An Improved Apparatus for Measuring and Registering the Quantity of Liquid Withdrawn from Wine and Spirit Casks and other Receptacles..
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Measuring and Registering the Quantity
of Liquid Withdrawn from Wine and Spirit Casks and other
Receptacles..
I, JOHN WILLIAM SHELLEY, of 309, Hoe Street, Walthamstow, in the County
of Essex, Mining 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:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for measuring and automatically
registering the quantity of liquid withdrawn from wine and spirit casks and
other receptacles.
My improved apparatus comprises a measuring chamber, which is preferably
made wholly or partially of glass or other transparent material, a three-way
cock or valve, by means of which the said measuring chamber is put in communi-
cation either with the liquid-reservoir or with the draw-off pipe or nozzle and a count-
ing device adapted to register the number of times the said measuring chamber has
been put into communication with the said draw-off pipe or nozzle.
The communication between the liquid-reservoir, the measuring chamber and
the draw-off pipe or nozzle is controlled by the three-way cock or valve in such
a manner that, when the measuring chamber is open to the liquid reservoir, the
outlet through the draw-off pipe or nozzle is closed and vice versa, the counting
device being connected to the three-way cock or valve by suitable mechanism by
means of which the said counting device is advanced a predetermined distance
for each time that the measuring chamber is put into communication with the
draw-off pipe or nozzle.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front view of my apparatus, part of the cover of the counting
device having been removed and,
Figure 2a side view partly in section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a section taken on the line ', ¹, Figure 1.
is a measuring chamber formed by a cylinder, a', preferably made of glass or
other transparent material, mounted between flanged plates a², a³ and supported
upon the body of a three-way valve b secured to a base or back-board at. The
passage. traversing one of the branches of the three-way valve, opens into the
chamber : The passage 2 communicates with the liquid-reservoir and the
passage forms a draw-off pipe or nozzle. The passage c through the plug c¹ of
the three-way cock or valve is adapted to put the chamber a into communication
either with the liquid-reservoir through the passage 2 or with the draw-off pipe or
nozzle 63 but is so constructed that these two are the only connections that can be
made. That is to say, the passage 3 can never be in direct communication with
the passage 62 neither can the said passage ba be open to the passage
latter is open to the liquid-reservoir.
when this

page_text: The amount of rotation of the plug c¹, which is operated by the lever or handle 4,
is limited by stops ³, engaging a pin c² projecting from the valve-plug c.
An extension d of the plug c supports the disc crank d keyed fast thereon
and the pawl mounted on the crank-pin engages with the ratchet wheel e¹ of
the counting device e which is supported upon a bracket f attached to the back-
board at.
The cam projecting from the underside of the pawl engages with a collar
provided on the spindle of the counting device for the purpose of holding the said
pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel el during the first part of its
stroke but, shortly in advance of the opening of the chamber a to the nozzle or
draw-off pipe 3, the cam d permits the pawl d² to engage the ratchet wheel e¹.
The pitch of the teeth of the ratchet wheel e¹ is equal to the length of the full
operative stroke of the pawl d.
To provide for the escape of air from the chamber a when filling, and the
admission of the air thereto when emptying, an air passage g opens through the
upper flanged plate a³ and I prefer to construct this part of my improved apparatus
with the said air passage g opening into a small chamber g¹ containing a float or
ball-valve g² of pith or cork. In some instances I prefer to employ a hollow
buoyant sphere of metal or glass. The chamber 9 is open to the atmosphere
through the passage g³.
The operation is as follows:-
C
The lever or handle is brought to the position indicated by the broken line 1
(Figure 2) so that the passage through the plug c¹ completes the communication
between the passages 1 and 2. This permits the entrance of liquid from the
reservoir to the chamber a, the air escaping by the passage g¹. When the liquid
overflows into the chamber g₁ the float g² is raised until the outlet g' is closed
tits preventing any waste.
The handle is now rotated to the position 2 closing the communication between
the liquid-reservoir and the measuring vessel and opening the communication
between the measuring vessel and the draw-off pipe or nozzle, in order that the
liquid can be drawn off, the float g2 falling and admitting air.
Shortly before the release of the liquid the cam permits the pawl d² to engage
and carry with it one of the ratchet-wheel teeth and if the valve plug is rotated
sufficiently to permit any of the liquid to pass down the draw-off pipe or nozzle,
no matter how small the opening allowed for such withdrawal, the ratchet-wheel
will be rotated through a sufficient distance so that, at the next operative stroke
of the pawl, after the valve-plug has been rotated to refill the chamber a, the next
succeeding tooth of the ratchet-wheel will be engaged and carried round by the
pawl.
A
The counting device and the mechanism connecting the same with the valve
plug, can be enclosed within a casing or box h to guard the same from inter-
ference by unauthorized persons. A glazed observation aperture ¹ can be pro-
vided in order that the counting dial can be read at all times. h² is a locked door
through which the adjusting button f2 of the counting device can be reached.
spring pressing against the spindle e² of the counting device acts as a brake to
restrain the same from motion during the backward travel of the pawl or to pre-
vent any excess of motion when the pawl has reached the end of its operative stroke.
The measuring chamber a is so made that it will contain any predetermined
quantity of liquid, for example, a quantity to be sold for a certain price and the
counting-device, instead of registering the number of times the chamber a has
been opened to the draw-off pipe or nozzle, can be constructed to show the money
value of the liquid supplied or the quantity in any suitable system of measurement.
Although I prefer to construct the walls a¹ of the chamber a of glass or other
transparent material, in order that the operator can see that the chamber a is
completely filled before turning the lever c to draw off the liquid contained in the
said chamber, I can, if desired employ any other material and I can make the said
chamber of any convenient shape or dimensions.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. An apparatus for measuring and recording the quantity of liquid with-
drawn from wine and spirit casks and other receptacles, consisting of a measuring
vessel in combination with a counting-device adapted to register, either directly
or indirectly, the total quantity of liquid so withdrawn, substantially as described.
Second. A measuring apparatus in which a measuring chamber is adapted to
be put in communication respectively with a liquid reservoir and a draw-off pipe
or nozzle through passages controlled by a three-way cock or valve so constructed
and arranged that, when the said measuring chamber is in communication with
the liquid reservoir, the passage between the said measuring chamber and the
draw-off pipe or nozzle is closed and, when the passage between the said chamber
and the draw-off pipe or nozzle is open, the communication with the liquid reser-
voir is closed, substantially as described.
Third. In combination with a measuring chamber adapted to be brought into
communication, by means of a suitable cock or valve, either with a liquid-reservoir
or with a draw-off pipe or nozzle, of a counting-device adapted to register any
desired unit each time the said cock or valve is operated, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination, in an apparatus such as is hereinbefore described, of
a pawl-mechanism constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination, with an apparatus such as is hereinbefore described,
of a chamber containing a buoyant ball or float-valve and provided with passages
communicating respectively with the atmosphere and with a liquid-receiving
chamber, substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
Sixth. The apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawing and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of
1000
JOHN SHELLEY.
D. Young & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant