Improvements in or connected with Liquid Meters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Liquid Meters.
A communication by GASTON ERNEST SAMAIN, 82, Rue Dutot, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord, Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of liquid meters in which the pistons move
freely and where the play of each cylinder causes the distribution in the other
cylinder.
It consists in the use of a single cylindrical body, divided by a partition in such
a way that the two cylinders of the meter form a prolongation of each other, and
in a peculiar arrangement of the slide valves.
This improved meter consists of a cast iron body divided in the centre by a
partition in such a way as to form two cylinders placed end to end, in which the
measuring pistons move. Each of these pistons has, on its external side, a tubular
prolongation, closed at the end and capable of entering freely into a projecting
sheath arranged to allow it to pass and to form part of the cover in which it moves.
In this tubular prolongation, a rod is placed, which may move freely therein and
which passes through the central part of the piston, this rod being provided at its
ends with shoulders, which, at the end of each stroke of the pistons, are slightly
displaced, and this movement is transmitted to the slide valves in the following
manner :-
On each side of the partition, levers are arranged, one of which is hinged on a
pivot placed above the axis of the other cylinder, and the support of which also
serves as a guide to the first lever. In this manner, the movement imparted to
these two levers at the pivots, by the sliding rods hereinbefore described, regulates
the inverse movement of their upper extremities, and, consequently, of the valves
which they operate. These valves, which are placed on the ports, are provided
with extensions arranged in such a way as to cross one another, so that the right
hand valve is operated by the left hand lever, and the left hand one by the right
hand lever, which, for this purpose, terminates in a fork shape.
Finally, the extended portions of these slide valves are arranged in such a way
that, at the points where the upper extremities of the levers, which operate them,
enter, they close the openings through which they pass.
The following is the mode of working the meter arranged in this way :—
The water or other liquid entering the valve chest through an admission pipe
passes through a perforated plate and penetrates, by an opening and a passage at
the top, in such a way as to force the left piston towards the left; at the same
time, the other face of this piston forces the liquid contained in its cylinder back-
wards, and compels it to pass, by two suitable openings and an internal pipe, into
the discharge tube.
In the same way, the liquid contained in the valve chest enters by the above-
named upper opening and passage and completes the forcing towards the left of the
right hand piston, whilst the water which is found behind it is discharged by suitable
openings into the exit pipe.
During the movement of the left hand piston towards the left, its slide rod, which
may move freely in its extension, at first receives no motion, but, when it arrives at
the end of its course, the extremity of this rod encounters the bottom of the

page_text: extension and moves the corresponding lever and the right hand slide valve, which
then changes the distribution in the cylinder and causes the movement towards the
right of the right hand piston.
In the same way, whilst this latter piston is being moved towards the right, its
slide rod will not be operated and may slide in the interior of this piston, but, when
it arrives near the end of its course, the shoulder of this rod is encountered by the
piston and displaces its; corresponding lever, and, consequently, the left hand slide
valve, which changes the distribution in the left hand cylinder by returning towards,
the right its corresponding piston.
It is understood that the same effects produced successively determine the
automatic action of the meter.
. Finally, it may be noted that grooves formed in the circumference of the shoulders
of the slide rods, and holes formed at the entrance of the extensions.in which these
rods move, allow the liquid to pass freely at this place in order to ensure free
movement of these rods and of the pistons of the apparatus.
The register is placed side-ways in the middle of the apparatus, and a finger
penetrating into one of the cylinders receives from the corresponding lever a slight
oscillation, which suffices to operate after each stroke of the piston the index of this
register.
Dated this 7th day of February 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Liquid, Meters.
A communication by GASTON ERNEST SAMAIN, 82, Rue Dutot, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 that class of liquid meters in which the measuring
pistons move freely in their respective cylinders, the piston of one cylinder causing
the distribution in the other cylinder.
It consists principally in the use of a single cylindrical body, divided by a central
partition in such a way that the two cylinders of the meter form a prolongation of
each other; and in a peculiar arrangement of the slide valves and the parts which
operate them.
The invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the
accompanying drawing, on which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the meter on the line a b.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus, the valve chest being removed.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on cd.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on ef.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the two slide valves of the meter.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the slide valves.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the other slide valve.
Figure 8 is a view of a detail showing the position of the register in the middle
of the apparatus.
This improved meter consists of a cast iron body A divided in the centre by a
partition B in such a way as to form two cylinders C and C placed end to end, in
which the measuring pistons D' and D³ move. Each of these pistons has, on its
external side, a tubular prolongation E¹ or E' closed at the end and capable of

