IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND WATER OR OTHER LIQUID METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Woodward, of Queen's Foundry, New
Islington, Ancoats, in the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND
WATER OR OTHER LIQUID METERS."
Sealed the 14th April 1870, and dated the 18th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Woodward at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th November 1869.
I, JOHN WOODWARD, of Queen's Foundry, New Islington, Ancoats,
in the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS AND WATER OR OTHER LIQUID METERS," to be as follows:-
Firstly. My improvements relate to an arrangement of valves
applicable to diaphragm and piston meters measuring under pressure
or with variable pressure, and consist in arranging an elastic diaphragm

page_text: in the valve chest above the valve, and in jointing to the back of the
slide valve one end of a rod which is jointed at its other end to a plate
secured in tho said elastic diaphragm, which is of such area as to place
the valve in equilibrium, or nearly so, in respect to the pressure within
the valve chest, and in connecting the exhaust passage of the valve
by means of a pipe or passage with the outer side of the said clastic
diaphragm, so that any pressure in the outlet from the meter will act
upon the said diaphragm and counteract the pressure acting under the
valve tending to lift it from its facing; by this means the valve is
placed in equilibrium for all pressures, and however tho pressure may
vary under the valve, so that it can be worked in all cases with ease
and certainty by a small tumbler weight lever.
Secondly. My improvements relate to an arrangement and combi-
nation of mechanism for working the slide valve in diaphragm or piston
meters, and consist in connecting a piston rod with the diaphragm or
piston of the meter, which works in a hood or cap, and in causing two
stops or bowls in a slot in this rod to act upon a lever to produce
oscillations in a shaft, one end of which passes through a stuffing box,
and has the tumbler lever and weight fixed upon it, which tumbler lever
also works the index mechanism of the meter. The said oscillating shaft
by a finger upon it within the measuring cavity of the meter gives
motion to the slide valve through the port for that side of the measuring
cavity of the meter, thus simplifying the mechanism and dispensing
with the necessity for more than one stuffing box in working the valve
and index.
Thirdly. My improvements relate to diaphragm meters, and consist in
an arrangement and combination of parts, namely, the diaphragm of
india-rubber or other suitable elastic material is secured between two
plates or castings, which are concave towards the diaphragm to form a
measuring cavity, and the surface of the cavities in the castings are
made of trumpet form, so that as the diaphragm moves the gas or liquid
will be gradually expelled from the circumforence to the centre, where
the passage begins leading to the valve, which is arranged and worked
as described under the first and second heads of my
Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Woodward in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 12th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WOODWARD, of Queen's Foundry, New Islington, Ancoats, in the City
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Woodward, Her special license that
I, the said John Woodward, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Woodward, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,.
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND
WATER OR OTHER LIQUID METERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Woodward, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Woodward, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say) :-
Firstly. My improvements relate to an arrangement of valves.
applicable to diaphragm and piston meters measuring under pressure
or with variable pressure, and consist in arranging an elastic diaphragm
in the valve chest above the valve, and in jointing to the back of the
slide valve one end of a rod which is jointed at its other end to a plate
secured in the said elastic diaphragm, which is of such area as to place
the valve.in equilibrium, or nearly so, in respect to the pressure within+

