Improvements in Fluid Meters.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fluid Meters.
We, HENRY HERBERT SPORTON and ERNEST WHITE, both of Glon Works, Chase
Side, Enfield, in the county of Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to meters for measuring water or other liquids and especially
to meters of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Pateni granted to
Henry Herbert Sporton dated November 5, A.D. 1885 No. 13395, and has for its
chief object to provide means whereby fluid meters are adapted to operate effectively
under a very sinall flow.
According to our present invention we arrange a valve in the fluid inlet pipe, which
valve, when more than a given volume of fluid is flowing through the meter in a
given time, is adapted to be raised by the pressure of the fluid itself, the fluid thence
issuing through a series of openings in the plate adjacent to the fan so as to rotate the
said fan.
When the flow of fluid is below a given quantity in a given time it has not
sufficient pressure to lift the said valve; it then passes through a bye-pass tube or
passage to a second series of openings adjacent to the first series. The openings of
the second series are of smaller area than those of the series first mentioned so that
the fluid will issue from them at a rapid rate and thus rotate the fan.
The plate in which the holes are formed is advantageously made removable and
formed integral with the toe-piece or step upon which the fan rotates.
Dated the 20th day of September 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fluid Meters.
We, HENRY HERBERT SPORTON and ERNEST WHITE, both of Glen Works, Chase
side, Enfield, in the county of Middlesex, Engineers, 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:-
Our invention relates to fluid meters of the kind described in the specification of
letters Patent No. 13395 of 1885 and in which the water or other fluid is caused to
pass through a series of openings in such a manner as to impinge against the vanes
of a fan arranged adjacent to the said openings and to rotate the same, the motion of
which fan is utilized for operating the registering mechanism.
The defect of such meters as hitherto constructed is that, when only a small
quantity of fluid is passing through them, the streams or jets of Huid issuing from
the said openings do not impinge with sufficient force against the vanes of the fan to
cause the rotation of the saine.
According to our present invention we arrange a second series of openings adjacent to
the first series but of much smaller area, and in connection with the first series of holes
of large area, we arrange a valve, which, when more than a given volume of fluid is
flowing through the meter in a given time, is adapted to be raised by the pressure of
the fluid itself, thereby allowing the fluid to issue through the series of large openings
to rotate the fan.

page_text: When, however, the flow of fluid is below a given quantity in a given time it
has not sufficient pressure to lift the said valve; it then passes only through the
series of small openings but at sufficient velocity to rotate the fan.
The plate in which the two series of holes are formed is advantageously made
removable, and has formed integral with it the toe-piece or step upon which the fan
rotates.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a meter embodying our improvements; and
Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the application of our invention to a meter
of larger capacity than that shown in figure 1.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.
a is the casing of the apparatus which is provided with the inlet 6 and outlet c.
d is the fan and e is the plate containing the series of small openings and the
series of large openings g, the said plate being made removable and provided with
the toe-piece h upon which the fan is supported at its lower end. It will be noticed
that the openings are constantly in communication with the fluid inlet, so that the
fluid can at all times pass through them, while the openings 9 communicate with a
chamber, the inlet to which is normally closed by a valvej. When, however a large
quantity of water or other fluid is passing, the valve is lifted by the pressure, the
fluid entering through the inlet passage and through the orifices k, k beneath the
valve seat, in the direction of the arrows.
is a spring for normally retaining the valve upon its seat, and n is a cone
screwed onto the stem of the said valve, and serving to prevent the latter from
becoming displaced upon its seat.
With this construction it will be understood that, when a large quantity of fluid
is passing through the meter not only does such fluid issue through the openings f
but also through the openings g, the valve being lifted by the pressure. When,
however, only a small quantity of fluid is passing, the pressure is not sufficient
to raise the valve, so that the flow through the openings g is stopped, only the
openings serving for the flow of fluid.
As shown in the drawings the series of openings is placed further from the
centre of the fan than the series of openings g, the object of this arrangement being
to allow the water to act upon the fan with greater leverage than it would if the
said openings were nearer to the centre of the said fan.
m is a filter or strainer for preventing any solid matter from entering the meter.
In the modification of our invention shown in figure 2, the valve j instead of
being arranged beneath the plate e, as herein before described, is placed in a suitable
chamber adjacent to the meter, and the series of openings f communicate with a
channel connected with the fluid supply through the pipe o, so that the fluid can
pass at all times. When a large quantity of fluid is passing the valve ; is raised
as hereinbefore described whereby the fluid can enter the chamber beneath the
plate e and thence flow through the openings g. In this modification the filter m
is shown as being arranged immediately beneath the valve and supported by a
flange which serves as a valve seat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a fluid meter operated by the impingement of streams or jets of fluid upon
the vanes of a fan, the employment of two series of openings, through the openings
of one of which series the fluid is free to pass at all times, while the other series of
openings is controlled by a valve which will open automatically by the pressure
of the fluid itself when large quantities of fluid are passing, substantially as
described.

page_text: 2. In a fluid meter of the kind hereinbefore described provided with two series
of openings, the employment of an automatic valve for controlling the passage of
fluid through one set of the said openings, substantially as described.
3. The improved fluid meter hereinbefore described and illustrated in figure 1 of
the accompanying drawings..
4. The modification of our invention substantially as described with reference to
figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 29th day of January 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.