IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING AND MEASURING WATER, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO MEASURING OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Kent, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Bookseller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING AND
MEASURING WATER, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO MEASURING OTHER
FLUIDS."
Sealed the 11th April 1856, and dated the 15th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Kent at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
October 1855.
I, SAMUEL KENT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Bookseller, do
thereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PURIPYING AND MEASURING WATER, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO. MEASURING
OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a novel arrangement of apparatus for filtering
the water in its passage from the roofts of houses and other elevated situations
to the tank or cistern, where it is collected for domestic or other uses, and for
registering the amount drawn therefrom. Also in the combinations and
arrangement of materials used to form the filtering, beds, and in the use of a

page_text: powdered compound (hereafter described) for the purpose of softening the
water when required.
To accomplish these improvements, a filtering vessel (or chamber) is placed
in any convenient situation between the source of the water and the tank to
which it is to be conveyed and lodged for use. The filtering vessel is formed
of any suitable shape.--Internally-it-is-fitted with. a perforated stage or floor,
elevated some distance from the bottom of the chamber. On this stage is first
laid a layer of pebbles, then a layer composed of fragments of granite, upon
which is spread a piece of hair cloth or other suitable porous material, on the
top of which is laid a bed of ground glass, which is covered with another piece
of hair cloth or other suitable substance, upon which is laid a "terro-metalic"
bed, formed of ground flint and water, of the consistancy of thick paste, to
every four pounds weight of which is added ten grains of fine steel filings,
'forty grains oxalate of amonia, ninty grains peroxide of manganese, three
hundred and twenty grains of finely-powdered animal charcoal, and twenty
grains finely-powdered charcoal made from boxwood. These ingredients being
well amalgamated are rolled out into thin sheets, and when nearly dry are
pulverised to a very fine powder. Above this upper stratum is laid another
covering of hair cloth or other suitable porous substance, which is again
covered with a perforated stage (like the one used to support the filtering beds),
and which forms the floor of the compartment into which the filtered water
percolates. The water to be filtered is introduced by. a pipe or other con-
venient method into the filtering chamber at a point below the filter beds, and
percolates upwards through the trata into the space above the beds, from
whence it is carried by a pipe or other convenient mode to the tank in which
it is to be stored, or the water may be drawn off for use at any point above
the filtering beds. The bottom of the filtering chamber is provided with a
'waste pipe, which is covered by a valve, which is connected with a float or
floats which open the valve when the compartment above the filter beds is
sufficiently filled by the filtered water, or when the supply of water is greater
than can pass upwards through the filtering strata. By this arrangement it
*will be seen that the waste water running through below the filtering beds will
carry away all accumulation of sediment with it into the waste pipe, thereby
making the cleansing process self-acting. If prefered, the self-acting valve
may be dispensed with, by constructing above the filtering chamber a suitable
vessel, fitted with an overflow pipe, through which vessel the water to be filtered
passes on its way to the filtering apparatus; in which case it will be requisite
to construct an adjustabe outlet below the filtering beds, so that the space
beneath can be cleansed by flushing or otherwise.

page_text: The quantity of water withdrawn may be ascertained and registered by
forming a communication by means of a pipe from the interior of the cistern
to a vertical cylinder or other suitably-shaped vessel of any given capasity,
which is fitted with a floating piston, to the upper side of which is attached a
cord, which passes upwards through a valve opening formed in the centre of
the cylinder cover, and over the edge of a vertical friction wheel, which works
loose on its axis. A small weight being suspended by the extreem end of the
friction cord, causes it to adhere to the edge of the friction wheel, so as to give
it a reciprocating motion as the floating piston within the cylinder rises and falls.
On the side of the friction wheel there is a paul tooth, which works upon the
edge of a parallel rachet wheel, which revolves on the same line of axis as the
friction wheel. The axle of the rachet wheel extends through a dial plate placed
on the front of the apparatus, and is provided with a pointer, which revolves
within a circular graduated scale marked on the face of the dial. On the
axle of the rachet wheel at the back of the dial plate there is a pinion
wheel, which works into a toothed wheel; the axle of which also extends
through the dial, and is provided with a pointer, which also works on the
front of an index scale marked on the dial, and which advances, say, one
point, during the time the upper revolving pointer makes one revolution.
On the axle of the toothed wheel there is a pinion, which works into a second
toothed wheel, the axle of which is likewise provided with a pointer or
finger revolving on the face of an index marked on the dial. These wheels
and pinions may be increased to any number required, the end of the axle
of each being provided with a pointer working on the face of index scales,
as described.
In addition to the indexes marked on the dial and the
pointers, described, it is proposed to form the top of dial of an arched or
circular form, of a radius as large as that of the friction wheel, and marking
on the face thereof a graduated scale, and attaching horizontally to the side of
the rim of the friction wheel a light arm, which will extend to the front of
the dial. The outer end of the arm is turned parallel to the face of the dial,
to form a pointer for the upper scale. By this arrangement it will be seen,
that if the cylinder with its floating piston be placed, say, on the right-
hand side of the friction wheel, upon the liquid being withdrawn from the
cylinder the floating piston will fall, drawing with it the friction cord, which
will cause the friction wheel to revolve towards the right hand, carrying with
it the pointer arm, which is attached to the side of its outer rim, and the paul
tooth connected to the side of the friction wheel forces round the rachet wheel,
which gives motion through its axle to the wheelwork and registering pointers.
Upon the cylinder being again filled, the floating piston rises, the weight at

page_text: .
the end of the friction' cord falls, and the friction wheel is carried back to the
point at which it started from previous to the water being withdrawn from
the cylinder, carrying with it back the pointer arm attached to its rim; also
the paul tooth attached to its side, which being free to yeald upwards 'when
'drawn from right to left, does not act upon the wheelwork during its return
action, that is to say, during the rising of the floating piston, consequent upon
the refilling of the cylinder. As it is requisite that the cylinder should be full
of water previous to any portion thereof being withdrawn therefrom, a peculiar
description of valve tap is used, and which is constructed by fixing at or near
to the bottom of the cylinder a short horizontal tube, which projects beyond the
outside of the cylinder. This tube is fitted with a hollow plug, having a cross
head on the near end thereof, for the purpose of turning it round on its axis.
A hole is then bored through the upper side of the outer tube and hollow plug,
thereby forming an entrance into the interior of the cylinder through the
hollow plug, which is open on the inner end. To this opening the water from
the cistern' is conveyed by a pipe which is attached to the outer tube. The
hollow plug being turned round, say, a quarter of a revolution, the supply from
the cistern to the cylinder will be shut off. A little in front of the feed pipe
there is another opening, which is bored from the under side of the outer tube,
and through one side of the 'hollow plug, when turned round-sufficiently to
close the opening for the feed in the outer tube. The water from the cylinder
passing into the hollow plug, makes its exit through the opening in the under
side of the tube upon the hollow plug being turned, so that the hole therein
will coinside thereto. -
.
"
When hard water is passed through the apparatus, it is proposed to soften
it by placing in the space below the filtering beds, or in the water, on its
passage thereto, a powder formed by mixing in about the followin propor-
tions: dry oxalate of amonia forty grains, and ninty grains of, peroxide of
manganese, with three hundred and fifty grains of charcoal. This powder
will require to be renewed each time the space below the filtering beds is
flushed.