not only simplifying the construction of the meter and lessening
its cost, but at the same time reducing its size and weight.
The invention also embraces other details in the construction of the meter, by
which the cost is further reduced, and the meter made more durable and reliable.
The following is a detailed description of a meter embodying the invention,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a meter constructed according to the invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken upon the line x x of Fig. 1, the
base being shown in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the same, taken upon the line z z of Fig. 2,
looking toward the right, the base being shown in elevation.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan, the section being taken upon the line x x of Figs. 2
and 3, and parts of the plungers being broken away to show the underlying
parts.
Fig. 5 is a sectional plan, the section being taken upon the line y y. of Figs. 2
and 3, showing the valves in plan view.
Fig. 6 is a similar view, with the valves removed, showing the valve seats.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the base portion of the meter, with the valves and valve
Beats removed.
Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the base, the section being taken upon the line x x
of Fig. 11.

page_text: Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section of the base of the meter, taken upon
the line of Figs. 7 and 13, and looking toward the right of Fig. 13.
Fig. 11 is a transverse. vertical section of the base, taken upon the line xx
of Fig. 8, looking towards the right.
Fig. 12 is a similar view, taken upon the line y y of Fig. 8, and looking in the
same direction.
;
Fig. 13 is a similar view, taken upon the line z z of Fig. 8, and looking in the
same direction.
Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 17, are diagrams illustrating the operation of the meter;
and
Fig. 18 is a view illustrating a modification in the construction of the plungers,
applicable to large sized meters.
Referring now to the drawings, it is to be understood that the shell or casing of
the meter is formed almost entirely of two castings, one of which composes the
body of the meter, and forms two cylinders A, B, while the other casting forms the
base of the meter, and contains the ports and passages which lead from the valves
to the opposite ends of the cylinders. The cylinders A, B, which are substantially
of the usual form, communicate with each other at their centres, and are provided
near their ends with packing rings 17, through which the plungers C. D. reciprocate,
and which, together with the plungers, form the four chambers 20, 21, 22, 23, at
the ends of the cylinders. The cylinders are provided at one end with a removable
cap 24, which permits of access to the interior of the cylinders for the insertion
and removal of the plungers, after the valves have been removed, by detaching the
base, The body of the meter is provided at the top with a central opening 40,
which is covered by a bonnet (not shown in the drawings) for containing the shaft
which operates the usual registering mechanism. The cylinders A, B. are provided
with suitable vents 28, which are closed by screw plugs (not shown) for the escape
of air from the chambers 20, 21, 22, 23, when desired.
The plungers C, D, are substantially of the usual form. They are provided at
their ends with bearing portions 42, which reciprocate through the packing rings 17,
and their middle portions 41 are contracted so as to form circumferential recesses of
considerable width, into which recesses extend ribs 25 projecting from the backs of
the valves E, F.
The portions 41, 42, of the plungers, consist of thin cylindrical shells, which will
usually be of brass or some metal not liable to rust, the ends of the plungers being
closed by heads 43, cast with suitable flanges and forced into the ends of the
portions 42 by hydraulic or other pressure. By this means, the plungers may be
easily constructed, and so light that they create but little friction in moving
through the packing rings 17, and may consequently be moved by a very slight
pressure of the liquid passing through the meter. The parts 41, 42, may be made
integral, as shown in Fig. 2, but when the meter is of large size, it will be preferable
to make them in separate pieces, as shown in Fig. 18, in which case the parts 42
will be forced on to the ends of the part 41 by hydraulic or other pressure.
The plungers C D being under no positive control, it is of course necessary to
provide suitable buffers to arrest them at the end of the stroke, and prevent them
from coming into violent contact with the ends of the cylinders. For this purpose,
the cylinder ends are provided with openings 27, in which are seated rubber or
other elastic buffers 18. The inner ends of the openings 27 are provided with
narrow flanges 6, which extend over the edges of the buffers, and prevent them
from falling inward into the cylinders. The buffers are inserted into their seats
from the outside, and are held in position by means of plates 19, which cover the
openings 27, and are bolted to the cylinder ends. The heads 43 of the plungers
are provided with projecting bumpers 26, which, as the plungers reach the ends of
their strokes, enter the openings 27, and come into contact with the buffers 18, so
as to arrest the plungers without violence. By making the buffers 18 of greater
thickness than the depth of the recesses in which they are seated, they may, when
compressed by the screwing up of the plates 19, be caused to project more or less

page_text: beyond the flanges 6, and by this means the plungers may be arrested sooner or
later in their strokes, and their displacement thus varied.
Located directly beneath the plungers C, D, are a pair of D valves E, F, which
are of the ordinary form, and are provided upon their backs with projecting ribs 25,
which extend into the recesses between the end portions 42 of the plungers. The
Beats 50 of the two valves are formed in a single casting, which rests upon the
upper side of the base portion of the meter, and extends transversely beneath the
plungers. The valves are held and guided upon their seats by guides 7, 8, which
are fastened to the seats, and extend over flanges formed on the ends of the
valves.
