A NEW OR IMPROVED METER, APPLICABLE FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE TO PISTON METERS GENERALLY
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Millar, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METER, APPLICABLE
FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF
BEING APPLICABLE TO PISTON METERS GENERALLY."
Sealed the 30th August 1878, and dated the 4th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Millar at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1878.
ROBERT MILLAR, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain. "A
NEW OR IMPROVED METER, APPLICABLE FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER
LIQUIDS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE TO PISTON METERS
GENERALLY."
This Invention relates to a new or improved meter for measuring water or other
liquids, and it consists of a box or chamber preferably formed of two hollow
hemispheres, across the centre of which there is fixed by a liquid-tight joint a
hemisphere of india-rubber, leather, or other flexible material. To the centre of
this flexible diaphragm there is attached a rod carrying at its outer end a toothed
rack which gears with a spur wheel on a shaft to which a driver is fixed. This
driver as the shaft is rotated carries a weighted tumbling lever round with it until
the said lever is driven into a position slightly beyond the vertical, so that it can
fall over either in a right or left hand direction, that is to say, corresponding to the
direction in which the driver has moved it.
Upon the said horizontal shaft or upon a stud co-axial therewith there is carried
loosely a triple-armed lever. One arm of this lever is connected by a rod to a lever
carried on the plug of a four-way cock or its equivalent. The ways of the cock or
its equivalent alternately communicate with inlet ports or passages, one leading
into each half of the spherical box or vessel, and therefore on opposite sides of the
flexible diaphragm. The ways of the cock or its equivalent also communicate
alternately with the discharge orifice of the apparatus.

page_text: The apparatus is set in action by admitting water or other fluid to the inlet side
of the four-way cock or its equivalent, the effect of which is that passing on through
one of the admission ports or passages at one side of the spherical vessel, it, as the
vessel fills therewith, forces the flexible diaphragm to the opposite side of the vessel,
and therefore moves the toothed rack through the same distance. On arriving at
the end of its path in one direction the toothed rack operates the driver so that it
brings the weighted tumbling lever just into the position to fall over, the act of
doing which reverses the four-way cock or its equivalent, and therefore causes the
water to be admitted to the opposite side of the spherical vessel, and that admitted
at the previous stroke to be expelled through the discharge orifice, the entire
apparatus during this second stroke acting in a reverse direction.
In the manner herein-before described the apparatus continues to make any
required number of successive strokes, in other words, its action is continuous.
,
In place of using a toothed rack and pinion as herein-before described, a chain
and pulley may be substituted, therefor, and in place of having the weighted
tumbling lever upon a separate shaft it, together with some of the parts by which it
is operated and which it operates, may be carried upon an extension of the plug of
the four-way cock.
In place of using a hemispherical flexible diaphragm as herein-before described,
an expanding and collapsing vessel with flexible sides and rigid ends may be
substituted.
For the purpose of simplifying the construction of the apparatus as well as for
getting rid of stuffing boxes and the friction of parts moving therein, it is preferred
to encase the rack and pinion or their equivalent in a box filled with water or
liquid, this last-named improvement applying equally to all meters operated by a
piston or diaphragm.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Millar in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September
1878.
« A
ROBERT MILLAR, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain.
NEW OR IMPROVED METER, APPLICABLE FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER
LIQUIDS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE TO PISTON METERS
GENERALLY."
This Invention relates to a new or improved meter for measuring water or other
liquids, and it consists of a box or chamber, preferably formed of two hollow hemi-
spheres, across the centre of which there is fixed by a liquid-tight joint a hemi-
sphere of india-rubber, leather, or other flexible material. To the centre of this
flexible diaphragm there is attached a rod carrying at its outer end a toothed rack
which gears with a spur wheel on a shaft, to which a driver is fixed. This driver,
as the shaft is rotated, carries a weighted tumbling lever round with it until the
said lever is driven into a position slightly beyond the vertical, so that it can fall
over either in a right or left hand direction, that is to say, corresponding to the
direction in which the driver has moved it.
Upon the said horizontal shaft or upon a stud co-axial therewith, there is carried
loosely a triple-armed lever. One arm of this lever is connected by a rod to a lever
carried on the plug of a four-way cock or its equivalent. The ways of the cock or
its equivalent alternately communicates with inlet ports or passages, one leading
into each half of the spherical box or vessel, and therefore on opposite sides of the
flexible diaphragm. The ways of the cock or its equivalent also communicate
alternately with the discharge orifice of the apparatus.
The apparatus is set in action by admitting water or other fluid to the inlet side
of the four-way cock or its equivalent, the effect of which is that passing on through
one of the admission ports or passages at one side of the spherical vessel, it, as the
fills therewith, forces the flexible diaphragm to the opposite side of the vessel, and
therefore moves the toothed rack through the same distance. On arriving at the
end of its path in one direction the toothed rack has operated the driver, so that it
has brought the weighted tumbling lever just into the position to fall over, the act
of doing which reverses the four-way cock or its equivalent, and therefore causes
the water to be admitted to the opposite side of the spherical vessel, and that
admitted to the previous stroke to be expelled through the discharge orifice; the
entire apparatus during this second stroke acting in a reverse direction.
In the manner herein-before described the apparatus continues to make any
required number of successive strokes, in other words, its action is continuous. At
each alternate stroke of the apparatus motion is communicated to a dial, which by
indicating the number of times the chambers have been filled and emptied will
enable the amount of liquid which has passed through the meter to be readily
ascertained.
In place of using a toothed rack and pinion as herein-before described, a chain
and pulley may be substituted therefor, and in place of having the weighted
tumbling lever upon a separate shaft, it, together with some of the parts by which
it is operated and which it operates, may be carried upon an extension of the plug
of the four-way cock.
In place of using a hemispherical flexible diaphragm as herein-before described,
any suitable equivalent therefore may be used, such for instance, as an expanding
and collapsing vessel with flexible sides and rigid ends.
For the purpose of simplifying the construction of the apparatus as well as for
getting rid of stuffing boxes and the friction of parts moving therein, it is preferred
to encase the rack and pinion or their equivalents in a box filled with the water or
liquid, this last-named improvement applying equally to all meters operated by a
piston or diaphragm..

