Year: 1886

page_text: I, JOHN HENDERSON STRANG of the firm of Macfarlane Strang & Co. (Limited)
of 204 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Water and Gas Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention to be as follows
This Invention has reference to improvements in the construction of meters and
motors, of the class in which the pressure of the water, or other fluid to be measured,
reciprocates a piston to and fro within a straight cylinder, and measures the cubical
contents of the cylinder, for each double stroke of the piston by the action of the
liquid itself passed in and out of the cylinder, and indicates the quantity passed
through the meter by counting or recording gearing, index pointers, and dials. The
invention comprises improvements in the construction and arrangement of many of
the main functional parts of the said meters or motors and of their mode of action, and
in special combinations of these, and of the whole general arrangement of the parts,
some of which parts are capable of considerable modification under the improvenients,
which will make such meters or motors constructed in accordance therewith, more
simple and reliable in construction and action, and more durable and less liable to
wear and tear or derangement than such meters have been as heretofore constructed.
The nature and novelty of this Invention consist all as follows:-First and mainly
in a meter or motor, or arrangement, construction, and combination of a positive acting
single measuring cylinder with a reciprocating piston, having a very small auxiliary
cylinder and piston, with an arrangement of distributing valve chest for each cylinder,
arranged so that the action of the piston of the measuring cylinder actuates the con-
trolling valve of the small cylinder, while the piston of the small cylinder actuates the
controlling valve of the measuring cylinder, all automatically, alternately, and recipro-
cally so as to give a continuous positive reciprocating motion to both pistons, and

page_text: measuring action of the main cylinder as long as the water or other pressure fluid is
turned or set on to pass through the machine. The water or acting fluid enters the
apparatus by one branch, and escapes by another separate branch, through special
arrangements of distributing valves or valve chests and their ports, respectively from
the measuring, and the controlling cylinder, all as will hereinafter be described.
A further improvement consists in the construction and arrangement or combination
of the main functional parts of the meter or motor. One of these combinations con-
sists in formning the main measuring cylinder as a base framing carrying the whole
machine, with a turned and faced cover jointed and secured to a flange on the top of
the cylinder, also turned and faced above to receive the lower face and flange of an
upper case, close on top, all secured by the same bolts through the flanges of the
cylinder and upper case, and thus form the base or sole of the upper case. This
upper case contains the small controlling cylinder and the two water or fluid dis-
tributing valve chests of the measuring, and the controlling cylinder, (which may be
of different forms and constructions, such as with slide, oscillating, or rotative valves),
all bolted and jointed fluid tight to the upper turned or planed face of the cover of
the measuring cylinder, forming the base or bottom of this upper chamber of these
valve chests, thus forming the whole as a self-contained or portable machine of
this general combination of the main parts named. Many of these parts, however,
may be varied in details of construction to suit modifications of the size of machine
and kind of distributing valve and valve chests used. One feature of the combination of
construction of these three main fixed parts is, that the water or fluid is admitted by
one branch pipe, and is discharged through another branch pipe formed on the top
of the upper case, with ducts leading down to its lower face into all the recesses
and conduits cast or formed in the centre flange piece, forming the top of the
lower cylinder and bottom of this case, and which lead the water through and to
the inlet and outlet chambers and ports of the distributing valve chests, and to
and from both ends of the measuring cylinder and of the actuating small cylinder,
as will hereinafter be described.