page_text: the valve chest, and in connecting the exhaust passage of the valve
by means of a pipe or passage with the outside of the said elastic
diaphragm, so that any pressure in the outlet from the meter will act
upon the said diaphragm and counteract the pressure acting under the
valvo tending to lift it from its facing; by this means the valve is placed
in equilibrium for all pressures, however the pressure may vary under
the valve, so that it can be worked in all cases with caso and certainty
by a small tumbler weight lever.
Secondly. My improvements relate to an arrangement and combi-
nation of mechanism for working the slide valve in diaphragm, piston, or
bellows meters, and consist in connecting a piston rod with the
diaphragm, piston, or hellows of the meter, which works in a hood or
cap, and in causing two stops or bowls in a slot in this rod to act upon
a lever to produce oscillations in a shaft, one end of which passes
through a stuffing box.and has the tumbler lever and weight placed upon
it, which tumbler lever also works the index mechanism of the meter.
The said oscillating shaft by a finger upon it within the measuring
cavity of the meter gives motion to the slide valve through the port for
that side of the measuring cavity of the meter, thus simplifying the
mechanism and dispensing with the necessity for more than one stuffing.
box in working the valve and index.
Thirdly. My improvements relate to diaphragm meters, and consist in
an arrangement and combination of parts, namely, the diaphragm of
india-rubber or other suitable elastic material is secured between two
plates or castings, which are concave towards the diaphragm to form a
measuring cavity, and the surface of the cavities in the castings are
made of trumpet form, so that as the diaphragm moves the gas or liquid
will be gradually expelled from the circumference to the centre, where
the passage begins leading to the valve, which is arranged and worked,
as described under the first or both the first and second heads of my
Invention.
Fig. 1 is an outside view of a diaphragm with its cover removed;
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a section on the line A, B, Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a similar section to that represented by Fig. 3, but of another
modification; Fig. 5 is a section on the line C, D, Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is
a front elevation with the case or cover in its place; Fig. 7 is a section
corresponding to Fig. 3, but it represents a piston meter with a rolling
packing ring; Fig. 8 is an outside front view of the meter represented

page_text: by Fig. 7; Figs. 9 and 10 are sections of the lower part of two meters
having sliding pistons; Fig. 11 is an outside view, and Fig. 12 a section
of the lower part of a bellows meter suitable for measuring gas.
a is the slide
The first part of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 4.
valve; it is fitted to slide in a part (a) in which the ports are formed,
this part having two sides (a) to which a plate is secured that covers
and keeps down the valve. To the back of the valve one end of a
rod (6) is jointed, the rod passing through a slot in the plate covering
the valve, the other end of which is jointed with a bolt (6) secured by
a screw, as shown, to a small diaphragm (c) of india-rubber or other
suitable material held by its edges to the top of the valve chest (d) by
a cap (d) secured by set screws. The interior of the cap (d) for the
small diaphragm (c) is in communication by means of a pipe or a
passage cast in the side of the valve chest with the exhaust pipe or
passage (e). With this arrangement it will be seen that the pressure of the
fluid within the valve chest will act on the back of the valve to press it
down on its facing, and that at the same time the pressure will act upon
the small diaphragm (c) by means of the rod to lift the valve from its
facing; but the pressure acting to keep the valve against its face is
allowed to preponderate. The pressure acting on the under side of the
valve tending to lift it from its facing will vary to a considerable extent
accordingly as the discharge from the meter is free or obstructed, but by
connecting the outlet passage (e) with the cavity upon the upper side of
the small diaphragm, this cause of varying pressure upon the valve will
be neutralized.
It will be seen that this part of my improvements is equally applicable
to piston meters, as the main difference between my improved diaphragm
and piston meters is only in reference to the difference between a piston
and diaphragm, the valve mechanism and mode of operating it being
substantially the same for both clauses of meters.
The second part of my improvements is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, and 7, Figs. 3, 4, and 7 representing the same parts so far as the
second part of my improvements is concerned. f is a rod connected, as'
square in
shewn, with the diaphragm, piston, or bellows (9); this rod is
cross section, and has a slot in it (see Fig. 5) in which two bowls (f).
are mounted on pivots, as shown. These bowls act upon an arm or tail
piece (h) fitting squares upon a shaft (); which has one end in a
bearing () screwed in the casting, and the other end passes through a

