IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID AND FLUID METERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID AND FLUID METERS." A communication from
abroad by John Carvosso Guerrant, of Danville, in the State of Virginia, and
Collett Leventhorpe, of Rutherfordton, in the State of North Carolina, United
States of America.
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 29th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th February 1876.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID AND FLUID
METERS."
A communication from abroad by John Carvosso Guerrant, of Danville,
in the State of Virginia, and Collett Leventhorpe, of Rutherfordton, in the State of
North Carolina, United States of America.
The liquid or fluid enters the meter case by a pipe at the bottom of the case, and
leaves by a pipe preferably at one side. The inlet pipe extends up within the case,
and at the end there is a meter wheel that is upon a shaft that is free to rotate and
to move endwise in its bearings, and upon the periphery of the meter wheel are
wings that extend down around the outside of the inlet pipe. The wings are
placed at an inclination, so that the water issuing laterally from the space between
the meter wheel and the end of the pipe strikes these inclined wings and gives
rotation to the wheel. The portion of the wings below the top of the inlet pipe
move in quiescent water, and hence form a resistance, and this resistance lessens as
the valve rises by the increased flow of water moving the meter wheel endwise, and
hence the speed of revolution will be increased in proportion to the quantity of
water flowing, and the registration will be accurate. The angle at which the wings
are placed, and their shape and position, must be determined by experiment, but
when once ascertained other meter wheels will be accurate that correspond there-
with. There is a conical deflector at the end of the inlet pipe to direct the water
out horizontally; this is preferably upon a stationary stem and placed above the
end of the inlet pipe within the meter wheel, but it may be attached to the meter
wheel. One set of wings may be resisting and the other set propelling, or the
wings may all be made alike and act to propel at the upper part and as resistances
at the lower part.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th August 1876.
ss
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID AND
FLUID METERS." A communication from abroad by John Carvosso Guerrant,
of Danville, in the State of Virginia, and Collett Leventhorpe, of Rutherfordton,
in the State of North Carolina, United States of America.
In this meter a wheel is revolved by the action of the fluid or liquid flowing
through the meter, and as this flow increases it gives an end movement to the
meter wheel. One or more wings that revolve with the meter wheel are in the
comparatively quiescent liquid in the meter case, and hence they form a resistance.
The parts are constructed so that as the volume of liquid increases the resistance
of the wings lessen, hence the speed of the meter wheel, and the registration are
augmented in proportion to the quantity of water, and vice versa, so that great
accuracy of registration is obtained and but little resistance offered to the movement
of the water.
In the Drawing, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are vertical sections of the meter wheel, and
Fig. 4, is a plan of the sheath for the wings.
The case u, inlet pipe b, and delivery pipe o, are of suitable size and shape. The
inlet pipe b is prolonged into the case sufficiently to receive at its end the meter
wheel c upon the shaft d that is free to revolve in the bearings and also to slide
end wise. The meter wheel c is provided with inclined wings or buckets e against
which the water acts to revolve the meter wheel as it issues from the pipe b,
and it is preferable to employ a deflector n, that spreads the water outwardly
against the buckets or wings e; this deflector n is either a conical portion of the
wheel c or upon a stationary arm as shown. The meter wheel c acts similarly to
a valve against the pipe b, and by the end movement of its shaft opens more or
less according to the flow of water. The portions of the wings or buckets e
⚫ extending below the top end of the pipe bare in almost quiescent water, and hence
they are resistances to the revolution of the meter wheel, and as the wheel rises
by the flow of water these resisting portions lessen. The buckets e may be shaped
so as to form both propelling and resisting wings, and when properly shaped and
proportioned to the area of the supply pipe and the registering devices that are
moved by the revolution of the shaft d they produce a very accurate measure of the
quantity of liquid flowing through the meter. The resisting wings f may be
distinct and separate from the propelling wings e, and upon the wheel c passing
down outside of the tube b, as in Figs. 1 and 5, and acting in the quicscent water
to regulate the speed of revolution; it is, however, preferable to use separate
wings and sheath h as next described. The resisting wings f tend to check the
speed of the revolving wheel; such wings are received into a sheath as the flow
of water increases, and thereby the wheel will revolve proportionately faster because
the resistance is lessened. The sheath should be circular and provided with
radial incisions for receiving the resisting wings; such sheath revolves with the
resisting wings and wheel, but the end movement of the wheel causes the wings to
be more or less sheathed. If the sheath is upon the wheel c then the wings f
will revolve with the shaft, but be held from end movement by the bearing as in
Fig. 2, but if the wings fare upon the wheel c the sheath will be held in position
by the bearing as in Fig. 3, but it will be free to revolve. By this construction
the wings do not offer as much resistance to the revolution of the meter wheel
when in the sheath as when turning in the liquid within the meter case, and by
proportioning the size and shape of the resisting wings to the inclined buckets and
other parts of the meter the speed of revolution of the meter wheel will be in
proportion to the volume of liquid flowing through the meter, and hence an accurate
registration will be made by the dials or hands that receive motion from the
revolving shaft d.
l
It will be evident that any desired registering mechanism may be employed, a

page_text: train of gearing such as that in a gas meter is simple and efficient, but the wheels
and divisions of the dial must be proportioned to the other parts of the meter so
as to register in gallons or other known quantities.
If the weight of the meter wheel is not sufficient to prevent its moving endwise
too far by the sudden rush of water when first the water is drawn through the
meter, a spring or weight may be employed to serve as a counterpoise to ensure
a proper position of the meter wheel according to the pressure resulting from the
flow of water.
What is claimed is,-
First. The combination with a revolving meter wheel of wings that present less
area of resistance as the volume of fluid flowing through the meter increases, and
vice versa, substantially as set forth.
Second. The meter wheel c forming a valve at the end of a tubular seat con-
nected with the supply pipe in combination with a deflector n that operates to
direct the liquid against the inclined buckets of the meter wheel, substantially as
set forth.
Third. The combination with a meter wheel and resisting wings of a sheath
that serves to cover the wings more or less, according to the flow of liquid,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
PETER JENSEN. (L.S.)