One construction and arrangement of the acting functional parts, as suitable for a
water meter in which the distributing valves are made in the form of slide valves, and
no rotative motion is required except that given to the indicating mechanism inter-
mittently through a ratchet wheel at each up and down motion of the piston of the
measuring cylinder, consist all as follows:-The cylinder would be placed vertically
as stated with a closed bottom and ornamental base on which it stands, and be lined
internally with brass, and fitted with a piston with double cupped leathers secured in
the centre between two discs or an annular disc ring by screw bolts, parts of the
leather entering recesses formed in the circumferential head of the piston, which
might be formed with enlarged turned parts at the upper and lower edges to form
metallic guides on the inner surface of the lined cylinder. The piston would preferably
be formed with a deep bored eye and closed upper end, with a jointed screw plug on
the lower end, for the insertion of the head or enlarged abutting end of the piston rod
sliding within this turned eye. The piston would thus be moved to and fro within
the cylinder by the water entering above or below it for a great part of its stroke
without moving the piston rod, only doing this as it came sufficiently near the end of
its stroke in either direction up or down to make projecting tappets on the top end of
the piston-rod within the top chamber (passed through a stuffing box for the purpose in
the cover) reverse the slide valve of the distributing valve chest of the small cylinder,
the piston of which would, by the projecting end of its piston-rod, instantly reverse the
valve in the valve chest of the measuring cylinder and admit the water to the end
which its piston had reached and allow the water from the filled end of the cylinder to
exhaust out into the outlet ducts of the cover and the discharge branch in the upper
part of the top chest enclosing the small controlling cylinder and distributing valve
chests, all as will hereinafter be described. By this improved construction the
measuring cylinder may be very long in proportion to its diameter, and the top cham-
ber short, only a sufficient height to enclose the valve chests, as the small cylinder
would preferably be laid horizontally and work the controlling distributing valve across

page_text: vertical ports of the inlet and outlet water valve chest of the measuring cylinder;
while the piston-rod of the measuring cylinder would work the valve of the small
controlling cylinder vertically across horizontal ports in its valve chest ; the valve
faces being vertical would prevent any sediment or obstruction resting on these to
interfere with the proper action of the valves; and a wire or perforated division
would be inserted in à chamber of the inlet duct in the top case to prevent the
passage of any matter going in with the water which would obstruct the working
of the meter, and which could be removed and cleaned from time to time as
required. The piston of the small cylinder would only require to move as much
as would open the ports of the valve chest of the measuring cylinder, and the
small quantity of water used in each of these motions would be led and pass out
with the water discharged from the measuring cylinder, and measured and recorded
therewith by the indicating dials. The water from the inlet branch in the upper
case would be led through a duct recess in the central cover as before explained
up into the valve chest, preferably behind the valves, so that any pressure of water
would tend to keep the valves close to their vertical working faces. The water would
enter from the valve casing beyond the ends of the valve through one end port in the
valve chest, directly down through the cover of the measuring cylinder, and to the
lower end of this cylinder down through a long port in the one side of it, from
the other end port and chamber in the valve chest past the end of the valve; and the
exhaust or outlet would take place from either end of the cylinder through these end
ports, and the centre chamber in the slide valve, into an exhaust or outlet port in
the centre of the distributing valve chest, down into another duct in the body of the
central cover leading to the discharge branch of the upper chest. And the arrangement
of the valve and valve chest of the controlling small cylinder is of an equivalent con-
struction and is actuated in an equivalent manner by the piston-rod of the measuring
cylinder, except that the valve and ports are disposed horizontally in place of vertically,
and the discharge is led out from the central chamber in the valve chest down into
the same exhaust port in the central cover, to escape through the discharge pipe of
the meter as before stated.
A small lateral bracket secured on the top of the piston-rod of the measuring
cylinder carries an oscillating actuating pawl with heel check which retains it always
in acting position, so that each time the piston-rod rises it acts on the teeth of a ratchet
wheel, so as to turn it one tooth at a time. This ratchet wheel is mounted on the inner
end of a light spindle passing out through a stuffing box in a bearing bracket bolted
to the inside of the upper case, carrying at the other side of the ratchet wheel on a
lateral stud, a small oscillating counterweighted retaining pawl, which prevents the
ratchet wheel from turning backwards as it is actuated in the forward direction one
tooth at a time as before stated. The other end of the spindle passes out into the
chamber of the indicating mechanism secured on the outside of the upper case at
an angle of 45 degrees for the better observation of the indices, with closing in
lid, and by bevel wheels actuates the first spindle of the train of wheels of the
counting mechanism; which diminish in speed in a usual manner by tenths, that is,
each wheel with the index pointer on its spindle, as it makes one revolution, turns the
next index wheel one tooth of its ten divisions, and so on for each wheel and spindle
in sequence for as many index dials as are ranged in the counting mechanism. To
prevent the escape or leakage from the inlet water chamber of the valves through the
holes of the rods actuating these from the piston-rods of the cylinders; these holes
which pass out through the sides of the valve chest, are fitted with grooves and cup-
leather or other soft or elastic packing rings, and small springs of india rubber or other
equivalent are preferably fitted between the back of the valve and a flattened part of their
moving rod to press the valve liquid tight to the port face of the distributing port chest
on which it works to keep it tight. And the tappets on the head of the piston-rod of
the measuring cylinder, which work said spindle outside the water valve casing, have
a certain amount of "play" movement before touching and actuating the said spindle
of the valve, to give proper adjustment and action at each traverse of the reversing

page_text: piston and the valve of the controlling cylinder of the valve arrangement for admitting
the water thereto and discharging it therefrom.
