IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LIQUID METERS." - A communication from abroad by Robert
Creuzbaur, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said
said Alfred Vincent
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th June 1868.
1, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LIQUID METEI S." to be as follows:
These improvements in fluid meters relate to the use of two double-
acting cylinders, two pistons, and two valves with corresponding ports,
the whole so arranged that the valve or valve stem belonging to the
Price 8d.]

page_text: one cylinder and piston forms the guide for the other piston and moves
with it, and vice versa. Provision is made for packing the pistons thus
arranged with elastic rolls.
The Invention also includes a new balanced sleeve valve and a new
and improved mode of transforming the reciprocating motion taken
from the moving parts into the rotary motion given to the registering
apparatus. It also combines the advantages of a double-crank meter
without its disadvantages, with the arrangement of moving the valves
directly by the pistons; also the use of a crank shaft thus arranged
for moving the registering wheels; and also a mode of forming the
fluid-tight joints of the valves by means of rubber rolls, which cheapens
their construction and admits of the passage of impurities without
injury.
These principles or modes can be applied to meters in various forms
and modifications, but the arrangement which I prefer is that in which
the shell of the meter is composed of two end cylinders connected
together by two central valve and port casings. At the junction of
these central valve and port casings is a division plate covered on its
opposite sides with packing discs. These central casings are cast with
concentric barrels which are formed with ports, and in which work a
pair of sleeve valves. Through the division plate pass the rods of a
pair of pistons which severally work in their respective end cylinders.
These pistons are fitted with rolling packing rings of vulcanized rubber,
and elastic blocks are fitted in the ends of the cylinders for the cipistons
to strike against. The piston to the right is connected by its rod or
rods with the valve to the left and vice versa, so that the movement of
the piston and its valve will be simultaneous. The ports and valve
action are so arranged that one piston will have the lead of the other
both in the forward and back motions. Passages in connection with the
supply and discharge pipes for the liquid to be measured are formed
inside the central casings, but outside the barrels containing the sleeve
valves; these valves are made with open ends, and at their middle their
diameter is contracted to form concentric ways for the passage of the
liquid. The liquid is supplied to opposite sides of the pistons alternately
and discharged therefrom, the traverse of the one piston serving to
reverse the position of the valve which controls the supply and discharge
of the liquid to and from the other piston. The registering of the
amount of fluid passed through the meter is effected by connecting to

page_text: one piston a looped sliding rod which carries two fingers. Within range
of these fingers is mounted a disc, the stud axle of which forms a guide
for the rod. This disc is fitted with four pins set at equal distances
apart, two on the upper side and two on the under side of the disc, and
at every traverse of the piston one of the pins is struck and a quarter
revolution is given to the disc; the intermittent motion thus obtained is
transmitted in any usual way to the dials of a counting apparatus.
A modification of this meter consists in lengthening the middle piece
sufficiently to make room for the revolutions of a double crank shaft.
This shaft is operated by connecting rods, one of which is pivotted to
the near sleeve valve and the other to a cross bar made fast to the piston
rods of the near piston. By this arrangement while the work of shifting
valves is done directly by the pistons this crank attachment serves to
keep the latter at the proper relative positions to each other without
strain upon the shaft and at the same time a positive and direct register-
ing movement is provided.
A further modification consists in placing the sleeve valve barrels side
by side instead of in line as in the above described arrangements, and
fitting the valves with rings of rolling elastic substance for closing the
ports. In this instance the valves are each connected to the piston
nearest them, and one valve is also connected by a crank and coupling
rods to the second valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent

page_text: Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS," being a communication
to me from abroad by Robert Creuzbaur, of Brooklyn, in the State of
New York, United States, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent New:on, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
These improvements in liquid meters relate to the use of two double-
acting cylinders, two pistons, and two valves with corresponding ports,
the whole so arranged that the valve or valve stem belonging to the one
cylinder and piston forms the guide for the other piston and moves with
it, and vice versa. The pistons thus arranged are packed with elastic rolls.
The Invention also includes a new balance sleeve valve and a new
and improved mode of transforming the reciprocating motion taken from
the moving parts into the rotary motion given to the registering apparatus.
It also combines the advantages of a double-crank meter without its dis-
advantages, and the moving of the valves directly by the pistons; also
the use of a crank shaft thus arranged for moving the registering wheels;
and also a mode of forming the fluid-tight joints of the valves by means
of rubber rolls, which cheapens their construction and admits of the
passage of impurities without injury.
These principles or modes can be applied to meters in various
forms and modifications, the most prominent of which are described
herein.