The casting 50, forming the seats for the two valves, is removable from the
base of the meter, and the guides 7, 8 are removable from the valve seats, which
arrangement permits of the valves and seats being readily removed for repairs
when necessary.
The valve seats 50 are provided with the usual induction ports 10, 11, 12, 13,
which communicate, by means of the correspondingly numbered passages formed
in the base portion of the meter, with the correspondingly numbered ports opening
into the chambers 20, 21, 22, 23, at the ends of the cylinders, these ports and
passages being so arranged that the valve which controls the admission and
discharge of the water to and from each cylinder, is located beneath, and operated
by the plunger of the other cylinder. The valve seats 50 are also provided with
the usual discharge ports 14, 15, which communicate, by means of a common
passage 16 formed in the base portion of the meter, with the correspondingly
numbered discharge opening in the side of the base.
In meters of this class as hitherto constructed, the induction port at each side of
each valve communicates with the chamber at the corresponding end of the other
cylinder. That is to say, referring to figure 4, the induction port, under the left
hand side of the valve F, communicates with the chamber 21; the one under the
right hand side of the same valve, with the chamber 20; the one under the left
hand side of the valve E, with the chamber 23 ; and the one under the right hand
side of the same valve with the chamber 22. This arrangement of the ports and
passages renders it necessary, as before stated, that the valves E and F should be
of different form, one being of D form and the other of B form.
In order to overcome this objection, and to make it possible to employ two
D valves, according to the present invention, the induction port, at each side of
one of the valves, is made to communicate with the chamber at the corresponding
end of the other cylinder, while the induction port, at each side of the other valve,
is made to communicate with the chamber at the opposite end of the other cylinder.
That is to say, referring again to figure 4, the induction port, under the left hand
side of the valve F, is made to communicate with the chamber 21; the one under
the right hand side of the same valve, with the chamber 20; the one under the
left hand side of the valve E, with the chamber 22; and the one under the right
hand side of the same valve, with the chamber 23. By this arrangement, the
passages leading from the ports under the valve E are caused to cross each other,
in addition to crossing the passages leading from the ports under the valve F.
Referring now to figures 2, 4, and 6. to 13, the arrangement of the several
induction and discharge ports and their connecting passages will be described in
detail, commencing with the induction port 11 of the cylinder A. This port opens
'downward through the seat 50 of the valve F (see figures 2 and 6), and com-
municates with an opening 11 (see figures 7 and 11) formed in the upper side
of the base portion of the meter.-This opening 11 communicates with a horizontal
passage 11 (see figures 11, 8, 12 and 13), which bends outward, and opens upward
through an opening 11 (see figures 13 and 7) in the top of the base. This
opening 11 communicates with an opening 11 (see figures 6 and 4) formed in
the body of the meter, which opens into the chamber 21 of the cylinder A. The
induction port 10 of the cylinder A opens downward through the seat 50 of the
valve F (see figures 2 and 6), and communicates with an opening 10 (see figures 7

page_text: and 11) in the top of the base. This opening communicates with a passage 10
(see figures 11 and 8), which extends downward in the base, and then horizontally
and outward (see figures 9 and 12), and then upward (see figures 13 and 8),
communicating with an opening 10 (see figures 13 and 7) in the top of the base.
This opening 10 in the base communicates with an opening 10 (see figures 6 and 4),
formed in the body, which opens into the chamber 20 of the cylinder A. The
induction port 12 of the cylinder B opens downward through the seat 50 of the
valve E (see figure 6), and communicates with an opening 12 (see figures 7 and 13)
in the top of the base. This opening communicates with a horizontal passage 12°
(see figures 13 and 8), which bends laterally (see figures 8 and 12), and opens
upward through an opening 12 (see figures 11 and 7) in the top of the base. This
opening 12 communicates with an opening 12, formed in the body (see figures 6,
2, and 4), which opens into the chamber 22 of the cylinder B. The induction
port 13 of the cylinder B opens downward through the seat 50 of the valve E
(see figure 6), and communicates with an opening 13 (see figures 7 and 13) in the
top of the base. This opening communicates with a passage 13 (see figures 13
and 8), which extends downward, and then horizontally and laterally, crossing the
passage 12 (see figures 13, 12, 8 and 11), and then upward, communicating with
an opening 13 (see figures 11 and 7) in the top of the base. This opening 13
communicates with an opening 13, formed in the body (see figures 6, 2 and 4),
which opens into the chamber 23 of the cylinder B. The discharge port 14 of the
cylinder B opens downward through the seat 50 of the valve E (see figure 6), and
communicates with an opening 14 (see figures 7, 13, and 10) formed in the top
of the base. This opening communicates with a passage 16 (see figures 10, 13
and 8), which extends downward and then horizontally (see figure 10) beneath the
passages 12, 13, to the discharge opening 16 (see figures 10, 11 and 2) in the side
of the base. The discharge port 15 of the oylinder A opens downward through
the seat 50 of the valve F (see figures 2 and 6), and communicates with an
opening 15 (see figures 7, 10 and 11) formed in the top of the base, which
communicates with the passage 16 (see figures 8, 9, 10 and 11) leading to the
discharge opening 16.
The water or other liquid is admitted to the meter through an induction
opening 9 (see figures 3, 9, and 10) formed in the side of the base opposite the
discharge opening 16. This opening communicates with a vertical passage 9
(see figure 10), which opens upward through the top of the base (see figures 10,
7, 5, 6, 3 and 4) into the space between the portions 42 of the plungers, and above
the valves.
•
The operation of the meter thus constructed is as follows: Assuming the meter
to be in operation, and the plunger D to be moving from the left to the right,
as the plunger nears the end of its stroke, the flange 25 of the valve F will be
engaged by the portion 42 of the plunger, and the valve will be moved to the
position shown in the diagram, figure 14. This will open the induction port 11
of the chamber 21, and at the same time throw the induction port 10 into com-
munication with the discharge port 15. As soon as this takes place, the water
entering the meter through the induction opening and passage 9, will flow
downward through the port 11, and thence through the passage 11 into the
chamber 21 of the cylinder A, as indicated by the arrow, so as to start the
plunger C upon its stroke, and at the same time the water in the chamber 20
of the cylinder A will flow outward through the passage and port 10, as indicated
by the arrow, and thence through the discharge port 15 and passage 16 to the
discharge opening 16. This will continue until the plunger C nears the end of its
stroke, when it will shift the valve E to the position shown in the diagram,
figure 15. This will open the induction port 12 of the chamber 22, and at the
same time throw the induction port 13 into communication with the discharge
port 14. As soon as this takes place, the water will flow downward through the
port 12, and thence through the passage 12 into the chamber 22 of the cylinder B,
as indicated by the arrow, so as to start the plunger D upon its return stroke, and

page_text: •
at the same time the water in the chamber 23 will flow outward through the
passage and port 13, as indicated by the arrow, and thence through the discharge
port 14 and passage 16, to the discharge opening 16. This will continue until the
plunger D nears the end of its return stroke, when it will shift the valve F to the
position shown in the diagram, figure 16. This will open the induction port 10
of the chamber 20, and at the same time throw the induction port 11 into com-
munication with the discharge port 15. As soon as this takes place, the water
will flow downward through the port 10, and thence through the passage 10 into
the chamber 20 of the cylinder A, as indicated by the arrow, so as to start the
plunger C upon its return stroke, and at the same time the water in the chamber 21
will flow outward through the passage and port 11, as indicated by the arrow, and
thence through the discharge port 15, and passage 16, to the discharge opening 16.
This will continue until the plunger C nears the end of its return stroke, when it
will shift the valve E back to its original position, as shown in the diagram,
figure 17. This will open the induction port 13 of the chamber 23, and at the
same time throw the induction port 12 into communication with the discharge
port 14. So soon as this takes place, the water will flow downward through the
port 13, and thence through the passage 13 into the chamber 23 of the cylinder B,
as indicated by the arrow, so as to start the plunger D upon another forward
stroke; at the same time the water in the chamber 22 will flow outward through
the passage and port 12, as indicated by the arrow, and thence through the
These movements
discharge port 14, and passage 16, to the discharge opening 16.
will continue to be repeated in succession so long as the water continues to flow
through the meter. The special advantages of the construction herein described
are principally due to the facts, that the valves are located directly beneath the
plungers, and are operated directly by the plungers without intermediate con-
nections; that both valves are alike; that the ports and passages are all contained
in the base of the meter, which base can readily be removed without disturbing
the other parts; and that the valve seats and valves are arranged upon this
removeable base, so as to be readily accessible by simply removing the base.
_ Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me from my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The combination with the two cylinders A, B, and their plungers C, D,
of the base portion of the meter, cast in a single piece, and removable from the
cylinders, and containing the passages 10, 11, the passages 12, 13, arranged to
cross each other and the passages 10, 11, and the two D slide valves E, F,
seated upon the top of the base portion beneath the plungers, substantially as
described.
2. The combination with the two valves E, F, of the seats 50 for the two valves,
formed in a single casting, which extends transversely across the top of the base
of the meter, and is removable therefrom, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with the two valves E, F, of the seats 50 for the two
valves, formed in a single casting, which extends transversely across the top of
the base of the meter, and is removable therefrom, and the removable guides 7, 8,—
the latter of said guides being located between the valves, and arranged to extend
over the adjoining ends of the two valves, substantially as described.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.