Although the piston-rod of the measuring cylinder in the reciprocating arrange-
ment has been described as connected to its piston by a sliding arrangement to give
only a short part of the motion of the piston to it to move the valve, and save room
in making the upper enclosing casing large, it might, when preferred, be connected
direct in the ordinary manner, and leave all the "play or ineffectual motion to take
place between the tappets and the valve to be moved at the upper end of the
piston-rod.
22
A further improvement of this invention and of the arrangement of distributing
valves and valve chests, consists in the use of circular disc valves mounted within
circular inlet and distributing or outlet valve chests with vertical face plates, all in
axial line, so that all the valves of each arrangement are mounted on one horizontal
axial spindle oscillated by a crank pin lever at one end from the piston-rods of the
controlling and the measuring cylinders respectively. The whole of the valve chests
are formed with turned annular faces, so as to be joined and bolted together by a few
longitudinal bolts, having their lower faces with the outlet and inlet branches in them
bolted and jointed down on to the upper planed face of the central disc, with the con-
ducting conduits cast in it, all so that in this case the water or motive fluid is admitted
from the inlet branch up into the central valve chest in both arrangements. While the
valve chests on each side open direct down to the ports leading to the opposite ends of
their respective cylinders; all so that the water is passed out througli radial ports
formed in the two disc valves of this central chamber working over corresponding
ports in their end face plates into one or other of the side chests alternately; while
a single corresponding disc valve acts on the end face plates of the two side dis-
tributing valve chambers in each arrangement for controlling the escape of the water
from opposite ends of the respective cylinders of each arrangement to which they are
connected. Four or other number of such radial ports would be formed in each disc
valve, and in the face plates of the chambers of which they work, and be all set so
that at each oscillation of the shaft by the piston-rod the two valves in the centre
chamber, would admit the water into the chest on one side to one end of the cylinder,
and close the valve and ports in this chest to the outlet, while also closing the inlet
to the other valve chest, but opening the outlet therefrom, and from the other end
of the cylinder. And vice versa when the spindle and valves were oscillated by the
piston rod in the opposite direction as the piston reaches the other end of the cylinder.
The ports in the outer end dises might either allow the water to escape down ducts
into the central cover, and up into the outlet discharge branch of the top enclosing
chamber of the valve chests, as in the former arrangement; or these ports might
allow the water to escape into this upper chamber direct out through the discharge
branch in it. In addition to the pressure of the fluid, rubber or other springs might
be mounted on the spindle of the disc valves to press them fluid-tight against their
working port faces in the valve chests. The piston of the small controlling cylinder
would preferably be constructed with two cupped leathers or other equivalent material
suitable for the acting fluid, secured between a joint at the centre disc web or webs, or
a disc jointing ring with cylindrical head for supporting the cupped leathers as the
working face or head of the piston, much in the same manner as the piston of the
measuring cylinder, but having its acting rod secured to the piston in an ordinary
manner without motion. The outer acting ends of the piston-rods (in this case of
oscillating disc valves) may be connected by transverse slots to the crank pins of the
spindles of the valves, or by short connecting-rods or other equivalent to change the
reciprocating motion of the piston-rod into the oscillatory or rotatory motion of
the valve spindles as described.
When complete and constant rotatory motion as a motor is desired, this latter
arrangement is most suitable, by ranging the two valve spindles in line, and connecting
and actuating them through their respective cranks at right angles to each other from
the piston-rods of their respective cylinders, that of the small cylinder turning the

page_text: crank of the large measuring cylinder past its dead centres as well as actuating its
distributing valves, while that of this large cylinder would do the same for the small
cylinder. In this case of having rotatory-motion given to the crank-shaft moved by
the pistons of the cylinders, the piston-rods would require to be secured to the pistons
and not move within them as first described, for the reciprocatory or oscillatory motion
of the valves or moved parts of these improved meters and motors.
