AN IMPROVED METER FOR WATER OR OTHER INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUID
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davics, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in
the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METER FOR WATER OR OTHER INCOMPRESSIBLE
FLUID." A communication from abroad by Eduard Schröder and
Julius Cohn, both of Berlin.
Sealed the 2nd March 1869, and dated the 7th September 1868. .
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the.
7th September 1868.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Scrle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of
Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METER POR WATER OR OTHER
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUID," (a communication to me from abroad by Eduard
Schröder and Julius Cohn, both of Berlin,) to be as follows:-
This improved meter consists mainly of two cylinders which serve as
measures of capacity and two distributing cylinders, all placed in
juxtaposition and parallel to each other beneath a crank shaft, by

page_text: means of which the four connecting rods for working the pistons and
distributing valves are actuated. The measuring cylinders are closed at
top and bottom, and are provided with water-tight pistons, the rods of
which work through stuffing boxes in the cylinder cover. The dis-
tributing cylinders are bored throughout, and are longer than the
measuring cylinders; their rods are each provided with four disc valves
or cup leathers, the outer ones of which serve to close the ends of the
cylinders, and the inner ones enclose a space about equal in length to
the measuring cylinders, and their overlapping edges serve to open and
close the parts which communicate between the distributing cylinders
and the top and bottom of the measuring cylinders. The valve rods
are jointed directly by means of pins to their respective connecting
rods, but the piston rods of the measuring cylinders are allowed a
certain amount of play whilst the cranks are passing their dead points
(so as to allow for the incompressibility of the water) by providing
the lower ends of their forked connecting rods with a cross piece
which plays between two collars fixed on the piston rod. The cranks
are arranged at right angles to each other. The supply pipe is provided
with passages entering the distributing cylinders in the space between
the two inner disc valves, and the discharge pipe is provided with
similar passages leading from the distributing cylinders in the spaces
at top and bottom between the inner and outer disc valves. A
worm on the crank shaft gives motion to any ordinary registering or
indicating apparatus. Where the water or other fluid is under pressure
it actuates the apparatus itself as long as the discharge cock remains
open, but where there is no pressure the meter is put into operation
by turning the crank shaft round, in which case it acts as a suction
pump and draws the water through at the same time that it measures it.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water enters from
the supply pipe through the passages into the distributing cylinders in
the space between the two inner disc valves, and passes thence through
the ports into the measuring cylinders above or below the pistons
according to the position of the valve rods and valves at the time,
whilst the water on the opposite side of the piston (the measured water)
flows out of the measuring cylinders through the opposite ports into
the space between the inner and outer valves in the distributing
cylinder, and thence by the openings to the discharge pipe.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th March 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in, the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer
and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Davies, Her special licence that I,
the said George Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Davics, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METER FOR WATER OR OTHER
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUID," (a communication to me from abroad by Eduard
Schröder and Julius Cohn, both of Berlin,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Davies, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
This improved meter consists mainly of two cylinders which serve as
measures of capacity and two distributing cylinders, all placed in
juxtaposition and parallel to each other beneath a crank shaft, by
means of which the four connecting rods for working the pistons and

page_text: distributing valves are actuated. The measuring cylinders are closed
at top and bottom, and are provided with water-tight pistons, the rods
of which work through stuffing boxes in the cylinder cover. The dis-
tributing cylinders are bored throughout, and are longer than the
measuring cylinders; their rods are each provided with four disc valves
or cup leathers, the outer ones of which serve to close the ends of the
cylinders, and the inner ones enclose a space about equal in length to
the measuring cylinders, and their overlapping edges serve to open
and close the ports which communicate between the distributing
cylinders and the top and bottom of the, measuring cylinders. The valve
rods are jointed directly by means of pins to their respective con-
necting rods, but the piston rods of the measuring cylinders are
allowed a certain amount of play whilst the cranks are passing their
dead points (so as to allow for the incompressibility of the water) by
providing the lower ends of their forked connecting rods with a cross
piece which plays between two collars fixed on the piston rod. The
cranks are arranged at right angles to each other. The supply pipe is
provided with passages entering the distributing cylinders in the space
between the two inner disc valves, and the discharge pipe is provided
with similar passages leading from the distributing cylinders in the
spaces at top and bottom between the inner and outer disc valves. A
worm on the crank shaft gives motion to any ordinary registering or
indicating apparatus. Where the water or other fluid is under pressure
it actuates the apparatus itself as long as the discharge cock remains
open, but where there is no pressure the meter is put into operation by
turning the crank shaft round, in which case it acts as a suction
pump and draws the water through at the same time that it measures it.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water enters from
the supply pipe through the passages into the distributing cylinders
in the space between the two inner disc valves, and passes thence
through the ports into the measuring cylinders above or below the
pistons according to the position of the valve rods and valves at the
time, whilst the water on the opposite side of the piston (the measured
water) flows out of the measuring cylinders through the opposite ports
into the space between the inner and outer valves in the distributing
cylinder, and thence by the openings to the discharge pipe.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "An
Improved Meter for Water or other Incompressible Fluid," I will now

