IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS."-A communication from abroad
by. Paul Piccard, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
.
Sealed the 31st December 1872, and dated the 30th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th July 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS," a communication to me
from abroad by Paul Piccard, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to water meters or apparatus for measuring or
ascertaining the quantity of water passing along a pipe, whatever may
be the pressure of the water in such pipe, and consists,-
First. In the employment of a liquid which is insoluble in and
unaffected by the water, and of a different density therefrom as a

page_text: determined, is weighed.
And, secondly. In dividing the water which is admitted into the
apparatus into a certain number of equal parts, and measuring one only
of such parts or fractions when considered desirable in lieu of the entire
volume, by which means the dimensions, weight, and price of the
apparatus may be considerably reduced.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a vessel of
any suitable form and dimensions provided with inlet and outlet pipes
and cocks situate respectively at the bottom and on the top of the vessel
for the admission and- discharge of the water required to be measured.
This vessel is divided into three compartments, one of which is half
filled with water and half filled with another liquid of a different density,
say a mineral oil lighter than water for example, which in that case will
occupy about the upper half of the compartment. In this compartment
there are situate a balance or weighing apparatus, into which either the
whole or a fraction only of the water to be measured is introduced
through a tube, and also a suitable indicator or registering apparatus
consisting of differential or other gearing, and index hands or pointers
which are actuated by a pawl and ratchet wheel, and caused to indicate
the number of oscillations of the balance. Behind this compartment
there is provided another compartment containing a tube covered by a
valve, the valve being arranged so as to balance the pressure of the
mineral oil on the orifice of the tube first herein-before referred to, and
beneath this latter compartment is situated the third compartment
which communicates through a suitable number of holes with the tube
in the second compartment, and also with the tube which supplies the
water to the balance or weighing apparatus through a hole of the same
diameter as the apparatus communicating with the rear compartments
herein-before referred to.
:
The apparatus operates in the following manner:-The water is
introduced into the lower compartment and is there divided into a
certain number of equal parts, one only of which is conducted into the
balance or weighing apparatus, both sides of such balance or weighing
apparatus being alternately filled. When one side is filled up to a
certain height its weight causes it to descend and the water is discharged,
whilst at the same time the other or empty side is clevated for charging.

page_text: The water discharged from the balance or weighing apparatus passes,
through the mineral oil to the outlet pipe, whilst the remainder of the.
water which entered the tube in the upper rear compartment directly
raises the valve and passes off by the same outlet.
In order to ascertain the quantity of water which has passed through
the apparatus it is simply necessary to multiply the volume indicated as
weighed by a certain factor, or in lieu thereof the indicator or registering
apparatus may be so graduated as to indicate directly the whole quantity
which has passed. A suitable glazed aperture is provided for the
inspection of the dial of the registering apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent.
Office on the 30th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her:
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said. John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, or 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 WATER
METERS," a communication to me from abroad by Paul Piccard, of
Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors
or administrators, 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
:

page_text: 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 Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
The said Invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the volume
of water passing along a conduit, whatever may be the pressure to which
such conduit is subjected.
This system of meter is based on the following principles, namely:-
First. The difference in density between water and any liquid insoluble
in water and not liable to be affected; it may be lighter or heavier than
the water which is weighed in the medium which it forms.
Secondly. The dividing the water passing along a conduit into a certain
number of exactly equal parts; this arrangement admits of the size,
weight, and price of the apparatus being reduced by measuring when
considered suitable, only a fraction of the water passing along in lieu of
the entire volume.
The distinctive feature of this Invention consists in the use of a liquid
having the properties herein-before mentioned, in the midst. of which the
measuring apparatus moves. A medium, such as air, is not applicable,
as air is too compressible and rapidly becomes dissolved in water. On 2
the other hand, if water entirely surrounded the balance the oscillating
motions would cease as there would be no longer any difference in density
between the liquid, the flow of which it is required to measure, and that
which fills the apparatus.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a vertical section of the improved water a
meter taken along the line 1-2 in Figure 5; Figure 2 is a transverse

page_text: vertical section taken along the line 3-4-5 in Figure 5; Figure 3 is a
front elevation of the meter; Figure 4 is a back elevation; Figure 5
is a horizontal section; and Figure 6 is a detail elevation of the inlet
pipe.
The apparatus shown is made of a form and of dimensions which may
be varied as required, that is to say, according to the quantity, pressure,
or nature of the water that has to be measured. On the exterior the
apparatus is provided with two cocks (not shewn in the Drawing) one
on the inlet water pipe N and the other on the outlet pipe O; two
plugs A for the introduction and discharge of the liquid contained in
the apparatus, and a window B which admits of the reading through a
pane of plate glass of the volume of water measured.
The apparatus is divided internally into three compartments C, G,
and K. The front compartment C is filled half with water and half
with a liquid of a different density having the above-mentioned properties..
The apparatus shewn in the Drawing is constructed for a liquid lighter
than water, a mineral oil for example, which occupies about the upper
half of this compartment. The following working parts are situate in
this compartment, namely:-First. A balance or weighing apparatus D
which is immersed in the mineral oil and into which there is introduced
through a tube E either the whole of the water to be measured or only
a fraction of the same. Secondly. A counter F which is actuated by a
ratchet wheel and pall and indicates the number of oscillations of the
weighing apparatus D. The rear compartment G contains a tube H on
which rests a valve I. The lower compartment K communicates with
the tube H through a certain number of holes drilled in a plate L, and
with the tube E through a hole M of the same diameter as those in the
plate L.
The apparatus operates in the following manner :- -The water enters
through the pipe N into the compartment K and thence is divided into
a certain number of equal parts, one only of which is conducted through
the tube E into the balance D. The balance D is divided into two cups
which are alternately filled; each time that one of the cups is filled to
a certain height it by its weight causes the balance to rock or oscillate
and the empty cup, or that which contains no water, is presented to the
tube E. The water discharged by the cup, which is emptied, falls
through the mineral oil, and passing through the aperture P reaches the

page_text: outlet pipe O. The other portions of the water which traverse the plate L
pass into the tube H, and lift the valve I destined to balance the
counter pressure which. the light mineral oil exercises in an upward.
direction on the orifice of the tube E. After having lifted the valve I
the water which has passed through the plate L runs with the fraction
of water weighed by the balance D into the outlet pipe O.
In order to ascertain the volume of water which has passed into the
apparatus it is simply required to multiply the volume weighed by a
certain factor. The counter may moreover be so graduated as to indicate
directly the volume of water, which has passed along the conduit.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that 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 employment of an additional liquid in water meters in
midst of which the measuring parts of the meter work, substantially as
herein-before described.
1
Secondly. The system or mode of measuring only a well determined
fraction of the water which traverses the conduit, substantially as herein-
before described.
Thirdly. The peculiar combination and arrangement. of parts for
measuring either the whole or a fraction only of the water. which
traverses the conduit when the actual measuring parts of the apparatus
are immersed in a separate liquid of different density to water, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day
of January One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
.