All the important working parts of this meter or motor, such as the piston-rods,
valves, and valve chests, and their moving tappets and levers would be made of gun-
metal, or other metal which would not be liable to the corrosive action of the water or
pressure fluid used; and although the distributing valves and valve chests have all
been described as ranged with their working faces vertical, they might be placed
horizontally or at other angles.
Dated thin 19th L...
1000

page_text: I, JOHN HENDERSON STRANG, of the firm of Macfarlane Strang & Co., (Limited)
of 204 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Water and Gas Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters and Figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to improvements in the construction of meters and
motors of the class in which the pressure of the water, or other fluid to be measured,
reciprocates a piston to-and-fro within a straight cylinder, and measures the cubical
contents of the cylinder, for each single or double stroke of the piston by the action
of the liquid itself passed in and out of the cylinder, and indicates the quantity passed
through the meter by counting or recording gearing, index pointers, and dials.
The Invention comprises improvements in the construction and arrangement of
many of the main functional parts of the said meters or motors and of their mode of
action, and in special combinations of these, and of the whole general arrangement
of the parts; some of which parts are capable of considerable modification under the
improvements, which will make such meters and motors constructed in accordance
therewith more simple in construction and more reliable in action, as well as more
durable and less liable to wear and tear or derangement than such meters have been
as heretofore constructed.
The nature and novelty of this invention consist all as follows:-First and mainly
in a meter or motor, or arrangement, construction, and combination of a positive
acting single measuring cylinder with a reciprocating piston, having a very small
auxiliary cylinder and piston with an arrangement of distributing valve chest for
each cylinder, arranged so that the action of the piston of the measuring cylinder
actuates the controlling valve of the auxiliary controlling cylinder, the piston of
which actuates the controlling valve of the measuring cylinder, all automatically,
alternately, and reciprocally, so as to give a continuous positive reciprocating motion
to both pistons and measuring action to the main cylinder as long as the water or
other pressure fluid is turned or set on to pass through the machine. The water or
acting fluid enters the apparatus by one branch, and escapes by another separate
branch, through special arrangements of distributing valves or valve chests and their
ports, respectively for the measuring and the controlling cylinder, all as will herein-
after be described.
A further improvement consists in the construction and arrangement or combination
of the main functional parts of the meter or motor. One of these combinations
consists in forming the main measuring cylinder as a base framing carrying the

page_text: whole machine, with a turned and faced cover jointed and secured to a flange on the
top of the cylinder, also turned and faced above to receive the lower face and flange
of an upper case, close on top, all secured by the same bolts through the flanges of
This
the cylinder and upper case, and thus form the base or sole of the upper case.
upper case contains the small controlling cylinder and the two water or fluid
distributing valve chests of the measuring, and the controlling cylinder, (which may
be of different forms and constructions, such as with slide, oscillating, or rotative
valves) all bolted and jointed fluid-tight to the upper turned or planed face of the
cover of the measuring cylinder, forming the base or bottom of this upper chamber
of these valve chests, thus forming the whole as a self-contained or portable machine
of this general combination of the main parts named. Many of these parts, however,
may be varied in details of construction to suit modifications of the size of machine
and kind of distributing valve and valve chests used. One feature of the combination
of construction of these three main fixed parts is, that the water or fluid is admitted
by one branch pipe, and is discharged through another branch pipe formed on the top
of the upper case, with ducts leading down to its lower face into all the recesses and
conduits cast or formed in the central flange piece, forming the top of the lower
cylinder and bottom of this case, and which lead the water through and to the inlet
and outlet chambers and ports of the distributing valve chests, and to and from both
ends of the measuring cylinder and of the actuating small cylinder, as will hereinafter
be described.