page_text: parts) in B
In the accompanying Drawings Figures 1 to 7 inclusive represent
one arrangement of the improved meter. The shell of this meter is
formed of the two end cylinders A, A', identical in shape, and the two
central valve and port casings B, B', also identical in shape. When
bolted together the two pieces A, B, occupy a position in reference to
the pieces A', B', as if turned a quarter revolution round, so that while
the nozzle or outlet port E on the piece B is on the top the inlet
nozzle F on piece B' is on the side. The division plate C, with packing
discs C, C', divides the shell into two separate parts. D', D', are the
valve chambers around which the port channels are arranged; the
outlet channels E', E', on the sides connect at one end at the top to
form the outlet E, and the inlet channels F', F', on the top and bottom
connect at the opposite end on the side to form the inlet F. Each valve
chamber has three ports cut into it, the feed port F" (in two
next to the division plate C, and the escape port E" in two parts
farthest from division plate C; on the other side in casing B' this is
reversed. Between these two ports in each casing D, D', is the port G
leading through the channel G₁ to the rear of the cylinder and piston;
the open ends of the casings D, D', form the front ports of the cylinders.
The valve V is a cylindrical open sleeve shaped as represented, the
enlarged ends of which travel across the inlet and outlet ports F, E².
Te keep the valve perfectly balanced these ports are each made in two
o more equal parts opposite each other or in such a manner as to
balance the pressure upon the valve while the latter is covering these
ports. The rear port G is not thus divided because it is never covered
by the valve. P, P₁, are the pistons packed with rubber rolls R; these
rolls are confined between the flanges P2 of the piston, the distance
between these flanges being at least half the throw of the piston
added to the thickness of the roll. The peculiar open shape of this
piston, while being of good form for being cheaply cast, admits of work-
ing close up to the mouth of the valve casing D, thus saving space and
material. The piston P is firmly fastened to the rod Q, which rod
passes through the plate C and leather packings C', C', and is fastened
to the valve V' in such a manner that the latter can accommodate
itself to the bore of its casing D' while moving in unison with the
piston P. The piston P is connected in the same manner to the
valve V by the two rods Q', Q'; K, K, K, are pieces of rubber upon
which the piston cushions. Motion is given to the registering wheels
by a rod m fastened to the piston P', and passing through the stuffing

page_text: Lox S; this rod is slotted, as shown, which slot guides it on the axle
of the wheel n; this wheel has four pins n', two on the top in diagonal
positions, and two underneath at right angles to the top pins. The
rod m has two ears m' and m¹, the former shaped so as to impinge
alternately on the two lower pins, and the ear m" on the upper pins.
In the forward motion of the piston P and rod m one of the upper
pins will be carried by the car m" into the position shewn, and in the
return stroke the ear m¹ will carry the lower pin in its line of travel
with it, thus giving a rotary motion to the wheel n. The inertia of the
set of registering wheels connected to this wheel n will prevent it from
accidentally returning on its path; a friction washer will have the same
effect.
The operation is as follows;-In the position shewn in Figure 2 the
feed fluid entering through the side pipe F (Fig. 5) and occupying
conduits F', F', passes through the uncovered port F, F, to the front
of the piston P', and drives it back, as shown by the arrow. The fluid
behind the piston is forced out through the channel G', enters the
valve casing D' at port G, and passes out through ports E³, E³,
channels E', E', and nozzle E (Fig. 3). The piston P¹, moving in the
direction shown, carries with it the valve V of the other cylinder, which
will immediately uncover its ports F³, E³, connecting F with G, and E
with the front of the piston P. In consequence the piston P will move
forward driving the fluid in front of it through ports E³. As this
piston advances the valve V' in the other cylinder A' which moves with
it will cover its ports and uncover them on the other side, so that the
ports F will be connected with the rear port G, and the escape ports E
will connect through the centre of the valve with the front of the piston,
in consequence, the piston P will move to the left, and so on. The
inlet and outlet ports F, E, may be interchanged without changing the
result. It is evident that the common double-piston balanced valve as
used in water-pressure engines, and not open through the centre, can
be arranged to produce the same effect by laying the valve casings side
by side, or by laying each valve casing along its own cylinder and the
centre of each cylinder directly opposite the centre of the valve of the
other cylinder, the ports being arranged accordingly. The common
slide valve or the rotary circular valve can also be applied on the same
principle (see Figures 10 to 17).
The open sleeve valve V can be modified in several ways without