page_text: bearing (3), also screwed in the casting, and this bearing is screwed
externally to receive a cap (*) that secures the packing (h),
which may be made of leather or of any other suitable material or
composition. To reduce the friction arising from the pressure acting
to force the shaft (7) outwards endways a centre screw (°) is used
secured by a lock nut. This centre screw passes through a cross
bar (7) secured by screws to two uprights (7) from the casting, the
same cross bar having the index mechanism attached to it. The tail
piece or lever (4) is forked at its boss, as shown in Fig. 5, and it passes
on each side of a finger (/) loose upon a round part of the shaft (¹);
the end of this finger passes through the port for the valve, and fits into
a hole in its under side, as shown. There are two projections or stops
on the boss of the finger (k), against which the tail part comes near the
end of each oscillation of the shaft, and this gives a sudden movement
to the finger and consequently to the valve, first one way and then the
other way. Upon the outside end of the oscillating shaft a boss part is
keyed or fitted on a square formed on the end of the shaft, and upon
this boss the lever weight is secured. The shaft (¹) together with the
boss can turn to some extent before beginning to lift the lever weight,
and it begins to lift the lever weight when a stop or key in the boss
comes against the side of a broad keyway formed in the boss of the lever
weight, and when it has been lifted over its centre it falls forward freely
and accumulates force to strike a blow upon the spindle and give the
sudden movement to the valve. With this arrangement a less weight
can be used than would otherwise be required. The weight lever at
each movement falls upon a buffer of india-rubber or other suitablo
material, one of which buffers is carried by each of the two uprights (4°)
from the casting.
The index mechanism is of the ordinary construction, and is actuated
by a weighted pawl lever (m) centred on a pin at the end of the boss on
the oscillating. shaft (¹), and causes the ratchet wheel on the first
motion shaft of the index to be moved one tooth for each double
oscillation of the shaft.
The third part of my improvements is illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6
inclusive. The diaphragm (g) is made of india-rubber or other suitable
elastic material; but for gas meters india-rubber is not adapted, and
leather may be substituted; but for water meters I prefer vulcanized
india-rubber. This diaphragm is secured by bolts, as shown, between

page_text: two plates or castings (n and n¹), which are each concave towards the
diaphragm to form a measuring cavity, and the surface of the cavities in
the castings are made of trumpet form (as shown), so that as the
diaphragm moves the gas or liquid will be gradually expelled from the
emptying cavity from the circumference to the centre, where the passage
begins leading to the valve, which is arranged and worked as herein.
before described under the first, or both the first and second heads of my
Invention.
I will now explain those parts of the Drawings which may not have
been referred to. p is the inlet pipe for the fluid to be measured'; e, the
outlet pipe; q is the port or passage leading to the lower side of the
diaphragm or piston; q³, the port or passage leading to the upper side
of the diaphragm or piston; q' is the exhaust or outlet port; n² is a cap
or hood for the end of the piston rod to work in; it may pass as a loose
fit through a square hole to prevent the piston from turning round, the
slot in the piston rod giving plenty of space for the fluid in the hood to
escape past the rod as it ascends and descends. The diaphragm meter
stands on feet (23), and in both the diaphragm and piston meter in their
complete form the whole of the exterior mechanism is enclosed by a
cover or casing (r), as shown in Figs. 6 and 8.
Figs. 7, 9, and 10 show different methods of constructing the pistons
of piston meters, which are all ordinary and well known.
Fig. 12 shows the mode of constructing a bellows meter suitable for
measuring gas. The top part of the bellows is secured to the flange and
the bottom part to a disc or piston (9). The gas enters the interior of
the bellows on one side and then acts on the bottom or piston and
exterior of the bellows on the other side.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and
the mode of carrying the same into effect, and claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The system or mode of taking pressure from the backs of the
valve, and counteracting the variable pressure upon the under side of
the valve in fluid meters, substantially by the means and in the manner
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The system or mode and combination and arrangement of
mechanism for actuating the valves of meters, and of giving motion to
the index mechanism, particularly the mode of actuating the valve by

page_text: a finger (h) passing through the port, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Thirdly. The making of the castings or plates forming the measuring
cavities in diaphragm meters of the trumpet form, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Fourthly. The combination and arrangement of the mechanism form-
ing the piston and bellows meters, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated by Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, L, the said John Woodward, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN WOODWARD. (L.S.)