And in order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention relates to
construct meters or motors in accordance with my improvements, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
---
Figures 1 and 2 are a side elevation and plan, with a small portion of the former
in section to show the actuating gear of the counting mechanism of one form of my
improved fluid meter or motor, with reciprocating pistons and valves, all as will
hereinafter be explained; and Figures 3 and 4 are a sectional elevation and horizontal
section, respectively, at right angles to Figures 1 and 2, the latter section being
taken on the line 1 1 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a top view, and Figure 6 a
transverse section taken on the line 2---2 in Figure 5, both of the intermediate
ported plate A2 forming the top of the measuring cylinder A, A¹, and the bottom of
the service and distributing cylinder D, showing the ports for conducting the acting
and measured liquid from the one distributing member to the other of the apparatus.
Figure 7 shows a front view of the face plate of the distributing valve chest E2 of the
measuring cylinder A; and Figure 8 is a front view, partly in section, of the valve E
and its casing E¹ and actuating cylinder D in elevation, for leading the liquid
from the measuring cylinder A, A, of the apparatus. And Figure 9 is a corre-
sponding front view of the face of the distributing valve chest arrangement C², and
Figure 10 a corresponding section through the valve C and its casing C for leading
the liquid to and from the controlling or actuating cylinder D of the valve chest
arrangement E, E¹³, E2, of the measuring cylinder A, A. All showing the inlet and
outlet ports e, e', and c, c¹, and the central exhaust ports e² c² of both valve chests E', E²,
and C, C². Figure 11 shows a detailed view of one arrangement of actuating gearing
or mechanism for giving intermittent circular motion to the indicating mechanism
from the reciprocating piston-rod b of the measuring cylinder A.
and
Figure 12 shows an elevation partly in section, and Figure 13 a horizontal section
taken near the line 3---3 in Figure 12, of substantially the same construction of
meter as shown in Figures 1 to 4, but with an arrangement of disc valves 1, 1, 1, with
radial ports n' in valves and valve faces n.
Figure 14 shows a vertical elevation at right angles to Figure 12, with the upper
case B, B, in section to show the controlling and actuating cylinder D of the valve
casing L, which it actuates for admitting and exhausting the water to and from the
measuring cylinder A; and Figures 15 and 16 are a top face view and transverse
section of the intermediate cover end A2, showing the ports for distributing the water
to and from the separate valve casings L and M in Figures 12 to 14.

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 to 11 of these Drawings:--One construction and arrange-
ment of the acting functional parts as suitable for a water meter in which the
distributing valves C and E are made in the form of slide valves, and no rotative
motion is required except that given to the indicating mechanism Figures 4 and 11,
intermittently through a ratchet wheel at each up and down motion of the piston
rod 6, of the measuring cylinder A, consist all as follows:-The measuring cylinder A
is placed vertically, as stated and shown in Figures 1 and 3 with a closed bottom and
ornamental base at A¹ on which it stands, and lined internally with brass, and fitted
with a piston a, a, as shown particularly in Figure 3, with double cupped leathers a",
secured by screw bolts or pins in the centre to the annular disc ring a; part of the
leather entering recesses formed in the circumferential head of the piston a, a¹, which
might be formed with enlarged turned parts at the upper and lower edges to form
metallic guides both working on the inner surface of the lined cylinder A; but the
piston might be formed in two halves at the dotted line 2 -- 2, and secure the leather
packing between them by the same bolts shown for securing the annular ring a¹. The
piston a, a¹, is preferably formed with a deep bored eye a², and closed upper end, with
a jointed screw plug on the lower end, for the insertion of the head or enlarged
abutting end of the piston rod b sliding within this turned eye a². The piston a, a',
would thus be moved to-and-fro within the cylinder A by the water entering above or
below it for a great part of its stroke without moving the piston-rod b, only doing this
as it came sufficiently near the end of its stroke in either direction up or down to
make the projecting tappets 61, 62, on the top end of the piston-rod b within the top
chamber B (passed through a stuffing-box for the purpose in the cover A²) reverse
the slide valve C of the distributing valve casing and chest C1, C2, of the small
cylinder D, the piston D¹ of which would, by the projecting end of its piston rod D2,
instantly reverse the valve E in the valve casing and chest E¹, E2, of the measuring
cylinder A and admit the water to the end which its piston a, a¹, had reached and
allow the water from the filled end of the cylinder A to exhaust out into the outlet
ducts ff, of the cover A² to the discharge branch B¹ at one side of the upper part
of the top chest B which encloses the small controlling cylinder D and distributing
valve chests C1, C2, and E¹, E2, all as will hereinafter be described. By this improved