page_text: atering freely into a projecting sheath F¹ or F' arranged to allow it to pass auve
orm part of the cover G or G in which it moves.
In this tubular prolongation, a rod L' or L' is placed, which may move freely
herein and which passes through the central part of the corresponding piston, this
od being provided at its ends with shoulders d d', which, at the end of each
troke of the pistons, are slightly displaced, and this movement is transmitted to the
lide valves in the following manner :—
e9
On each side of the partition B, levers K' and K' are arranged, one of which, K³,
s hinged on a pivot placed at the bottom of the cylinder C, whilst the other
ever K' is hinged on a pivot e' placed above the axis of the other cylinder C¹, and the'
support of which also serves as a guide to the first lever K. In this manner,
the movement imparted to these two levers at the points gl g³, by the sliding
rods L L hereinbefore described, regulates the inverse movement of their upper
extremities, and, consequently, of the valves H' and H which they operate. These
valves, which are placed on the ports a¹¹ c¹ and a b³ ³ formed in the plate M, are
shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and 7 and are provided with extensions arranged in
such a way as to cross one another, so that the right hand valve H' is operated by
the left hand lever K', and the left hand one H' by the right hand lever K³, which,
for this purpose, terminates in a fork shape, as shown in Figure 3.
Finally, the extended portions of these slide valves are arranged in such a way
which
that, at the points where the upper extremities of the levers K' and K',
operate them, enter, they close the openings f¹ and f' through which they pass.
The following is the mode of working the meter arranged in this way:-
The pistons having been arranged in the manner shown in Figure 1, the water or
other liquid entering the valve chest I through an admission pipe N passes through
a perforated plate and penetrates, by the opening C' and the passage f¹ in such
a way as to force the left piston D' towards the left; at the same time, the other
face of this piston D¹ forces the liquid contained in its cylinder C¹ backwards, and
compels it to pass, by the passage and the opening a¹ and an internal pipe m',
into the discharge tube O, as shown in Figure 3.
In the same way, the liquid contained in the valve chest I enters by the above
named upper opening C and passage 12 and completes the forcing towards the left
of the right hand piston Ds, whilst the water which is found behind it is discharged
by suitable openings fa into the case of the valve H and the opening 6* from
whence it reaches the exit pipe O by means of the internal passage m², as shown in
Figure 3.
During the movement of the left hand piston D₁ towards the left, its slide
rod L', which may move freely in its extension E', at first receives no motion, but,
when it arrives at the end of its course, the extremity d¹ of this rod encounters the
O bottom of the extension E and moves the corresponding lever K' and the right
hand slide valve H2, which then changes the distribution in the cylinder C³ and
causes the movement towards the right of the right hand piston D'.
In the same way, whilst this latter piston D2 is being moved towards the right,
its slide rod L' will not be operated and may slide in the interior of this piston,
5 but, when it arrives near the end of its course, the shoulder d' of this rod L' is
encountered by the piston and displaces its corresponding lever K³, and, con-
sequently, the left hand slide valve H', which changes the distribution in the
left hand cylinder C¹ by returning towards the right its corresponding piston D¹.
It is understood that the same effects produced successively determine the
50 automatic action of the meter.
Finally, it may be noted that the grooves formed in the circumference of the
shoulders d of the slide rods L' L, and holes formed at the entrance of the
extensions E' E' in which these rods move, allow the liquid to pass freely at these
places in order to ensure free movement of these rods and of the pistons of the
55 apparatus.
The register P is placed sideways in the middle of the apparatus, Figures 2 and 8
and a finger p, Figure 3, penetrating into one of the cylinders C, receives from

page_text: the corresponding lever K¹ a slight oscillation, which suffices to operate after each
stroke of the piston the index of this register.
This apparatus, arranged in the manner hereinbefore described, possesses very
important practical advantages over the various meters with independent pistons
.at present employed, and more particularly-
1st. The winding passages formed in the walls of the casing for the circulation
of the liquid and which cause a deleterious loss of pressure and difficulties of
cleaning are dispensed with:
2nd. The possibility of rendering the stroke of the slide valves much greater
than the displacement of the pistons which cause it :
3rd. The horizontal position of the apparatus and the perfect steering of the
pistons by the rods L'L³ which pass through them, these arrangements suppressing
all disturbing action in the working of the meter, caused by the weight of the
piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved liquid meter with independent pistons, consisting of a single
cylindrical body divided in the centre by a partition in such a way as to form
two cylinders placed end to end, and in which the free pistons of the apparatus
move substantially as herein before described.
2. In a liquid meter, the combination, with the free pistons, of two levers such
as K and K operating the valves of the meter and placed on each side of the
central partition of the cylindrical body of the apparatus; one of these levers
being pivotted at the bottom of one of the cylinders, and the other lever being
pivotted above the centre of the other cylinder in such a way as to be operated in
a different manner by the rods L' L' which pass through and guide the pistons
from which they receive a slight displacement at the end of each stroke;
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying drawing.
3. In a liquid meter of the kind described, two slide valves such as H' and H
having prolongations crossing one another in such a way that the valve H¹ is
operated by the lever K2, and the valve H2 is operated by the lever K', the ends
of these prolongations being arranged so as to close the openings made in the
casing for giving passage to the ends of the distributing levers; substantially as
herein before described and shown on the accompanying drawing.
4. The general arrangement and construction of parts forming this improved
liquid meter with independent pistons, substantially as described and shown on the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 6th dev of November 1803
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.