Improvements in Meters for Measuring Liquids, Vapours, and Gases.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Meters for Measuring Liquids, Vapours, and Gases.
We, HENRY ARCHIBALD TOBEY, Physician, Toledo Asylum for the Insane,
and HOMER TAYLOR YARYAN, Manufacturer of Gas Fixtures, No. 2131 Colling-
wood Avenue both of the City of Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, United States, of
America, 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 meters of the class known as dry meters, and has for
its object the construction of a device for measuring liquids, vapors and gases,
which shall be simple in construction, cheap, light, compact, durable, positive.in
operation, noiseless, causing no pulsation by its valve movement, and reducing
friction to a minimum. The further objects of our invention are, first, to provide
such meter with ports of peculiar form and arrangement and with a rotary slide-
valve actuated by the pressure of the liquid to be measured so that the induction
and eduction ports shall present substantially a uniform and unvarying area of
opening, thereby preventing pulsation; second, to provide such meter with a central
crank-shaft, actuated by the movement of a plurality of diaphragms and adapted
to give motion to the rotary slide-valve above referred to, and to the registering
mechanism of the meter; third, to provide such meter with a valve and valve-seat
in which the perfect contact of the surfaces shall be preserved by the uniform
wear of the parts; and fourth, to dispense with the stuffing-box heretofore in usė,
and to furnish a joint between the meter and the registering device which shall
overcome friction, wear, and leakage, and which shall be durable, practically
noiseless, and absolutely gas tight.
"
We attain these objects by means of the mechanism hereinafter described, and
shown in the accompanying drawings, made part hereof, in which
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a complete meter;
Fig. 2, a central, vertical, sectional elevation of the same, the front half being
removed to disclose the interior;
Fig. 3, a central, horizontal, sectional plan view on line x, a, (Figs. 1 & 2.)
showing the valve in the position of one port closed, one port receiving, one port
discharging, one diaphragm-chamber filled, one diaphragm-chamber filling, and
one diaphragm-chamber exhausting;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional plan-view, showing the valve in the position of
having made a half circle of the ports, showing the port discharging in Fig. 3 as
receiving, and the one receiving (same fig.) as discharging ;
Fig. 5 a plan view of the base and valve-seat, showing ports ; !
Fig. 6, a section in detail of the valve; and
Fig. 7, a perspective view of driving-staff, diaphragm and adjustable hemisphere,
constituting part of the ball-and-socket diaphragm-joint, hereinafter referred to.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the several views.
In the example here shown the shell of the meter is spherical in general outline,
(except it has a flat top and bottom,) and has three equidistant circular openings
in the sides, covered by lids forming segments of the sphere.
A designates the shell, in the present instance shown as composed of a frame B,
formed with three circular openings, closed by removable lids or caps C, held in
place by bolts and nuts c engaging flanges on the lids or caps C. Each opening is
formed with a flange b, upon which the outer edge of a flexible diaphragm d rests,
which diaphragm is clamped firmly in place by the coincident flange of the cap C,
the edge of the diaphragm acting as a gasket between the surfaces of the two
flanges, the space between the diaphragm and lid constituting a diaphragm-chamber,

page_text: e is the shell designed to contain the registering mechanism and to be screwed into
an opening in the center of the top of the meter. (See Fig. 2.)
The lower side of the shell has a circular opening closed by the base f;
g designates passages formed in the shell in communication with the central chamber
of the meter and the diaphragm-chambers, h; i is a bridge or yoke across the lower
part of the interior of the shell and serves as a support for the lower end of crank-
shaft k, which passes through and is journaled in a central opening in the bridge
or yoke. The crank-shaft is disposed axially of the shell and at its upper end
engages with gyrating staff 1, (Fig. 2.) which is connected with the gearing of any
suitable registering mechanism.
In the construction chosen for the illustration of our invention, we employ three
diaphragms, d, each of which is connected with the crank-shaft k, by means of
light connecting-rods m (see Figs. 2 & 3), secured to the diaphragm by means of
a hook and eye-bolt engaging metal washers or plates on the diaphragms, the
opposite end of the rod being connected with the crank by means of hooks and
eves, or other suitable means.