construction the measuring cylinder A may be very long in proportion to its diameter,
and the top chamber B short, only a sufficient height to enclose the said valve chests,
as the small cylinder D would preferably be secured horizontally by flanges on the
top of the plate A2, and work the controlling distributing valve E across vertical
ports e, e, e, of the inlet and outlet water valve chest E¹, E2, of the measuring
cylinder A; while the piston-rod 6 of the measuring cylinder A would work the
valve C of the small controlling cylinder D vertically across horizontal ports c, c¹, c²,
in its outlet valve chest c²; all the valve faces being vertical, would prevent any
sediment or obstruction resting on these to interfere with the proper action of the
valves. A wire or perforated division g² would be inserted in a chamber g¹ of the
inlet duct in the top case B, and branch B', to prevent any matter going in with
the water which would obstruct the working of the valves and meter, and
which could be removed and cleaned from time to time as required. The
piston D¹ of the small cylinder D would only require to move the valve E as much as
to open the ports e, e¹, of the valve chest E, E1, E2, of the measuring cylinder A,
and the small quantity of water used to fill the ports in each of these motions would
be led and pass out with the water discharged from the measuring cylinder A, and
measured and recorded therewith by the indicating dials. The water from the inlet
branch in the upper case B, B¹, would be led through a duct recess h, in the central
cover A2 as before explained at d and h¹, up into both valve chests C', E¹, preferably
behind the valves (and E, so that any pressure of water would tend to keep the
valves E and C close to their vertical working faces of their ports. The water would
enter from the valve casing E¹, beyond the ends of the valve E, through one end
port e, e, in the valve chest E2 directly down through a port e³ in the cover A2 of the
measuring cylinder A, and to the lower end of this cylinder down through a long
port a³ in the one side of it, from the other end port e¹ leading into a chamber in the

page_text: ported valve chest E2 past the end of the valve E. The exhaust or outlet would take
place from either end of the cylinder A through these end ports e, e¹, and the centre
chamber in the slide valve E, into an exhaust or outlet port e² in the centre of the
distributing valve chest E, down into the outlet duct f, f, in the body of the central
cover A leading to the discharge duct f¹ and branch f2 of the upper chest and
branch B. The arrangement of the valve C, and the valve chest C¹, C², of the
controlling small cylinder D is of an equivalent construction, and is actuated in an
equivalent manner by the piston rod 6 of the measuring cylinder A, except that the
valve C and ports c, c¹, c², are disposed horizontally in place of vertically, as seen
particularly in Figures 9 and 10. The water enters the valve chest C¹ by the vertical
side port d from the inlet channel h, h, in the cover A2, while the lower port e leads
the water by the vertical side port d', to the inner end of the cylinder D by the
channel and port d² in the cover A²; while the upper port c¹ leads the water to the
outer end of the cylinder D by the back vertical port d³ in the chest C³, by the hori-
zontal channel d¹ in the cover A2. The exhaust or outlet takes place through the
central chamber in the valve C and central port c³ down by the vertical port c³ into
the exhaust channel in the central cover A² to escape through the discharge port
and branch f¹f of the meter as before stated, all so as to control the action of the
valve E of the chest E1, E2, leading the water to and from the measuring cylinder A
at each stroke and measured and recorded by the indicating mechanism shown in
Figures 4 and 11.
Å small lateral bracket I, secured on the top of the piston-rod 6 of the measuring
cylinder A, carries an oscillating actuating pawl i with heel check at ¹, which retains
it always in acting position, so that each time the piston-rod rises the bracket I
causes the pawl i to act on the teeth of a ratchet wheel j, so as to turn it one tooth at
a time. This ratchet wheel j is mounted on the inner end of a light spindle, passing
out through a stuffing-box in a bearing bracket bolted to the inside of the upper
case B, shown particularly in Figures 1 and 4, carrying at the other side of the
ratchet wheel j on a lateral stud, a small oscillating counterweighted retaining pawl,
which prevents the ratchet wheel j from turning backward and ensures its being
actuated in the forward direction one tooth at a time as before stated. The other end
of the spindle passes out into the chamber of the indicating mechanism at J,
secured on the outside of the upper case B at an angle of 45 degrees for the better
observation of the indices, with closing-in lid; and a bevel wheel 3 on the outer
end of the spindle actuates the first spindle of the train of wheels of the
counting mechanism, as seen particularly in Figures 1 and 4, which diminish in
speed in a usual manner by tenths, that is, each wheel with the index pointer on its
spindle, as it makes one revolution, turns the next index wheel one tooth of its ten
divisions, and so on for each wheel and spindle in sequence for as many index dials as
are ranged in the counting mechanism.
