Year: 1897

page_text: I, THOMAS MADDERSON, of the Sewerage Farm, Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus which by its construction is adapted to be
used as a water meter.
The main object in view is to provide a water meter of the positive or reciprocating
type in which the heavy tumblers in use in the "Kennedy" meters are entirely done
away with and the meter can be run at any speed without shock or noise, or the
liability to be put out of order by the action of a heavy tumbler or turn-over
weight.
F
As hereinafter explained the apparatus is also adapted to be used as the motor for
driving a ram pump. But in the first place I will describe my invention as adapted
for a water meter from which its practical utilization will be fully understood...
A main piston works in a main cylinder having valve communication with an upper
or adjoining chamber in which the valves have their motion together with other
necessary moving parts, and which I will term the valve chamber.. The water is first
admitted into this chamber to pass through the meter.
The said necessary parts
consist of a rocking bar mounted on a shaft extending across the valve. chamber
and journalled into the sides thereof with one end extending beyond and forming
a bell crank lever connection with what may be termed a counter shaft to the main
piston rod so that the motion of the piston rod is communicated through the said
counter shaft and bell crank lever to the rocking bar shaft, and imparts a rocking
motion to the rocking bar which is then transmitted by toothed gearing or its
equivalent to a slide valve controlling two ports or conduits by which the water gets
access to what may be termed change motion pistons which are mounted on the
opposite ends of one piston rod also extending across the valve chamber. These
change motion pistons work in cylindrical chambers extending from the valve
chamber, their function being to operate a slide valve controlling the ports and
passages by which the water is admitted to and exhausted from the main cylinder.
The movement of the change motion pistons and the slide valve controlled by. them
has such relation to the movement of the rocking bar and slide valve controlled by it,
that as the main piston moves water gets access to the back of one of the change
motion pistons and drives it through its inward stroke, the water exhausting at the
same time from behind the other change motion piston as it makes its outward
stroke, and so on, the change motion slide valve being reciprocated in the rquisite
manner to admit and exhaust the water to and from one side or other of the main
piston, which by the reciprocating motion of its rod works the valve controlling the
action of the change motive pistons. With each stroke of the main piston the
main cylinder is filled and discharged, the measure of which is known and each
stroke of the main piston rod is communicated in the usual or any suitable manner
to a roistering, indicator.
71
311

page_text: But when the apparatus is to be used say as the motor of a ram pump, the work
done by the piston is communicated to and utilized by the ram pump which pumps
a relatively small volume of water to a higher level, the power which is derived by
the flow of a relatively large volume of water through the motor, the supply of water
to the ram pump being the same or different to that passing through the motor as
the case may be.
D
1
1005
I, THOMAS MADDERSON, of the Sewerage Farm, Darlington, in the County of Durham,
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:-
I
'
This invention relates to an apparatus which by its construction is adapted to be
used as a water meter.
33
The main object in view is to provide a water meter of the positive or reciprocating
type in which the heavy tumblers in use in the "Kennedy meters are entirely done
away with and the meter can be run at any speed without shock or noise or the
liability to be put out of order by the action of a heavy tumbler or turn-over
weight:
As hereinafter explained the apparatus is also adapted to be used as the motor for
driving a ram pump. But in the first place I will describe my invention as adapted
for a water meter from which its practical utilization will be fully understood and for
that purpose shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional
elevation of a water meter constructed in accordance with my invention, and showing
the main cylinder and piston, main valve and change motion pistons, also valve and
radial arm or quadrant for working same, all taken on line x x of Fig. 2 which is a
corresponding plan view with the cover removed to show the valve faces and port
ways. Fig. 3 is a front elevation and Fig. 4 a corresponding plan view showing the
tappet motion for working the rocking shaft and counter shaft. Fig. 5 is a side
sectional elevation showing the rocking shaft for working the change motion
valve.
a is the main piston working in a main cylinder or measuring chamber having
valve communication with an upper or adjoining chamber c in which the valves d
and have their motion together with other accessory moving parts, and which I will
term the valve chamber. The water is first admitted into this chamber by the inlet f
to pass through the meter. The said accessory parts consist of a rocking bar g
mounted on a shaft h extending across the valve chamber c and journalled into the
sides thereof with one end extending beyond and forming a bell crank connection i
with what may be termed a counter shaft ; to the main piston rod a¹ which carries
the cross head a² for working the tappet j¹ on the shaft j so that the motion of the
piston rod is communicated through the said counter shaft j and bell crank- lever i to
the rocking shaft h and imparts a rocking motion to the rocking bar g which is then
transmitted by toothed gearing such as gears the radial arm or quadrant g¹ to the
slide valve dat g' which slide valve controls two parts or conduits d¹ d³ by which the
water gets access to what may be termed change motion pistons k¹ k² which are
mounted on the opposite ends of one piston rod also extending across the valve