Shell A rests upon and is secured to base f, which is formed with an inlet n,
leading from the supply pipe into the interior of the shell, serving as the induction
port of the meter, there being an opening o, leading from the center of the interior
of the shell through the base which serves as an eduction port of the meter.
Both ports are screw-threaded to receive connecting pipes. p designates ports in
the valve-seat communicating with openings formed in the shell.
Ports P,
when uncovered, permit the passage of fluid to and from chambers h through
conduits p, q, 9. (See Fig. 2.)
is a horizontal, flat valve-seat projecting slightly above the remainder of the
base, and in this valve-seat are formed the ports p and eduction port o. Sliding
upon this valve-seat is valve s which resembles in shape an inverted cup, the lower
edge of the cup forming a flat, annular face, s', designed, when actuated by
crank on the lower end of crank-shaft k (see Fig. 2) to rotate in a horizontal
plane and to successively open and close ports p in the valve-seat. The cup or
chambers of valve 8, is of sufficient diameter to establish, at all times, com-
munication between one of the ports and the central opening o as the valve moves
in its circular path round central port o.
The outer edge of the face of the valve projects slightly beyond the outer edge
of the elevated valve-seat r, and the valve being journaled loosely on the end of
the crank-shaft, is free to turn on its own axis as it travels bodily around the axis
of the valve-seat. This double rotation of the valve insures the uniform wear of
the faces in contact, and prevents the accumulation of grit or dirt which is
constantly pushed outward and falls over the edge of the raised valve-seat.
In order to secure the greatest area of port opening for ports p, we adopt the
form shown in the drawings. It will be observed that the lines of the outer edges
of these ports are segments of a circle of the same circumference as the outer
edge of valves, and that the two lines of the inner sides of these ports which
intersect the outer lines, are segments of a circle of the same circumference as the
inner edge of the valve. These ports, in this instance three in number, are placed
equidistant in the circular path of the valve, and are arranged in such relation to
the face of the valve, that when the face of the valve covers either of the ports,
preparatory to opening that port, either to discharge or to receive, the outer and
inner edges of the valve-face coincide substantially with an outer and an inner edge
of that port, as the case may be.
Staff or shaft passes through the center of a ball t, which is divided into hemi-
spheres, one or both parts of the ball moving upon the threaded shaft, as nuts upon
a screw. Clasped tightly between the halves of the ball is a disc u, of any suitable,
flexible material, preferably of leather, through the center of which passes the
shaft. The outer margin of the disc is clamped closely between, a screw-cap vand,
the lower end of cup-like projection » on case e, as shown in Fig. 2. The screw-
cap and cup v, v, are bored axially, the openings forming a seat or socket in which

page_text: the ball t may turn and through which shaft
passes. It is obvious that the disc
thus clamped at its margin and center forms a flexible diaphragm, which prevents
the passage of any fluid through the ball and socket joint formed by the sphere t
and its bearings, and which permits the free movement of the ends of the shaft /
in any direction as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, and prevents the rotation
of the shaft on its own axis. The lower end of the shaft being operatively
connected with the parts of the meter the movements of which are to be recorded,
the motion of the end of the shaft within the meter causes a like motion of the
other end of the shaft, which motion is communicated through the usual train of
gearing to the indicating hands or pointers on the dial face, not shown in the
drawings.
The operation of our device is as follows: The fluid is admitted to the meter
through opening n and passes into the central, triangular space formed by the
diaphragm and the top and bottom of the meter. The position of the valve at all
times is such that the central space is always open to one or more of chambers
through one of the ports p, or substantially the equivalent in area of one of said
ports, and one of said ports, or its equivalent in area, is always open to the discharge
opening through concavity sin valves (see Figs. 2, 3, & 4). It will be seen by
reference to Fig. 3, that chamber h' is receiving, h2 is discharging and h³ is filled.