page_text: changing the principle of its construction. Instead of forming the fluid-
tight joints around its extreme periphery the enlarged parts can be
formed of annular discs or flanges shaped to fit upon usual cone-shaped
seats like the "double-beat valve;" or these flanges may abut upon
rubber or other valve seats. Both these modifications are applicable to
single-cylinder meters, only wherein the valve has a "jump motion,"
as particularly described in the application for such a meter; or the
fluid-tight joints may be formed by the use of rubber rolls, as described
here below; or the ports may be changed, so that the valve casing is
closed at the ends and is filled by the feed fluid, the other ports in
that case being arranged precisely as in a common slide valve, the only
difference being in this that the slide valve acts on one side only while
this valve acts all around its periphery, and has its ports on opposite
sides as described, so as to become a perfectly balanced valve.
such an arrangement the crank shaft would be placed between the two
valves; however, the peculiar arrangement of ports described is con-
sidered decidedly the best.
With
Figures 8 and 9 represent a vertical and a horizontal section of a
different mode for operating the registering wheels, which also secures
the advantage of insuring the proper harmonious reciprocating action of
the pistons and valves in reference to each other, entirely avoiding the
possibility of the latter covering their ports at the same time or of the
pistons not moving to the end of their intended strokes. To accomplish
this the arrangement above described is only modified, in so far as the
middle piece B¹ is lengthened so as to make room for the revolutions
of the double-crank shaft 1. This shaft is operated by the connecting
rod 2 fastened to the valve V₁ and the connecting rod 3 fastened to the
two valve rods Q', Q', by the flat piece 4. The flat piece 5, which is
fast to the pivot pin 6 of the rod 2, slides on the rods Q1, Q', and thus
prevents the turning of the valve V', which would interfere with the
frec action of the shaft 1. These connecting rods have some end play
on the crank shaft so as to allow the latter free motion while the ports
are covered by the valves. By this mode while the work of shifting
valves is done directly by the pistons this crank attachment serves to
keep the latter at the proper relative positions to each other without
strain upon the shaft, and at the same time furnishes a positive and
direct registering movement. This auxiliary crank shaft arrangement
is also applied in a different form in Figures 10, 11, and 12, which
represent a meter constructed on the same principles, the valves being

page_text: packed with rubber rolls, as above alluded to, and the valve casings
placed side and side. In this case the connecting rod 2 is fastened to
the valve V', as in Figures 8 and 9, but the rod 3 is fastened to the
piston P directly. The rubber rolls 7, 7, take the place of the joint,
forming enlarged parts of the valves V in Figures 8 and 9. These rolls
roli upon and
past the ports, producing the identical result in the fluid
ways and
upon the pistons as the metal joints named. Such rubber
roll valves require no finished barrel or casing to operate in; they make
a perfectly tight joint, and will travel over small obstructions, such as
sand, soil, &c., without injury. The two ports over which the two rolls
in each valve travel are made very narrow and the rolls quite thick, so
that the ports can be simultaneously covered with certainty. With a
"jump valve" used in single-cylinder meters the rolls are made
thinner than the width of the ports so as not to stop the flow of the
water. The travel of the rolls is half that of the valve casings and
pistons.
Figures 13 to 17 inclusive represent a modification of Figures 1 to 7.
These Figures show how the valve and its chamber can be laid parallel
to the cylinder and piston which it governs and directly opposite to the
piston of which it forms the guide and by which it is moved.
The registering wheel n is moved as in Figures 6 and 7, but the
arms m' and m³ which move it are directly fastened to the valve V.
It is evident that the meter can be used as a motive-power engine.
For that purpose when a rotary motion is aimed at the crank shaft is
made of sufficient dimensions to transmit the whole power. When the
pressure is high the rolls as piston packing are omitted, and the pistons
are packed in any of the usual ways.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Liquid Meters, as communicated to me from abroad, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I claim,
First. The application to liquid meters of the cylindrical balanced
open sleeve valve V operating as above described.
Second. The application of cylindrical or piston balanced reciprocating
valves in liquid meters having two or more reciprocating cylinders when
the valve or valve stem of the one cylinder serves as guide to the piston
of the other cylinder.

page_text: Third. Attaching the valve of one cylinder to the piston of the other
cylinder, so that they move through equal spaces, and move and are at
rest simultaneously.
Fourth. The arrangement of dividing the ports which are alternately
covered by the valves, so that the latter may be truly balanced.
Fifth. Operating the registering wheels by changing the reciprocating
motion taken from the moving parts into a rotary motion in the manner
shown.
Sixth. So arranging the valves and pistons in combination with a
crank shaft or equivalent that while the valves are directly moved by
the pistons in a manner equivalent to that shewn the relative and proper
positions of the pistons to each other are regulated and made sure by
the crank shaft.
Seventh. Moving the registering wheels by a crank shaft coupled
to the moving parts in a manner equivalent to that shewn and
described.
Eighth. The mode of shutting off communication through a port or
ports or to change the direction of the fluid passing through it or them
by rolling an elastic roll upon such port, or by rolling such roll or
rolls from one side of such port or ports to the other side thereof, sub-
stantially in the manner described and shewn and for the purposes
named.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)