page_text: chamber c. These change motion pistons work in cylindrical chambers c¹ c² extending
from the valve chamber, their function being to operate the slide valve e controlling
the ports and passages el e² e³ by which the water is admitted to and exhausted from
the main cylinder b. The movement of these change motion pistons and the slide
valve e controlled by them has such relation to the movement of the rocking bar g
and slide valve d controlled by it that as the main piston a noves, water gets access
to the back of one of the change motion pistons k² and drives it through its inward
stroke, the water exhausting at the same time from behind the other change motion
piston k¹ as it makes its outward stroke and so on, the change motion slide valve e
being reciprocated in the requisite manner to admit and exhaust the water to and
from one side or other of the main piston a which by the reciprocating motion of
its rod a¹ works the valve d controlling the action of the change motion pistons /¹ k².
With each stroke of the main piston a the main cylinder b is filled and discharged,
the measure of which is known and each stroke of the main piston rod a¹ is commu-
nicated in the usual or any suitable manner to a registering indicator as shown in
Fig. 3. The main piston a can be fitted with either hydraulic or rolling packing
and be made of any suitable material including vulcanite.
The action of the water ineter is as follows:-Water flows into the valve chamber c
at f and passes through port way e' into the main cylinder b and moves piston a to
bottom of cylinder when the crosshead a² strikes the tappet j¹ and moves the bell
crank lever i, this action moves the small valve d which opens port way d³ and
admits water to the change motion cylinder c², the discharged water passing from
the cylinder through port way d¹ and 2 to outlet e², the discharge water from
bottom of main cylinder passing through port et up port way e³ through valve e into
portway e2 and so on.
It will be observed that most of the valve motions are controlled by the action of
the water with the exception of the small valve d which receives its motion from the
crosshead a² through the bell crank lever i. The valve gear is of the simplest
description and as no auxiliary means such as weights or springs are used there is no
liability of it sticking and no oiling or attention is required. The meter will
correctly measure all water passed through it whether at full pressure or at the
smallest possible drip.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modified arrangement of parts especially applicable
for large meters in which Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation & Fig. 7 a corresponding
sectional plan view taken on line y y of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 being an end elevation.
In large meters I propose to use a hollow plug valve m in place of the slide valve e,
the water passing through same reducing friction to a minimum. In this case the
hollow plug valve m is furnished with a radial arm or quadrant n which gears into a
rack o connected to the change motion pistons k¹². These change motion pistons
are controlled by the slide valve d which is actuated from the rocking shaft h. This
rocking shaft is connected by a bell crank lever at i to the counter shaft which is
furnished with tappets j¹ j²; and the other end of the rocking shaft is connected to
the slide valve rod by another bell crank lever i¹; both bell crank levers being on the
same side of the rocking shaft, the lever at i being hidden to view in Fig. 8 by
the lever . The valve d remains in its lowest position until the main piston a
travels almost its full stroke, when the crosshead a² on the piston rod a¹ strikes the
tappet which lifts the valve d and admits water to the change notion piston k² and
changes the inain valve m for the return stroke. With the reverse or instroke of
the main piston the reverse action takes place the instroke being nearly com-
pleted when the crosshead a² strikes the bottom tappet and drives the valve d
back to its lowest position. This valve motion can be applied to any water motor
or hydraulic engine. By connecting the main piston rod of the meter to the ram
of a pump the pump can be driven from the meter.
When the apparatus is to be used say as the motor of a ram pump the work done
by the piston is communicated to and utilized by the ram pump which pumps a
relatively small volume of water to a higher level, the power for which is derived by

page_text: the flow of a relatively large volume of water through the motor, the supply of water
to the ram pump being the same or different to that passing through the
motor as the case may be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a water meter the combination with the main piston a of a shaft h rocked
from the piston rod by a bell crank lever i and operating a valve e; the change motion
pistons and k² operated by water pressure passed through the said valve e and
operating a valve d controlling ports of admission to the main cylinder 6 these several
parts being arranged, fitted and operating together, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improved water meter of the positive and reciprocating type constructed
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and operating
as and for the purpose above specified.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.