The movement of the valve is effected in the following manner: The central
space being filled with fluid at its initial pressure, and the position of the valve
such that one of the chambers is discharging, the return of the diaphragm to the
inner surface of the shell caused by the pressure exerted thereon by the fluid in
the central space, causes the diaphragm to pull upon the crank through its con-
necting-rod, thereby revolving shaft k causing the lower crank k¹ to move the valve
in a circular path and to change the relation of the valve and port openings so that
the next diaphragm d with its connecting rod is operated upon in the same manner,
and so on in succession, until the crank-shaft and valve have described a complete
revolution, one of the diaphragm-chambers being constantly full, or nearly so, one
emptying and the other filling. Thus, the successive, progressive filling and
emptying of the diaphragm-chambers imparts a regular, rotary movement to the
shaft, the revolutions, each of which corresponds with the determined aggregate
capacity of three chambers, being indicated by the registering device.
It will also be seen that the ports are opened and closed with a progressive,
shearing movement of the valve, which may result in the partial opening of one
port and the partial closing of another, but at all times maintaining a uniform port
opening through the meter, thereby guarding against pulsation in the discharge of
fluid.
While we may vary the form of the shell, we prefer the spherical form shown, it
being not only compact and neat in appearance, but having a greater strength than
any other form. Another advantage of the spherical form of shell shown is that
the dial face of the registering mechanism may be turned upon the vertical axis of
the meter so that it may be inspected from any direction, dispensing with the
necessity for "right-hand meters" and "left-hand meters heretofore in use.
We do not limit our invention to a meter having three diaphragms as the
diaphragm-chambers, connecting conduits, and ports, may be increased, if desired,
as any number of ports in the circle of the travel of the valve will operate on the
same principal as above indicated. Neither do we limit ourselves to the exact
form of valve here shown, as other valves may be employed, singly or in series,
without departing from my invention.
What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is
1. A meter spherical in general outline and having removable caps, adapted to
form measuring-chambers in conjunction with the diaphragms, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2. A meter having a shell composed of a frame provided with equidistant
openings, having detachable lids with flexible diaphragms, clamped between the

page_text: margin of said openings and said lids, substantially as shown and described, for
the purpose specified.
3. A meter having a shell spherical in general outline, composed of a frame
provided with equidistant openings having detachable lids with flexible diaphragms
clamped between the margins of said openings and said lids, the spaces between
the diaphragms and lids forming measuring-chambers, and the margin of the
diaphragms serving as a gasket for the joint formed by the juncture of the lid
and frame, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose specified.
4. In a meter, a series of ports in a valve-seat, arranged at equidistant intervals
in the path of a valve adapted to move in a circle, the marginal lines of said ports
being segments of the inner and the outer circles of the annular face of said valve,
substantially as shown and described; for the purpose specified.
5. A valve provided with an annular face and a central concavity, moving in a
circular path, in combination with a valve-seat having a central opening, and a
series of ports of substantially the contour described, adapted by means of their
relation to the path of the valve-seat, said central opening, the annular valve-face,
and the concavity of the valve, to maintain a port opening through the meter
of constant and unvarying area, substantially as shown and described, for the
purpose specified.
6. In a meter, a diaphragm secured at its margin, two hemispheres clasping said
diaphragm at or near its center between their adjoining faces, and a seat or socket
for the ball formed by said two hemispheres, in combination with a shaft or staff
passing through said ball and through said diaphragm, said staff or shaft being
connected at one end with the moving parts of the meter, at the other end with
the registering mechanism, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose
specified.
7. A shell, spherical in general outline, a series of flexible diaphragms arranged
at intervals upon the interior of the shell, forming diaphragm-chambers or
measuring-chambers between the shell and diaphragm a crank-shaft arranged
axially of said shell and suitably connected with said diaphragms, a registering
mechanism operatively connected with said crank-shaft, and a valve connected
with and actuated by said shaft, in combination with an inlet to said shell, an
outlet therefrom, a series of conduits connecting said measuring-chambers with the
central chamber of said shell, said outlet and said conduits being controlled by
the motion of said valve, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1892