page_text: proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that
the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto a-Sheet
of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of the
improved meter through the line A, B, Figure 4; Figure 2, a partly
sectional side view, also showing the registering apparatus; Figure 3,
a similar view to Figure 1, showing the apparatus in a different position;
Figure 4, a horizontal section through the line C, D, Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 5, a side view of the cranks, showing their relative positions ;
and Figuro 6, a plan of the cross piece and collar section through E, F,
Figure 3.
In the annexed Drawings a, a, are the cylinders which serve as
measures of capacity, and b, b, the distributing cylinder, all of which
are in juxtaposition running parallel to cach other, and are placed
beneath a crank shaft c, c, by means of which the four connecting rods
d, d, and e, e, for working the piston and distributing valves are actuated.
The measuring cylinders a, a, are closed at cither end (top and bottom)
by metal plates f, f, fitting into the cylinders, the upper or covering
plates of each cylinder enclosing a space forming a stuffing box,
through which the water-tight piston rods g, g, work. The distributing
cylinders b, b, which are bored throughout and are longer than the
cylinders a, a, have fixed to their valve rods j, j, four disc valves or cup
leathers h, h, the outer one at either end of the cylinder serving to close
the same, and the inner ones enclose a space about equal in length to the
cylinders a, a, their overlapping edges serving to open and close ports i, i,
which communicate between the cylinders a, a, and b, b; this kind of
cylinder closing ensures, besides simplicity, also the advantage of a com-
plete distribution; the piston rods are also provided with these disc valves.
The valve rods j,j, are jointed to the connecting rods e, e, by means of
pins or any other suitable and equally convenient device, but the piston
rods 9, 9, of the cylinders a, a, are allowed a certain amount of play
whilst the cranks (which are arranged at right angles to each other,
Figures 2, 3, and 5) are passing their dead points, so as to allow for the
incompressibility of the water. This is accomplished by providing the
lower ends of the forked connecting rods d, d, with a cross picce k, k,

page_text: (Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6) which plays between two collars b, b, fixed
on the piston rods. The piston rods work at their upper ends through
guides fixed to the back of the machine, which keep them always
vertical, and so avoid any strain being exerted on them. The cross
picce is fitted to the piston rod so as to work freely between the two
collars, whilst the crank pin runs through the highest or lowest part
of the curve in passing beyond the dead point, while the ports in the
cylinders a, a, and b, b, are shut up by the distributing valves; the cross
piece is also allowed to turn freely round in the forked connecting
rods d, d. While thus the piston cannot play up and down on account
of the incompressibility of the water the crank shaft c, c, is allowed to
move further by means of the cross piece k, k, which moves from one
collar to the other. The supply pipe m, m, (Figures 2 and 4) is in
connection with a channel or passago n, n, (Figures 2 and 4) running
parallel with the distributing cylinders b, b; this channel or passage is
provided with ports o, o, (Figures 3 and 4) entering the distributing
cylinders b, b, in the space between the two inner disc valves. The
channel p, p, (Figures 2 and .4) in connection with the discharge
pipe v, v, is also provided with similar ports q, q, (Figures 1 and 4)
leading from the distributing cylinders b, b, in the spaces at the top and
bottom between the inner and outer disc valves. A worm r, r, (Figures
1, 2, and 5) on the crank shaft c, c, gives motion to any ordinary
registering or indicating apparatus 8, 8, (Figure 2) by means of a toothed
wheel t, t, with which it is in gear. When the water or other liquid
is under pressure it actuates the apparatus itself as long as the discharge
cock u, u, (Figures 2 and 4) remains open, but when there is no pressure
the meter is put into operation by turning round the crank shaft c, c,
(by any suitable device), in which case it acts as a suction pump and
draws the water through at the same time that it measures it.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water enters from the
supply pipe m, m, through the channel n, n, and ports o, o, into the
cylinders b, b, in the space between the two inner disc valves, and passes
thence through the ports i, i, into the cylinders a, a, above or below the
pistons according to the position of the valve rods and valves at the time,
whilst the water on the opposite side of the piston (the measured water)
flows out of the cylinders a, a, through the lower ports i, i, into the
space between the lower, inner, and outer valves in the distributing
cylinder, and thence by the ports or openings q, q, through the

page_text: channel p, p, into the discharge pipe v, v, passing out by means of the
discharge cock u, u.
In Figure 1 the piston is represented as having arrived at the limit of its
downward stroke in one of the cylinders a, a, and the distributing pistons
in one of the cylinders b, b, as just beginning to close the ports i, i,
(which are provided with gratings or sieves), and the forked connecting
rod d, d, as displacing the cross picce k, k, by reason of the movement
of the crank shaft c, c. If the cross piece k, k, was firmly fixed to the
piston rod the machine would suddenly stop in the position represented
at Figure 1, because the water under the piston could not be compressed;
or else the distribution would have to be completed by means of other
and very complicated and expensive contrivances, which are imprac-
ticable in a water meter. In this meter the disposition is made possible
in the most simple manner; the crank shaft can move freely up to and
pass its dead point while the piston and rod are at rest. By means of
the displacement of the cross piece (which by the down stroke is in
contact with one of the collars b, b, and during the distribution has come
into contact with the other) no stroke can take place through the
movement of the piston in the opposite direction, because the space
between the collars or washers is set back during the resting or stoppage
of the piston; by this means the result is a continued steady motion,
which is transferred by the worm r, r, to the register or indicating
apparatus 8, 8. The movement of the register is the only labor that
the machine does, therefore the friction is very small, which renders the
apparatus very durable. The equally great pressure of the water flowing
in opposes itself to the resistance of the water flowing out, for which
reason, besides the cylinders, the separate parts of the machine need not
be constructed to correspond with the water pressure, but only to the
comparatively trivial work to be done. The advantages gained are a
cheaper apparatus, saving much wear and tear, with very accurate
measurement (more accurate than is possible in open measures of
capacity), being equally suitable for the measurement of foul water
which flows through without injury or detriment to the apparatus.
Fluids which have no pressure are measured by turning the crank shaft
(by means of any driving mechanism), which will serve just as well as a

page_text: per-
together with the manner in which the same is. to. be or may be
formed or carried into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion,
that I claim as the Invention communicated to me by the aforesaid
Eduard Schröder and Julius Cohn, the general construction and arrange-
ment of the improved meter for water or other incompressible fluid,
substantially as herein-before described and as illustrated on the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, or any modification thereof acting in the
same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.