An Improved Apparatus for Use as a Liquid Meter, Rotary Motor, Pump, and for similar purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1899—Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
An Improved Apparatus for Use as a Liquid Meter, Rotary Motor,
Pump, and for similar purposes.
ISAAC SMITH, of the Firm of Sydney Smith and Sons, of Basford Brass Works,
Nottingham, Brass Founders, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement
of an apparatus capable of being used as a rotary liquid meter, rotary motor, pump,
and other similar purposes, and has reference to improvements in and applicable
to, or improvements in the construction of an apparatus embodying the principle
of the invention described in the Specification of Patent No. 22573 A.D. 1893, the
object of the present invention being improvements in the means and methods
of carrying the rotating drum; the improved means for directing the inflowing fluid
into the rotary drum and improvements in the general arrangement and con-
struction of the apparatus.
According to this invention the improved apparatus comprises a circular drum
with two, three or more spiral or similarly curved channels between central ports
and other ports in the outer circumfrential side of the drum. The drum is
fitted to revolve on suitable bearings and the end of the central port box is closed
by a conical projection which changes the direction of motion of the inflowing
liquid.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate this invention as applied to a
liquid meter, and are referred in the following description.
Fig. 1 is a vertical centre section of the improved apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the rotary drum.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the application of a ball bearing and
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of an alternate method of constructing the drum.
The outer case a is divided by a horizontal partition 6 into an inlet chamber c
with nozzle d and an outlet chamber f with nozzle e both nozzles being made
with flanges or scewed for pipe connections and there is by preference a strainer
at the inlet nozzle to prevent the ingress of dirt and the like. The open ends of
the case a are normally closed by suitable cover plates.
Into the centre of the partition b there is fitted a port box g the upper end of
which is closed by a downwardly projecting cone h by which the inflowing
liquid is directed through the ports k in the side of the port box.
At the top of the port box and fitted to revolve thereon there is a closed
drum which has three spiral or similarly curved channels n which gradually
decrease in sectional area, from the centre to the outlet ports m formed in the
circumfrential side of the drum. This drum has upper and lower bearings o
and o' which are lined with anti friction metal bushes p which practically form
water tight joints with the outside of the port box, and allow the drum to revolve
with a minimum amount of friction.
The drum also revolves on a central pivot r which is carried by a bracket
piece r¹ and has a bearing in the cone piece h or in a bush secured therein and

page_text: above the piece ¹ there is a spindle s provided with a screw t which is suitably
geared with any ordinary recording mechanism.
The drum and the division plates or sides of the channels, are made of
aluminium or other light metal not affected by the liquid, and may be cast,
pressed or built up by any other well known method. In the drum shown the
upper part or lid carries the division plates between the channels and the piece r
while the lower part carries the drum sides with the ports m and the two parts
can be fixed together in varying positions according to requirements:
The number of channels m in the drum may be varied but there must be
sufficient area to admit of the passage of the liquid to be measured, and there
must be sufficient surface to ensure the revolution of the drum without slip or
congestion of the liquid therethrough or therein, and by preference the number
of ports is different to the number of channels n whereby a greater regularity
in the flow of the liquid through the drum is obtained and the action of the
revolving drum is better balanced.
In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the drum 7, which is constructed as herein
before described, is fitted to revolve on ball bearings. At the top and bottom of
the drum there are collars fitted with cones u which also form practically water
tight joints between the interior of the drum and the outside of the port box g.
Under the drum 7 there is fitted to the port box g a fixed cone v, between which
and the lower cone piece u there is a row of balls w. Above the drum the
upper end of the port box is screwed for the adjusting cone and its lock nut y;
thus forming a bearing for the second row of balls w¹. In this arrangement the
connections between the drum and the recording mechanism may be similar to
that already described with reference to Fig. 1.
In the drum shown in Fig. 2 the walls of the channels n terminate in com-
paratively sharp edges and in certain positions admit the fluid flowing through
the ports to enter both the channels of which the particular wall forms a part.
When it is desired that the fluid passing through one port shall enter one channel
only. The inner ends of the walls of the channels are thickened as shown at 1,
Fig. 4, are bored to fit the outside of the port box g, and are at least equal in
length to the width to ports K.
When the improved apparatus is to be used as a liquid rotary motor, rotary
pump or the like, the drum is carried by any suitable arrangement of bearings
and is provided with a pulley by which it may transmit its motion or be driven, or
other mechanical means may be used for the same purpose.
J
When the improved apparatus is to be used as a motor driven by steam or
other elastic fluid the channels in the drum are so formed that the area of the
same increases from the inlet to the outlet instead of decreasing as shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Having now 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:-
-O
1. The combination of a drum provided with two or more spiral or similarly
curved channels and an outlet to each channel, with an inlet port box provided
with inlet ports and a directing cone, constructed arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings and
for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The combination of a drum provided with two or more spiral or similarly
curved channels and an outlet to each channel and with bearings above and
below the drum, with an inlet port box provided with inlet ports differing in
number to the number of channels in the drum and a cone for directing the
inflowing fluid, constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
herein set forth.
3. The combination of a drum provided with two or more spiral or similarly

page_text: curved channels and an outlet to each channel, ball bearings supporting the
drum, and a port box with directing cone constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings
and for the purposes herein set forth.
4. The combination of a drum provided with two or more spiral or similarly
curved channels with an outlet to each channel and with sides to the channels
arranged to close the inlet ports in succession, with an inlet port port box pro-
vided with inlet ports and directing cone constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings
and for the purposes herein set forth.
5. The general arrangement and construction of the apparatus as herein
described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings and for
the purpose herein set forth.
6. The general arrangement & construction of an apparatus substantially as
herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the pur-
poses herein set forth.
Dated this oth May 1899.
W. H. POTTER,
Patent Agent, Brougham Chambers, Nottingham.