.
To prevent the escape or leakage from the inlet water chamber or casings C¹ and E¹
of the valves C and E through the holes of the rods 63 and D2 actuating these from
the pistons of the cylinders; these holes which pass out through the sides of their
valve chests C¹ and E¹ are fitted with grooves and cup leather or other soft or elastic
packing rings; and small springs of india rubber or other equivalent are preferably
fitted between the back of the valves C and E and a flattened part of their moving
rods 63, D2, to press the valves liquid-tight to the faces of the inlet and outlet ports
of the distributing port chests and E2 on which they work to keep them tight.
The tappets 61, 62, on the head of the piston rod b, of the measuring cylinder A, which
work said spindle 63 outside the inlet valve casing C, have a certain amount of "play"
movement before touching and actuating the said spindle of the valve, to give proper
adjustment and action at each traverse of the reversing piston D¹ and the valve C
of the controlling cylinder D of this valve arrangement C³, C², for admitting the
water thereto and discharging it therefrom, and regulate the action of the valve E
of the measuring cylinder A.
"
Although the piston rod 6 of the measuring cylinder A in this reciprocating
arrangement has been described as connected to its piston by a sliding arrangement

page_text: at a² within the piston a, a¹, to give only a short part of the motion of the piston to
it to move the valve, and save room in making the upper enclosing casing B large, it
might, when preferred, be connected direct to its piston a a' in the ordinary manner,
and leave all the "play" or ineffectual motion to take place between the tappets b², 6²,
and the valve C to be moved at the upper end of the piston rod b.
Referring to Figures 12 to 16 :-A further improvement of this invention and of
the arrangement of distributing valves 1, 1, 1, and valve chests L and M, consists in
the use of circular disc valves 1, 1, 1, mounted within triple circular chamber inlet and
distributing or outlet valve chests L, M, with vertical face plates n, and radial ports n',
all in axial line, so that all the valves of each chest L and M arrangement are
mounted on one horizontal axial spindle L', M³, each oscillated by a crank pin lever m
and m³, connected to the outer ends of the piston-rods D2 and b, of the controlling
and and measuring cylinders D, and A, respectively. The whole of the valve chests
of each set L and M are formed with turned annular faces n, so as to be joined and
bolted together by a few longitudinal bolts m², having their lower faces with the inlet
branches, d, and inlet and outlet branches a³, e³, and d¹, d³, in them leading to and
from their respective cylinders A and D, bolted and jointed down on to the upper
planed face of the central disc or end A2 of the cylinder A, with the conducting
conduits h, d, cast in it, all so that in this case the water or motive fluid is admitted
from the inlet branch g by the chamber g¹, with a wire or perforated case g² leading
to the inlet h, d, and up into the central valve chamber of each chest L and M in both
arrangements. While the valve chambers on each side of the central inlet valve
chamber of each chest L and M open direct down to their respective ports a³, e³,
and d¹ d², d³ d, leading to the opposite ends of their respective cylinders A and D;
all so that the water is exhausted or passed out through radial ports n¹ formed in the
two disc valves 1, 1, of this central chamber working over corresponding ports n in
their end face plates into one or other of the side chests alternately; while a single
corresponding disc valve 7 acts on the end face plates n of the two side distributing
valve chambers in each chest arrangement L and M for controlling the escape of the
water from opposite ends of the respective cylinders D) and A. of each arrangement to
which they are connected into the top chamber B of the meter, so as to escape out
through the outlet branch 2 of the cross pipe B¹ on the top of the chamber B, as
indicated by the arrows in Figure 12.