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:
Figure 1 is a side elevation (with the casing partly in section), and Figure 2 is a
plan (partly in section) of a meter constructed according to my said Invention.
Between two hollow hemispheres A, B, constituting a box or chamber, is fixed so as
to be liquid-tight a diaphragm C of india-rubber, leather, or other flexible material,
exactly fitting either half of the vessel A, B; and to the centre of this diaphragm is
fixed a rod D which is hollow at one end so as to slide upon and be guided by a
guide rod d. The said rod D carries at its outer end a rack d' which gears with a
spur wheel E keyed on a shaft F, to which is fixed a driver consisting of two horns
ff. Upon the shaft F a lever G is carried loosely, the said lever having arms g¹,
gg, the arms g', g², having thereon projections 9, 9, and the arm g³ being
connected by a link H to a lever I on the plug J of a four-way cock, the passages
therethrough alternately communicating with an inlet L and an outlet M, and
so as to cause the passages N and P leading respectively to either half A or B of
the spherical box or chamber to communicate alternately with the inlet L and the
outlet M. An arm Q on the lever G is connected through the link with a
registering apparatus R. Mounted loosely upon the shaft F is a weighted
tumbling lever S having thereon a projection 8 in the same vertical plane as the
driver f, f¹.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Liquid is admitted by the inlet L,
and passes through the passage N into the chamber A, and as the said chamber fills
the flexible diaphragm C is urged to the opposite side of the box or chamber A, B,
and the rack d upon the rod D through the spur wheel E turns the shaft F through
part of a revolution, whereby the arm f of the driver, bearing against the projection 8
of the tumbling lever, the said lever is brought up thereby, and when the rod D has
moved through its full stroke (that is, when the chamber A is full of liquid) the said
lever S is brought by the said driver finto a position just beyond the vertical line
(as shewn in the Drawings) so that it falls over by its own weight, and comes
against the projection g* of the lever G, and by urging the said lever round the
arm g of the said lever, through the link H and lever I, reverses the four-way cock
so that the inlet L communicates by the passage P with the chamber B, and the
outlet M communicates by the passage N with the chamber A, and therefore a
further quantity of liquid will be admitted to the opposite side B of the spherical
vessel A, B, and that admitted at the previous stroke into the chamber A will be
expelled. The diaphragm C and rod D will consequently be urged back to the
opposite side A of the vessel A, B, and the rack d' will, through the spur wheel E,
give motion to the driver f, f¹, and by moving the said spur wheel in a direction
opposite to that in which it was moved at the previous stroke cause the arm f¹ of
the driver f, f', to come against the projection 8, and carry up the tumbling lever S,
and at the end of this stroke of the rod D the said tumbler will have been brought
beyond the vertical line, and will fall against the projection g³, and by turning the
lever G the cock is again reversed, and the motions first described are repeated, and
so on as the chambers A and B alternately fill and empty.
to
The amount of liquid passing through the apparatus is registered by means of
the arm Q, which at each alternate stroke through the link r causes the pawl
act upon a ratchet wheel rl, and communicate motion to the wheels of the indi-
cating apparatus R in the ordinary way, so that the said apparatus will indicate
the number of times that the vessel A, B, has been filled and emptied, and conse-
quently (the dials of the registering apparatus being marked with divisions indicating
quantities corresponding to the capacity of the vessel A, B,) the amount of liquid
which has passed through the meter is readily ascertained.
A buffer T furnished with pads of india-rubber or other soft material is provided
for the lever S to fall against in order to prevent noise and strain.

page_text: In connection with the apparatus illustrated in the Drawings I have shewn an
arrangement according to my Invention for working the rod D and wheel E in
liquid, whereby stuffing boxes for the rod D are rendered unnecessary. A casing U
formed of a continuation of the chamber B surrounds the rod D and pinion E, which
casing is filled by liquid from the passage P, and thus stuffing boxes for the rod D
are rendered unnecessary.
As before mentioned, this improvement is applicable generally to such meters as
are operated by a piston or diaphragm.
Figures 3 and 4 represent in vertical and horizontal sections respectively a
modified form of the four-way cock, acting however somewhat after the manner of
a slide valve. It is operated through the link H and lever I, as in the cock in
Figures 1 and 2. In Figures 3 and 4 the inlet is marked L¹ and the outlet M².
The motion of the valve puts the passages N' and P¹ (leading from the chambers
A and B of the meter) alternately in communication with the outlet and the
inlet.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I wish it
to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction
herein-before described, as the said details may, as before stated, be considerably
varied without departing from the nature of my said Invention, but what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The improved meter for measuring liquids, the same being constructed
essentially as herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification or equivalent arrangement of the mechanism constituting
the said meter.
Second. The improvements in piston or diaphragm meters, consisting in encasing
the piston and other parts of the mechanism in a box or casing which is filled by
the liquid, whereby stuffing boxes for the piston or rod of the diaphragm are ren-
dered unnecessary, the said piston or rod being formed hollow so as to run upon a
guide rod fixed within the measuring vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Millar, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.