Four or other number of such radial ports are formed in each disc valve and in
the face plates n of the chests L and M, respectively, on which they work, and be all
set so that at each oscillation of the shaft 31 by the piston-rod b, the two valves 1, 1, in
the centre chamber would admit the water into the chest on one side to one end of
the cylinder D, and close the valve and ports n¹ in this chest to the outlet, while also
closing the inlet to the other valve chamber, but opening the outlet therefrom, and
from the other end of the cylinder D. And vice versa when the spindle M and
valves 1, 1, were oscillated by the piston rod in the opposite direction as the
measuring piston reaches the other end of the cylinder.
The ports n' in the discs of the outer end chambers might either allow the water to
escape down ducts into the central cover A² and up into the outlet discharge branch f² of
the top enclosing chamber B of the valve chests Land M, as in the former arrangement;
or these ports might allow the water to escape into this upper chamber B direct out
through the discharge branch f2, in it, as shown in the Drawings, Figures 12 and 13.
In addition to the pressure of the fluid, rubber or other springs might be mounted on
the spindles L' and M' of the disc valves to press them fluid-tight against their
working port faces in the valve chests. The piston D₁ of the small controlling
cylinder D, is preferably constructed with two cupped leathers or other equivalent
material suitable for the acting fluid, secured between a joint at the centre disc web or
webs, or a disc jointing ring with cylindrical head for supporting the cupped leathers
as the working face or head of the piston, much in the same manner as the piston of
the measuring cylinder, but having its acting rod D2 secured to the piston D¹ in an
ordinary manner without motion. As seen particularly in Figure 14, the outer acting
end of the piston-rod D2 (in this case of oscillating disc valves) may be connected by

page_text: transverse slots D³ to the crank pins m, m', of the spindles L', M', of the valves 1, 1;
or otherwise it might be by short connecting-rods or other equivalent to change the
reciprocating motion of the piston-rod into the oscillatory or rotatory motion of the
valve spindles as described.
All the important working parts of this meter or motor, such as the piston-rods,
valves, and valve chests, and their moving tappets and levers, would be made of gun-
metal, or other metal which would not be liable to the corrosive action of the water
or pressure fluid used; and although the distribution valves and valve chests have all
been described as ranged with their working faces vertical, they might be placed
horizontally or at other angles.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,―
First. In a water or fluid meter (or motor) with reciprocating piston cylinder A,
and a close top vessel B, with inlet and outlet branches B' for containing the valve Ć
and valve chest C1, C2, of a small motive power cylinder D for working the valve E
of the measuring cylinder A, in combination with an intermediate portable end
cover A² jointed between the top of cylinder A and bottom of vessel B, and valve
chests CCE E2, and cylinder D, and formed with or containing the passages for
conveying the fluid to and from the several ports of the said valves and valve chests
and cylinder A, substantially as herein described and particularly shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. In a reciprocating piston cylinder water or fluid meter (or motor) the
combination of vertical reciprocating valves actuated by the outer end of the piston-
rod 6 of the measuring cylinder for distributing the pressure fluid to a small motive
cylinder D for working vertical reciprocating valves for leading the water to and from
the measuring cylinder A, all jointed to the portable cover A2 with the close chamber B,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown particularly in Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In a reciprocating piston cylinder water or fluid meter (or motor) the
arrangement and combination of vertical faced reciprocating valves C and E and their
valve chests C1, C2, and E E2, with ports and ducts in them, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 3 and 4, and in
detail in Figures 7 to 10 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In a reciprocating piston cylinder water or fluid meter (or motor) the
herein described mode and means of actuating the internal ratchet wheel j¹ of the
outer indicating mechanism, by a bracket I and pawl i from the outer end of the
piston rod b, substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figures 1, 4,
and 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In a reciprocating piston cylinder water or fluid meter (or motor) the
combination of an arrangement of three circular chambered distributing valve
chests M and L, with oscillating disc valves l, l, l, the first oscillated by the outer
end of the piston-rod 6 of the measuring cylinder, for distributing the pressure fluid
to the controlling cylinder I), the reciprocating piston rod D¹ of which oscillates the
distributing valves of the chest L for leading the water to and from the measuring
cylinder A, all jointed to the portable cover A², within the close chamber B, substan-
tially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 12 to 16 of the
accompanying Drawings.